Spotted Crake
The Spotted Crake – Porzana porzana - is a small wetland bird, of the family Rallidae. It breeds throughout Europe from southern Scandinavia to the northern Mediterranean, also reaching central and western Asia. They winter along the eastern spine of the African continent, as far down as South Africa.
Descripti...more
Common Waxbill
The Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild), is native to sub-Saharan Africa but has been introduced to many other regions of the world. It is common throughout most of its range, inhabiting savanna grasslands, woodland and riverine bush, farmyards, gardens and orchards, preferring to be near water.
Description:
It is a ...more
African Red-eyed Bulbul
The African Red-eyed Bulbul [Pycnonotus nigricans] is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. A near endemic to Southern Africa. It is extremely common throughout most of its range, inhabiting savanna grasslands, woodland and riverine bush, farmyards, ...more
Yellow-billed Duck
The Yellow-billed duck [Anas undulate] is a dabbling duck which is common resident breeder in southern and eastern Africa. This species is mainly sedentary, although the southern African population is more nomadic, undertaking considerable local movements with the availability of seasonal wetlands.
...more
Following a successful breeding season for the semi-wild Northern Bald Ibis population at Birecik, Turkey, six of the birds were released as part of trial re-introductions work in late July. A dedicated team first caught up all the birds for the annual ringing/check of the birds at the Birecik ‘Kelaynak’ breeding station run by th...more
A new study, published in the Dutch ornithological journal Ardea, has revealed that Arctic Terns breeding in the northern part of The Netherlands are following previously unknown routes to their wintering grounds in the Antarctic. Seven terns were fitted with geolocators in 2011 and all the birds were recaptured in 2012; of the five devices that ga...more
Amethyst Sunbird
The Amethyst Sunbird - Nectarinia amethystine - is a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. It mainly occurs in Africa south of the equator in the African bushveld - in light and densely wooded areas.
Description
The fore-crown and throat of the male is metallic green, the carpal patch and rump ar...more
Since the time of the pharaohs, Egyptians have raised nets every autumn along the Mediterranean, to capture golden orioles, nightingales and corncrakes as they wing their way south for the winter. It's an ancient tradition, but in recent years the custom has gotten out of hand.
A few scattered nets along the coast have metastasized into a ne...more
Migratory waterbirds have shifted their wintering areas northeastwards due to climate change in Europe, according to a group of scientists including Richard Hearn of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT). Their new study, published in Global Change Biology, found a strong link between changes in the numbers of Goldeneye, Tufted Duck and Goosander...more
The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife and Energy Programme (EWT-WEP), in partnership with Eskom Limpopo Operating Unit, the EWT’s Birds of Prey Programme (EWT-BoPP) and the Vulture Conservation Programme (VulPro), is proud to announce the launch of the Limpopo Vulture Project.
“The main aim of the project is to use Global Sy...more
World Migratory Bird Day 2013 highlights importance of site networks for Migratory birds.
This weekend 11-12 May World Migratory Bird Day 2013 is being celebrated in over 65 countries, including events held by BirdLife Partners around the world from Paraguay to Lebanon to China.
“I fully support the global campaign to raise awarene...more
MEDIA RELEASE
World Penguin Day
Cape Town, 25 April 2013 – Penguins have captured the world’s imagination,
with their comical waddle, beautiful plumage and almost human-like
qualities. World Penguin Day is on 25 April every year to raise awareness
about this remarkable group of birds.
World Penguin Day was started at the McM...more
The bodies of eight Stone Curlews have been found in fields in Norfolk, Suffolk and Wiltshire in the past few days. Stone Curlews are one of the UK's most threatened birds. The birds are believed to have returned from their wintering grounds in Africa and Spain and struggled to find enough food to survive. The bodies weighed around 300g, compar...more
Chris has become the first of our tracked Cuckoos in 2013 to cross the Sahara and to reach Europe! On the morning of 4th April he arrived on the northern side of the desert. He was settled in an area of what appears to be shallow, juniper-covered slope on a High Atlas plateau in Batna province (northern Algeria) by 06:40; three hours earlier he was...more
The coastal area of West Africa is historically known to be highly important for seabirds and palaearctic migratory birds. This evidence was clearly highlighted by the gap analysis of the West African Marine Protected Areas Network [RAMPAO] conducted by the International Foundation of Banc d’Arguin [FIBA] in 2012. Whilst most seabird nesting ...more
It's feared that the ongoing bad weather may be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of seabirds of the east coast of the UK. RSPB Scotland has received many reports of Puffins, as well as Razorbills and Guillemots, washing up on beaches from Aberdeenshire and Angus to Northumberland.
The conservation charity believes severe weather may ha...more
Only recently it was discovered that Sociable Lapwing and Black Lark especially have the peculiar habit of piling up animal dung in and around their nests. The use of dung in nests has only been observed in a few other bird species, and the reasons for this odd behaviour are largely unknown. Sociable Lapwings usually just place their clutches into ...more
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has pledged to end ivory trade in Thailand, after the call of nearly 1.5million WWF and Avaaz supporters.
Thailand is currently the world’s largest unregulated ivory market and second only to China as the largest illegal ivory market, and so it is hoped that Shinawatra’s gover...more
Thanks to the work of Aves Argentinas [BirdLife in Argentina] and the conservation NGOs, Asociación Ambiente Sur and Fundación Flora y Fauna Argentina, the Buenos Aires Plateau will be the core zone of a new protected area. The new Patagonian National Park has also received the support of politicians from the Province of Santa Cruz. T...more
In a groundbreaking move to halt the relentless poaching of Rhinos, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) has partnered with Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV), a Vietnamese non-profit NGO, to develop a hard hitting rhino protection campaign for countries where rhino horn is in great demand, starting with Vietnam.
Said Rynette Coetzee, Pro...more
THE EWT AND ICF WELCOME CITES’ DECISIVE CONCLUSION ON TRADE OF GREY AND BLACK CROWNED CRANES
Start
An announcement, detailing the suspension of Trade in Black Crowned Cranes from Guinea, Sudan and South Sudan and trade in Grey Crowned Cranes from Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, has just come out of the CITES Conference of the P...more
A colony of White-headed Ducks, a globally threatened species and extremely rare in the Ukraine, was seen at the Lake Yarylhach together with other rare birds. Despite the obvious importance of the Yarylhach wetland in terms of biodiversity richness, the conservation status of this area is at high risk.
At the occasion of the International...more
The eighth edition of Spring Alive, a BirdLife International educational campaign that focuses on the observation and tracking of migratory birds, will be launched in February and continue until 21 June.
Spring Alive attracts participation from Europe, Central Asia and Africa and tracks the arrival of five well known and common spring migrating ...more
There is a lot of negative bird news to come out of Cyprus but just for a change some good news with this story of a poisoned Bonelli's Eagle - Aquila fasciatus . The commentary is a mixture of English & Turkish and subtitled with both.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXPsCmQmGV8 (or go to you tube and search for The Tale of a Bonelli...more
The RSPB has today called for tighter international regulations to prevent a substance implicated in the deaths of thousands of seabirds from being released into our seas. The substance, Polyisobutene (or PIB), was yesterday identified by scientists at the University of Plymouth from samples taken from seabirds washed up along southwestern coasts, ...more
The Yelkouan Shearwater population of the French island of Le Levant is seriously under threat due to invasive feral cats, according to a French and Spanish joint study. The archipelago is home to the main colonies of this species. Feral cats are considered one of the most dangerous invading species for animals native to Mediterranean islands. Rese...more
Increases in human population and food consumption are likely to lead to greatly increased agricultural demand in coming decades. There has been a recent debate about what kind of farming can provide adequate amounts of food while conserving biodiversity and the ecosystem services the natural environment provides. One possibility is land sparing, i...more
Survey results
recently published by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) reveal that the
population of Pink-footed Geese may have
dropped by around 100,000 in just the last two years. The majority of the
world's Pink-footed Geese winter in the UK,
having bred in Iceland and Greenland. They arrive in large numbers from their
bree...more
The British
countryside will be safer from invasive plants following a decision by the
government to ban the sale of certain exotic species. The move has been
welcomed by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, which has long advocated the
need to stop selling harmful species in order to protect our native
environment. The new measures will sto...more
Today, Saturday
2nd February, is World Wetlands Day! A day when we should all pause
for at least a moment to think and remind ourselves of the vital role
they play in supporting life and helping peopleÂ’s livelihoods.
The theme for
this year is Wetlands and Water Management. Put simply, wetlands take care
of wa...more
Since 2003, the
Globally Threatened Azores Bullfinch Pyrrhula murina, has benefitted
considerably from a highly successful conservation project, initiated and run
by SPEA - BirdLife's Portuguese Partner and its official Species Guardian.
Their award-winning project tackles complicated habitat restoration and
provides a boost to the local A...more
BirdLife South
Africa and BirdLife International are very concerned that the proposed
development of a wind farm at Letseng in Lesotho
could have severe impacts on the already declining populations of Cape Vultures
and Lammergeiers. South Africa
and Lesotho share the
responsibility of safeguarding the populations of Lammergeiers and Cape ...more
China lies at the centre of the East
Asian-Australasian Flyway, and vast numbers of migratory birds pass through the
country every year on the journeys between their breeding and non-breeding
grounds. In the past seven years the China Coastal Waterbird Census has
gathered a wealth of new information on the populations of the waterbirds that...more
In the first 20
months of the BTO's Cuckoo Tracking Project we have learned a huge amount about
the migratory journeys of Cuckoos. With them, we have experienced summer
deluges, Spanish drought, the hazards associated with migratory journeys and
the hunt to keep up with seasonal flushes of insects in Africa.
Migration for Cuckoos appears t...more
The Green
Tinkerbird has been rediscovered in southern Mozambique by Hugh Chittenden &
Greg Davies.
An isolated
population of Green Tinkerbirds has been rediscovered 55 years after the
original and only southern African specimen was collected in 1958. Eight
pairs were located on the 17th and 18th January 2013
along a 10 km trac...more
Today Birdlife and
Bird Watch Ireland
launched their key recommendations for a successful Irish Presidency.
As Ireland has taken over the Presidency of the
European Council for the period January to June 2013, BirdLife Europe together
with Bird Watch Ireland
have produced a policy brief entitled Nature Creates Prosperity. It highlights
the...more
On Thursday 10th
January, a Lincolnshire gamekeeper was convicted
of killing two Buzzards and possessing a quantity of an illegally held poison
that would have been enough to destroy all the birds of prey in Lincolnshire. Robert
William Hebblewhite, 71, of Appleby, Scunthorpe,
was fined a total of £1,950 after he was convicted of killing two ...more
As winter bird
hunting season continues, many environmentalists are at a loss for words as to
how to prevent yet another illegal and unregulated hunting season.
Many
conservationists are claiming this hunting season to be the worst they have
witnessed to date.
Unregulated bird
hunting is nothing particularly new to Egypt, and has been ta...more
GREAT NEWS – AMUR FALCON REACHES WINTERING
GROUNDS IN SA.
Raptor
enthusiasts across the world were overjoyed and relieved to learn that a
migratory female Amur Falcon Falco amurensis finally reached her
wintering grounds at Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal on the 10th of January 2013
after an eventful 14 500km journey from the species’ bree...more
New results from
the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Garden Bird Feeding Survey shows that
record numbers of Bullfinch are using garden feeding stations.
New results reveal
that the stunning and normally shy Bullfinch is being spotted in unprecedented
numbers at garden feeding stations, suggesting that gardens appear to be
particularl...more
New results from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
Garden Bird Feeding Survey shows that record numbers of Bullfinch are using
garden feeding stations.
New results reveal that the stunning and normally shy
Bullfinch is being spotted in unprecedented numbers at garden feeding stations,
suggesting that gardens appear to be particularly...more
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is proud to announce the launch of the
first paper in its Research & Technical Series, entitled ‘The potential
impacts of anthropogenic noise on marine animals and recommendations for
research in South Africa’.
The purpose of the series is to disseminate project reports, scoping reports
and ana...more
A group of
Capercaillie experts and enthusiasts have been visiting two Highland estates to
find out why numbers of the rare species are increasing in the face of serious
declines in other parts of Scotland.
Earlier this month, the Friends of Capercaillie were invited to visit Inshriach Forest, owned by Forestry Commission
Scotland, and the...more
A second Isabelline
Wheatear sighting in a little over a week. The bird was seen two days in a row,
Stefan de Maillon in the Chobe area Botswana, on the 1st and 2nd
January 2013. GPS co-ordinates provided by Stefan are 17°52'17.99"S ;
25°14'22.12"E. Close to Senyati Safari Lodge on the dirt road to Lesoma.
Isabelline Wheatear
...more
The Turtle Dove
and the Grey Partridge are displaying alarming number reductions in the UK. Once
widespread in southern Britain, the Turtle Dove population, which is currently
estimated at 14,000 pairs, is now balancing on a knife-edge in the UK, with
nearly 60% lost in the five years to 2010. The UK Grey Partridge population is
estimated ...more
BirdLife Australia
(BirdLife Partner) has joined an alliance of conservation groups calling on the
West Australian government to halt its plans to extend the State Barrier Fence.
Construction of
the fence extension in the Esperance region would create a largely continuous
barrier that would run through five bioregions from North of Geraldt...more
Where do African
Penguins go when they’re not breeding? This may sound like the opening line to
a lame joke, but currently it’s a fascinating scientific question, the answers
to which could help stop the precipitous population decrease of this endangered
species.
Researchers from
BirdLife South Africa and the University
of Cape Tow...more
The mortality of wildlife due to collision with vehicles in Africa is now being recognised as a significant threat to
many species. This is of increasing concern, particularly in South Africa,
which is the third most biologically diverse country on Earth. With the holiday
season almost upon us, many of us will be taking to the roads to visit...more
A female Hen
Harrier that was found dead in the Yorkshire Dales, North
Yorkshire, had been shot according to conservationists. The conservationists
were monitoring the bird, which had been fitted with a satellite tag, remotely
as it ranged across the uplands of Scotland
and northern England
earlier this year. Concern for the bird was rai...more
On 19 March last
year, the ADU website carried the following NEWS ITEM. It was among the first
to break the news of this ornithological disaster.
'SAFRING ringer,
Claudia Holgate, is currently aboard the M/V Prince Albert II, a cruise ship to
the Antarctic. She reports: "On Wednesday 16 March 04h30 the cargo ship Oliva
ran aground on...more
Latest findings
from BTO Garden BirdWatch, a year-round survey of garden wildlife, show that
over 80% of our frequently spotted garden bird species have been more abundant
over recent weeks compared with 2009—2011.
Most striking has
been the increase of birds that we normally associate with woodland. Siskin and
Brambling, both colourful...more
Latest findings
from BTO Garden BirdWatch, a year-round survey of garden wildlife, show that
over 80% of our frequently spotted garden bird species have been more abundant
over recent weeks compared with 2009—2011.
Most striking has
been the increase of birds that we normally associate with woodland. Siskin and
Brambling, both colourful...more
Illegal shooting,
trapping, nest destruction and poisoning continue to pose a significant threat
to Scotland's
birds of prey, according to the latest annual report by RSPB Scotland, covering
2011. The report, The Illegal Killing of
Birds of Prey in Scotland in 2011, revealed that, as in previous years,
some of the country's rarest bird of...more
Where do African Penguins go when they're not breeding? This may sound like
the opening line to a joke, but currently it's a fascinating scientific
question, the answers to which could help stop the precipitous population
decrease of this endangered species.
Researchers from BirdLife South
Africa and the University
of Cape Town have a
b...more
These shocking
statistics are contained in the State of
the UK's
Birds 2012 report just published. The scientists producing the report
estimate that there are 166 million nesting birds in the UK, compared
with 210 million nesting birds in 1966.
The House Sparrow
has seen one of the greatest losses of any bird in the UK, with 20
million...more
This bird was fitted with a 5g PTT transmitter in January
2010 at the Newcastle
roost. Total km done on the wing since January 2010 +- 80 000km on migrations
only, this does not include day trips....more
One of the satellite-tracked Amur Falcons, an adult female,
was fitted with a 5g tag in early January 2010 in South Africa. This spring it was
tracked for the third time over the Indian Ocean to its breeding grounds some
470 km west of Peking in China.
It left the area during the first half of October to arrive on 4 November at
Doyang reserv...more
Populations of three Asian vulture species (White-rumped Vulture,
Long-billed Vulture, and Slender-billed Vulture) have declined by more
than 99% in South Asia since the early 1990s due to use of veterinary
drug diclofenac, prompting BirdLife to classify their status as
Critically Endangered. The governments of India, Nepal and Pakistan
banned...more
South Africa’s First National Awareness Day for Frogs,
1 December 2012
Aspiring
princesses beware! We are very quickly running out of frogs to kiss!
Frogs are among the most threatened species on Earth. These creatures of
popular folklore are teetering on the brink of extinction and unless we
act NOW to save them, South Africa will st...more
Horrific photos of songbird and raptor massacre posted here - these
'hunters' are obviously trying to see who can kill the most birds and be
the biggest 'hero' https://www.facebook.com/LebanonEcoMovement
Scroll down to 7 Nov and click on the photo to see the full set of 22
sickening pictures...more
The Amur Falcon - Falco amurensis - is a small raptor that winters in Southern Africa
and breeds in south eastern Siberia and Northern China.
In its winter range, this species inhabits moist grasslands and open areas in
woodland. In Southern Africa, it occurs in
large flocks.
Description
Males are dark
sooty brown with a chestnut vent. They ...more
Johannesburg, 9 November 2012:
The massacre of tens of thousands of migrating Amur Falcons (Falco amurensis) killed in Nagaland, Wokha district in northeast India, has shocked the world. Conservation India claimed that about 12 000 – 14 000 Amur Falcons were hunted for commercial sale and human consumption most days during October 2012 in...more
The Porcupine.
The Cape porcupine or South African porcupine - Hystrix
africaeaustralis - are the largest rodents in southern Africa
and also the world's largest porcupines. They are indigenous to Africa
and are mostly nocturnal.
Description
They are rounded,
large, have a coat of sharp spines or quills, that defend and ca...more
Lesser
Flamingo
The Lesser Flamingo - Phoenicopterus minor - is a nomadic bird, found throughout Africa,
as well as Spain, India, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Iran, Oman
and Yemen.
Over two thirds of the population are found in the alkaline lakes of east Africa. This species is itinerant and makes extensive
movements in response to adv...more
You will find this
blog post (link below) interesting on recent rather bizarre flamingo movements
(mostly Lessers with a small number of Greaters) in the Okavango Delta.
http://www.we-are-wilderness.com/2012/09/14/phenomenal-flamingo-movements-in-the-okavango-delta/
Greater Flamingo
The Greater Flamingo - Phoenicopterus
roseus - is...more
A new initiative was recently announced by the Alliance
for Zero Extinction (AZE) at the World Conservation Congress in Jeju, South
Korea. AZE's 7 Wonders (www.AZE7Wonders.org)
campaign asks voters to help select seven sites from around the globe to
highlight the plight of species on the brink. The winning sites will be
featured in a cam...more
Since 1945,
Philippine Hawk-owl has been treated as a single species, Ninox philippensis,
with eight subspecies. Now a paper in the Oriental Bird Club journal, Forktail [1],co-authored
by a BirdLife scientist, proposes that the hawk-owls of the Philippines form a
complex of seven species from different islands and island groups, including
...more
The survival rate
of Hooded Plovers has increased by 400% on some beaches in Australia thanks
to effective monitoring and stewardship by staff and volunteers from the BNB
project.
Funding for
conservation is becoming increasingly difficult to secure, so it is with great
pride that BirdLife Australia (BirdLife Partner) can announce that th...more
Rhinose Day
Rhinose Day is an
annual public fundraiser held over the last three months of the year to raise
funds and awareness for rhinos in particular, and the wider fight against
poaching and false medicinal myths in general. Although we focus on rhino
conservation, the plight of these giants is a symbol of the broader range o...more
Malachite
Sunbird
The Malachite Sunbird - Nectarinia famosa – is a large sunbird, found
in the southern part of the Southern African region. There are two subspecies the
nominate N. f. famosa and N. f. cupreonitens which breeds in the highlands from Ethiopia south to northern Mozambique.
Description
The adult breeding
male is m...more
Scotland has successfully reintroduced
White-tailed Eagles and Red Kites.
The management of
reintroduced species is reviewed.
A new report
reviews the legal avenues to resolve conflicts between land managers and
reintroduced species, as well as recommending comprehensive management strategy
for all reintroductions. Scotland
has already ...more
In the area north
of Satara, a roan bull joined up with a sable herd in 1987. The offspring of
the love affair was a female hybrid. Ian Whyte, Kruger’s former large herbivore
expert, dubbed her a “roble”.
Nobody knew where
the roan bull came from, since there were no roan herds in this area. He spent
many years with the sable herd a...more
A gynandromorph, as the name
implies, is an animal that is part male and part female, with the sex-specific
parts usually demarcated cleanly. Here’s Brian’s description of how he
saw the bird:
Brian Peer took these photos of a
“gynandromorph” Northern cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis - he
found a couple years back in n...more
BirdLife Partners
around the world have joined with raptor conservation and research
organisations to celebrate International Vulture Awareness Day, with events and
awareness raising taking place. This comes against a backdrop of problems
facing vultures in Africa and Asia.
Vultures are an
ecologically vital group of birds that face a ran...more
African
Black Oystercatcher
The African Black Oystercatcher - Haematopus moquini – is a near-endemic and a resident breeder on
the rocky coasts and islands of Southern Africa.
They occur along the coast of southern Angola,
Namibia and much of South Africa, largely excluding coastal KwaZulu-Natal.
Description
It is a large black...more
As hurricane
season gets under way and Tropical Storm Isaac bears down on the Caribbean, biologists are paying particular attention to
this fall’s shorebird migration.
Researchers at
the Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) in Williamsburg, Virginia have
documented incredible feats of endurance by migrating Whimbrels (large
shorebirds wi...more
Lake
Natron
is the most important breeding site for Lesser Flamingos in the world.
Mining of soda
ash at Lake Natron
in Northern Tanzania is not economically
viable, experts have warned. A new Cost Benefit Analysis report shows that
projected return on investment over the next 50 years would be a loss of
between $44,354,728 and $492,142,...more
In Canada, a
public review of a proposed pipeline project through an area of exceptional
importance for marine birds is entering its final stages. The Enbridge Northern
Gateway Pipeline, if approved, would put at least 30 Important Bird Areas at
risk, most from oil spills, and fragment habitat for the critically endangered
mountain caribou. ...more
The Endangered
Wildlife Trust (EWT) is proud to announce the launch of our store at the
V&A Waterfront in Cape Town
on Friday the 31st of August from 16h00 to 18h00. The store will offer wildlife
lovers from around the globe the opportunity to stock up on exciting products
that demonstrate their passion for wildlife and, at the same time...more
The first
Saturday of September every year is observed as International Vulture Awareness
day by the Birds of Prey Programme (EWT-BoPP) of the Endangered Wildlife Trust,
its partners and associates including provincial conservation bodies and
several other NGOs involved in vulture research and conservation in South Africa.
The purpose ...more
Tom Gullick, an
Englishman who lives in Spain,
made worldwide birding history when he became the first ever person to crack
the magical 9 000 mark on his world lifelist on the 19th August 2012.
A fantastic achievement if you think the total world list is just over 10 000
species. His current total is 9 047 species! Well done Tom....more
The African Black
Oystercatcher is the largest of the thirteen species of Oystercatcher worldwide.
African
Black Oystercatcher
The African Black Oystercatcher - Haematopus moquini – is a near-endemic and a resident breeder on
the rocky coasts and islands of Southern Africa.
They occur along the coast of southern Angola,
Namibia and much ...more
Kittiwake numbers
have more than halved since the mid–1980s across the UK,
and populations in Scotland
have crashed by almost two thirds. One Scottish Kittiwake breeding colony is
now extinct and others predicted to disappear within three years.
Climate change, is
believed to be responsible for the dramatic collapse.
Kittiwakes
The kitt...more
The Jacanas
or lily trotters are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae.
They are found worldwide within the tropical zone. There are eight species of Jacana. The Northern Jacana has toes
and claws measured at 10cm or 4 inches.
Description
Jacanas are
identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floatin...more
Barn Owl
The Barn Owl - Tyto alba - is the most widely distributed
species of owl in the world and is found on every continent except Antarctica. It can be found anywhere that has abundant
food and suitable roost sites, but it generally prefers open areas, such as
grasslands, deserts and wooded savanna. They have acute hearing, with ears...more
The Osprey is the only raptor whose front
talons turn backward.
Osprey
The Osprey - Pandion haliaetus – also known as the sea
hawk, fish eagle or fish hawk, is a fish eating bird of prey.
It is the second most widely distributed raptor species, after the Peregrine
Falcon. They occur in a wide variety of habitats such as lakes, rivers...more
The Barn Owl is
one of the UK public's favourite
birds and is responding well to the 19,000 miles of potential hunting habitat
for Barn Owls that farmers in England
have created.
The Breeding Bird
Survey recorded a staggering 390% increase in Barn Owl numbers across the UK between 1995
and 2010.
Barn Owl
The Barn Owl - Tyto alba - is the...more
Today saw the
successful launch of the Wild Dog Advisory Group South Africa (WAG-SA) website
at www.wagsa.org.za
developed by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) in consultation with WAG-SA
participants. WAG-SA is a collaborative advisory group made up of key
stakeholders in the fight to keep South Africa’s Endangered Wild Dogs
alive, inc...more
The Oribi Working
Group (OWG), a multidisciplinary Oribi conservation coalition which falls under
the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s (EWT) Threatened Grassland Species Programme
(TGSP), has recently and successfully relocated two pairs of threatened Oribi to
new and far more suitable reserves. The translocation of these animals forms
part of ...more
The
new booklet - Biodiversity early warning systems - South African citizen
scientists monitoring change. Edited by Phoebe Barnard & Marienne de
Villiers.
This booklet is
the result of a collaboration between the South African National Biodiversity
Institute (SANBI), the Animal Demography Unit (ADU) of the University of Cape Town
and...more
Just a month after being found injured and unable to fly,
Idemili the female cuckoo will be heading off to the sunshine of Italy on
British Airways as she has fallen far behind the other cuckoos.
Once in Italy,
Idemili will be released to join her friends on their southward migration to Africa.
The Common Cuckoo
The Common Cuckoo - Cuculus ...more
Scientists and
birdwatchers have discovered 10 new owl species in the Philippines. Eight
of the new species were previously considered sub-species while two are totally
new. According to Lisa Paguntalan, field director of Philippines Biodiversity
Conservation Programme, there is no significant variation in owls form, but the
sound difference o...more
Giant Kingfisher
The Giant Kingfisher - Megaceryle
maxima - is the largest Kingfisher in the world. It is found across much of
sub-Saharan Africa and is fairly common in South Africa.
Description
The Giant Kingfisher has a long,
large black bill, large crest and finely spotted white and black upperparts.
The male has a chestnut breast band...more
A rare sighting
of a Black-winged Stilt at Pett,
Sussex at 16:30
Wednesday 15th August 2012.
Black-winged
Stilt
The Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus
himantopus - is a widely distributed very long-legged wader rarely seen in
the UK.
In southern Africa it is common across much of
the region. It generally prefers inland and coastal wetland...more
BirdLife Australia (BirdLife Partner) is delighted by the
recent announcement made by Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke and NSW
Environment Minister Robyn Parker to commit $9 million to eradicate rodents
from Lord Howe Island.
Lord Howe Island,
a World Heritage Area and a globally significant Important Bird Area, is home
to 182 bird s...more
African Fish Eagle – Photographed
by Peter Sievers
African Fish Eagle
The African Fish Eagle - Haliaeetus
vocifer- is a large species of eagle that is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. They are found wherever large bodies of open
water occur that have an abundant food supply. The African Fish Eagle is
usually seen in pairs and they eve...more
The largest
kingfisher in the world is Giant Kingfisher.
Giant Kingfisher.
The Giant Kingfisher - Megaceryle maxima - is the largest Kingfisher in the world. It is
found across much of sub-Saharan Africa and is fairly common in South Africa.
Description
The Giant
Kingfisher has a long, large black bill, large crest and finely spotted white...more
Black-chested Snake-Eagle
The Black-chested Snake-Eagle - Circaetus pectoralis - is an African bird
of prey found in Africa from Ethiopia
and southern DRC to South
Africa. It inhabits different habitats, ranging
from semi desert and open grassland to Karoo
scrub and closed deciduous woodland.
Description
The main
identification charac...more
She has put on weight and has now
reached 116g, almost 60% heavier than when she was brought in! She has
completed the regrowing of her missing wing feathers and has approximately
5 cm left to grow on her tail. Her eye has not fully recovered and the vet
who examined her has told Wildlife Aid that she has a damaged pupil and that
she do...more
The mortality of wildlife due to collision with vehicles in Africa
is the fifth greatest threat to carnivores. However, little attention has been
given to this threat, and this is of significant concern in South Africa as
we are the third most biologically diverse country on Earth. As a result the
Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife and Tr...more
The West Coast
region renowned for its vibrant display of wild flowers in Spring [August and
September], coastal fishing villages and small holiday resorts. Further inland
are the majestic Cedarberg mountains and the undulating wheatfields of the
Swartland district. Seaside towns worth visiting
include Langebaan, Lambert's Bay, Elands
Bay,...more
The number of
globally at-risk bird species has risen from 1,253 last year to 1,331 this year
according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). A
major cause for concern.
The southern Africa region supports a significant proportion of the
world’s species dependent upon freshwater wetland habitats. Given that the
...more
Orange-breasted
Sunbird
The Orange-breasted Sunbird - Anthobaphes violacea - is endemic to the Fynbos habitat of Western Cape, South Africa. They
generally prefer dense stands of Protea and Erica. It also occurs in coastal
renosterveld and occasionally gardens.
Description
The Male’s head,
throat and mantle are bright metallic gr...more
Eric Herrmann from South Africa, was
the mammalogist at the Northern Cape Department of Nature and Environmental
Conservation. He recently resigned, and is now cycling across Europe and Asia to watch birds and raise awareness
about birds,
birding and bird conservation. You can read more on his blog: http://www.cyclingtheworldforbirds.blogspot...more
Rico,
the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s (EWT) two year old Belgian Malinois sniffer
dog, has been hard at work foiling the efforts of wildlife poachers trying to
smuggle contraband through O.R.
Tambo International
Airport. Rico recently
flagged a suspicious package and, once law enforcement officers and other
sniffer dogs were brought to...more
Idemili was
admitted late on the 12th July for emergency treatment after she was found by a
kind member of the public in a garden in Tolworth. She was emaciated, weak and
dying. She had been attacked by other birds, probably due to her illness, and
she sustained wounds to one of her wings and a badly pecked balding head. She
had a heavy para...more
Three of the Cuckoos
tagged in the UK are now in Chad. All three
birds passed through Italy
on their way south. BB one of the three cuckoos took a more easterly bearing
from the start, heading from Scotland
to southeast Germany
close to the Czech border. From there he headed south to central Italy before turning southeast again and making
...more
The Endangered
Wildlife Trust (EWT) is proud and excited to announce the development of its
highly successful, groundbreaking Airport Wildlife Programme (AWP) into a
vastly expanded Wildlife and Transport Programme (WTP). Based on expressed
interest from key role-players in various transport sectors, and the increasing
need to address biodiv...more
BTO Satellite-tracked
Scottish crossed the Mediterranean Sea and, by early evening 25 July, had made
it to Egypt.
He is the first to transmit from over Egypt. He continued his movement
south from Egypt and
successfully completed his desert crossing during the early hours of Saturday
28 July and by the morning of Monday 30 July he had moved ...more
Lawrence Anthony,
a legend in South Africa and
author of 3 books including the bestseller The Elephant Whisperer, bravely
rescued wildlife and rehabilitated elephants all over the globe from human
atrocities, including the courageous rescue of Baghdad Zoo animals during the US invasion in
2003.
On March 7, 2012 Lawrence Anthony died...more
Ducks use bill
colour to determine a potential mates' sexual health, according to new research.
The new evidence shows how a brighter, more colourful bill communicates
specific and important information about a potential partner's sexual health.
Not only can the
females identify males with stronger sperm, but close attention to bill colour
...more
Black Sparrowhawk seen yesterday
on an Aves Birding Tour at Strandfontein Pans, Cape Town, South Africa.
Black
Sparrowhawk
The Black Sparrowhawk - Accipiter melanoleucus - is the largest
African member of the genus Accipiter. There are currently two recognised
subspecies of Black Sparrowhawk, which occupy different regions within this
spec...more
Cape Grysbok
seen yesterday on an Aves Birding Tour
at Strandfontein Pans, Western Cape, South Africa.
Cape Grysbok
The Cape or Southern Grysbok - Raphicerus
melanotis - is a small antelope that is endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa. The
Cape grysbok's native habitat is the "Fynbos
biome" of the Western Cape South Africa. ...more
Verreaux's Eagle
Verreaux's Eagle - Aquila verreauxii - is a large
bird of prey, found in mountaineous regions of Eastern and Southern
Africa. Its distribution is strongly linked to that of the Rock
Hyraxes/Dassie and is fairly common in Zimbabwe,
Namibia and South Africa.
Description
The adult has black plumage
overall, except on back a...more
Eurasian
Siskin population has
increased by 77% since 2004 in the UK. They feed and nest in conifer
plantations and it is thought that the birds are benefitting from the extensive
areas of conifer plantation that are now reaching maturity and producing seed.
Eurasian
Siskin
The Eurasian
Siskin - Carduelis spinus -
is also called the Euro...more
In total, 51% of
all threatened birds are being driven towards extinction by invasive alien
species. The problem is especially acute on oceanic islands where 75% of
threatened birds are affected.
In an effort to
address this serious threat, the Pacific Partnership of BirdLife International
has received renewed support from the David & L...more
The latest
research figures show that 40 million
European Starlings have disappeared from the European Union, including the UK, since 1980.
This crash is triggering concern about the bird's future status as a widespread
and familiar bird. The RSPB has launched a research project to see why this
bird's population is in freefall in the UK.
Eu...more
We were on an Aves Birding Tour and had a great sighting yesterday, early
afternoon, of a Verreaux's Eagle, perched and flying, close to Blousteen on the
road between Rooiels and Gordon’s Bay.
Verreaux's Eagle
Verreaux's
Eagle - Aquila
verreauxii - is a large bird of prey, found in mountaineous regions of Eastern
and Southern Africa. Its...more
The Raptor Camp,
an international camp organised by BirdLife
Malta aimed at monitoring illegal hunting of wild birds, will take place
this year between 16h and 30th September- when the peak autumn migration
coincides with the hunting season.
Malta is situated on the central migratory
route between breeding grounds in Europe and wintering g...more
Lanner
Falcon
The Lanner Falcon - Falco biarmicus - occurs in southern and south-eastern Europe, the
Middle East, south-western Asia and much of sub-Saharan Africa, excluding the
lowland forests of the DRC and West Africa. In
southern Africa it is fairly common. They are
mainly resident, but some birds disperse more widely after the breeding ...more
Recent
mortalities and nest failures have again highlighted the plight of the African Grass Owl - Tyto capensis - and other grassland
species that are often encountered within the urban areas of Gauteng. The African Grass Owl is currently
listed as Vulnerable in The Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland
and has suffere...more
Idemili is the
first female cuckoo to have a satellite tag fitted. She joins five male birds
that have been tagged in Wales.
She is an adult of at least two years of age and was caught in the Brechfa Forest,
Carmarthanshire, Wales,
on 10th June 2012. Idemili was named by Essex & Suffolk Water after the
river goddess of the African Igbo ...more
The headline of
the week, the breeding of not one but two pairs of Great White Egrets at Shapwick Heath, Somerset. With three juveniles fledged from
the first nest and another single chick now raised by another pair.
Great White
Egret
The Great Egret or Great White Egret – Egretta
alba – is the largest egret in the World. It is...more
Amid the vast echoing marble
halls of the Parliamentary Palace in Bucharest, the Eleventh Conference of
Parties of the Ramsar Convention closed last Friday 13 July on a positive note.
As expected, the issue of
institutional hosting of the Secretariat overshadowed much of the meeting and
ate away at the time available for other negotiations. ...more
The first ever Chrissiesmeer Crane Festival was hosted by the Endangered
Wildlife Trust (EWT) on the 6th and 7th of July and attracted over 150
visitors to the tiny town of Chrissiesmeer,
exposing them to the magnificence, but also the alarming plight, of our
cranes and their wetland habitats. All three of South Africa’s cr...more
How
many more must we lose before changing cap?
The latest
scientific data brought together by BirdLife International and the European
Bird Census Council show that common farmland birds continue to decline in the
EU: 300 million farmland birds have been lost since 1980. The news was released
last week, on the eve of a major civil society d...more
Burung Indonesia, in collaboration with the Ministry of
Forestry, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and PT. Pos Indonesia,
launched “Indonesia’s
Threatened Bird Species” stamp series at the Botanical Garden on Sunday 15 July
to celebrate the diversity of Indonesian birds. The four bird
species illu...more
Numbers of Wood Duck at Treatment
Pond, Whiting Park,
Jackson County, US-WV.
Wood
Duck
The Wood Duck or Carolina
Duck - Aix sponsa - is a species of duck found in North
America and is one of the most colourful of North American
waterfowl. Wood Ducks have a unique shape among ducks, a boxy, crested head, a
thin neck, and a long, br...more
Two Osprey seen at Winfield Locks
& Dam, Putnam, US-WV
Osprey
The Osprey - Pandion
haliaetus - is found on all continents except Antarctica.
There are four subspecies of the osprey, each occupying a different part of its
overall range and differing slightly in size and appearance: Pandion
haliaetus haliaetus, P. h. carolinensis, P. h. ...more
Caspian
Tern is a July
rarity in the UK.
Caspian Tern
The Caspian
Tern - Hydroprogne caspia –is the world's largest tern. North American birds migrate to southern
coasts, the West Indies and northernmost South America.
African and Australasian birds are resident or disperse over short distances. European
and Asian birds spend the n...more
Birdlife Africa
Partnership got a renewed boost to its work in Poverty reduction and policy
making when the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development
(AECID) gave some additional funding amounting to Euros, 500,000 in October
2010.
One of the sites
benefiting from this project is Dakatcha Woodlands that are northwest of t...more
Bad news about European breeding
birds according to the 2012 IUCN Red List for birds.
The Saker Falcon - Falco
cherrug - was uplisted to Endangered because a revised population
trend analysis indicates that it may be undergoing a very rapid decline. This
negative trend is a result of unsustainable capture for the falconry trade, as
well as...more
The 2012 IUCN Red
List for birds released by BirdLife International gave a strong warning message
that the risk of extinction has increased substantially for nearly 100 species
of Amazonian birds. What are the results for Europe?
Detailed surveys
in the Baltic Sea for the period 2007-2009 revealed that almost 3 million Long-tailed Ducks - Clan...more
Lanner
Falcon
The Lanner Falcon - Falco biarmicus - occurs in southern and south-eastern Europe, the
Middle East, south-western Asia and much of sub-Saharan Africa, excluding the
lowland forests of the DRC and West Africa. In
southern Africa it is fairly common. They are
mainly resident, but some birds disperse more widely after the...more
A team of BirdLife International and Fondation NATURAMA
(BirdLife Partner in Burkina Faso)
visited Oursi Lake
recently to assess the impact of small scale funding received from Ricoh to
support the rehabilitation of Oursi
Lake ecosystem and
improve livelihoods. Oursi is one of the most important wetland in Burkina Faso located about 450km ...more
Wood Duck
The Wood Duck
or Carolina Duck - Aix sponsa - is a species of duck found in North America and is one of the most colourful of North American
waterfowl. Wood Ducks have a unique shape among ducks, a boxy, crested head, a
thin neck, and a long, broad tail. Their breeding habitat is wooded swamps,
shallow lakes, marshes or ponds...more
The Wattled Crane
The Wattled Crane
- Bugeranus carunculatus - is by far
the most endangered crane species in South Africa with only 240 left.
They are the most wetland-dependent of Africa’s
crane species and are exceptionally susceptible to disturbance while nesting in
wetlands, and will easily desert a nest if disturbed....more
Well worth watching -
enjoy
The Cape Vulture
- Gyps coprotheres - is Endemic to Southern Africa and is found
mainly in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana
and Namibia.
A large vulture
with near-naked head and neck. Adult creamy-buff, wit...more
KwaZulu-Natal will celebrate a unique anniversary this
year, when the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
(EKZNW) celebrate the 20th consecutive annual crane aerial survey in July.
Ian Rushworth of EKZNW said: “The 20 year anniversary makes this survey one of,
if not the, longest running aerial survey of cranes anywh...more
A large tract of near-pristine
Afromontane forest has been found in Angola’s
Namba Mountains,
tripling the amount of this habitat that was thought to survive in Angola. The
site meets the criteria for a new Important Bird Area (IBA), holding one
globally threatened species, and assemblages of restricted range and
biome-restricted bird spe...more
The 11th
Conference of Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (themed ‘Wetlands:
home and destination’) opens today in Bucharest, Romania, where for the next 10
days the Convention’s 162 Contracting Parties gather to advance the
conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
As one of five
International Organization Partners (IOP...more
Secretarybird
The Secretarybird - Sagittarius serpentarius - is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of
prey Endemic to Africa.
It is usually found in the open grasslands and savannah in sub-Saharan Africa. The majestic Secretarybird is in serious decline
and is now classified as Globally Vulnerable.
Description
The Secretarybird
is instantly re...more
Owls are
far-sighted and have fantastic far vision, but cannot see close objects
clearly. They have binocular vision and are able to see in the dark
exceptionally well.
Birdwatching
Ask Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures
to create a tour for you or book on one of the following Aves Birding Tour/Safaris/Adventures to see the symbols of wi...more
A “parliament of owls”.
Owls are
erect-standing birds of prey characterized by large, rounded heads, large
forward-facing eyes, a flattened face and feathered legs.
Birdwatching
Ask Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures
to create a tour for you or book on one of the following Aves Birding Tour/Safaris/Adventures to see the symbols of w...more
There are about
200 different species of owl worldwide. In Southern Africa, 12 different species
and in Africa south of the Sahara, 35.
In Southern Africa the Verreaux's eagle-owl – Bubo lacteus - is the biggest and the African
Scops-Owl – Otus senegalensis - the
smallest.
Birdwatching
Ask Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures
to crea...more
A Black-browed
Albatross was again seen in Alderney waters on 28th June 2012.
Black-browed
Albatross
The Black-browed
Albatross - Thalassarche melanophrys - is the most widespread and
common member of the Albatross family. It is circumpolar in the southern
oceans. They can have a natural lifespan of over 70 years.
Description
A medium s...more
BirdLife Europe
encourages those visiting Cyprus
during its 6-month EU presidency to enjoy the many traditional culinary
delights the Mediterranean island has to offer, but with one important
exception: ambelopoulia
– Trapped Birds.
The issue at stake is not
gastronomic but ecological, and relates to the source and content of this one
...more
The House Sparrow
has been in long-term decline in the UK and numbers declined sharply in
2006 but are now making a steady recovery. The sudden drop coincided with a
large outbreak of trichomonosis in Greenfinches and Chaffinches. Trichomonosis
might also have had an impact on House Sparrows.
The good news is
that House Sparrows are approac...more
BirdLife South
Africa, the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Birds of Prey Programme (EWT-BoPP), and
the University of the Witwatersrand have launched a collaborative satellite
tracking project on one of South Africa’s most charismatic raptors,
Secretarybird.
Secretarybird has
a wide distribution, occurring throughout sub-Saharan Afri...more
Giraffe
photographed on an Aves North West
Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure at Nylsvley Nature Reserve, Limpopo Province, South
Africa on May 6th 2012.
Giraffe
The Giraffe
- Giraffa camelopardalis - is the tallest living terrestrial animal and
the largest ruminant. There are nine subspecies, which are distinguished by
their coat patterns. ...more
(Washington, D.C.
June 28, 2012) The rare Tucuman Parrot will benefit from protections afforded
by a new reserve established by Asociación Armonía in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
The 44-acre Tucuman Parrot Reserve protects the largest Podocarpus conifer
trees in the area, which are critically important as nesting sites for the
parrot. The new rese...more
(Washington, D.C.,
June 26, 2012) In a lawsuit filed today in Washington D.C. District Court
American Bird Conservancy has accused the federal government of suppressing
information about wind energy projects and their potential negative impact on America's
wildlife. ABC is being represented in the suit by the Washington D.C.
public-interest ...more
The Gemsbok was
photographed in The Karoo National Park, Western Cape, South Africa on a
customized Aves Western Cape Birding Tour.
Gemsbok
The Gemsbok
- Oryx gazelle - is a large antelope and is the largest species in the Oryx genus. It is native to the arid
regions of Southern
Africa. Gemsbok generally occur in semi-arid to arid g...more
Rock Kestrel
The Rock Kestrel - Falco rupicolus - has
recently been split from the Common
Kestrel – Falco tinnunculus. The Rock Kestrel occurs from Angola, southern DRC and Tanzania south to southern Africa, where it is
common in Namibia, South Africa, Botswana,
Swaziland, Lesotho and central Mozambique. It occupies a wide
v...more
A third of
British Swifts have been lost since 1995, but the reasons underpinning this
decline are unclear. BTO scientists are involved in a project aiming to address
these knowledge gaps. Tiny geolocators were fitted to adult Swifts captured at
the nest in summer 2010 and retrieved in summer 2011 when these birds returned
to breed. The resu...more
Nature Seychelles (BirdLife in the Seychelles) has launched an
innovative project to enable vulnerable groups, such as people addicted
to drugs and alcohol, to improve their mental and physical wellbeing
through contact with nature, and to learn practical skills that allow
them to rejoin mainstream society.
The Greening Livelihoods Project is ...more
The Rhino Orphan Response Project, launched by the
Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) in partnership with rhino rehabilitation
specialist, Karen Trendler, has had a busy but successful time working with the
casualties of the rhino poaching crisis.
The Rhino Orphan Response Project was established to address the need for
expert care for the or...more
These Chacma
Baboons were photographed in the Cape Point Nature Reserve, Western
Cape, South
Africa on a customized Aves Western Cape
Birding Tour.
Chacma
Baboon
The Chacma
baboon - Papio ursinus -
also known as the Cape baboon,
is one of the largest of all baboons. They are found in Southern
Africa and size and colour vary within ...more
These Cape
Mountain Zebra were photographed in The Karoo National Park, Western Cape,
South Africa on a customized Aves Western Cape Birding Tour.
Cape Mountain Zebra
The Cape Mountain
Zebra - Equus zebra zebra -
is a subspecies of the mountain Zebra found only in the Western
Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. The Cape Mount...more
These endangered Roan
Antelope were photographed on an Aves North East Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure
in the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, an IBA in South Africa.
Roan
Antelope
The Roan Antelope - Hippotragus equinus – is found in woodland and grassland savanna.
Description
Named for the
"roan' colour - a reddish brown, they have a ligh...more
To celebrate the
5th edition of the Batumi Raptor Count, you are invited
to the Batumi Bird Festival 19-23 September 2012.
This is the world's
biggest bottleneck for raptor migration. Come and see 50,000 + raptors a day.
The four-day
programme includes: -
Daily viewing excursions, in small groups.
Visits to birding hotspot...more
These endemic
Bontebok were photographed on an Aves Western Cape Birding
Tour/Safari/Adventure in the De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western
Cape, South
Africa.
Bontebok
The bontebok
- Damaliscus pygargus pygarus - is an
endangered antelope endemic to the Fynbos biome in South Africa. It is a tall, medium-sized
antelope, with two subspecies,...more
These African Bush
Elephant were photographed on an Aves North West Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure
in the new Mapungubwe National Park, Limpopo
Province, South Africa
on May 1st 2012.
Elephants
Elephants are the largest living land animals on Earth.
Three living species of elephant are recognized, the African Bush Elephant - Loxodonta afr...more
The West Coast
spring flowers are amazing. Why not book an Aves West Coast Overnight Tour during August,
September or early October 2012, to see the amazing flowers and special birds of the
West Coast of South Africa or ask Aves
Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures to create a special tour for you.
Contact
me today –
Jo Sievers
Mobile...more
At the World
Heritage Committee (WHC) meeting in June 2011, the Tanzanian government
confirmed that the 53km stretch of road through the Serengeti National Park
would not be paved, and would continue to be managed by TANAPA (the Tanzanian
National Park Authority). It would be continue to be used mainly for tourism
and administrative purposes, ...more
In January this
year we launched an international online appeal to save the Hooded Grebe as a
new BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme initiative, building on earlier
support provided by the Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation as part of BirdLife’s
High Andean wetlands initiative. We are delighted to report today that
conservation ...more
The International
Bird Strike Committee recently issued a report stating that bird strikes are on
the increase at an international scale. Estimated damage as a result of these
is in excess of US $1, 5 billion per annum. However, in South Africa,
the situation is firmly under control. In 2012, the Endangered Wildlife Trust
(EWT) and Airports ...more
For most of the
past six months or so there have been few Lesser Flamingos at Kamfers Dam,
perhaps just a few hundred at times (10,000 or so at present) and nowhere near
the 80,000+ which have previously been recorded at Kamfers Dam.
Today we received
the latest water quality analysis from Dr Jan Roos, an algae and water quality
expert from B...more
On Thursday 21
June, the European Commission issued a final legal warning against the
Bulgarian Government over its failure to fully designate, protect, and prevent
deterioration of the Kaliakra Special Protection Area and Site of Community
Importance, required under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives.
This latest
action by the Commi...more
A Marabou Stork seen at the dump site in George yesterday
afternoon.
Marabou Stork
The Marabou Stork - Leptoptilos crumeniferus - is a large bird in the stork family
Ciconiidae. It has one of the largest wing-spreads of any living bird. They have
a wide distribution through sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal
east to Eritrea and south ...more
The
Blue Crane
The Blue Crane - Anthropoides
paradiseus - is the national bird of South Africa , yet it is threatened. It is endemic to Southern Africa. Of the 15 species of crane, the Blue
Crane has the most restricted distribution of all.
Description
Body plumage is silvery bluish
grey becoming darker on the upper neck and the lower half...more
Over the last
month, BTO scientists have visited the Norfolk Broads, the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park
in Scotland, and Tregaron
bog in Wales
to tag and follow further Cuckoos. Eleven new birds have joined the ranks
alongside Chris and Lyster, including two male Cuckoos from Norfolk. This year we will be following a new
se...more
Black-capped
Petrel
The Black-capped
Petrel is a nocturnal seabird and may warrant federal protection as a
threatened or endangered species. A thorough status review of the species to
determine whether the species warrants protection under the Endangered Species
Act (Act) is underway.
It is found in
North America and the Caribbean, and is...more
This species is a
very rare vagrant to the UK
and Western Europe. Black Scoter seen at
the target-rich seaduck flocks off Murcar Golf Course, Blackdog, Aberdeenshire
this week.
Black
Scoter
The Black
Scoter or American Scoter - Melanitta Americana - is a
large sea duck which breeds in the far north of North A...more
The Endangered
Wildlife Trust (EWT) is proud to announce the launch of the very first annual
Chrissiesmeer Crane Festival taking place on the 6th and the 7th of July in
Chrissiesmeer, Mpumalanga. The Festival aims to spotlight the alarming plight
of our cranes and their wetland habitats with only around 4000 Grey Crowned
Cranes; less than 25...more
The world’s
oldest international conservation organization celebrates 90 years today.
Ideas move the world but only if
people act upon them. And that’s exactly what happened at midday on June 20
1922, when a remarkable group of people from different countries met in London at the private home of the UK Minister of
Finance. United by thei...more
The creation of a pioneering
nature reserve in Paraguay.
The land purchase and protection initiative is considered a new conservation
strategy and a possible model for conservation in other Latin American
countries.
Indeed, an indigenous community
and an NGO have recently jointly purchased a piece of land which both parties
were committed ...more
Wind power is one
of the fastest growing forms of renewable energy around the world. In South Africa two wind farms have been
constructed and are currently operational, namely the Klipheuwel and Darling
wind farms on the West Coast in the Western
Cape. Proposals to construct many more have been
submitted mainly along the West Coast, Ea...more
The latest update
of the ICUN Red List of Threatened Species shows that, of the 63,837 species
assessed to date, a worrying 19,817 are threatened with extinction. Along with
its partner organisations, IUCN is calling upon world leaders to commit to
halting biodiversity loss as a matter of urgency. Food, medicine and clean
water are all ess...more
The Birdwatching
Festival in Sagres, Portugal will take place this year
from October 5 to 7. In October, Sagres becomes Europe’s major migratory
corridor for storks, eagles, vultures, hawks and falcons on their way back to Africa. A large range of activities will be offered at
this year’s festival, including field trips, boating, bird mon...more
A significant increase
in poaching in the Italian region of Calabria.
The increase in poaching this year is largely due to the drastic reduction (for
lack of funds) in the NOA’s staff (the anti-poaching operative task force of
the State’s Forestry Corps), by the authorities. This year, the NOA had only
three patrols covering a migratory ...more
Sociable
Weaver
The Sociable Weaver - Philetairus
socius - is endemic to Southern Africa.
The species ranges across northwestern South
Africa, southwest Botswana
and extending northwards across Namibia.
The area is semi-arid with low and unpredictable rainfall occurring mostly in
the summer.
Description
A buff brown bird with a
...more
The Rufous-backed Bunting – Emberiza jankowskii - was once common on
grassland with scattered Siberian apricot scrub across North East China,
to Russia and North Korea. But because of conversion of its breeding habitat to
farmland, by the late 1990s it was assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
This little-known
passerine contin...more
This new book
produced by the Swedish Ornithological Society (SOS – BirdLife Partner)
provides information on the 251 bird species breeding in Sweden,
including population estimates at national and regional scales.
It is the first
time that bird population estimations for each of the 21 Swedish counties and
29 provinces have been pu...more
A BirdLife
International survey in southern New
Ireland, Papua New Guinea,
has encountered the largest single aggregation of Critically Endangered Beck’s
Petrel ever recorded. Upwards of 100 birds were estimated to be present at one
location. For a seabird species lost to science for 79 years until its rediscovery
in 2007 these vital ne...more
A pair of Great White Egrets – Egretta alba - are raising two
youngsters at Shapwick Heath, Somerset,
UK.
This is a just
reward for the magnificent effort invested in restoring the reserve as one of Europe's premier wetland habitats. A mix of extensive
reedbeds, fenland, meadows and wet woodland means that the egrets join an
eve...more
JOHANNESBURG,
8th June 2012 – Eco Stars, the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s (EWT) new kids only club, launches
today at the Outdoor Eco Adventure Travel Experience show at the Waterfall Polo
Estate in Kyalami. Eco Stars teaches children about threatened wildlife, our
environment and how we all can help to make a difference.
“An Eco Star...more
European
Roller
The European Roller - Coracias
garrulus - is the only member of the roller family of birds to breed
in Europe. It migrates vast distances between
continents. It is a bird of warm, dry, open country with scattered trees. It winters
primarily in dry wooded savanna and bushy plains, where it typically nests in
tree hol...more
The planet is warming up, especially at the poles. An
international team led by a CNRS researcher from the Centre for Functional and
Evolutionary Ecology has shown that Little Auks, the most common seabirds in
the Arctic, are adapting their fishing behaviour to warming surface waters in
the Greenland Sea. So far, their reproductive
and survi...more
Liben Lark [ Sidamo Lark] - Heteromirafra sidamoensis - is
listed as Critically Endangered. It has an extremely small range [a single
grassy plain in southern Ethiopia]
and its range size is decreasing. The remaining habitat is rapidly being
degraded, and the number of mature individuals is decreasing [with a population
of possibly fewer ...more
The 2012 IUCN Red List update for birds is
a comprehensive review, undertaken every four years, of all the world’s over
10,000 bird species. The update shows worrying news not just from the tropics
but in Northern Europe too, where over a million Long-tailed Ducks Clangula
hyemalis have disappeared from the Baltic Sea
over the last 20 ye...more
Conservationists
will attempt to give dozens of Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpipers a
head start this summer, by hand-rearing them for the first weeks of their lives
in Russia. The new strategy is part of an ongoing international conservation
effort that stretches from the coast of Bangladesh
and Burma
to the Russian Far East, and...more
A first sighting of the Collared
Flycatcher - Ficedula albicollis - in Ireland.
Collared Flycatcher
The Collared
Flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis, breeds in southeast Europe and
southwest Asia and is migratory, wintering in
sub Sahara Africa. A rare summer visitor to Southern
Africa. It is a rare vagrant in western Europe. Habitat is
deci...more
The week’s highlights of rare
bird sightings in the UK and Ireland include -
Baillon’s
Crake – Porzana pusilla – Malltraeth.
Collared
Flycatcher – Ficedula alibicillis – Donegal, Ireland.
European Roller
– Coracias garrulous – East Yorkshire.
European
Roller
The European Roller,
Coracias garrulus, is the only mem...more
Conservationists
are celebrating the establishment of the new 6,000-acre Sierra Caral Amphibian
Reserve in Guatemala,
which will protect some of the country’s most endangered wildlife. The reserve
is home to a dozen globally threatened frogs and salamanders, five found
nowhere else in the world, three species of threatened birds, and the r...more
Conservationists
are celebrating the establishment of a new nature reserve in Colombia that
provides the first sanctuary for the endangered Golden Poison Frog, an animal that also has the distinction of
being possibly the world’s deadliest animal.
In one of the
wettest tropical rainforests in the world, along the Pacific coast of western C...more
Dilma Roussef,
the President of Brazil, has partially vetoed the new Forest Code proposed by
the Brazilian Congress. He vetoed 12 articles and made an additional 32
modifications on the text of 84 articles. These changes made by the President
need to be approved by the two houses of the Congress within the next four
months.
According to Jaq...more
Great news for
Wildlife in the UK.
Wildlife Minister
Richard Benyon has dropped proposals to license the destruction of Buzzard nests, as well as the capture of adult
birds on shooting estates.
Martin Harper, the
RSPB's conservation director said - “We're pleased the minister has listened to
people's concerns and acted in the publi...more
Great White
Egret
The Great Egret or Great White Egret – Egretta
alba – is the largest egret in the Old World.
It is the symbol of the National Audubon Society and represents a conservation
success story. The Great White Egret is a large white heron and is found across
much of the world, from southern Canada southward to...more
It has not been
seen in its small home range in central Vietnam since around 2000.
Conservationists searched intensively in 2011 but found none. Leading
scientists, conservationists and aviculturalists from Europe and Southeast Asia
met at Walsrode in Germany
last week to formulate a rescue plan.
Edwards Pheasant
The Edwards Pheasant - Lo...more
The Black Rail
is a first for West Virginia
and was still there at 10:30 AM, May 30th 2012.
Black Rail
The Black Rail
- Laterallus jamaicensis - is a mouse-sized bird and a member of the Rallidae family. It is the smallest rail
in North America and is perhaps the most
secretive too. They are found in scattered parts of North Americ...more
Turaco crimson flight feathers
- Saswati Royal Family.
The
Purple-crested Turaco is the National Bird of the Kingdom of Swaziland.
The crimson flight feathers of this and related Turaco species are important in
the Ceremonial Regalia of the Saswati Royal Family.
The Purple-crested Turaco - Tauraco porphyreolophus - is found in Central,
E...more
Peacock Feathers
have been used for healing for tens of thousands of years in every culture
throughout time. They are said to carry Spiritual Healing Energy that can be
used to assist people seeking balance and harmony in their lives.Peafowl are two Asiatic species of flying birds, of the
genus Pavo, the pheasant family – Phasianida...more
Eastern
Cape
28/05/2012
Verreaux's Eagle Owl –Bubo lacteus - Kingwilliamstown
Free State
Province
KZN Province
Limpopo Province
Mpumalanga
Province
Namibia
Western Cape Province
28/05/2012
Ferruginous Duck –Aythya nyroca – at Paarl Bird Sanctuary.
Northern Shoveler
– Anas clypeta – at Paarl Bi...more
The Magpie Shrike or Long-tailed Shrike – Corvinella
melanoleuca – was Zulu King Shaka’s favourite bird. The Zulu names for the
bird are isakabutle meaning “the scatterer of enemies” or ujomelameaning “King of Kings”.
The feathers of
the Magpie Shrike were worn in the headdress and armbands of the fiercest Zulu
warrior’s.
M...more
The Blue Crane is
South Africa’s
National Bird and is prized as a symbol of royalty. Only Zulu Kings are allowed
to wear the feathers in their headdress.
The
Blue Crane
The Blue Crane - Anthropoides
paradiseus - is our national bird, yet it is threatened. Of the 15 species
of crane, the Blue Crane has the most restricted distribution of...more
Britain’s first-ever spring Cream-coloured
Courser was found by a local lady talking her dog for a walk on Bradnor Hill, Herefordshire.
Cream-coloured
Courser
The Cream-colored
Courser, Cursorius cursor, is found in the Canary Islands, north
Africa and southwest Asia. They prefer dry
open country, preferably semi-desert.
Description
It...more
Southern
Pied Babbler
The Southern Pied Babbler - Turdoides bicolor - is endemic to Southern
Africa. It is locally common in arid and semi-arid savanna
woodland across northern Namibia,
Botswana, Zimbabwe and northern South Africa.
Description
The head is white,
while the bill is black and the eyes orange/yellow. Throat is white, brown ...more
The Great White
Egret nest site in Somerset,
is being monitored by staff and volunteers from Natural England, the RSPB and
Somerset Ornithological Society. Natural England
hopes to be able confirm that the nest contains chicks and that Britain can
welcome a new species to its list of breeding birds shortly.
The species is
more usually foun...more
An update on the
2 BTO Satellite - tagged cuckoos who have returned from Africa
– Chris and Lyster.
Chris arrived
back in the Brecks, and has spent most of his time focusing on small pockets of
woodland near Mildenhall, Suffolk.
He was originally tagged on the edge of forest close to Santon Downham,
Suffolk, and it seems that he is very ...more
A new longevity
record for Sociable Weaver’s – Philetairus
socius – of over 16 years. The bird was ringed by Mark Anderson on 29 April
1995 as an adult on Benfontein Game Reserve, Kimberley, Northern Cape,
South Africa.
It has been recaptured several times, the most recent time being by Rita Covas
on 2 August 2010.
Sociable Weaver
...more
Defra is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which
is a government department in the UK.
Defra's plan is
to allow the destruction of Common
Buzzard - Buteo buteo - nests on shooting estates and to permit Common Buzzards to be
taken into captivity to remove them from shooting estates. There is no evidence
that the Common B...more
Pheasants are not
native to the UK.
Each year about 40
million birds are released for shooting. Just think of the impact that the
release and shooting has on the native wildlife. The impacts of this practice
on wildlife have been poorly documented, but serious questions have recently been
raised about the impact such a large injection of ca...more
Last April the Brazilian Congress
approved the ‘new’ Forest Code, a batch of changes to the existing forest code
dating from 1965. The ‘new’ code is one of the most controversial laws passed
by Congress in recent years and will impede efforts to slow down
deforestation in the country.
The President of Brazil, Dilma
Roussef, has...more
This juvenile African Crowned
Eagle was photographed by Jo Sievers on the Aves North West Tour/ Safari/Adventure
at Roodewal Forest,
Soutpansberg, Limpopo Province,
South Africa on
Friday 4th May2012.
African
Crowned Eagle
The African Crowned Eagle
- Stephanoaetus coronatus - is a very large, powerful, crested bird of
prey which is fou...more
Gorgeous
Bush-Shrike sighting at Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge, Louis Trichardt, Limpopo Province South Africa while on the Aves
North West Tour/Safari/Adventure.
Gorgeous
Bush-Shrike
Gorgeous Bush-Shrike- Telophorus
viridis – is found in two separate populations - one along the coast of
Tanzania and Kenya and the other in Mozambique, Zim...more
Striped Pipit
The Striped
Pipit - Anthus lineiventris is found in patches from southern Kenya through Tanzania,
Zambia, southern DRC and Malawi to southern Africa.
Here it is uncommon to fairly common in northern Mozambique,
Zimbabwe, south-eastern Botswana, eastern South
Africa and Swaziland. Its natural habitat is
dry sava...more
The project is a
three-year effort to reverse the decline of one of England's best-loved farmland
birds. Once widespread across much of England
and Wales, the species has
been lost from many areas, with its remaining strongholds concentrated in East Anglia and southeast England. The
cause of such an extensive population crash is not fully un...more
The future for England's most
threatened bird of prey — the Hen Harrier — is looking perilous, as the species
teeters on the brink of extinction as a breeding bird. Early reports indicate
that only one pair is showing signs of nesting in England. If this situation
continues it will be the worst year for Hen Harrie...more
Short-clawed
Lark
The Short-clawed
Lark - Certhilauda chuana - is endemic to Southern Africa, occurring from
south-eastern Botswana to
the North-west Province, Free State and Limpopo Province.
It prefers open habitat, sparsely vegetated with short grass and scattered
trees or bushes, particularly where grass has been severely graze...more
A juvenile African
Crowned Eagle was seen
and photographed by birders on the Aves North West Tour/ Safar/Adventure at Roodewal Forest,
Soutpansberg, on Friday 4th May2012.
African
Crowned Eagle
The African Crowned Eagle
- Stephanoaetus coronatus - is a very large, powerful, crested bird of
prey which is found in Africa south of the Sahara...more
Five Southern
Pied Babblers seen at Mopane Bush Lodge on Aves North West Birding
Tour/Safari/Adventure on the 30th April 2012
Southern
Pied Babbler
The Southern
Pied Babbler - Turdoides bicolor - is endemic to Southern
Africa. It is locally common in arid and semi-arid savanna
woodland across northern Namibia,
Botswana, Zimbabwe and nor...more
Six
Red-billed Oxpeckers – seen at Mogalakwena River Lodge on 28th April
2012 by birders on the Aves North West Birding Tour/ Safari/ Adventure.
Red-billed Oxpecker
The Red-billed Oxpecker
- Buphagus erythrorhynchus – is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa. They
occur in patches from Ethiopia
and Somalia through Kenya, Tanzania,
Malawi and...more
Fremantle,
26 April 2012: The Indian Ocean Tuna
Commission (IOTC) today agreed to measures that, if appropriately implemented
by tuna longline fishing vessels, will result in significant reductions in
albatross mortality.
The Indian Ocean is home to globally important populations of
eight albatross species, including the Critically Endanger...more
Osprey
The Osprey
- Pandion haliaetus - is found on all continents except Antarctica. There are four subspecies of the osprey, each
occupying a different part of its overall range and differing slightly in size
and appearance: Pandion haliaetus haliaetus, P. h. carolinensis, P.
h. cristatus and P. h. ridgwayi. It tolerates a wide variety of
...more
Red-billed Oxpecker
The Red-billed Oxpecker
- Buphagus erythrorhynchus – is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa. They
occur in patches from Ethiopia
and Somalia through Kenya, Tanzania,
Malawi and Zambia to southern Africa.
Description
The Red-billed Oxpecker has plain
brown upperparts and head, buff underparts and a pale rump. The bill...more
There are no
endemic species for Congo Brazzaville. The Loango Weaver is a near-endemic to
the Republic of the Congo.
Loango
Weaver
The Loango Weaver - Ploceus subpersonatus - is found in Northern Angola, DRC, Gabon and Republic of the Congo. Its favoured
habitats are subtropical or tropical forests, coastal savanna and swamps.
Descr...more
The DRC has 13
endemic species in a total number of species of 1,139.
One of the
endemic species is the Congo Peafowl
Congo Peafowl
The Congo
Peafowl - Afropavo congensis – is endemic to the lowland forests of
the Congo River
Basin in Central part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It
occurs in many different forest types ...more
A Northern Waterthrush has
been on St Mary’s for over seven months. This bird was first seen on the 17th
September 2011 and the last time one of these birds had been seen was 15 years
earlier.
Northern Waterthrush
The Northern
Waterthrush - Parkesia noveboracensis
breeds in the northern part of North
America and Canada.
This bird...more
Batumi is located in the southwest of Georgia and
this area acts as a bottleneck for many species migrating south through the
region in autumn. The Black Sea to the west and the Caucasus mountains to the
east funnel birds into a narrow coastal flyway that pushes them over the town
of Batumi
Peak species
day-counts: -
Honey Buzzards - 90,0...more
The Endangered
Wildlife Trust’s (EWT) Threatened Grassland Species Programme has taken on the
task of reversing the rapid decline and likely extinction of the South African
population of the Blue Swallow - Hirundo atrocaerulea.
The South African
population currently consists of fewer than 38 known breeding pairs, with less
than five remai...more
Angola has 13 endemic bird species out of a
total of over 990 bird species.
Red-crested Turaco
The Red-crested
Turaco - Tauraco erythrolophus – is endemic to western Angola.
Description
Adult has green
plumage overall. On the upperparts, back and wings are darker bluish-green.
Upper back and scapulars are metallic golden-green. Primaries ...more
Malawi has no endemic bird species. A common
raptor is the –
Rufous-breasted
Sparrowhawk
The Rufous-breasted
Sparrowhawk - Accipiter rufiventris - also known as the Rufous-chested
Sparrowhawk, occurs in isolated patches of sub-Saharan Africa, from Ethiopia, eastern DRC and Kenya to Uganda,
eastern Zambia to South Africa.
In southern Afr...more
Annually, Buff-breasted Sandpiper –Tryngites subruficollis and American Golden Plover – Pluvialis dominica
undertake some of the longest journeys of any migratory birds in the world,
from their breeding grounds in the tundra of North America (Canada and Alaska)
to wintering sites in the grasslands of Southern South
America. Aves Uruguay ...more
The sighting of a
Surf Scoter in the Netherlands
is very rare. Today at 3 pm an adult male was seen at Texel
– Mokbaai [NH] by Sander Schagen.
Surf Scoter
The Surf Scoter - Melanitta perspicillata - is a large sea duck, which breeds in Canada and Alaska.
Description
The males are
entirely black with a white patch on the forehead and a...more
A Buff-breasted
Sandpiper – Tryngites subruficollis –
sighted on Friday 13th at Mile 4 Salt Works north of Swakopmund.
Buff-breasted
Sandpiper
The Buff-breasted Sandpiper – Tryngites subruficollis – breeds in the
open arctic tundra of North America and is a very long-distance migrant,
spending the non-breeding season mainl...more
On explicit request of the main farmers unions, the
department taking care of health and consumers issues within the European
Commission (DG SANCO), has proposed to dismantle a European bio- safety regime
by removing the obligation on countries to contain the spread of a highly
destructive maize pest, the Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica vir...more
MME/BirdLife in
Hungary, in cooperation with 8 other conservation organizations have just
launched a 5 years LIFE+ project that will aim to find effective and
alternative solutions to crimes toward birds in Hungary, with a special focus
on the conservation of the Eastern Imperial Eagle.
Birds suffer severely
from different types of crimes ...more
The Common /
European Starling and the Common / Indian Myna were introduced at the beginning
of the 20th century. The IUCN declared these species among the world’s
100 worst invasive species. Today these birds are a pest in South Africa, North America, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and many Pacific
islands. They have affected nati...more
Martial Eagle
The Martial
Eagle - Polemaetus bellicosus - is the largest eagle found in Africa. It is found in open and semi-open habitats of sub-Saharan
Africa. Its preferred habitat is the semi-desert
and open savannah. These eagles are mainly resident, although immature birds
may wander great distances.
Description
They are the
largest o...more
Zambia has one endemic bird which is the Chaplin’s Barbet.
The Chaplin's Barbet
or Zambian Barbet - Lybius chaplini – is endemic to
south central Zambia, where
they are restricted to an area between the upper Kafue River
to Kabanga in the Kalomo District. Habitat is moist to dry savanna, grassland and
arable land, between 900 and 1,400 ...more
Martin and Chris
are in Spain and Italy after crossing the Sahara Desert.
Kasper is just behind in the Atlas Mountains in North West Algeria and about to
cross the Mediterranean.
Lyster’s last transmission received was on 1st
April in Ghana.
Clement is still missing, one of the five British Common Cuckoos fitted with satellite
tag...more
In SABAP 1 published
in 1997, Andre Boshoff wrote: "Although numbers have decreased locally in
many areas, often dramatically, the Martial Eagle is still widespread in
southern Africa ... The conservation status provides cause for concern ... The
main causes [of the decrease] are direct persecution (shooting and trapping) by
small-stock...more
By 1910 the range of the Red-billed Oxpecker had shrunk to the north-eastern corner of South Africa. The
dips used to control ticks on cattle were a death sentence for oxpeckers. With the
introduction of “oxpecker-friendly” dips, a series of translocations and natural
recolonisation, the range of the Red-billed
Oxpecker has expanded in So...more
The Plains-
Midwest USA
has 3 endemic birds.
They are: -
Attwater’s Prairie Chicken
Greater Prairie
Chicken
Lesser Prairie
Chicken
Attwater's Prairie
Chicken
Attwater's
Prairie Chicken - Tympanuchus
cupido attwateri - is a highly endangered, endemic to the Western Gulf
coastal grasslands.
Descripti...more
Black Sparrowhawk
The Black Sparrowhawk - Accipiter
melanoleucus - is the largest African member of the genus Accipiter.
There are currently two recognised subspecies of Black Sparrowhawk, which
occupy different regions within this species’ extensive range. Accipiter
melanoleucus temminckii is found from Senegal, eastwards to Gabon, Congo ...more
Western
USA has 5
endemic birds.
They are: -
Black Rosy Finch
Gunnison Grouse
Yellow-billed
Magpie
Brown-capped Rosy
Finch
Island Scrub Jay
Gunnison sage-Grouse
The Gunnison sage-grouse - Centrocercus minimus - is endemic to
the USA and is confined to
the Gunnison basin in Gunnison and Saguache counties, south-west Colorado, ...more
The Madagascar
Pochard - Aythya innotata – was thought to be extinct in the late 1990s
and was rediscovered in 2006. It is claimed to be the rarest duck in the world.
Today only 60 individuals remain which include the 18 ducklings hatched in a captive
breeding centre. It is endemic to Madagascar.
Description
The Madagascar Pochard is a m...more
The USA has 13
breeding endemic bird species.
Black
Turnstone
The Black Turnstone - Arenaria melanocephala – is endemic to the west coast of North
America and breeds only in Alaska.
It winters on rocky shores along the Pacific coast of North America from
southern Alaska southwards as far as
north-west Mexico.
Description
Breeding-plum...more
The USA has 67 endemicbird species - [based on the Howard and Moore (2003, rev. 2008) taxonomy.]
Gunnison
sage-grouse
The Gunnison
sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) is endemic to the USA and is confined to the Gunnison basin in Gunnison and
Saguache counties, south-west Colorado, with
small, fragmented populations in Colorado and
on...more
Botswana has no endemic species.
They however do
have the largest single population of Wattled
Cranes - Bugeranus carunculatus -
in Africa.
They also have
the most of the world’s Slaty Egrets
- Egretta vinaceigula.
The Wattled
Crane
The Wattled Crane - Bugeranus carunculatus - is by far the most endangered crane
species in South Af...more
According to Ann Koeslag
“The number of cells occupied by the Black Sparrowhawk in both SABAP1 and
SABAP2 is almost exactly the same. This means that the species left existing
territories and colonized new ones. The shift is most prominently away from Swaziland and Limpopo
Province and into Western
Cape, as well as into isolated spots of th...more
The tallest flying
bird is the Sarus Crane - Grus antigone - standing at a height of
up to 1.8 m or 5.9 ft.
The Sarus Crane
The Sarus
Crane - Grus antigone - is a large non-migratory bird found in parts
of the India, Southeast Asia
and Australia.
Description
They are very
large birds with grey wings and body. The head and part...more
The Common Pheasant or Ring-necked Pheasant – Phasianus
colchicus – was introduced in 1857. They have been widely introduced as a
game birds worldwide.
The adult male has
a long brown streaked black tail, with its body plumage barred bright gold and
brown, with green, purple and white markings. The head is bottle green with a
small cres...more
The Blue Crane - Anthropoides paradiseus – is endemic to Southern
Africa.
The
Blue Crane
The Blue Crane - Anthropoides paradiseus - is our national bird, yet it is
threatened. Of the 15 species of crane, the Blue Crane has the most restricted
distribution of all.
Description
Body plumage is
silvery bluish grey becoming darker on the u...more
The Wattled
Crane - Bugeranus carunculatus – is the largest species of crane in Africa.
The
Wattled Crane
The Wattled Crane - Bugeranus
carunculatus - is by far the most endangered crane species in South Africa
with only 240 left. They are the most wetland-dependent of Africa’s
crane species and are exceptionally susceptible to disturb...more
The Grey-crowned Crocias - Crocias langbianbis - is one of the
rarest birds in Vietnam and
least known birds in Asia. It has just
been discovered at a new location in Kon
Tum Province
significantly extending its known global range and offering hope that the
species may not be as threatened with extinction. Previously it was known...more
Little
Crake
The Little Crake - Porzana
parva – breeds in Europe, mainly Eastern Europe and Western
Asia. It winters in north east Africa and parts of West Africa.
Description
Male has blue-grey face and
underparts, with narrow white bars on rear flanks and black and white barring
on undertail-coverts. Female has blue-grey repl...more
There are 15
crane species in the world and all of them are endangered. One of the main
reasons for this is that cranes are intimately linked to the grassland and
wetlands. Human impacts are degrading these ecosystems at a rapid rate and
cranes are paying the price.
South Africa is home to three crane species - The
Wattled, Blue and Grey-C...more
Little
Crake
The Little Crake - Porzana parva – breeds in Europe, mainly Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It winters in north east Africa and parts
of West Africa.
Description
Male has
blue-grey face and underparts, with narrow white bars on rear flanks and black and
white barring on undertail-coverts. Female has blue-grey replaced...more
Peregrine
Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus - can be found in every continent of the world
excluding Antarctica, with some sub-species
that are resident and with others that are migratory. There are 19 Peregrine
subspecies worldwide, 3 of which are found in North America.
The Arctic
subspecies migrates an incredible distance f...more
The Kakapo – Strigops habroptilus - is one of the world's most critically
endangered birds, living dangerously close to extinction for more than half a
century. It is the world's heaviest parrot, and the only flightless and
nocturnal parrot. After many years of holding on with just a few females
in New Zealand's most extensive c...more
The critically
endangered Chatham Island Pigeon or Parea is restricted to the Chatham Islands. Although similar in appearance to the New Zealand
pigeon, it is around 20% heavier, making it one of the world's heaviest
pigeons. Once numbering just 40 birds, the population has responded to
conservation efforts and now stands at around 500.
The ...more
The country with
the highest percentage of its bird species endangered is New Zealand
with 30%
Looking at the
endangered status of New
Zealand birds is an insight into how tenuous
their existence is. Nine birds are 'critically endangered'.
The Black
Robin or Chatham Island Robin -Petroica traverse - is an
endangered bird from the Chath...more
Clement the Common Cuckoo is missing in action. One of the
five British Common Cuckoos fitted with satellite tags by the British Trust for
Ornithology (BTO), Clement's last known location was in Cameroon, showing that he had begun his journey
back to Britain.
On 25th February 2012 the BTO received their last transmission from Clement. Clement...more
The Sisi
Initiative, local group working to conserve the Natewa Tunuloa Important Bird
Area in Fiji
has won the prestigious Equator Prize for 2012. According to Eileen de Ravin, manager
of the Equator Initiative - “The Sisi Initiative stood out among more than 800
entries as a remarkable demonstration of local development solutions for
pe...more
The highest price
paid for an egg was £1,000.00 pounds Sterling
for an egg of the extent Aepyornis
maximus
Aepyorni maximus was a giant, flightless ratite native to Madagascar and
has been extinct since at least the 17th century. It was the world's largest bird, believed to have been 3 metres
(10 ft) tall and weighing close to half a ...more
The Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus – is the first bird to be featured on a United States of America
postage stamp. It is also the national bird of the United States of America.
The Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus - is the
national bird of the USA and
is the only eagle unique to North America. It
is a sea eagle that’s...more
The Peregrine Falcon – Falco peregrinus has expanded its range and increased in abundance
in South Africa
over the past two decades according to the distribution patterns between SABAP1
and SABAP2. The most interesting changes
are in the Western Cape,
with a three-fold increase in this population since SABAP1.
The Peregrine
Falcon ...more
The Czech Society
for Ornithology (CSO), BirdLife Partner in the Czech Republic,
and Ceskomoravsky sterk, member of the Heidelberg Cement Group, signed an
agreement pinning down their long-term commitment to the conservation of
nature.
There is a
mutually benefit for both organisations in the development of this partnership.
CSO/BirdLife i...more
Little Crake – Porzana parva – at Covelly wetlands, Western
Cape, South
Africa.
Franklin’s Gull –
Larus pipixcan - Strandfontein
26/3/2012
The Little
Crake - Porzana parva – breeds in Europe, mainly Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It winters in north east Africa and parts
of West Africa.
Description
Male has
bl...more
The Little Crake - Porzana
parva – at Covelly wetlands, Western Cape,
South Africa.
A mega sighting of a female Little Crake, the first for Southern
Africa.
Photographed by John Tinkler of Aperture Wild Photographic
and Viewing Safaris.
The Little Crake - Porzana
parva – breeds in Europe, mainly Eastern Europe and Western
Asia. It ...more
The Cape Bulbul - Pycnonotus capensis –
is Endemic to the Western Cape of
South Africa. It generally prefers fynbos, succulent karoo, and coastal scrub.
It is common in suburban parks and gardens.
Description
Male and female
have similar plumage, mainly dull, blackish brown with a diagnostic white
eye-ring, and yellow undertail coverts. ...more
Nigeria has 900+ species and is a biologically
diverse country with lowland rainforest in the south to semi-desert in the
extreme north. In the south-east of the country, Grey-necked Picathartes – Picathartes
oreas - can be seen on Obudu Plateau.
Nigeria has 4 endemic
species: - The Rock Firefinch - Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis - and Pla...more
Kenya has 7 endemic birds, 44 near
endemics and 1080 recorded species.
The term
“endemic” refers to any species found only within a defined geographical area.
Ask Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures to
create a custom tour for you....more
Madagascar has 105 endemic species of the 280
species recorded on the island. A further 20 are near endemic species and are
shared only with the neighbouring
South West Indian Ocean islands.
Birding Madagascar is,
quite simply, a birding experience like no other on Earth.
Ask Aves Bird Tours/Safaris/Adventures to
create a custom tour for y...more
Africa and its islands have 1,800 species in 20 endemic
bird families.
Ask Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures to create a custom tour for you or book on one of the scheduled tours.
...more
The Common Poorwill is the only bird known
to go into topor for extended periods – Weeks to months.
The Common
Poorwill - Phalaenoptilus nuttallii - is a nocturnal bird in the
nightjar family. It is found from British Columbia
and southeastern Alberta, through the western United States to northern Mexico. The
bird's habitat is dry, open a...more
The longest recorded
dive for any bird is by an Emperor
Penguin - Aptenodytes forsteri – submerged
for 18 minutes.
Adaptations for long dives
While diving, theEmperor Penguin's oxygen use is
markedly reduced, as its heart rate is reduced to as low as 15-20 beats per
minute and non-essential organs are shut down, thus facilitating longer ...more
The Little
Crake - Porzana parva – at Covelly
wetlands, Western Cape, South Africa. A mega sighting of a
female Little Crake, the first for Southern Africa.
The Little
Crake - Porzana parva – breeds in Europe, mainly Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It winters in north east Africa and parts
of West Africa.
Description
Male has
blue-g...more
Dear all,
BirdLife Cyprus would like
to thank all those that have signed and supported our electronic petition
against illegal bird trapping in Cyprus. We value your support which
empowers our fight against this ecological disaster.
On the 1st February 2012 we presented the petition signatures to the Minister
of Interior, Mr Neoklis Syliki...more
The deepest recorded
dive for any bird is by an Emperor
Penguin - Aptenodytes
forsteri - a depth of 540 m (1,772 ft)
Adaptations for deep dives
The Emperor
Penguin encounters increased pressure of up to 40 times that of the surface,
which in most other terrestrial organisms would cause barotraumas. The bones of
the penguin are solid ...more
The Emperor Penguin - Aptenodytes forsteri -
134 days for incubating male emperor penguins.
The Emperor Penguin
- Aptenodytes forsteri - is the tallest
and heaviest penguin and is endemic to Antarctica.
They breed in the coldest environment of any bird species. It has several unique
adaptations for the harsh cold conditions, deep dive pres...more
A report released by BirdLife
Australia (BirdLife Partner) and the Department of Environment and
Conservation shows that the numbers of Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoos decreased in
the Perth Region in the last year by 37%. Habitat clearance and fragmentation
is the biggest threat to this cockatoo.
Carnaby's
Black Cockatoo - Calyptorhynchus...more
The Ethiopian
Bushcrow - Zavattariornis stresemanni - also known as Stresemann's
Bushcrow, has a restricted range, being confined to thorn acacia country in
southern Ethiopia.
It can be curiously absent from apparently suitable country near these areas. The
reasons for this have not been apparent.
A new study shows
the globally threatened...more
The most talkative
bird - an African Grey Parrot – Psittacus
erithacus - a vocabulary of 800+
words. An African Grey, N’kisi, who in 2004 was said to have a vocabulary of
over 950 words and was noted for creative use of language.
The African Grey Parrot - Psittacus
erithacus – is found in the
primary and secondary rainforests o...more
There are only
two species of bird that use sound to convey to man the unique message:
"follow me and I'll lead you to a bees' nest". The birds are called
honeyguides in English and Indicator
in Latin. They are Black-throated Honeyguide
- Indicator indicator
– and the Pallid Honeyguide - Indicator meliphilus.
They mimics t...more
The Marsh
Warbler - Acrocephalus palustris – is the world’s greatest mimic with 84 recorded songs.
The Marsh Warbler breeds in the middle
latitudes of Europe and western Asia. They
winter in south-east Africa, from the Western Cape,
north to Zambia and Malawi. ...more
Comoros
has 14 endemic bird species, a total
of 146 bird species, 6 introduced species and 9 globally threatened species.
Species endemic to
the Comoros:
-
Comoro Blue Pigeon - Alectroenas
sganzini
Comoro Olive Pigeon - Columba
pollenii
Anjouan Scops Owl - Otus
capnodes
Moheli Scops Owl - Otus
moheliensis
Grand Co...more
More than 2600 species
live, temporarily or permanently in Africa. Of
these, 1,800 species and a remarkable 20 bird families are found only in sub-Saharan
Africa.
Must visit for
International Birders.
Ask Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures to create a customized tour
for you or book on one of the following scheduled Aves Birding
Tours/...more
Southern
Africa has 98
endemic, 62 near endemic and 5 breeding endemic bird species. A must visit
destination for International Birders.
The term “endemic” refers to any species found
only within a defined geographical area.
To see these
endemic birds as Aves Birding
Tours/Safaris/Adventures to create a customized tour for you or boo...more
The Greater Flamingo - Phoenicopterus roseus - is the most widespread flamingo. It is
found in Africa, Southern Asia and Southern Europe.
The preferred habitat is mudflats and shallow coastal lagoons. It is the state
bird of Gujarat, India.
Description
This is the
largest species of flamingo. Most of the plumage is pinkish-white, but the wi...more
The “Kopački
Rit”, Croatia, Danube’s most valuable and best preserved floodplain
system along the Croatian – Serbian border is threatened with destruction.
The Natural Park “Kopački Rit”, is recognised as a Ramsar
site for being a major natural floodplain of International Importance and is
the core zone of the Transboun...more
The resurgence on Orkney of the Hen Harrier, a red-listed
species of high conservation concern, follows a period of steep decline on the
islands, particularly between 1980 and the late 1990s. The breeding population
has reached a 20-year high of 100 breeding females producing over 100 chicks.
A study to determine the cause of decline, funded ...more
Many of the UK resident
birds are gearing up for the breeding season but some birds, despite the snow
and ice in February, are ahead of the game.
Crossbills - three large chicks, 21st February.
Collared Dove - one chick on 6th February.
Egyptian Goose - goslings on 13th February.
Tawny Owls - had fledged young by the end of February.
Robin...more
The Endangered Wildlife Trust [EWT]Healthy Rivers Project aims
to proactively address the need to conserve threatened freshwater aquatic
species and ecosystems in southern Africa to
the benefit of all people. The EWT has been working on the fringes of water
conservation for many years, focusing on wetland conservation and restoration,
...more
According to research, just published in Ibis [the International Journal of Avian Science] by University of Birmingham,
vultures are colliding with wind turbines because they cannot see the way ahead.
Vultures are at the top of the food chain and so their
presence provides a good indication of a healthy environment. Thanks to
strenuous conser...more
The Common
Quail - Coturnix coturnix – reaches
breeding maturity between 5 to 8 weeks.
The Common
Quail - Coturnix coturnix - is a widespread terrestrial species
found in Europe, central Asia, China,
and Africa. It is a migratory bird which is difficult
to see, keeping hidden in crops, and reluctant to fly, preferring to creep away
inst...more
After decades of
conservation efforts for this endemic species, the population continues to
decline. During the 2011 breeding season a total of only 2848 breeding pairs
was recorded for the season. This is a drop from the previous years of 2900
breeding pairs.
The Cape
Vulture - Gyps coprotheres -
is Endemic to Southern Africa and ...more
The Ivory Gull is the most northerly
nesting bird.
The Ivory GullPagophila eburnean- is a small gull and the species survives year-round
in the High Arctic where it breeds in small, often inland, colonies scattered
across barren regions. It rarely is found away from pack ice.
Description
The adult has
completely white plumage, lacking the gr...more
The African
Fish-Eagle – Haliaeetus vocifer- bird
of the year for 2012, shows a roughly stable picture between SABAP1 and SABAP2.
In the Western Cape
the conservation status of the African Fish-Eagle is now a little bit better
than it was two decades ago.
The African Fish Eagle - Haliaeetus
vocifer- is a large species of eagle that is foun...more
The Greater Flamingo - Phoenicopterus roseus – has the largest and fleshiest tongue.
The Greater Flamingo - Phoenicopterus roseus - is the most widespread flamingo. It is found
in Africa, Southern Asia and Southern Europe. The
preferred habitat is mudflats and shallow coastal lagoons. It is the state bird
of Gujarat, India.
Description
Th...more
The White
Stork - Ciconia ciconia – is a
long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa, or India. When migrating between
Europe and Africa, it avoids crossing the Mediterranean Sea and detours via Israel in the east or the Strait of Gibraltar
in the west, because the air thermals do not form over water.
Description
It is a large
bird, with ...more
The Wrynecks at two-thirds of its body
length excluding the tail.
The Wrynecks - genusJynx - are a small but distinctive
group of small Old World Woodpeckers.
There are two
species – Eurasian Wryneck - Jynx torquilla and Red-throated Wryneck - Jynx
ruficollis
Description
Wrynecks have
large heads, long tongues which they use to extract t...more
The annual results of the
British Trust for Ornithology Garden BirdWatch survey have just been published,
revealing nearly five times as many gardens with Goldfinch, but half the number
of gardens with Song Thrush. How things have changed in 16 years!
Goldfinches
rocketed from number 20 in the garden bird 'league table' to number 10.
The ...more
The smallest
flightless bird is the Inaccessible Island Rail with an average weight
of 30 g and a length of 17 cm.
The Inaccessible
Island Rail - Atlantisia rogersi - is endemic to Inaccessible Island,
an island in the Tristan Archipelago of the South Atlantic
Ocean. This rail is found throughout the Island but prefers areas
where ve...more
Cape Town, 9 March 2012. The status of the world’s
seabirds has deteriorated rapidly over recent decades and several species and
many populations are now perilously close to extinction. These are the findings
of a major new review published this week in the scientific journal Bird
Conservation International.
The review—based
on BirdLife...more
Black Grouse were
once widespread across the UK
but have suffered steady declines and range contractions over the past 40
years, with populations falling from an estimated 25,000 displaying males in
1970 to just over 5,000 in 2005.
Surveys across
Black Grouse strongholds of Dumfries and Galloway,
Deeside and Speyside revealed a rise in num...more
The tallest
extinct bird – The Giant Moa - Dinornis giganteus - 3.7 meters or 12
foot.
The Moa were eleven species of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand....more
The largest extinct bird - Dromornis
stirtoni was three metres
or 10 feet tall and weighed half a ton or 500 kilos. It inhabited subtropical
open woodlands in Australia.
Dromornis are part of a family of giant birds
called Dromornithidae that lived from 15 million years ago until less than
30,000 years ago. ...more
The research showed
that the status of Australian birds was declining faster than elsewhere in the
world. According to Dr Judit Szabo the main reason is a rapid decline in
migratory shorebirds coming to Australia
from Asia and ongoing threats to oceanic
seabirds. Other causes of decline in Australian birds have been invasive
species, like r...more
Paul Winter will receive the John James Audubon Center Award
for Art Inspiring Conservation (AIC), just prior to a special public concert by
the Paul Winter Consort, on Saturday, April 21.
His newest project, Flyways, is a musical celebration of the
great bird migration from Africa through the Middle East to Eurasia
interweaving the voices o...more
Five of the six
species of vultures of Africa
are no longer seen in Nigeria.
The hooded Vulture can still be found in parts of the country, but there is a
marked decline in numbers. The only Vultures seen during a recent survey were Vultures
being sold in markets. Live Vultures sell for 20,000 Naira, while a dead one
goes for 7,000 Naira in...more
Europe’s largest
wildlife conservation charity RSPB - BirdLife in the UK - and one of the
globe’s biggest retailers –Tesco - have teamed up to increase awareness of the
deforestation crisis and raise essential funds to support on-the ground
conservation work to tackle the problem. The ground-breaking partnership is
called ‘Together F...more
The Knysna
Turaco - Tauraco corythaix – is an endemic resident in South Africa. It
is found in the mature evergreen forests of southern and eastern South Africa. These
birds are one of the most effective seed spreaders in our evergreen forests.
Description
Within its range,
this is an unmistakable bird, although often inconspicuous in the...more
Matthew Gonshaw, a
serial egg collector, of Bow, London, has become
the first person in England
to receive an Anti-Social Behaviour Order [ASBO] for crimes against nature.
He is not allowed
to visit Scotland or any of
the RSPB and Wildlife
Trust Lands
for the next ten years. He could receive a £20,000 fine and a
five-year jail term for...more
The Dakatcha
Woodland in Kenya
is home to several globally threatened bird species. This beautiful forest would have been destroyed if proposals for
a plantation of the biofuel crop Jatropha were given the green light. After a
long battle the Kenyan government has formally recognised the environmental
damage that would be caused by thi...more
The Ostrich – Struthio camelus – is the world’s heaviest
flightless bird. They usually weigh from 63 to 130 kilograms or between 140 to 290
lbs, with exceptional male Ostriches weighing up to 156.8 kilograms or 346 lbs.
Description
Adult males are
mostly black, with white primaries and a white tail. Females and young males
are gra...more
The Rhinoceros Auklet - Cerorhinca monocerata - is a seabird of
the north pacific and a close relative of Puffins. The nest burrows normally
range in length between 1 to 5 metres....more
The Lammergeier
or Bearded Vulture - Gypaetus barbatus – has a specialized diet of nutritious bone marrow, which makes up 90%
of its diet. They can swallow whole bones up to the size of a lamb's
femur and its powerful digestive system quickly dissolves even large pieces.
The Lammergeier has learned to crack bones too large to be swallowed b...more
The Sharp-beaked Ground Finch - Geospiza difficilis – also known as
the Vampire Finch is endemic to the Galapagos Islands. They have the habit of feeding on
blood of large birds, notably Masked Boobies. They peck the skin of the Booby
with their very sharp beaks until they draw blood. Curiously their feeding does
not appear to harm the Boobie...more
Swifts have the shortest legs. They have four small pointing toes
which enable them to cling to vertical surfaces. They are unable to perch on
twigs or wires.
Swifts are of the family, Apodidae, and are highly aerial birds. They
occur on all the continents, though not in the far north or large deserts, and
on many oceanic islands. Swifts of ...more
The Booted
Eagle - Hieraaetus pennatus - is a small eagle but a medium bird of
prey. South African Booted Eagles avoid woodland and hunt mostly over low scrub
or agricultural crops such as wheat or even vineyards.
Migration
South Africa has two different populations, each with
a different migratory pattern. The one breeds in Eurasia then ...more
The Cape Rock
Thrush - Monticola rupestris - is endemic to Southern
Africa. The distribution coincides with the mountainous regions of
South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. The preferred habitat is
cliffs, rocky valleys, boulder-strewn hillsides with scattered trees, bushes
and succulents.
Description
The male has a
blue-grey head, orange...more
The Amur Falcon - Falco amurensis - is a small raptor that winters in Southern Africa
and breeds in south eastern Siberia and Northern China.
In its winter range, this species inhabits moist grasslands and open areas in
woodland. In Southern Africa, it occurs in
large flocks.
Description
Males are dark
sooty brown with a chestnut vent. The...more
This adult female Amur
Falcon - Falco amurensis - which
I fitted with a 5 g satellite tag (No. 95778) in Newcastle
(South Africa)
in January 2010 has returned to the colony where it was trapped a few days ago
after a long stay in the Kruger NP in January. We have several very good fixes
(LC:2 and 3) for Newcastle.
It can therefore be no do...more
The Zino's
Petrel - Pterodroma Madeira – is endemic to the island of Madeira.
It is Europe's most endangered seabird, restricted to a few ledges high in the
central mountains of Madeira.
Zino's Petrel
nests in burrows which are visited only at night, to the accompaniment of their
haunting calls. The single white egg is incubated by both ...more
Nature Conservation
Egypt (NCE) the BirdLife International Affiliate for Egypt
is aware of the problems with hunting management in Egypt, particularly bird hunting.
They are actively lobbying and advocating about this issue. Read about it – Visit
-
http://www.egyptindependent.com/node/636586
...more
In SABAP 1 published
in 1997, Andre Boshoff wrote: "Although numbers have decreased locally in
many areas, often dramatically, the Martial Eagle is still widespread in
southern Africa ... The conservation status provides cause for concern ... The
main causes [of the decrease] are direct persecution (shooting and trapping) by
small-stock...more
Watch this video,
it shows the illegal killing of protected and critical endangered birds of prey, storks and waterbirds by a group of Maltese hunters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34GPawd-HuO
...more
The oldest Golden
Eagle - Aquila
chrysaetos – was over 32 years and 9 months. It was found dead in Sweden 32 years
9 months after having been ringed.
The Golden
Eagle was once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from
many of the more heavily populated areas. They are still found in Eurasia,
North America and North Africa....more
The Cape Parrot
- Poicephalus robustus – is endemic
to South Africa.
These parrots have a very restricted distributional range. It occurs in
Afromontane forests at moderate altitudes in eastern South Africa from the coastal
escarpment near sea-level to the midlands at around 1000m. These forests occur
as a series of small patches around t...more
The oldest House
Sparrow - Passer domesticus – was older than 19 years 9 months. It
was found dead in Denmark.
The House Sparrow is a chunky
bird, with a large rounded head, a short tail, and a stout bill. Females are usually
smaller than males. They are mostly different shades of grey and brown. Females
and juveniles are mostly buff and ...more
The oldest White
Stork - Ciconia ciconia – was 39 years old, found dead in Switzerland.
The White Stork is a large bird, with long
legs, a long neck, and a long, straight, pointed beak. The sexes are identical in appearance,
except that males are larger than females. The plumage is mainly white with
black flight feathers and wing cov...more
The oldest recordedPink-footed Goose - Anser brachyrhynchus – was 40 years 11
months.
They breed in
eastern Greenland, Iceland
and Svalbard and winter in northwest Europe, Britain,
Netherlands and Denmark.
It is a
medium-sized goose, with a short bill, bright pink in the middle with a black
base and tip, and pink feet. The body is mid g...more
The oldest Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea – was 37 years 6 months found dead in Denmark.
They are found
throughout temperate Europe, Asia and most of Africa.
It has become common in summer even inside the Arctic
Circle and along the Norwegian coast. It is a large bird, which is
largely grey above, and off-white below. Adults have a white hea...more
The oldest the
oldest Manx Shearwater - Puffinus puffinus - recorded in Britain/Ireland
– more than 50 years 11 months.
The Manx
Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) is a medium-sized shearwater and the commonest shearwater in the north
Atlantic and North Sea. They are long-lived. A
Manx Shearwater was as of 2003/2004 the oldest known liv...more
According to the
latest Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS)
report — compiled by the British Trust for
Ornithology (BTO) on behalf of RSPB, JNCC and in association with WWT —around 12.5 million waterbirds spend the
winter months in the UK.
Some of the birds
that come to the UK's
wetlands for a winter holiday have been doing so...more
It is estimated that 100,000 pairs of Swifts will return from Africa to Britain and they will need
somewhere to breed. Many will make their way back to the same nest that they
have used for several years. Some the old nest will no longer be available as
we repair and replace roofs and as a result block the holes, nooks and crannies
that provi...more
The Emperor
Penguin at 540 metre or 1,772 feet.
The Emperor
Penguin - Aptenodytes forsteri - is the tallest and heaviest of all
living penguin species and is endemic to Antarctica.
They have a lifespan of 20 years in the wild.
Description
It has a
streamlined body to minimise drag while swimming, and wings that have become
stiff,...more
The Dromornis
stirtoni of Australia.
Dromornis stirtoni was three metres or 10 feet tall and
weighed half a ton or 500 kilograms. It inhabited subtropical open woodlands in
Australia.
Dromornis are part of a family of giant birds
called Dromornithidae that lived from
15 million years ago until less than 30,000 years ago....more
The smallest
soaring birds are Swifts.
The swifts are a family, Apodidae, and are highly aerial birds. Swifts occur on all the continents,
though not in the far north or large deserts, and on many oceanic islands. Swifts
of temperate regions are strongly migratory and winter in the tropics. In a
single year the common swift can cover at leas...more
The African
Fish Eagle - Haliaeetus vocifer- is a large species of eagle that is
found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. They are
found wherever large bodies of open water occur that have an abundant food
supply. The African Fish Eagle is usually seen in pairs and they evenly share
the kills. It is the national bird of Zambia
and Zimbabwe.
De...more
World
Wetlands Day marks the date
of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention on 2
February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on
the shores of the Caspian Sea. WWD was
celebrated for the first time in 1997 and made an encouraging beginning. Each
year, government agencies, non-governmental organizatio...more
The Common Crane - Grus grus - are
thought to have gone extinct as a breeding bird in the UK around 400
years ago.
In 1979, three of
these migrant birds spent the winter in the Norfolk Broads in the east of the UK. These three
pioneering cranes liked what they found and stayed put, and the population
slowly but steadily grew through immigra...more
The Greater Roadrunner – at 26 mph or
42km/h.
The Greater Roadrunner - Geococcyx
californianus - is a long-legged
bird in the cuckoo family. It is found in south western United States and northern Mexico. They
are found in open arid and semiarid country with scattered brush. It is the
state bird of New Mexico.
Description
Adults have a
...more
The Ostrich lays the largest egg of any living bird in the world.
The Ostrich - Struthio
camelus- is the world's tallest and heaviest bird. They are flightless
birds, found in savanna and arid regions of Africa.
Ostriches are strong runners and can sprint at speeds up to 43 miles (70
kilometers) an hour. Ostriches begin breeding at the age ...more
Eastern Cape
02/02/2012
Amur Falcon -
Falco amurensis – at Oyster Bay
Lesser Black-backed Gull – Larus
fuscus – at Orient Beach, East London.
KZN Province
02/02/2012
Harlequin Quail – Coturnix
delegorguei - at Umzumbe.
Black Heron – Egretta
caerulea – at Umgeni River.
Limpopo
Province
02/02/2012
Senegal
Coucal ...more
Researchers at Dauphin Island Sea
Lab in Alabama, who have been conducting a two
year study focusing on the diets of Tiger Sharks in the Gulf
of Mexico, have made a surprising discovery.
Not only are the sharks feeding
on fish and other marine organisms, they are also feeding on land-based birds,
such as woodpeckers, tanagers, mead...more
The Ostrich – an eye diameter of 5cm or 2in.
The Ostrich - Struthio
camelus- is the world's tallest and heaviest bird. They are flightless
birds, found in savanna and arid regions of Africa.
Ostriches are strong runners and can sprint at speeds up to 43 miles (70 kilometers)
an hour. Ostriches begin breeding at the age of 4 and their lifes...more
Grant Michael
Teahan a farmer from Dannevirk, North
Island, New Zealand
was fined $20,000-00 NZ after a judge found him guilty of two counts of
ill-treating animals.
Ornithologists
believed a previously undiscovered species of hawk had emerged when red-winged
birds of prey were spotted around the North
Island town of Dannevirk.
In fact...more
The Northern
Jacana has the longest toes
relative to body length at 10cm or 4 in.
The Northern
Jacana - Jacana spinosa - is a Mexican and Central American species.
Eight species of Jaçana are known
from six genera. Jacanas are a group
of wetland birds, which are identifiable by their huge feet, which enable them
to walk on floating veget...more
Researchers from
the Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC) have found that the Wandering
Albatross has benefited from climate change.
Climate change is
causing wind patterns to change in the Southern Ocean and as a result the higher
wind speeds enable the Wandering Albatross of the Crozet Islands
to travel more rapidly in search of f...more
Cave Swiftlets and
Oilbirds.
Swiftlets form the Collocaliini tribe within the swift family Apodidae. The group contains around thirty species mostly confined
to southern Asia, south Pacific islands, and northeastern Australia. What
distinguishes Cave Swiftlets - Collocalia linchi - is their
ability to use a simple but effective form of echol...more
The Black-winged
Stilt - Himantopus himantopus – is the bird that has the
longest legs. It is a widely distributed very long-legged wader. In southern Africa it is common across much of the region. It
generally prefers inland and coastal wetlands, such as commercial salt pans,
flooded fields, flood plains, papyrus swamps and sewage works.
...more
The Cape Robin-Chat - Cossypha caffra - is a resident breeder in southern and eastern Africa. It is a common species at forest edges and in
scrub, fynbos, Karoo, plantations, gardens and
parks.
Description
The adult’s
upper-parts are grey, and the face sides in front of and behind the eye are
blackish, separated from the crown by a white ...more
Wrynecks have the longest tongue. It is two-thirds
of its body length excluding the tail. The Wrynecks
- genus Jynx - are a small but
distinctive group of small Old World Woodpeckers. They have large heads, long
tongues which they use to extract their insect prey and have two toes pointing
forward, and two backwards. Zygodactyl feet. Their die...more
The Bee
Hummingbird - Mellisuga helenae - is the smallest living bird at 5.7
cm or 2.24 in and 1.6 g or 0.056 oz. As the smallest bird, it is no larger than
a big insect and as its name suggests, is scarcely larger than a Bee. Only the
Etruscan shrew and the bumblebee bat compete with this species in size.
Description
The male has the
green ...more
European
researchers have found that butterflies and birds are no longer able to keep up
with climate change. According to the findings, birds are more than 200
kilometres behind the shifting climate zone, with butterflies 135 kilometres
behind.
The research — in
which Dutch Butterfly Conservation (De Vlinderstichting), SOVON ...more
Free State Province
26/01/2012
Black Tern – Chlidonias
niger at Loch
Athlone, Bethlehem.
KZN Province
26/01/2012
Rufous-bellied Heron – Ardeola
rufiventris at St. Lucia Estuary.
Limpopo Province
26/01/2012
Red-tailed Tropicbird – Phaethon
rubricauda at Rankin's Pass.
Mpumalanga Province
26/01/20...more
The Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus - is a widespread bird of prey and can be found
nearly everywhere on Earth. The male and female have similar markings, with the
female much larger than the male. The back and the long pointed wings of the
adult are usually bluish black to slate grey and the underparts are barred
white. The bill is black...more
The Andean Condor - Vultur gryphus - is found in the Andes
Mountains, South
America. Condors are vultures and the Andean Condor is mostly
black, but males have a distinctive white "collar" around their necks
and some white markings on their wings as well. The head and neck are a dull
red color, which may change color in resp...more
Large numbers of
waders winter in Myanmar's Gulf of Martaban and local hunters set nets to catch the
waders for food. About half the population of the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed
Sandpiper winter here and it is thought that this trapping is the most likely
cause of the rapid recent declines of this species.
BirdLife Myanmar with the s...more
The Great
Bustard or The Kori
Bustard.
The Great
Bustard - Otis tarda - is the heaviest flying bird in Europe with the heaviest verified specimen - 21 kg or
46lbs. The adult male is brown above and white below, with a long grey neck and
head. The breast and lower neck sides are chestnut. In the breeding season, the
male has long white n...more
The Wandering Albatross - Diomedea exulans, is the bird with the
greatest wingspan of any living bird, averaging from 2.51 to 3.50 m or 8.2 to
11.5 ft. The longest-winged examples verified have been in the region of 3.7 m or 12 ft. They can live for
over 50 years. Wandering Albatrosses spend most of their life in flight,
lan...more
The Red-billed Quelea - Quelea quelea - is the world's most abundant bird species at
up to 10 billion. It is found in most of sub-Saharan Africa,
excluding the tropical rainforests. Their life expectancy is two to three
years.
Description
During breeding
the male is distinguished by its more colorful plumage and red bill. Breeding
pl...more
The Southern
Carmine Bee-eater - Merops nubicoides - occurs across
sub-equatorial Africa and breeds in colonies
on river banks.
The Southern
Carmine Bee-eaters of the Caprivi and South Western Zambia are under threat.
From mid to end August
the birds start breeding on the banks of the Zambezi
in the Caprivi and South Western Zambia. Thes...more
The Rüppell's Vulture - Gyps rueppellii - has been recorded at a
height of 11,274 metres, or 7 miles. The birds have a special protein in their
blood that causes it to be extremely efficient at transferring oxygen to their
muscles. It is a large vulture that occurs throughout the Sahel region of
central Africa. They are found in the more
ar...more
The Common
Swift -Apus apus – is the most aerial of land birds, not landing in
3 years. Common Swifts are migratory and in midsummer they are found in the UK and northern Europe, while they winter much
further south in Southern Africa. These Swifts
have been known to live for as long as 21 years. It can survive bad weather by
entering what...more
The Ostrich - Struthio camelus- is the world's tallest and heaviest bird. They
are flightless birds, found in savanna and arid regions of Africa.
Ostriches are strong runners and can sprint at speeds up to 43 miles (70
kilometers) an hour. Ostriches begin breeding at the age of 4 and their
lifespan is between 30 to 70 years.
Description
Ad...more
The Barn Owl – Tyto alba – has the keenest sense of hearing.
This is the most widely distributed owl and one
of the most widespread of all birds. It is a medium sized
owl, with pale/whitish underparts, pale brown patches in upperparts and a white
shaped facial disc.
Barn Owls can catch and eat
up to 1,000 mice each year. Great ne...more
The Sooty Tern - Onychoprion fuscatus - is a
large tern of the tropical oceans.
The wings and deeply forked tail are long,
and it has dark black upperparts and white underparts. It has black legs and
bill.
The average life span of this tern is 32 years.
The Sooty Tern spends 3 to 10 years without landing....more
The Bar-throated Apalis – Apalis thoracica - inhabits forest and scrub
from South Africa to Kenya. It is
common across much of Zimbabwe,
central Mozambique,
south-eastern Botswana and South Africa, preferring evergreen forest,
valley bushveld, woodland along drainage lines in the Karoo
and scrub around sand dunes.
Description
The upperp...more
The Welsh Records
Panel has confirmed a total of 136 rare sightings which include two
species never previously recorded here. The previous high was 109 birds in 2008.
The two are Iberian
Chiffchaff and Marmora’s Warbler.
Iberian Chiffchaff
The Iberian
Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus ibericus - is brighter, greener on the
rump, and y...more
The Western Meadowlark - Sturnella
neglecta - are permanent residents throughout much of their range. Northern
birds may migrate to the southern parts of their range; some birds also move
east in the southern United
States. The habitat is grasslands, prairies,
pastures, and abandoned fields, all of which may be found from across western
a...more
The American Robin - Turdus
migratorius - is widely distributed throughout North
America. This bird is considered a symbol of spring. These Robins
occasionally overwinter in the northern part of the United
States and southern Canada. Most however migrate to
winter south of Canada from Florida, the Gulf
Coast to central Mexico and the
Wes...more
Rare bird sightings -
California
15/01/2012
The Falcated
Duck - Anas falcate – Salton
Sea, California
The Eurasian
Wigeon - Anas penelope - Salton
Sea, California.
...more
The Swee
Waxbill - Estrilda melanotis – is a Southern African Endemic. It is a common and tame bird
typically seen in small parties, and does not form large flocks. It generally
prefers edges of montane and coastal forest, wooded valleys in fynbos, bushy
hillsides, grassy clearings in woodland, plantations and gardens.
Description
It has ...more
The Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis
cardinalis - is found in southern Canada,
through the eastern United States
from Maine to Texas
and south through Mexico.
It is found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps.
Description
The male is slightly larger than
the female. The male is a brilliant crimson red with a black face mask over the...more
The new Helm-published field
guide, Birds of Senegal and The Gambia by Nik Borrow & Ron
Demey is a professional, modern publication with an excellent design and layout
that will inevitably make it the new 'essential' for any birdwatcher planning a
visit to the region. ...more
The American
Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis - also known as the Eastern
Goldfinch and Wild Canary, is migratory, ranging from Canada to Mexico. This bird prefers open country
where weeds thrive as well as open deciduous and riparian woodlands.
Description
The American
Goldfinch is a small finch. The male is a vibrant yellow in the summer a...more
To see the
Spanish Sparrow in the UK
is very exciting and it is generating a lot of interest.
It has been 12
years since the last sighting and only the 8th sighting ever recorded.
This new sighting
was first seen in December 2011 in Calshot, Hampshire. The discovery has caused
a huge stir among birdwatchers and as many as 2,000 are expecte...more
Over an 11-month
study period during 2009 and 2010, Environmental Protection in the Caribbean’s,
[EPIC’s] partners Katharine and David
Lowrie, sailed 3,162 nautical miles, surveying by land and/or sea 200
islands capable of supporting seabirds, with each island surveyed in the winter
breeding season and again during the summer. Visiting ...more
The Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis
cardinalis - is found in southern Canada,
through the eastern United States
from Maine to Texas
and south through Mexico.
It is found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps.
Description
The male is slightly larger than
the female. The male is a brilliant crimson red with a black face mask over the...more
The Hermit
Thrush -Catharus guttatus - is a medium-sized thrush in North America. They live in a wide variety of habitats,
ranging from boreal forests of the far north to deciduous woods and mountain
forests and often occupy lower-elevation forests with dense understory and
berry bushes. It is the state bird of Vermont.
Description
The Hermit...more
The California
Gull Larus californicus is a medium-sized gull and is the state bird
of Utah. The habitat
is lakes and marshes in the interior of western North
America. They are migratory, most moving to the Pacific coast in
winter. It is only then that this bird is regularly found in western California.
Description
The California
Gull ha...more
According
to Rina Pretorius, Migrating Kestrel Coordinator.
“Thousands of Amur Falcons are currently at
the Newcastle
roost”.
“The
Amur Falcons fitted with Satellite transmitters during Jan 2010, in Newcastle. One
of the Adult Females is in the Kruger
National Park. This
female successfully crossed the Indian Ocean
for the...more
The Northern Mockingbird -Mimus
polyglottos - is the only mockingbird commonly found in North
America. This bird is mainly a permanent resident, but northern
birds may move south during harsh weather. The bird is the state bird of Mississippi.
Mockingbirds have a strong preference for certain trees such as maple, sweetgum
and sycamore.
De...more
The African Paradise
Flycatcher - Terpsiphone viridis - is a common resident breeder in
Africa south of the Sahara
Desert. It occurs across
sub-Saharan Africa, absent only from very arid
areas. In southern Africa, it is common from Zimbabwe,
Mozambique and Botswana to large areas of South Africa. This
species is usually found in open fore...more
The Northern Mockingbird -Mimus
polyglottos - is the only mockingbird commonly found in North
America. This bird is mainly a permanent resident, but northern
birds may move south during harsh weather. The bird is the state bird of Mississippi. Mockingbirds
have a strong preference for certain trees such as maple, sweetgum and
sycamore.
De...more
TheRing-necked
Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus - is native to Georgia
and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In most parts of the
world it can be considered semi-domesticated. It is the state bird of South Dakota.
Description
The adult male
has a red bare face, iridescent green head with lighter tufts above and behind
eyes...more
The Agriculture
Department [USDA] admitted on Thursday that it did have a hand in the recent mass
killing of starlings. The birds were poisoned in Nebraska to help farmers who had complained
about starling flocks defecating into livestock feed troughs. The birds dropped
dead en masse after migrating north.
The USDA's
Wildlife Services Progr...more
The BTO are
running a survey in an attempt to find out how common are plumage aberrations,
which species are affected, which aberrations are commonest, and if these
aberrations are commoner in some areas than in others.
Survey forms at:
- http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/plumagesurvey...more
The Carolina
Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus - is a common species of wren,
resident in the eastern half of the US,
the extreme southern Ontario and Northeast Mexico. These birds are generally permanent
residents throughout their range and defend territory year round.
Description
It is second
largest Wren in North America. The upperparts
...more
The Seychelles Warbler - Acrocephalus schellensis - has come
a long way from the days it neared extinction in the 1960s. The total world
population of 26 was found only on Cousin
Island, Seychelles.
Today this population numbers over 300 birds. From Cousin
Island, BirdLife International and
Nature Seychelles started
new populations, in...more
The Pectoral Sandpiper, Calidris
melanotos, is a small wader. It is a very long-distance migrant,
breeding in the tundra. The American and most of the Asian bird’s winter in South America, but some Asian breeders winter
in southern Australia and New Zealand. On
migration and in winter, the Pectoral Sandpiper is typically found at fres...more
The Rhode Island Red –
Gallus gallus domesticus - is
a breed of chicken. Non-industrial strains of the Rhode Island Red are listed
as recovering by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Three vital
variations appeared to have had the largest impact around the Rhode Island Red:
Asiatics, Game, and Mediterranean. The
Rhode Island...more
The Ruffed Grouse - Bonasa
umbellus - is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests in the northern
regions of North America. They are one of 18
species of grouse. It’s habitat is Aspen
woodlands and early succession mixed deciduous forests, with small clearings.
It is non-migratory. The Ruffed Grouse is the Pennsylvania
State Bird.
Desc...more
The Wedge-tailed Shearwater – Puffinus pacificus - which nests in the
remote coastal dunes on the now-fenced Kaʻena
Point at the northwestern tip of O’ahu, has produced the highest number of
chicks since the annual survey began in 1994.
“This is
extraordinary news. It has been only eight months since the predator-proof
fence was ...more
American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Golden Gate Audubon hailed the signing into law of new Standards
for Bird Safe Buildings by San Francisco Mayor
Edwin Lee. The signing follows the unanimous approval of the bill by the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors last month.
The Standards
will greatly reduce bird deaths and injuries resulting from c...more
The Western
Meadowlark - Sturnella neglecta - are permanent residents throughout
much of their range. Northern birds may migrate to the southern parts of their
range; some birds also move east in the southern United States. The habitat is
grasslands, prairies, pastures, and abandoned fields, all of which may be found
from across western and ...more
Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata undulata
is protected by the Tunisian law and several international conventions to which
Tunisia
is signatory. This did not prevent the near-extermination of the Tunisian
population of Houbara Bustard by poaching of the emirs of the gulf states and which was authorised during
more than 20 years by th...more
In an historic
and collaborative effort to save the Critically Endangered
species from extinction, 24 Nihoa
Millerbirds were released on Laysan Island.Millerbirds have been absent from
Laysan for nearly 100 years. The birds were captured on Nihoa, then transported
for 3 days and then released on Laysen
Island. All of the
radio-tagge...more
The Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher - Tyrannus forficatus - also known as the Texas
bird-of-paradise and the swallow-tailed flycatcher is a long-tailed insectivorous
bird. The scissor-tailed flycatcher is found in North and Central
America. It is the state bird of Oklahoma. They form large pre-migratory
roosts in late summer, with up to 1,000 bir...more
Cape Gannet
The Cape Gannet - Morus capensis - originally Sula capensis, is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae.
Description
They are easily identified by their large size, black and white plumage. The pale blue bill is pointed with fine serrations near the tip. They have a distinctive golden crown and nape, which gradually b...more
Since 2004, SAVE Brasil (BirdLife in Brazil)
has been working to conserve the last remaining forests in the Sierra do Urubu in
the municipality of Lagoa dos Gatos, Pernambuco state, northeastern Brazil. It is
IBA BR074 and is home to a rich and unique biodiversity, including two of the
world’s most threatened birds - Alagoas Foliage-gleaner...more
The Northern
Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis - is found in southern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine
to Texas and south through Mexico. It is
found in woodlands, gardens, shrub lands, and swamps. It is the Ohio State
Bird.
Description
The male is slightly larger than
the female. The male is a brilliant crimson red with a...more
The Western Meadowlark - Sturnella
neglecta - are permanent residents throughout much of their range. Northern
birds may migrate to the southern parts of their range; some birds also move
east in the southern United
States. The habitat is grasslands, prairies,
pastures, and abandoned fields, all of which may be found from across western
and...more
The Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis
cardinalis - is found in southern Canada,
through the eastern United States
from Maine to Texas
and south through Mexico.
It is found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps.
Description
The male is slightly larger than
the female. The male is a brilliant crimson red with a black face mask over the
...more
The Haribon Foundation, with the
support of the Disney’s Friends
for Change has produced a 6-minute video aimed at children on
deforestation and its impacts, and what Haribon is doing to tackle the problem
and restore degraded forests as part of BirdLife’s Forests of Hope programme.
For several years, Haribon has
been implementing a con...more
La Digue Island
is the stronghold of the Critically Endangered Seychelles Paradise-flycatcher - Terpsiphone corvine.
According to “Le
Seychelles Hebdo” a local newspaper, the owner and contractor of land on La
Dique have been illegally felling and cropping of several native tree species
used by the Seychelles
Paradise-flycatcher.
The S...more
The Eastern Bluebird, Sialia
sialis, is a small thrush found in open woodlands, farmlands and orchards,
and most recently can be spotted in suburban areas. It is the state bird of New York. They are found
east of the Rockies, southern Canada
to the Gulf States and southeastern Arizona to Nicaragua.
Description
The Eastern Bluebird is a smal...more
The Greater
Roadrunner - Geococcyx californianus - is a long-legged bird in the Cuculidae family. This roadrunner is also
known as the chaparral cock, ground cuckoo, and snake killer. The name
roadrunner comes from the bird's habit of racing down roads in front of moving
vehicles and then darting to safety in the brush. It is foun...more
The American
Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis - also known as the Eastern
Goldfinch and Wild Canary, is migratory, ranging from Canada to Mexico. This bird prefers open
country where weeds thrive as well as open deciduous and riparian woodlands.
Description
The American
Goldfinch is a small finch. The male is a vibrant yellow in the summer and...more
The Purple
Finch - Carpodacus purpureus – its habitat is coniferous and mixed
forest. On the U.S. Pacific coast it is varies wooded areas. Birds from
northern Canada migrate to
the southern United States
for the winter, while other birds are permanent residents. This is the state
bird of New Hampshire.
Description
A rather chunky finch
...more
The Common
Waxbill - Estrilda astrild - is native to sub Saharan Africa. It has
been introduced to many parts of the world. Common Waxbills inhabit open
country with long grass and rank vegetation. They are often found near water in
marshes and among reeds... They can become tame and will enter gardens, parks
and farmland.
Description
It is ...more
For the fifth
year in succession, cattle ranchers and representatives of the conservation
community in the Southern Cone of South America gathered to discuss the
conservation of natural grasslands.
The mood and the results of the
meeting were extremely positive. Over
300 people attended, including old friends who met again to discuss
the c...more
The 13 Spoon-billed
Sandpipers - Eurynorhynchus pygmeus - from far eastern Russia
have been moved out of quarantine into purpose-built quarters at the Wildfowl
& Wetlands Trust in Gloucestershire. These Spoon-billed Sandpipers will
form the basis of a breeding population providing a safety net against
extinction should the wild populatio...more
The Mountain Bluebird - Sialia
currucoides – is migratory, from Mexico
in the winter to as far north as Alaska.
Northern birds migrate to the southern parts of the range. Southern birds are
often permanent residents. Some birds may move to lower elevations in winter.
They inhabit open rangelands, meadows, generally at elevations above 5,00...more
The BirdLife Africa
Partnership is a network of 23 indigenous conservation NGOs working together
for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development across the African
continent. During the past twenty years, the BirdLife Africa Partnership has
carried out scientific research, developed strategic conservation plans,
advocated for their...more
What our Client's say.
Thanks very much for the great
days birding at Strandfontein, Rondevlei and Kirstenbosch. It really was very
good to meet you,
and you have managed to teach me so much about birding - some of it
may have actually stuck! I've passed on your contact details and web page to
Karen O'Dwyer from Back Track Travel in Austra...more
The Western Meadowlark - Sturnella
neglecta - are permanent residents throughout much of their range. Northern
birds may migrate to the southern parts of their range; some birds also move
east in the southern United
States. The habitat is grasslands, prairies,
pastures, and abandoned fields, all of which may be found from across western
a...more
Maltese customs
confiscated five protected birds from three Maltese individuals arriving on a
flight from Scotland. The protected birds were two Common Buzzards,
two Oystercatchers and a Shelduck.
They
were found hidden inside the carcasses of legal game species. All three species
are protected under UK,
Maltese and EU law. The thre...more
The Western Meadowlark - Sturnella
neglecta - are permanent residents throughout much of their range. Northern
birds may migrate to the southern parts of their range; some birds also move
east in the southern United
States. The habitat is grasslands, prairies,
pastures, and abandoned fields, all of which may be found from across western
a...more
The last two
months have brought some good news, most of more than 400 birds – mostly Little
Penguins and endangered New Zealand Dotterels – had been released back into the
wild. The bird’s home beaches have been cleared of lingering oil pollution.
The New
Zealand Dotterel, Red-breasted Plover, or New Zealand Plover
- Charadrius obscuru...more
The Eastern
Bluebird, Sialia sialis, is a small thrush found in open woodlands,
farmlands and orchards, and most recently can be spotted in suburban areas. It
is the state bird of Missouri.
They are found east of the Rockies, southern Canada
to the Gulf States and southeastern Arizona to Nicaragua.
Description
The Eastern
Bluebird is a sm...more
Saving the Endangered
Endemic Henderson Petrel - Pterodroma atrata
Henderson Island,
one of the UK’s
most remote territories and a World Heritage Site, has been ravaged by Pacific
Rats. The rats were significantly damaging the populations of bird species,
rare plants, insects and snails all found nowhere else on earth. There
were m...more
The Northern Mockingbird -Mimus
polyglottos - is the only mockingbird commonly found in North
America. This bird is mainly a permanent resident, but northern
birds may move south during harsh weather. The bird is the state bird of Mississippi . Mockingbirds
have a strong preference for certain trees such as maple, sweetgum and
sycamore.
D...more
The Great
Northern Loon, Great Northern Diver, or Common Loon - Gavia
immer - is a large member of the Loon, or diver family. The species is
known as the Common Loon in North America and the Great Northern Diver in Eurasia; its current name is a compromise proposed by the
International Ornithological Committee. They breed in Canada, parts of ...more
What our Client's have to say.
Thanks very much
for the great days birding at Strandfontein, Rondevlei and Kirstenbosch. It
really was very good to meet you,
and you have managed to teach me so much about birding - some of it
may have actually stuck! I've passed on your contact details and web page to
Karen O'Dwyer from Back Track Travel i...more
The breeding population of the Barn Owl - Tyto alba -
increased from approximately 100 pairs thirty years ago to about 3000 pairs
today. This fantastic achievement is largely due to the efforts of the Barn
Owl Protection Foundation and themany volunteers in
cooperation with farmers and citizens in the Netherlands.
According to the
mission o...more
The Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs - is widespread and very
familiar throughout Europe. It is the most
common finch in Western Europe, and the second most common bird in the Britain.
Its range extends into western Asia, northwestern Africa.
It was introduced from Britain
into a number of its overseas territories in the 18th and 19th centuries...more
The American Robin - Turdus migratorius - is widely distributed
throughout North America. This bird is
considered a symbol of spring. These Robins occasionally overwinter in the
northern part of the United States
and southern Canada.
Most however migrate to winter south of Canada
from Florida, the Gulf
Coast to central Mexico and the
West...more
The Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile
atricapillus - is a small, North American bird in the tit family. It is the
state bird of Massachusetts.
The black-capped chickadee is found from coast to coast, from the northern half
of the United States in the
south, to James Bay, the southern edge of the Northwest
Territories and the Yukon, an...more
The White Collared Kingfisher - Todiramphus chloris kalbaensis –
is a small kingfisher with a population of 55 pairs or less. These are almost
entirely restricted to Khor Kalba in the UAE and two small sites in Oman. They live
in the mangrove forests at these three sites. If the mangroves vanish so does
this beautiful kingfisher which is co...more
The Hen
Harrier - Circus cyaneus - or Northern Harrier – in North America. In the UK, the Hen Harrier suffers illegal
persecution by gamekeepers and their employers on shooting estates,
particularly those managed for Red Grouse shooting, resulting in local and
regional extinction in many areas.
In a 2011 joint
survey of the English upland...more
The Baltimore Oriole
- Icterus galbula – is Maryland's
official state bird. Its preferred habitat is open woodland,
forest edge, river banks, and small groves of trees. These birds have adapted
well to human settlement and often feed and nest in parks, orchards, and
backyards.
Description
Adults have a
pointed bill and white bars on the...more
Birds Australia has been protecting Australia’s
birds since 1901. A few years later, a splinter group, known as the Bird
Observers Club of Australia (BOCA), was formed to cater for the needs of
recreational bird watching rather than scientific ornithological study. In 2010
a merger of these organizations was re-examined and it became clear ...more
The Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile
atricapillus - is a small, North American bird in the tit family. It is the
state bird of Maine.
The black-capped chickadee is found from coast to coast, from the northern half
of the United States in the
south, to James Bay, the southern edge of the Northwest
Territories and the Yukon, and
the souther...more
The Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis - is found along
the ocean shores and on only a few inland lakes in the southwestern U.S. It is the
only dark pelican, and also the only one that plunges from the air into the
water to catch its food. Groups of Brown Pelicans often travel in single file,
flying low over the water's surface.
Descriptio...more
The UN climate
change talks in Durban, South Africa took one step closer
to a legally binding deal, agreeing to establish the Durban Platform for
Enhanced Action to negotiate a new global agreement by 2015. This new global
agreement would have legal force and require all countries, developed and
developing [particularly fast-growing major emit...more
The EU Court of
Auditors published a report damning costly failures to eliminate overfishing in
Europe last Monday.
The report found
that the multi-billion euro European Fisheries Fund designed to balance fishing
activities at sustainable levels is actually doing the reverse. Loopholes mean
that fleet owners are receiving subsidies to incre...more
The Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis
cardinalis - is found in southern Canada,
through the eastern United States
from Maine to Texas
and south through Mexico.
It is found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps.
Description
The male is slightly larger than
the female. The male is a brilliant crimson red with a black face mask over the...more
The Western Meadowlark - Sturnella
neglecta - are permanent residents throughout much of their range. Northern
birds may migrate to the southern parts of their range; some birds also move
east in the southern United
States. The habitat is grasslands, prairies,
pastures, and abandoned fields, all of which may be found from across west...more
The American
Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis - is migratory, ranging from Alberta to North Carolina
during the breeding season and from just south of the Canadian border to Mexico during
the winter. It is gregarious during the non-breeding season, when it is often
found in large flocks. This bird prefers open country where weeds thrive.
Descri...more
The Speckled Pigeon - Columba guinea - is a resident
breeding bird in much of Sub Saharan Africa. It is a common and widespread
species in open habitats over a good deal of its range. This bird occurs from Senegal to Ethiopia
south to Tanzania, with a
separate population in south-western Angola
and southern Africa. The Speckled Pigeon is
fr...more
The Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis
cardinalis - is found in southern Canada,
through the eastern United States
from Maine to Texas
and south through Mexico.
It is found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps.
Description
The male is slightly larger than
the female. The male is a brilliant crimson red with a black face mask over the...more
The Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis
cardinalis - is found in southern Canada,
through the eastern United States
from Maine to Texas
and south through Mexico.
It is found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps.
Description
The male is slightly larger than
the female. The male is a brilliant crimson red with a black face mask over the...more
For the last
three years, Purple Sandpipers – Calidris maritime - have been colour-ringed at two different
locations on Spitsbergen, an Arctic Ocean island north of Norway lying at
a latitude of 78°N. The team is very interested in hearing from birders in the UK and other countries in Western
Europe who might be lucky enough to come acros...more
The
6th Festival will take place from March 25th-April 1st 2012
Organized
by the Israel Ornithological
Center of the SPNI, the spring
migration festival brings together birders from the world over for an
unforgettable week during the peak of spring migration in southern Israel.
Visitors are free to choose from several free guided daily tou...more
The
Hula Valley International Bird Festival is part of 5 weeks of International
Birding events in the Galilee. The Hula Valley
Festival is a one week event that offers something for everyone - Birding
tours, Photography seminars, a large scale scientific conference and much more.
The Hula Valley,
Northern Israel is one of the most important...more
The Mountain
Bluebird - Sialia currucoides – is migratory, from Mexico in the winter to as far north as Alaska. Northern birds
migrate to the southern parts of the range. Southern birds are often permanent
residents. Some birds may move to lower elevations in winter. They inhabit open
rangelands, meadows, generally at elevations above 5,000...more
Officials say the falcons were
brought from Qatar
by a member of its royal family without proper documentation.
Members of Gulf royal families
routinely bring in such falcons for hunting birds and other animals in Pakistan, with
government sanction.
Wildlife officials say that some
of the birds they hunt are endangered. Among them is the E...more
Spanish King, Juan Carlos, presented the Fondena Award to SEO/ Birdlife.
The Fondena Award is presented every two years for important nature conservation work in Spain. The award is endowed with 40 000 euros.
...more
The Red-faced Mousebird - Urocolius indicts - Occurs from southern Angola, Zambia and Malawi to southern Africa, where it is common in non-arid areas. It generally prefers Acacia savanna and thickets, gardens, woodland with nearby rivers, strandveld, gardens and orchards. This is a social bird outside the breeding season, feeding together in small ...more
KARACHI -
At least 25 special permits have been issued to dignitaries belonging to the Arabian peninsula allowing them to hunt the internationally protected houbara bustard during the hunting season 2011-2012
Sources said almost half of the 25 permits — 12 to be precise — have been issued to men from the United Arab Emirates.
Hunt...more
Goats and rats have been removed from two Fijian islands in a joint
operation conducted by BirdLife International’s Fiji Programme and the National
Trust of Fiji aimed at protecting unique wildlife on Monuriki and Kadomo. “This
is a massive achievement which will provide benefits for the iguanas, birds,
plants and people of these islands...more
The Nene - Branta sandvicensis - is a species
endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It is the
State of Hawaii.
The Nene is only found in the wild on the islands of Hawaii,
Maui and Kaua. The Nene is an inhabitant of
shrubland, grasslands and coastal dunes.
Description
Adult males have a black head and hindneck, buff cheeks and
heavily furrowe...more
The Brown
Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum - is a bird in the Mimidae family, a
group that also includes the New World catbirds
and mockingbirds. Its breeding range includes the US
and Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. It is a partial migrant, with northern
birds wintering in the southern US, where it occurs throughout the year. It is
found in ...more
Cogradulations to all at BirdLife.
The 10th Meeting of the
Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention on the Conservation of
Migratory Species (CMS) made a number of decisions that should lead to
significant improvements in the conservation status of the world’s migratory
birds.
As well as agreeing a new policy
framework for ...more
The Northern Mockingbird -Mimus polyglottos - is the only mockingbird commonly found in North America. This bird is mainly a permanent resident,
but northern birds may move south during harsh weather. The bird is the state
bird of Arkansas.Mockingbirds have a strong preference for certain trees such as maple,
sweetgum and sycamore.
Descripti...more
The Wood Thrush - Hylocichla mustelina - is widely distributed across North America,
wintering in Central America and Southern Mexico.
It is the official bird of the District
of Columbia. It is solitary, but sometimes forms
mixed-species flocks. The Wood Thrush defends a territory that ranges in size
from 800 to 28000 square meters
Descri...more
Delegates at the
Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on the Conservation of
Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), in Bergen, Norway
are poised to adopt new guidelines on how to avoid birds being killed by power
line collisions and electrocutions.
The Guidelines on
How to Avoid or Mitigate the Impact of Electricity Power Gri...more
The American Robin - Turdus migratorius -
is widely distributed throughout North America.
This bird is considered a symbol of spring. These Robins occasionally
overwinter in the northern part of the United
States and southern Canada. Most however migrate to
winter south of Canada from Florida, the Gulf
Coast to central Mexico and the
West...more
The Lark
Bunting - Calamospiza melanocorys -
is a medium-sized sparrow and is the state bird of Colorado. Flocks of these birds migrate to
southern Texas and Mexico.
Description
The adult
breeding male has mostly black plumage, with striking white patch on the wing. Non-breeding
males have black elements of plumage replaced by streaked gra...more
Robben Island, has a list of 164 bird species. It is an
Important Bird Area because it provides breeding habitat for several threatened
marine and coastal species.
It was declared a cultural World Heritage
Site in 1999, and an Important Birding Area.
Robben Island is the only site to see Chukar
Partridge - Alectoris chukar – a f...more
The Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica - is the 2011 Bird of the Year and the most widespread species of swallow in the world.
It visits South Africa
during our summer. According to the latest research SABAP 2, populations look
stable and are possibly increasing. Great News.
These beautiful swallows can be
seen on the following Aves Birding Tour...more
The California Quail - Callipepla californica - is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New
World Quail Family. It is a highly sociable bird that often gathers coveys. They
were originally found mainly in the southwestern United States. They have been
introduced into British Columbia, Chile, New Zealand
and Australia.
Description
They are pl...more
The Red-winged
Starling - Onychognathus morio - is endemic to eastern Africa, from Ethiopia to the Western Cape,
South Africa.
This species has a wide habitat tolerance. It generally prefers rocky outcrops
and gorges in highland grasslands, occasionally visiting forests for fruit.It is now common in many urban
areas, due to the similarity be...more
New figures compiled by RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural
Heritage reveal that in 2011 there are 186 breeding pairs of Red Kite in Scotland, a
rise of 22 on the previous year. During this year's breeding season, a record
314 young fledged, the highest since reintroductions began in Scotland in 1989.
It is now estimated that, following reintrod...more
Populations of long-distance migratory landbirds are
declining so rapidly in the African-Eurasian flyway that a delegation of 20
staff from around the BirdLife International Partnership will be lobbying this
week for their plight to be addressed at a meeting focused on conserving the
world's migratory species. The decline of these birds is so...more
The Northern
Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos - is the only mockingbird commonly
found in North America. This bird is mainly a
permanent resident, but northern birds may move south during harsh weather. The
bird is the state bird of Arkansas. Mockingbirds have a strong preference
for certain trees such as maple, sweetgum and sycamore.
Descr...more
The State of the UK’s Birds 2011 report provides the results of
bird surveys, monitoring schemes and projects from across the UK. The latest wintering
population figures on wetland birds shows that several species have exceeded
previous maxima, while others have dramatically fallen to an all-time low. Overall,
numbers of wintering waterbird...more
The Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2012 begins with
a general roundup of 2011's biggest ornithological headlines; although these
may be old news to some it is remarkably up-to-date (including the Slimbridge Spoon-billed Sandpiper project and migrant Common Cuckoo tracking amongst
others) and, in the future, will inevitably serve as an excellent remind...more
The Cactus
Wren - Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus - is a species of wren that
is native to the southwestern US and central Mexico. It is a bird of arid
regions and almost all water is obtained from the food it eats. Cactus wrens can live to be 7-10 years old.
Description
The adult has
brown or gray-brown upperparts overall, with dark barrin...more
The Willow
Ptarmigan - Lagopus lagopus - is a member of the Grouse family. It
is the State Bird of Alaska. They can be found in the tundra and in thickets
with alder and willow trees. They are found in open forests and shrub meadows
high in the mountains where the temperature is colder.
Description
In summer male's
plumage is marbled...more
The Northern
Flicker - Colaptes auratus - is a medium-sized member of the
woodpecker family. It one of the few woodpecker species that migrates. They can
be found in open habitats near trees, including woodlands, yards, and parks.
Description
Adults are brown
with black bars on the back and wings. A black patch on the upper breast, with
th...more
The Snow Goose
- Chen caerulescens - also known as the Blue Goose, or the Lesser Snow Goose is a North American
species of goose.
Description
It has two color
plumage morphs, white or gray/blue. White-morph birds are white except for
black wing tips, but blue-morph geese have bluish-grey plumage replacing the
white except on the head, nec...more
Scientists at Bird Studies Canada (BSC) recently published a seminal paper in the open-access
journal PLoS ONE entitled Landscape Movements of Migratory Birds and Bats
Reveal an Expanded Scale of Stopover.
The spatial scale
of movements made by nocturnal migrants during stopover was assessed using a
sophisticated radio-telemetry system and ...more
A delegation of 20 staff from around the BirdLife Partnership, including
representatives of Partners in Africa, the Americas, Central Asia and Western
Europe, is attending the 10th conference of Parties to the Convention on
Migratory Species (CMS) in Bergen, Norway. Their urgent mission is to seek
endorsement for a number of resolutions.
One...more
The first draft resolution seeks to improve the conservation status
of African-Eurasian migratory land birds (mostly passerines), which are
probably declining faster than any other suite of birds in the region,
and are a priority for conservation attention. Among these species are
five that are already listed as Endangered or Vulnerable by Bird...more
The Hadeda Ibis - Bostrychia hagedash, is found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
It is found
throughout open grassland, savanna and wetlands as well as urban parks, school
fields, green corridors and large gardens.
Description
It is a large dark
brown Ibis with a white "moustache", glossy greenish purple wings, a
large black bill with a r...more
The Hadeda Ibis - Bostrychia hagedash, is found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
It is found
throughout open grassland, savanna and wetlands as well as urban parks, school
fields, green corridors and large gardens.
Description
It is a large dark
brown Ibis with a white "moustache", glossy greenish purple wings, a
large black bill with a red...more
Thirteen
Spoon-billed Sandpipers have arrived in the UK
bound for Slimbridge WWT in Gloucestershire, from their breeding grounds in
far-eastern Russia.This is the start of a
conservation breeding programme intended to help prevent the extinction of the
Spoon-billed Sandpiper one of the rarest birds in the world.
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper -...more
Ohio State Bird is the Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis.
The male is a brilliant crimson red with a black face mask over the
eyes, extending to the upper chest. The color is dullest on the back and
wings. The female is fawn, with mostly grayish-brown tones and a slight reddish tint on the wings, the crest, and the tail feathers...more
The biodiversity
of Madagascar
is legendary. Many animal and plant groups are exceptionally rich in species,
and in natural forest areas the great majority of all animals and plants are
endemic – found only in Madagascar,
and often only in a specific small part of Madagascar. This extraordinary
biodiversity is also well known to be ...more
Barn Swallows – Hirundo rustica- is the most
widespread species of swallow in the world. Adults migrate long distances to
their wintering grounds. An abundant summer visitor to Southern
Africa. Adults may live to10 years. Its preferred habitat is open
country with low vegetation, such as pasture, meadows and farmland, preferably
with near...more
The barbaric act
of putting baits laced with deadly poisons out into the countryside to kill
wildlife was outlawed a century ago. Yet despite this, a new report published
today by the RSPB shows that this practice remains a major problem for the UK's birds of
prey.
The list of
chemicals used illegally to poison birds of prey includes a host...more
The barbaric act
of putting baits laced with deadly poisons out into the countryside to kill
wildlife was outlawed a century ago. Yet despite this, a new report published
today by the RSPB shows that this practice remains a major problem for the UK's birds of
prey.
The list of
chemicals used illegally to poison birds of prey includes a host...more
The Southern White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped
rhinoceros - Ceratotherium simum - is
one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist. It has a wide mouth
used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species. White
Rhinoceroses are found in grassland and savannah habitat.
Description
It is the world's
largest land mammal afte...more
Barn Swallows – Hirundo
rustica- is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. Adults
migrate long distances to their wintering grounds. An abundant summer visitor
to Southern Africa. Adults may live to10 years.
Its preferred habitat is open country with low vegetation, such as pasture,
meadows and farmland, preferably with nearb...more
In one of the
Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation and Resource Area’s most important
developments, the government of Mozambique
on 14 June 2011 approved the declaration of the Futi Corridor as a protected
area. This joins Tembe
Elephant Park
and Maputo Special Reserve.
Globally it is
one of the most striking areas of biodiversity. One o...more
Southern African Peace Parks
The
establishment and development of peace parks is a dynamic, exciting and
multi-faceted approach to jointly manage natural resources across political
boundaries. It is an exemplary process of partnerships between governments and
the private sector - an African success story that will ensure peace,
prosperity a...more
The Sociable Weaver - Philetairus socius - is endemic to Southern
Africa. The species ranges across northwestern South Africa, southwest Botswana and extending northwards across Namibia. They
have a black chin, black barred flanks and a scalloped back. The sexes are
indistinguishable.
Food
It mainly eats
seeds, supplemented with termites...more
The Arctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea - has a worldwide, circumpolar breeding
distribution which is continuous and there are no recognized subspecies. Arctic
Terns are long-lived birds, with many reaching thirty years of age.
Migration
The Arctic Tern
is famous for its migration. It flies from its Arctic breeding grounds to the
Antarctic and b...more
The world's
biggest wildlife Reserve straddles five
countries – Angola, Botswana, Namibia,
Zambia and Zimbabwe. Kaza is the world's biggest wildlife park. It is 15 times the size
of the Serengeti yet few people working outside environmental circles will have
heard of the Kavango - Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, or Kaza for short....more
The Southern Masked Weaver
- Ploceus velatus - is a resident breeding species common throughout Southern Africa. It is found in a wide range of habitats,
including scrubland, savanna, grassland, open woodland, inland wetlands and
semi-desert areas. It also occurs in suburban gardens and parks.
Plumage
The adult male in breeding
plumage has ...more
African Pied Wagtail - Motacilla
aguimp - was sighted on Monday
afternoon at Buffels
Bay, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape,
South Africa.
It occurs across much of sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal
to Sudan south to around Port Elizabeth in South Africa.
Its natural
habitats are subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland
...more
The biggest
population declines were in the Northern Isles, with reserves in Orkney showing
significant drops in populations of sensitive species such as Arctic Terns and Kittiwakes. A full colony count at Marwick Head reserve on the
Orkney mainland showed a staggering 53%
decline in the total number of seabirds present since the last full ce...more
Edwards's Pheasant - Lophura
edwardsi - is endemic to the rainforests of Vietnam. It has red legs and facial
skin. The male is mainly blue-black with a white crest, and the female is a
drab brown bird.
The alarm call is
a puk-puk-puk.
Edwards's
Pheasant was first described in 1896 and remained virtually unknown until the
1920s. Although ...more
The Bittern – Botaurus stellaris – or Eurasian
Bittern is a thickset heron with yellowish-brown plumage on upperparts,
golden patches mottled and streaked black. It has on broad, rounded, bowed
wings with reddish-orange primaries. Underparts are paler, with vertical dark
streaks. Breast, belly and flanks are heavily streaked with reddish-...more
The Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus - is a large bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird of the United States of America. Its range
includes most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous USA
and northern Mexico.
It is found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and
old-growth trees for nest...more
The Mauritius Kestrel - Falco punctatus - is a small bird of prey, endemic to the forests of the island of Mauritius,
an island nation off the southeast coast of Africa, where it is restricted to the southwestern
plateau’s forests, cliffs, and ravines. It is the most distinct of the Indian Ocean Kestrels.
The males are slightly smaller ...more
Oostvaardersplassen
This large
wetland, can easily be reached and has some excellent hides. In spring and
summer many marshland species can be seen here such as Bluethroat, Savi's
warbler, Spoonbill, Great White Egret, Bittern and Black Tern In winter it is
one of the best places to see White-tailed Eagle....more
The Tagus
Estuary, one of Europe's largest estuaries, is
about 20 minutes from the airport. Large numbers of White Storks, Greater Flamingo,
Glossy Ibis, Black-winged Stilts and Spoonbills.
This large wetland is one of the most important in Europe and can easily provide 100 species of bird in a day.
...more
The Egyptian Vulture - Neophron percnopterus - is
widely distributed and may be found in southern Europe, Africa and Asia. Unfortunately it is now extinct in South Africa. It has sometimes also been known as the Pharaoh's
Chicken. It is a small vulture
with white and black flight feathers and a wedge tail. The bill is slender and
long a...more
The Great Thick-knee - Esacus recurvirostris - is
a large wader with a massive 7 cm upturned bill. It has unstreaked
grey-brown upperparts and breast, with rest of the underparts whitish. The face
has a striking black and white pattern, and the bill is black with a yellow
base. The eyes are bright yellow and the legs a duller green...more
The five species classified as "Critically Endangered" in South
Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland are Bittern,
Wattled Crane, Whitewinged Flufftail, Rudd's Lark and Blue Swallow.
The Bittern - Botaurus stellaris- is a thickset heron with bright, pale, buffy-brown plumage covered with dark streaks and bars. It is usually well-hidden and sol...more
The two "Regionally Extinct" species are Egyptian Vulture and African
Skimmer.
Occasional sightings of both species as vagrants hold out some
hope that they will recolonize South Africa.
The Egyptian Vulture - Neophron percnopterus - is a small Old World Vulture, found widely distributed from southwestern Europe and northern Africa...more
The Alagoas Curassow - Mitu mitu - is a large, mainly glossy black pheasant-like bird. It was formerly found in forests in north-eastern Brazil, but it is now extinct in the wild. A captive population exists.
The Guam Rail - Gallirallus owstoni - is a flightless bird, which is extinct in the wild and endemic to Guam. The efforts by Beck, and oth...more
More than 130 species of birds have become extinct since AD
1500, mostly because of human actions. Today’s Red List update includes 189
species which are listed as Critically Endangered. On the very edge of
extinction and without immediate action, many will not be here in ten years
time.
Of course we should
we care. It is highly likely th...more
During summer, Florida’s beaches come
alive with our feathered inhabitants, from Snowy Plovers and American
Oystercatchers, to Least Terns and Black Skimmers, are busy raising young this
time of year. Unfortunately, these shorebirds (and others) are declining, and
the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lists them as threatene...more
Sunday 23rd
October 2011- Diderick Cuckoo – Chrysococcyx
caprius - first of the season calling just outside Bloemfontein,
Free State Province, South Africa.
Friday 21st
October 2011- European Bee-eaters – Merops
apiaster - and Diderick Cuckoo – Chrysococcyx
caprius - in Maputo, Mozambique.
Friday 21st October 2011- Greate...more
It is now apparent that private companies are using threats to silence
those who are opposed to massive developments in Tana Delta in Kenya. In
the last month, Mr. Hajj Idris Bakero, a religious leader in Garsen
Division, received death threats, presumably for his opposition to a
jatropha project in the area.
On September 9th 2011, his wife
...more
Nahan's Francolin - Francolinus
nahani - is found in rainforest in northeastern DRC and western Uganda is. It
is a relatively small, terrestrial bird with a red eye-ring, legs and base of
the bill, white chin, brownish upperparts, and black-and-white underparts and
head.
It is found in
lowland primary forest, preferring riverine or swampy a...more
The Seychelles Paradise-flycatcher - Terpsiphone corvine - is a rare bird
endemic to the Seychelles.
The males have
two long black central tail feathers and are entirely glossy black with a deep
blue sheen. The upperparts of the females including wings and tail are reddish
brown. The underparts are pale cream white. Facial skin, bill, and le...more
The Red-chested Cuckoo - Cuculus solitarius - is found in Africa south of the Sahara. In Southern Africa it is a common breeding
migrant, in the eastern half of southern Africa,
and is quite common in protected areas. The preferred habitats for the Red-chested
Cuckoo are woodlands but lives in wide range of habitats.
The Red-chested
C...more
The Jackal Buzzard - Buteo rufofuscus - is a
strikingly plumaged bird of prey. It is almost black above with a chestnut
tail. The primary flight feathers are blackish and the secondaries off-white,
both barred with black. Below the chin and around the throat is mainly white,
and the rest of the underparts and the underwing coverts are rich ru...more
The Bufflehead - Bucephala albeola - is a small American sea duck and it rivals the Green-winged teal as the smallest American duck.
Adult males are striking black and white, with iridescent green and
purple heads with a large white patch behind the eye. Females are
grey-toned with a smaller white patch behind the eye and a light
underside.
...more
India is home to some 1,200 different species of birds. Despite measures
designed to protect this rich array of bird life by banning the capture
and trade of wild birds, records indicate that as many as 300 of these
species are caught and traded with impunity.
The estimate comes from figures compiled by the Trade Records Analysis
of Fl...more
Birds Australia, Charles Darwin University and CSIRO Publishing today launched The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010.
The Action Plan is the third in a series that have been produced at the
start of each decade. It analyses the status of all the species and
subspecies of Australia’s birds to determine their risk of extinction.
“At o...more
A recent study from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
has confirmed that the Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis - which has been declining for
the past two years because of harsh winters, is once again thriving. The birds are susceptible to overly cold weather because as ice freezes
their waterway habitats, the birds have trouble ge...more
The Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus - was actively scouting through the zoo, perhaps enjoying the
company of other animals - including its captive bald eagle cousins - or
perhaps looking for an easy lunch. To protect the animals from the
eagle's attention, zookeepers moved more than 40 animals out of their
regular open-air enclosures and...more
Wild turkeys in Battery Park?
Bald Eagles in Inwood?
Falcons on Fifth Avenue?
Believe it or not, New York City is a bounty for bird watchers.
Wild New York: A Guide To the Wildlife, Wild Places and Natural Phenomena of New York City
by Margaret Mittlelbach and Michale Crewdson (Crown Publishers, 1997)
tells readers exactly where to see wi...more
Limpopo Tourism and Parks
(LTP) has spoken out against the planned coal mining development near
Nyslvlei Nature Reserve, stating that should the project go ahead, it
will have "a huge
detrimental impact on the whole wetland".
LTP has one of its resorts in
the reserve, Nylsvlei Birding Lodge, a popular spot with avitourists
visiti...more
The Great White Shark - Carcharodon
carcharias is found in almost all coastal and offshore oceans which have water temperatures between 12 and 24 °C (54 and 75 °F). One of the
densest known populations of these sharks is around Dyer Island, Western Cape,
South Africa.
The great white
shark is known for its size, with the l...more
Sunday 2nd
October 2011 - Barn Swallows – Hirundo rustica and Yellow-billed Kite – Milvus
migrans parasitius at Rietvlei Dam Nature Reserve near Pretoria,
Gauteng Province, South Africa.
Sunday 2nd
October 2011 - Ruddy Turnstones – Arenaria interpres at Stanger, KZN Province, South Africa.
Sunday 2nd
October 2011 - D...more
The Lilian's Lovebird - Agapornis lilianae - also known as Nyasa Lovebird, is a small African parrot species and is the smallest parrot on mainland Africa. These Lovebirds are Endemic to Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
It is mainly green with
white eyerings. It has orange on its head, neck and upper chest and has a
green rump...more
Unregulated and unmonitored recreational shooting swamps in the
Caribbean have claimed perhaps their most notable bird victims, two
Whimbrels. One, named Machi, had been tracked by satellite for two
years over a distance of 27,000 miles. The other, named Goshen, had
been tracked for about one year over nearly 14,000 miles. The birds
...more
A bird recently rediscovered in Bolivia after an absence of almost
100 years is a distinct species according to a recently published
article in the Wilson Journal of Ornithology. The Palkachupa
Cotinga was rediscovered in 2000 by American Bird Conservancy (ABC)
partner Asociación Armonía. It was initially thought to be a subspecies
...more
The Cape White-eye - Zosterops pallidus, is Endemic
to Southern Africa. Traditionally, the Cape White-eye
and the Orange River White-eye have been treated as separate species. It is
found in a wide range of densely to lightly wooded habitats. Most populations
are resident, but some perform minor seasonal movements. This is a sociable
species...more
Nature Seychelles (BirdLife Partner) has won the 2011 International
Innovation Prize from the World Leisure Organisation (WLO). The Prize
was given for innovative efforts to use the environment for
“edutainment” programs at the Sanctuary at Roche Caiman. These include
Green Health, Heritage Garden and Outdoor Classroom. This is ...more
As part of a David and Lucile Packard Foundation project Société
Calédonienne d’Ornithologie (SCO) the BirdLife Partner in New Caledonia,
undertook operations in 2008 to eradicate invasive Black Rats Rattus rattus and Pacific Rat Rattus exulans
from three important seabird islands in New Caledonia. The latest
follow up surveys ...more
A major new report has been published entitled State of Nepal’s Birds 2010.
Produced by Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN; BirdLife in Nepal) and the
Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, it was
officially launched by Parmanand Jha, the Right Honourable Vice
President of Nepal, at a ceremony in Kathmandu.
State of Nepal...more
The White-throated Swallow - Hirundo albigularis, is common species, found in southern Africa, which has benefited from the increased nesting
opportunities presented by the construction of bridges and dams.
It has glossy
dark blue upperparts and a bright chestnut crown. A dark blue-black breast band
separates the white throat from the g...more
Independent
conservation organisation Forest & Bird (BirdLife Partner in New Zealand)
today lodged an appeal against a 140-hectare open-cast coal mine on
Denniston Plateau conservation land.
“An open-cast
coal mine will wipe out the ecology of the Denniston Plateau,” Forest &
Bird President Andrew Cutler said. “This one ...more
The Mao - Gymnomyza samoensis - is an endemic
honeyeater found in Samoa and is classified as
Endangered.
Little is known about its feeding and breeding habits.
It is a large
honeyeater, with dark plumage, varying from blackish on the head and breast to
greenish. There is a greenish mark under the eye. The bill is black, long and
c...more
The Grenada Dove - Leptotila wellsi is a medium-sized tropical dove which is endemic
to Grenada.
It is the national bird of Grenada.
This dove is considered to be one of the most critically endangered doves in
the world.
The Grenada Dove has
a white throat, face and forehead pale pink shading to dull brown on crown and
nape, upperparts ol...more
In gratitude for assistance during the devastating earthquake and
tsunami in March, Japan has sent a pair of endangered red-crowned cranes
to Taiwan. The birds are serving as a gesture of friendship between the two nations, and they will be hosted at the Taipei Zoo.
The Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis), also called the Japanese Crane or ...more
Tibetan Plateau, Tibet is known as the ''Roof of the World'', an
inhospitable region but to certain wildlife it is "paradise''. There are more
than 2,300 species of insects, 64 species of fish, 45 species of amphibians, 55
species of reptiles and 488 species of birds. There are 18 nature reserves,
five of them are national nature reserve...more
BirdLife Cyprus
reveals online bird trapping death toll counter for the current autumn
migration
BirdLife Cyprus has just
published online [www.birdlifecyprus.org] an estimated death toll from the
illegal bird trapping taking place in Cyprus during this autumn migration
season. The toll has been estimated on the basis of field data from Bir...more
Few issues of our
day are as huge, in scope or in implication, as climate change. The task of
wrestling this topic down into something that the human mind can manage,
without losing sight of the big picture because it’s snowing in Buffalo, is likely to be
the task of a lifetime for many science communicators. All sorts of tools are
needed ...more
Do you know of any bird conservation projects which could do with a little
financial help to get them going?
A new conservation funding initiative, the Sound Approach Bird Fund, offers
grants of up to GBP£10,000 (c. US$15,800 equivalent) to bird conservation
projects around the world.
We're looking for projects that will ha...more
The Black Stork - Ciconia nigra - is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in
the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in
central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species. It is seen in
pairs or small flocks—in marshy areas, rivers or inland waters.
The Black Stork resembles
the white stork in size, but shines with reddish ...more
The Black Stork - Ciconia nigra - is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in
the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in
central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species. It is seen in
pairs or small flocks—in marshy areas, rivers or inland waters.
The Black Stork resembles
the white stork in size, but shines with reddis...more
September 13th, 2011: - Ruff's early this year at Modimola Dam, Mafikeng, North West Province, South Africa. Last year they arrived end October.
September 13th, 2011: - Barn Swallows, a couple of Greater Striped & White-throated Swallows around but not a lot of migrants yet. An African Openbill flying west at Oyster bay, Eastern Cape, South A...more
BirdLife International has joined forces with its New Zealand Partner
Forest & Bird to remind their government there of its
responsibilities towards reducing the toll of seabirds in the country’s
fisheries.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Fisheries recently released a draft seabird
by-catch policy to replace a National Plan of Action for S...more
Well after 20 years doing bird rescue work I have decided to retire. I
will still be involved in an advisory role. The sharing of information
in this type of work is vital. Something that works really well in
getting a bird back to the wild should be shared. That is why we hold
bird rescue weekends and the one day courses that Massey Univ...more
The Cape Sugarbird - Promerops cafer, is endemic
to the Cape Floral
Kingdom of the Western
Cape and the western regions of the Eastern
Cape, South
Africa.
It is a
grey-brown bird that is easily recognizable by a black long curved bill, the very
long tail of the male, pronounced moustachial streak, a pale rufous breast and
a yellow v...more
The Little Spotted Kiwi - Apteryx owenii - is a smallest species
of Kiwi, about the size of a bantam, originally from South Island, New Zealand.
They are nocturnal forest dwellers, and they remain in a shelter burrow during
daylight hours.
Their feathers
are pale-mottled gray, with fine white mottling, and are shaggy looking. The
bill is iv...more
The Great Spotted Kiwi, Great Gray Kiwi, or
Roroa, Apteryx haastii, is a species
of Kiwi Endemic to the South Island
of New Zealand. It is the largest of the kiwi and is found in the rugged
topography and harsh climate of the high altitude, alpine, part of South Island.
They have a
plumage composed of soft, hair-like feathers that can rang...more
Brown Kiwi or Kiwi –Apteryx australis – is endemic to New
Zealand and is New Zealand’s national bird. It is New Zealand’s
most unique bird and it is also its most ancient.
The Kiwi is a
brown bird with unique feathers that have a hair like quality and is a
flightless bird with rudimentary wings and no tail. It is about the size of ...more
We arrived at
Strandfontein Pans at 8:45 on Tuesday, September 6th in a strong cold wind from
the south east. This cold wind makes birding at Strandfontein and Rondevlei
difficult.
The first birds
we saw were a large group of Cattle Egret – Bubulcus
ibis – many in breeding plumage with
pinkish buff plumes on the head, back and b...more
Secretaries Day is an unofficial holiday observed in many countries. In the USA it is on the Wednesday of the last full week of April to recognize the work of secretaries
and other administrative support professionals. In 2011, the date was April 27, 2011 in Canada and the
United States.
In South Africa it is today September 7th, 2011 and we sa...more
Secretarybird
The Secretarybird - Sagittarius
serpentarius - is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey Endemic to Africa. It is usually
found in the open grasslands and savannah in sub-Saharan Africa.
The majestic Secretarybird is in
serious decline and is now classified as Globally Vulnerable.
The Secretarybird
is instantly recognizable...more
A Nairobi newspaper reports that, after consideration of the scientific
evidence, Kenya's National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has
decided to advise the Kenyan Government to halt the planting of the
biofuel crop jatropha within the Coast region of Kenya. Proposed
jatropha plantations would do irreparable damage to coastal Important
...more
The Cape Vulture
- Gyps coprotheres - is Endemic to Southern Africa and is found
mainly in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana
and Namibia.
A large vulture
with near-naked head and neck. Adult creamy-buff, with contrasting dark flight-
and tail-feathers. Pale buff neck-ruff. Underwing in flight has pale silvery
secondary feathers and black alu...more
Effective migratory bird conservation efforts address issues
throughout a species’ flyway – and in Canada, flyway conservation is
imperative, as about 90% of the country’s birds migrate south each year, only to return the following spring.
This flyway concept is being put to the test with one initiative that
links three Important Bird Ar...more
The Kagu - Rhynochetos
jubatus - is Endemic to the
forests and shrublands of New Caledonia and New Guinea.
It is a ground-living bird, with unusually bright plumage for a bird of the
forest floor. It is ash-grey and white coloured. It possesses bright red legs
which are long and strong, enabling the bird to travel long distances ...more
The International Vulture Awareness Day’s aim is tohighlight the important work
being carried out by the world’s vulture conservationists.
Vultures form an
important ecological component of our natural environment and vulture
populations are under pressure with some species are facing extinction.
There were eleven
species of vult...more
The International Vulture Awareness Day’s aim is to highlight the important work
being carried out by the world’s vulture conservationists.
Vultures form an
important ecological component of our natural environment and vulture
populations are under pressure with some species are facing extinction.
There were eleven
species of vulture i...more
Researchers
recently discovered that Common Murre chicks had hatched on the Channel Islands for the first time since 1912.
The Channel
Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean
off the coast of Southern California.
Five of the islands make up the Channel
Islands National Park.
The Common Murre
or Co...more
A five-year
cooperative effort involving several organizations has succeeded in returning
the Western Bluebird to Washington’s San Juan Islands. The bird had historically inhabited the
islands, but changing land use practices and a paucity of nesting sites meant
the species had not nested there for over 40 years.
Over the course
of the fi...more
Biologists found
the species in a burrow among a colony of petrels on Midway Atoll during the
Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program in 1963 and identified it as a Little
Shearwater. The specimen sat in a drawer at the Smithsonian for nearly 50 years
until Peter Pyle discovered it. After DNA analysis, the bird was given the name Bryan’s Sh...more
The Liben Lark - Heteromirafra sidamoensis – Endemic to Ethiopia has a population of
possibly fewer than 100 birds and is classified as Critically Endangered. This threatened
bird has now been thrown a lifeline thanks to funds raised by the British
Birdwatching Fair held at Rutland Water last August. A cheque of £242,000 or $395,...more
Halfway through
this year's turtle nesting season, survey and monitoring data reported so far show
that Irene claimed more than 100 nests along the Atlantic coast from Georgia through North Carolina. Especially hard hit it
appears are nests marked along the South
Carolina coast. A complete assessment won’t be done
until the nesting seaso...more
Halfway through
this year's turtle nesting season, survey and monitoring data reported so far show
that Irene claimed more than 100 nests along the Atlantic coast from Georgia through North Carolina. Especially hard hit it
appears are nests marked along the South
Carolina coast. A complete assessment won’t be done
until the nesting seaso...more
We entered
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens through the top restaurant gate at 3:30pm on a
beautiful blue skied, sunny, Sunday afternoon.
To greet us above the nursery
the gate were Sombre Greenbul, and Helmeted Guineafowl. A short distance
up the path we had excellent sightings of a pair of Cape Batis. The Gardens are spectacular with
...more
The Common Swift - Apus apus - is special in
many ways, the body is the perfect development for flying in the air. It does
everything in the air, except breeding. It finds its prey there and feeds on
the wing. It preens and plays in the air. It sleeps there most of the time. It
mates and collects nesting material on the wing. It drinks ...more
The Grey Partridge - Perdix perdix - also known as the Hungarian Partridge, was
successfully introduced to many parts of the world for shooting, including vast
areas of North America, where it is most
commonly known as Hungarian partridge, or just "Hun". Widespread and
common throughout its large range, the Grey Partridge is evaluat...more
The Bugun Liocichla - Liocichla bugunorum - is a small babbler with olive-grey plumage and a black cap. The face is marked with prominent orange-yellow lores,
and the wings have yellow, red and white patches. The tail is black
with crimson coloured undertail coverts and red tips. The feet are pink
and the bill is black at the face fading to pal...more
The elusive Jerdon's Courser - Rhinoptilus bitorquatus -
was thought extinct in 1900, but was dramatically rediscovered
in 1985 in the forest area of the Kadapa district of
Andhra Pradesh. There may be only 25 of these birds left,
with most f...more
The extremely rare Western Tragopan -Tragopan melanocephalus - has been found at two new sites in Jammu and Kashmir. Sightings and calls of the rare
pheasant were validated at the Kalamund-Tatakuti and Khara Rakh areas
of the range. ...more
India featured prominently among the ten countries in the world having the largest number of threatened species of birds. Brazil topped the list with 141 while India was ranked seventh with 88.
Of the 88 threatened species, 13 are categorised as Critically Endangered, 10 are Endangered and the remaining as Vulnerable. ...more
East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa: -
Black Saw-wing, White-throated Swallows and Klaas's Cuckoo, Sunday 21st August 2011.
Sasolburg, Northern
Free State, South Africa: -
White-throated swallows, Little Swifts, Ruff and
Wood Sandpipers, Sunday 21st August 2011.
Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa: -
Common Swifts seen feeding above Nels...more
The Great
Bustard Project
The UK is obliged under EU legislation (Habitats Directive 1992) to
reintroduce species where it is considered feasible. The GBG was set
up in 1998 to explore the possibility of reintroducing the Great
Bustard to the UK and commissioned a feasibility study accordingly.
The study took several years to compil...more
Department of Conservation staff are baffled by the discovery of a Kiwi - Apteryx australis - in Russia.
The flightless bird was found in the port town of Sochi, on the Black Sea. Sochi is a Black Sea resort more than 16,000 km from New Zealand, and
the bird was apparently found in a decorative garden near the port. ...more
The Hamerkop - Scopus umbretta - is the sole member of its family and is so different that it is one of the really
iconic species of Africa south of the Sahara. In
terms of taxonomic uniqueness the Hamerkop is equal in rank to the Shoebill! The shape of its head with a black, long,
flat, and slightly hooked bill, a crest at the back of t...more
The status of the Hamerkop has changed dramatically from the SABAP1 and SABAP2.
The Hamerkop is now a species of real conservation
concern.
Visit http://sabap2.adu.org.za/news.php
Careful research
is needed to uncover the factors which are impacting the decreases in the range
and abundance of Hamerkop in South
Africa.
...more
The Lappet-faced Vulture, African eared vulture
or Nubian Vulture - Aegypius tracheliotos - is the largest, and among
the rarest, of all of the African vultures. This large, long and square-winged vulture is black-looking with white thighs
and white bar running across leading edge of underwing in flight. Like many
vultures, it has a bald...more
According to a report on Birding in the United States, 48 million people watched birds in 2008/9. Birdwatching was more popular in the Southern States and the fivel states with the greatest birding participation rates
were found to be Montana , Maine, Vermont, Iowa and Minnesota.
It is thought that there are more than 50 Million birders in the U...more
Chinese Crested Tern - Sterna bernsteini - has been seen and photographed in Pulau Lusaolate, north Seram,
Indonesia. This is the first record of the species outside the
breeding season for over 70 years.
Craig Robson noticed a roosting group of 30-40 Greater Crested Terns Sterna bergiion
on some rocks just off the beach. Checking through the ...more
It’s one of nature’s greatest miracles: millions of birds leave
Africa each spring and head north to nest in the UK and other parts of
Europe, only to return to Africa each autumn. However this
multi-million-winged migration is under threat.
In the UK, for example, according to the 2010 Breeding Bird Survey of
the 10 UK birds which have d...more
Great news for Birds and Birders.
Ernst
Retief, the BirdLife South Africa's regional conservation manager in
Gauteng/North West will drive a sponsored air-conditioned VW Polo
hatchback for a year, courtesy of Avis Rent a Car South Africa.
...more
All five birds have reached Africa and are spread across some 3,000km of Africa. They started their journeys from the same breeding area in the UK in June where they were tagged and fitted with trackers.
Two are in southern Chad, one is in northern Nigeria and the fourth one
is in Burkina Faso. One cuckoo is lagging slightly behind the rest and
...more
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) officials confiscation of a shipment of OVER 500 African Grey Parrots en route to
Singapore. The birds were being kept in
revolting conditions, kept in tiny, cramped cages, with no food or water.
These beautiful birds were taken to a rescue and rehabilitation site. The parrots will need to
be rehabili...more
More than 1,200 African Grey Parrots have
been seized at Douala International Airport, Cameroon. The parrots were being
illegally shipped to Bahrain and Mexico for the pet trade. These beautiful birds but
are now being cared for by the Limbe Wildlife Centre in Cameroon.
In January 2007 a two-year ban on exports of
African Grey Parrots from fiv...more
Tanzania has banned wildlife exports after, wildlife worth $110,000 or £66,700 was exported illegally and flown out in a cargo plane from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
The wildlife included four Giraffes, 68 Gazelles, two Impalas, four Ground Hornbills and two Lappet-faced Vultures.
Does TRAFFIC monitor this trade in Tanzania and the rest...more
Port Aransas has been named the 2011 ‘America’s Birdiest City’ in the Small Coastal City division for the second year in a row.
Utilizing the peak of migration, Port Aransas birders counted 192 different species of birds during the 72-hour window for the competition which was conducted in early May.
To be considered a “small coastal city...more
China has 1,329 species out
of a world total of 9,000-odd. It has a rich mix of habitats, from
upland steppe and desert, to mountain fir and spruce forests, lowland
tropical rainforest, and wetlands.
China is the world centre for
pheasants, boasting 62 out of 200 species worldwide. The tail feathers
of the Reeve’s pheasant, are prized for ...more
Birding in China is growing rapidly and new birding "Hot Spots" are being discovered. Listed below are some of the better known birding "Hot Spots."
1. Wuyuan, Jiangxi Province.
2. Dongting Lake, Yueyang, Hunan Province.
3. Beidaihe, near Qinhuangdao in Hebei Province.
4. Qinghai Province.
5. Dongzhai, Xinyang, Henan Provin...more
The texan bird species list is around 632. The official list is maintained by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Texas supports a greater variety of birds than any other state in the USA.
Top Birding areas in Texas: -
1. The bird-rich Rio Grande Valley.
2. The Texas Coastal Birding Trail.
3. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.
4...more
According to a 2006 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service survey, birders
spent more than $12 billion nationwide on travel and equipment expenses
such as cameras, binoculars and bird food.
That same report states that
about 1.3 million people came to Arizona to observe wild birds. Arizona birding generated $838 million in trip-related spending
the...more
Cape Weaver
The Cape Weaver
- Ploceus capensis - is Endemic to South Africa. This common
species occurs in grassland, agricultural and fynbos habitats, often near
rivers. A large weaver with a long, pointed black bill. Male less
brilliant yellow than other ‘golden’ weavers. The face and throat has a brown
to orange wash. Breeding ma...more
The Spring Flowers flowering
season has started after good early rains and flowers are showing their pretty
colours along the West Coast, Cedarberg and in Namaqualand.
From just outside
Cape Town all
the way to the Namibian border, the exuberance of spring flowers has a
worldwide reputation. This area receives little rain throughout the yea...more
The following Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures are in Malaria FREE Areas: -
Aves Arid Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure.
Aves Eastern Cape Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure.
Aves Western Cape Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure.
All Aves Western Cape Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Overnight Tours/Safaris/Adventures.
The following Aves Birding Tour/Safari...more
First sightings of the season: -
Yellow-billed Kites - Milvus migrans parasitus - seen in Umzumbe and Umtentweni on the South Coast, Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa Tuesday 9th August 2011.
Fiery-necked Nightjar - Caprimulgus pectoralis - seen in Parkview, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa,Tuesday 9th August 2011.
Black Saw-wing - Psalidoprocne ...more
The Red Junglefowl - Gallus gallus - is a member of the pheasant family. They are thought to be ancestors of the domestic chicken. The Red Junglefowl was first raised in captivity at least several thousand years ago. They were first
domesticated in Asia. The domesticated form has been used all around the world as a very productive food
source for...more
Sightings of : -
Yellow-billed Kites from Durban, KZN, South Africa today August 9th.
African Palm-Swift and a couple of White-throated Swallows at Northam Farms, Guateng, South Africa, Sunday August 7th.
Lesser Striped Swallow near Sun City, North West Province, South Africa, yesterday afternoon August 8th.
Lesser Striped Swallow Luvuvhu...more
Last swift left Bristol on August 3rd.
According to Mark Glanville - "Of my 3 pairs, one pair fledged around the 15th July, another pair on
the 22nd and the last pair between the 23rd & 25th. The first pair
that fledged, 1 adult left immediately, the other remained until the 1st
August. The second pair that fledged, both adults remai...more
The Common Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus - is also known as the European Kestrel, Eurasian Kestrel, or Old World Kestrel. In Britain, where no other brown falcon occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel". This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Females are noticeably larger than t...more
The White Stork - Ciconia ciconia - is a large mainly white bird, with black on its wings. They have long red legs and
long pointed red beak. A small patch of bare black skin surrounds
their brown eyes. Sexes are similar in appearance, though
males are slightly larger. Juvenile birds are duller in colorat...more
The European Robin - Erithacus rubecula- most commonly known as the Robin, is the national bird of the United Kingdom. The male
and female are similar in colouration, with an orange breast and face
lined with grey, brown upperparts and a whitish belly. The legs and feet are pale brown and eyes are black. The bill is short, pointed and black.
It ...more
The Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus - is the national bird of the USA and is the only eagle unique to North America. It is a
sea eagle that’s range includes most of Alaska,
Canada and the United States. About
half of the world's bald eagles live in Alaska.
In the late 20th
century the Bald Eagle was on the brink of extinction in the ...more
The Red-crowned Crane - Grus japonensis - also called the Japanese Crane or Manchurian Crane is a large east Asian crane and among the rarest cranes in the world. In some parts of its range,
it is known as a symbol of luck, longevity and fidelity. Adult
Red-crowned Cranes are snow white with black to the wings (appears
almost like a black tail w...more
The Green Pheasant - Phasianus versicolor - Endemic to Japan and also known as Japanese Pheasant is closely related to the Common Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus. The male is distinguished by dark green breast and mantle, violet neck, red bare facial skin and purplish green tail. The female
is smaller than male, and has a dull brown plumage with da...more
The Namaqua Dove - Oena capensis - This small beautiful dove is about the size of a great sparrow. It has a long black
tapered tail. The adult male has a black face, throat and breast, a yellow and
red bill, with pale underparts. The adult female lacks the black and has a
red-based grey bill. Young birds are dark blotched on the throat, ...more
The Great Tit - Parus major - is a widespread and common species throughout
Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North
Africa in any sort of woodland. It is large for a tit, has a distinctive appearance that makes it easy to recognise. The Male has a bluish-black crown,
black neck, throat, bib and head, and white che...more
The Tricolored Blackbird - Agelaius tricolor - is a near endemic California passerine and the most colonial songbird in North America. The male is glossy-black with a red shoulder patch and bright white bar, while the female is
dark blackish-brown.
Its range is limited to the Pacific coastal areas of North America, from Northern California to u...more
The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday afternoon to
protect wildlife on the brink of extinction by supporting an amendment
in the Interior and Environment spending bill to uphold safeguards for
endangered species. Mike Daulton -
Vice President of Government Relations for Audubon, said, “In the midst
of an historic assault on the...more
The African mourning Dove - Streptopelia decipiens - is a fairly widespread resident breeding bird in sub Saharian Africa. In South Africa it is only found in the far north eastern part of the country. It is not a close relative of the Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura - common in North America.
It is a large, stocky dove, with pale brown bac...more
The Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura - is a member of the Columbidae family. They formerly were known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtle dove.It's plaintive call gives the bird its name.
The Mourning Dove is a medium-sized, slender dove with broad wings and a rounded head. Its tail is long and tapered. The legs are short and reddish colour...more
The nation’s leading bird conservation organization – American Bird
Conservancy (ABC) – today hailed the decision by the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources (DNR) to require the use of nontoxic ammunition for
the first Mourning Dove hunting season in Iowa since 1918. In Iowa,
the hunting of doves will use the same nontoxic am...more
The Cape Spurfowl
- Pternistis capensis - is Endemic
to the Western Cape of South Africa.
This spurfowl
appears all dark from a distance, apart from the red legs, but when seen closer
the plumage is finely vermiculated in grey and white, with a plainer crown and
nape. The sexes are similar in plumage, but the male has two leg spurs whereas...more
The word Pelagic comes from a Greek word meaning
"of the sea." It was first used in the middle of the 17th century,
but did not become common until the 19th century.
Pelagic means “of or relating to the open or high
sea, as distinguished from the shallow water near the coast.” It is most commonly
used to refer specifica...more
The Waved Albatross, Phoebastria irrorata - is the only Albatross that lives and breeds in the tropics. It is the largest bird of the Galapagos Islands. They are medium-sized Albatrosses.
They are distinctive for their yellowish-cream neck and head, which
contrasts with their mostly brownish bodies. Even more distinctive is
the very long, brigh...more
A parrot conservation group says the Department
of Environmental Affairs (DEA) could have “blood on its hands” for
stalling a pioneering project that would return a company of wild-caught
African Grey parrots, smuggled into South Africa, to their natural
forest habitat.
Dr Steve Boyes, the director of
the World Parrot Trust Africa, ...more
An important and
contentious discovery is Archaeopteryx, found in southern Germany in 1861.
It lived in the Late Jurassic Period around 150 million years ago, in what
is now southern Germany
during a time when Europe was an archipelago
of islands in a shallow warm tropical sea, much closer to the equator than it
is now. Archaeopteryx i...more
Black-shouldered Kite - Elanus
caeruleus - is a small raptor with a wide distribution in Africa, Madagascar, Iberia and Tropical Asia. It is
found in varied habitats, from desert to open woodland, being most common in
open grassland.
A small almost
Owl-faced raptor, with large head, long pointed wings that project beyond the
tip of ...more
The Red Knot, Calidris canutus [Knot in Europe]
is a large member of the Calidris Sandpipers,
second in size to the Great Knot. This species forms enormous flocks when not
breeding. The red knot has one of the longest migrations of any bird. Every
year it travels more than 15,000km from the Arctic to the southern tip of South America.
The b...more
The Japanese Robin - Erithacus akahige, formerly Luscinia akahige - has a very large range and is native to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Russian Federation, Taiwan, Thailand and
Vietnam.
The male upperparts are dark reddish-brown, face, throat and upper breast are dark orange. Underparts are white with dark breast band only on the male. Flank...more
The Nagoya City Wild Bird Observation Center is a two storey facility and has an observation deck on each floor equipped with telescopes to view the many birds in the huge estuary
created by the Shonaigawa, Shinkawa and Nikkogawa rivers as they enter
the sea. Entrance is free.
During spring and autumn thousands of migatory shorebirds rest and fe...more
Crimson-breasted Shrike – Laniarius
atrococcineus – is a Near Endemic in Southern
Africa. The head, bill and back are black while the underparts are
entirely scarlet. The sexes have the same colouration and are indistinguishable
from each other. A yellow-breasted form is occasionally seen. Young birds have
a mottled and barred buff-brow...more
Lake Natron is located in northern western Tanzania, close to the Kenyan border, in the eastern branch of the Great Rift Valley. The lake is a salt lake and is fed by the Ewaso Ng'iro River and the mineral-rich hot springs. It is less
than three meters deep, and varies in width depending on its
water level, which changes due to high levels of eva...more
Recent stormy Scottish weather has impacted the breeding success of wild birds.
Heavy rain and gale force winds left more than 1,000 nests on the Insh Marshes
nature reserve in the Highlands submerged underwater, including those of
wading species such as lapwing, snipe, redshank and curlew.
The rare Slavonian grebe, a bird whose UK population ...more
The Laysan Albatross - Phoebastria immutabilis - is a large seabird that ranges across the North Pacific. This albatross has blackish-grey upperwing, mantle, back, upper rump,
and tail, and their head, lower rump, and underparts are white. It has a
black smudge around the eye, a pink bill with a dark tip.They are colonial breeders, nesting on sc...more
Cape Town,
20 July. Seventeen of
the world’s 22 albatross species are threatened with extinction, with
longline fishing responsible for much of the problem. BirdLife International in
collaboration with Fishtek (UK) is trialling a new type of safe fishing weights
in South Africa, designed to sink baited hooks quickly and reduce seabird
bycat...more
The Coalition has noted media
reports stating that the environmental authorisation granted to Coal of Africa
Limited (CoAL) by the Department of Environmental Affairs in the first s.24G
application for rectification of illegal activities, was based on
“science, not emotion”.
It also noted a statement that
“the DEA’s Is...more
With your help, eBird reached a new milestone this May, gathering
3,067,344 bird observations over the course of the month! And
215,853--almost a quarter million--of those sightings came from Canada. Achieving our highest monthly total isn't just a fun anecdote though,
it also means more data for science and conservation, and...more
Over the last four years thousands of volunteers have been out and
about in Wales counting birds and taking part in the BTO’s most
ambitious project to date, the 2007-11 Bird Atlas but time is running
out and evidence of breeding birds in Wales is still needed.
Right now Swifts are at their most obvious, and screaming parties of
these enigma...more
The Cape Cormorant - Phalacrocorax capensis - Endemic to Southern Africa - is an almost entirely glossy black bird, though in breeding condition it
has a purplish tinge and a few white plumes on head, neck, and cloacal areas. It has blue/greenish eyes and an orange - yellow bare patch on the base of the bill. The bill is black, with a blue-grey ba...more
A recent study carried out by scientists from Canada, Mexico and the
United States, including several BirdLife Partners found that of the 882
native landbirds shared across borders, 17% (148 species) need
immediate conservation action.
The report concludes with six steps that Canada, Mexico and the
United States must take to reverse the trend...more
Spanish Partner SEO/BirdLife has launched an appeal to secure the
world’s largest remaining population. Morocco’s Souss-Massa National
Park region is crucial for Northern Bald Ibis, as all the country’s
breeding colonies occur here. Over the last 14 years SEO/BirdLife has
supported a dedicated team of local wardens, who are deep...more
The Northern Bald Ibis - Geronticus eremita - is a migratory Ibis found in barren, semi-desert or rocky habitats, often close to running water. It is a large, glossy black bird. The plumage is black, with bronze-green and violet iridescence, and
there is a wispy ruff on the bird's hind neck. The face and head are
dull red and unfeathered, and the...more
The Cape Grassbird - Sphenoeacus afer - is Endemic to Southern
Africa. Its crown and face sides are rufous, except for white
around the eye, and it has black malar and moustachial stripes on its white
throat. The upperparts are brown with heavy streaking and the long tail is a
lighter brown. The underparts are whitish with blackish spo...more
The Blue-throated Macaw - Ara glaucogularis - is Endemic to a small area of north-central Boliva which is known as Los Llanos de moxas. This striking Macaw has vivid colours with turquoise-blue wings and tail, and bright
yellow underparts and blue undertail coverts. The throat is blue and
continuous with its blue cheeks. It has a large black bill...more
The European Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - is one of the UK's fastest declining migrants.
Over 50% of the birds migrating between Europe and Africa have
disappeared over the past 25 years. Our knowledge about what this
amazing species does once it leaves the UK in August is extremely poor,
hampering our ability to explain population changes....more
Gouldian Finches - Erythrura gouldiae - occur in two morphs. Red heads or Black heads.
Red-headed females prefer red-headed males – and black prefer blacks.
In the small populations it is not always possible for the finches to
chose their own type. When they cross the results are not good. However,
a “hybrid” female will always hav...more
BirdLife recently attended the 2nd meeting of the Ramsar Convention’s
Regional Initiative for the Conservation and Wise Use of Mangroves and
Coral Reefs in the Americas. BirdLife participated as a Ramsar
International Organization Partner and is committed to assist in the
further development and implementation of the convention. The meeting
...more
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper - Eurynorhynchus pygmeus - most distinctive feature of this species is its spatulate bill.The breeding adult bird has a red-brown
head, neck and breast with dark brown streaks. It has blackish
upperparts with buff and pale rufous fringing. Non-breeding adults lack
the reddish colouration, but have pale brownish-grey up...more
This autumn Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, will be an irresistible
destination for birdwatchers. During three days, from September 30th to
October 2nd, we propose to come and live your passion for birds,
approaching creatures as beautiful as Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle,
Imperial Eagle, Egyptian vulture, Hobby, Eleonora’s Falcon, Griffin and
m...more
Southern Double-collared Sunbird or Lesser Double-collared Sunbird – Cinnyris
chalybeus – Endemic – Breeding males have a metallic green head, back, throat and upper chest. Narrow
red breast-band, pale greyish belly and blue rump. When displaying, yellow feather tufts can be seen on the shoulders. Females are brownish grey and the juvenile ...more
The African Wood Owl - Strix woodfordii - is a dark eyed owl with no ear tufts. Brown above spotted with white, rufous
and dark barring on whitish background below. Brown facial disk with
white eyebrows.
Strix woodfordii is found in forests, woodlands and plantations, in Southern Angola, Southern Zaire, South Western Tanzania and down the...more
The Puerto Rican Amazon - Amazona vittata - also known as the Puerto Rican Parrot,
is the only parrot indigenous to the USA left in the wild. This parrot
is extremely endangered.
The bird is a predominantly green BIRD with a red forehead and white rings around the eyes. They reach sexual maturity between three and four years of age....more
The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee zeroed out funding for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act
(NMBCA) grants program which is the only federal U.S. grants program
specifically dedicated to the conservation of our migrant birds
throughout the Americas.
Congress
should not defund a program that has a proven track-rec...more
The Pink-necked Green Pigeon - Treron vernans is found in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Phillippines.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland Forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Pink-necked
Green Pigeons eat main...more
BirdLife Partners from 38 European countries have gathered
information about the illegal killing and trapping of birds that occur
in their countries. The revealing results were presented at the European
Conference on Illegal Killing of Birds in Larnaka, Cyprus.
Illegal killing and trapping of birds is not restricted to the
Mediterranean count...more
BirdLife South Africa's Albatross Task Force paid for a local artist to
produce a series of sketches that illustrate how fishermen should handle
and dehook seabirds. We've posted this on our website: http://www.birdlife.org.za/images/stories/conservation/Seabirds/for%20the%20birds.jpg.
Please go and download this, and post it to other websites...more
The African Grey Parrot - Psittacus erithacus - also known as the Grey Parrot, is found in West and Central Africa. Their overall gentle nature and their
inclination and ability to mimic speech have made them popular pets.
This has led many to be captured from the wild and sold into the pet
trade.
A new moratorium forbidding the import
of Afri...more
The Brown-backed Honeybird - Prodotiscus regulus - formerly known as Sharp-billed Honeyguide, also known as the Wahlberg's Honeybird or Wahlberg's Honeyguide, is a small, drab honeyguide with grey-brown upperparts and a sharp, slender bill. In flight shows white outer tail.
Usually only seen when calling from high in the canopy of a tree.
It main...more
Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa, or Lake Niassa, or Lago Niassa in Mozambique has been
officially declared a reserve by the Government of Mozambique today,
protecting the species and natural habitats of one of the largest and
the most bio-diverse, freshwater lakes in the world. The Government of
Mozambique has also approved the prop...more
Thursday 30th June
2011
We
left Simonstown at 3pm and on route to the Cape Point Nature Reserve gate had
good sightings Kelp Gull, African Black Oystercatcher, Red-winged
Starling, White-necked Raven, Egyptian Geese and long skeins of Cape Cormorants.
In the Nature Reserve our first sighting was a Familiar Chat,
followed by...more
The Sacred Kingfisher - Todiramphus sanctus - is a medium sized tree kingfisher. It has a turquoise back, turquoise blue rump
and tail, buff-white underparts and a broad cream collar. There is a
broad black eye stripe extending from bill to nape of neck. Both sexes
are similar, although the female is generally lighter with duller upper
parts. Y...more
The Short-tailed Albatross or Steller's Albatross - Phoebastria albatrus - is a medium sized albatross. Its plumage
as an adult is overall white with black flight feathers, some coverts,
as well as a black terminal bar on its tail. It has a yellow-stained nape and crown. Its bill is pink; however, in older birds will gain a blue tip.
Once...more
The California Condor - Gymnogyps californianus - is the largest North American land bird. Currently, this condor inhabits only the Grand Canyon region.
It is a large, black vulture
with patches of white on the underside of the wings and a largely bald
head with skin color ranging from yellowish to a bright red, depending
on the bird's mood. I...more
The Harris Hawk - Parabuteo unicinctus - formerly known as the Bay-winged Hawk or Dusky Hawk, is a medium to large bird of prey which breeds from the south western United States, south to Chile and central Argentina.
The Harris Hawk is famous for its remarkable behavior of hunting cooperatively in family groups. Most birds of prey are solitary h...more
Gould's Petrel - Pterodroma leucoptera - one of Australia’s rarest seabirds, is a small petrel,
30 cm long with a wingspan of about 70 cm. It is largely grey above and
white below with a blackish crown and hindneck and a black M-shaped
band across the wings and rump.
It nests in burrows on steep mountainsides. On Cabbage Tree Island i...more
The Amur Falcon - Falco amurensis, formerly Eastern Red-footed Falcon, is a small bird of prey that breeds in south-eastern Siberia, Mongolia and Northern China and winters in Southern Africa.
Amur Falcons swirl around Eskom power lines
in Newcastle, KZN, South Africa, before landing on the branches of nearby pine trees. It is
estimated that abo...more
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper - Eurynorhynchus pygmeus - is a small wader which breeds in north eastern Russia and winters in South east Asia.
The most distinctive feature of this species is its spatulate bill.
The breeding adult bird is 14–16 cm in length, and has a red-brown
head, neck and breast with dark brown streaks. It has blackish
...more
The Yellow-eared Parrot - Ognorhynchus icterotis - is an endangered parrot of tropical America. It is found in the western Andes in Colombia and is closely associated to the wax palm. They nest and live among wax palms in a few areas of Western and Central Cordillera of Colombia. It inhabits cloud forests about 1800–3000 meters above sea level an...more
The Red-headed Woodpecker - Melanerpes erythrocephalus - is strikingly tri-colored, with a black back and tail and a red head and
neck and whit underparts. The wings are black with white
secondary remiges. Adult males and females are identical in plumage. Juveniles are similarly shaded, but are mottled with brown.
It is one of the most aggressiv...more
Massive fall of swifts last Thursday, 26th May, evening at Broad Lough,
County Wicklow, Ireland. Easily 3 - 4 thousand swarming over the lake
and sea, with a steady stream of birds coming from the east.
Never seen anything like it!
...more
The Cape Cormorant - Phalacrocorax capensis - is endemic to the southwestern coast of Southern Africa.
It is a medium sized cormorant, with a length of about
63 cm; the males are a little larger than the females. They are almost
entirely glossy blue-black, with an orange throat patch. The bill is
dark grey; the eyes turquoise and the legs and f...more
The Jackal Buzzard - Buteo rufofuscus - is a strikingly plumaged bird of prey. It is almost black above with a chestnut tail. The
primary flight feathers are blackish and the secondaries off-white, both
barred with black. Below the chin and around the throat is mainly
white, and the rest of the underparts and the underwing coverts are rich
ru...more
The Tanzanian Government announced that the proposed asphalt road which would have bisected the Serengeti National Park, will not now be built.
” By taking this bold decision to protect the Serengeti, the
government of Tanzania has once again demonstrated its commitment to
sustainable management of the country’s abundant biodiversity resour...more
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced more than $4.3
million in grants for 34 projects that will support neotropical
migratory bird conservation throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Matched by more than $15.1 million in additional funds from partners,
the projects will support habitat restoration, environmental education,
population...more
Cape Sugarbird
The Cape Sugarbird, Promerops cafer, is endemic to the Fynbos biome of the western and eastern Cape, South Africa. It is a grey-brown bird that is easily recognizable by a yellow vent and the very long tail feathers. The female, shorter-tailed,
shorter-billed, and has a paler breast. Another
characteristic of the Cape Sugarbird is...more
The Hooded Vulture - Necrosyrtes monachus - formerly common in public places, and regularly seen on the rooftops
of houses and public buildings, are now rare and
missed by many in Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso. Has
Ouagadougou become an inhospitable city to these birds? What happened to
them anyway? These questions have inspire...more
The Mediterranean Gull - , Ichthyaetus melanocephalus - breeds almost entirely in Europe. There are colonies elsewhere in southern Europe, and this species has
undergone a dramatic range expansion in recent decades.
It has colonised Britain, mainly in southern and eastern England with more than 90 pairs in 2000. This gull breeds in ...more
Liberia: -
The Common Bulbul - Pycnonotus barbatus - is mostly greyish-brown above and whitish-brown below, with a
distinctive dark head and pointy crest on top of the head. The back of
the head merges into the brown of the back, and the chin is also
blackish. The underparts are grey-brown apart from yellow around the vent. It is about 18 ...more
Namibia: -
The Crimson-breasted Shrike - Laniarius atrococcineus - or "Reichsvogel" in Namibia is a striking bird in black and red.
This shrike is extremely nimble and restless, its penetrating
whistles often being the first sign of its presence, although it is not a
shy species. The sexes have the same colouration and are
indistin...more
Angola: -
The Peregrine Falcon also known historically as the "Duck Hawk" in North America. The Peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching speeds of over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop, making it the fastest extant member of the animal kingdom.
It is a large Falcon, with a blue-grey back, b...more
The national Bird for both Kenya and Nigeria is the Black Crowned Crane.
The Black Crowned Crane - Balearica pavonina occurs in dry savannah south of the Sahara. It nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This species and the closely related Grey-crowned Crane, which prefers wetter habitats for foraging.
Like all cranes, the Black Crowned Crane fe...more
The Grey Crowned Crane is the national bird for Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
These spectacular birds and are the only cranes that can roost in trees, because of a long hind toe that can grasp branches.
The Grey Crowned Crane has a breeding display involving dancing,
bowing, and jumping. It has a booming call which involves inflation of
th...more
Botswana: -
The Lilac-breasted Roller - Coracias caudatus - is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. It is found in open woodland and savanna and is largely absent from
treeless places. Usually found alone or in pairs, it perches
conspicuously at the tops of trees, poles or other high vantage points
from...more
Lesotho: -
The Southern Bald Ibis - Geronticus calvus - is found in open grassland in the mountains of Southern Africa.
This large, glossy, blue-black Ibis has an unfeathered red face and head, and a long, decurved red bill. It breeds colonially on cliffs, laying 2-3 eggs which are incubated for 21 days before hatching. It feeds on insects,...more
The ADU - Animal Demography Unit - presented results of a research project sponsored by the Responsible Fisheries Alliance - RFA,
a partnership between WWF South Africa, and four major fishing industry
players, namely I&J, Oceana, Sea Harvest and Viking: "This is the
first alliance of its kind in the history of South African marine
c...more
The Pink-footed Shearwater - Puffinus creatopus - is a large pelagic shearwater occurring in the Pacific Ocean. It nests on Mocha Island off the Chilian Coast. It is a transequatorial migrant, moving toward subarctic waters of the
Pacific after raising its young. It is fairly common well off the west
coast of the US during the country's warm...more
In the 2000 Red Data Book, two species were classified as "Regionally Extinct"
The two "Regionally Extinct" species are the Egyptian Vulture - Neophron percnopterus - and the African
Skimmer - Rynchops flavirostris.
Occasional sightings of both species as vagrants hold out some
hope that they will recolonize South Africa.&n...more
Decline emphasizes need to list the knot under the
Endangered Species Act and implement stronger protections at key U.S.
stopover.
Scientists released a report announcing that a decrease of at least 5,000 Red Knots was
observed at key wintering grounds in Tierra del Fuego, Chile from the
previous year. Scientists reported population counts of...more
American Bird Conservancy - ABC - the nation’s leading bird
conservation organization, and ten other groups have called on the Environmental Protection Agency - EPA - to begin immediate proceedings
to have rodent poison products that do not meet new EPA packaging
guidelines withdrawn from retail shelves.
In 2008, following years...more
Old trees must be protected to save the homes of more than 1,000
different bird and mammal species who nest, says a new study from the
University of British Columbia. Most animals can't carve out their own
tree holes and rely on holes already formed. The study found that
outside of North America, most animals nest in tree holes formed by
damag...more
The Arabian Oryx - Oryx leucoryx - or White Oryx is a medium sized antelope with a distinct shoulder hump, long straight horns, and a tufted tail.
It was hunted to near
extinction, is now facing a more secure future according to the latest
update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Its wild population
now stands at 1,000 individuals....more
The African Penguin - Spheniscus demersus - also known as the Jackass Penguin or the Black-footed Penguin is found on the south-western coast of Africa, living in colonies on 24 islands and 3 mainland colonies, between Namibia and Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
In the 1900s, penguins were threatened
by egg collection and guano scraping ...more
SAFRING is based at the University of Cape Town and provides bird
ringing services in South Africa and other African countries. This
entails providing ringing equipment to qualified ringers, and curating
all ringing data. SAFRING communicates with ringers and interested
parties through annually publishing one or two issues of a newsletter,
Afr...more
BirdLife International has a
well-established and highly successful programme of defining Important
Bird Areas (IBAs). The aim of the IBA programme is to "identify and
protect a network of sites at a biogeographic scale, critical for the
long-term viability of naturally occurring bird populations, across the
range of those bird species fo...more
The Common Eider - Somateria mollissima - breeds in the Arctic and some northern temperate regions, but winters further south in temperate zones, where it can form large flocks on coastal waters. It can fly at speeds up to 113 km/h.
The eider's nest is built close to the sea and is lined with the celebrated eiderdown,
plucked from the female's b...more
The Gurney's Pitta - Pitta gurneyi, - one of the most beautiful birds in the world, has a blue crown and black-and-yellow underparts.
The rest of the head is black, and it has warm brown upperparts. The
female has a brown crown and buffy-whitish underparts. They feed on slugs and worms. It is named after the English ornithologist John Henry Gurn...more
The Amur Falcon - Falco amurensis, formerly Eastern Red-footed Falcon, is a small bird of prey that breeds in south-eastern Siberia and Northern China and winters in Southern Africa.
Satellite tracking of raptors on migration has become an indispensable
tool in studying the routes taken by birds. It is especially useful when
used in areas where...more
Arctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea
A new study adds surprising new detail to the Arctic tern's epic migration.
The Arctic tern's extraordinary pole-to-pole migration has been detailed by an international team of scientists.
The
researchers fitted the birds with tiny tracking devices to see
precisely which routes the animals took on their 70,000k...more
A red penguin that stands nearly five feet
tall. Researchers in Peru have unearthed the fossil of just such a
creature, a giant penguin that lived about 36
million years ago.
The
fossil, named Inkayacu paracasensis, or Water King, gives researchers
their very first look at p...more
The Ground Hornbill Project is sponsored by Rand Merchant Bank.
The
focus of the EWT’s Ground Hornbill work is in the Kruger National Park
and coordinated by Scott Ronaldson. The Ground Hornbill populations are
carefully monitored and threats specific to each area addressed. In the
Lowveld/KNP, where the bulk of the country’s wild popul...more
Written by Niall Perrins
This is a target I have set myself. To my knowledge only the
legendary Ian Sinclair has done it before and publicly announced it.
Will I do it? I don't know, but I am going to give it a damn good go. My
past achievements with this in mind are as follows:
2008: 701
birds - target was 700, a...more
The unusual wet and cold weather for this time of the year in the Kalahari, Northern Cape, South Africa has resulted in to bird mortalities. According to Dylan
Smith, of Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Northern Cape South Africa “with
the cold (4C) and wet (40+mm) we had numbers of bird mortalities - laughing
doves, scaly-feathered finches, wattled s...more
Based on two years of follow-up research, scientists have concluded
that the birds Jeff Gilligan, Gerard Lillie, and four Irish friends
saw from the deck of their cruise ship off the coast of Chile are
likely members of a new species of storm-petrel. The men, who are all
serious birders, spotted what they thought were Wilson’s Storm-Pe...more
Today, one of the world’s rarest birds passed a key milestone – the Pale-headed Brush-Finch (Atlapetes pallidiceps)
was downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered on the IUCN
Red List of globally threatened birds after of more than a decade of
sustained conservation action.
The announcement came following news that the...more
In a novel look at managing both the future's timber harvest while
being mindful of the impact on key songbirds in Michigan's Upper
Peninsula, Michigan State University researchers use a new forest
simulation model for the first time to look at what timber-friendly
hardwood regeneration can mean to bird habitat. And it's a long-range
look, giv...more
Albatrosses are large seabirds that range widely in the Southern Ocean and North Pacific. They are absent from the North Atlantic and are among the largest of flying birds. Of the 21 species of albatrosses, 19 are threatened.
A new global estimate of the impact of longline fisheries on seabirds
reveals that, despite efforts to reduce seabi...more
DeJong is measuring the duck eggs in several museum collections --
from the Smithsonian Institution, in this case, where Bendire was the
first curator of the discipline known as oology, or the study of birds'
eggs. When her project is done, DeJong will have assembled and analyzed a
metrics database on perhaps 60,000 duck eggs representing at l...more
On April 26, 1986, history's greatest nuclear accident took place
northwest of the Ukrainian city of Chernobyl. Despite the scale of the
disaster, 25 years later, we still do not know its real effects. An
international team of investigators has shown for the first time that
the colour of birds' plumage may make them more vulnerable to
radioact...more
The Ivory-billed Woodpecker Campephilus principalis is
or was one of the largest woodpeckers in the world, at roughly 20 inches
in length and 30 inches in wingspan. It was native to the virgin
forests of the southeastern United States. Due to habitat destruction, and to a lesser
extent hunting, its numbers have dwindled to the poin...more
The Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps or Indian Bustard is found in India and certain parts of Pakistan.
It has been uplisted to Critically Endangered, the highest level of
threat. Hunting, disturbance, habitat loss and fragmentation have all
conspired to reduce this magnificent species to perhaps as few as 250
individuals.
Standing a me...more
The Bulgarian government has confirmed Special Protection Area
extensions for four key Important Bird Areas in Bulgaria. The
extensions of Lomovete, Central Balkan, Pirin and Western Rhodopes will
provide protection for key breeding populations of endangered species
such as the Egyptian Vulture and Saker falcon, along with a host of
fore...more
Pulling into the parking lot at the Baltimore Woods Nature Center in
Marcellus, the first thing you notice is several fields, the surrounding
woods and a brush pile or two.
The fun starts by looking closely at the surroundings — and listening.
“Hear that?” asked Jason Mauro as he focused in on a bird chirping in a nearby tree. “That’...more
The Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus is not actually bald. The name derives from the older meaning of the word, "white headed". Bald Eagles are sexually mature at four or five years of age. When they
are old enough to breed, they often return to the area where they were
born. It is thought that Bald Eagles mate for life. However, if ...more
I am really worried!
This year as with every year, summer really doesn’t start until the swifts arrive.
Usually they appear mid to early May, dipping and diving at
incredible speed above our little Warwickshire town. Our town is
predominately medieval/Elizabethan timber framed houses, many of them
still sporting their open eaves and perfec...more
To celebrate World Environment Day, BirdLife has launched a new section on its website focusing on people,
showcasing the work of the BirdLife Partnership in bringing communities
together to safeguard birds and biodiversity, whilst ensuring a
sustainable and equitable future for people.
BirdLife is the largest conservation network of its kind...more
Indian Myna - Acridotheres tristis - numbers have exploded across Canberra since they were
deliberately introduced, and are a serious environmental threat to
native wildlife. Indian Mynas:
are one of the most invasive animal species in the world
take over nesting hollows, evicting birds and small mammals, and prey on nestlings
pose som...more
Palm-Nut Vulture - Gypohierax angolensis - was located on the farm, Fernbank, near Sedgefield, Western Cape, South Africa.
The farm is situated on the Sedgefield/Karatara tarred road about 7.5km from the low water bridge at GPS bearing 3359.035S and 2249.429E on the left-hand side of the roadway as you head towards Karatara. Please remember that ...more
A Goliath Heron - Ardea goliath - present at Paarl Bird Sanctuary Western Cape, South Africa this morning.
A Squacco Heron - Ardeola ralloides - still present at Paarl Bird Sanctuary Western Cape, South Africa.
These beautiful birds can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours/Safari/Adventures.
Goliath Heron
Aves Eastern Cape Birding Tou...more
Great Snipes - Gallinago media - Spain saw an unprecedented arrival of this species in April and May and the UK saw its first-ever displaying (lekking) male in North Norfolk. Very concerning though is the failure of this species to materialise at a number of regular breeding leks in Estonia and Poland - the lekking locations being too wet pos...more
Even though many European Turtle Doves arrived on cue in the UK, on or about 20 April, they have so far failed to materialise in greater numbers. In fact, I would describe their current status here as critical.
This once abundant species is now confined in its stronghold to just coastal Essex and Kent, and is now fairly scarce in Suffolk an...more
The Hooded Vulture, Necrosyrtes monachus, is typical vulture, with a bald pink head and a greyish “hood”. It has
fairly uniform dark brown body plumage. It has broad wings for soaring
and short tail feathers. It is a small species compared to most
vultures.
It breeds in a stick nest in trees (often in palms) in much of sub -saharan Africa, ...more
DANGPLAT, Cambodia — A wake of vultures perches on the bare branches
of a towering tree, dark shapes silhouetted against a pale sky, sharp
beaks and talons ready to tear apart a dead cow laid out in a Cambodian
jungle clearing.
This manmade "vulture restaurant" is part of efforts across Asia to
save the critically endangered bird f...more
LOS ANGELES -- Three California condors found in northern Arizona and
southern Utah have died of lead poisoning and three others had toxic
levels of lead in their bodies, prompting conservationists to urge
hunters to use non-lead ammunition and to carefully dispose animal
carcasses that condors could feast upon.
Biologists recently captured a...more
After six years in which Pale Male and his then-mate Lola produced eggs every
year, only to have to abandon them in early summer long after they
should have hatched, Pale Male suddenly switched to classic Red-tailed Hawk,
fathering behavior on Thursday. He brought captured Central Park prey
to his new mate, Ginger, at their fabled East Side pe...more
The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), is a a fish eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor with a 2 m wingspan. It is
brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and
underparts, with a black eye patch and wings.
The Osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate f...more
The Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus, and known historically as the "Duck Hawk" in North America has taken to life in New York City.
Three peregrine falcon moms have found New York City bridges to be the perfect roost for raising a family.
Nine fuzzy, white and chubby chicks have recently hatched at the Verrazano-Narrows, Marine Parkwa...more
The King Penguin Aptenodytes patagonicusis, the second largest species of Penguin at about 11 to 16 kg (24 to 35 lb), second only to the Emperor Penguin.
King Penguins breed on the Subantartic islands at the northern reaches of Antartica, South Georgia, and other temperate islands of the region. The total population is estimated to be 2.23 mi...more
The Golden-winged Warbler, Vermivora chrysoptera, breeds in eastern North America and southeastern Canada.
Golden-winged Warbler populations are slowly expanding northwards, but
are generally declining across its range, most likely as a result of
habitat loss and competition / interbreeding with the very closely related
Blue-winged Warbler, V...more
The Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) is an African endemic. It is the heaviest bird capable of flight.
The Kori Bustard is mostly grey in color, with a black crest on its head and yellow legs. Kori Bustards are often found with bee-eaters riding on their backs as they stride through the grass. The bee-eaters make the most of their walking perch by haw...more
In the UK, housing developers make contributions to a fund, known as
Section 106 funds, for the purposes of financing urban art. Cambridge
City Council came up with the brilliant idea of making an allocation to
build a Swift Tower on Logan's Meadow Nature Reserve (Pye Fen) which
would be not only an attractive piece of static urban art, b...more
- 2011-06-03
The Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) is a small swft and in flight, looks like a flying cigar with long slender
curved wings. The plumage is a sooty grey-brown; the throat, breast,
underwings and rump are paler. They have short tails.
The breeding season of Chimney Swifts is from May through July. Their breeding habitat is near towns and cities...more
There are four flamingo species in the Americas and two species in the Africa and Asia.
Flamingos are very social birds that live in colonies that can number in
the thousands. These large colonies are believed to serve three
purposes for the flamingos; predator avoidance, maximizing food intake
and exploiting scarce suitable nesting sites.
Th...more
The International Society for Salt Lake Research (ISSLR), is an
organisation devoted to research, management and conservation of salt
lakes worldwide, that holds triennial conferences with research on salt
lakes as a central
theme. In 2011 the confere...more
How many birds were killed, injured or otherwise affected by the millions of gallons of oil that rushed toward shorelines?
That’s one of the major questions federal scientists and state
biologists are wrestling with as they approach the anniversary of the
disaster. The Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and sank off Louisiana’s
coast Apri...more
The Collared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto, is a species native to Asia and Europe, and also recently introduced in North America.
It is a medium sized dove, distinctly smaller than the Wood Pigeon, similar in length to a Rock Pigeon but slimmer and longer-tailed, and slightly larger than the related Turtle Dove.
The Great Backyard Bird Coun...more
The Common House Martin - Delichon urbicum, is a migratory swallowwhich breeds in Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia and winters in sub-saharan
Africa and tropical Asia. It feeds on insects which are caught in
flight, and it migrates to climates where flying insects are plentiful.
According to Martin Goodey there were large numbers of Hou...more
Migratory birds are building a diverse range of nests
at Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre in Berkshire after flying thousands
of miles from Africa.
With bodies shorter than a ball-point pen,
the first to complete their impressive journeys in March and mid-April
were the sand martins and the reed warblers. They have now been joined
by the larg...more
These three much-loved birds breeding in the West-Central Palearctic have much in common:core breeding ranges, wintering ranges and loop migration strategies both into and out of Africa.
All three of these birds are long-range migrants (e.g. St.
Petersburg to Harare), may have been hit these past three years (at
least), by an intensifying and er...more
The Marsh Warbler, Acrocephalus palustris, breeds in temperate Europe and western Asia and winters mainly in
south east Africa. It is notable for incorporating striking imitations
of a wide variety of other birds into its song.
The Marsh Warbler breeds in a variety of mostly damp habitats, but in
Africa winters mainly in dry, well-vegetated ar...more
The Thrush Nightingale, Luscinia luscinia is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in forest in Europe and Asia. It winters in Tropical Africa.
The Thrush Nightingale is similar in size to the European Robin.
It is plain grey brown above and grey to white below. Its greyer tones,
giving a cloudy appearance to the underside, and lack of th...more
The Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) breeds in most of Europe and winters in tropical Africa. Although a migratory visitor to Great Britain, it had been considered extinct as a breeding bird and has been named as a protected bird in Britain under a Biodiversity Action Plan.
In September 2010 the RSPB announced that a breeding pair had successf...more
The great
snipe could well be the fastest bird on
Earth over long distances.
After
following the birds' migration south from Sweden to central Africa
using tiny tracking devices, Swedish scientists found that the birds fly
non-stop over a distance of around 4200 miles (6760km) at a phenomenal
60mph (97kmh).
A lot of birds can fly eithe...more