Wryneck

Jynx torquilla

Photo by Alex Auer (Nature Photo CZ)

Common name:
wryneck (en); torcicolo (pt); torcol fourmilier (fr); torcecuello (es); wendehals (de)

Taxonomy:
Ordem Piciformes
Family Picidae

Range:
During the breeding season this species is present throughout Europe, with the exceptions of Ireland and Iceland. They also breed along the southern regions of Russia, all the way to the Pacific coast. In Asia they are also present in northern China and Mongolia. An isolated population breeds in the Kashmir region both in India and China. The European population winters in Africa, along the Sahel belt, south of the Sahara. The Asian populations winter in the southeast of the continent, from India in the west, through Myanmar and Thailand, and into southern China.  The populations in northern Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia are resident and stay in that region all year round.

Size:
This small woodpecker averages 17 cm in length and has a wingspan of 26 cm. Males and females are similar in size and weigh around 38 g.

Habitat:
The wryneck mostly uses woodland and farmland, avoiding steppes, deserts, mountains and wetlands. It does not favour dense or tall forests, preferring fringes, open woodlands, clearings, or, especially, parks, orchards, cemeteries and large gardens. Prefers deciduous to coniferous trees, and is less interested in trunks than in branches, often fairly close to ground. During migration these birds can use a variety of sandy habitats, even deserts, where they forage on ants. While wintering, these birds can be found in broad-leaved or thorn scrubland, semi-desert, and cultivations.

Diet:
Feeds almost exclusively on ants, both adults and larvae. Uses its long, glutinous tongue to remove the ants from their holes.

Breeding:
Wrynecks usually nest in a natural hole in a tree, but they will also make use of holes in walls and nest boxes. They lay up to 10 pale grey-green eggs, most commonly in May, which are incubated by the female for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed ants by both parents and fledge about 3 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
The species has a very wide range, and a global population of over 5 million individuals. Although the population may be suffering a small decline, there are no significant threats afecting its survival at present.

Goliath heron

Ardea goliath

(Photo from Anifuate - Follow Me)

Common name:

goliath heron (en); garça-gigante (pt); héron goliath (fr); garza goliat (es); goliathreiher (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Ciconiiformes

Family Ardeidae

Range:

Occurs in wetlands throughout Africa, with the exception of the countries northwest of the Sahara. Present from Egipt, Mali and Mauritania in the north, all the way down to South Africa. In Asia the species is present along the southernmost areas of the continent, from the Arabian Peninsula, through Iraq, Iran and Pakistan, and into India, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Size:

The goliath heron is the largest heron in the World, with a length of 120-152 cm and a wingspan of 185-230 cm. These birds can weigh up to 5 kg.

Habitat:

Uses both coastal and inland wetland habitats, including lakes, swamps, mangroves, flood plains and also river deltas and estuaries, reefs and waterholes in woodland savanna.

Diet:

Like most herons, it hunts by standing motionless in shalows or floating vegetation, waiting for the prey to come within range, after which it spears the prey with its open bill. It preys on a varity of animals including fish, amphibians, small lizards and snakes, small mammals, crabs and prawns and aquatic insects.

Breeding:

The breeding season takes place between November and March. Unlike other herons, this species nests in solitary pairs which build a nest with sticks and reeds on a small tree or in bushes that are surrounded by water, either in islands or river banks and lake shores. The female lays 2-5 pale blue eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 24-30 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 5 weeks after hatching, but remain with their parents for another 2-3 months.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 6.700-67.000 individuals. Currently the population is stable, with no significant threats. However, the loss of wetland habitats due to human activities and climate change may pose a threat in the future.

Black-tailed godwit

Limosa limosa

Photo by Pedro Lourenço (Birds of the World)

Common name:
black-tailed godwit (en); maçarico-de-bico-direito (pt); barge à queue noir (fr); aguja colinegra (es); uferschnepfe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae

Range:
Breeds in the northern temperate areas of the Paleartic. There are three geographicaly segregated subspecies: L. l. islandica breeds in Iceland, L. l. limosa breeds in northern Europe, from The Netherlands in the west to near Russia, and L. l. melanuroides breeds in southern Siberia. Wintering populations in western and south-western Europe, in West Africa and in southern Asia and Australia.

Size:
A medium-sized wader, the black-tailed godwit ranges 40-42 cm in lenght and has a wingspan of 70-82 cm. The females are larger and longer-billed than males. Males weigh up to 280 g, females weigh up to 340 g.

Habitat:
Traditionaly bred in wet pastures, marshes and bog. Currently breeds mostly in agricultural meadows. During winter the subspecies are segregated in terms of habitat. L. l. islandica and L. l. melanuroides are mostly present in salty habitats like estuarine mudflats, saltmarshes and saltpans, while L. l. limosa used mostly freshwater habitats including marshes, floodplains and rice fields.

Diet:
The diet varies depending on the habitat. In estuarine areas feeds mostly on macroinvertebrates, namely bivalves and polychaetes. In fresh water habitats feeds on diferent invertebrates, but also seeds and particularly rice grain when foraging on rice fields. On the breeding habitats feeds on earthworms and insects.

Breeding:
Starts breeding at 2 years old and forms stable couples that can last for several years. Usually lays 4 eggs in April-June. The eggs are incubated by both parents and hatch after 25 days. The chicks leave the nest within 24 hours of hatching and are immediately able to feed themselves, but rely on their parents for protection from extreme weather and predators until fledging, 3-4 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near-Threatened)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 630.000-800.000 individuals. Different populations have different trends, but overall the species is estimated to be have declined 25% in the last 2 decades, mostly due to habitat loss and degradation through agricultural intensification and wetland drainage. Hunting and water pollution are also significant threats.

Cinereous vulture

Aegypius monachus

Photo by Rich Lindie (Birds Korea)

Common name:
cinereous vulture (en); abutre-preto (pt); vautour moine (fr); buitre negro (es); mönchsgeier (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Falconiformes
Family Accipiteridae

Range:
Breeds along the middle latitudes of the Paleartic, from the Iberian Peninsula in the west, through the Balcans and Turkey, along the Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan and all the way to southern Siberia, Mongolia and norther China. Some asian population are migratory and winter in Korea, China, northern India and Pakistan, the Middle East and as far as southern Sudan in Africa.

Size:
One of the largest birds in the World, the cinereous vulture reaches 98-120 cm in length and a wingspan of 268-310 cm. The largest individuals can weigh 13.5 kg.

Habitat:
Breeds in woodland, mostly populated with perenial oaks, pines and junipers. Preferes steep slopes at altitudes ranging from 400-1900 m (Europe) up to 4500 m (Asia). Mostly nests on tree tops although in Asia some nest are built on rocky outcrops. Usualy forages in steppes, open woodlands and alpine meadows, ocasionally in human made habitats like cereal crops and orchards.

Diet:
Small to medium-sized carcasses. In Europe mostly wild rabbit and domestic sheep, but also goat, pig, deer and wild boar. In Asia feeds on marmot, woolly hare, yak, kyang, both domestic and wild sheep and Tibetan gazelle. Ocasionally human corpses from cerimonial burials.

Breeding:
Starts breeding at 4-6 year old and forms stable couples that can last for several years. The only egg is layed in February-April and hatches after 54-56 days. The chicks fledge after 95-120 days.

Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near-Threatened)
The main threats are: lack of food do to changes in agriculture and strict sanitary laws that stop farmers from leaving dead animals in the fields (Europe), poisoning, accidents with power lines and wind turbines, human disturbance to nests, forest fires, and illegal hunting.