7-12-2019 GANDIA, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a member of the sparrow family Passeridae. This small bird typically measures around 16 cm (6.3 in) in length and weighs between 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females and young birds displaying pale brown and grey plumage, while males are characterized by more vibrant black, white, and brown markings.

Males can be identified by their bright black, white, and brown markings, with a distinctive black bib, white cheeks, and a grey crown. Females lack the striking head patterns of males and are predominantly buffish with softer coloration. Juveniles resemble adult females but are generally paler with less defined markings.

The house sparrow is highly adaptable and can thrive in both urban and rural environments. It is commonly found in close association with human habitation and avoids dense forests, grasslands, polar regions, and deserts far from human development.

Native to Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and much of Asia, the house sparrow has been introduced to various regions worldwide, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, making it one of the most widely distributed wild birds.

5-12-2019 ADOR CAMPO, VALENCIA - LITTLE OWL (Athene noctua)

The Little Owl, Athene noctua, is a diminutive yet distinctive bird, often associated with the goddess Athena in Greek mythology and Minerva in Roman lore. This bird is characterized by a flat-topped head, a robust, compact body, and a relatively short tail. Its plumage is a mottled greyish-brown, adorned with white spots, streaks, and bars, giving it a cryptic appearance. Both sexes are similar in size, measuring approximately 22 cm in length with a wingspan of 56 cm, and weighing around 180 grams.

The Little Owl possesses a large head, elongated legs, and striking yellow eyes. Its white "eyebrows" lend it a somewhat stern expression. Juvenile birds are somewhat duller than adults and lack the white crown spots. The species is known for its woodpecker-like bounding flight. During the moult, which occurs from July to November, males begin shedding feathers before females.

This owl favors open countryside and thrives in a variety of habitats, including agricultural lands with hedgerows and trees, orchards, woodland edges, parks, gardens, steppes, and semi-deserts. It can also be found in treeless areas such as dunes, and near human-made structures like ruins and quarries.

The Little Owl's range spans much of temperate and warmer parts of Europe, the Palearctic east to Korea, and North Africa. It has been introduced to Britain and the South Island of New Zealand, where it has established populations.

5-12-2019 POTRIES, VALENCIA - EURASIAN HOOPOE (Upupa epops)

The Eurasian hoopoe, with its scientific name Upupa epops, is a bird of unmistakable appearance. It boasts a warm cinnamon plumage, contrasted by striking black and white wings, and a prominent black-tipped, fan-like crest which it can raise and lower. Its tail features a broad white band across a black background. The hoopoe's long, narrow bill curves downwards, adept for probing the soil, and is black with a fawn base.

When identifying the Eurasian hoopoe, look for its unique silhouette, characterized by its long, tapering bill and erectile crest. In flight, its broad and rounded wings display a bold black and white pattern, and its undulating flight is reminiscent of a large butterfly. The hoopoe's size ranges from 25 to 32 cm in length, with a wingspan of 44 to 48 cm, and it weighs between 46 and 89 grams.

The hoopoe is adaptable, favoring habitats with bare or lightly vegetated ground for foraging and vertical surfaces with cavities for nesting. These can include heathlands, wooded steppes, savannas, grasslands, and forest glades.

This species is native to Europe, Asia, and the northern half of Africa. It is migratory in the northern parts of its range, with European and north Asian birds wintering in the tropics. African populations tend to be sedentary throughout the year.

6-12-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - THREE BAND SLUG (Genus Ambigolimax)

Ambigolimax is a genus of air-breathing land slugs in the family Limacidae, the keelback slugs.

There is still ongoing disagreement whether it is more appropriate to consider Ambigolimax as merely a subgenus of Lehmannia; the evidence for splitting them is phylogenetic trees constructed on the basis of DNA sequences.

Ambigolimax was constructed by Pollonera in 1887 to encompass A. valentianus and what he called A. fulvus but is now understood to be Malacolimax tenellus. He considered Ambigolimax as a subgenus of Agriolimax (now Deroceras) in the family Agriolimacidae. In 1926, Hesse transferred it to become a subgenus of Lehmannia in the family Limacidae. Since about 2007 the increasing tendency has been to split Lehmannia s.l. into two genera, Lehmannia s.s. and Ambigolimax. This splitting was based on the genetic evidence that the position of Malacolimax in the phylogenetic tree makes Lehmannia s.l. a paraphyletic group.

6-12-2019 GANDIA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN ROBIN (Erithacus rubecula)

6-12-2019 GANDIA, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a member of the sparrow family Passeridae. This small bird typically measures around 16 cm (6.3 in) in length and weighs between 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females and young birds displaying pale brown and grey plumage, while males are characterized by more vibrant black, white, and brown markings.

Males can be identified by their bright black, white, and brown markings, with a distinctive black bib, white cheeks, and a grey crown. Females lack the striking head patterns of males and are predominantly buffish with softer coloration. Juveniles resemble adult females but are generally paler with less defined markings.

The house sparrow is highly adaptable and can thrive in both urban and rural environments. It is commonly found in close association with human habitation and avoids dense forests, grasslands, polar regions, and deserts far from human development.

Native to Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and much of Asia, the house sparrow has been introduced to various regions worldwide, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, making it one of the most widely distributed wild birds.

12-4-2018 VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE - GREEN WINGED PYTILIA (Pytilia melba)

The Green-winged Pytilia (Pytilia melba) is a resident bird in Zimbabwe, known for its arid thorn savanna habitat and a diet of seeds and insects. This small, colorful finch has a red bill, rump, and tail, an olive-green back and wings, and an orange-red forehead and throat in males. It builds untidy, ball-shaped grass nests in thorny bushes and trees, and both parents incubate the eggs. The species is of least concern and can be found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, including Zimbabwe.  

The Green-winged Pytilia, Pytilia melba, is a diminutive and vibrantly colored seed-eater, a member of the Estrildidae family. Males are particularly striking with their bright plumage.

Adult males can be identified by their vivid green wings and a red patch on their face, while females are more subdued in coloration. Both sexes exhibit a fine barring on their underparts.

This species is known to inhabit a range of environments across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Green-winged Pytilia can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa, though it is encountered less frequently in the central regions, the far south, and the coastal west.

The IUCN Red List categorizes the Green-winged Pytilia as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without immediate threats to its survival.

30-5-2019 VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE - AFRICAN SKIMMER (Rynchops flavirostris)

The African skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris) is a species of bird belonging to the skimmer genus Rynchops in the family Laridae. It is found along rivers, lakes and lagoons in Sub-Saharan Africa.

African skimmers have long wings, with a black back, hindneck, and crown. The forehead and rest of the body is white, with a bright, long, orange beak that ends with a yellow tip (black tip when immature), hence the specific name flavirostris, "yellow-beak." Their short forked tail is white, and their legs are bright red. The average size is about 38 cm (15 in) long. Their voice is a sharp "kip-kip". Their bill structure is unique; the lower mandible is much longer than the upper mandible, and is flattened sideways like scissor blades.

The African skimmer is found from Senegal to northern Congo River and southern Nile Valley, southern Tanzania to the Zambezi Valley, and then to KwaZulu-Natal Province (South Africa) and Angola. They live at large tropical rivers with sandbanks for nesting and roosting, lake shores, and coastal lagoons. The African skimmer is generally uncommon and the total populations is estimated at 15,000–25,000 individuals.

2-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - CAPE BUFFALO (Syncerus caffer caffer) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large species of true buffalo native to Sub-Saharan Africa. The adult African buffalo's horns are its characteristic feature: they have fused bases that form a continuous bone shield, referred to as a "boss", across the top of the head. The African buffalo is more closely related to Asian buffalo (Bubalus) species than it is to other bovids such as American bison or domestic cattle. Its unpredictable temperament may be part of the reason that the African buffalo has never been domesticated and has no domesticated descendants, unlike the wild yak and wild water buffalo, which are the ancestors of the domestic yak and water buffalo, respectively. Natural predators of adult African buffaloes include lions, African wild dogs, spotted hyenas, and Nile crocodiles. As one of the Big Five game animals, the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer), the largest subspecies native to eastern and southern Africas, is a sought-after trophy in hunting.

8-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - SOUTHERN GIRAFFE (Giraffa giraffa) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

The southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa), also known as two-horned giraffe, is a species of giraffe native to Southern Africa. However, the IUCN currently recognizes only one species of giraffe with nine subspecies.

Southern giraffes have rounded or blotched spots, some with star-like extensions on a light tan background, running down to the hooves. They range from South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique. Their approximate population is composed of 44,500 individuals.

Giraffes as one species are considered Vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN.

The southern giraffes live in the savannahs and woodlands of northern South Africa, Angola, southern Botswana, southern Zimbabwe, Zambia and south-western Mozambique. After local extinctions in various places, the South African giraffes have been reintroduced in many parts of Southern Africa, including in Eswatini. They are common in both inside and outside of protected areas.

Southern giraffes usually live in savannahs and woodlands where food plants are available. Southern giraffes are herbivorous mammals. They feed on leaves, flowers, fruits and shoots of woody plants such as Acacia.

Southern giraffes are not threatened, as their population is increasing.

6-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - AFRICAN LEOPARD (FEMALE ) (Panthera pardus pardus) PHOTO COURTESY MRS VALERIE FISHER

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_leopard

The African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) is the nominate subspecies of the leopard, native to many countries in Africa. It is widely distributed in most of sub-Saharan Africa, but the historical range has been fragmented in the course of habitat conversion. Leopards have also been recorded in North Africa as well.

The African leopard exhibits great variation in coat color, depending on location and habitat. Coat colour varies from pale yellow to deep gold or tawny, and sometimes black, and is patterned with black rosettes while the head, lower limbs and belly are spotted with solid black. Male leopards are larger, averaging 58 kg (128 lb) with 90 kg (200 lb) being the maximum weight attained by a male. Females weigh about 37.5 kg (83 lb) on average.

The African leopard is sexually dimorphic; males are larger and heavier than females. Between 1996 and 2000, 11 adult leopards were radio-collared on Namibian farmlands. Males weighed 37.5 to 52.3 kg (83 to 115 lb) only, and females 24 to 33.5 kg (53 to 74 lb). The heaviest known leopard weighed about 96 kg (212 lb), and was recorded in South West Africa.

8-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - GRAYFOOT CHACMA BABOON (FEMALE AND JUVENILE) (Papio ursinus ssp. griseipes) PHOTO COURTESY MRS VALERIE FISHER

Chacma baboons are found throughout southern Africa, ranging from South Africa north to Angola, Zambia, and Mozambique. They live in diverse habitats from woodlands to savannas, steppes, and sub-deserts. Chacma baboons are found in the Kalahari Desert as well as on the alpine slopes of the Drakensberg. They usually sleep on hills, cliffs, or large trees and during the day, avoid arid areas with a lack of water.

The Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) is a member of the Old World monkey family. It is one of the largest of all monkeys. Located primarily in southern Africa, the chacma baboon has a wide variety of social behaviors, including a dominance hierarchy, collective foraging, adoption of young by females, and friendship pairings. In general, the species is not threatened, but hunting, trapping, and accidents kill or remove many baboons from the wild, thereby reducing their numbers and disrupting their social structure.

8-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - AFRICAN SAVANNA ELEPHANT (Loxodonta Africana) PHOTO COURTESY MRS VALERIE FISHER

The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), also known as the African savanna elephant, is a species of elephant native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of three extant elephant species and, along with the African forest elephant, one of two extant species of African elephant. It is the largest living terrestrial animal, with fully grown bulls reaching an average shoulder height of 3.04–3.36 metres (10.0–11.0 ft) and a body mass of 5.2–6.9 tonnes (5.7–7.6 short tons); the largest recorded specimen had a shoulder height of 3.96 metres (13.0 ft) and an estimated body mass of 10.4 tonnes (11.5 short tons). The African bush elephant is characterised by its long prehensile trunk with two finger-like processes; a convex back; large ears which help reduce body heat; and sturdy tusks that are noticeably curved. The skin is grey with scanty hairs, and bending cracks which support thermoregulation by retaining water.

The African bush elephant inhabits a variety of habitats such as forests, grasslands, woodlands, wetlands and agricultural land. It is a mixed herbivore feeding mostly on grasses, creepers, herbs, leaves, and bark. The average adult consumes about 150 kg (330 lb) of vegetation and 230 L (51 imp gal; 61 US gal) of water each day. A social animal, the African bush elephant often travels in herds composed of cows and their offspring. Adult bulls usually live alone or in small bachelor groups. During the mating season, males go through a process called musth, a period of high testosterone levels and heightened aggression. For females, the menstrual cycle lasts three to four months, and gestation around 22 months, the longest of any mammal.

Since 2021, the African bush elephant has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is threatened foremost by habitat destruction, and in parts of its range also by poaching for meat and ivory. Between 2003 and 2015, the illegal killing of 14,606 African bush elephants was reported by rangers across 29 range countries. Chad is a major transit country for smuggling of ivory in West Africa. This trend was curtailed by raising penalties for poaching and improving law enforcement. Poaching of the elephant has dated back to the 1970s and 80s, which were considered the largest killings in history. In human culture, elephants have been extensively featured in literature, folklore and media, and are most valued for their large tusks in many places.

8-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - SWALLOW TAILED BEE-EATER (Merops hirundineus) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

The Swallow-tailed Bee-eater is a vibrant green African bird with a striking forked blue tail, yellow throat, and black eye stripe, known for catching bees and wasps mid-air from open perches in wooded savannas, nesting colonially in sandy banks, and sharing communal feeding/roosting habits. These colorful insectivores are easily approached, display distinct behaviors like removing stings before eating, and form pairs or small colonies, making them easily identifiable. 

The swallow-tailed bee-eater (Merops hirundineus) is a species of bee-eater native to sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds predominantly on insects, especially bees and their relatives, which are caught in flight from an open perch. Its vivid colors and forked tail are distinctive.

Like other bee-eaters, this is a richly coloured, slender bird. Its colours and readily visible forked tail make it unmistakable. It is mainly green with a yellow throat, blue gorget and black eye stripe and beak. Swallow-tailed bee-eaters can reach a length of 20–22 cm, including the long forked green or blue feathers. Sexes are alike.

It breeds in savannah woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. It is partially migratory, moving in response to rainfall patterns. This is a species which prefers somewhat more wooded country than most bee-eaters.

This attractive bird is readily approached. Just as the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. The swallowtail has a preference for honeybees.

These bee-eaters nest as pairs or in very small colonies in sandy banks, or similar flat ground. They make a relatively long tunnel in which the 2 to 4 spherical, white eggs are laid. They also feed and roost communally.

2-12-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BOAT BUG (Enoplops scapha)

Enoplops scapha, or the Boat Bug, is a dark grey squashbug (Coreidae family) about 11-13mm long, known for cream spots on its abdomen edge, feeding on Asteraceae plants (like Mayweed), overwintering as adults, and found in coastal dunes/cliffs in Europe, distinguished from similar bugs by short facial spines and rounded shoulders. 

Identification & Appearance

Size: 11-13 mm long.

Color: Dark gray/brown with distinct cream or whitish spots (connexivum).

Key Feature: Short, whitish spines on its head (tilo) near the antennae, distinguishing it from the similar E. bos.

Nymphs: Start green with spiny antennae, later become similar to adults but with pointed abdominal segments (tergites). 

Habitat & Diet

Habitat: Prefers dry, open areas like sand dunes and soft cliffs in coastal regions.

Food: Herbivorous, feeding on plants from the Asteraceae (daisy) family, such as Common Storksbill (Erodium cicutarium) and Scentless Mayweed (Tripleurospermum inodorum). 

Behavior & Life Cycle

Overwintering: Adults survive the winter (overwinter).

Reproduction: Can have two broods if conditions are right, with adults present all year.

Defense: Like other bugs, it likely releases a scent when threatened, often described as "freshly cut grass". 

Where to Find

Location: Common in the British Isles (coasts from Kent to North Wales) and other parts of Europe, North Africa, and China.

Search: Inspect host plants (Asteraceae) on leaves and stems. 

1-12-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (idaea cervantaria)

1.4 to 2.2 cm wingspan. Straw-coloured, with yellowish wings with scattered dark, brown or greyish scales. On each wing it has a wavy line with small pointed spots, pointing backwards. Sometimes these details are barely noticeable. Between these lines and the rear edge, it has dark spots that may have a  light wavy stripe. It has a spot on each wing but those on the front wings may go unnoticed.

There are other similar species that are impossible to distinguish externally, so for a correct and safe identification, genital analysis must be used. Several of them have been found in the province of Malaga, although I. cervantaria is currently the most common and the only one that has been observed in urban environments.

The caterpillars feed on dry leaves of herbaceous plants and in captivity on petals of different Asteraceae and sea alder (Lobularia maritima), the latter common in our province, especially in sunny areas of the limestone mountains, and occasionally used in gardening for the showiness of its inflorescences.

1-12-2019 LA FONT D'EN CARROS, VALENCIA - MEADOW PIPIT (Anthus pratensis)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadow_pipit

1-12-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus)

1-12-2019 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - MEADOW PIPIT (Anthus pratensis)

The meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) is a small passerine bird, which breeds in much of the Palearctic, from southeastern Greenland and Iceland east to just east of the Ural Mountains in Russia, and south to central France and Romania; an isolated population also occurs in the Caucasus Mountains. It is migratory over most of its range, wintering in southern Europe, North Africa, and south-western Asia, but is resident year-round in western Europe, though even here many birds move to the coast or lowlands in winter.

The nest is on the ground hidden in dense vegetation, with two to seven (most often three to five) eggs; the eggs hatch after 11–15 days, with the chicks fledging 10–14 days after hatching. Two broods are commonly raised each year. This species is one of the most important nest hosts of the cuckoo, and it is also an important prey species for merlins and hen harriers.

Its food is primarily insects and other invertebrates, mostly small items less than 5 mm (3⁄16 in) long. It also eats the seeds of grasses, sedges, rushes, and heather, and crowberry berries, mainly in winter.

1-12-2019 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba)

The white wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small passerine bird in the family Motacillidae, which also includes pipits and longclaws. The species breeds in much of Europe and the Asian Palearctic and parts of North Africa. It has a toehold in Alaska as a scarce breeder. It is resident in the mildest parts of its range, but otherwise migrates to Africa. In Ireland and Great Britain, the darker subspecies, the pied wagtail or water wagtail (M. a. yarrellii) predominates; this is also called in Ireland willie wagtail, not to be confused with the Australian species Rhipidura leucophrys which bears the same common name. In total, there are between 9 and 11 subspecies of M. alba.

The white wagtail is an insectivorous bird of open country, often near habitation and water. It prefers bare areas for feeding, where it can see and pursue its prey. In urban areas it has adapted to foraging on paved areas such as car parks. It nests in crevices in stone walls and similar natural and human-made structures.

It is the national bird of Latvia and has featured on the stamps of several countries. Though it is 'of least concern', there are several threats against it, like being kept as pets and being used as food.

1-12-2019 LA FONT D 'EN CARROS, VALENCIA - GREY WAGTAIL (Motacilla cinerea)

The grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat. The species is widely distributed, with several populations breeding in Eurosiberia and migrating to tropical regions in Asia and Africa. 

The species is always associated with running water when breeding, although they may use man-made structures near streams for the nest. Outside the breeding season, they may also be seen around lakes, coasts and other watery habitats. Like other wagtails, they frequently wag their tail and fly low with undulations and they have a sharp call that is often given in flight.

30-11-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLAIR'S MOCHA MOTH (Cyclophora puppillaria)

Cyclophora puppillaria, or Blair's mocha, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1799. It can be found in Europe and from North Africa up to the Caucasus area.

The wingspan is 28–36 mm in the first generation; the second and any subsequent generations are on average much smaller often only 19 mm. Front and hindwings have almost the same colour. This is however very variable and ranges usually from reddish brown to reddish yellow and light brown. Some specimens are sand coloured, brown or orange. Also, the pattern is very variable. The inner and outer cross lines, as well as the median band can be very well developed, but also almost completely missing. The interior cross line, but especially the outer cross line is often replaced by a row of dots. The discal spots on the front and rear wings can be large, small or completely absent. In specimens with large discal spots, these are often with white pupils. The front wing margin stains present on the hindwings, but mostly absent. The basal half of the costa is often dark. Where the inner and outer cross line reach the costal of the forewings, noticeable spots are usually developed. The fringes usually have the colour of the wings. The subspecies lilacinipes of Madeira has a dark fringe.

The moths fly from June to October depending on the location.

The larvae feed on oak.

30-11-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BOAT BUG (Enoplops scapha)

A large and distinctive dark grey squashbug with cream markings on the connexivum. Early instar larvae have very spiny antennae and a green abdomen. Later instars are superficially similar to the much commoner Coreus marginatus but the abdominal tergites are more pointed.

A local species which is confined to coastal cliffs and sand dunes between Kent and north Wales, with outlying populations on the north Yorkshire coast. The foodplants are various Asteraceae.

Adult: All year

Length 11-12 mm

29-11-2019 SUECA, VALENCIA - SHORT EARED OWL (Asio flammeus)

The short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) is a widespread grassland species in the family Strigidae. Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may not be visible. The short-eared owl will display its tufts when in a defensive pose, although its very short tufts are usually not visible. The short-eared owl is found in open country and grasslands.

The short-eared owl was formally described in 1763 by the Lutheran bishop Erik Pontoppidan under the binomial name Strix flammea. The specific epithet is from the Latin flammeus meaning "flammulated" or "flame-coloured". This owl is now placed with seven other species in the genus Asio that was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760.

The short-eared owl is a medium-sized owl measuring 34–43 cm (13–17 in) in length and weighing 206–475 g (7.3–16.8 oz).[9] It has large eyes, a big head, a short neck, and broad wings. Its bill is short, strong, hooked and black. Its plumage is mottled tawny to brown with a barred tail and wings. The upper breast is significantly streaked. Its flight is characteristically floppy due to its irregular wingbeats. The short-eared owl may also be described as "moth or bat-like" in flight. Wingspans range from 85 to 110 cm (33 to 43 in). Females are slightly larger than males. The yellow-orange eyes of A. flammeus are exaggerated by black rings encircling each eye, giving the appearance of them wearing mascara, and large, whitish disks of plumage surrounding the eyes like a mask.

Short-eared owls have a scratchy bark-like call. Raspy waowk, waowk, waowk or toot-toot-toot-toot-toot sounds are common. A loud eeee-yerp is also heard on breeding grounds. However, short-eared owls are silent on the wintering grounds.

Short Eared Owl in its habitat. Notice how it chooses short shady trees to roost under, in a grassland/ desert habitat.

The short-eared owl occurs on all continents except Antarctica and Australia; thus it has one of the most widespread distributions of any bird. A. flammeus breeds in Europe, Asia, North and South America, the Caribbean, Hawaii and the Galápagos Islands. It is partially migratory, moving south in winter from the northern parts of its range. The short-eared owl is known to relocate to areas of higher rodent populations. It will also wander nomadically in search of better food supplies during years when vole populations are low.

Sexual maturity is attained at one year. Breeding season in the northern hemisphere lasts from March to June, peaking in April. During this time these owls may gather in flocks. During breeding season, the males make great spectacles of themselves in flight to attract females. The male swoops down over the nest flapping its wings in a courtship display. These owls are generally monogamous.

The short-eared owl nests on the ground in prairie, tundra, savanna, or meadow habitats. Nests are concealed by low vegetation, and may be lightly lined by weeds, grass, or feathers. Approximately 4 to 7 white eggs are found in a typical clutch, but clutch size can reach up to a dozen eggs in years when voles are abundant. There is one brood per year. The eggs are incubated mostly by the female for 21–37 days. Offspring fledge at a little over four weeks. This owl is known to lure predators away from its nest by appearing to have a crippled wing.

Hunting occurs mostly at night, but this owl is known to be diurnal and crepuscular as well. Its daylight hunting seems to coincide with the high-activity periods of voles, its preferred prey. It tends to fly only feet above the ground in open fields and grasslands until swooping down upon its prey feet-first. Several owls may hunt over the same open area. Its food consists mainly of rodents, especially voles, but it will eat other small mammals such as rabbits, mice, ground squirrels, shrews, rats, bats, muskrats and moles. It will also occasionally depredate smaller birds, especially when near sea-coasts and adjacent wetlands at which time they attack shorebirds, terns and small gulls and seabirds with semi-regularity. Avian prey is more infrequently preyed on inland and centers on passerines such as larks, icterids, starlings, tyrant flycatchers and pipits. Insects supplement the diet and short-eared owls may prey on roaches, grasshoppers, beetles, katydids and caterpillars. Competition can be fierce in North America with the northern harrier, with which the owl shares similar habitat and prey preferences. Both species will readily harass the other when prey is caught.

Through much of its range, short-eared owls occurs with the similar-looking long-eared owl. At rest, the ear-tufts of the long-eared owl serve to easily distinguish the two (although long-eared owls can sometimes hold their ear-tufts flat). The iris-colour differs: yellow in the short-eared, and orange in the long-eared, and the black surrounding the eyes is vertical on the long-eared, and horizontal on the short-eared. Overall the short-eared tends to be a paler, sandier bird than the long-eared. The long-eared owl generally has different habitat preferences from the short-eared, most often being found concealed in areas with dense wooded thickets. The short-eared owl is often most regularly seen flying about in early morning or late day as it hunts over open habitats. 

Because of the high pH in the stomach of owls they have a reduced ability to digest bone and other hard parts, so they eject pellets containing the remains of their prey.

The short-eared owl has an estimated global population of 1,200,000 to 2,100,000 and a very large range. On that basis, it is evaluated by the IUCN as a species of least concern.

It is listed as declining in the southern portion of its United States range. It is common in the northern portion of its breeding range. It is listed as endangered in New Mexico. Its appearance at the Calverton Executive Airpark on Long Island has prompted the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to take the lead on ruling whether a massive redevelopment of the airport will receive the necessary environmental permits.

29-11-2019 SUECA, VALENCIA - WATER PIPIT (Anthus spinoletta)

The water pipit (Anthus spinoletta) is a small passerine bird which breeds in the mountains of Southern Europe and the Palearctic eastwards to China. It is a short-distance migrant; many birds move to lower altitudes or wet open lowlands in winter.

The water pipit in breeding plumage has greyish-brown upperparts, weakly streaked with darker brown, and pale pink-buff underparts fading to whitish on the lower belly. The head is grey with a broad white supercilium ("eyebrow"), and the outer tail feathers are white. In winter, the head is grey-brown, the supercilium is duller, the upperparts are more streaked, and the underparts are white, streaked lightly with brown on the breast and flanks. There are only minor differences among the three subspecies, the sexes are almost identical, and young birds resemble adults. The water pipit's song is delivered from a perch or in flight, and consists of four or five blocks, each consisting of about six repetitions of a different short note.

Water pipits construct a cup-like nest on the ground under vegetation or in cliff crevices and lay four to six speckled grey-ish white eggs, which hatch in about two weeks with a further 14–15 days to fledging. Although pipits occasionally catch insects in flight, they feed mainly on small invertebrates picked off the ground or vegetation, and also some plant material.

The water pipit may be hunted by birds of prey, infested by parasites such as fleas, or act as an involuntary host to the common cuckoo, but overall its population is large and stable, and it is therefore evaluated as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The breeding range of the water pipit is the mountains of southern Europe and Asia from Spain to central China, along with the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Corsica.

The water pipit is predominantly a mountain species in the breeding season, found in alpine pasture and high meadows with short grass and some bushes or rocks. It is typically found close to wetter areas and often on slopes. It breeds between 615–3,200 metres (2,020–10,500 ft) altitude, mostly 1,400–2,500 metres (4,600–8,200 ft). It migrates relatively short distances in autumn to lower ground, typically wintering on coastal wetlands, marshes, rice fields and similar habitats. Although most birds move to lowlands, some may remain at up to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). Nominate A. s. spinoletta winters mainly in western and southern Europe and in northwestern Africa; in western Europe some birds show fidelity to the same wintering site, returning each year. Birds in Spain appear to move only lower down the mountains in which they breed. A.s. coutellii winters at lower altitudes near its breeding areas and also in the Arabian Peninsula and northeast Africa. A.s. blakistoni winters in Pakistan, northwest India and southern China.