Alpine accentor

Prunella collaris

Photo by Yeshey Dorji (Birding in India and the Indian Subcontinent)

Common name:

alpine accentor (en); ferreirinha-alpina (pt); accenteur alpin (fr); acentor alpino (es); alpenbraunelle (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Prunellidae

Range:

These birds are found in mountainous areas, from the Iberian Peninsula and northwest Africa, through France and italy and Slovenia ans into the Balkans, Bulgaria and Greece. They are also found in northern and eastern Turkey, through the Caucasus and Iran and east to Turkmenistan, China, Korea and Japan. They are also found in Taiwan.

Size:

They are 15-17 cm long and have a wingspan of 30-33 cm. They 25-35 g.

Habitat:

They breed in high alpine country, usually at 1.800-3.000 m. They are mostly found in barren areas with boulders and low-growing plants. During the winter they go down to lower altitudes.

Diet:

Alpine accentors forage on the ground for insects, spiders, and other invertebrates. During the winter they mostly eat seeds and fruits.

Breeding:

They have a polygynandrous breeding systems with several males and females having overlapping home ranges. Males will mate with several females and females mate with several males. Within each nest there are chicks from different fathers and the males will provide food to chicks at several nests within the group, depending on whether they have mated with the female of that nest or not. They breed in May-July. The nest is a cup-shaped nest of moss, grass stalks, and fine roots in holes and rocky clefts on the ground. The female lays 4-5 pale blue eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 13-15 days. The young fledge 16 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

The alpine accentor has a very large breeding range and a population estimated at 500.000-2.000.000 individuals. The population is believed to be stable, as there are no evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Wrentit

Chamaea fasciata

Photo by Nancy Shogren (Pinterest)

Common name:

wrentit (en); camea (pt); cama brune (fr); herrerillo chochín (es); chaparraltimalie (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Sylviidae

Range:

These birds are found along a narrow strip in the Pacific coast of North America, from Oregon down to Baja California.

Size:

This small songbird is 14-16 cm long and has a wingspan of 17-18 cm. They weigh 13-16 g.

Habitat:

The wrentit is found in coastal scrubland and in lowland and mountain chaparral. They are also found in forests with dense scrub understory including mature riparian, valley oak (Quercus lobata), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests, early successional forests, riparian (Salix sp.) scrub, Coyote bush (Baccahris sp.), poison oak, and blackberry (Rubus sp.) thickets. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 2.300 m.

Diet:

Their diet includes insects, caterpillars, spiders, fruits and seeds. Seeds become more important in winter, particularly the seeds of the poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobium).

Breeding:

Wrentits mate for life, forming pair bonds only a few months after hatching. Both sexes participate in nest building. The nest is a tidy open cup made of bark strips held together with insect silk, lined with soap plant or grass, placed in crotch of shrub branches. The female lays 3-4 greenish blue eggs which are incubated by both parents or 14-15 days. The chicks fledge 15 days after hatching, but continue to be fed by both parents for up to 41 days.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

With a population of 1,5 million and a relatively large breeding range, this species has had stable population trends over the last 40 years and is thus not considered threatened.

Common bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

Photo by J.M. de Bruyn (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:

common bulbul (en); tuta-negra (pt); bulbul des jardins (fr); bulbul naranjero (es); graubülbül (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Pycnonotidae

Range:

These birds are found throughout Africa, with the exception of the Sahara desert, and into the Middle East, through India and all te way to southern China and south-east Asia. They are also found in the south-east corner of Australia.

Size:

Common bulbuls are 18-19 cm long and have a wingspan of 26-30 cm. They weigh up to 50 g.

Habitat:

It is found in woodland, coastal bush, forest edges, riverine bush, montane scrub and in mixed farming habitats. It is also found in exotic thickets, gardens and parks.

Diet:

They mainly eat fruits and berries, and some shoots and buds. Sometimes also nectar, insects and spiders.

Breeding:

The common bulbul breeding season varies along their range, but mostly in May-December. The nest is a fairly rigid, thick walled cup, usually situated inside the leafy foliage of a small tree or shrub. the female lays 2-3 eggs which are incubated for 12-14 days. The chicks fledge 12-14 days after hatching. Each pair may procude 2 or more broods per year.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as common to abundant over its extremely large breeding range. The population in Liberia is estimated at 3 million individuals and in southern Mozambique, the population is estimated at 5-10 million individuals. However, these countries cover only a small percentage of the species's total range so the global population is likely much higher. The population is suspected to be increasing owing to ongoing habitat modification and degradation, which favours the species.

White-throated needletail

Hirundapus caudacutus

Photo by Johan Stenlund (PBase)

Common name:

white-throated needletail (en); andorinhão-mongol (pt); martinet épineux (fr); vencejo mongol (es); stachelschwanzsegler (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Apodiformes

Family Apodidae

Range:

They breed in Asia, from central and south-eastern Siberia and Mongolia, east to coastal Russia, northern Japan and sorth-eastern China. A separate population breeds in south-western China and the Himalayas in northern India and Pakistan. The wintering areas mostly lay in eastern Australia, with some birds also staying in New Zealand, Papua New-Guinea and south-east Asia.

Size:

The white-throated needletail is 20-22 cm long and has a wingspan of 43-48 cm. They weigh 100-140 g.

Habitat:

This species breeds in wooded lowlands and sparsely vegetated hills, as well as mountains covered with coniferous forests. They forage aerially, at heights up to cloud level, above a wide variety of habitats ranging from heavily treed forests to open habitats, such as farmland, heathland or mudflats, though they sometimes forage much closer to the ground in open habitats. They sometimes forage over recently disturbed areas, such as forest that has been recently cleared or burnt, or above paddocks as they are being ploughed or slashed. They often forage in areas of updraughts, such as ridges, cliffs or sand-dunes or in the smoke of bush fires, or in whirlwinds.

Diet:

They mostly take insects and spiders in flight. Among their insect prey are beetles, cicadas, wasps, flies, moths, locusts, ants and termites.

Breeding:

White-throated needletails breed in May-June. Both parents take equal part in the breeding process. The nest is placed in a vertical hollow in a tall coniferous tree or on a vertical rock-face, either comprising a small bracket or half-cup of thin twigs and straw cemented together by the bird's saliva and glued to the side of the hollow or rock, or a shallow scrape among debris accumulated at the bottom of a tree hollow. The female lays 2-7 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 21 days. The chicks fledge after 40–42 days.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has an extremely large breeding range. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Rufous-tailed plantcutter

Phytotoma rara

Photo by James Lowen (Arkive)

Common name:

rufous-tailed plantcutter (en); corta-ramos-de-cauda-ruiva (pt); rara à queue rousse (fr); rara (es); rotschwanz-pflanzenmäher (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Cotingidae

Range:

This South American species in only found in Chile and Argentina. In Chile they are found from Magallanes north to Atacama, while in Argentina they occur from Santa Cruz north to Mendoza.

Size:

The rufous-tailed plantcutter is 18-20 cm long and weighs 38-52 g.

Habitat:

They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 2.700 m, in open forests and thorny scrubland, as well as in farmland, orchards and gardens.

Diet:

This species is mostly herbivorous, showing a preference for leaves, shoots and buds. they will occasionally also take fruits and insects.

Breeding:

The rufous-tailed pantcutter has two distinct breeding seasons, in October-November and in December-January. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a loosely built cup made from dry twigs, padded with root fibers, and usually placed 1-3 m above the ground in a thick thorny scrub. the female lays 2-4 blue-green eggs with dark spots. The female incubates the eggs alone, but the incubation period is not known. The chicks are fed by both parents, eating only insects

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

Although the species is described as uncommon, they have a relatively large breeding range. There is no evidence for any declines or substantial threats, and the species is known to use secondary forests, agricultural areas and even gardens, so it appears to be relatively tolerant of disturbance. Owing to its habit of eating the young leaves of cereal crops and causing damage to orchards, it is considered an agricultural pest in parts of its range. It is not considered threatened at present.

Pennant-winged nightjar

Macrodipteryx vexillarius

Photo by Phil Palmer (Biodiversity Explorer)

Common name:

pennant-winged nightjar (en); noitibó-de-balanceiros (pt); engoulevent porte-étendard (fr); chotacabras cuelgacintas (es); ruderflügel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Caprimulgiformes

Family Caprimulgidae

Range:

This African species mostly breeds south of the Equator, in Angola, Zaire, Tanzania, northern Namibia, north-east Botswana, Mozambique and the northernmost parts of South Africa. Some population migrate north towards areas from Cameroon and Nigeria, to Sudan, D. R. Congo and Uganda.

Size:

These birds are 24-26 cm long (not including the extra-long 9th primary which can grow up to twice the body length), and have a wingspan of 45-55 cm. They weigh 60-90 g with females often being heavier than males.

Habitat:

The pennant-winged nightjar generally prefers mature broad-leaved woodland with plenty of leaf litter, especially if it has a substratum of sand, stone or burnt ground.

Diet:

They are insectivorous, doing most of their foraging over broad clearings at dusk and just before daybreak, catching prey aerially. The diet includes Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Orthoptera, termites, Lepidoptera, Dermaptera and Neuroptera.

Breeding:

The pennant-winged nightjar is a polygynous solitary nester, with male having little part in the breeding process other than fertilizing females. the breeding season takes place in September-January, with a peak in October-November. The nest is an unlined scrap in the soil, usually shaded by a tall tree, where the female lays 1-2 eggs. She than incubates the eggs alone for 15-18 days. Little is known about the development and care of the chicks.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

Although the global population size has not been quantified, the species is reported to be common and locally abundant throughout much of its very large breeding range. This species is not considered theatened at present.

Yellow-billed loon

Gavia adamsii

Photo by Fredrik Salin (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:

yellow-billed loon (en); mobelha-de-bico-amarelo (pt); plongeon à bec blanc (fr); colimbo de Adams (es); gelbschnabeltaucher (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Gaviiformes

Family Gaviidae

Range:

They breed in the Arctic, in Russia, Alaska and Canada. They mostly winter at sea, along the coasts of Norway, western Canada and northern Japan, but also sometimes in inland lakes.

Size:

This large loon is 76-97 cm long and has a wingspan of 135-160 cm. They weigh 4-6,5 kg.

Habitat:

The yellow-billed loon mostly breeds on freshwater pools, lakes or rivers in the Arctic tundra, showing a preference for deep, clear lakes with stony or sandy substrates where water levels do not fluctuate. they prefer lakes where the water does not completely freeze, which have dependable supplies of fish and which have highly convoluted shorelines and aquatic vegetation providing habitats for fish and sites for nesting and brood rearing. Outside the breeding season the species inhabits inshore waters, fjords with muddy substrates and inlets along sheltered coasts, generally avoiding ice-covered waters.

Diet:

They mostly eat fish, namely Cottidae, Microgadus proximus and Gadus morhua, as well as crustaceans, molluscs and marine annelids.

Breeding:

Yellow billed loons start nesting in June-July. Both sexes build the nest, a small depression in a mound of plant matter or turf, constructed on dry land near the water edge. The female lays 2 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 27-28 days. Chicks are dry and active within hours of hatching; brooding by both parents occurs in nest for about 3 days, then little on-shore brooding after about 9 days. In some areas, chicks 9-16 days old observed riding on parents back. Adults forage to feed young for up to 45 days.

Conservation:

IUCN status - NT (Near-Threatened)

Although they have a very large breeding range, the population is currently estimated at just 16.000-32.000 individuals, and is suspected to be undergoing a moderately rapid population decline owing to unsustainable subsistence harvest. This species is also vulnerable to oil spills in both its breeding and wintering ranges, and may be threatened by oil development activities on its Alaskan breeding grounds. These threats are exacerbated by a low reproductive rate and very specific breeding habitat requirements.

Firecrest

Regulus ignicapillus

Photo by Johan Stenlund (PBase)

Common name:

firecrest (en); estrelinha-de-cabeça-listada (pt); roitelet à triple bandeau (fr); reyezuelo listado (es); sommergoldhähnchen (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Regulidae

Range:

The firecrest breeds mostly in Europe, from southern England, France, Spain and Portugal, east to Belarus, north-western Ukraine and Greece, and north to the Baltic and southern Latvia. There are isolated populations in the east, in Abkhazia, Crimea, Turkey, and in the western Mediterranean, in the Balearic islands, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Southern birds are largely resident, unlike the northern and eastern populations which migrate to the Mediterranean basin in winter.

Size:

These tinny birds are 9cm long and have a wingspan of 13-16 cm. they weigh 4-7 g.

Habitat:

It breeds in lowland broadleaf forest, preferring cork oak and alder where available, otherwise beech and holly. It also uses mixed broadleaf and conifer woodland, and stands of spruce, European silver fir, cedar and pines, often with undergrowth of juniper, ivy and wild rose. In drier Mediterranean habitats it is found in conifers, evergreen oaks, and mixed woodlands up to 2.800 m.

Diet:

They are almost exclusively insectivorous, preying on small arthropods with soft cuticles, such as springtails, aphids and spiders. They also feed on the cocoons and eggs of spiders and insects, and occasionally take pollen. They can also hover to catch flying insects.

Breeding:

Firecrests start breeding in April-May. The nest is constructed by the female alone, although the male will accompany the female while she builds the nest over a period of a few days to three weeks. The nest is a closed cup built in three layers with a small entrance hole near its top. The nest's outer layer is made from moss, small twigs, cobwebs and lichen, the spider webs also being used to attach the nest to the thin branches that support it. The middle layer is moss, and this is lined with feathers and hair. The female lays 7-12 pink eggs with very indistinct reddish markings at the broad end. The female incubates the eggs alone for 14-17 days and broods the chicks, which fledge 8-10 days later. Both parents feed the chicks and fledged young.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

The global population is estimated at 3.300.000-6.700.000 individuals. This species has a very large breeding range and the population trend is believed to be stable, so it is not threatened.

Silver gull

Larus novaehollandiae

Photo by J.J. Harrison (Wikipedia)

Common name:

silver gull (en); gaivota-prateada (pt); mouette argentée (fr); gaviota plateada (es); silberkopfmöwe (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Charadriiformes

Family Laridae

Range:

The silver gull is found throughout Australia and tasmania, not only in coastal areas, but also inland. they are also present in New Zealand and New Caledonia.

Size:

This medium-sized gull is 40-45 cm long and has a wingspan of 91-96 cm. They weigh up to 350 g.

Habitat:

The silver gull is found at virtually any watered habitat, both coastal, insular and inland, but it is rarely seen far from land. They have also adapted well to urban environments and thrive around shopping centres and garbage dumps.

Diet:

Originally these birds would mostly feed on fish, plankton, worms, insects and crustaceans. However, they are now mostly scavengers of human garbage.

Breeding:

Silver gulls breed in August-December. The nest is built by both parents, a simple cup on the ground made of seaweed, roots and pant stems. Nests may be found in low scrubs, rocks and jetties. Each clutch consists of 1-3 pale eggs blotched with black and brown. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 21-27 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and become independent at 6 weeks of age. This species produces two clutches per season.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a population of 100.000-1.000.000 individuals and a very large breeding range. The overall population trend is increasing, although some populations have unknown trends.

Olive-backed sunbird

Nectarinia jugularis

Photo by Lee Kee Yap (Wikipedia)

Common name:

olive-backed sunbird (en); beija-flor-de-dorso-verde (pt); souïmanga à dos vert (fr); suimanga dorsioliva (es); grünrücken-nektarvogel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Nectarinidae

Range:

They are found in south-east Asia an Australia, from southern China, through the Philippines and Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Malaysia, and into Indonesia and north-east Australia.

Size:

These birds are 12 cm long and have a wingspan of 14-17 cm. They weigh 7-8 g.

Habitat:

The olive-backed sunbird was originally found in mangroves, but it as adapted to human changes to the habitat being found in secondary open woodlands, orchards, coconut plantations and even inside human settlements.

Diet:

Their diet includes both nectar and invertebrates. They obtain nectar from a number o flowering plants, namely Erythrina, coconut, Eugenia grandis and E. jambos, Macaranga rubiginosa, Morinda umbellata, Adinandra dumosa, and various cultivated exotics including papaya, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Callistemon sp., Russelia sp., Canna indica and the bean Vigna sinensis. As or invertebrates, they mostly hunt spiders, large Orthoptera ans caterpillars.

Breeding:

The olive-backed sunbird breeds in December-July. The female builds the nest alone, a pear-shaped chamber, with a small entrance hole, built of grass-stems and other fibrous materials, with narrow strips of palm leaflet and miscellaneous inclusions such as flower petals and papery seeds. The female lays 1-3 pale green eggs with brown blotches, which are incubated for 11 days. Both parents feed and brood the chicks until fledging, which takes place 15-16 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Chestnut-mandibled toucan

Ramphastos swainsonii

(Photo from Wikipedia)

Common name:

chestnut-mandibled toucan (en); tucano-de-bico-castanho (pt); toucan de Swainson (fr); tucán de pico castaño (es); Swainson-tukan (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Piciformes

Family Ramphastidae

Range:

These birds are found in Central and South America, from eastern Honduras south through Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, western Colombia, and Ecuador.

Size:

In this species males tend to be larger than females. The males are 56 cm long and have a wingspan of 50-54 cm, weighing 680-750 g. The females are 52 cm long and have a wingspan of 46-49 cm, weighing 620-680 g.

Habitat:

Chestnut-mandibled toucans are found in a variety of moist, forested habitats. They are most common in primary lowland evergreen forests, but they also occur in gallery forest, forest patches, older second-growth woodland, and even large parks and gardens with a suitable tree canopy. They are typically found from sea level up to an altitude of 1000 m.

Diet:

They are largely frugivorous, eating from a wide variety of fruiting trees and play a vital role in seed dispersal. Preferred food sources include Virola, Casearia, Cecropia, Protium, Hampea, and Trophis spp. They also sometimes take lizards, large insects, and the eggs and young of other birds.

Breeding:

The breeding season of the chestnut-mandibled toucan varies depending on latitude, taking place sometime in December-July. They nest in hollow tree cavities where decay has caused the wood to rot, or sometimes in abandoned woodpecker nests, typically 10-30 m above the ground. The female lays 2-4 white eggs which are incubated by both parents for 14-15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents until fledging, which takes place 6 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species as a large breeding range and although the population is yet to be quantified, it is described as fairly common. With no evidence for any declines or substantial threats, the species is not considered threatened at present.

Scissor-tailed flycatcher

Tyranus forficatus

(Photo from Flickr)

Common name:

scissor-tailed flycatcher (en); tesourinha-rosado (pt); tyran à longue queue (fr); tijereta rosada (es); scherenschwanz-königstyrann (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Tyrannidae

Range:

These birds breed in the south of the United States in Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, and in northern Mexico. They winter in Central America, from southern Mexico down to Costa Rica

Size:

The scissor-tailed flycatcher shows strong sexual dimorphism in terms of tail length. Because of this females are 25-26 cm long while males are 38-39 cm long. They have a wingspan of 38 cm and weigh 36-56 g.

Habitat:

They mostly breed in open grasslands with occasional trees and scrubs, but also in towns and agricultural areas. During the winter they are typically found either in open grasslands or along the edges of tropical forests.

Diet:

They are insectivorous, mostly taking grasshoppers, crickets and beetles. they may occasionally take berries in winter.

Breeding:

Scissor-tailed flycatchers breed in March-August. The nest is an open cup of plant stems and string, lined with finer plant materials, generally placed in small isolated trees or large shrubs. The female lays 3-6 creamy eggs with brown spots, which she incubates alone for 13-16 days. the chicks are fed by both parents until fledging, which takes place 14-17 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

The population increased its range in the 19th and 20th century probably as the result of clearing forests and the planting of ornamental trees. It is now believed to be declining in parts of its very large range, but the population is still estimated at 7,9 million. The species is not threatened at present.

Common crane

Grus grus

Photo by Tarique Sani (Flickr)

Common name:

common crane (en); grou (pt); grue cendrée (fr); grulla común (es); kranich (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Gruiformes

Family Gruidae

Range:

They breed in northern Eurasia, from Scandinavia, Germany and Poland in the west, all the way to eastern Siberia, Mongolia and northern China. There are also some isolated breeding populations further south, in Turkey. They winter in the Iberian Peninsula and along the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, along the Nile basin, in the Middle East, northern India and in southern China.

Size:

These large birds are 110-130 cm long and have a wingspan of 220-245 cm. They weigh 5-7 kg.

Habitat:

During the breeding season this species utilizes a wide variety of shallow wetlands, including high altitude, treeless moors or bogs, usually with some standing water, and swampy forest clearings, reedy marshes and rice paddies. In Central Asia the species may use drier forested areas including pine or mixed birch/pine woodland. They winter in floodlands, swampy meadows, shallow sheltered bays, rice paddies, pastures and savanna-like areas such as the open Holm and cork oak woodlands in the Iberian Peninsula.

Diet:

The common crane is omnivorous. They forage on a wide range of roots, rhizomes, tubers, herbs, pondweeds, berries, cereal grains, peas, olives, acorns and nuts. they hunt various animals including beetles, flies, larval Lepidoptera, snails, earthworms, millipedes, spiders, frogs, lizards, snakes, small mammals, fish and occasionally the eggs and young of small birds.

Breeding:

They start nesting in March-April. The nest is a mound of wetland vegetation, generally placed in or near water in an inaccessible, undisturbed bog, heath, marsh, mire or sedge meadow. The female lays 2 greenish-brown eggs with brown spots. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 29-31 days. The nidifugous chicks leave the nest within 30 h of hatching, but the parents will stay with them, brooding and offering food whenever necessary. the chicks fledge 65-70 days after hatching, but often remain with the parents even on migration and in the wintering areas.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

Both the breeding and non-breeding habitats are threatened by habitat loss and degradation through dam construction, urbanization and agricultural intensification. Increased nest disturbance and nest predation are also a problem in some parts of their range. Pesticide poisoning, collisions with power lines and hunting are threats during migration and winter. Despite these, overall the population trend is uncertain, as some populations are decreasing, while others are increasing, stable or have unknown trends. With a population of 360.000-370.000 individuals and a very large breeding range, the species is not considered threatened at present.

African golden oriole

Oriolus auratus

Photo by Martin Goodey (Biodiversity Explorer)

Common name:

African golden oriole (en); papa-figos-africano (pt); loriot doré (fr); oropéndola africana (es); schwarzohrpirol (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Oriolidae

Range:

This species is found is most of sub-Saharan Africa, from the Sahel region in the north, down through Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, into southern D.R. Congo, Angola, Zambia and Malawi, and down south to northern Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, western Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa.

Size:

African golden orioles are 24 cm long and weigh 75 g.

Habitat:

They are found in thick bush and well wooded areas, namely miombo Brachystegia sp. and Burkea Burkea africana woodland, and also in more arid savanna and suburban gardens.

Diet:

It feeds on insects and fruit, mainly foraging among the tree canopy. They mostly take figs and guarris, and locusts, caterpillars and flies.

Breeding:

The African golden oriole breeds in August-January, with a peak in September-November. The nest is woven cup made of dry grass and plant detritus held together with spider web, about 8-9 cm wide and 5.0-5.5 cm deep. It is slung between the two branches of a fork, usually 5-13 m above ground, well away from the main trunk of the tree. The female lays 2-5 eggs, which are incubated for 17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents until fledging, which takes place 15 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

The species is described as generally common over its very large breeding range. There is no evidence for any declines or substantial threats so the species is not considered threatened at present.

Hyacinth macaw

Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus

Photo by Paddy Ryan (Ryan Photographic)

Common name:

hyacinth macaw (en); arara-azul-grande (pt); ara hyacinthe (fr); guacamayo azul (es); hyazinth-ara (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Psittaciformes

Family Psittacidae

Range:

This species occurs in three separate areas of Brazil. In the east of the Amazon basin, in the centre of the country in Maranhão, Piauí, Bahia, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso, and in the south-west along the border with Bolivia and Paraguay.

Size:

The hyacinth macaw is the largest parrot in the world, with a length of 100 cm and a wingspan of 120-140 cm. They weigh 1,5-2 kg.

Habitat:

They are mostly found in lightly forested areas, including várzea and savanna adjacent to tropical forest, in campo cerrado, caatinga, palm-stands and palm-savannas.

Diet:

These birds use their strong hard beaks to feed on hard fruits and seeds of palm tree and other plants. These include a few regionally endemic palm species like Scheelea phalerata and Acrocomia aculeata, and also coconuts, Brazil nuts, Macadamia nuts and pine nuts. They also eat soft fruits and other vegetable matter.

Breeding:

Hyacinth macaws breed in July-December, nesting in large tree cavities or in cliffs. The female lays 1-2 eggs, which she incubates for 30 days while being fed by the male. Typically, only one chick fledges, after staying in the nest for 3,5 months. The chick will remain with the parents for up to 18 month, and becomes sexually mature at 3 years old.

Conservation:

IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)

This species has suffered a rapid population decline over the last three generations. There are now only 4.300 individuals in the wild. The decline was mostly caused by large scale illegal trade, habitat loss due to agricultural intensification, and hunting.