Wednesday, 3 May 2017
22-3-2017 TROGON LODGE, COSTA RICA - MOUNTAIN THRUSH (Turdus plebejus)
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The Mountain Thrush, known scientifically as Turdus plebejus, is a robust member of the thrush family, Turdidae. This bird, once called the Mountain Robin, is a Central American native with a rather unassuming plumage. Adults are cloaked in a uniform dull olive-brown, with subtle white streaks gracing the throat. They measure between 23 to 26 centimeters in length and tip the scales at an average of 86 grams. The bill is a stark black, while the legs are a dark brown hue. Juveniles share a resemblance with adults but are distinguished by buff or orange streaks on their head and upperparts, and dark spotting on their underparts.
To identify the Mountain Thrush, look for its olive-brown plumage and faint white throat streaks. It can be confused with its relatives, the Sooty Thrush, which is darker with an orange bill, eye ring, and legs, and the Clay-colored Thrush, which is paler with a yellow bill.
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The Mountain Thrush has a preference for tall mountain forests rich with oak, epiphytes, and mosses. It is typically found from altitudes of 1,800 meters up to the timberline.
This species is distributed across the highlands from southern Mexico to western Panama. It is known to descend in flocks to as low as 900 meters above sea level during the wet season.
The Mountain Thrush exhibits typical thrush behaviors, foraging on large branches or the ground, often in flocks outside of the breeding season. It moves in a series of hops and dashes, pausing frequently to overturn leaf litter in search of small fruits, insects, and spiders.
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The breeding habits of the Mountain Thrush involve constructing a large cup nest lined with grass or rootlets, hidden amongst epiphytes on a tree branch, 3 to 12 meters off the ground. The female lays 2 to 3 unmarked greenish-blue eggs between March and June. The breeding season song is a mechanical monotone "chip chip cher chip chip cher cher," while the call is a high-pitched "seee" or "whip."
The IUCN Red List has classified the Mountain Thrush as Least Concern, indicating that, currently, there are no immediate threats to its population numbers.
3-5-2017 CORDOBA, ANDALUCIA - EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH (MALE) (Carduelis carduelis)
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The European goldfinch, or simply goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), is a small, vibrant passerine bird belonging to the finch family. This charming avian species is adorned with a striking red face, encircled by black markings near the eyes, and a black-and-white head. The back and flanks exhibit a warm buff or chestnut brown, while the wings are black with a prominent yellow bar. The tail is black, and the rump is a contrasting white. Males and females are similar in appearance, though the male boasts a slightly more extensive red mask.
Upon closer inspection, one can discern the male goldfinch by its larger, more vivid red mask that extends just beyond the eye. The female's red face does not reach past the eye, and her shoulder feathers are brown, as opposed to the male's black. The bill is ivory-colored, long, and pointed, and the tail is forked. Juveniles can be identified by their plain heads and greyer backs, but the yellow wing stripe is a clear indicator of their species.
The European goldfinch favors open, partially wooded lowlands and is a resident in the milder western parts of its range. In colder regions, it migrates to escape the harsh weather.
22-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - YELLOW WARBLER (Setophaga petechia)
The yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia) is a New World warbler species. Yellow warblers are the most widespread species in the diverse genus Setophaga, breeding in almost the whole of North America, the Caribbean, and down to northern South America.
The genus name Setophaga is from Ancient Greek ses, "moth", and phagos, "eating", and the specific petechia is from Italian petecchia, a small red spot on the skin.
As usual for members of the Parulidae, yellow warblers nest in trees, building a small but very sturdy cup nest. Females and males rear the young about equally, but emphasize different tasks: females are more involved with building and maintaining the nest, and incubating and brooding the offspring. Males are more involved in guarding the nest site and procuring food, bringing it to the nest and passing it to the waiting mother, which does most of the actual feeding. As the young approach fledging, the male's workload becomes proportionally higher.
22-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon)
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The House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) is a diminutive member of the wren family, Troglodytidae, with a widespread presence across the Americas. This bird is recognized by its small stature, typically measuring 11 to 13 cm in length with a wingspan of 15 cm, and weighing between 10 to 12 grams. Its plumage varies considerably among subspecies, ranging from dull greyish-brown to rich rufescent-brown on the upper parts, and from brown to buff, pale grey, or pure white on the underparts. All subspecies exhibit blackish barring on the wings and tail, and some also on the flanks.
House Wrens possess a faint eye-ring and eyebrow, a long, thin bill with a blackish upper mandible and a black-tipped yellowish or pale grey lower mandible. Their legs are pinkish or grey, and they are known for their short, often cocked tail.
In North America, House Wrens favor floodplain forests in the western great plains, utilizing woodpecker holes for nesting. In Central and South America, they adapt to virtually any habitat and are frequently found in close proximity to human settlements.
The House Wren's range extends from Canada to the southernmost regions of South America, making it the most widely distributed native bird in the Americas. It is particularly common in suburban areas within its range.
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These birds are active foragers in vegetation, primarily consuming insects such as butterfly larvae, beetles, bugs, as well as spiders and snails. They are known for their feisty and pugnacious nature, sometimes destroying the eggs of other birds within their territory.
The House Wren's rich bubbly song is a familiar sound during the nesting season, with notable geographical variation. The song differs significantly between populations from the far north and south of the species' range.
House Wrens construct large cup nests in cavities, lined with various materials such as feathers, hair, and moss. The female lays a clutch of two to eight red-blotched cream-white eggs, which she incubates for about 12 to 19 days. Both parents feed the nestlings, which fledge after approximately 15 to 19 days.
House Wrens actively forage for insects and other small invertebrates within vegetation. They are adept at hunting down their prey, which includes butterfly larvae, beetles, bugs, spiders, and snails.
The House Wren is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, some island populations are rare, endangered, or possibly extinct, primarily due to habitat destruction, predation by introduced species, and natural disasters.
Tuesday, 2 May 2017
19-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - BLACK AND WHITE SEED-EATER (Sporophila luctuosa)
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The black-and-white seedeater (Sporophila luctuosa) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, and heavily degraded former forest.
Well-named seedeater found from Venezuela to Bolivia. Male is all black above with a white patch at base of primaries and white belly. Could be confused with Yellow-bellied Seedeater, but that species lacks the wing patch and the belly is pale yellow. Females are brown and extremely similar to other seedeaters; look for accompanying males to help you identify! Generally an Andean species, found up to about 2,500 m, but sometimes wanders into adjacent lowlands. Uncommon in grassland or edge scrub, often in flocks with other seedeaters.
Monday, 1 May 2017
2-5-2017 CORDOBA, ANDALUSIA - EURASIAN PENDULINE TIT (MALE) (Remiz pendulinus)
The Eurasian penduline tit, Remiz pendulinus, is a diminutive passerine, a member of the Remizidae family. It is adorned with a light grey head, a distinctive black "mask" through the eye, and a back of rich chestnut brown. Both sexes are remarkably similar, though the male boasts a broader mask and a more rufous back. This bird measures between 10 and 11.5 centimeters in length, with a finely pointed bill and a tail that is relatively elongated.
When attempting to identify the Eurasian penduline tit, look for its small size, the pointed bill, and the long tail. The male's mask is broader and the back more rufous compared to the female. The bird's light grey head and black eye mask are key distinguishing features.
The Eurasian penduline tit is known to favor habitats with thin, long branches of trees such as willow, elm, or birch, often choosing locations above water. It is also found in reed beds, where it may construct its unique nests.
This species is relatively widespread across the western Palearctic. It exhibits migratory behavior in the northern parts of its range, while populations in the southern regions tend to be resident.
19-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - ASIAN BLUE QUAIL (Synoicus chinensis)
The king quail (Synoicus chinensis), also known as the blue-breasted quail, Asian blue quail, Chinese painted quail, or Chung-Chi, is a species of Old World quail in the family Phasianidae. This species is the smallest "true quail", ranging in the wild from southern China, South and Southeast Asia to Oceania, south to southeastern Australia, with 9 different subspecies. A failed attempt was made to introduce this species to New Zealand by the Otago Acclimatisation Society in the late 1890s. It is quite common in aviculture worldwide, where it is sometimes misleadingly known as the "button quail", which is the name of an only very distantly related family of birds, the buttonquails.
Male king quail occur in many colors, including blue, brown, silver, maroon, dark brown, and almost black. They have orange feet that are hard and able to withstand a continuous life on the ground like many other game birds. Females are similar to the males, but do not occur in shades of blue. They can live up to 13 years in captivity but typically only 3–6 years.[citation needed] In the wild. they may live only 1.5 years. The eggs of king quail are a light, creamy-brown colour and slightly pointed at the "top", roughly ovular in shape.
22-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - MONARCH BUTTERFLY (Danaus plexippus)
The eastern North American monarch population is notable for its annual southward late-summer/autumn instinctive migration from the northern and central United States and southern Canada to Florida and Mexico. During the fall migration, monarchs cover thousands of miles, with a corresponding multigenerational return north in spring. The western North American population of monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains often migrates to sites in southern California, but individuals have been found in overwintering Mexican sites, as well. Non-migratory populations are found further south in the Americas, and in parts of Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia.
Like all Lepidoptera, monarchs undergo complete metamorphosis; their life cycle has four phases: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Monarchs transition from eggs to adults during warm summer temperatures in as little as 25 days, extending to as many as seven weeks during cool spring conditions. During their development, both larvae and their milkweed hosts are vulnerable to weather extremes, predators, parasites, and diseases; commonly fewer than 10% of monarch eggs and caterpillars survive.
The range of the western and eastern populations of D. p. plexippus expands and contracts depending upon the season. The range differs between breeding areas, migration routes, and winter roosts. However, no genetic differences between the western and eastern monarch populations exist; reproductive isolation has not led to subspeciation of these populations, as it has elsewhere within the species' range.
In the Americas, the monarch ranges from southern Canada through northern South America. It is also found in Bermuda, the Cook Islands, Hawaii, Cuba, and other Caribbean islands,the Solomons, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Australia, the Azores, the Canary Islands, Madeira, continental Portugal, Gibraltar, the Philippines, and Morocco. It appears in the UK in some years as an accidental migrant.
22-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - EMERALD SWIFT LIZARD (Sceloporus malachiticus)
Sceloporus malachiticus, the emerald swift or green spiny lizard, is a species of small lizard in the Phrynosomatidae family, native to Central America.
Emerald swifts are distinctly bright green in color, with males typically being more striking than females, having bright blue patches on either side of the belly. They grow from 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) in length. Like other species in the genus Sceloporus, their scales tend to be fairly stiff and heavily keeled, giving them a spiny texture.
The emerald swift is found from Mexico's Yucatan region, to Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
Emerald swifts are diurnal, arboreal lizards. In the early morning they forage for insects, and then spend much of the day basking in the sun. They will retreat to a burrow, or under a rock or log if the temperature becomes too high or to sleep. Their life spans are believed to be between three and five years. Unlike most iguanid lizards, emerald swifts are ovoviviparous, giving birth to six to 15 young yearly.
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