DOCSLIB.ORG

African Darter

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
African Darter BEHAVIOUR heronunderwater AFRICAN DARTER THE AFRICAN DARTER is a familiar bird throughout most of the Afrotropics, and its relatives are found in other tropical regions world- wide. Darters adapt readily to human-modified wetlands and often become quite tolerant of human disturbance. Yet, despite their unique foraging mode and peculiar moult strategy, they are surprisingly poorly studied. Peter Ryan lifts the lid on these fascinating birds. > TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHS PETER RYAN 54 AFRICAN BIRDLIFE ALBERT FRONEMAN MAY/JUNE 2013 DARTERS 55 MARIETJIE FRONEMAN THE DARTERS are a small group in India and South-East Asia east to is derived from a Tupi word mean- swim efficiently but makes them parted, and the bill tips have tiny, swallow. This leaves the bird vul- above Freeing impaled of tropical freshwater birds allied to the Philippines and Sulawesi, and ing ‘devil bird’. Apparently the first rather clumsy out of water. backward-pointing serrations that nerable to kleptoparasites, with prey from their bill tips the cormorants and, more distantly, the Australasian Darter A. novae- inhabitants of what is now Brazil One of the striking differences act like the barbs of a fishing hook Giant Kingfishers, gulls, terns and requires some skill, and to gannets and boobies. With fos- hollandiae from east of Wallace’s regarded the bird as an evil spirit of from cormorants is the darters’ to prevent prey from wriggling free. even other darters not being averse darters practice with sils dating back at least 18 million line in Indonesia, New Guinea and the woods. Whether this dubious long, dagger-like bill that lacks a Apparently a few very small prey to stealing a darter’s fish. When other items, such as this years, they have been separated Australia. reputation resulted in the birds’ pro- hooked tip. It resembles a heron’s items are swallowed underwater, threatened, the darter’s usual re- piece of reed. This bird from the cormorants for quite some Compared to the cormorants, tection or persecution is unrecorded. bill, and indeed is used in much the but most are brought to the sur- sponse is to dive, often repeatedly. repeatedly tossed and time (perhaps as much as 40 million darters have far fewer species and Like cormorants, darters are same fashion, spearing prey rather face where they are shaken free Large fish may be carried to the caught it for several years) and, given several marked dif- a much smaller global range, but foot-propelled divers that feed than grasping it. from the bill tip. This tricky opera- bank where they are less likely to minutes. ferences in structure and behaviour they are widespread in tropical mainly on fish, although they also An aspect of darters that has tion requires some practice. Ideally be stolen, and in some cases really from cormorants, there is wetlands and can be quite tolerant take crustaceans, frogs, insects and been well studied is their mor- the prey item is tossed into the air, well-sized fish have to be aban- opposite and previous little doubt that they are best of humans. They are well known to occasionally molluscs, small ter- phology. They have a distinctively deftly caught and swallowed head doned because they are too big to spread The dagger- treated as a separate family. casual birders, probably at least in rapins and aquatic snakes. They hinged joint between their eighth first. If it falls into the water, there swallow. I haven’t come across a case like bill has serrations There are distinct darter part because they are so distinctive have been recorded taking food and ninth neck vertebrae which, is often a frantic stab or even a with a darter, but cormorants and on its tip to reduce species in the Old and New in the water. When swimming, only when on land, using the bill like a coupled with powerful muscles in- series of rapid dives to attempt to herons have been recorded choking the chances of losing Worlds, with the Old World form the bird’s head and neck protrudes pair of forceps to catch insects, and serted to special keels on vertebrae recapture it. Small fish, which are to death while trying to gulp down prey. Coupled with the Tnow generally regarded as com- above the surface, giving rise to the the American Darter has even been five to seven, allows them to shoot usually speared only by the upper too large a fish. powerful neck muscles, prising three allospecies: the common name of ‘snakebird’. reported to eat Celtis berries. Their their head forward in much the mandible, tend to be handled quite Spearing fish in the side typically it makes the bill a African Darter Anhinga rufa in sub- The genus name Anhinga is also large feet have all four toes webbed, same manner as a heron or egret, easily, but larger prey can require requires a more subtle approach formidable weapon that Saharan Africa and Madagascar, used as a common name for the and their legs are situated far back typically hitting their prey side-on. some effort to shake free, and even than chasing them down. Com- helps to deter would-be the Oriental Darter A. melanogaster American Darter A. anhinga and on the body, which allows them to They strike with the bill slightly more time to orientate correctly to pared to cormorants, darters rely > predators. 56 AFRICAN BIRDLIFE JULY/AUGUst 2013 DARTERS 57 THEY ARE ABLE to HANG MotIONLEss WITHIN CENTIMETRES OF THE WATER SUR- FACE, WAITING TO AMBUSH THEIR PREY specialise in feeding in relatively shallow wetlands, but they can’t af- ford to kick frantically to remain in place when feeding. So they forego their insulation, and allow their plumage to become fully saturated with water. This explains why darters sit so low in the water. Aided by their unusually dense bones and relatively small air sacs, they are close to being neutrally buoyant at the water sur- face. They are able to hang motion- less within centi metres of the water surface, waiting to ambush their prey. They often lie in the water with their wings and tails partly spread. It has been suggested that this is to create pools of shade to attract small fish, much as a Black Heron uses its above Darters often clamber out far more on stealth, moving slowly wings as an ‘umbrella’ to shade the of the water at the end of a for- through the water or waiting for water, but it almost certainly also aging bout, but they can take off fish to come within range. This re- serves to help them remain station- directly from the water despite quires a heron’s legendary patience, ary in the water. I once watched a their sodden plumage. To do so, but darters face two significant darter dive for more than a minute they habitually raise themselves problems: they don’t have too much in water less than half a metre deep, partly out of the water for a few time to wait because they have surfacing in exactly the same spot seconds with wings spread, ap- to hold their breath while diving, where it dived. parently draining their plumage, and they can’t afford to reveal their An added benefit of their low before struggling into the air. presence by swimming vigorously. buoyancy is that they use much less energy – and oxygen – while right This American Darter or hen you see birds swim- diving. This allows them to remain Anhinga shows how darters ming underwater they underwater for longer without have near-neutral buoyancy appear quite frenetic, building up an oxygen debt. When at the water surface, and use Wkicking or flapping continuously, in I compiled the species account for their fanned tail to assist with stark contrast to the more languid the African Darter in Roberts VII, attitude control while waiting action of fish and marine mam- I was amazed to discover that very for fish to move within striking mals. The main reason for this is little was published on darter div- range. that birds rely on the air trapped in ing ecology, so I set about collecting their feathers for insulation, which some data. Compared to cormor- opposite This bird shows a makes them buoyant, at least near ants of similar size, darters’ dives mosaic of juvenile and adult the water surface. As they dive last roughly twice as long, yet their plumage. It is unknown at deeper, this air layer gets com- recovery periods between them are what age African Darters first pressed, reducing both their buoy- about the same length. This makes start to breed. ancy and their insulation. Darters them extremely efficient divers. > 58 AFRICAN BIRDLIFE JULY/AUGUst 2013 DARTERS 59 AFTER EMERGING FROM THE WATER, DARTERS TYPICALLY SIT apparently because they become very secretive during this period. WITH THEIR WINGS SPREAD AND THEIR BACKS to THE SUN. Conventional wisdom is that they THIS IS OFTEN TERMED ‘drYING THEIR WINGS’, BUT THE MAIN retreat to the heart of large swamps, where they can slip unobtrusively REASON IS to saVE ENERGY BY WARMING UP passIVELY into and out of the water without revealing their temporary handi- Darters replace all Darters typically spend about 80 per sun to warm their skin directly. It cap. However, I recently saw a bird their wing feathers cent of a foraging bout underwater, would be interesting to measure in full moult sitting three metres up at once, becoming more than any other diving bird. how much a darter’s body temper- in a eucalyptus tree overhanging flightless for several The darters’ unique foraging strat- ature falls during a foraging bout.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Species List
    Mozambique: Species List Birds Specie Seen Location Common Quail Harlequin Quail Blue Quail Helmeted Guineafowl Crested Guineafowl Fulvous Whistling-Duck White-faced Whistling-Duck White-backed Duck Egyptian Goose Spur-winged Goose Comb Duck African Pygmy-Goose Cape Teal African Black Duck Yellow-billed Duck Cape Shoveler Red-billed Duck Northern Pintail Hottentot Teal Southern Pochard Small Buttonquail Black-rumped Buttonquail Scaly-throated Honeyguide Greater Honeyguide Lesser Honeyguide Pallid Honeyguide Green-backed Honeyguide Wahlberg's Honeyguide Rufous-necked Wryneck Bennett's Woodpecker Reichenow's Woodpecker Golden-tailed Woodpecker Green-backed Woodpecker Cardinal Woodpecker Stierling's Woodpecker Bearded Woodpecker Olive Woodpecker White-eared Barbet Whyte's Barbet Green Barbet Green Tinkerbird Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Red-fronted Tinkerbird Pied Barbet Black-collared Barbet Brown-breasted Barbet Crested Barbet Red-billed Hornbill Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill Crowned Hornbill African Grey Hornbill Pale-billed Hornbill Trumpeter Hornbill Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Southern Ground-Hornbill Eurasian Hoopoe African Hoopoe Green Woodhoopoe Violet Woodhoopoe Common Scimitar-bill Narina Trogon Bar-tailed Trogon European Roller Lilac-breasted Roller Racket-tailed Roller Rufous-crowned Roller Broad-billed Roller Half-collared Kingfisher Malachite Kingfisher African Pygmy-Kingfisher Grey-headed Kingfisher Woodland Kingfisher Mangrove Kingfisher Brown-hooded Kingfisher Striped Kingfisher Giant Kingfisher Pied
    [Show full text]
  • Maryland Darter Etheostoma Sellare
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Maryland darter Etheostoma Sellare Introduction The Maryland darter is a small freshwater fish only known from a limited area in Harford County, Maryland. These areas, Swan Creek, Gashey’s Run (a tributary of Swan Creek) and Deer Creek, are part of the larger Susquehanna River drainage basin. Originally discovered in Swan Creek nymphs. Spawning is assumed to species of darters. Electrotrawling is in 1912, the Maryland darter has not occur during late April, based on other the method of towing a net from a boat been seen here since and only small species, but no Maryland darters have with electrodes attached to the net that numbers of individuals have been been observed during reproduction. send small, harmless pulses through found in Gashey’s Run and Deer the water to stir up fish. Electrofishing Creek. A Rare Species efforts in the Susquehanna are Some biologists suspect that the continuing. Due to its scarcity, the Maryland Maryland darter could be hiding darter was federally listed as in the deep, murky waters of the A lack of adequate surveying of endangered in 1967, and critical Susquehanna River. Others worry large rivers in the past due to limited habitat was designated in 1984. The that the decreased darter population technology leaves hope for finding darter is also state listed. The last is evidence that the desirable habitat Maryland darters in this area. The new known sighting of the darter was in for these fish has diminished, possibly studies would likely provide definitive 1988. due to water quality degradation and information on the population status effects of residential development of the Maryland darter and a basis for Characteristics in the watershed.
    [Show full text]
  • Ardea Cinerea (Grey Heron) Family: Ardeidae (Herons and Egrets) Order: Ciconiiformes (Storks, Herons and Ibises) Class: Aves (Birds)
    UWU The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago Behaviour Ardea cinerea (Grey Heron) Family: Ardeidae (Herons and Egrets) Order: Ciconiiformes (Storks, Herons and Ibises) Class: Aves (Birds) Fig. 1. Grey heron, Ardea cinerea. [http://www.google.tt/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/content/images/2006/06/15/grey_heron, downloaded 14 November 2012] TRAITS. Grey herons are large birds that can be 90-100cm tall and an adult could weigh in at approximately 1.5 kg. They are identified by their long necks and very powerful dagger like bills (Briffett 1992). They have grey plumage with long black head plumes and their neck is white with black stripes on the front. In adults the forehead sides of the head and the centre of the crown are white. In flight the neck is folded back with the wings bowed and the flight feathers are black. Each gender looks alike except for the fact that females have shorter heads (Seng and Gardner 1997). The juvenile is greyer without black markings on the head and breast. They usually live long with a life span of 15-24 years. ECOLOGY. The grey heron is found in Europe, Asia and Africa, and has been recorded as an accidental visitor in Trinidad. Grey herons occur in many different habitat types including savannas, ponds, rivers, streams, lakes and temporary pools, coastal brackish water, wetlands, marsh and swamps. Their distribution may depend on the availability of shallow water (brackish, saline, fresh, flowing and standing) (Briffett 1992). They prefer areas with tall trees for nesting UWU The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago Behaviour (arboreal rooster and nester) but if trees are unavailable, grey herons may roost in dense brush or undergrowth.
    [Show full text]
  • The Grey Heron
    Bird Life The Grey Heron t is quite likely that if someone points out a grey heron to you, I you will remember it the next time you see it. The grey heron is a tall bird, usually about 80cm to 1m in height and is common to inland waterways and coasts. Though the grey heron has a loud “fraank” call, it can most often be seen standing silently in shallow water with its long neck outstretched, watching the water for any sign of movement. The grey heron is usually found on its own, although some may feed close together. Their main food is fish, but they will take small mammals, insects, frogs and even young birds. Because of their habit of occasionally taking young birds, herons are not always popular and are often driven away from a feeding area by intensive mobbing. Mobbing is when smaller birds fly aggressively at their predator, in this case the heron, in order to defend their nests or their lives. Like all herons, grey herons breed in a colony called a heronry. They mostly nest in tall trees and bushes, but sometimes they nest on the ground or on ledge of rock by the sea. Nesting starts in February,when the birds perform elaborate displays and make noisy callings. They lay between 3-5 greenish-blue eggs, often stained white by the birds’ droppings. Once hatched, the young © Illustration: Audrey Murphy make continuous squawking noises as they wait to be fed by their parents. And though it doesn’t sound too pleasant, the parent Latin Name: Ardea cinerea swallows the food and brings it up again at the nest, where the Irish Name: Corr réisc young put their bills right inside their parents mouth in order to Colour: Grey back, white head and retrieve it! neck, with a black crest on head.
    [Show full text]
  • Bird Vulnerability Assessments
    Assessing the vulnerability of native vertebrate fauna under climate change, to inform wetland and floodplain management of the River Murray in South Australia: Bird Vulnerability Assessments Attachment (2) to the Final Report June 2011 Citation: Gonzalez, D., Scott, A. & Miles, M. (2011) Bird vulnerability assessments- Attachment (2) to ‘Assessing the vulnerability of native vertebrate fauna under climate change to inform wetland and floodplain management of the River Murray in South Australia’. Report prepared for the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board. For further information please contact: Department of Environment and Natural Resources Phone Information Line (08) 8204 1910, or see SA White Pages for your local Department of Environment and Natural Resources office. Online information available at: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au Permissive Licence © State of South Australia through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. You may copy, distribute, display, download and otherwise freely deal with this publication for any purpose subject to the conditions that you (1) attribute the Department as the copyright owner of this publication and that (2) you obtain the prior written consent of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources if you wish to modify the work or offer the publication for sale or otherwise use it or any part of it for a commercial purpose. Written requests for permission should be addressed to: Design and Production Manager Department of Environment and Natural Resources GPO Box 1047 Adelaide SA 5001 Disclaimer While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources makes no representations and accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fitness for any particular purpose of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of or reliance on the contents of this publication.
    [Show full text]
  • Tinamiformes – Falconiformes
    LIST OF THE 2,008 BIRD SPECIES (WITH SCIENTIFIC AND ENGLISH NAMES) KNOWN FROM THE A.O.U. CHECK-LIST AREA. Notes: "(A)" = accidental/casualin A.O.U. area; "(H)" -- recordedin A.O.U. area only from Hawaii; "(I)" = introducedinto A.O.U. area; "(N)" = has not bred in A.O.U. area but occursregularly as nonbreedingvisitor; "?" precedingname = extinct. TINAMIFORMES TINAMIDAE Tinamus major Great Tinamou. Nothocercusbonapartei Highland Tinamou. Crypturellus soui Little Tinamou. Crypturelluscinnamomeus Thicket Tinamou. Crypturellusboucardi Slaty-breastedTinamou. Crypturellus kerriae Choco Tinamou. GAVIIFORMES GAVIIDAE Gavia stellata Red-throated Loon. Gavia arctica Arctic Loon. Gavia pacifica Pacific Loon. Gavia immer Common Loon. Gavia adamsii Yellow-billed Loon. PODICIPEDIFORMES PODICIPEDIDAE Tachybaptusdominicus Least Grebe. Podilymbuspodiceps Pied-billed Grebe. ?Podilymbusgigas Atitlan Grebe. Podicepsauritus Horned Grebe. Podicepsgrisegena Red-neckedGrebe. Podicepsnigricollis Eared Grebe. Aechmophorusoccidentalis Western Grebe. Aechmophorusclarkii Clark's Grebe. PROCELLARIIFORMES DIOMEDEIDAE Thalassarchechlororhynchos Yellow-nosed Albatross. (A) Thalassarchecauta Shy Albatross.(A) Thalassarchemelanophris Black-browed Albatross. (A) Phoebetriapalpebrata Light-mantled Albatross. (A) Diomedea exulans WanderingAlbatross. (A) Phoebastriaimmutabilis Laysan Albatross. Phoebastrianigripes Black-lootedAlbatross. Phoebastriaalbatrus Short-tailedAlbatross. (N) PROCELLARIIDAE Fulmarus glacialis Northern Fulmar. Pterodroma neglecta KermadecPetrel. (A) Pterodroma
    [Show full text]
  • Updating the Seabird Fauna of Jakarta Bay, Indonesia
    Tirtaningtyas & Yordan: Seabirds of Jakarta Bay, Indonesia, update 11 UPDATING THE SEABIRD FAUNA OF JAKARTA BAY, INDONESIA FRANSISCA N. TIRTANINGTYAS¹ & KHALEB YORDAN² ¹ Burung Laut Indonesia, Depok, East Java 16421, Indonesia ([email protected]) ² Jakarta Birder, Jl. Betung 1/161, Pondok Bambu, East Jakarta 13430, Indonesia Received 17 August 2016, accepted 20 October 2016 ABSTRACT TIRTANINGTYAS, F.N. & YORDAN, K. 2017. Updating the seabird fauna of Jakarta Bay, Indonesia. Marine Ornithology 45: 11–16. Jakarta Bay, with an area of about 490 km2, is located at the edge of the Sunda Straits between Java and Sumatra, positioned on the Java coast between the capes of Tanjung Pasir in the west and Tanjung Karawang in the east. Its marine avifauna has been little studied. The ecology of the area is under threat owing to 1) Jakarta’s Governor Regulation No. 121/2012 zoning the northern coastal area of Jakarta for development through the creation of new islands or reclamation; 2) the condition of Jakarta’s rivers, which are becoming more heavily polluted from increasing domestic and industrial waste flowing into the bay; and 3) other factors such as incidental take. Because of these factors, it is useful to update knowledge of the seabird fauna of Jakarta Bay, part of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. In 2011–2014 we conducted surveys to quantify seabird occurrence in the area. We identified 18 seabird species, 13 of which were new records for Jakarta Bay; more detailed information is presented for Christmas Island Frigatebird Fregata andrewsi. To better protect Jakarta Bay and its wildlife, regular monitoring is strongly recommended, and such monitoring is best conducted in cooperation with the staff of local government, local people, local non-governmental organization personnel and birdwatchers.
    [Show full text]
  • Birds: Indicators of Environmental Repair in Oil Affected Coastlines
    This may be the author’s version of a work that was submitted/accepted for publication in the following source: Wells, Dezmond (2010) Birds : indicators of environmental repair in oil affected coastlines. (Unpublished) This file was downloaded from: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/59524/ c Copyright 2010 Dezmond Wells This work is covered by copyright. Unless the document is being made available under a Creative Commons Licence, you must assume that re-use is limited to personal use and that permission from the copyright owner must be obtained for all other uses. If the docu- ment is available under a Creative Commons License (or other specified license) then refer to the Licence for details of permitted re-use. It is a condition of access that users recog- nise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. If you believe that this work infringes copyright please provide details by email to [email protected] Notice: Please note that this document may not be the Version of Record (i.e. published version) of the work. Author manuscript versions (as Sub- mitted for peer review or as Accepted for publication after peer review) can be identified by an absence of publisher branding and/or typeset appear- ance. If there is any doubt, please refer to the published source. Birds - Indicators of Environmental Repair in Oil Affected Coastlines 1 Birds - Indicators of Environmental Repair in Oil Affected Coastlines Dezmond. R. Wells (GradDipEd , BSc, , AssDipAppSc)A ABirds Australia Southern Queensland, 32 Panoramic Dr, Narangba, QLD 4504, Australia. Email: [email protected] Abstract Bird coastal communities were studied along Bribie Island and Moreton Island, two islands within Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, using the point counts method.
    [Show full text]
  • Great Egret Ardea Alba
    Great Egret Ardea alba Joe Kosack/PGC Photo CURRENT STATUS: In Pennsylvania, the great egret is listed state endangered and protected under the Game and Wildlife Code. Nationally, they are not listed as an endangered/threatened species. All migra- tory birds are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. POPULATION TREND: The Pennsylvania Game Commission counts active great egret (Ardea alba) nests in every known colony in the state every year to track changes in population size. Since 2009, only two nesting locations have been active in Pennsylvania: Kiwanis Lake, York County (fewer than 10 pairs) and the Susquehanna River’s Wade Island, Dauphin County (fewer than 200 pairs). Both sites are Penn- sylvania Audubon Important Bird Areas. Great egrets abandoned other colonies along the lower Susque- hanna River in Lancaster County in 1988 and along the Delaware River in Philadelphia County in 1991. Wade Island has been surveyed annually since 1985. The egret population there has slowly increased since 1985, with a high count of 197 nests in 2009. The 10-year average count from 2005 to 2014 was 159 nests. First listed as a state threatened species in 1990, the great egret was downgraded to endan- gered in 1999. IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Great egrets are almost the size of a great blue heron (Ardea herodias), but white rather than gray-blue. From bill to tail tip, adults are about 40 inches long. The wingspan is 55 inches. The plumage is white, bill yellowish, and legs and feet black. Commonly confused species include cattle egret (Bubulus ibis), snowy egret (Egretta thula), and juvenile little blue herons (Egretta caerulea); however these species are smaller and do not nest regularly in the state.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogenetic Patterns of Size and Shape of the Nasal Gland Depression in Phalacrocoracidae
    PHYLOGENETIC PATTERNS OF SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE NASAL GLAND DEPRESSION IN PHALACROCORACIDAE DOUGLAS SIEGEL-CAUSEY Museumof NaturalHistory and Department of Systematicsand Ecology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-2454 USA ABSTRACT.--Nasalglands in Pelecaniformesare situatedwithin the orbit in closelyfitting depressions.Generally, the depressionsare bilobedand small,but in Phalacrocoracidaethey are more diversein shapeand size. Cormorants(Phalacrocoracinae) have small depressions typical of the order; shags(Leucocarboninae) have large, single-lobeddepressions that extend almost the entire length of the frontal. In all PhalacrocoracidaeI examined, shape of the nasalgland depressiondid not vary betweenfreshwater and marine populations.A general linear model detectedstrongly significant effectsof speciesidentity and gender on size of the gland depression.The effectof habitat on size was complexand was detectedonly as a higher-ordereffect. Age had no effecton size or shapeof the nasalgland depression.I believe that habitat and diet are proximateeffects. The ultimate factorthat determinessize and shape of the nasalgland within Phalacrocoracidaeis phylogenetichistory. Received 28 February1989, accepted1 August1989. THE FIRSTinvestigations of the nasal glands mon (e.g.Technau 1936, Zaks and Sokolova1961, of water birds indicated that theseglands were Thomson and Morley 1966), and only a few more developed in species living in marine studies have focused on the cranial structure habitats than in species living in freshwater associatedwith the nasal gland (Marpies 1932; habitats (Heinroth and Heinroth 1927, Marpies Bock 1958, 1963; Staaland 1967; Watson and Di- 1932). Schildmacher (1932), Technau (1936), and voky 1971; Lavery 1972). othersshowed that the degree of development Unlike most other birds, Pelecaniformes have among specieswas associatedwith habitat. Lat- nasal glands situated in depressionsfound in er experimental studies (reviewed by Holmes the anteromedialroof of the orbit (Siegel-Cau- and Phillips 1985) established the role of the sey 1988).
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 Namibia, Botswana & Victoria Falls Species List
    Eagle-Eye Tours Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls November 2017 Bird List Status: NT = Near-threatened, VU = Vulnerable, EN = Endangered, CR = Critically Endangered Common Name Scientific Name Trip STRUTHIONIFORMES Ostriches Struthionidae Common Ostrich Struthio camelus 1 ANSERIFORMES Ducks, Geese and Swans Anatidae White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata 1 Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis 1 Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos 1 Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca 1 African Pygmy Goose Nettapus auritus 1 Hottentot Teal Spatula hottentota 1 Cape Teal Anas capensis 1 Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha 1 GALLIFORMES Guineafowl Numididae Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris 1 Pheasants and allies Phasianidae Crested Francolin Dendroperdix sephaena 1 Hartlaub's Spurfowl Pternistis hartlaubi H Red-billed Spurfowl Pternistis adspersus 1 Red-necked Spurfowl Pternistis afer 1 Swainson's Spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii 1 Natal Spurfowl Pternistis natalensis 1 PODICIPEDIFORMES Grebes Podicipedidae Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 1 Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 1 PHOENICOPTERIFORMES Flamingos Phoenicopteridae Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus 1 Lesser Flamingo - NT Phoeniconaias minor 1 CICONIIFORMES Storks Ciconiidae Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis 1 Eagle-Eye Tours African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus 1 Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus 1 Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumenifer 1 PELECANIFORMES Ibises, Spoonbills Threskiornithidae African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus 1 Hadada Ibis Bostrychia
    [Show full text]
  • India: Kaziranga National Park Extension
    INDIA: KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK EXTENSION FEBRUARY 22–27, 2019 The true star of this extension was the Indian One-horned Rhinoceros (Photo M. Valkenburg) LEADER: MACHIEL VALKENBURG LIST COMPILED BY: MACHIEL VALKENBURG VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM INDIA: KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK EXTENSION February 22–27, 2019 By Machiel Valkenburg This wonderful Kaziranga extension was part of our amazing Maharajas’ Express train trip, starting in Mumbai and finishing in Delhi. We flew from Delhi to Guwahati, located in the far northeast of India. A long drive later through the hectic traffic of this enjoyable country, we arrived at our lodge in the evening. (Photo by tour participant Robert Warren) We enjoyed three full days of the wildlife and avifauna spectacles of the famous Kaziranga National Park. This park is one of the last easily accessible places to find the endangered Indian One-horned Rhinoceros together with a healthy population of Asian Elephant and Asiatic Wild Buffalo. We saw plenty individuals of all species; the rhino especially made an impression on all of us. It is such an impressive piece of evolution, a serious armored “tank”! On two mornings we loved the elephant rides provided by the park; on the back of these attractive animals we came very close to the rhinos. The fertile flood plains of the park consist of alluvial silts, exposed sandbars, and riverine flood-formed lakes called Beels. This open habitat is not only good for mammals but definitely a true gem for some great birds. Interesting but common birds included Bar-headed Goose, Red Junglefowl, Woolly-necked Stork, and Lesser Adjutant, while the endangered Greater Adjutant and Black-necked Stork were good hits in the stork section.
    [Show full text]