Thursday, 20 April 2017
20-4-2017 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus)
Glossy Ibises occur in flocks, both at nesting colonies and when foraging. They typically feed by lowering the bill into water, mud, or soil, to feel for prey, and they often feed among many other species of wading birds.
The plumage appears dark, almost blackish, at a distance or in poor light. At close range, much of the body is maroon, with the wing coverts showing metallic green, bronze, and violet tones.
Glossy Ibises occur in flocks, both at nesting colonies and when foraging. They typically feed by lowering the bill into water, mud, or soil, to feel for prey, and they often feed among many other species of wading birds.
Glossy Ibises frequent almost any wetland environment with shallow water or exposed mud and also readily feeds in farm fields or open areas where soils are moist.
The glossy ibis is a heron-like bird with a long, curving beak. They breed in parts of southern and southeast Europe and are occasional visitors to the UK. However, in recent decades sightings here have become more common, mirroring an increase in their breeding population in southwest Europe.
Glossy Ibises are highly gregarious throughout their lives, feeding and resting in flocks and nesting in tight colonies where nests are usually no more than 2 feet apart. Pairs defend the immediate vicinity of their nest, attacking other ibises or herons that come too close, but otherwise are rarely aggressive.
Glossy Ibis are known to live for approximately eight years (Scott 1997), though the oldest record of the species is 14 years and 3 months (Clapp et al. 1982). Like other waterbirds, the species is likely to be sexually mature by one or two years of age (Scott 1997).
Predators of the Glossy Ibis are Birds of Prey and alligators.
The call is a long croak. The Australian white ibis reaches sexual maturity in three years, and can reach twenty-eight years of age.
The average Glossy Ibis is about 1.2 lbs and 23 in. in length with a 36 inch wingspan. The Glossy Ibis is a transient, found in Northern Virginia during migration. It inhabits wooded wetlands near the coast.
Basic Description. At distance, Glossy Ibises look uniformly dark, but a close look in good light reveals stunning colors: deep maroon, emerald, bronze, and violet. This long-legged, long-billed bird forages in flocks through wetlands and wet agricultural fields, searching for insects, small fish, and seeds.
The Glossy Ibis is the most cosmopolitan ibis, occurring in most of the world's tropical and temperate zones (Hancock et al. 1992). It is nowhere abundant, and in most parts of its range it is rare or locally common. Nevertheless, the world population is considerable, probably in the 100 000s (Rose & Scott 1994).
20-4-2017 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - EUROPEAN BEE-EATER (Merops apiaster)
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The European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. As their name suggests, these brightly-colored birds predominantly eat flying insects, especially bees and wasps, which they catch on the wing from an open perch.
The European bee-eater is a richly coloured, slender bird. It has brown and yellow upper parts, whilst the wings are green and the beak is black. Sexes are alike. Female tends to have greener rather than gold feathers on their shoulders. Non-breeding plumage is much duller and with a blue-green back and no elongated central tail feathers. The juvenile resembles a non-breeding adult but with less variation in the feather colours. Adults begin to moult in June or July and complete the process by August or September. There is a further moult into breeding plumage in winter in Africa.
19-4-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SIERRA NEVADA OCELLATED LIZARD (Timon nevadensis)
Timon nevadensis, the Sierra Nevada lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is endemic to Spain. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the ocellated lizard.
Formerly, Timon nevadensis had been regarded as subspecies of Timon lepidus but it has been put into species rank in 2013. Its distribution range is limited to the Sierra Nevada and the Spanish east coast, reaching the Alicante Province in the north.
The Sierra Nevada Ocellated Lizard is an impressive but terribly shy Lacertid. In particular, adult specimens may have flight distances of more than 20 meters. These lizards occur in high altitude mountain areas as well as in coastal dunes and agricultural land.
Adult specimens differ from Timon lepidus by the grey or brown basic coloration with no or reduced black markings.
The coloration of the Sierra Nevada Ocellated Lizard is truly captivating. Its body is predominantly green, with varying shades ranging from bright emerald to olive green. The scales on its back are usually patterned with intricate markings, which resemble a series of ocelli or “eye spots.” These ocelli are typically black or dark brown, surrounded by a lighter ring. This unique pattern serves as camouflage, helping the lizard blend into its natural environment.
Juveniles and subadults of Timon nevadensis frequently show dark edges on the labial scales which lack in juvenile Timon lepidus. However, there seem to exist populations with intermediate characteristics.
Within its distribution range, Timon nevadensis cannot be confused with other lizards, due to its big size of adults and the distinct white spot pattern of the juveniles.
The Sierra Nevada Ocellated Lizard, also known as the Iberian Ocellated Lizard or the Western Ocellated Lizard, is a reptile that belongs to the Lacertidae family. This lizard is native to the southwestern parts of Europe, specifically the Iberian Peninsula, including Portugal and Spain. It is a medium-sized lizard with a distinct physical appearance.
In terms of size, the Sierra Nevada Ocellated Lizard can grow to an average length of around 30 to 40 centimeters (12 to 16 inches), with males generally being larger than females. The body of this lizard is slender and elongated, allowing it to move swiftly and gracefully. It has a relatively long tail, which makes up a significant portion of its overall length.
The head of the Sierra Nevada Ocellated Lizard is triangular in shape, with a slightly pointed snout. Its eyes are large and round, providing excellent vision for detecting prey and potential predators. The iris of the eye is often golden or brown, adding to the lizard’s overall striking appearance. This species also possesses a row of small, sharp teeth, which it uses to catch and consume its prey.
When it comes to weight, the Sierra Nevada Ocellated Lizard is relatively lightweight compared to other reptiles. Adult individuals typically weigh between 100 to 200 grams (3.5 to 7 ounces). Despite its relatively small size, this lizard is agile and capable of quick movements, allowing it to evade predators or capture prey efficiently.
Overall, the Sierra Nevada Ocellated Lizard is a visually stunning reptile. Its slender body, vibrant green coloration, and intricate ocelli patterns make it a remarkable sight in its natural habitat. With its adaptability and unique physical features, this lizard has successfully thrived in the diverse ecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula.
27-3-2017 RANCHO NATURALISTA - SNOWCAP HUMMINGBIRD (Microchera albocoronata)
This is a tiny hummingbird, 6.5 cm long and 2.5 g in weight, with a short black bill and black legs. The adult male snowcap is unmistakable. It has the shining white cap which gives this species its English and scientific names, a deep purple body, and white outer tail feathers. The adult female is bronze-green above, dull white below, and has dull white outer tail feathers. She has more white below than other female hummingbirds. Juvenile snowcaps resemble the adult female, but are duller, have greyer underparts, and bronzed central tail feathers. The purple plumage of young males starts on the underparts as a striking dark central line.
It is a resident breeder in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and western Panama. Its habitat is the canopy and edges of wet forest, and it will also use adjacent more open woodland. It occurs mainly on the Caribbean mountain slopes, breeding mainly at heights of 300–800 m. After breeding, most descend to the adjacent lowlands, but some may wander up to heights of 1400 m.
The male snowcap defends his feeding territory against others of the same species, but is readily displaced by larger hummingbirds. They usually visit small flowers of vines, trees and epiphytes for nectar, and also take some insects, especially when feeding young.
The nest is a small cup of plant down and cobwebs decorated with green moss or lichen, which is attached to a small twig or vine. The two white elongated eggs are incubated for just over two weeks, and the female feeds the young on regurgitated nectar and insects.
Wednesday, 19 April 2017
27-3-2017 RANCHO NATURALISTA, COSTA RICA - BLACK CHEEKED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes pucherani)
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The black-cheeked woodpecker (Melanerpes pucherani ) is a resident breeding bird from southeastern Mexico south to western Ecuador.
This woodpecker occurs in the higher levels of wet forests, semi-open woodland and old second growth. It nests in an unlined hole 6–30 m (20–98 ft) high in a dead tree. The clutch is two to four glossy white eggs, incubated by both sexes.
The binomial commemorates the French zoologist Jacques Pucheran.
The black-cheeked woodpecker feeds on insects, but will take substantial quantities of fruit and nectar.
This common and conspicuous species gives a rattling krrrrrl call and both sexes drum on territory.
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The adult is 18.5 cm (7.3 in) long and weighs 63 g (2.2 oz). It has black upperparts with white barring on the back, white spotting on the wings and a white rump. The tail is black with some white barring, and the underparts are pale buff-olive with a red central belly. There is a black patch through the eyes and on the cheeks, a yellow forehead, and a red nape. The crown is red in the male and black in the female. Young birds are duller, have less white above and less red on the belly.
Medium-sized woodpecker of evergreen forests and their edges in tropical lowlands. Less numerous than the larger and more conspicuous Golden-fronted Woodpecker, which occurs in the same areas. Distinctive, with a large black mask, white patch behind the eyes, black upperparts with narrow white bars and a large white patch on the rump. The male has an entire red crown. In the female the front is greyish and the back is red.
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The Central American woodpecker or black-faced woodpecker ( Melanerpes pucherani ) is a Neotropical bird of the genus Melanerpes whose range extends from Mexico to Peru (recently discovered in the latter country). Its scientific name is a tribute to the French zoologist Jacques Pucheran.
This species is a rather noisy bird and is often seen in large family groups. Its name Melenerpes means black woodpecker and is derived from the Greek roots melas = black and herpes = climber .
The male is 17–19 cm long and weighs 42–68 g. It has a long, black bill with a paler base of the lower mandible and a slightly curved culmen. The iris of its eyes is brown, it has brown to grey orbital skin and greenish-grey legs. The male has a golden-yellow forehead, a red crown and nape, and a broad black mask that surrounds the eyes and continues down the cheeks to the back. It has black upperparts with white barring on the mantle and white spots on the wings. Its rump is white and its tail is black with the central feathers variably barred with white. It has a small white postocular spot, cheeks, chin and upper throat of the same colour. Its breast and lower throat are olive-buff with a grey tint. The rest of its underparts are barred with buff and black with the centre of the belly red. The underside of its wings is also barred with black and white and its tail is yellowish-brown. The female is slightly smaller than the male, with a buff-white to yellow forehead, black rest of the crown and red nape. Juveniles are duller and brownish with more diffuse barring above and paler and less extensive red on the belly.
27-3-2017 RANCHO NATURALISTA - WHITE NECKED JACOBIN (FEMALE) (Florisuga mellivora)
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The white-necked jacobin (Florisuga mellivora ) is a medium-size hummingbird that ranges from Mexico south through Central America and northern South America into Brazil, Peru and Bolivia. It is also found in Trinidad & Tobago.
Other common names are great jacobin and collared hummingbird.
The white-necked jacobin is 11 to 12 cm (4.3 to 4.7 in) long. Males weigh 7.4 to 9 g (0.26 to 0.32 oz) and females 6 to 9.2 g (0.21 to 0.32 oz). The male is unmistakable with its dark blue head and chest and white belly and tail; the tail feathers have black tips. A white band on the nape separates the blue head from the bright green back and long uppertail coverts. Females are highly variable, and may resemble adult or immature males. The majority of females have green upperparts, a blue-green throat and breast with white "scales", a white belly, and a mostly green tail with a blue end. Immature males vary from female-like, but with more white in the tail, to male-like with more black there. Immature females also vary but usually have less white in the tail and are somewhat bronzy on the throat and chest.
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The white-necked jacobin inhabits the canopy and edges of humid forest and also semi-open landscapes such as tall secondary forest, gallery forest, and coffee and cacao plantations. It is usually seen high in trees but comes lower at edges and in clearings. In elevation it usually ranges from sea level to about 900 m (3,000 ft) but has also rarely been seen as high as 1,500 m (4,900 ft).
The white-necked jacobin's movement pattern is not well understood. It apparently moves seasonally as flower abundance changes, but details are lacking.
The white-necked jacobin feeds on nectar at the flowers of tall trees, epiphytes, shrubs, and Heliconia plants. Several may feed in one tree and are aggressive to each other, but they are otherwise seldom territorial. Both sexes hawk small insects, mostly by hovering, darting, or sallying from perches.
26-3-2017 RANCHO NATURALISTA - ORANGE BILLED SPARROW (Arremon aurantiirostris)
The orange-billed sparrow (Arremon aurantiirostris) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae. In Central America it is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. In northwestern South America the orange-billed sparrow is found in Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru. The species are black and as the name suggests, have an orange bill. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.
28-3-2017 TARCOLES RIVER COSTA RICA - GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
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The Great egret (Ardea alba) is a large, widely distributed wading bird. Like all egrets, it is a member of the heron family, Ardeidae, and its close relatives are pelicans. The Great egret is sometimes confused with the Great white heron of the Caribbean, which is a white morph of the closely related Great blue heron.
This elegant heron is completely white with its magnificent plumage, reminding lace. The bill of the Great egret is sharp, long and yellow in color. The bird has long, black feet and legs. During the breeding season, the bill becomes a bit darker while the legs get lighter. This bird possesses a very long neck, exceeding the length of its body. The bird has a notable kink of its neck, curving the necks into a "S" shape when flying. Male and female egrets generally look similar, though females are a bit smaller than males. Young egrets usually look like non-breeding adults. During the breeding season, these birds grow long, lacy shaped feathers known as "aigrettes”, stretching them in an impressive display.
These birds are widely distributed throughout the world including North and South Americas, Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. In Africa, they can be found only outside the breeding season. Great egrets prefer living near any water body, occurring along streams, lakes, in saltwater and freshwater marshes, muddy areas, and ponds. Just like other heron species, these birds are most frequently found in wetlands and wooded swamps.
28-3-2017 TARCOLES RIVER COSTA RICA - YELLOW CROWNED NIGHT HERON (JUVENILE) (Nyctanassa violacea)
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) is a stocky wading bird, with a robust build and a notable large head in proportion to its body. It possesses a hefty bill, set deep under its eyes, and exhibits a wingspan of 101 to 112 cm. The species displays sexual dimorphism, with females slightly smaller than males.
Adults are characterized by a smooth grey-blue body with a black scaled pattern on the wings. Their long legs, which turn coral, pink, or red during courtship, are initially yellow. The head is strikingly black and glossy, with white cheeks and a pale yellow crown that extends from the bill, between the eyes, to the back of the head. This distinctive feature gives the bird its common name. In flight, the Yellow-crowned Night Heron can be distinguished by its long, slow wing beats and legs that extend straight below the tail.
This heron favors shallow waters such as marshes, wooded swamps, and lakeshores for inland populations, and thickets, mangroves, and cliff-bound coasts for coastal populations. It is also found in periodically flooded areas and tolerates a range of water types from fresh to brackish and saline.
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