Black honeyeater

Certhionyx niger

Photo by Brett Symons (Flickr)

Common name:

black honeyeater (en); melífago-preto-e-branco (pt); myzomèle cravaté (fr); mielero blanquinegro (es); trauerhonigfresser (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Meliphagidae

Range:

The black honeyeater is endemic to Australia, being found throughout the inland areas of the country.

Size:

These birds are 10-13 cm long and weigh 9-10 g.

Habitat:

The black honeyeater is found in open woodlands and scrublands of arid and semi-arid regions, especially those with an understorey of emu bush Eremophila sp., as well as in mulga or mallee eucalypt woodlands and broombush Melaleuca uncinata. It will also be found in spinifex savanna where flowering scrubs such as grevilleas and paperbarks occur.

Diet:

They eat insects and nectar, particularly the nectar of the emu bush Eremephila sp.

Breeding:

Black honeyeaters breed in July-December. They nest in groups or loose colonies, with males aggressively defending a small breeding territory against members of their own species as well as other honeyeaters. The female builds the shallow, open, cup-shaped nest from fine twigs, grass, and other plant material bound with spiderweb, lining it with grass, roots, fibre, horse hair, flowers or wool. The nest is usually situated low on a dead limb or in a fork of a small tree or scrub. The female lays 2-3 buffy white eggs with reddish-brown spots, which she incubates alone for 15-16 days. Both sexes feed and care for the chicks until fledging, which takes place 16-18 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and it is described as locally common. This population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat degradation.

Sooty albatross

Phoebetria fusca

(Photo from Naver Blog)

Common name:

sooty albatross (en); albatroz-sombrio (pt); albatros brun (fr); albatros ahumado (es); dunkelalbatros (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Procellariiformes

Family Diomedeidae

Range:

The sooty albatross if found in the southern Atlantic and Indian oceans, breeding sub-Antarctic islands including the Tristão da Cunha group, Prince Edward island, Marion island, the Crozet islands and on Amsterdam island.

Size:

These birds are 84-89 cm long and have a wingspan of 200-210 cm. Females tend to be smaller than males, weighing 1,8-2,5 kg while males weigh 2,4-2,9 kg.

Habitat:

These birds breed in inland and seaward cliffs of oceanic islands, generally among low vegetation. Outside the breeding season they are pelagic, foraging on the open ocean at latitudes between 30º S and 70º S.

Diet:

The sooty albatross eats cephalopods, fishes, crustaceans and carrion. Unlike other albatrosses, they seldom follow fishing vessels to catch food.

Breeding:

They are monogamous, with pairs bonding for life. They breed in August-April, forming small colonies of up to 100 nests. The nest is a cylindrical pile of earth and vegetation, placed on a high ledge or buttress. There the female lays a single egg which is incubated by both parents for 65-75 days. Both parents guard and feed the young until fledging, which takes place 5 months after hatching. Each pair will only breed once every 2 years and the young start breeding at 3-4 years of age.

Conservation:

IUCN status - EN (Endangered)

Although this species has an extremely large range, they only breed in a few small islands. The current population size is estimated at 42.000 individuals, but this population has declined by 75% over the last 3 generations. The main threat to the sooty albatross is the bycatch of both adults and juveniles by longline vessels. Other threats include the predation of eggs and juveniles by introduced rats and cats, and deseases like avian cholera and erysipelas bacteria.

European serin

Serinus serinus

Photo by Rosa Gambóias (Flickr)

Common name:

European serin (en); chamariz (pt); serin cini (fr); verdecillo (es); girlitz (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Fringillidae

Range:

The European serin breeds across continental Europe and all around the Mediterranean basin, from the Iberian peninsula and Morocco all the way to Israel. They are mostly absent from Scandinavia and the British Isles. The populations in central and northern Europe are migratory, wintering in southern Europe and northern Africa.

Size:

These birds are 11-12 cm long and have a wingspan of 20-22 cm. They weigh 11-13 g.

Habitat:

They are found in open woodlands, plantations and forests, generally preferring broadleaf forests, but also occurring in coniferous forests. They are also found in gardens, parks and sometimes in scrubland areas.

Diet:

They mostly feed on the seeds and buds of a wide variety of plants, including wild herbs, flowers, bushes and trees. During the summer they also eat insects, namely aphids.

Breeding:

European serins breed in March-May. The female buids the small cup-shaped nest using fine twigs, small roots , skinny stems , leaf veins , flower spikes of grasses, flowering heads of herbs, green moss and plant fibres. The nest is well hidden in a dense bush or tree. There the female lays 3-5 greenish or bluish eggs with red-brown spots, which she incubates alone for 11-13 days while receiving food from the male. The chicks fledge 13-18 days after hatching. Each pair typically raises 2 broods per year.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and a global population of 30-80 million individuals. in some countries the populations have undergone a moderate decline in the last few decades, but overall this species is not threatened.

African pygmy kingfisher

Ispidina picta

Photo by Gerard Calberac (Trek Nature)

Common name:

African pygmy kingfisher (en); pica-peixe-pigmeu (pt); martin-pêcheur pygmée (fr); martín pigmeo africano (es); zwergkönigsfischer (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Coraciiformes

Family Alcedinidae

Range:

This African species is found throughout sub-Saharan African, from Mauritania and Mali across to Ethopia and Eritrea, and south all the way to South Africa.

Size:

This tiny kingfisher is 11-13 cm long and weighs 12-13 g.

Habitat:

They are found in a wide range of woodland habitats, namely savannas and riverine forests, but also scrublands, grasslands, open rivers and streams, coastal bushes, plantations and gardens. they are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.500 m.

Diet:

African pygmy kingfishers mostly eat insects, namely crickets and grasshoppers, beetles, flies, butterflies, moths and caterpillars. They also eat spiders, millipedes, crabs, frogs, skinks and lizards.

Breeding:

These birds breed in October-December. They nest in burrows dug into an earthen banks, such as a erosion gullies, stream banks, termite mounds, trenches and pits. There the female lays 3-6 eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 18 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 18 days ater hatching, becoming fully independent soon after fledging.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has an extremely large breeding range and is described as frequent to common, although uncommon at the periphery of its range. In some areas deforestation may have a negative impact on this species, but overall the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Bicoloured antbird

Gymnopithys leucaspis

Photo by Matt Deres (Wikipedia)

Common name:

bicoloured antbird (en); mãe-de-taoca-bochechuda (pt); fourmilier à joues blanches (fr);hormiguero bicolor (es); braunweißer ameisenvogel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Thamnophilidae

Range:

The bicoloured antbird is foung from Honduras, across Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, and into Colombia, Peru and north-western Brazil.

Size:

These birds are 19-20 cm long and weigh 30-32 g.

Habitat:

They are mostly found in tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, but can also be found in mountain forests up to an altitude of 1.700 m.

Diet:

The bicoloured antbird is an obligate ant-follower, eating insects and other arthropods that the army ant swarms stirs from the leaf litter.

Breeding:

These birds are monogamous, mating for life. Both sexes build the nest, a cup of vegetation placed in a fork in a branch. There the female lays 2 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 15-16 days. The chicks are fed by both sexes and fledge 14 days after hatching. After fledging, the chicks spend the first few days well hidden as the parents bring them food, and they only become fully independent a couple of months later.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

The bicoloured antbird has a very large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, the species is described as fairly common. This population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction in large parts of its range.

Red-throated parrotfinch

Erythrura psittacea

Photo by Trisha Shears (Wikipedia)

Common name:

red-throated parrotfinch (en); diamante-de-garganta-vermelha (pt); diamant psittaculaire (fr); pinzón loro de garganta roja (es); rotkopf-papageiamadine (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Estrildidae

Range:

The red-throated parrotfinch is endemic to New Caledonia.

Size:

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

Habitat:

This species is mostly found in tropical and subtropical lowland moist forests and scrublands, also occurring in plantations, grasslands, road sides and rural gardens.

Diet:

Red-throated parrotfinches mostly look for seeds on the ground, generally preferring grass seeds.

Breeding:

These birds can breed all year round. They nest in holes in rocks, trees, bushes and even in the recesses and beams of buildings, building a semi-open nest using dry leaves, grass stalks, and coconut fibers. There the female lays 4-6 eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 20-22 days after hatching, but will continue to receive food from the parents for another 2-3 weeks.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a restricted breeding range, but is described as widespread and fairly common. Although this species is often targeted by the pet trade, the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Fork-tailed swift

Apus pacificus

(Photo from Bird Forum)

Common name:

fork-tailed swift (en); andorinhão-de-cauda-forcada (pt); martinet de Sibérie (fr); vencejo del Pacífico (es); Pazifiksegler (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Apodiformes

Family Apodidae

Range:

This species is found breeding in eastern Asia, from Siberia to Kamchatka and Japan , across eastern China to Annam ,Vietnam ,Thailand and Burma. They migrate south to winter in southern India, Indonesia and Australia.

Size:

The fork-tailed swift is 18-21 cm long and has a wingspan of 40-42 cm. They weigh 30-40 g.

Habitat:

This species is almost exclusively aerial, only landing to nest. They can be found over a wide range of habitats, from coastal areas to boreal forests, plains, low scrubs, heathlands and saltmarshes. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 4000 m and generally nest on mountain cliffs or island rock caves.

Diet:

These birds are strictly insectivorous, eating small bees, wasps, termites and moths which are caught on the wing.

Breeding:

Fork-tailed swifts breed in March-August. The nest is made of grass, moss, and leaves, glued together with sticky saliva, and is usually built on a cliff ridge or under a roof crevice. There the female lays 1-3 eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 16-22 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 40-41 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

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