29-10-2025 MUNTANYETA DEL SANS, ALBUFERA - WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba)

The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small, elegant passerine bird, a member of the family Motacillidae, which includes pipits and longclaws. This slender bird measures between 16.5 to 19 cm in length, with East Asian subspecies reaching up to 21 cm. It is characterized by its long, constantly wagging tail, a behavior that has become synonymous with the genus. Weighing an average of 25 g, the White Wagtail can live up to 12 years in the wild.

Adult White Wagtails exhibit a distinctive plumage with a combination of grey, black, and white. The bird's upper parts are generally grey, with a white face, belly, and breast. Males during the breeding season may show a darker back, and the species is known for its sharp, brisk call and more melodious song during courtship.

The White Wagtail is commonly found in open country, often in close proximity to human habitation and water sources. It shows a preference for bare areas which facilitate the sighting and pursuit of prey. This bird has adapted well to urban environments, utilizing paved areas such as parking lots for foraging.

This species has a vast breeding range across Europe, the Asian Palearctic, parts of North Africa, and has a presence in Alaska. It is a migratory bird, with populations moving to Africa and parts of Asia during the winter. In Great Britain and Ireland, the darker subspecies known as the Pied Wagtail is more prevalent.

The White Wagtail is known for its perpetual tail wagging, a behavior that remains somewhat enigmatic but is thought to be a signal of vigilance to predators. It is a monogamous bird that defends its breeding territory with determination.

The call of the White Wagtail is a sharp "chisick," softer than that of the Pied Wagtail. Its song is more structured and is used by males to attract females rather than to mark territory.

White Wagtails are monogamous breeders, with both sexes contributing to nest building. The nest is often placed in crevices or holes near water or in human-made structures. The species lays three to eight cream-colored, speckled eggs, which both parents incubate. Chicks fledge after 12 to 15 days and continue to be fed for a week thereafter.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - SOUTHERN WHITE RHINOCEROS (Ceratotherium simum simum)

The southern white rhinoceros or southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum) is one of the two subspecies of the white rhinoceros (the other being the much rarer northern white rhinoceros). It is the most common and widespread subspecies of rhinoceros.

The southern white rhino lives in the grasslands, savannahs, and shrublands of southern Africa, ranging from South Africa to Zambia. About 98.5% of southern white rhino live in just five countries: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Uganda.

The southern white rhino is listed as Near Threatened; it is mostly threatened by habitat loss and poaching for rhino horn for use in traditional Chinese medicine.

The southern white rhino was nearly extinct near the end of the 19th century having been reduced to a population of approximately 20–50 animals in KwaZulu-Natal due to sport hunting and land clearance. Numbers increased rapidly from 1992 to 2010, due to intensive protection and translocation efforts, however population growth then slowed as poaching increased, with numbers declining from 2012 to 2017. An approximate 15% decline in estimated numbers between 2012 and 2017 was primarily due to reductions in populations within South Africa's Kruger National Park. Poaching rates peaked in 2014 and as of December 2017, there were an estimated 18,064 southern white rhino in the wild with populations being assessed as Near Threatened since 2002.

White rhino trophy hunting was legalized and regulated in 1968, and after initial miscalculations is now generally seen to have assisted in the species' recovery by providing incentives for landowners to boost rhino populations.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - AFRICAN SAVANNA ELEPHANT (Loxodonta Africana)

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.

29-10-2025 MUNTANYETA DEL SANS, ALBUFERA - GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)

The great egret (Ardea alba), also known as the common egret, large egret, great white egret,[2] or great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. Recently, it has also been spreading to more northern areas of Europe. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, it builds tree nests in colonies close to water.

The great egret is a large heron with all-white plumage. Standing up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall, this species can measure 80 to 104 cm (31 to 41 in) in length with a wingspan of 131 to 170 cm (52 to 67 in). Body mass can range from 700 to 1,500 g (25 to 53 oz), with an average around 1,000 g (35 oz). It is thus only slightly smaller than the great blue or grey heron (A. cinerea). Apart from size, the great egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet, though the bill may become darker and the lower legs lighter in the breeding season. In breeding plumage, delicate ornamental feathers are borne on the back. Males and females are identical in appearance; juveniles look like nonbreeding adults. Differentiated from the intermediate egret (Ardea intermedia) by the gape, which extends well beyond the back of the eye in case of the great egret, but ends just behind the eye in case of the intermediate egret.

29-10-2025 ULLAL DE BALDOVI, ALBUFERA - COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (Phylloscopus collybita)

The Common Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita, is a diminutive and sprightly leaf warbler known for its distinctive, onomatopoeic song. This small, migratory passerine is characterized by its greenish-brown upperparts and off-white underparts, with a weight ranging from 6 to 8 grams and a length of 10-12 centimeters.

In the field, look for the Common Chiffchaff's short whitish supercilium, fine dark bill, and dark legs. Its primary projection is short, and the plumage may appear duller and browner as it wears. Juveniles are browner above with yellow-white underparts, but they soon acquire brighter plumage after their first moult.

The Common Chiffchaff breeds in open woodlands with a mix of taller trees and ground cover across northern and temperate Europe, Asia, and parts of north Africa. It prefers woodland with trees at least 5 meters high and an undergrowth of grasses and nettles.

This species has a vast breeding range, extending from Europe to eastern Siberia and northward to about 70 N. It winters in southern and western Europe, southern Asia, and north Africa. The Common Chiffchaff is one of the earliest spring migrants to return to its breeding grounds and one of the last to depart in autumn.

28-10-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Scopula asellaria)

Scopula asellaria is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1847. It is found in southern Europe and North Africa.

The larvae feed on the flowers of Silene species.

Subspecies

Scopula asellaria asellaria

Scopula asellaria dentatolineata (Wehrli, 1926) (Spain)

Scopula asellaria gerstbergeri (Hausmann, 1993) (Canary Islands)

Scopula asellaria isabellaria (Milliére, 1868) (Spain)

Scopula asellaria lenzi (Hausmann, 1993) (Morocco)

Scopula asellaria philipparia (Prout, 1913) (Algeria)

Scopula asellaria romanaria (Milliére, 1869) (Italy)

Scopula asellaria tripolitana (Turati, 1930) (Libya)

28-10-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GARDEN CARPET MOTH (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)

The garden carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is an abundant and familiar species across its huge range which covers the whole Palearctic region from Ireland to Japan and including the Near East and North Africa. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

It has a wingspan of 27–31 mm (1.1–1.2 in). The wings are greyish white with three irregular black blotches along the costa of the forewing, the largest in the middle. Occasionally, much darker (melanic) forms occur. "Easy to recognize, in spite of its variability. In the typical form the ground colour is dirty whitish and the median band is almost or altogether obsolete in its posterior half.

The species has an exceptionally long flying season spanning two or three broods, and the adults can be seen any time from April to October in the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of its range. It flies throughout the night and is attracted to light – it is one of the species most likely to be seen at lighted windows.

The larva is grey or green with pale, diamond-shaped markings along the back. It usually feeds on crucifers: both cultivated brassicas and wild species such as flixweed, garlic mustard, perennial wall-rocket, wallflower, and wild radish. It has also been recorded feeding on nasturtium. The species overwinters as a pupa.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - DYEING BLUE POISON DART FROG (Dendrobates tinctorius)

The dyeing poison dart frog (Dendrobates tinctorius), also known as the cobalt poison frog, tinc (a nickname given by those in the hobby of keeping dart frogs), is a species of poison dart frog. It is among the most variably colored and largest species of poison dart frogs, typically reaching snout–vent lengths of about 50 mm (2.0 in). It is distributed in the eastern portion of the Guiana Shield, including parts of French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil. These types of frogs usually like to stay in the ground as it is easier to catch prey. They tend to also stay in bodies of water like rivers or climb trees. Because of this they mostly inhabit near the Amazon Rainforest. To mate they have special rituals and leave their tadpoles in freshwater.

The dyeing poison dart frog exists in discrete patches of the eastern Guiana Shield, being found at altitudes up to 600 m (2,000 ft). It is found in regions of tropical primary rainforests, but is associated with areas with canopy gaps. It is mostly found in upland areas, for example in hills or at the base of mountains, but populations are also present at sea level. Erosion of the highlands has contributed to creating isolate populations. A study shows that Dendrobates tinctorius tadpoles can survive in pools having a high level of KH, vertical height of 15 mi (79,000 ft) and salinity up to 955 ppm.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - RED CRESTED POCHARD (FEMALE) (Netta rufina)

The Red-crested Pochard, Netta rufina, is a striking large diving duck. Its name is drawn from the Greek word for duck, 'Netta', and the Latin 'rufina', meaning 'golden-red', a nod to the male's vibrant plumage.

Males are resplendent with a rounded orange head, a red bill, and a contrasting black breast. Their sides are a crisp white, with a brown back and a black tail. Females, on the other hand, are clad in more subdued tones, primarily pale brown with a darker back and crown, and a whitish face. During eclipse, males resemble females but retain their red bills.

These ducks favor lowland marshes and lakes, thriving in the wetland habitats of southern Europe.

The Red-crested Pochard breeds from the steppe and semi-desert regions near the Black Sea to Central Asia and Mongolia. It is a somewhat migratory species, with northern populations wintering in the Indian Subcontinent and Africa.

Gregarious by nature, Red-crested Pochards form large flocks in the winter, often mingling with other diving ducks such as the Common Pochard. They are known to both dive and dabble for their food.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - TUFTED DUCK (FEMALE) (Aythya fuligula)

The tufted duck, or tufted pochard, is a small diving duck with a population approaching one million birds. The males are striking with their black plumage contrasted by white flanks and a blue-grey bill, crowned with a distinctive tuft on the back of the head. Their eyes are a remarkable gold-yellow. Females, on the other hand, are cloaked in brown with paler flanks and may have some white around the bill base, though not as pronounced as in scaup species.

When identifying the tufted duck, look for the male's black body, white sides, and the namesake tuft on the back of the head. Females are more subdued in color but can be distinguished by their brown plumage and paler sides. Both sexes share a similar structure and size, with an average length of 43.2 cm and a wingspan that ranges from 19.4 to 21.2 cm.

These ducks favor marshes and lakes with abundant vegetation, which provides cover for nesting. They are also found in coastal lagoons, along shorelines, and in sheltered ponds.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - TUFTED DUCK (MALE) (Aythya fuligula)

The tufted duck, or tufted pochard, is a small diving duck with a population approaching one million birds. The males are striking with their black plumage contrasted by white flanks and a blue-grey bill, crowned with a distinctive tuft on the back of the head. Their eyes are a remarkable gold-yellow. Females, on the other hand, are cloaked in brown with paler flanks and may have some white around the bill base, though not as pronounced as in scaup species.

When identifying the tufted duck, look for the male's black body, white sides, and the namesake tuft on the back of the head. Females are more subdued in color but can be distinguished by their brown plumage and paler sides. Both sexes share a similar structure and size, with an average length of 43.2 cm and a wingspan that ranges from 19.4 to 21.2 cm.

These ducks favor marshes and lakes with abundant vegetation, which provides cover for nesting. They are also found in coastal lagoons, along shorelines, and in sheltered ponds.

The tufted duck breeds across temperate and northern Eurasia. In winter, they migrate to milder regions in the south and west of Europe, southern Asia, and are year-round residents in the British Isles. They have been known to appear as winter visitors along the coasts of the United States and Canada and have been spotted as far afield as Melbourne, Australia.

Tufted ducks are gregarious outside of the breeding season, forming large flocks on open water. They are migratory in much of their range, seeking out the milder climates during the colder months.

The female tufted duck emits a harsh, growling "karr" mostly in flight, while the male is generally silent but may produce a simple "wit-oo" whistle during courtship.

These ducks nest near marshes and lakes where dense vegetation can conceal their nests from potential predators.

The tufted duck can be confused with the greater and lesser scaup. However, the scaup species lack the characteristic head tuft and have different calls.

Tufted ducks are divers, plunging below the surface to forage for molluscs, aquatic insects, and some plant material. They have also been known to upend from the water's surface and may feed nocturnally.

The tufted duck is currently listed as Least Concern globally by the IUCN, though it is considered Near Threatened in Europe. The species is protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - RED CRESTED POCHARD (MALE) (Netta rufina)

The Red-crested Pochard, Netta rufina, is a striking large diving duck. Its name is drawn from the Greek word for duck, 'Netta', and the Latin 'rufina', meaning 'golden-red', a nod to the male's vibrant plumage.

Males are resplendent with a rounded orange head, a red bill, and a contrasting black breast. Their sides are a crisp white, with a brown back and a black tail. Females, on the other hand, are clad in more subdued tones, primarily pale brown with a darker back and crown, and a whitish face. During eclipse, males resemble females but retain their red bills.

These ducks favor lowland marshes and lakes, thriving in the wetland habitats of southern Europe.

The Red-crested Pochard breeds from the steppe and semi-desert regions near the Black Sea to Central Asia and Mongolia. It is a somewhat migratory species, with northern populations wintering in the Indian Subcontinent and Africa.

Gregarious by nature, Red-crested Pochards form large flocks in the winter, often mingling with other diving ducks such as the Common Pochard. They are known to both dive and dabble for their food.

27-10-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN MANTIS (FEMALE) (Iris oratoria)

Iris oratoria, known by the common name Mediterranean mantis (or less frequently iris mantis), due to humans first studying it in lands around the Mediterranean Sea, is a species of praying mantis. Its range is expanding in the Middle East, Western Asia and the United States.

Albania, Bulgaria, Brač Island, Korčula Island, France (Including Corsica), Greece (Including Ionian Islands, Crete, Cyclades Islands), Italy (Including Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Portugal, Spain (Including Balearic Islands), Yugoslavia (Including Serbia, Kosovo, Voivodina, Montenegro), North Africa (Morocco, Algeria,[9] Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, North Chad), Cyprus, West, Central and South Asia (Asian Turkey, India, Israel, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, Turkestan Non-native to the Southwestern United States (Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas.

Two novel I. oratoria survival strategies may have contributed to the expansion of this species beyond its original range, and its success in areas formerly occupied by other mantids such as Stagmomantis carolina. Firstly, this species is capable of parthenogenic reproduction when males are scarce. Secondly, additional I. oratoria nymphs may emerge from their oothecae in the second season after the egg case is produced, i.e., when their siblings are already grown and are producing their own offspring.

The Mediterranean mantis is known for two distinctive behaviours, apart from the ambush hunting common to other mantids: cannibalism and deimatic or threat displays. The sexual cannibalism of mantids known in popular culture occurs in roughly one quarter of all intersexual encounters of I. oratoria.

27-10-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN MANTIS (OOTHECA) (Iris oratoria)

A Mantis ootheca is the foamy, hardened egg case laid by a female praying mantis to protect her eggs. This protective capsule is created from a foamy secretion that hardens into a durable, weather-resistant structure. An ootheca can contain from 50 to over 200 eggs and will protect the developing nymphs until they hatch, typically in the spring.

Protection: The ootheca shields the eggs from predators, weather, and temperature fluctuations. 

Composition: It's made of a protein-based foam that solidifies upon contact with the air. 

Hatching: After a period of dormancy over the winter (for temperate species), the nymphs will emerge, often in the spring. 

Appearance: Oothecae vary in shape and size depending on the species but are often tan or whitish, with a texture that can feel similar to styrofoam.

7-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - PLAINS ZEBRA (Equus quagga)

The plains zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchellii) is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. Its range is fragmented, but spans much of southern and eastern Africa south of the Sahara. Six or seven subspecies have been recognised, including the quagga which was thought to be a separate species. More recent research supports variations in zebra populations being clines rather than subspecies.

Plains zebras are intermediate in size between the larger Grévy's zebra and the smaller mountain zebra and tend to have broader stripes than both. Great variation in coat patterns exists between clines and individuals. The plains zebra's habitat is generally, but not exclusively, treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands, both tropical and temperate. They generally avoid desert, dense rainforest and permanent wetlands. Zebras are preyed upon by lions and spotted hyenas, Nile crocodiles and, to a lesser extent, leopards, cheetahs and African wild dogs.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - EURASIAN BLACKBIRD (MALE) (Turdus merula)

The Common Blackbird thrives in a variety of habitats including woodlands with dense undergrowth, gardens, parks, and hedgerows. It shows a preference for deciduous trees and areas with thick vegetation.

This species is widespread across Europe, western Asia, and North Africa. It has also been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. Its range varies from resident populations in the milder regions to partially or fully migratory populations in areas with more severe winters.

The Common Blackbird is territorial, especially during breeding season, with males displaying distinctive threat behaviors to ward off rivals. Outside of breeding season, they can be more sociable, often forming small flocks. The species is known for its adaptability to urban environments, where it may overwinter more readily than in rural settings.

The male's song is a melodious and fluted warble, often heard from elevated perches during the breeding season. The Common Blackbird also has a repertoire of calls including a sharp "seee" when agitated and a "pook-pook-pook" to signal ground predators.

26-10-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - PUG MOTH (Eupithecia unedonata)

Eupithecia unedonata is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in Spain, France, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Malta, Greece, Crete, Rhodes, North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt), Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Transcaucasia.

Larvae

The wingspan is 18–21 mm. There are two generations per year

The larvae feed on Arbutus unedo, Thymelaea hirsuta and Rhus tripartita.

26-10-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - PEARL MOTH (Dolicharthria bruguieralis)

Dolicharthria bruguieralis is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. It is found from France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Greece and Turkey, east to Japan and Taiwan. It is also found in Africa, including Morocco, Algeria and South Africa.

The wingspan is about 17 millimetres (0.67 in).

Their habitat is in Dry and warm areas.

The larva feeds on withered leaves.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - BLESBOK (MALE) (Damaliscus pygargus ssp. phillipsi)

The bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus) is an antelope found in South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia. D. pygargus has two subspecies; the nominate subspecies (D. p. pygargus), occurring naturally in the Fynbos and Renosterveld areas of the Western Cape, and the blesbok (D. p. phillipsi) occurring in the Highveld.

The bontebok is related to the common tsessebe.

Bontebok are not good jumpers, but they are very good at crawling under things. Mature males form territories and face down other males in displays and occasionally fight them.

The bontebok is a tall, medium-sized antelope. They typically stand 80 to 100 cm (31 to 39 in) high at the shoulder and measure 120 to 210 cm (47 to 83 in) along the head and body. The tail can range from 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 in). Body mass can vary from 50 to 155 kg (110 to 342 lb). Males are slightly larger and noticeably heavier than females. The bontebok is a chocolate brown colour, with a white underside and a white stripe from the forehead to the tip of the nose, although there is a brown stripe across the white near the eyes in most blesbok. The bontebok also has a distinctive white patch around its tail (hence the Latin name), while this patch is light brown/tan in the blesbok. The horns of the bontebok are lyre-shaped and clearly ringed. They are found in both sexes and can reach a length of half a metre.

Blesbok live in the Highveld, where they eat short grasses, while bontebok are restricted to the coastal Fynbos and the Renosterveld. They are diurnal, though they rest during the heat of the day. Herds may contain only males, only females, or be mixed, and do not exceed 40 animals for bontebok or 70 for blesbok.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - FOREST SITATUNGA (Tragelaphus spekii ssp. gratus)

The Sitatunga, a swamp-dwelling antelope, exhibits great elongation of the hooves, which have a wide splay and naked padlike pattern. They possess unique flexibility of the joints at the feet, representing structural adaptations for walking on boggy and marshy ground.

Coloration varies geographically and individually. Males are gray-brown to chocolate-brown, females are brown to bright chestnut, and calves are bright rufous-red, woolly coated, spotted, and striped. Adults are long coated and have characteristic whiteish marks on the face, ears, cheeks, body, legs, and feet.

Males are considerably larger than females (100 cm tall vs. 75-90 cm tall). Males possess horns ranging in length from 508-924 mm. Horns are characterized by two twists and are ivory tipped. 

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - HAMERKOP (Scopus umbretta)

The hamerkop (Scopus umbretta), also called the umbrette, is a medium-sized bird. It is the only living species in the genus Scopus and the family Scopidae. The species and family was long thought to sit with the Ciconiiformes but is now placed with the Pelecaniformes, and its closest relatives are thought to be the pelicans and the shoebill. The shape of its head with a long bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, which has given this species its name after the Afrikaans word for hammerhead. It is a medium-sized waterbird with brown plumage. It is found in mainland Africa, Madagascar and Arabia, living in a wide variety of wetlands, including estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds, riverbanks, and rocky coasts. The hamerkop is a sedentary bird that often shows local movements.

The hamerkop takes a wide range of prey, mostly fish and amphibians, but shrimps, insects and rodents are taken too. Prey is usually hunted in shallow water, either by sight or touch, but the species is adaptable and will take any prey it can. The species is renowned for its enormous nests, several of which are built during the breeding season. Unusually for a wading bird the nest has an internal nesting chamber where the eggs are laid. Both parents incubate the eggs, and raise the chicks.

The species is not globally threatened and is locally abundant in mainland Africa and Madagascar. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as being of least concern.

24-10-2025 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.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - WESTERN CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis ssp. ibis)

Small, compact white heron with relatively short yellow bill. More frequently seen in dry habitats than other egrets. In breeding season, look for pale salmon color on head and breast and brighter bill. 

Leg color varies from reddish or yellow during the breeding season to black during the nonbreeding season. Juveniles have dark bill. Always note relatively short, thick neck and short legs compared with other egrets. Often gathers in flocks, frequently following cattle or tractors in fields.

24-10-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EGYPTIAN BIRD GRASSHOPPER (JUVENILE) (Anacridium aegyptium)

Anacridium aegyptium is one of the largest European grasshoppers. Adult males grow up to 30–56 mm (1.2–2.2 in) long, while females reach 46–70 mm (1.8–2.8 in) in length. Their bodies are usually gray, brown, or olive-coloured, and their antennae are relatively short and robust. The tibiae of the hind legs are blue, while the femora are orange. The hind femora have characteristic dark marks. They are also easily identified by their characteristic eyes, which have vertical black and white stripes. Their pronota show a dorsal orange stripe and several small white spots. The wings are clear with dark marks.

A fairly common species, the Egyptian grasshopper is present in most of Europe, the Afrotropical realm, eastern Palearctic realm, the Near East, and North Africa, and has recently been observed in Cape Town, South Africa.

These grasshoppers inhabit trees and shrubs, scrub land, maquis, and orchards in warm and bright environments, at an elevation from sea level to 1,500 m.

This species is a folivore, essentially feeding on leaves of various plants. It is a solitary species, harmless to crops. Adults are mainly seen in August and September, but they are active throughout the year. After mating, these grasshoppers overwinter as adults. Spawning occurs in spring just under the soil surface and the nymphs appear in April. These grasshoppers undergo several molts. Nymphs differ from adults in appearance; their color varies from yellow to bright green and ocher and the wings are absent or small, as they are gradually developed after each molt.

Vanessa cardui is the most widespread of all butterfly species. It is commonly called the painted lady, or formerly in North America the cosmopolitan.

V. cardui occurs in any temperate zone, including mountains in the tropics. The species is resident only in warmer areas, but migrates in spring, and sometimes again in autumn. It migrates from North Africa and the Mediterranean to Britain and Europe in May and June, occasionally reaching Iceland, and from the Red Sea basin, via Israel and Cyprus, to Turkey in March and April. The occasional autumn migration made by V. cardui is likely for the inspection of resource changes; it consists of a round trip from Europe to Africa.

For decades, naturalists have debated whether the offspring of these immigrants ever make a southwards return migration. Research suggests that British painted ladies do undertake an autumn migration, making 14,500 km (9,000 mi) round trip from tropical Africa to the Arctic Circle in a series of steps by up to six successive generations. The Radar Entomology Unit at Rothamsted Research provided evidence that autumn migrations take place at high altitude, which explains why these migrations are seldom witnessed. In recent years, thanks to the activity of The Worldwide Painted Lady Migration citizen science project, led by the Barcelona-based Institute of Evolutionary Biology (Catalan: Institut de Biologia Evolutiva), the huge range of migration has begun to be revealed. For example, some butterflies migrated from Iceland to the Sahara desert, and even further south.

V. cardui is known for its distinct migratory behaviour. In California, they are usually seen flying from north to north-west. These migrations appear to be partially initiated by heavy winter rains in the desert where rainfall controls the growth of larval food plants. In March 2019, after heavy rain produced an abundance of vegetation in the deserts, Southern California saw these butterflies migrating by the millions across the state.

Similarly, heavier than usual rain during the 2018-2019 winter seems to have been the cause of the extraordinarily large migration observed in Israel at the end of March, estimated at a billion individual butterflies. Painted lady migration patterns are highly erratic and they do not migrate every year. Some evidence suggests that global climatic events, such as el Niño, may affect the migratory behaviour of the painted lady butterflies, causing large-scale migrations. The first noticeable wave of migration in eastern Ukraine was noted in the 20s of April 2019. From May 15, numbers began to grow and it was possible to observe hundreds of this species in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, including in the city streets of Kharkiv.