22-9-2016 CANAL LES FONTS OLIVA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus)

The Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) is a bird species in the rail family (Rallidae) found across many parts of the Old World. These birds live around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands. The word 'moor' as a part of their name is an old sense meaning marsh.

Common moorhens have predominantly black and brown plumage, with the exception of a white under-tail, white streaks on the flanks, yellow legs, and a red frontal shield. The bill is red with a yellow tip. The young are browner and lack the red shield. The frontal shield of the adult has a rounded top and fairly parallel sides; the tailward margin of the red unfeathered area is a smooth waving line.

Population size

2.9-6.2 Mln

Life Span

3 years

Top speed

35

km/hmph

km/h mph 

Weight

192-500

goz

g oz 

Length

30-38

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

50-62

cminch

The Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) is a bird species in the rail family (Rallidae) found across many parts of the Old World. These birds live around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands. The word 'moor' as a part of their name is an old sense meaning marsh.

Common moorhens have predominantly black and brown plumage, with the exception of a white under-tail, white streaks on the flanks, yellow legs, and a red frontal shield. The bill is red with a yellow tip. The young are browner and lack the red shield. The frontal shield of the adult has a rounded top and fairly parallel sides; the tailward margin of the red unfeathered area is a smooth waving line.

Сommon moorhens are widespread across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Populations in areas where the waters freeze, such as eastern Europe, will migrate to more temperate climates. In China, Common moorhens are largely resident south of the Yangtze River, whilst northern populations migrate in the winter. These birds live around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands. They can even be found in city parks and urban areas.

Сommon moorhens are diurnal birds that spend their time swimming or walking along the shore. They forage beside or in the water, sometimes walking on lilypads or upending in the water to feed. They are often secretive but can become tame in some areas. Outside of the breeding season, Common moorhens prefer to spend their time alone; however, during the winter they may gather in groups to feed on sheltered lakes and ponds. To communicate with each other, these birds will give a wide range of gargling calls and will emit loud hisses when threatened.

Сommon moorhens are monogamous and territorial. They form pair-bonds that may last for several years. Pairs nest solitarily usually on top of thick mats of aquatic plants but may also nest in trees, shrubs, or on the ground in dense vegetation. Their nest is a wide shallow cup made with dead vegetation and lined with grass and leaves. Laying starts in spring, between mid-March and mid-May in Northern Hemisphere temperate regions. About 8 eggs are usually laid per female early in the season. Incubation lasts about three weeks. The chicks are precocial; they are hatched with eyes open and are covered in blackish down. Both parents incubate and feed the young. They fledge after 40-50 days, become independent usually a few weeks thereafter, and may raise their first brood the next spring.

22-9-2016 OLIVA MARJAL, VALENCIA - MALLARD (MALE) (Anas platyrhynchos)

The Mallard is a large and heavy-looking duck. It has a long body, and a long and broad bill. The male has a dark green head, a yellow bill, is mainly purple-brown on the breast and grey on the body. The female is mainly brown with an orange bill. Mallards breed in all parts of the UK in summer and winter, wherever there are suitable wetland habitats, although it is rarer in upland areas. In the UK, Mallards may be resident breeders or migrants – many of the birds that breed in Iceland and northern Europe spend the winter here.

Mallards are one of the most recognizable ducks in the world. The male birds have special colorful plumage during the spring and summer breeding season that helps them attract females. Their heads and necks are bright green, and at the base of their neck is a white ring. Breeding male mallards also have a dark brown chest, and the sides and most of the wings are gray. The tail is white and black, and the bill is yellow.

In contrast, females and non-breeding males do not have showy feathers. The females are mottled tan and brown. The head is a lighter tan with dark streaks near the crown and eyes. The bill has an orange tint with dark markings. Non-breeding males look similar to the females, except they have a yellowish bill.

All mallards have a blue speculum that is visible when the birds are in flight. The speculum is a distinctive patch of color on the wing near the shoulder, which often helps identify the species. On mallards, the speculum is purplish-blue and outlined in white.

These ducks are common throughout the continental United States and are a non-native introduction to the Hawaiian Islands. Two populations of mallards exist in Hawaii; one group is a winter visitor and the other stays year-round. Mallards are often seen swimming around ponds, marshes, and even man-made water sources, such as pools and fountains.

Mallards are foragers and will eat a wide variety of foods. The ducks prefer to forage in shallow water, where they can dip their heads down to reach aquatic plants. They will also eat animal matter, including insect larvae, earthworms, and snails. When migrating, mallards will opt for lots of seeds and grains. Young ducklings eat mostly aquatic insects.

Mallards form nesting pairs in the fall and winter. Females can lay between 5 and 15 eggs, which she incubates for 26 to 30 days. The young leave the nest within a day of hatching, led to the water by their mother.

A mallard usually lives for 5 to 10 years in the wild. The oldest known mallard was a male that lived to be 27 years old.

Mallards are very common ducks with stable populations and are not a species of concern.

Mallards are close relatives to the Hawaiian duck, so the two species are able to interbreed. The sharing of genes is putting the rarer Hawaiian duck at risk of being bred out of existence. Right now, the Hawaiian duck is on the endangered species list.

Listening for a female mallard may be easier than spotting one because females call out the familiar "quack" that's associated with ducks. Male mallards are silent, except when fighting another male.

22-9-2016 CANAL LES FONTS OLIVA, VALENCIA - MALLARD (FEMALE) (Anas platyrhynchos)

The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. Mallards live in wetlands, eat water plants and small animals, and prefer to congregate in flocks of varying sizes. Unlike many waterfowl, mallards are considered an invasive species in some regions. It is a very adaptable species, being able to live and even thrive in urban areas. This species is the main ancestor of most breeds of domestic duck, and its naturally evolved wild gene pool has been genetically polluted by the domestic and feral mallard populations.

Population size

aBnove 19 mlnlnn

Life Span

3-20 years

Top speed

104

km/hmph

km/h mph 

Weight

0.7-1.6

kglbs

kg lbs 

Length

50-65

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

81-98

cminch

cm inch 

The magnificent mallard is one of the most recognizable bird species around the world. When flying, the bird displays a purplish-blue speculum, which is outlined in white. Males of this species are particularly colorful. Breeding males have a yellow beak, dark brown chest, black and white tail as well as bright green head and neck. They exhibit a white ring at the base of their neck. In addition, the sides of breeding males and most of their wings are gray. On the other hand, the plumage of female mallards and non-breeding males is less vivid and colorful. The overall plumage of female mallards is spotted with tan and brown patches, and the head is a lighter tan, showing dark bands near the crown and eyes. Females have orange-colored beaks, covered with dark spots. Females and non-breeding males generally look alike, though the latter have yellowish beaks.

22-9-2016 CANAL LES FONTS OLIVA, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

Little egrets are found in southern Europe, the Middle East, much of Africa, and southern Asia. Northern European populations are migratory and mostly travel to Africa although some remain in southern Europe, while some Asian populations migrate to the Philippines. The eastern subspecies is resident in Indonesia and New Guinea, while other populations inhabit Australia and New Zealand, but do not breed in the latter. Little egrets live in various habitats including the shores of lakes, rivers, canals, ponds, lagoons, marshes, and flooded land. These birds prefer open locations to dense cover. On the coast, they inhabit mangrove areas, swamps, mudflats, sandy beaches, estuaries, and reefs. Rice fields are an important habitat in Italy, and coastal and mangrove areas are important in Africa.

Little egrets are sociable birds and are often seen in small flocks. They are diurnal birds and feed mainly in the early morning and in the late afternoon. They use a variety of methods to procure their food; they stalk their prey in shallow water, often running with raised wings or shuffling their feet to disturb small fish, or may stand still and wait to ambush prey. Little egrets also make use of opportunities provided by cormorants disturbing fish or humans attracting fish by throwing bread into the water. On land, they walk or run while chasing their prey, feed on creatures disturbed by grazing livestock and ticks on the livestock, and even scavenge occasionally. Little egrets are silent birds in general, however, at their breeding colonies, they make various croaking and bubbling calls. When disturbed, they produce a harsh alarm call.

Population size

660,000-3.1Mln

Life Span

up to 22 years

Weight

350-550

goz

g oz 

Length

55-65

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

88-106

cminch

Little egrets are monogamous. This means that males and females mate only with one partner. They nest in colonies, often with other wading birds. The nests are usually platforms of sticks built in trees or shrubs or in reed beds or bamboo groves. In some locations such as the Cape Verde Islands, these birds nest on cliffs. Pairs defend a small breeding territory, usually extending around 3 to 4 m (10 to 13 ft) from the nest. The female lays 3 to 5 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 21 to 25 days. The eggs are oval in shape and have a pale, non-glossy, blue-green shell color. Upon hatching the chicks are covered in white down feathers and are cared for by both parents. Around 3 weeks after hatching the chicks start to move around the nest and climb into the close branches. They fledge after 40 to 45 days and are able to follow the adults to learn how to feed themselves.

22-9-2016 CAMI LES FONTS OLIVA, VALENCIA - GREYLAG GOOSE (Anser anser)

The Greylag goose (Anser anser) is a large goose in the waterfowl family Anatidae. Its distribution is widespread, with birds from the north of its range in Europe and Asia migrating southwards to spend the winter in warmer places. It is the ancestor of most breeds of domestic goose, having been domesticated at least as early as 1360 BC.

The Greylag is the largest and bulkiest of the grey geese of the genus Anser, but is more lightly built and agile than its domestic relative. It has a rotund, bulky body, a thick and long neck, and a large head and bill. It has pink legs and feet, and an orange or pink bill with a white or brown nail (hard horny material at the tip of the upper mandible). The plumage of the Greylag goose is greyish brown, with a darker head and paler breast and belly with a variable amount of black spotting. It has a pale grey forewing and rump which are noticeable when the bird is in flight or stretches its wings on the ground. It has a white line bordering its upper flanks, and its wing coverts are light-colored, contrasting with its darker flight feathers. Its plumage is patterned by the pale fringes of the feathers. Juveniles differ mostly in their lack of black speckling on the breast and belly and by their greyish legs. Adults have a distinctive 'concertina' pattern of folds in the feathers on their necks.

Population size

1-1.1 Mln

Life Span

20-30 years

Weight

2-4.5

kglbs

kg lbs 

Length

76-89

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

147-180

cminch

Greylag geese breed in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Baltic States, northern Russia, Poland, eastern Hungary, and Romania. They also breed locally in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and North Macedonia. The eastern race extends eastwards across a broad swathe of Asia to China. European birds migrate southwards to the Mediterranean region and North Africa. Asian birds migrate to Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, northern India, Bangladesh, and eastward to China. In North America, there are both feral domestic geese, which are similar to greylags, and occasional vagrant greylags. Greylag geese seen in the wild in New Zealand probably originated from the escape of farmyard geese, same as in Australia, where feral birds are now established in the east and southeast of the country.

Greylag geese breed on moors with scattered lochs, in marshes, fens, and peat-bogs, besides lakes and on little islands some way out to sea. They like the dense ground cover of reeds, rushes, heather, bushes, and willow thickets. On their wintering grounds, they frequent salt marshes, estuaries, freshwater marshes, steppes, flooded fields, bogs, and pastures near lakes, rivers, and streams. They also visit agricultural land where they feed on crops, moving at night to shoals and sand banks on the coast, mud banks in estuaries, or secluded lakes.

Greylag geese are gregarious birds and form flocks. Pairs with young stay together as a family group, migrating southwards in autumn as part of a flock, and separating the following year. Greylag geese are diurnal and forage on the ground or in water. When on land these birds are able to run rapidly and escape predators without difficulty. Greylags have a loud cackling call similar to that of the domestic goose, 'aahng-ung-ung', uttered on the ground or in flight. There are various subtle variations used under different circumstances, and individual geese seem to be able to identify other known geese by their voices. The sound made by a flock of geese resembles the baying of hounds. Goslings chirp or whistle lightly, and adults hiss if threatened or angered.

Greylag geese are largely herbivorous (graminivorous) and feed chiefly on grasses. They also eat leaves, berries, water plants, glean grain on cereal stubble, and sometimes feed on growing crops such as oats, wheat, barley, buckwheat, lentils, peas, and root crops. These birds may also consume small fish, amphibians, crustaceans, mollusks, and insects.

Greylag geese are monogamous and mate for life. Breeding season usually occurs in April-May. Greylags nest on the ground among the heather, rushes, dwarf shrubs, or reeds, or on a raft of floating vegetation. The nest is built from pieces of reed, sprigs of heather, grasses, and moss, mixed with small feathers and down. Females lay 4 to 6 creamy-white eggs which soon become stained. The female does the incubation, which lasts about 28 days, while the male remains on guard somewhere near. The goslings are precocial and able to leave the nest soon after hatching. Both parents are involved in their care and they soon learn to peck at food and become fully-fledged at 8 or 9 weeks. Young Greylag geese become reproductively mature when they are 2-3 years old.

22-9-2016 CANAL LES FONTS OLIVA, VALENCIA - WESTERN CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis ssp. ibis)

The Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron named for its association with cattle. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western cattle egret and the Eastern cattle egret. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, it is more closely related to the herons of Ardea.

The Cattle egret is a stocky bird. It has a relatively short, thick neck, a sturdy bill, and a hunched posture. The nonbreeding adult has mainly white plumage, a yellow bill, and greyish-yellow legs. During the breeding season, adults of the nominate western subspecies develop orange-buff plumes on the back, breast, and crown, and the bill, legs, and irises become bright red for a brief period prior to pairing. The sexes are similar, but the male is marginally larger and has slightly longer breeding plumes than the female; juvenile birds lack coloured plumes and have a black bill.

Cattle egrets are native to parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe but they have undergone a rapid expansion in their distribution and successfully colonized much of the rest of the world in the last century. Many populations of Cattle egrets are highly migratory, while others are dispersive, and distinguishing between the two can be difficult. In many areas, populations can be both sedentary and migratory. In the Northern Hemisphere, migration is from cooler climes to warmer areas, but Cattle egrets nesting in Australia migrate to cooler Tasmania and New Zealand in the winter and return in the spring. Migration in western Africa is in response to rainfall, and in South America, migrating birds travel south of their breeding range in the non-breeding season.

 Populations in southern India appear to show local migrations in response to the monsoons. Cattle egrets inhabit wetlands, dry grassy habitats, semi-arid steppes, floodplains, freshwater swamps, shallow marshes, and mangroves. They are often found in fields, croplands, and pastures with poor drainage. When nesting, Cattle egrets are found in woodlands near lakes or rivers, in swamps, or on small inland or coastal islands.

Cattle egrets are diurnal, feeding by day and sleeping at night. They are highly social; they feed in flocks and nest in colonies. Cattle egrets share roosting colonies with other colonial waterbirds. Adapted to foraging on land, Cattle egrets have lost the ability possessed by their wetland relatives to accurately correct for light refraction by water. They are usually found with cattle and other large grazing and browsing animals and catch small creatures disturbed by the mammals. Cattle egrets weakly defend the area around a grazing animal against others of the same species, but if the area is swamped by egrets, they will give up and continue foraging elsewhere. Where numerous large animals are present, Cattle egrets selectively forage around species that move at around 5-15 steps per minute, avoiding faster and slower moving herds; in Africa, Cattle egrets prefer to forage behind Plains zebras, Waterbuck, Blue wildebeest, and Cape buffalo. Dominant birds feed nearest to the host and thus obtain more food. Cattle egrets are usually silent but will produce a quiet, throaty ‘rick-rack’ call at the breeding colony.