Wednesday, 17 May 2017
17-5-2017 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - MALLARD (FEMALE) (Anas platyrhynchos)
The Mallard, or wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos), is a familiar and widespread dabbling duck with a presence across temperate and subtropical regions of the Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. It has also been introduced to parts of the Southern Hemisphere. The male is renowned for its iridescent green head and white collar, while the female sports a brown-speckled plumage. Both sexes boast a speculum—a patch of feathers with iridescent purple or blue hues bordered by white. The Mallard's length ranges from 50 to 65 cm, with a wingspan of 81 to 98 cm, and it typically weighs between 0.7 and 1.6 kg.
Males during the breeding season are unmistakable with their glossy green heads, white collars, and purple-tinged brown breasts. Females are mottled brown with buff cheeks and an eye-stripe. Both sexes have the distinctive speculum on their wings. The male's bill is yellowish-orange tipped with black, while the female's is darker, ranging from black to mottled orange and brown.
Mallards are found in a variety of wetlands, including parks, small ponds, rivers, lakes, and estuaries. They prefer water depths less than 0.9 meters and are drawn to areas with aquatic vegetation.
This species is distributed across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, from Alaska to Mexico, the Hawaiian Islands, across the Palearctic, and down to southeastern and southwestern Australia and New Zealand.
Mallards are social birds that often form large flocks outside the breeding season. They are adaptable and can thrive in urban areas. The species is migratory in the northern parts of its range.
The female Mallard is known for its quintessential "quack," while the male's call is a quieter and deeper version of the female's. Vocalizations can vary by region, with urban ducks being louder than their rural counterparts.
Breeding pairs form in the fall, with the female laying 8 to 13 creamy white to greenish-buff eggs. Incubation lasts 27 to 28 days, and ducklings are precocial, swimming immediately after hatching.
17-5-2017 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)
The Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides, is a diminutive member of the heron family, measuring a mere 44–47 cm in length, with a compact body of 20–23 cm and a wingspan stretching 80–92 cm. This species is adorned with a buff-brown back and, during the summer months, adults boast elongated neck feathers that add to their allure.
In the field, one may identify the Squacco Heron by its stocky build, abbreviated neck, and stout bill. Its back is cloaked in a buff-brown hue. When in flight, the heron undergoes a remarkable transformation, revealing a predominantly white plumage that contrasts starkly with its resting appearance.
The Squacco Heron favors marshy wetlands in temperate regions for its habitat, where the water is warm and inviting.
Originating from the Old World, the Squacco Heron breeds in the southern reaches of Europe and extends into the Greater Middle East. When not breeding, it migrates to winter in the African continent.
This species is migratory by nature, seeking the warmer climates of Africa to spend the winter. It is seldom seen north of its breeding grounds. The Squacco Heron has been observed as a vagrant in the Fernando de Noronha islands and, on rarer occasions, in mainland South America. It nests in modest colonies, often in the company of other wading birds, and constructs its nests from sticks on platforms in trees or shrubs.
The Squacco Heron selects freshwater locales across Europe and the Middle East to breed, later migrating southward to the Sub-Saharan African region. During the breeding season, they lay a clutch of three to four eggs.
Adept at foraging, the Squacco Heron feeds on a diet consisting of fish, frogs, and insects, making the most of its wetland environment.
The IUCN Red List currently classifies the Squacco Heron as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without immediate threats to its survival.
17-5-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)
The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm (6.3 in) and a mass of 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the house sparrow is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and a large part of Asia. Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird.
The house sparrow is strongly associated with human habitation, and can live in urban or rural settings. Though found in widely varied habitats and climates, it typically avoids extensive woodlands, grasslands, polar regions, and hot, dry deserts far away from human development. For sustenance, the house sparrow routinely feeds at home and public bird feeding stations, but naturally feeds on the seeds of grains, flowering plants and weeds. However, it is an opportunistic, omnivorous eater, and commonly catches insects, their larvae, caterpillars, invertebrates and many other natural foods.
The house sparrow is strongly associated with human habitation, and can live in urban or rural settings. Though found in widely varied habitats and climates, it typically avoids extensive woodlands, grasslands, polar regions, and hot, dry deserts far away from human development. For sustenance, the house sparrow routinely feeds at home and public bird feeding stations, but naturally feeds on the seeds of grains, flowering plants and weeds. However, it is an opportunistic, omnivorous eater, and commonly catches insects, their larvae, caterpillars, invertebrates and many other natural foods.
Because of its numbers, ubiquity, and association with human settlements, the house sparrow is culturally prominent. It is extensively, and usually unsuccessfully, persecuted as an agricultural pest. It has also often been kept as a pet, as well as being a food item and a symbol of lust, sexual potency, commonness, and vulgarity. Though it is widespread and abundant, its numbers have declined in some areas. The animal's conservation status is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List.
1-4-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - WHITE WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica)
The White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) is a robust bird, notable for its size among doves, measuring approximately 29 cm from beak to tail with a wingspan ranging from 48 to 58 cm. Its plumage is primarily brownish-gray to gray, with a striking white edge on its wings, visible even when perched. The species is adorned with a blue eyering and possesses red eyes, though juveniles display brown eyes and a duller plumage.
To identify the White-winged Dove, look for the distinctive white wing patch, visible at rest and in flight, which sets it apart from similar species. Adults feature a blue, featherless skin around the eyes and a dark facial mark. Males may exhibit a more iridescent purple hue on the crown, neck, and nape, and a more pronounced ear spot, though these differences are subtle. The species has a short, rounded tail, contrasting with the long, pointed tail of the Mourning Dove.
The White-winged Dove is found in a variety of environments, including deserts, scrubs, urban areas, and agricultural landscapes. It has adapted well to human-altered habitats and can be seen in high concentrations near sources of water and food.
Native to the Southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, the White-winged Dove's range has expanded due to human agricultural practices. It is now a year-round resident in places like Texas and has been observed as far north as Canada and Alaska.
This species can form migratory flocks of up to 4,000 individuals, though it is also known to overwinter in certain areas. It has a remarkable ability to fly considerable distances in search of water, but can also rely solely on the moisture found in saguaro cactus fruit.
17-5-2017 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)
The Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, is a dainty heron adorned in pure white plumage. It is characterized by a slender black beak, long black legs, and, notably in the western race, yellow feet. This elegant bird is a sight to behold with its graceful neck and poised stance.
Adult Little Egrets measure between 55–65 cm in length with a wingspan of 88–106 cm, and weigh 350–550 g. Their plumage is predominantly white, though some may exhibit bluish-grey coloration. Breeding adults boast ornate nape plumes reaching about 150 mm, along with distinctive feathers on the breast and elongated scapulars. The bill and lores are black, with greenish-grey skin at the base of the lower mandible and around the eye, which houses a yellow iris. Legs are black with contrasting yellow feet, though juveniles may have greenish-black legs and duller feet. The subspecies E. g. nigripes is distinguished by yellow skin between the bill and eye, and blackish feet.
The Little Egret frequents a variety of wetland habitats, from the shores of lakes and rivers to marshes and coastal regions. It is often found in open environments, such as mangroves, swamps, mudflats, and sandy beaches, as well as human-altered landscapes like rice fields.
The species has a broad breeding distribution across warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. Northern populations are migratory, wintering in Africa and southern Asia, while others remain as permanent residents in warmer areas.
Little Egrets are social yet territorial when feeding. They exhibit a range of foraging behaviors, from active chasing to patient ambush. Their movements are often in response to the presence of other animals, which may stir up prey.
The Little Egret's vocalizations include croaking and bubbling sounds at breeding colonies and a harsh alarm call when disturbed. These calls are similar to those of the Black-crowned Night Heron and the Cattle Egret.
Breeding colonies are often mixed with other water birds. Nests are platforms of sticks located in trees, shrubs, or reed beds. Clutches typically consist of three to five bluish-green eggs, incubated by both parents for about three weeks. The young fledge at approximately six weeks old.
The Little Egret can be confused with other white egrets, particularly the Snowy Egret, which shares some of its New World range. However, the Little Egret is larger and has more varied foraging strategies.
The diet is diverse, including fish, amphibians, small reptiles, mammals, birds, crustaceans, molluscs, insects, spiders, and worms. The Little Egret employs various hunting techniques, both in water and on land, to capture its prey.
The Little Egret is classified as "Least Concern" by the IUCN. Conservation measures in the 20th century have allowed populations to recover in Europe, and the species has been expanding its range. It is now successfully colonizing new areas, including the New World.
1-4-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - NORTHERN CARDINAL (FEMALE) (Cardinalis cardinalis)
The Northern Cardinal, or Cardinalis cardinalis, is a mid-sized songbird renowned for its striking plumage and melodic song. Males are resplendent in a vibrant crimson with a contrasting black face mask, while females exhibit a more subdued blend of reddish olive with a gray mask. Both sexes boast a distinctive crest atop their heads, adding to their regal appearance.
Adult males are unmistakable with their bright red plumage and black mask. Females are more subtle, with their warm, reddish accents and grayish mask. Juveniles resemble females until they acquire their adult colors in the fall. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males typically larger than females. Both sexes have a robust, conical beak, ideal for seed consumption.
The Northern Cardinal favors a variety of environments, including woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and wetlands. They are particularly fond of areas where dense vegetation is interspersed with open spaces.
This bird's range extends from southeastern Canada through the eastern United States, reaching as far west as Texas and Arizona, and southward through Mexico to Belize and Guatemala. It has also been introduced to Bermuda and Hawaii.
Males are territorial, using their song to delineate their domain. They may exhibit aggression towards their reflections, mistaking them for rival males. Cardinals are known for their pair bonds, with mated pairs often seen foraging and traveling together.
Both sexes sing a variety of clear, whistled tunes, which they vary and repeat. Their songs are regionally distinct due to learning. Alarm calls are sharp, metallic chips, signaling danger to their kin.
Courtship involves the male feeding the female beak-to-beak. Nesting sites are carefully chosen in dense shrubbery or low trees, with the female constructing a multi-layered nest. Clutches typically consist of three to four eggs, with multiple broods raised each year.
The Northern Cardinal is primarily granivorous, with a diet consisting largely of seeds. However, they also consume insects and fruit, adapting their diet as necessary.
The species is currently listed as Least Concern, with a stable or increasing population thanks to its adaptability and the popularity of backyard bird feeding.
Tuesday, 16 May 2017
8-5-2017 ARCOS DE FRONTERA, ANDALUSIA - AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius)
The American kestrel (Falco sparverius), colloquially known as the sparrow hawk, is North America's smallest and most prevalent falcon. Exhibiting a striking sexual dimorphism, the female is moderately larger than the male. Both sexes boast a rufous back with distinct barring, but it is the male that carries the more colorful plumage, with blue-grey wings adorned with black spots and a white underbelly marked with black barring. The female, on the other hand, displays a rufous back and wings with dark brown barring and a creamy to buff underside with heavy brown streaking. Juveniles mirror the adult plumage closely.
Males can be identified by their blue-grey wings with black spots and the rufous tail with a single black subterminal band. Females, however, have rufous wings with dark brown barring and a tail marked with numerous narrow dark bands. Both sexes have a white face with a bluish-grey cap and two vertical black facial markings on each side of the head, which is unique among falcons. The presence of two black spots on the nape, resembling false eyes, is a distinctive feature of this species.
The American kestrel thrives in a variety of open to semi-open landscapes, including grasslands, meadows, deserts, urban, and suburban areas. Its habitat must provide perches, open spaces for hunting, and cavities for nesting.
This falcon's breeding range spans from central and western Alaska across northern Canada to Nova Scotia, and south throughout North America into central Mexico and the Caribbean. It is also a local breeder in Central America and is widely distributed throughout South America. Birds breeding in Canada and the northern United States often migrate south for the winter.
The American kestrel is an adaptable hunter, often perching and scanning the ground for prey or hunting from the air. It is known to hover with rapid wing beats before diving to capture prey. This species is also recognized for its energy-conserving hunting methods.
The kestrel's vocal repertoire includes the "klee" or "killy," a rapid series when excited, the "whine" associated with feeding and copulation, and the "chitter" used in social interactions between males and females.
Kestrels are cavity nesters, laying three to seven eggs that are incubated by both sexes. They exhibit strong pair bonds, often reusing previous nesting sites. The breeding season sees males performing dive displays to attract mates.
The diet of the American kestrel is diverse, including insects like grasshoppers, lizards, mice, and small birds. Its broad diet has contributed to the species' success across a wide range of environments.
The American kestrel is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, though some regional populations have experienced declines. Conservation efforts include monitoring programs and the establishment of nest boxes to support breeding populations.
The American kestrel is a popular choice for beginner falconers due to its manageable size and adaptability. While not as powerful as larger falcons, with proper training, kestrels can effectively hunt smaller birds like sparrows and starlings.
11-5-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE SPOT HAIRSTREAK BUTTERFLY(Satyrium spini)
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Satyrium spini, the blue spot hairstreak, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.
Subspecies include
Satyrium spini spini – (Southern and Central Europe)
Satyrium spini melantho (Klug, 1834) – (Caucasus, Armenia, Talysh Mountains, Kopet-Dagh)
The blue spot hairstreak lives in southern and middle Europe (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Greece, Turkey) up to approximately 54° N. It is also found in Asia Minor, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, South Urals. It is not found in the northwest of France, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Estonia or Latvia. It is also not found in large parts of Italy and on most Mediterranean islands. It inhabits open shrubby places, grassy areas, mountain meadows and woodland clearings, from low levels to about 2000 m.
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Satyrium spini has frontwings reaching 14–16 millimetres (0.55–0.63 in) in males, 15–17 millimetres (0.59–0.67 in) in females. The basic color of the upperside of the wings is brownish, while the underside is yellowish-beige. In the females the upperside of the hindwings usually shows brownish-orange spots on the edge. The underside of the hindwings has a large blue spot and a few orange black bordered spots. The underside of forewings and hindwinhs is crossed by a bright white transverse line. Hind wings have short tails.
It is a univoltine species. Adults fly from late May to early August, depending on location. Caterpillars feed on Rhamnus, Prunus, Frangula alnus, Frangula daurica, Sorbus and Malus.
Monday, 15 May 2017
8-5-2017 ARCOS DE FRONTERA, ANDALUSIA - BONELLI'S EAGLE (Aquila fasciata)
Bonelli's Eagle (Aquila fasciata) is a formidable bird of prey, medium-sized within the eagle family. Its robust build and elongated legs equipped with powerful talons are characteristic of the Aquilinae, or booted eagle subfamily, to which it belongs. The species is named after the Italian ornithologist Franco Andrea Bonelli.
Adult Bonelli's Eagles are dark brown above, with a white throat and a cream-colored underside marked with sparse blackish-brown streaks. A distinctive feature in adults is a white patch on the mantle, which varies in size. Juveniles are lighter brown with a rusty head and show a more rufous underside with minimal streaking. In flight, the species exhibits broad, long wings and a long tail, with a distinctive white patch on the upper wings visible from below.
Bonelli's Eagles favor hilly or mountainous terrains with rocky outcrops, from sea level to 1,500 meters. Habitats range from open to wooded land and can vary from arid to semi-moist climates.
The species breeds from Southern Europe to Africa along the Sahara Desert's montane perimeter and across the Indian Subcontinent to Indonesia. It is largely resident, though juveniles may disperse widely.
Bonelli's Eagles are solitary or form breeding pairs, displaying remarkable aerial skills. They are known for their powerful hunting techniques, often utilizing surprise attacks from perches or agile pursuits in open terrain.
The species is mostly silent outside the breeding season. Its call is a loud, shrill scream, used primarily during courtship displays.
Bonelli's Eagles typically mate for life, with courtship involving spectacular aerial displays. They build large nests on cliffs or trees, laying usually two eggs. The young are dependent on their parents for up to 11 weeks post-fledging.
The species can be confused with the honey buzzard due to its polymorphic plumage, but differences in shape, flight, and habitat use are usually distinctive.
Bonelli's Eagles have a varied diet, with a preference for medium-sized birds and mammals like rabbits and pigeons. They are skilled hunters, often taking prey by surprise or in agile chases.
Despite being classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, Bonelli's Eagle has experienced significant declines in parts of its range due to habitat destruction, electrocution from power lines, and persecution. Conservation efforts are focused on habitat preservation and reducing human-caused mortality.
Sunday, 14 May 2017
8-5-2017 RONDA, ANDALUCIA - SARDINIAN WARBLER (FEMALE) (Sylvia melanocephala)
The Sardinian warbler (Curruca melanocephala ) is a common and widespread typical warbler from the Mediterranean region. Like most Curruca species, it has distinct male and female plumages. The adult male has a grey back, whitish underparts, black head, white throat and red eyes. Plumages are somewhat variable even in the same locality, with the intensity of a reddish hue on upper- and/or underside that varies from absent to (in some subspecies) pronounced. The female is mainly brown above and buff below, with a grey head. The Sardinian warbler's song is fast and rattling, and is very characteristic of the Mediterranean areas where this bird breeds.
It breeds in the southernmost areas of Europe and just into Asia in Turkey and the eastern end of the Mediterranean. This small passerine bird, unlike most "warblers", is not particularly migratory, but some birds winter in north Africa, and it occurs as a vagrant well away from the breeding range, as far as Great Britain.
This is a bird of open country and cultivation, with bushes for nesting. The nest is built in low shrub or brambles, and 3-6 eggs are laid. Like most "warblers", it is insectivorous, but will also take berries and other soft fruit.
28-3-2017 TARCOLES RIVER COSTA RICA - CENTRAL AMERICAN BOA (Boa imperator)
Northern boas are found in Mexico, Central America, and South America west of the Andes Mountains (primarily Colombia). They can acclimatize to a variety of environmental conditions, from tropical rainforests to arid deserts; however, they prefer to live in rainforests due to humidity, temperature, cover from potential predators, and ample prey.
Northern boas are polygynous meaning that males mate with multiple females. The breeding season usually takes place from April to August. During this time females produce a scent that attracts males, and males fight each other for mating rights. After the gestation period of 100-120 days, the female will give birth to 10-65 live young. Baby boas are born precocial; they are fully developed and don't require parental care.
21-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - RUFOUS CAPPED WARBLER (Basileuterus rufifrons)
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The rufous-capped warbler (Basileuterus rufifrons ) is a New World warbler native from Mexico south to Guatemala, rarely occurring as far north as southeastern Arizona and south Texas. Birds in the southern part of the range are now split out as a separate species, as the chestnut-capped warbler (Basileuterus delattrii ).
Rufous-capped warblers generally reach a length of about 12.7 cm (5.0 in). They are plain-olive to olive-gray, with white underbellies, bright yellow chests and throats, and a distinctive facial pattern consisting of a rufous cap, a white eyebrow-line (or superciliary), a dark eye-line fading into a rufous cheek, and a white malar marking. The bill is rather stout for a warbler, the wings are round and stubby, and the tail is long, often raised at a high angle and flicked.
While rufous-capped warblers are generally birds of tropical shrubby highlands, North American sightings tend to be in oak woodland canyon bottoms, near running water, while the birds stay low in dense vegetation.
The courtship song of the rufous-capped warbler is a rapid, accelerating series of chipping notes (chit-chit-chit-chitchitchit ), somewhat reminiscent of the rufous-crowned sparrow, while the call note is a hard chik or tsik, often repeated. Like other New World warblers, this species does not actually warble. Male rufous‐capped warblers have complex songs with many syllable types shared both within and between males’ repertoires. The males also show seasonal, temporal and annual variation in their song use.
Rufous-capped warblers primarily feed on insects and spiders, foraging through dense brush and scanning close to the ground for movement. They are not generally known to flycatch from perches.
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