WBRC Review List 2020
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Gyrfalcon Falco Rusticolus
Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus Rob Florkiewicz surveys, this area was included. Eight eyries are known from this Characteristics and Range The northern-dwelling Gyrfalcon is part of the province; however, while up to 7 of these eyries have the largest falcon in the world. It breeds mostly along the Arctic been deemed occupied in a single year, no more than 3 have been coasts of North America, Europe and Asia (Booms et al. 2008). productive at the same time. Based on these data and other Over its range, its colour varies from white through silver-grey to sightings, the British Columbia Wildlife Branch estimates the almost black; silver-grey is the most common morph in British breeding population in the province to be fewer than 20 pairs Columbia. It nests on cliff ledges at sites that are often used for (Chutter 2008). decades and where considerable amounts of guano can accumulate. Ptarmigan provide the Gyrfalcon's main prey in In British Columbia, the Gyrfalcon nests on cliff ledges on British Columbia and productivity appears dependent on mountains in alpine areas, usually adjacent to rivers or lakes. ptarmigan numbers. Large size and hunting prowess make the Occasionally, it nests on cliffs of river banks and in abandoned Gyrfalcon a popular bird with falconers, who breed and train Golden Eagle nests. them to hunt waterfowl and other game birds. Conservation and Recommendations Whilst the Gyrfalcon is Distribution, Abundance, and Habitat Most Gyrfalcons breed designated as Not at Risk nationally by COSEWIC, it is Blue-listed along the Arctic coast; however, a few breed in the northwest in British Columbia due to its small known breeding population portion of the Northern Boreal Mountains Ecoprovince of British (British Columbia Ministry of Environment 2014). -
MOVEMENTS of MARKED SEA and DIVING DUCKS in EUROPE Hugh Boyd
MOVEMENTS OF MARKED SEA AND DIVING DUCKS IN EUROPE Hugh Boyd R inging of dabbling ducks in Europe has helped considerably in discovering the patterns of their distribution and movement through the year. By comparison our knowledge of the behaviour of British species of the tribes Aythyini and Mergini is meagre, chiefly because they are harder to catch outside the breeding season. The numbers marked in Britain have been small, and seem unlikely to be rapidly increased, but ringers in some countries where these ducks breed more plentifully have marked considerably more. Captures of adults, mostly females taken on the nest, have been particularly informative. This paper reviews the results so far apparent. It is based on published and unpublished British records, and on the published material of foreign ringing schemes. I am indebted to the British Trust for Ornithology for permission to use data relating to ducks not ringed at Wildfowl Trust stations. A card index of recoveries compiled by Dr. W. Rydzewski for the International Wildfowl Research Bureau provides a convenient summary of all but the most recent records published abroad, and I am grateful to Dr. Rydzewski and the officers of the Bureau for access to this index. Table I summarises the amount of information obtainable from recoveries and reveals many of its inadequacies. Clearly samples as small as these cannot provide highly reliable and detailed guides to distribution, especially of species which are treated as sporting birds in some countries but not in others. However, by considering the recoveries against the background provided by published studies on the distribution of each species it is possible to form some ideas on the breeding distribution of the populations visiting Britain in winter. -
Natural History of the Gyrfalcon in the Central Canadian Arctic K.G
ARCTIC VOL. 41, NO. 1 (MARCH 1988) P. 31-38 Natural History of the Gyrfalcon in the Central Canadian Arctic K.G. POOLE' and R.G. BROMLEY2 (Received 24 March 1987; accepted in revised form 24 September 1987) ABSTRACT. A population of breeding gyrfalcons was studied from 1982to 1986 on 2000a km2 area in thecentral Arctic of the NorthwestTerritories. Each year 14-18 territories were occupied. The meanintemest distance was 10.6 km, giving oneof the highest recorded densitiesfor the species. There was a tendency for regularity in spacing of territories. Most (85%) nests were in abandoned stick nests of common ravens or golden eagles. Rough-legged hawk nests were not used by gyrfalcons, despite numerous available.date Mean of initiation of laying was 8 May. Meansize of clutch was 3.80 and of brood was 2.53, and mean productivity was 1SO fledged young. A reduction of 48% from estimated numberof eggs laid to number of fledglings was determined. Reproductive success declined with increased severity of spring weather, notablydays increased and amount of precipitation. Key words: gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus),natural history, reproductive ecology, central Arctic RÉSUMÉ. Qtre 1982 et 1986, on a étudié une populationde gerfauts en reproduction dans une zone de 2000 km2dans la région centrale arctiquedes Territoires du Nord-Ouest. Quatorze des 18 aires étaient occupées chaque année. La distance entremoyenne les nids étaitde 10,6km, soit la plus grande densité relevée pour cetteespèce. Les aires avaient tendanceB être espacéesrégulitrement. La plupart des nids(85 p. cent) étaient situésdans des nids de brindilles occupés précédemment pardes corbeaux communsou des aigles dorés. -
Blood Parasites of Ducks in the British Isles M
Blood parasites of ducks in the British Isles M. J. WORMS and W. A. COOK Summary 243 birds of 16 species of Anatidae have been examined for blood parasites. Microfilariae were found in Teal, Smew and Pintail and Leucocytozoon in Scaup, Wigeon, Pochard and Teal. Parasites in the Smew, Pochard and Wigeon are considered new host records. Attempts at transmission of the Teal filaria were unsuccessful. During 1964 and 1965 the blood of a large certain times during the day or night, number of wild birds has been examined usually coincident with the maximum as part of a survey for avian microfilariae. activity of the arthropod vector, a pheno In the course of these examinations, the menon known as periodicity. During the presence of other blood parasites has been periods when they are absent from the noted and this report records those found peripheral blood they accumulate in the in the family Anatidae. vessels of the lungs and it is therefore to be The birds were obtained from Borough expected that more infected birds will be Fen Decoy, Peakirk, Northants and discovered by examination of this blood. Benington Marsh near Boston, Lincs. In addition to this diurnal periodicity Dr. James Harrison kindly provided lung there may also be a seasonal periodicity. blood smears of birds collected or found Several authors have noted a lower dead in Kent or elsewhere. The majority incidence of detectable parasites during of the samples were collected during the the winter months than in the summer, winter months, a single blood smear being apparently correlated with the sexual taken from the wing vein of the living cycle of the host. -
Smew in San Joaquin County - a First for the Central Valley
Smew in San Joaquin County - a first for the Central Valley Terry Ronneberg, 1035 Wood Thrush Lane, Tracy, CA 95376 Thursday, 20 January 2000, "Smew Day," will always be etched in my mind. The day started offroutinely enough, but ended with a good deal of excitement forme, and temporary disappointment for a couple of outstanding San Joaquin County birders. Events were set in motion that afternoon while I was working in my office. My wife, Jean, called to tell me that a friend, Ev deRusha, who lives out on the Old River north of Tracy, San Joaquin Co., had seen a Smew (Mergellus albel/us) earlier that day. Ev related to Jean thatthis duck didn't look like any other she had ever seen, nor did it look like the Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) that had visited her place for several days. This bird she declared was a Smew; she was certain ofthat, because she had identified it by finding its picture in her National Geographic Guide to Birds of North America. Ev wanted to know if Jean or I could drive out to have a look. Jean, a kindergarten teacher, could not leave her charges unattended, so she called to ask me if! could verify Ev' s sighting. I felt thatthis must be a case of misidentification, besides I was busy, and there was a staff meeting in an hour. But, sensing this was a serious matter to Jean, I left with some reluctance. I arrived at Ev' s home at approximately 2: 15p.m. hoping I could getthis over quickly and return to work. -
Scientific Name: Mergus Albellus Class: Aves Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Range Habitat Gestation Litter Behavior Reprod
Smew Scientific Name: Mergus albellus Class: Aves Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae The length is 14 to 17.5 inches, the weight: is 1.1 to 2 pounds, and the wingspan is 21.5 to 27 inches The drake (male) smew is striking and unmistakable with a mostly white body marked with a black eye patch, breast bar and v-shaped nape patch beneath the crest. The eyes are black and the wings are dark with large white patches. The hen (female) is smaller than the male and has a chestnut head, white throat, and dark brown eyes. The breast is light grey and the rest of the body is dark grey. Juveniles resemble the hen, but the central wing coverts (coverings) have brown edges. The smew’s black bill has a serrated edge with a hook at the tip. Its legs and webbed feet are grey. As with all ducks, the females molt when the chicks are half grown; the males slightly earlier. The ability to fly is reached by the young and regained by the adults in late summer when the family is then ready to begin the fall migration. Range The smew is a migratory bird with a large global range. During breeding season it stays in the taiga of northern Europe and Asia (evergreen forests of the subarctic region). It winters on sheltered coasts and inland lakes from Central and Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and Southern Russia to China, Japan and as far east as the Western Aleutian Islands. Habitat It inhabits fish-rich freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers along coniferous forests. -
Wings Over Alaska Checklist
Blue-winged Teal GREBES a Chinese Pond-Heron Semipalmated Plover c Temminck's Stint c Western Gull c Cinnamon Teal r Pied-billed Grebe c Cattle Egret c Little Ringed Plover r Long-toed Stint Glacuous-winged Gull Northern Shoveler Horned Grebe a Green Heron Killdeer Least Sandpiper Glaucous Gull Northern Pintail Red-necked Grebe Black-crowned r White-rumped Sandpiper a Great Black-backed Gull a r Eurasian Dotterel c Garganey a Eared Grebe Night-Heron OYSTERCATCHER Baird's Sandpiper Sabine's Gull c Baikal Teal Western Grebe VULTURES, HAWKS, Black Oystercatcher Pectoral Sandpiper Black-legged Kittiwake FALCONS Green-winged Teal [Clark's Grebe] STILTS, AVOCETS Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Red-legged Kittiwake c Turkey Vulture Canvasback a Black-winged Stilt a Purple Sandpiper Ross' Gull Wings Over Alaska ALBATROSSES Osprey Redhead a Shy Albatross a American Avocet Rock Sandpiper Ivory Gull Bald Eagle c Common Pochard Laysan Albatross SANDPIPERS Dunlin r Caspian Tern c White-tailed Eagle Ring-necked Duck Black-footed Albatross r Common Greenshank c Curlew Sandpiper r Common Tern Alaska Bird Checklist c Steller's Sea-Eagle r Tufted Duck Short-tailed Albatross Greater Yellowlegs Stilt Sandpiper Arctic Tern for (your name) Northern Harrier Greater Scaup Lesser Yellowlegs c Spoonbill Sandpiper Aleutian Tern PETRELS, SHEARWATERS [Gray Frog-Hawk] Lesser Scaup a Marsh Sandpiper c Broad-billed Sandpiper a Sooty Tern Northern Fulmar Sharp-shinned Hawk Steller's Eider c Spotted Redshank Buff-breasted Sandpiper c White-winged Tern Mottled Petrel [Cooper's -
A Molecular Phylogeny of Anseriformes Based on Mitochondrial DNA Analysis
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 23 (2002) 339–356 www.academicpress.com A molecular phylogeny of anseriformes based on mitochondrial DNA analysis Carole Donne-Goussee,a Vincent Laudet,b and Catherine Haanni€ a,* a CNRS UMR 5534, Centre de Genetique Moleculaire et Cellulaire, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 16 rue Raphael Dubois, Ba^t. Mendel, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France b CNRS UMR 5665, Laboratoire de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon, 45 Allee d’Italie, 69364 Lyon Cedex 07, France Received 5 June 2001; received in revised form 4 December 2001 Abstract To study the phylogenetic relationships among Anseriformes, sequences for the complete mitochondrial control region (CR) were determined from 45 waterfowl representing 24 genera, i.e., half of the existing genera. To confirm the results based on CR analysis we also analyzed representative species based on two mitochondrial protein-coding genes, cytochrome b (cytb) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2). These data allowed us to construct a robust phylogeny of the Anseriformes and to compare it with existing phylogenies based on morphological or molecular data. Chauna and Dendrocygna were identified as early offshoots of the Anseriformes. All the remaining taxa fell into two clades that correspond to the two subfamilies Anatinae and Anserinae. Within Anserinae Branta and Anser cluster together, whereas Coscoroba, Cygnus, and Cereopsis form a relatively weak clade with Cygnus diverging first. Five clades are clearly recognizable among Anatinae: (i) the Anatini with Anas and Lophonetta; (ii) the Aythyini with Aythya and Netta; (iii) the Cairinini with Cairina and Aix; (iv) the Mergini with Mergus, Bucephala, Melanitta, Callonetta, So- materia, and Clangula, and (v) the Tadornini with Tadorna, Chloephaga, and Alopochen. -
Alpha Codes for 2168 Bird Species (And 113 Non-Species Taxa) in Accordance with the 62Nd AOU Supplement (2021), Sorted Taxonomically
Four-letter (English Name) and Six-letter (Scientific Name) Alpha Codes for 2168 Bird Species (and 113 Non-Species Taxa) in accordance with the 62nd AOU Supplement (2021), sorted taxonomically Prepared by Peter Pyle and David F. DeSante The Institute for Bird Populations www.birdpop.org ENGLISH NAME 4-LETTER CODE SCIENTIFIC NAME 6-LETTER CODE Highland Tinamou HITI Nothocercus bonapartei NOTBON Great Tinamou GRTI Tinamus major TINMAJ Little Tinamou LITI Crypturellus soui CRYSOU Thicket Tinamou THTI Crypturellus cinnamomeus CRYCIN Slaty-breasted Tinamou SBTI Crypturellus boucardi CRYBOU Choco Tinamou CHTI Crypturellus kerriae CRYKER White-faced Whistling-Duck WFWD Dendrocygna viduata DENVID Black-bellied Whistling-Duck BBWD Dendrocygna autumnalis DENAUT West Indian Whistling-Duck WIWD Dendrocygna arborea DENARB Fulvous Whistling-Duck FUWD Dendrocygna bicolor DENBIC Emperor Goose EMGO Anser canagicus ANSCAN Snow Goose SNGO Anser caerulescens ANSCAE + Lesser Snow Goose White-morph LSGW Anser caerulescens caerulescens ANSCCA + Lesser Snow Goose Intermediate-morph LSGI Anser caerulescens caerulescens ANSCCA + Lesser Snow Goose Blue-morph LSGB Anser caerulescens caerulescens ANSCCA + Greater Snow Goose White-morph GSGW Anser caerulescens atlantica ANSCAT + Greater Snow Goose Intermediate-morph GSGI Anser caerulescens atlantica ANSCAT + Greater Snow Goose Blue-morph GSGB Anser caerulescens atlantica ANSCAT + Snow X Ross's Goose Hybrid SRGH Anser caerulescens x rossii ANSCAR + Snow/Ross's Goose SRGO Anser caerulescens/rossii ANSCRO Ross's Goose -
P0227-P0236.Pdf
THE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND SYSTEMATIC POSITION OF THE HOODED MERGANSER PAUL A. JOHNSGARD T has been over 15 years since Delacour and Mayr (1945) first urged that the I mergansers (Mergzzs) and the goldeneye-Bufflehead group (Bucephala) be merged into a single tribe (Mergini) rather than being maintained in separate subfamilies (Aythyinae and Merginae) . Their reasons for this change were several, and included such points as the similarities in the downy young, female color patterns, occurrence of wild hybrids between the two genera, and tracheal structure. Indeed, except for the shape of the bill in these two groups there is no good means of distinguishing the two subfamilies. As Delacour and Mayr pointed out, bill shape and structure is highly adaptive and should not be used for the erection of major taxonomic categories. However, these two subfamilies are still upheld in the fifth edition of the AOU Check-list. Delacour and Mayr described the general similarities in the sexual behavior of lMergus and Bucephala, but no one has yet had the opportunity of critically comparing the behavior of most species in the two groups. Myres (1957,1959a, 1959b) reviewed well the behavior of the Bucephala species, but was not for- tunate enough to compare directly copulatory behavior in this genus and Mer- gus. He has, however, provided detailed descriptions of courtship and copulation in the Common Goldeneye (B. clangula) , Barrows’ Goldeneye (B. islandica) , and Bufflehead (B. albeola) . The behavior of the Common Goldeneye has also recently been described by Dane et al. (1959) and Lind (1960). I have been able to observe closely courtship display in all three species of Bucephala and in four species of Mergus, including the Hooded Merganser (M. -
Cavity-Nesting Ducks: Why Woodpeckers Matter Janet Kear
Cavity-nesting ducks: why woodpeckers matter Janet Kear Goosander Mergus merganser Rosemary Watts/Powell ABSTRACT This paper poses a number of related questions and suggests some answers.Why were there no resident tree-hole-nesting ducks in Britain until recently? Why is the Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius not found in Britain? Could the supply of invertebrate food items, especially in winter, be responsible for the distribution of woodpeckers in western Europe? It is concluded that, in Europe, only the Black Woodpecker can construct holes large enough for ducks to nest in, and that this woodpecker does not occur in Britain & Ireland because of the absence of carpenter ants Campanotus. A plea is made for the global conservation of dead and dying timber, since it is vital for the biodiversity of plants, insects, woodpeckers and ducks. irdwatchers, at least in Britain, tend to surface-feeding ducks (Anatini), including think of ducks as nesting in the open and those which we used to call ‘perching ducks’, Bon the ground, but cavity-nesting is actu- and in the seaducks (Mergini). ally normal, if not obligatory, in almost one- Because ducks are incapable of making holes third of the 162 members of the wildfowl family for themselves, however, they must rely on (Anatidae). Geffen & Yom-Tov (2001) suggested natural agents for the construction of nest cavi- that hole-nesting has evolved independently at ties, and this dependence has profound implica- least three times within the group. I think that it tions for their lifestyles, breeding productivity is more likely to have arisen five or six times; and conservation. -
Kansas Raptors Third Edition ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
A POCKET GUIDE TO Kansas Raptors Third Edition ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Text by Bob Gress and Vanessa Avara Photos by Bob Gress Funded by Westar Energy Green Team, Glenn Springs Holdings Inc., Occidental Chemical Corporation, and the Chickadee Checkoff Published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center Table of Contents • Introduction • 2 • Species Accounts Vultures ■ Turkey Vulture • 4 ■ Black Vulture • 6 Osprey ■ Osprey • 8 Kites, Harriers, Eagles and Hawks ■ Mississippi Kite • 10 ■ Northern Harrier • 12 ■ Golden Eagle • 14 ■ Bald Eagle • 16 ■ Sharp-shinned Hawk • 18 ■ Cooper’s Hawk • 20 ■ Northern Goshawk • 22 Bald Eagle ■ Broad-winged Hawk • 24 ■ Red-shouldered Hawk • 26 ■ Red-tailed Hawk • 28 ■ Swainson’s Hawk • 30 ■ Rough-legged Hawk • 32 ■ Ferruginous Hawk • 34 American Kestrel Falcons ■ Cover Photo: American Kestrel • 36 Ferruginous Hawk ■ Merlin • 38 ■ Prairie Falcon • 40 ■ Peregrine Falcon • 42 ■ Gyrfalcon • 44 Barn Owl ■ Barn Owl • 46 Typical Owls ■ Eastern Screech-Owl • 48 ■ Great Horned Owl • 50 ■ Snowy Owl • 52 ■ Burrowing Owl • 54 ■ Barred Owl • 56 ■ Long-eared Owl • 58 ■ Short-eared Owl • 60 ■ Northern Saw-whet Owl • 62 Burrowing Owl • Rare Kansas Raptors • 64 ■ Swallow-tailed Kite ■ White-tailed Kite ■ Harris’s Hawk ■ Gray Hawk ■ Western Screech-Owl ■ Flammulated Owl • Falconry • 65 • The Protection of Raptors • 66 • Pocket Guides • 68 Glenn Springs Holdings, Inc. Chickadee Checkoff 1 Introduction Raptors are birds of prey. They include hawks, eagles, falcons, owls and vultures. They are primarily hunters or scavengers and feed on meat or insects. Most raptors have talons for killing their prey and a hooked beak for tearing meat. Of the 53 species of raptors found in the United States and Canada, 30 occur regularly in Kansas and an additional six species are considered rare.