Lewin's honeyeater

Meliphaga lewinii

Photo by Tom Tarrant (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Lewin's honeyeater (en); melífago de Lewin (pt); méliphage de Lewin (fr); mielero de Lewin (es); goldohr-honigfresser (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Meliphagidae

Range:
This species is endemic to eastern Australia, being found from north-eastern Queensland to south-eastern Victoria.

Size:
These birds are 20-22 cm long and weigh 34 g.

Habitat:
The Lewin's honeyeater is found in both rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest, also using scrublands, dry tropical forests, arable land, pastures, rural gardens and urban areas.

Diet:
They feed mainly on small fruits and berries, but also taking insects and nectar.

Breeding:
Lewin's honeyeaters breed in September-January. The nest is a large oval cup made of vegetation and other materials, bound together with spider webs and lined with softer materials. There the female lays 2-3 eggs, which are incubated for about 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 14 day after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as abundant. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Great-billed parrot

Tanygnathus megalorhynchus

Photo by Mehdhala Ouate (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
great-billed parrot (en); papagaio-de-bico-grande (pt); perruche à bec de sang (fr); loro picogordo (es); schwarzschulterpapagei (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Psittaciformes
Family Psittacidae

Range:
This species is found in Indonesia, from East Nusa Tenggara to Maluku and North Maluku, and also in East Timor and in the southernmost islands of the Philippines.

Size:
These birds are 38-41 cm long and weigh 260 g.

Habitat:
The great-billed parrot is found in primary and tall secondary rainforest, forest edges, mangroves and also coconut plantation. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m.

Diet:
They feed on fruits, flowers, berries and nuts, namely breadfruit. They are also known to damage cultivated areas.

Breeding:
Great-billed parrots breed in August-March. They nest in a tree hollow, where the female lays 2 eggs. She incubates the eggs alone for 25-28 days. The chicks fledge 60-65 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and a global population estimated at 110.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and unsustainable levels of exploitation for the cage bird trade.

American redstart

Setophaga ruticilla

Photo by Dan Pancamo (Wikipedia)

Common name:
American redstart (en); mariquita-de-rabo-vermelho (pt); paruline flamboyante (fr); candelita norteña (es); schnäpperwaldsänger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Parulidae

Range:
This species breeds in most of Canada and in the eastern United States, as well as in the northern Midwest of the United States. They migrate south to winter from Mexico down to Peru, Venezuela, the Guyanas and marginally into northern Brazil. They also winter in the Caribbean.

Size:
These birds are 11-14 cm long and have a wingspan of 16-19 cm. They weigh 6-9 g.

Habitat:
The American redstart breeds mainly in open-canopy deciduous forests, also using second growths, boreal forests, scrublands, rural gardens and parks within urban areas. Outside the breeding season they are found in tropical scrublands, both moist and dry tropical forests and mangroves. This species is present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.000 m.

Diet:
They are almost exclusively insectivorous, mainly taking caterpillars, moths, flies, leafhoppers, wasps, beetles, aphids, stoneflies and spiders. Outside the breeding they will occasionally also eat berries and seeds.

Breeding:
American redstarts breed in May-July. They are predominantly monogamous, although some cases of polygamy are known. The nest is a tightly-woven cup, made of grass, roots, feathers, birch bark and hairs. It is placed in a branch against the trunk, or on a fork, in a tree or scrub. There the female lays 2-5 white or cream-coloured eggs with brown speckles, which she incubates alone for 10-13 days. The chicks fledge 9 days after hatching, but remain with one of the parents for up to 3 weeks after fledging.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 23 million individuals. The population has undergone a small decrease over the last 4 decades due to habitat loss in both wintering and breeding areas.

Tinian monarch

Monarcha takatsukasae

Photo by Desmond Allen (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Tinian monarch (en); monarca-de-Tinian (pt); monarque de Tinian (fr); monarca de Tinian (es); Tinianmonarch (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Monarchidae

Range:
This species is endemic to the island of Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands.

Size:
These birds are 15 cm long.

Habitat:
The Tinian monarch is mostly found in limestone forests, but uses all forests available on Tinian, including secondary forests and introduced tangan-tangan Leucaena leucoephala thickets.

Diet:
They are mainly insectivorous, gleaning invertebrates such as moths, butterflies, ants, caterpillars, and several long legged insects from leaves and bark. They are also known to occasionally eat small lizards.

Breeding:
Tinian monarchs can breed all year round, but with seasonal peaks related with rainfall levels. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of an open cup made of dry Casuarina  needles, dry leaves, grasses, vine tendrils, spider webs, and lined with feathers. It is placed at the base of a vertical branch, up to 2 m above the ground. The female lays 1-3 white eggs with reddish-brown spots, which are incubated by both parents for 15 days. The chicks fledge about 13 days after hatching, but continue to receive food from the parents for another 8 weeks.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a small breeding range and a global population estimated at 20.000-50.000 individuals. Following declines in the first half of the 20th century caused by deforestation, the population is now believed to be stable. However, declines of up to 50% are projected in the likely event of the brown tree-snake Boiga irregularis becoming established on Tinian. Other threats include typhoons, forests fires, forest clearance for cattle farming, military activities and tourism, and avian diseases.

Horned puffin

Fratercula corniculata

Photo by Paul B. Jones (Flickr)

Common name:
horned puffin (en); papagaio-do-mar-cornudo (pt); macareux cornu (fr); frailecillo corniculado (es); hornlund (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Charadriiformes
Family Alcidae

Range:
This species is found in the northern Pacific Ocean and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean, breeding from Wrangel island to the Queen Charlotte islands in Canada and to Sakhalinsk in Russia. Outside the breeding season their wander as far south as the coasts of northern Japan, Canada, and occasionally as far as northern California.

Size:
These birds are 32-38 cm long and weigh 580-650 g.

Habitat:
The horned puffin breed in coastal cliffs and offshore islands, preferring to forage in coastal waters near the breeding colonies. Outside the breeding season they favour open pelagic water for foraging.

Diet:
They feed mainly on small fish, namely juvenile herrings Clupea sp., capelin Mallotus sp. and sand lance Ammodytes sp., also hunting squids, crustaceans and polychaetes.

Breeding:
Horned puffins are monogamous and breed in April-July. They nest in small colonies, with each nest consisting of a burrow in a rock crevice or under a boulder, lined with feathers, grass or debris. The female lays a single grey egg with purple dots, which is incubated by both parents for 40-42 days. The chick is fed by both parents and fledges 34-46 days after hatching. They reach sexual maturity at 3-5 years of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at over 1,2 million individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to predation by invasive species and ongoing habitat destruction.

Spike-heeled lark

Chersomanes albofasciata

Photo by Marco Valentini (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
spike-heeled lark (en); cotovia-esporada (pt); alouette éperonnée (fr); alondra espolada (es); zirplerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is found in southern Africa, from south-western Angola, through Namibia and Botswana and into South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 14 cm long and weigh 25 g.

Habitat:
The spike-heeled lark is found in mostly found in grasslands, particularly in well-grazed high rainfall grasslands, but also use karoo dry scrublands, dry grasslands along the edge of the desert, and lawns and sport fields near urban areas.

Diet:
They feed mainly on invertebrates, such as caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, flies, bugs, termites, ants, ticks, solifugids, scorpions and spiders. They also take some seeds.

Breeding:
Spike-heeled larks breed in response to rainfall, but mostly in August-December. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of an open cup made of dry grass, twigs and rootlets, placed on the ground, usually at the base of a grass tuft or shrub, or sometimes in a clump of stones and sticks. The female lays 2-5 eggs, which she incubates alone for 12-13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents, leaving the nest after about 8-12 days, before they are able to fly. They usually become independent a few days later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and id described as common in at least parts of its range. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to the expansion of cultivation and plantations, but the spike-heeled lark is not considered threatened at present.

Striated caracara

Phalcoboenus australis

Photo by Laurent Demongin (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
striated caracara (en); caracará-austral (pt); caracara austral (fr); caracara estriado (es); Falklandkarakara (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Falconiformes
Family Falconidae

Range:
This species is only foundin Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands.

Size:
These birds are 53-65 cm long and have a wingspan of 114-124 cm. They weigh 1,2 kg.

Habitat:
The striated caracara is found in rocky islands and islets, from the tidal zone to low coastal mountains, using tidal pools, coastal grasslands and rocky areas.

Diet:
This species is highly opportunistic, mostly eating small seabirds such as prions, but also the eggs and chicks of larger seabirds such as penguins and albatrosses, carcasses of seabirds and seals, insects and even young or week sheep.

Breeding:
Striated caracaras breed in December-February, timing hatching of chicks to coincide with the breeding season of seabirds to ensure food supply. The nest is made with twigs and dried grasses, and lined with wool if available, being placed on a rock ledge or under a grass tussock. The female lays 1-4 eggs. There is no information regarding the length of the incubation and fledgling periods, but both parents are known to defend the nest and feed the young.

Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near Threatened)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and a global population estimated at 1.000-2.500 individuals. The population is believed to be stable at present, but heavy persecution has greatly reduced the population in the past. No major threats are known to operate on the striated caracara at present.

Summer tanager

Piranga rubra

Photo by Michel Giraud-Audine (GEPOG)

Common name:
summer tanager (en); sanhaçu-vermelho (pt); piranga vermillon (fr); piranga roja (es); sommertangare (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species breeds in the southern United States and northern Mexico and migrates south to winter in Central America, the Caribbean and in South America as far south as northern Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 17-19 cm long and weigh 25-30 g.

Habitat:
The summer tanager breeds mainly in open deciduous or pine-oak forests, particularly along the forests edge and in forests clearings, but also in high-altitude mesquite vegetations. Outside the breeding season they use both moist and dry tropical forests, rural gardens, plantations and parks within urban areas.

Diet:
They are specialized on hunting bees and wasps, but also take other  aerial and terrestrial invertebrates such as spiders, cicadas, beetles, ants, termites, grasshoppers, flies, moths, and bugs, as well as fruits such as mulberries, blackberries, pokeweed, Cecropia, citrus, and bananas.

Breeding:
Summer tanagers are monogamous, but pair bonds only last one breeding season. They breed in April-August. The female builds the nest alone, which consists of an open cup made of dried vegetation and lined with fine grasses. It is usually placed on an horizontal branch, 2,5-10,5 m above the ground. The female lays 3-4 pale blue or pale green eggs with reddish-brown spots, which she incubates alone for 11-13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 8-12 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 2,2 million individuals. The population has had a stable trend over the last 4 decades.

Half-collared kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata

Photo by Warwick Tarboton (Warwick Tarboton)

Common name:
half-collared kingfisher (en); guarda-rios-de-colar (pt); martin-pêcheur à demi-collier (fr); martín pescador cobalto (es); kobalteisvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Coraciiformes
Family Alcedinidae

Range:
This species is patchily distributed in East Africa, from Ethiopia to South Africa, and also through Zambia and southern D.R. Congo into Angola.

Size:
These birds are 18 cm long and weigh 35-40 g.

Habitat:
The half-collared kingfisher is mostly found in narrow streams and rivers fringed with dense vegetation, but also use fresh and brackish water lakes, estuaries and tropical dry forests.

Diet:
They feed mainly on small fish, such as tilapias, robbers and barbs, but also eat crabs, aquatic insects and small amphibians.

Breeding:
Half-collared kingfishers breed in July-March. The nest is a burrow excavated by both sexes into a vertical riverbanks, with the entrance often concealed by overhanging vegetation. The female lays 3-4 white eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 27 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be widespread and locally common. The species has declined locally owing to pollution, river siltation and habitat destruction, but it is not considered threatened at present.

Petit's cuckooshrike

Campephaga petiti

(Photo from Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Petit's cuckooshrike (en); lagarteiro-de-Petit (pt); échenilleur de Petit (fr); oruguero de Petit (es); Kongoraupenfresser (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Campephagidae

Range:
This species is patchily distributed in central Africa, from Nigeria and Cameroon, through D.R. Congo and into Angola, Uganda and Kenya.

Size:
These birds are 20 cm long.

Habitat:
The Petit's cuckooshrike is mostly found in the canopy of moist tropical forests, but can also use second growths. They are mainly present at altitudes of 1.400-1.800 m.

Diet:
They feed on small insects and spiders, seeds and grain.

Breeding:
There is little information about the reproduction of this species. Female lay 2-3 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes, but there i no information regarding the length of the incubation and fledgling periods.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large bur fragmented breeding range. Although the global population size has not been quantified, the Petit's cuckooshrike is reported to be uncommon to locally common. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to habitat destruction, but it is not considered threatened at present.

Ashy-headed goose

Chloephaga poliocephala

Photo by Alex Proimos (Wikipedia)

Common name:
ashy-headed goose (en); ganso-de-cabeça-cinzenta (pt); ouette à tête grise (fr); cauquén cabecigrís (es); graukopfgans (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species breeds in southern Chile and south-western Argentina, from Temuco south to Tierra del Fuego. Outside the breeding season some individuals move north and north-east to winter as far north as Valparaíso, Chile and Bahía Blanca, Argentina. There is also a resident population in the Falkland Islands.

Size:
These birds are 50-60 cm long and weigh up to 2,3 kg.

Habitat:
The ashy-headed goose breeds mostly in temperate grasslands, also using coastal freshwater lakes, inland lakes, swaps and marshes. Outside the breeding season they also use pastures and arable land. This species is present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.500 m.

Diet:
They feed on the leaves, stems and seed heads of various grasses and sedges.

Breeding:
Ashy-headed geese are monogamous and mate for life. They breed in October-March. They nest in a tree hollow or on the ground among tall grass, lining the nest with down. The female lays 4-6 pale brown eggs which are incubated for 30 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and follow the parents around until fledging, which takes place 60-80 days later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range. There is no information on population sizes, but the overall population trend is suspected to be decreasing. Still, the ashy-headed goose is not considered threatened at present.

Chestnut-crested cotinga

Ampelion rufaxilla

Photo by Lior Kislev (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
chestnut-crested cotinga (en); cotinga-de-crista-castanha (pt); cotinga à tête rousse (fr); cotinga cresticastaño (es); braunohrkotinga (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Cotingidae

Range:
This South American species is found in the Andes from Colombia to Bolivia. In Colombia it occurs in the central Andes south to Quindío and Huila, and in the western Andes in Valle and Cauca. In Ecuador it is found in the east slope of the Andes in the north-east and south-east of the country, but not in intervening areas. Further south it is continuously distributed along the east slope of the Andes of Peru south to central Bolivia in Cochabamba and western Santa Cruz.

Size:
These birds are 18,5-23 cm long and weigh 69-77 g.

Habitat:
The chestnut-crested cotinga is found in the canopy of mountain rainforests, at altitudes of 1.300-3.000 m.

Diet:
They are mainly frugivorous but also known to take insects in flight.

Breeding:
Chestnut-crested cotingas breed probably in November-May. The nest is a shallow cup made of twigs and lichens, where the female lays a single greenish egg with dark spots. The eggs are incubated by both sexes but there is no information regarding the length of the incubation and fledgling periods.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and is described as uncommon and patchily distributed. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Northern flicker

Colaptes auratus

(Photo from 4Goo)

Common name:
northern flicker (en); pica-pau-pintado (pt); pic flamboyant (fr); carpintero escapulario (es); goldspecht (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Piciformes
Family Picidae

Range:
This species is found across North America and in Central America as far south as Nicaragua. Also in Cuba and Great Cayman. The ore northern population migrate south to winter in the southern part of the range.

Size:
These birds are 28-35 cm long and have a wingspan of 42-55 cm. They weigh 110-160 g.

Habitat:
The northern flicker is found in various wooded habitats, including moist tropical forests, dry tropical forests, mangroves, temperate forests and boreal forests. They also use pastures, arable land and urban parks and gardens. They re present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.500 m.

Diet:
Unlike other woodpecker, northern flickers forage mostly on the ground, taking ants, beetles,
flies, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, termites, wasps, aphid, spiders and snails. They also eat fruits, berries, seeds, acorns and nuts.

Breeding:
Northern flickers breed in February-July. They are monogamous and can mate for life, with both sexes helping excavate the nest on a dead tree or dead branch on a live tree, or sometimes on a telephone pole. The nest hole is usually up to 3 m above the ground. The female lays 3-12 glossy white eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 11-16 days. The chicks are fed mainly be the male and fledge 24-28 days after hatching. Each pair may raise 1-2 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 16 million individual. The population has undergone a small decline over the last 4 decades but the cause of this decline is unclear, maybe being caused by competition for nest cavities with other birds, reduced availability of nest sites, or the application of pesticides.

Red-faced crimson-wing

Cryptospiza reichenovii

Photo by Warwick Tarboton (Warwick Tarboton)

Common name:
red-faced crimson-wing (en); asa-vermelha-de-mascarilha (pt); sénégali de Reichenow (fr); estrilda de Reichenow (es); Reichenows bergastrild (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is patchily distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, with population in southern Nigeria and northern Cameroon, in eastern D.R. Congo, Uganda and Rwanda, and from northern Tanzania to Malawi, Mozambique and north-eastern Zimbabwe.

Size:
These birds are 12 cm long and weigh 11-17 g.

Habitat:
The red-faced crimson-wing is mostly found in forests clearings and along the edges of tropical mountain forests, also using dense vegetation along rivers, well-wooded gardens and tea and pine plantations. They are present at altitudes of 900-2.000 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on grass seeds, namely Panicum sp., Setaria sp. and Streblochaete longiarista, also eating maize, the seeds of cluster pine Pinus patula and some insects.

Breeding:
Red-faced crimson-wings breed in September-March. The nest is mainly built by the female with material gathered by the male, consisting of an oval ball of fine grass, moss and skeletonised leaves, with a spout-like entrance protruding from the side. It is lined with seed heads, plant down, feathers and sometimes Marasmius fungus, and typically placed in the fork of a tree fern, sapling, or thorny scrub. The female lays 3-5 eggs which are incubated by both sexes, but there is no information regarding the length of the incubation period. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 21 days after hatching, becoming fully independent 10-12 days later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large but fragmented breeding range and is described as common or locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

White-winged grosbeak

Mycerobas carnipes

Photo by Isabekov Askar (Birds of Kazakhstan)

Common name:
white-winged grosbeak (en); bico-grossudo-d'asa-branca (pt); gros-bec à ailes blaches (fr); picogordo aliblanco (es); wacholderkernbeißer (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is found in central Asia, from northern Iran, through Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, and into south-eastern Kazakhstan, western and central China, Nepal and northernmost India and Myanmar.

Size:
Thee birds are 21-24 cm long and weigh 56-62 g.

Habitat:
The white-winged grosbeak is mostly found in high-altitude scrublands and also high-altitude temperate forests such as juniper and juniper-spruce. They are present at altitudes of 2.800-4.600 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on the berries of dogwood Cornus sanguinea of randia Randia tetrasperma and common juniper Juniperus communis, with a complement of conifer seeds, nuts and seeds of herbaceous plants such as Rumex sp.

Breeding:
White-winged grosbeaks breed in March-September. The nest is built mostly by the female, consisting of a deep cup made of twigs, grass stems and sometimes moss and dry leave, and lined with pieces of bark. Most often it is placed in a juniper tree, up to 2 m above the ground, but may be placed in larger tree up to 20 m above the ground. The female lays 2-5 pale greenish-grey eggs with black and purple spots, which are incubated by both parents for 15-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 20 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common or locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Short-tailed nighthawk

Lurocalis semitorquatus

(Photo from Bird Forum)

Common name:
short-tailed nighthawk (en); tuju (pt); engoulevent à queue courte (fr); añapero colicorto (es); bändernachtschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Caprimulgiformes
Family Caprimulgidae

Range:
This species is found from Mexico down to Argentina.

Size:
These birds are 19-21 cm long and weigh 70-90 g.

Habitat:
The short-tailed nighthawk is found in tropical rainforests and swamp forests, from sea level up to an altitude of 1.700 m.

Diet:
They mostly hunt at dusk or during the night, taking insects in flight such as beetles, moths and bugs.

Breeding:
Short-tailed nighthawks don't build an actual nest, they simply lay their eggs on an horizontal branch, usually 6-18 m above the ground, or sometimes on the ground itself. The female lays 1-2 whitish of creamy eggs with brown and grey spots, which are incubated by both parents for 19-22 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 20-24 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 50.000-500.000 individuals. The population trend is believed to be stable, but a model of Amazonian deforestation predicts it may loose 17-20% of suitable habitat in the next 15 years, so a small decline may take place in the near future.

European robin

Erithacus rubecula

Photo by Olivier Baudoux (Nunda Foto)

Common name:
European robin (en); pisco-de-peito-ruivo (pt); rouge-gorge familier (fr); petirrojo europeo (es); rotkehlchen (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Muscicapidae

Range:
This species is found throughout Europe, with the exception if Iceland and the northernmost parts of Scandinavia and Russia. Also in North Africa, along the Mediterranean coast from Morocco to Egypt and in the Middle East from Israel and Syria, through Iraq and into western Iran.

Size:
These birds are 12,5-14 cm long and have a wingspan of 20-22 cm. They weigh 16-22 g.

Habitat:
The European robin is found in a wide range of habitats, including grasslands, scrublands and forests in temperate and boreal areas, pastures, plantations, arable land, rural gardens and urban areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.000 m.

Diet:
They feed on various invertebrates, such as earthworms, spiders and insects, as well as soft fruits, berries and seeds.

Breeding:
European robins breed in March-August. The cup-shaped nest is made of dead leaves and moss with a lining of hair, and placed in virtually any depression or hole such as crevices, sheltered banks, among ivy, or in unusual spots like old teapots, jacket pockets, shelves in buildings, barbecues, bicycle handlebars, bristles on upturned brooms, discarded kettles, watering cans, flower pots and even hats. The female lays 4-6 cream-coloured, white or faintly bluish eggs with reddish-brown speckles, which she incubates alone for 13-15 days. The chicks are fed by the female and fledge about 14 days after hacthing. Each pair usually raises 2-3 broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 137-332 million individuals. Data from 21 European countries indicate the population has a stable trend and there are no evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

African houbara

Chlamydotis undulata

Photo by Andrey Kovalenko (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
houbara bustard (en); abetarda-moura (pt); outarde houbara (fr); avutarda hubara (es); kragentrappe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Gruiformes
Family Otididae

Range:
This species occurs in two separate sub-species. C. u fuertaventurae is restricted to the islands of Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Lobos and La Graciosa in the Canary islands, while C. u. undulata is found in North Africa, from Morocco and Mauritania to Egypt and possibly northern Sudan.

Size:
These birds are 55-65 cm long and have a wingspan of 135-170 cm. The females are smaller, weighing 1-1,7 kg while the males weigh 1,2-2,4 kg.

Habitat:
The houbara bustard is mostly found in sandy and stony arid areas with no trees and sparse scrub and herb cover, including hot and temperate deserts, dry grasslands and, to a lesser extent, pastures.

Diet:
They are omnivorous, taking seeds and other plant material, as well as beetles and other invertebrates and even small lizards.

Breeding:
Houbara bustards breed in February-May. The males make a flamboyant display to attract the female and have no further part in the breeding process after mating. The female lays 2-3 eggs in a small crape on the ground, which she incubates alone for 21-22 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and are able to feed themselves, following the mother around for protection.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimate at 13.000-33.000 individuals. In the period between 1984 and 2004 the population was estimated to have declined by 35%, but the rate of decline has now slowed down or even been reversed thanks to conservation efforts in North Africa. The main threat to houbara bustards is the high level of hunting, especially by falconers, but other threats include habitat loss and degradation and, in some areas, collisions with power lines. Captive breeding programmes in North Africa have successfully halted population declines in some areas and even lead to some population increases.

Black-capped chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

Photo by Guy Poisson (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
black-capped chickadee (en); chapim-de-barrete-preto (pt); mésange à tête noire (fr); carbonero cabecinegro (es); schwarzkopfmeise (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Paridae

Range:
The black-capped chickadee is a resident species in Canada and the northern United States, from Alaska, though southern Yukon and the Northwest Territories, and into Ontario and Quebec, and as far south as Oregon, northern Colorado, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Outside the breeding season there are some southward movements within this range.

Size:
These birds are 12-15 cm long and have a wingspan of 16-21 cm. They weigh 9-14 g.

Habitat:
This species is found in deciduous and mixed forests, mostly in temperate areas but also boreal forests. They also use willow thickets, cottonwood groves, rural gardens and urban areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.200 m.

Diet:
During spring and summer they feed mainly on insects and spiders, especially caterpillars. During the rest of the year they take both invertebrates and also seeds, berries and other plant material. They are also known to eat carrion, such as dead deer, skunk fat and dead fishes.

Breeding:
Black-capped chickadees breed in April-July. Both sexes excavate the nest cavity on a dead or rotten branch, but they also use natural cavities, abandoned downy woodpecker Picoides pubescens nests and nest boxes. Inside the cavity the female builds a nest cup made of moss and other coarse materials, lining it with soft materials such as rabbit fur. The female lays up to 13 white eggs with fine reddish-brown dots or spots, which she incubates alone for 11-14 days while the male brings her food. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 12-16 days after hatching, but continue to receive food from the parents for several weeks. Each pair usually raises a single brood per year and the young reach sexual maturity after 1 year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 34 million individuals. The population has undergone a large increase of 16% per decade over the last 4 decades.