Monday, 1 November 2021
1-11-2021 LLUXENT, VALENCIA - OLD WORLD SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY (Papilio machaon)
Papilio machaon, the Old World swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. The butterfly is also known as the common yellow swallowtail or simply the swallowtail (a common name applied to all members of the family, but this species was the first to be given the name). It is the type species of the genus Papilio. This widespread species is found in much of the Palearctic (it is the only swallowtail in most of Europe) and in North America.
This species is named after Machaon (Ancient Greek: Μαχάων, romanized: Makháōn) a figure in Greek mythology. He was a son of Asclepius.
This butterfly is present throughout the entire Palearctic region, ranging from Russia to China and Japan, (including the Himalayas and Taiwan), and across into Alaska, Canada, and the United States, and thus, is not restricted to the Old World, despite the common name. In Asia, it is reported as far south as Saudi Arabia, Oman, the high mountains of Yemen, Lebanon, Iran and Israel. In southern Asia, it occurs in Pakistan and Kashmir, northern India (Sikkim, to Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh), Nepal, Bhutan, and northern Myanmar.
The butterfly has a strong and fast flight, but frequently pauses to hover over flowering herbs and sip nectar. It frequents alpine meadows and hillsides, and males are fond of 'hilltopping', congregating near summits to compete for passing females. At lower elevations, it can be seen visiting gardens.
This butterfly is widespread in Europe. In the United Kingdom, it is limited to a few areas in the Norfolk Broads of East Anglia. It is the UK's largest resident butterfly. The monarch (Danaus plexippus) is slightly larger, but is only a rare vagrant.
As P. machaon is widespread throughout Eurasia and often common, it is not threatened as a species. It is listed as "vulnerable" in the South Korean and Austrian Red Data Books, and in the Red Data Book of the former Soviet Union. In Armenia the species demonstrates stable population trend and is assessed as Least Concern.
In some countries, P. machaon and its subspecies are protected by law. Papilio machaon machaon is protected by law in six provinces of Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. The species is protected in the United Kingdom, and subspecies verityi is protected in India.
1-11-2021 LLUXENT, VALENCIA - EURASIAN SISKIN (Spinus spinus)
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It can be distinguished from other similar finches by the colour of the plumage. The upper parts are greyish green and the under parts grey-streaked white. Its wings are black with a conspicuous yellow wing bar, and the tail is black with yellow sides. The male has a mainly yellow face and breast, with a neat black cap. Female and young birds have a greyish green head and no cap. It is a trusting, sociable and active bird. The song of this bird is a pleasant mix of twitters and trills. For these reasons it is often raised in captivity.
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These birds have an unusual migration pattern as every few years in winter they migrate southwards in large numbers. The reasons for this behaviour are not known but may be related to climatic factors and above all the availability of food. In this way overwintering populations can thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder, often hanging upside-down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.
Sunday, 31 October 2021
24-10-2021 ATTICA ZOO ATHENS, GREECE - GOULDIAN FINCH (Zenaida auriculata)
The Gouldian finch, also known as Gould's finch or the rainbow finch, is a passerine bird celebrated for its vibrant plumage. Males are particularly striking, with a medley of black, green, yellow, and red markings, and a distinctive purple chest. Females, while still colorful, are slightly less vivid and have a lighter mauve chest. These birds measure approximately 125–140 mm in length and exhibit head color variations in the wild, including red, black, or yellow, which were once thought to represent different species.
To identify the Gouldian finch, look for the bird's bright colors and distinctive head markings. Males have a purple chest, while females have a mauve chest. The presence of prominent rounded tubercles with an opalescent sheen at the back of the gape is another characteristic feature, though they are not phosphorescent as once believed.
Gouldian finches are native to the savannas of northern Australia, where they prefer areas with scattered trees and grasslands.
These finches are found predominantly in the Kimberley and Northern Territory regions of Australia.
Gouldian finches are gregarious outside the breeding season, forming mixed flocks with other finch species that can number in the thousands. They exhibit nomadic tendencies during the dry season, moving in search of food and water.
Breeding occurs in tree hollows during the early dry season when food is abundant. Males perform a bobbing dance and ruffle their feathers to attract females. After mating, females lay clutches of 4–8 eggs, with both parents sharing brooding duties. Chicks are born with brightly colored gapes and vocalize loudly to be fed in the dark nest. Remarkably, females can influence the sex of their offspring based on the head color of their mate to manage genetic compatibility.
Gouldian finches are primarily seed eaters, consuming up to 30% of their body weight daily. They feed on a variety of grass seeds, with sorghum being a staple during the breeding season. They forage on the ground during the dry season and rely on spinifex grass seeds during the wet season.
The Gouldian finch is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, its population has suffered a dramatic decline due to habitat loss, with numbers plummeting from hundreds of thousands to an estimated 2,500 or fewer in the wild. The primary threats include extensive late dry season wildfires, cyclones, and climate change, which affect both breeding sites and food availability.
24-10-2021 ATTICA ZOO ATHENS, GREECE - BROWN BEAR (Ursus arctos)
The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a large bear native to Eurasia and North America. Of the land carnivorans, it is rivaled in size only by its closest relative, the polar bear, which is much less variable in size and slightly bigger on average. The brown bear is a sexually dimorphic species, as adult males are larger and more compactly built than females. The fur ranges in color from cream to reddish to dark brown. It has evolved large hump muscles, unique among bears, and paws up to 21 cm (8.3 in) wide and 36 cm (14 in) long, to effectively dig through dirt. Its teeth are similar to those of other bears and reflect its dietary plasticity.
Throughout the brown bear's range, it inhabits mainly forested habitats in elevations of up to 5,000 m (16,000 ft). It is omnivorous, and consumes a variety of plant and animal species. Contrary to popular belief, the brown bear derives 90% of its diet from plants. When hunting, it will target animals as small as insects and rodents to those as large as moose or muskoxen. In parts of coastal Alaska, brown bears predominantly feed on spawning salmon that come near shore to lay their eggs. For most of the year, it is a usually solitary animal that associates only when mating or raising cubs. Females give birth to an average of one to three cubs that remain with their mother for 1.5 to 4.5 years. It is a long-lived animal, with an average lifespan of 25 years in the wild. Attacks on humans, though widely reported, are generally rare.
While the brown bear's range has shrunk, and it has faced local extinctions across its wide range, it remains listed as a least concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with a total estimated population in 2017 of 110,000. Populations that were hunted to extinction in the 19th and 20th centuries are the Atlas bear of North Africa and the Californian, Ungavan and Mexican populations of the grizzly bear of North America. Many of the populations in the southern parts of Eurasia are highly endangered as well. One of the smaller-bodied forms, the Himalayan brown bear, is critically endangered: it occupies only 2% of its former range and is threatened by uncontrolled poaching for its body parts. The Marsican brown bear of central Italy is one of several currently isolated populations of the Eurasian brown bear and is believed to have a population of only about 50 bears.
The brown bear is considered to be one of the most popular of the world's charismatic megafauna. It has been kept in zoos since ancient times, and has been tamed and trained to perform in circuses and other acts. For thousands of years, the brown bear has had a role in human culture, and is often featured in literature, art, folklore, and mythology.
Brown bears inhabit the broadest range of habitats of any living bear species. They seem to have no altitudinal preferences and have been recorded from sea level to an elevation of 5,000 m (16,000 ft) in the Himalayas. In most of their range, brown bears seem to prefer semi-open country, with a scattering of vegetation, that can allow them a resting spot during the day. However, they have been recorded as inhabiting every variety of northern temperate forest known to occur.
24-10-2021 ATTICA ZOO ATHENS, GREECE - BARNACLE GOOSE (Branta leucopsis)
The Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsis, is a medium-sized member of the black geese genus Branta. It is characterized by its striking black and white plumage, with a distinctive white face, black head, neck, and upper breast. The underparts are predominantly white, while the back and wings boast a silver-gray hue adorned with black-and-white bars that glisten in the sunlight. Adults typically measure between 55 to 70 centimeters in length, with a wingspan stretching from 130 to 145 centimeters, and weigh between 1.21 and 2.23 kilograms.
When observing these geese, look for the white face contrasting sharply with the black head and neck. In flight, the V-shaped white rump patch and silver-gray underwing linings are telltale signs of the species. The barred pattern on the back and wings is also a key feature to distinguish the Barnacle Goose from similar species.
Barnacle Geese are known to breed in the high Arctic regions, often selecting precipitous cliff edges to place their nests, well out of reach of terrestrial predators. They favor coastal areas and are commonly found in wetland environments during winter.
24-10-2021 ATTICA ZOO ATHENS, GREECE - SOUTHERN CASSOWARY (Casuarius casuarius)
The southern cassowary is a solitary bird, which pairs only in breeding season, in late winter or spring. The male builds a nest on the ground, a mattress of herbaceous plant material 5 to 10 centimetres (2–4 in) thick and up to 100 centimetres (39 in) wide. This is thick enough to let moisture drain away from the eggs. The male also incubates the eggs and raises the chicks alone. A clutch of three or four eggs are laid measuring 138 by 95 millimetres (5.4 in × 3.7 in). They have a granulated surface and are initially bright pea-green in colour although they fade with age. Southern cassowaries make a thunderous call during mating season, and hissing and rumblings otherwise. Chicks will make frequent high-pitched contact whistles and chirps to call the male.
Southern cassowaries have a reputation for being dangerous to humans and animals, and are often regarded as aggressive. The birds can jump quite high and kick powerfully with their blade-like claws. However, deadly encounters with southern cassowaries are rare. Only two human deaths have been reported since 1900. A 2003 historical study of 221 southern cassowary attacks showed that 150 had been against humans: 75% of these had been from southern cassowaries that had been fed by people, 71% of the time the bird had chased or charged the victim, 15% of the time they kicked. Of the attacks, 73% involved the birds expecting or snatching food, 5% involved defending their natural food sources, 15% involved defending themselves from attack, and 7% involved defending their chicks or eggs. Only one human death was reported among those 150 attacks.
The first documented human death caused by a southern cassowary was on 6 April 1926. In Australia, 16-year-old Phillip McClean and his brother, age 13, came across a southern cassowary on their property and decided to try and kill it by striking it with clubs. The bird kicked the younger boy, who fell and ran away as his older brother struck the bird. The older McClean then tripped and fell to the ground. While he was on the ground, the cassowary kicked him in the neck, opening a 1.25 cm (0.5 in) wound that may have severed his jugular vein. The boy died of his injuries shortly thereafter.
Another human death due to a southern cassowary was recorded in Florida on 12 April 2019. The bird's owner, a 75-year-old man who had raised the animal, was apparently clawed to death after he fell to the ground.
Being fed by people tempts southern cassowaries into closer associations with human-inhabited areas, increasing the already high risk of vehicle strikes – a major cause of southern cassowary mortality – and increasing the likelihood of encounters with humans. Many "aggressive" birds are simply responding to having been fed by humans in the past. Unfortunately the poor reputation of this species leads to confusion and misinformation among the public, which hampers conservation efforts of this shy bird.
24-10-2021 ATTICA ZOO ATHENS, GREECE - HAWAIIAN GOOSE (Branta sandvicensis)
The nene (Branta sandvicensis), also known as the nēnē or the Hawaiian goose, is a species of bird endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The nene is exclusively found in the wild on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokai, and Hawaiʻi. In 1957, it was designated as the official state bird of the state of Hawaiʻi.
The Hawaiian name nēnē comes from its soft call. The specific name sandvicensis refers to the Sandwich Islands, a former name for the Hawaiian Islands.
The nene is a large-sized goose at 41 cm (16 in) tall. Although they spend most of their time on the ground, they are capable of flight, with some individuals flying daily between nesting and feeding areas. Females have a mass of 1.525–2.56 kg (3.36–5.64 lb), while males average 1.695–3.05 kg (3.74–6.72 lb), 11% larger than females. Adult males have a black head and hindneck, buff cheeks and heavily furrowed neck. The neck has black and white diagonal stripes. Aside from being smaller, the female Nene is similar to the male in colouration. The adult's bill, legs and feet are black. It has soft feathers under its chin. Goslings resemble adults, but are a duller brown and with less demarcation between the colors of the head and neck, and striping and barring effects are much reduced.
The nene is an inhabitant of shrubland, grassland, coastal dunes, and lava plains, and related anthropogenic habitats such as pasture and golf courses from sea level to as much as 2,400 m (7,900 ft). Some populations migrated between lowland breeding grounds and montane foraging areas.
The nene could at one time be found on the islands of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Kahoʻolawe, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu and Kauaʻi. Today, its range is restricted to Hawaiʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Kauaʻi. A pair arrived at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge on Oʻahu in January 2014; two of their offspring survived and are seen regularly on the nearby golf courses at Turtle Bay Resort.
Saturday, 30 October 2021
24-10-2021 ATTICA ZOO ATHENS, GREECE - AFRICAN SPOONBILL (Platalea alba)
The African spoonbill, Platalea alba, is a striking wading bird belonging to the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. This species is characterized by its long legs, which facilitate wading through marshy wetlands, and its distinctive long grey spatulate bill, which is used to sift through shallow waters for food. Adult birds are predominantly white with red legs and a red face, while immature birds can be identified by their yellow bills and the absence of red on their faces.
When identifying the African spoonbill, look for a large, all-white bird with a unique spoon-shaped bill. During flight, unlike herons, spoonbills keep their necks outstretched. Breeding adults will exhibit more vibrant red coloration on their legs and face, and their bill will be grey. Juveniles can be distinguished by their paler bill color and lack of red facial markings.
The African spoonbill is found in marshy wetlands that have open shallow water. It prefers environments where it can wade and forage for food, such as in reedbeds or along the edges of bodies of water.
24-10-2021 ATTICA ZOO ATHENS, GREECE - ASIAN EMERALD DOVE (Chalcophaps indica)
The emerald dove or common emerald dove (Chalcophaps indica), also called Asian emerald dove and grey-capped emerald dove, is a widespread resident breeding pigeon native to the tropical and subtropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The dove is also known by the names of green dove and green-winged pigeon. The common emerald dove is the state bird of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Pacific emerald dove and Stephan's emerald dove were both considered conspecific.
This is a common species in tropical forests and similar dense wet woodlands, farms and mangroves. It builds a scant stick nest in a tree up to five metres and lays two cream-coloured eggs.
Emerald doves usually occur singly, pairs or in small groups. They are quite terrestrial, often searching for fallen fruit on the ground and spending little time in trees except when roosting. They eat seeds and fruits of a wide variety of plants and are generally tame and approachable. They are rare and are usually found foraging in small groups or pairs. If there's a resource rich area, small groups will maintain a territory. Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general. It often flies low between the patches of dense forest it prefers, but when disturbed will frequently walk away rather than fly. They are particularly good weavers when flying through forests. When flying they expose a buff underwing and a chestnut colour of their flight feathers.
24-10-2021 ATTICA ZOO ATHENS, GREECE - DIAMOND DOVE (Geopelia cuneata)
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The diamond dove (Geopelia cuneata) is a resident bird in Australia. The pigeon predominantly exists in areas near water but which are lightly arid or semi-arid in nature, being Central, West and Northern Australia. They are one of Australia's smallest pigeons along with the peaceful dove. They have been spotted occasionally in Southern Australia in parks and gardens when the centre of Australia is very dry.
They are small pigeons with a length of 19 to 21 centimeters or 9 to 11 inches. Regardless of sex, they have white spots and black edges on their wings, red eyes and orange eye-rings. The sexes look similar except the female's eye ring is less vivid and has more of a brown colour to the plumage. The male's head, neck, and breast are light blue-grey. The bill is a dark grey colour. The abdomen is a creamy colour while the back and tail is a brown-grey colour. The legs and feet are pink. The juveniles have a light grey bill; the iris and eye ring is fawn in colour; the feet and legs are grey; the breast is grey and does not possess any white spots on their wings.
Regardless of its astoundingly small size (weighing only about 35 g), it has a great tolerance to high heat levels due to adaptations in body temperature, metabolism, respiration, water balance, and behaviour.
The diamond dove is often seen on the ground, where it runs with a waddling gait. Its flight is strong, direct, and sometimes undulating. The wings can make a whistling "frrr" noise when flying.
Diamond doves tend to be seen in pairs or small groups feeding off the ground. They feed off seed mostly from grasses. They will also eat ants.
The doves tend to breed after rain but mostly in spring in Southern Australia. Nests are usually built from interwoven grasses and/or twigs, and are fragile in construction. Two white eggs are usually laid and incubated for 13 to 14 days. Their chicks are fast to grow, and are usually fully feathered and flying by two weeks.
They are known to have a variety of calls. The calls sound mournful, slow and have a soft, pleasant falsetto quality to them. Two calls consist of two long coos followed by a pause and then a long, short and long coo. Sometimes they call two long coos. The alarm coo consists of a few short but loud coos.
Friday, 29 October 2021
27-10-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Scopula Minorata)
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Scopula minorata is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1833. It is found in Africa south of the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsula and on the islands of the Indian Ocean. Furthermore, it is found in southern Europe. It can be distinguished from Scopula lactaria only by examination of its genitalia.
The wingspan is 15–20 millimetres (0.59–0.79 in).
Subspecies
Scopula minorata minorata
Scopula minorata corcularia (Rebel, 1894)
Scopula minorata ochroleucaria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1847)
Scopula minorata tripolitana (Sterneck, 1933)
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