Wednesday, 8 August 2018
8-8-2018 RIO ALGAR ALTEA, ALICANTE - EURASIAN COOT (Fulica atra)
The Eurasian coot, Fulica atra, also known as the common coot or Australian coot, is a distinctive waterbird with a slaty-black body, a glossy black head, and a striking white bill topped with a white frontal shield. This bird is a member of the Rallidae family, which includes rails and crakes. Both sexes exhibit similar plumage, making them indistinguishable in the field.
Adult Eurasian coots measure 36–38 cm in length with a wingspan of 70–80 cm. Males are slightly heavier than females, weighing around 890 g compared to the females' 750 g. The species is characterized by its white bill and frontal shield, which contrast sharply with its all-black body. Juveniles are paler with a whitish breast and lack the facial shield, which develops fully by one year of age.
The Eurasian coot is found on freshwater lakes and ponds and has adapted well to urban environments, often seen in city parks and gardens with water bodies.
This bird has a broad range across the Old World, including Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of North Africa. It is a resident in milder regions but migrates south and west from much of Asia during winter.
The Eurasian coot is less secretive than many rails, often visible on open water or grasslands. It is territorial and aggressive during the breeding season, with both parents defending their territory. In non-breeding seasons, coots may form large flocks. They are reluctant flyers, preferring to run across water surfaces, and are known for bobbing their heads while swimming.
This species is known for its noisy demeanor, producing a variety of crackling, explosive, or trumpeting calls, which are often heard at night
Coots build bulky, sometimes floating nests, concealed in vegetation or in the open. Both sexes construct the nest, with the male gathering materials. Clutches typically contain 6-10 buff-colored eggs speckled with black or dark brown. Both parents incubate the eggs, which hatch after 21-24 days. Chicks are precocial and nidifugous, with distinctive orange-red tips on their down.
Omnivorous in nature, the Eurasian coot consumes small live prey, including other birds' eggs, as well as algae, vegetation, seeds, and fruit. It employs various feeding techniques, both on land and in water.
The Eurasian coot is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN and is protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).
The binomial name is from Latin: Fulica means 'coot', and atra means 'black'.
The Eurasian coot is 36–38 cm (14–15 in) in length with a wing-span of 70–80 cm (28–31 in); males weigh around 890 g (31 oz) and females 750 g (26 oz).[9] It is largely black except for the white bill and frontal shield (which gives rise to the phrase "as bald as a coot", in use as early as 1430).[10] As a swimming species, the coot has partial webbing on its long strong toes. The sexes are similar in appearance.
The juvenile is paler than the adult, has a whitish breast, and lacks the facial shield; the adult black plumage develops when about 3–4 months old, but the white shield is only fully developed at about one year old.
The Eurasian coot is a noisy bird with a wide repertoire of crackling, explosive, or trumpeting calls, often given at night.
The coot breeds across much of the Old World on freshwater lakes and ponds, and like its relative the common moorhen, has adapted well to living in urban environments, often being found in parks and gardens with access to water. It occurs and breeds in Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. The species has recently expanded its range into New Zealand. It is resident in the milder parts of its range, but migrates further south and west from much of Asia in winter as the waters freeze. It is known to occur as a vagrant in North America.
8-8-2018 RIO ALGAR ALTEA,ALICANTE - SWALLOWWORT (Genus Cynanchum)
Cynanchum is a genus of about 300 species including some swallowworts, belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The taxon name comes from Greek kynos (meaning "dog") and anchein ("to choke"), hence the common name for several species is dog-strangling vine. Most species are non-succulent climbers or twiners. There is some evidence of toxicity.
These plants are perennial herbs or subshrubs, often growing from rhizomes. The leaves are usually oppositely arranged and sometimes are borne on petioles. The inflorescences and flowers come in a variety of shapes.
Like other species of the milkweed family, these plants bear follicles, which are podlike dry fruits.
These species are found throughout the tropics and subtropics. Several species also grow in temperate regions.
The root of Cynanchum atratum is used in Chinese traditional medicine and called Bai wei. Several other species had traditional Chinese medicinal uses.
Cynanchum as defined in the late 20th century (to include about 400 species) is polyphyletic and is being broken up. Species are being moved to genera including Orthosia, Pentarrhinum, and Vincetoxicum, with a group of mostly Old World species staying in Cynanchum, and old genera such as Raphistemma brought to synonymy. Revision of the genus taxonomy in 2023 identified two new synonyms: Vincetoxicum sibiricum f. linearifolium, described from Shandong, China in 1877, but long neglected and Cynanchum gobicum, previously believed to be endemic to Mongolia.
Tuesday, 7 August 2018
15-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, NAMIBIA - AFRICAN 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 (11,000–15,000 lb); the largest recorded specimen had a shoulder height of 3.96 metres (13.0 ft) and an estimated body mass of 10.4 tonnes (23,000 lb). 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.
African elephants are members of the genus Loxodonta comprising two living elephant species, the African bush elephant (L. africana) and the smaller African forest elephant (L. cyclotis). Both are social herbivores with grey skin, but differ in the size and colour of their tusks and in the shape and size of their ears and skulls.
Both species are considered at heavy risk of extinction on the IUCN Red List; as of 2021, the bush elephant is considered endangered and the forest elephant is considered critically endangered. They are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and poaching for the illegal ivory trade is a threat in several range countries as well.
Loxodonta is one of two extant genera of the family Elephantidae. The name refers to the lozenge-shaped enamel of their molar teeth. Fossil remains of Loxodonta species have been excavated in Africa, dating to the Middle Pliocene.
African elephants are distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa, where they inhabit Sahelian scrubland and arid regions, tropical rainforests, mopane and miombo woodlands. African forest elephant populations occur only in Central Africa.
The range of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) is patchily distributed across central and southern Africa in the Ethiopian Region. Remnant populations exist as far northwest as Guinea-Bissau and as far northeast as Ethiopia. Disjunct populations exist southward into northern South Africa, and include contiguous populations in Gabon, Tanzania, Botswana, and Zambia. Once present in Burundi, Gambia, and Mauritania, they've now been extirpated from those countries. These elephants were extirpated from Swaziland, as well, but have been re-introduced here in recent years.
African elephants are found in many habitats of Africa such as savannas, rain forests, woodlands, scrub forests, occasionally deserts, and beaches. However, due to poaching threats protected sanctuaries are their main habitats. Within these sanctuaries, these elephants will inhabit areas that have sources of water and abundant vegetation for foraging. Across these habitats, the elevation level ranges from sea level (0 meters) to 4000 meters.
15-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, NAMIBIA - GREATER KUDU (Tragelaphus Strepsiceros)
The Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a woodland antelope found in Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, Greater kudus are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching.
Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown/bluish-grey to reddish-brown. They possess between 4 and 12 vertical white stripes along their torso. The head is usually darker in color than the rest of the body and exhibits a small white v-shaped mark that runs between the eyes. Bulls tend to be much larger than cows, and vocalize much more; they also have beards running along their throats and large horns with two and a half twists.
The range of Greater kudu extends from the east in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Eritrea, and Kenya into the south where they are found in Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Other regions where they occur are the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Swaziland, and Uganda. These antelopes live in mixed scrub woodlands and bush on abandoned fields and degraded pastures, mopane bush, and acacia in lowlands, hills, and mountains. They will occasionally venture onto plains only if there is a large abundance of bushes but normally avoid such open areas to avoid becoming an easy target for their predators.
15-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, NAMIBIA - REED (LONG TAILED) CORMORANT (Microcarbo africanus)
The Reed Cormorant, also known as the Long-tailed Cormorant, is a diminutive member of the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. With an overall length of 50–55 cm and a wingspan stretching 80–90 cm, this bird presents a predominantly black plumage with a green gloss during the breeding season. Notably, it sports silvery wing coverts, a somewhat elongated tail, and a modest head crest. A distinctive red or yellow patch adorns its face, complemented by a yellow bill.
In breeding attire, the Reed Cormorant is resplendent in its glossy greenish-black plumage. The non-breeding adults and juveniles, however, exhibit a browner hue and a white underbelly. Some southern populations maintain their crest throughout the year. Both sexes are similar in appearance, making them indistinguishable in the field.
The Reed Cormorant is quite adaptable, making its home in a variety of freshwater wetlands and tranquil coastal environments.
This species is widespread and common, inhabiting inland and coastal regions across Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It is a resident bird, though it may engage in some seasonal movements.
An adept diver, the Reed Cormorant often forages in shallow waters, occasionally diving to impressive depths. It has a predilection for small, slow-moving fish with elongated bodies, such as mormyrids, catfishes, and cichlids, but will also consume soles, frogs, aquatic invertebrates, and occasionally small birds. Prey is typically brought to the surface before consumption.
The Reed Cormorant's nesting habits are quite private, with nests typically concealed by long grasses either in trees or on the ground. Clutches usually consist of two to four eggs.
The Reed Cormorant could potentially be confused with other cormorant species, but its smaller size, long tail, and the coloration of its face patch and bill are distinguishing features.
The diet of the Reed Cormorant is primarily piscivorous, focusing on fish that match its preferred size and shape. However, its diet can be quite varied depending on local availability.
15-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, NAMIBIA - EGYPTIAN WHITE WATER LILY (Nymphaea lotus)
Nymphaea lotus, the white Egyptian lotus, tiger lotus, white lotus, or Egyptian water-lily, is a flowering plant of the family Nymphaeaceae.
It grows in various parts of East Africa and Southeast Asia. Nymphaea lotus var. thermalis was believed to be a Tertiary relict variety endemic to the thermal waters of Europe, for example, the Peţa River in Romania. DNA analysis has concluded that Nymphaea lotus var. thermalis lacks distinctiveness from Nymphaea lotus and therefore cannot be classified as a relic population.
It was introduced into Western cultivation in 1802 by Loddiges Nursery. Eduard Ortgies crossed Nymphaea lotus (N. dentata) with Nymphaea pubescens (N. rubra) to produce the first Nymphaea hybrid, illustrated in Flore des serres 8 t. 775, 776 under the name Nymphaea ortgiesiano-rubra. It is a popular ornamental aquatic plant in Venezuela.
It is a perennial, growing to 45 cm in height. The flower is white, sometimes tinged with pink.
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15-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, NAMIBIA - WHITE FACED WHISTLING DUCK (Dendrocygna viduata)
The White-faced Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna viduata, is a distinctive species with a long grey bill, elongated head, and relatively long legs. Its plumage is characterized by a black neck and head contrasted with a white face, which can vary in extent regionally. The back and wings are cloaked in dark brown to black, while the underparts are black with fine white barring on the flanks. A chestnut neck completes the ensemble. Both sexes are similarly attired, and juveniles resemble adults but with less pronounced head markings.
When identifying the White-faced Whistling Duck, look for the stark white face against a black head and neck. The species also has a distinctive three-note whistling call that can aid in identification even when the bird is not in sight.
These ducks favor freshwater lakes and reservoirs rich in vegetation, where they can forage for seeds and other plant-based food.
The White-faced Whistling Duck has a curious distribution, found in both sub-Saharan Africa and much of South America. It is thought that human activity may have contributed to their spread across these continents.
This species is known for its sociable nature, often forming large flocks. It is mostly sedentary, though it may undertake local movements of over 100 kilometers in response to environmental conditions.
Breeding sites are typically ground depressions or reed beds. Both sexes incubate the clutch of 6 to 12 eggs, which hatch after 26 to 28 days. The ducklings, with dark down above and yellow below, are tended by both parents and are usually concealed in reeds. They fledge at about two months of age.
The White-faced Whistling Duck is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN and is protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).
While the White-faced Whistling Duck is quite distinctive, it could potentially be confused with other whistling ducks. However, its unique facial coloration and call usually make it easily distinguishable.
The diet of the White-faced Whistling Duck primarily consists of seeds and other plant materials, which they forage from their aquatic habitats.
In the gentle light of dawn, one might observe the White-faced Whistling Duck, a creature of both beauty and intrigue, as it congregates in flocks that paint the sky with their synchronized flights and fills the air with their melodious calls.
15-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, BOTSWANA - BLACK WINGED PRATINCOLE (Glareola nordmanni)
The black-winged pratincole is a bird of open country and is often seen near water in the evening, hawking for insects. This pratincole is found in warmer parts of south-east Europe and south-west Asia. It is migratory, wintering in tropical Africa, and is rare north or west of the breeding range.
An unusual feature of the pratincoles is that, although classed as waders, they typically hunt their insect prey on the wing like swallows, although they can also feed on the ground.
Monday, 6 August 2018
15-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, NAMIBIA - REED (LONG TAILED) CORMORANT (Microcarbo africanus)
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The Reed Cormorant, also known as the Long-tailed Cormorant, is a diminutive member of the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. With an overall length of 50–55 cm and a wingspan stretching 80–90 cm, this bird presents a predominantly black plumage with a green gloss during the breeding season. Notably, it sports silvery wing coverts, a somewhat elongated tail, and a modest head crest. A distinctive red or yellow patch adorns its face, complemented by a yellow bill.
In breeding attire, the Reed Cormorant is resplendent in its glossy greenish-black plumage. The non-breeding adults and juveniles, however, exhibit a browner hue and a white underbelly. Some southern populations maintain their crest throughout the year. Both sexes are similar in appearance, making them indistinguishable in the field.
The Reed Cormorant is quite adaptable, making its home in a variety of freshwater wetlands and tranquil coastal environments.
This species is widespread and common, inhabiting inland and coastal regions across Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It is a resident bird, though it may engage in some seasonal movements.
An adept diver, the Reed Cormorant often forages in shallow waters, occasionally diving to impressive depths. It has a predilection for small, slow-moving fish with elongated bodies, such as mormyrids, catfishes, and cichlids, but will also consume soles, frogs, aquatic invertebrates, and occasionally small birds. Prey is typically brought to the surface before consumption.
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