Sunday, 14 January 2018
28-3-2017 VILLA LAPAS, COSTA RICA - NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Parkesia noveboracensis)
The northern waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) is a species of ground-feeding migratory New World warbler of the genus Parkesia. It breeds in the northern part of North America in Canada and the northern United States including Alaska, and winters in Central America, the West Indies and Florida, as well as in Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. It is a rare vagrant to other South American countries and to western Europe. Its closest relative is the Louisiana waterthrush.
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On the wintering grounds in Puerto Rico, northern waterthrushes leave daytime foraging areas and fly up to 2 km (1.2 mi) to nighttime roosts. The roosts are often located in red mangrove habitats. Northern waterthrushes winter in 4 main habitats in Puerto Rico: white mangrove, red mangrove, black mangrove, and scrub. Males, which are larger and migrate earlier in spring, prefer to winter in white mangrove, and are able to maintain or gain weight through the winter. Females winter in the other drier and less food-rich habitats. During the non-breeding period, northern waterthrushes are site-faithful and tend to be solitary.
Waterthrushes wintering in red and black mangrove can maintain body weight through the winter but lose weight in scrub. Another determinant in body mass increase in the wintering grounds is moisture.
Northern waterthrush territories are distributed across both upland and riparian habitats, but have limited occupation of harvested areas. Crowding into riparian buffer zones adjacent to harvested areas have more difficulty foraging compared to those in untouched areas.
The breeding habitat of the northern waterthrush is wet woodlands near water. It nests in a stump or among tree roots where it lays three to six eggs, cream- or buff-colored, with brown and gray spots. These eggs are laid in a cup nest constructed of leaves, bark strips, and rootlets.
The northern waterthrush is a terrestrial ground feeder, eating insects, spiders, mollusks (such as snails), worms, and crustaceans found amongst leaf litter, as well as minnows, found by wading through water.
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27-3-2017 RANCHO NATURALISTA, COSTA RICA - BLACK SPINY TAILED IGUANA (Ctenosaura similis)
Ctenosaura similis, commonly known as the black iguana or black spiny-tailed iguana, is a lizard native to Mexico, Central America, and some Colombian islands in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. It has been introduced to the United States in the state of Florida. It is the largest species in the genus Ctenosaura.
Black spiny-tailed iguanas are large lizards native to Mexico and Central America. They have distinctively black, keeled scales on their long tails, which gives them their common name. They have a crest of long spines that extends down the center of the back. Although coloration varies extremely among individuals of the same population, adults usually have a whitish-gray or tan ground color with a series of 4-12 well-defined dark dorsal bands that extend nearly to the ventral scales. Males also develop an orange color around the head and throat during breeding season with highlights of blue and peach on their jowls.
Black spiny-tailed iguanas range from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (Mexico) to northeastern Nicaragua and western Panama on the respective Atlantic and Pacific coasts. They are commonly found throughout Costa Rica, Honduras and have been reported in Colombia. These iguanas live in dry and moist forests and also occur in open terrains such as savanna, grassland, and shrubland. They can also be found on sandy beaches, in coastal lagoons, marshes, and near urban areas.
Black spiny-tailed iguanas are social and territorial animals that live in colonies. They are active during the day. Although mainly terrestrial, these iguanas are excellent climbers, and prefer rocky areas with plenty of crevices to hide in, rocks to bask on, and nearby trees to climb. They are fast-moving creatures that employ their speed to escape predators but will lash with their tails and bite if cornered.
Black spiny-tailed iguanas are primarily herbivorous (folivores, frugivores). They eat flowers, leaves, stems, and fruit, but will also sometimes prey on smaller animals, eggs, and arthropods. Juveniles tend to be insectivores and become more herbivorous as they get older.
Black spiny-tailed iguanas generally breed in spring. Males show dominance and interest by head bobbing and may chase the female until they can catch her. Within 8 to 10 weeks, the female will dig a nest and lay a clutch of up to 30 eggs. The eggs hatch 90 days later and the hatchlings dig their way out of the sand. The young are typically green in color with brown markings, although all brown hatchlings have been recorded as well.
Black spiny-tailed iguanas are heavily hunted for their meat but they do not appear to be endangered in any of their native range.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Black spiny-tailed iguana total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
Saturday, 13 January 2018
Friday, 12 January 2018
Thursday, 11 January 2018
Wednesday, 10 January 2018
19-3-2015 BOTANIC GARDENS, SINGAPORE - BLUE WHISTLING THRUSH (Myophonus caeruleus)
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The blue whistling thrush (Myophonus caeruleus) is a bird in the Old World flycatchers family Muscicapidae that is found in the mountains of Central Asia, South Asia, China and Southeast Asia. It is known for its loud human-like whistling song at dawn and dusk. The widely distributed populations show variations in size and plumage with several of them considered as subspecies. Like others in the genus, they feed on the ground, often along streams and in damp places foraging for snails, crabs, fruits and insects.
This whistling thrush is dark violet blue with shiny spangling on the tips of the body feathers other than on the lores, abdomen and under the tail. The wing coverts are a slightly different shade of blue and the median coverts have white spots at their tips. The bill is yellow and stands in contrast. The inner webs of the flight and tail feathers is black. The sexes are similar in plumage.
19-3-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - BLACK NAPED ORIOLE (Oriolus chinensis)
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The black-naped oriole (Oriolus chinensis) is a passerine bird in the oriole family that is found in many parts of Asia. There are several distinctive populations within the wide distribution range of this species and in the past the slender-billed oriole (Oriolus tenuirostris) was included as a subspecies. Unlike the Indian golden oriole which only has a short and narrow eye-stripe, the black-naped oriole has the stripe broadening and joining at the back of the neck. Males and females are very similar although the wing lining of the female is more greenish. The bill is pink and is stouter than in the golden oriole.
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The black-naped oriole is medium-sized and overall golden with a strong pinkish bill and a broad black mask and nape. The adult male has the central tail feathers tipped yellow and the lateral ones are more broadly yellow. The female has the mantle colour more greenish or olive. The juvenile has a streaked underside. The nestling has dull greenish with brown streaks. The head and nape are more yellowish and the undertail coverts are yellow. Several variations exist in the populations that have been separated as subspecies.
The subspecies in the Andamans, O. c. andamanensis has all black wings while O. c. macrourus of the Nicobars has a very broad nape band so that only the top of the head is yellow. The wings are all black with a yellow primary covert patch. The calls of the Andaman and the Nicobar subspecies are said to be quite different, the latter having a more modulated call note. In the Southeast Asian populations some geographic trends include a reduction of yellow on the forehead and a decreased brightness in the yellow plumage from north to south. Females from southern populations are more greenish on the back and tail and there are no yellow spots on the tips of the secondaries as in northern populations.
The usual call is a nasal niee or myaa and the song (diffusus) is a fluty iwee wee wee-leeow. They have a dipping flight.
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The black-naped oriole is medium-sized and overall golden with a strong pinkish bill and a broad black mask and nape. The adult male has the central tail feathers tipped yellow and the lateral ones are more broadly yellow. The female has the mantle colour more greenish or olive. The juvenile has a streaked underside. The nestling has dull greenish with brown streaks. The head and nape are more yellowish and the undertail coverts are yellow. Several variations exist in the populations that have been separated as subspecies.
The subspecies in the Andamans, O. c. andamanensis has all black wings while O. c. macrourus of the Nicobars has a very broad nape band so that only the top of the head is yellow. The wings are all black with a yellow primary covert patch. The calls of the Andaman and the Nicobar subspecies are said to be quite different, the latter having a more modulated call note. In the Southeast Asian populations some geographic trends include a reduction of yellow on the forehead and a decreased brightness in the yellow plumage from north to south. Females from southern populations are more greenish on the back and tail and there are no yellow spots on the tips of the secondaries as in northern populations.
The usual call is a nasal niee or myaa and the song (diffusus) is a fluty iwee wee wee-leeow. They have a dipping flight.
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19-3-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - MASKED LAPWING (Vanellus miles)
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The masked lapwing (Vanellus miles) is a large, common and conspicuous bird native to Australia, particularly the northern and eastern parts of the continent, New Zealand and New Guinea. It spends most of its time on the ground searching for food such as insects and worms, and has several distinctive calls. It is common in Australian fields and open land, and is known for its defensive swooping behaviour during the nesting season.
Despite the species being also known as the masked plover and often called the spur-winged plover or just plover in its native range, lapwings are classified to their own subfamily, Vanellinae, and not to the closely related plover subfamily, Charadriinae. There are two subspecies: the nominate subspecies and the southern novaehollandiae. The latter has distinctive black markings on the shoulder and side of the chest, and is sometimes recognized as a separate species: the black-shouldered lapwing (Vanellus novaehollandiae).
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Masked lapwings are shy and harmless in summer and autumn but are best known for their bold nesting habits, being quite prepared to make a nest on almost any stretch of open ground, including suburban parks and gardens, school ovals, and even supermarket carparks and flat rooftops. They can be particularly dangerous at airports where their reluctance to move from their nesting area, even for large aircraft, has resulted in several bird strikes. Breeding usually happens after winter solstice (June 21), but sometimes before. The nesting pair defends their territory against all intruders by calling loudly, spreading their wings, and then swooping fast and low, striking at interlopers, if necessary, with their feet, and attacking animals on the ground with the conspicuous yellow spur on the carpal joint of the wing.
The bird may also use diversion tactics against potential predators, such as fiercely protecting a non-existent nest, or a distraction display of hopping on a single leg, to attract attention to itself and away from its real nest, or from its chicks after they have commenced foraging. There seems to be some significant use of language to guide chicks during a situation perceived to be dangerous. Long calls appear to tell the chicks to come closer to the calling bird, and a single chirp every few seconds instructs them to move away.
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There is a widely-believed myth that the spur can inject venom. That may have been based on fear of the masked lapwing's territorial behaviour. Attacks are most vicious on other birds, such as ravens, and also on cats and dogs, but once the chicks reach 60% of full size after two or three months, the chances of that happening decrease. Strikes are much rarer on humans because they are more aware. Sometimes the bird can damage its wing in a strike but usually survives, although it is flightless while the wing heals. Some masked lapwings, especially those living in residential suburban areas, may never successfully breed, due to increased disturbance from domestic pets, people on footpaths, and cars. Commonly, two birds are seen together, a male and a female which are almost identical. They can be seen in groups at times, especially while feeding on coastlines. The chick reaches full growth after four or five months and will often stay with the parents for from one to two years, resulting in family groups of three to five birds nesting in one location over the summer. Their lifespan is approximately 16 years.
The birds spend much of the time on the ground, searching for worms and insects to feed on.
19-3-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - GREATER FLAMINGO (JUVENILE) (Phoenicopterus roseus)
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The Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. It was described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1811. The Greater flamingo was previously thought to be the same species as the American flamingo, but because of coloring differences of its head, neck, body, and bill, the two flamingos are now most commonly considered separate species.
Greater flamingos have an attractive coloration and appearance. Their feathers are pinkish/white, the wing coverts are red and the primary and secondary flight feathers are black. They have long pink bills with a black tip, yellow eyes and long pink legs. The male is bigger than the female, and juveniles have a gray-brown coloration, with some pink on their underparts, tail and wings, with the legs and beak being mainly brown.
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
19-3-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)
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With its long legs and elegant neck the Gray Heron strikes a regal pose as it stands motionless in shallow water, waiting to strike at unsuspecting fish.
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During the breeding season, these large herons join treetop breeding colonies where they showcase their exquisite breeding plumes in courtship displays and work tirelessly to feed a nest full of chattering, insatiable chicks. Gray Heron, found in Europe, Asia, and Africa, is one of three very similar herons worldwide, together with Great Blue Heron of North America and Cocoi Heron of South America.
18-3-2015 SINGAPORE - ASIAN KOEL (MALE) (Eudynamys scolopaceu)
The Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. It is found in the Indian Subcontinent, China, and Southeast Asia. It forms a superspecies with the closely related black-billed koels, and Pacific koels which are sometimes treated as subspecies. The Asian koel like many of its related cuckoo kin is a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of crows and other hosts, who raise its young. They are unusual among the cuckoos in being largely frugivorous as adults. The name koel is echoic in origin with several language variants. The bird is a widely used symbol in Indian and Nepali poetry.
29-3-2017 TARCOLES RIVER, COSTA RICA - TURQUOISE BROWED MOTMOT (Eumomota superciliosa)
The turquoise-browed motmot (Eumomota superciliosa ) also known as Torogoz, is a colourful, medium-sized bird of the motmot family, Momotidae. It inhabits Central America from south-east Mexico (mostly the Yucatán Peninsula), to Costa Rica, where it is common and not considered threatened. It lives in fairly open habitats such as forest edge, gallery forest and scrubland. It is more conspicuous than other motmots, often perching in the open on wires and fences. From these perches it scans for prey, such as insects and small reptiles. White eggs (3–6) are laid in a long tunnel nest in an earth bank or sometimes in a quarry or fresh-water well. Its name originates from the turquoise color of its brow. It is the national bird of both El Salvador and Nicaragua, where it is known as "Torogoz" and "Guardabarranco" respectively.
The bird is 34 cm (13 in) long and weighs 65 g (2.3 oz). It has a mostly grey-blue body with a rufous back and belly. There is a bright blue strip above the eye and a blue-bordered black patch on the throat. The flight feathers and upperside of the tail are blue. The tips of the tail feathers are shaped like rackets and the bare feather shafts are longer than in other motmots. Although it is often said that motmots pluck the barbs off their tail to create the racketed shape, this is not true; the barbs are weakly attached and fall off due to abrasion with substrates and with routine preening.
Unlike most bird species, where only males express elaborate traits, the turquoise-browed motmot expresses the extraordinary racketed tail in both sexes. Research indicates that the tail has evolved to function differently for the sexes. Males apparently use their tail as a sexual signal, as males with longer tails have greater pairing success and reproductive success. In addition to this function, the tail is used by both sexes in a wag-display, whereby the tail is moved back-and-forth in a pendulous fashion. The wag-display is performed in a context unrelated to mating: both sexes perform the wag-display in the presence of a predator, and the display is thought to confer naturally selected benefits by communicating to the predator that it has been seen and that pursuit will not result in capture. This form of interspecific communication is referred to as a pursuit-deterrent signal.
The call is nasal, croaking and far-carrying.
The turquoise-browed motmot is a well-known bird in its range. It has acquired a number of local names including guardabarranco ("ravine-guard") in Nicaragua, Torogoz in El Salvador (based on its call) and pájaro reloj ("clock bird") in the Yucatán, based on its habit of wagging its tail like a pendulum. In Costa Rica it is known as momoto cejiceleste or the far-less flattering pájaro bobo ("foolish bird"), owing to its tendency to allow humans to come very near it without flying away.
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.
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is endemic to the Americas, with a distribution that closely follows the availability of crustaceans. Its range extends from the southeastern United States to Peru and Brazil in coastal regions.
This species is known for its nocturnal feeding habits, particularly during the breeding season when it feeds its young. It is territorial when foraging but will tolerate others at a safe distance. The heron selects prey visually, employing various hunting strategies, including stalking and standing still before lunging with its bill.
The heron's vocal repertoire includes a loud, sharp squawk used as an alarm or aggression call, a soft chu-chu-chu by begging chicks, and a range of calls during courtship, such as the yup-yup greeting and a concluding whoop from the male.
Breeding is synchronized with the emergence of crabs in spring, varying geographically. The heron forms mating pairs, with some arriving at breeding grounds already paired. Nesting occurs in trees, bushes, or on rock ledges, with both parents involved in nest-building and care of the young.
Juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Herons can be confused with juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons. However, the former tend to stand straighter, have heavier bills, longer legs, and finer spots and streaks on their plumage.
The diet is predominantly crustaceans, with crabs and crayfish being the mainstay. It also consumes insects, fish, worms, amphibians, molluscs, lizards, snakes, small rodents, and birds. The heron's bill size and shape are adapted to the specific prey available in its region.
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating a stable population trend. However, it faces threats such as habitat loss, human disturbance, and in some regions, illegal hunting. Conservation efforts are generally part of broader wetland conservation projects.
28-3-2017 TARCOLES RIVER, COSTA RICA - OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)
The osprey, known by various monikers such as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal raptor with a cosmopolitan range. This large bird of prey boasts a length exceeding 60 cm (24 in) and a wingspan reaching 180 cm (71 in). Its upperparts are cloaked in a rich brown, while its head and underparts are adorned with a more subdued greyish hue.
When identifying an osprey, look for its distinctive white head marked with a dark eye mask that extends to the neck's sides. Its eyes are a captivating golden to brown, and its bill is a stark black tipped with a blue cere. The osprey's feet are an intriguing white, contrasted with black talons. In flight, its long, narrow wings with finger-like feathers and a shorter fifth feather give it a unique silhouette.
The osprey is quite adaptable, making its home in a variety of habitats as long as they are in proximity to water bodies that can provide an ample supply of fish.
This raptor graces all continents with its presence, save for the icy expanse of Antarctica. In South America, it is seen only as a non-breeding migrant.
Ospreys are known for their remarkable fishing prowess, diving into water bodies to catch their prey with their reversible outer toes and barbed talons. They are also known to be monogamous, often mating for life.
The osprey's vocalizations consist of a series of sharp whistles, often described as "cheep, cheep" or "yewk, yewk." When its nest is threatened, it may emit a frantic "cheereek!"
Ospreys typically breed near freshwater or brackish waters. They construct large nests made of sticks and other materials, where they lay two to four eggs. The eggs are incubated for about 35–43 days before hatching.
The osprey is unique in its family, Pandionidae, and thus has no very close similar species. However, its size and shape may sometimes be confused with various members of the Buteo or Falco genera from a distance.
The osprey's diet is almost exclusively composed of fish, which it catches with a spectacular plunge-dive. It has keen eyesight adapted for detecting underwater prey from above the surface.
The osprey is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a large and stable global population. However, regional declines have been noted in some areas, such as South Australia.
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