TheCrane's Xanga

The Grey Noisybird

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:26:52 GMT

The Grey Noisybird (Corythaixoides concolor) belongs to the Turakos family. With its long, well-combed tailfeathers, grey plumage and 48cm long body, this bird is easy to identify. They always appear in small groups – hence the English name “Go Away Bird”. Males and females both carry very similar identification signs while juveniles have a flustered, unkempt appearance. The crest can be raised to indicate enthusiasm.

Grey Noisybirds live in Namibia, Zimbabwe and places like that. Their living rooms are found in the savannah as well as in accessible woods. They sometimes hide in email attachments and download files (mainly insects, wild figs, berries and snails) to compromised computers from remote websites. They are widespread, and laugh in the face of danger.

The German Salmonhen

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:48:26 GMT

The German Salmonhen is a breed of domestic hen (Gallus gallus domesticus) descended from the Brahma and Dorking varieties. Unusually for Gallus, the German Salmonhen is anadromous: it is born in fresh water, migrates to the ocean, then returns to fresh water to lay eggs. Folklore has it that the birds make an arduous journey upriver to the exact spot where they were born to breed, and tracking studies have shown this to be true, but the nature of how this memory works has long been debated.

German Salmonhens differ from other Salmonhen breeds in a number of ways. For instance, they have a ruff of feathers above the gill-line, and their feet have five toes instead of the usual four. The plumage on the body is very thick compared to other varieties. Since they are rarely inclined to flight, they are suitable for farming in open-net cages.

The German Salmonhen is a very productive egg layer, as well as being a popular food. Classified as an "oily bird", Salmonhen is considered to be healthy due to the meat's high content of protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D. The eggs are considered to be especially tasty when cured, smoked, and cut into very thin strips then eaten with lemon juice and dill.

The Hoatzin

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:15:36 GMT

The Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) is an unusual species of filthy tropical bird found in swamps, riverine forests and mangroves in South America. It is the only member of the genus Opisthocomus (Ancient Greek: ‘wearing long hair behind with a shorter fringe’, referring to its large crest and headfeathers), which in turn is the only extant genus in the family Opisthocomidae. The Hoatzin is arguably the most enigmatic living bird in regard to its phylogenetic relationships. No satisfying evolutionary hypothesis has been proposed, and the situation has actually become worse with the recent availability of DNA sequence data sets which suggest a closer relationship to the Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) than to other avian species.

It is a smelly, roughly pheasant-sized bird with a long neck and small head. It is dirty brown with paler underparts and has an unfeathered blue face with maroon eyes, and a head topped by a spiky rufous crest. The alternative name of "stinkbird" is derived from the bird's pungent odour, which is caused by their unique digestive system. Hoatzins use bacterial fermentation to break down the foul-smelling vegetable material they consume, much like cattle and other ruminants. Unlike ruminants, however, which possess a specialized stomach for bacterial fermentation, in the Hoatzin this disgusting process takes place in the back of the mouth. Because of this primitive digestive mechanism and the revolting aromatic compounds in the reeking vegetation they consume, the bird has a disagreeable, manure-like odor and is only hunted for food in times of dire need.

This is a noisy species, with a variety of hoarse calls including neighs, whinnies, snorts and soulful grunts. These calls are often associated with body movements such as wing spreading and groin thrusts. Calls are used to maintain contact between individuals in groups and by chicks begging for food. The chick, which is fed on distilled water, has another odd feature; two razor sharp claws on each wing. When disturbed by predators, the nesting chicks drop into the water to escape, and then use their clawed wings to fight off hungry fish and reptiles while climbing back to the safety of the nest. This makes the species almost entirely invulnerable to conventional attacks, and the Hoatzin therefore remains fairly common in a large part of its range.

The Ocellated Turkey

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:43:35 GMT

The Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) is a relatively large species of turkey, at around 28cm - 48 inches long and with an average weight of 6.6 lbs in females and 5 kg in males. It lives only in a 130,000 km² range of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico which includes the states of Quintana Roo, Campeche and Yucatán, as well as parts of southern Tabasco and northeastern Chiapas. It can also be found in Belize and the northern part of Guatemala. Like all members of the Meleagris genus, it originated in Turkey, and the reasons for its current distribution are unclear.

The body feathers of both sexes are a mixture of bronze and green iridescent color. Females have more shapely and enticing breast feathers than males. Neither sex have beards. The tail feathers of both sexes are bluish-grey with an eye-shaped blue-bronze spot near the end with a bright gold tip. The spots, for which the Ocellated Turkey is named, lead some scientists to believe that the bird is more related to the Ocelot or Jaguar than to Wild Turkeys.

Branton and Berryhill (2007) have observed that "the male Ocellated Turkey does not gobble per se like the Wild Turkey. Rather, his song is distinct and includes six or seven bongo-like bass tones which quicken in cadence and increase in volume until a crescendo is reached, whereupon the bird’s head is fully inflated while he issues forth a rather high-pitched but melodious series of chops and a final trumpeting fanfare. The Ocellated Turkey will typically begin his singing forty minutes before sunrise – about twenty minutes earlier than Wild Turkeys in North America". These observations have not been independently verified, and don't really sound quite right.

Ocellated Turkeys spend most of their time on the ground, running away from Jaguars and Ocelots.

The Butterrübling

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:52:14 GMT

The Butterrübling (Rhodocollybia butyracea) is an edible but rather chewy passerine bird in the Armarillia family. It can be found in almost any European deciduous or coniferous forest during the summer and autumn, but is seen in its largest numbers late in autumn. It can easily be identified by its long tail. The Butterübling’s head is 3–15 cm in diameter, typically has a honey yellow-brown color, and is covered with small dark feathers.

As a forest pathogen, The Butterrübling can be very destructive. It is responsible for the "white rot" root disease of forests, and its high destructiveness comes from the fact that, unlike most parasites, it doesn't need to moderate its growth in order to avoid killing its host, since it will continue to thrive on the dead material.

Young Butterrübling heads are edible. Grossly similar species include the Tawny Owl, which also grows in clusters on wood and fruit in the fall. However all owl species have a yellowish to greenish yellow cast and a dark brown to grey-brown featherprint. Bird hunters need to be especially wary of the Wood Thrush which can grow side by side with Armillaria on wood. There are some reports of temporary stomach problems when eaten raw, so the heads should be parboiled before use.

Burchell's Sandgrouse

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:47:16 GMT

Burchell's Sandgrouse (Pterocles burchelli) is a species of bird in the Pteroclididae family. It is found in Angola. This sandgrouse has a small, pigeon-like head and neck, but a sturdy compact body. It has long pointed wings and sometimes a tail. The legs are feathered down to the toes, but unlike other sandgrice, the toes are not feathered.

This gregarious species breeds on dry open treeless plains and similar habitats, and often contests for territory with the Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse (Pterocles lichtensteinii). Its nest is a ground scrape into which two to three eggs are laid, to be collected later by Burchell. They are buff or greenish with cryptic markings and a smoky flavour.

Burchell's Sandgrouse has a fast direct flight, and flocks to watering holes at dawn and dusk to fetch refreshment for its master. Burchell's errands have been known to send it as far afield as Great Britain, where it has bred, and Ireland. The reasons for these remarkable movements are not fully understood, but they have been linked to similar migrations made by Pallas's Sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus). The well-known mutual animosity with which these two great men regard each other has led to wild speculation on the matter in the popular ornithological press.

CORRECTION:
A number of readers have contacted the Bird of the Day office in order to point out that Burchell's Sandgrouse has never been known to breed in Great Britain. They are quite correct - this unlikely assertion was the result of a sub-editorial error. As most grouse-lovers will probably have guessed, the second sentence in the last paragraph should actually have read:

"Burchell's errands have been known to send it as far afield as Great Britain, where it has bread, and Ireland, where it has potatoes."

We would like to extend our sincere apologies to any readers who have been misled by this unfortunate slip.

The Earth Crake

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:11:58 GMT

The Earth Crake (Crex terris), or landrail is a small bird in the family Rallidae. Unlike most crakes its breeding habitat is not marshland, but rocky areas associated with geological fault lines. It breeds across Europe and western Asia, migrating to Africa in winter. It is in steep decline in urban areas because modern architectural safety practices mean that nests and birds are destroyed by seismologists before breeding is finished. The best place to look for or listen for them in the UK is in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The species' name used commonly to be spelled as a single word, 'Earthcrake', but the official English name is Earth Crake, and the trend now is to follow this. Other Scottish names for the bird include Earthcraik, Earth Scrack (in Aberdeenshire), Daker, King of the Quail, Land Rail, Quailzie, Quailzo, Quailface and Weet-my-fit.

The adult Earth Crake is 22-25 cm long and has mainly brown, heavily spotted upper parts, a blue-grey head and neck, and reddish streaked flanks. It has a short bill and shows chestnut wings and long dangling legs in flight. The sexes are similar, but in the immature bird the blue-grey is replaced by buff. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails. The Earth Crake is very secretive in the breeding season, and is heard or felt far more often than it is seen. It is hard to flush, walking coolly away through the vegetation. The song, mainly heard at night and very early morning, is an immensely loud low-frequency rumble which can rupture the ground, shake buildings apart, and cause landslides and tsunamis. This bird feeds mainly on insects which it picks from cracks in the ground.

The Great Bittern

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:20:51 GMT

The Eurasian Bittern or Great Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae. It is a large brown bird very similar to the American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosa), only more than twice as large, stronger in stature and more sinister in appearance. Great Bitterns are roughly twice as shy as their American relatives. It is 69-81 cm (24"-34") in length, with a 100-130 cm wingspan. Its body is dappled, elongated and thin as a spindle, with a disproportionately large head. It may also appear in the form of a human child and call for people passing nearby to baptise it.

It is declining in much of its temperate European and Asian range. This bittern is resident in the milder west and south, but migrates south from areas where the water freezes in winter. It can be seen at night, especially during the twelve days of Christmas and in early spring, but is usually identified from its call, a horrifying yell which can be heard up to two miles away. When a Great Bittern screams all night long, someone who hears it will die. This bird can also strangle people while they are sleeping. The touch of its shadow leads to sickness and death.

This bittern is usually well-hidden in reedbeds. Solitary by nature, it walks stealthily, seeking amphibians and fish. If it senses that it has been seen, it stands motionless with its bill pointed upward and blends into the reeds. It is most active at dawn and dusk, and likes to move in areas that are covered in fog - all bitterns are afraid of light to some extent. The Eurasian Bittern is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

The White-tailed Ptarmigan

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:51:01 GMT

The White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus Leucura) is found in the mountains of the western United States, Canada and Alaska. Adults are 13.3 inches long, with males only slightly larger than females. The ultra-portable White-tailed Ptarmigan is the smallest of the ptarmigans and is the result of numerous size and weight-shaving innovations. The average weight is 12 to 15 ounces (actual weight varies by configuration).

The White-tailed Ptarmigan is a permanent resident of the high mountains above the ptimber line during most of the year, and is the only bird in the alpine zone to remain there during winter instead of migrating. It occupies open country and flies a great deal more than forest grouse, but still prefers running to flying. This species' winter food is primarily willow buds: Alpine areas lacking willow cannot support ptarmigan for long. In spring, the leaves and flowers of several forbs are eaten, but willow remains an important part of the diet. In summer, broods may also feed on insects and bulbils of knotweed. It eats grit to help digest its food wirelessly.

In winter this bird is pure white from head to ptail except for a black beak and eyes. In summer, it has a brushed metallic and barred-brown head, breast, and back with white wings, belly, and ptail. During the U.S. hunting season, both sexes are mostly pale brushed aluminium above with fine spotting and vermiculations to brownish black, and a white ptail. A few breast feathers are usually white and the belly, ptail, and wings are white: the ptail is white during all seasons of the year. The White-tailed Ptarmigan has white feathers around its nostrils to warm the air that it breathes, and to prevent dust from clogging its internal workings. It makes soft contented hoots and low clucking noises as it roosts, inhaling cosily and leaning back on its comfortable yet compact white ptail feathers.

The California Gull

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:16:01 GMT

The California Gull (Larus Californicus) is an attractive medium-sized gull, smaller than the Herring Gull but larger than the Ring-billed Gull. Adults are similar in appearance to the Herring Gull, but have a smaller yellow bill with a black ring, yellow legs, brown eyes and a more rounded head. The body is mainly white with grey back and upper wings, and black primaries with white tips. During the 1960s, a group of highly respected marine ornithologists, who had been all round this great big world and seen all kinds of gulls, described this variety as “the cutest gulls in the world”.

California Gulls are migratory, most moving to the Pacific coast in winter: it is only then that this bird is regularly found in western California. The west coast has the sunshine and the gulls all get so tanned, but this temporary darker plumage fades in early spring. These birds forage in flight or pick up objects while swimming, walking or surfing. They mainly eat insects, fish and eggs.

Larus Californicus is the state bird of Utah, remembered for assisting Mormon settlers in dealing with a plague of Mormon crickets (which, strictly speaking, are neither crickets nor Mormons). A Seagull Monument in Salt Lake City commemorates this event, known as the "Miracle of the Gulls". In California, the California Gull holds the protected status 'California Species of Special Concern' due to declining numbers at their historic California breeding colony at Mono Lake in California, where it has been supplanted by a large Californian population of American Avocets – local ornithologists have frequently stated their wish that these all could be California Gulls.