DOCSLIB.ORG

Belarus in Spring

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Belarus in Spring Belarus in Spring Naturetrek Tour Report 4 - 11 May 2014 Report compiled by Attila Steiner Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Belarus in Spring Tour Leader: Attila Steiner Participants: Peter Fox Alan Shears Kerry Robinson Iris de Carteret Brian Shepherd Mike Campbell Marion Campbell Roger Broad Day 1 Sunday 4th May After the early evening arrival, the group had a dinner at Minsk Airport and left for Sporovo Reserve, Bielaaziorsk, a town located about 250 km south-west from the capital. Overnight at Hotel Energia. Day 2 Monday 5th May We left the hotel and went to experience the wonderful floodplain of the River Yaselda, home not only to some real bird rarities but a rich flora as well. In the strong and chilly wind we first had an insight into one of the breeding sites of the Aquatic Warbler near Visokae. The two boardwalks near the study trails were perfect places to see 2 pairs of stunning Citrine Wagtails. We crossed the river with a small ferry and heard Bearded Reedlings. Bog-bean, a typical plant species of bogs was observed here. At lunchtime we moved to the southern end of the village and had a good number of birds seen including a pair of Honey Buzzards, a nice male Montagu’s Harrier, breeding Black Redstarts, flying Hawfinches and feeding Fieldfares. The afternoon started with looking for Wrynecks at a nearby settlement and Aquatic Warblers along the eastern edge of the wetland. The wind was still rather strong and we saw none of them, but after driving c.25 km through Biaroza we stopped at the western side of the Yaselda near Zdzitava. While walking along the canal we had a nice pair of Citrine Wagtails again. The rest of the day was spent getting to our next accommodation at Kamianiuki, Belowezhskaya Pushcha National Park. On the way we saw a few Great Grey Shrikes perched on wires. Day 3 Tuesday 6th May During our pre-breakfast birdwatching walk in the park around the hotel we concentrated on woodpeckers, but apart from a few brief sightings of Black Woodpecker there were mainly passerines: Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Willow Tit, Goldcrest and a Common Redstart. During the day the local ranger, Dzyma took us to some beautiful areas of the NP. At Lidskoje fishpond we heard Eurasian Bittern and saw Grey-headed, Black and Lesser-spotted Woodpecker and a Collared Flycatcher. We enjoyed walking in the vast untouched mixed natural forests of the NP, especially on the road to a small lake where we saw the only Whooper Swan of the trip and a female Goldeneye with ducklings. We were also introduced to the damage caused by the Bark Beatle in Spruces. In a wonderful ancient mixed deciduous forest we saw Middle Spotted Woodpecker. © Naturetrek October 14 1 Belarus in Spring Tour Report After a picnic lunch near a great meadow we drove into the realm of the European Bison, where we were lucky to see a herd of around 30 individuals from a short distance. Even a group of Wild Boar with some 20 piglets was observed. Here we also saw 2 Lesser Spotted Eagles very well. At mid afternoon we drove to an old oak woodland where we found a few very elusive Black Woodpeckers. Red-breasted Flycatcher was also showing well here. Night spent in the hotel in Kamianiuki. Day 4 Wednesday 7th May The pre-breakfast walk in the park again focused on woodpeckers, now in much milder, improving weather. After a few Black Woodpeckers we were just about leave when a Three-toed Woodpecker landed above us. Although it was seen by a few members of the group it was a great moments for some of us. We left the hotel after breakfast and headed to Turov near River Pripiat in southern Belarus. On the way we saw a Crested Lark. We spent a few hours near Teliachany to see Great Grey Owl at its nest site about noon. The female was on the nest and the group had prolonged views of this magnificent bird. During lunchtime we were looking for the secretive Hazel Grouse in a nearby forest and we had a few short sightings. It was also a perfect place to see Tree Pipit, Sand Lizard, and tiny Fingered Speedwell among others. We arrived to Turov late afternoon to spend the next 4 nights in a comfortable hotel overlooking the main square and the river floodplain behind. Day 5 Thursday 8th May Turov meadows are the heart of the huge and mostly untouched floodplain of the River Pripiat, an area of great importance not only for migrating waders but all sorts of wetland birds. During the early spring migration stunning flocks of cca. 100.000 Ruffs, 20.000 Black-tailed Godwits, 150.000 ducks, and thousands of terns rest and feed in these rich wet areas. As both winter and spring were dry and unusually warm not much water was accumulated in the shallow floodplains thus many migrants have already left toward their northern breeding sites. For this reason smaller flocks were present, but there was still a high diversity of waterbirds and waders, including Dunlin and Temminck's Stint as well. Near Turov we watched a nice Syrian Woodpecker and then headed west. In Verasnica we visited a rookery and found 3 Long-eared Owl chicks on a willow tree and enjoyed both seeing and hearing Thrush Nightingale from a few metres away. Our next stop was at the end of the village where notable birds were Little Terns. Then we arrived to Alshany to look for one of the highlights of the trip, the lovely Azure Tit. A pair was seen several times obviously already feeding their chicks. Other birds of interest were Marsh and Icterine Warbler, nesting Fieldfares and Penduline Tit on the nest. Late afternoon we watched waterbirds at Turov Meadow and with our local guide Pavel we walked out to the Great Snipe lek near the river. On the way 2 Terek Sandpipers, one Marsh Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatchers and a few Garganeis were seen. Good numbers of Corn Crakes and a few Spotted Crakes were also heard. At the lek we saw some 10 birds performing their interesting display calling, jumping and even fighting in the short grass. Masses of White-winged Terns were flying around us rather low several times while we were trying to ignore the clouds of small flies! 2 © Naturetrek October 14 Belarus in Spring Tour Report Day 6 Friday 9th May We had a pre-breakfast walk near the village centre, and Syrian Woodpecker was seen and heard near the harbour. After breakfast we birded at Turov wetlands and saw Wood Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Spotted Redshank, many Black-tailed Godwits, plus all three marsh terns. We shortly visited the bird ringing station where we admired the beauty of a few hand held waders like Lapwing, Ruff, Wood and Marsh Sandpiper. Then we drove to Beloe Fishpond. On the way we had a short stop near the bridge over the Pripiat River where we saw a pair of Penduline Tits actively building their nest. At the fishponds we saw four pairs of Smew, Gadwall, Common Pochard, Goldeneye, Black-necked Grebe, Caspian Gull s, several White-tailed Eagles, Black Stork and after a long search we finally added White-backed Woodpecker to the list and a Red-backed Shrike. We also saw Fire-bellied Toad, a Grass Snake and a nice Kingfisher at lunchtime. On the way back we stopped at the old orchard near Beloe where we took some lovely videos and photos of a calling Wryneck. Day 7 Saturday 10th May We had a pre-breakfast walk near the river producing a few Golden Orioles and Oystercatchers. After breakfast we went back to the site we visited yesterday near the bridge and added Bluethroat and Barred Warbler to the list. An unexpected pair of Azure Tits was a nice surprise, a few Long-tailed Tits plus Wryneck and Hoopoe were seen too. Later we visited some good raptor watch points near the village of Ozerani and Bechi and had great views of four Lesser Spotted Eagles, two White-tailed Eagles, a quick view of the European Turtle Dove and a Black Stork. We had lunch in the forest then we walked along the forest trail and saw a nice Grey-headed Woodpecker and a few very elusive Red-breasted Flycatchers. Late afternoon we stopped at the southern foot of the bridge over River Pripiat and saw a fairly late Greater White-fronted Goose and a Peregrine flying over. Good numbers of waders and terns were seen in most places. We then headed to Turov, where we had a lovely dinner in a nearby restaurant. Day 8 Sunday 11th May We had an early morning start from the hotel to get to Minsk Airport on time for the flight back to the UK. Naturetrek Facebook We are delighted to launch the Naturetrek Facebook page so that participants of Naturetrek tours can remain in touch after the holiday and share photos, comments and future travel plans. Setting up a personal profile at www.facebook.com is quick, free and easy. The Naturetrek Facebook page is now live; do please pay us a visit! © Naturetrek October 14 3 Tour Report Belarus in Spring Species List Birds ( = recorded but not counted; h = heard only) May Common name Scientific name 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1 Greylag Goose Anser anser 2 Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons 3 Mute Swan Cygnus olor 4 Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus 5 Gadwall Anas strepera 6 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 7 Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata 8 Northern Pintail Anas acuta 9 Garganey Anas querquedula 10 Eurasian Teal Anas crecca 11 Common Pochard Aythya ferina 12 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula 13 Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula 14 Smew Mergellus albellus 15 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 16 Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 17 Black Stork Ciconia
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Birdseekers Hungary 2010 Report
    HUNGARY May 2010 – 8 Days HIGHLIGHTS : Either for rarity value, excellent views or simply a group favourite. • Great Bustard • Syrian Woodpecker • Red-crested Pochard • Short-toed Treecreeper, • Black Woodpecker • Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Roller adult feeding 3 chicks • Red-footed Falcon • Nightwalk to see Tawny • Collared Flycatcher • Collared Pratincoles Owl and Nightjar • Barred, Savi’s, & River copulating • Montagu’s Harrier - The Warbler • Saker Falcon, adult and 3 Full Monty! • Early Spider Orchid chicks on a nest • Hawfinch Leaders: Steve Bird, Gina Nichol and Gabor Orban SUMMARY: Our tour to the heart of the Hungarian "puszta", the sprawling grasslands stretching across the scenic Kiskunsag National Park began in Budapest where Steve, Gina and half the group were met by Allan, Janice, Annette and Sara who had arrived a few days early to explore the city. We made our way outside the terminal where we were met by Gabor and his wife Andrea and our driver Misci. After loading up the van, we headed south away from the airport where we saw our first Magpies , Hooded Crows, Barn Swallows, Northern Lapwings, and Rooks. Our first birding stop was at Osca, a protected forest just ½ hour away which we soon nicknamed ‘mosquito forest’ and after a quick snack we walked This Black Woodpecker gave us superb along a track through the woodland and found several Chaffinch , views in the Mosquito forest Chiffchaffs, and a Spotted Flycatcher . A Collared Flycatcher fluttering around a nest hole showed well and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in allowing good views. Julie spotted a Short- toed Treecreeper working up a trunk in a wet area but the bird moved too quickly for some of us to catch up with.
    [Show full text]
  • Poland: May 2015
    Tropical Birding Trip Report Poland: May 2015 POLAND The Primeval Forests and Marshes of Eastern Europe May 22 – 31, 2015 Tour Leader: Scott Watson Report and Photos by Scott Watson Like a flying sapphire through the Polish marshes, the Bluethroat was a tour favorite. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page1 Tropical Birding Trip Report Poland: May 2015 Introduction Springtime in Eastern Europe is a magical place, with new foliage, wildflowers galore, breeding resident birds, and new arrivals from Africa. Poland in particular is beautiful this time of year, especially where we visited on this tour; the extensive Biebrza Marshes, and some of the last remaining old-growth forest left in Europe, the primeval forests of Bialowieski National Park, on the border with Belarus. Our tour this year was highly successfully, recording 168 species of birds along with 11 species of mammals. This includes all 10 possible Woodpecker species, many of which we found at their nest holes, using the best local knowledge possible. Local knowledge also got us on track with a nesting Boreal (Tengmalm’s) Owl, while a bit of effort yielded the tricky Eurasian Pygmy-Owl and the trickier Hazel Grouse. We also found 11 species of raptors on this tour, and we even timed it to the day that the technicolored European Bee-eaters arrived back to their breeding grounds. A magical evening was spent watching the display of the rare Great Snipe in the setting sun, with Common Snipe “winnowing” all around and the sounds of breeding Common Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits.
    [Show full text]
  • Phalangeal Bone Anomalies in the European Common Toad Bufo Bufo from Polluted Environments
    Environ Sci Pollut Res DOI 10.1007/s11356-016-7297-6 RESEARCH ARTICLE Phalangeal bone anomalies in the European common toad Bufo bufo from polluted environments Mikołaj Kaczmarski1 & Krzysztof Kolenda 2 & Beata Rozenblut-Kościsty2 & Wioletta Sośnicka 2 Received: 7 March 2016 /Accepted: 20 July 2016 # The Author(s) 2016. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract Every spring, many of amphibians are killed by ximately 20 % from the rural and semi-urban sites. In partic- motor vehicles on roads. These road-killed animals can be ular, we found hypertrophic bone cells, misaligned intercellu- used as valuable material for non-invasive studies showing lar substance, and irregular outer edges of bones. We suggest the effect of environmental pollution on amphibian popula- that these malformations are caused by different pollution, e.g. tions. The aims of our research were to check whether the with heavy metals. phalanges of road-killed toads may be useful as material for histological analysis, and whether various degrees of human Keywords Amphibians . Phalangeal bone . Poland . impact influence the level in bone abnormalities in the com- Pollution . Roadkilling . Skeletochronology . Urban area mon toad. We also examined whether the sex and age struc- ture of toads can differ significantly depending in the different sites. We chose three toad breeding sites where road-killed Introduction individuals had been observed: near the centre of a city, the outskirts of a city, and a rural site. We collected dead individ- Current knowledge widely indicates a direct relationship be- uals during spring migration in 2013. The sex of each individ- tween anthropogenic pressures and the deteriorating environ- ual was determined and the toes were used to determine age mental state and/or global extinction of amphibian popula- using the skeletochronology method.
    [Show full text]
  • Toads Have Warts... and That's Good! | Nature Detectives | Summer 2021
    Summer 2021 TOADS HAVE WARTS…AND THAT’S GOOD! Warts on your skin are not good. Warts can occur when a virus sneaks into human skin through a cut. A medicine gets rid of the virus and then it’s good-bye ugly wart. Toad warts look slightly like human warts, but toad warts and people warts are not one bit the same. Toad warts are natural bumps on a toad’s back. Toads have larger lumps behind their eyes. The bumps and lumps are glands. The glands produce a whitish goo that is a foul-tasting and smelly poison. The poison is a toad’s ultimate defense in a predator attack. It is toxic enough to kill small animals, if they swallow enough of it. The toxin can cause skin and eye irritation in humans. Some people used to think toad warts were contagious. Touching a toad can’t cause human warts, but licking a toad might make you sick! Toads have other defenses too. Their camouflage green/gray/brown colors blend perfectly into their surroundings. They can puff up with air to look bigger, and maybe less appetizing. Pull Out and Save Pull Out and Pick one up, and it might pee on your hand. Toads Travel, Frogs Swim Toads and frogs are amphibians with some similarities and quite a few differences. Amphibians spend all or part of their life in water. Frogs have moist, smooth skin that loses moisture easily. A toad’s dry, bumpy skin doesn’t lose water as easily as frog skin. Frogs are always in water or very near it, otherwise they quickly dehydrate and die.
    [Show full text]
  • Common Frog Rana Temporaria
    Common frog Rana temporaria Description Common frogs are common, widespread and easily recognisable amphibians. They have smooth, moist skin and long stripy legs. Common frogs are usually olive-green, although their colouration can be variable (from brown, yellow, cream or black, to pink, red, or lime-green). They have a dark patch (‘mask’) around the eye and eardrum, and often have other irregular black blotches over their body and limbs. They have large golden eyes with oval horizontal pupils. Frogs hop and jump rather than walk or crawl, and they are most active at night. They hibernate during the winter in pond mud or under piles of rotting leaves, logs or stones. Outside the breeding season, frogs are largely terrestrial and can be found in meadows, gardens and woodland. Breeding takes place in ponds, lakes, canals, and even wet grassland or puddles! Spawning usually occurs in January in the milder areas of the UK, but not until March to April in the North or upland areas. Mating pairs and masses of clumpy frogspawn can often be seen in waterbodies during this time. The eggs hatch into tadpoles within two to three weeks. What they eat Adult frogs eat snails, slugs, worms, insects and other invertebrates caught using their long sticky tongue. Young tadpoles feed on algae, but become carnivorous as they mature. Where and when to see them z Frogs can be spotted in ponds, lakes, canals, meadows, woodlands and gardens most commonly between February and October. z Look for frogspawn just below the surface of the water. Frogs lay a mass of jelly-like eggs, whereas toadspawn is produced in long strings.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Onset of Breeding Season in the Green Toad Bufotes Viridis in Western Poland
    Herpetozoa 32: 109–112 (2019) DOI 10.3897/herpetozoa.32.e35825 Early onset of breeding season in the green toad Bufotes viridis in Western Poland Mikołaj Kaczmarski1, Klaudia Szala1, Janusz Kloskowski1 1 Poznan University of Life Sciences, Institute of Zoology, Wojska Polskiego 71c, 60-625, Poznań, Poland http://zoobank.org/083A67C2-D89B-4631-BFEC-D610D396E68F Corresponding author: Mikołaj Kaczmarski ([email protected]) Academic editor: Andreas Maletzky ♦ Received 29 July 2018 ♦ Accepted 9 January 2019 ♦ Published 22 May 2019 Abstract Amphibians are highly sensitive to environmental changes such as climate warming. Here, we report unusually early oviposition in two spatially isolated urban subpopulations of the green toad Bufotes viridis Laurenti, 1768, in Poznań, Western Poland. To our knowledge, we report the earliest breeding date for Central and Eastern Europe, for areas of similar latitude. We ascribe the early onset of B. viridis reproduction to an exceptionally warm spring in Western Poland in 2017. B. viridis shows flexibility in the timing of reproductive activity, however, shifts in breeding phenology may have both beneficial and detrimental population consequences. Key Words Amphibia, Anura, climate change, global warming, phenology, Poznań Global warming affects the phenology of amphibians (e.g. 2017): Park Cytadela [52°25'26"N, 16°55'56"E], a stone Beebee 1995; Muths et al. 2017), inducing shifts in repro- garden/amphitheatre with a permanent shallow concrete ductive periods that may influence amphibian populations pond (area: ca. 5,150 m2) and Park Rataje [52°23'9"N, both directly (e.g. mortality rates) and indirectly (e.g. im- 16°57'20"E], a post-industrial area containing debris and pacts on terrestrial and aquatic habitats, changes in food concrete waste, where, due to a non-permeable clay sub- webs or the spread of diseases) (Blaustein et al.
    [Show full text]
  • (Dendrocopos Syriacus) and Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocoptes Medius) Around Yasouj City in Southwestern Iran
    Archive of SID Iranian Journal of Animal Biosystematics (IJAB) Vol.15, No.1, 99-105, 2019 ISSN: 1735-434X (print); 2423-4222 (online) DOI: 10.22067/ijab.v15i1.81230 Comparison of nest holes between Syrian Woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus) and Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocoptes medius) around Yasouj city in Southwestern Iran Mohamadian, F., Shafaeipour, A.* and Fathinia, B. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran (Received: 10 May 2019; Accepted: 9 October 2019) In this study, the nest-cavity characteristics of Middle Spotted and Syrian Woodpeckers as well as tree characteristics (i.e. tree diameter at breast height and hole measurements) chosen by each species were analyzed. Our results show that vertical entrance diameter, chamber vertical depth, chamber horizontal depth, area of entrance and cavity volume were significantly different between Syrian Woodpecker and Middle Spotted Woodpecker (P < 0.05). The average tree diameter at breast height and nest height between the two species was not significantly different (P > 0.05). For both species, the tree diameter at breast height and nest height did not significantly correlate. The directions of nests’ entrances were different in the two species, not showing a preferentially selected direction. These two species chose different habitats with different tree coverings, which can reduce the competition between the two species over selecting a tree for hole excavation. Key words: competition, dimensions, nest-cavity, primary hole nesters. INTRODUCTION Woodpeckers (Picidae) are considered as important excavator species by providing cavities and holes to many other hole-nesting species (Cockle et al., 2011). An important part of habitat selection in bird species is where to choose a suitable nest-site (Hilden, 1965; Stauffer & Best, 1982; Cody, 1985).
    [Show full text]
  • Nesting Hole Site Selection by the Syrian Woodpecker, Dendrocopos Syriacus, in Yazd Province, Iran
    Nesting hole site selection by the Syrian Woodpecker, Dendrocopos syriacus, in Yazd province, Iran (Aves: Picidae) Shirin Aghanajafizadeh, Fatholah Heydari, Gholamreza Naderi, M. R. Hemami Abstract. We studied the selection of nesting sites by the Syrian Woodpecker, Dendrocopos syri- acus (Hemprich & Ehrenberg), in a forest oasis in semi-arid central Iran. Habitat variables such as tree height, tree diameter and canopy cover of nesting trees were compared with randomly select- ed non-used trees. The results showed that, in spite of the availability of different tree species in the study area such as Mountain Almond (Amygdalus scoparia), Montpellier Maple (Acer cin- erascens) and Pistachio tree (Pistachia atlantica), only Pistachio trees were used for nest hole construction. The most important factors influencing nesting hole site selection were tree species and their diameter at breast height (DBH). The mean DBH of 40 Pistachio trees selected by Syri- an Woodpeckers was 1.26 m, which was significantly larger than that of the non-selected Pista- chio trees (1.10 m) (P<0.05). The canopy cover of the selected trees (2.65 m²) was also signifi- cantly higher compared with the control trees (2.41 m²) (P<0.04). Key words. Syrian Woodpecker, Pistachio tree, habitat preferences, forest stands, Iran. Introduction The reason why individuals in a woodland or forest bird population establish territories in particular locations depends upon an interplay between the ‘niche gestalt’ of individual bird species and a number of site-specific factors including geographic location, altitude, land productivity, woodland area and isolation, edge effects, stand structure and floristic composi- tion, and social and demographic considerations (JAMES 1971, FULLER 1995).
    [Show full text]
  • The European Atlas: Woodpeckers J
    The European Atlas: woodpeckers J. T. R. Sharrock The EO AC, formed in 1971, now has 20 member countries. Results from 15 national atlas schemes have been com• bined in the compilation of some provisional maps ven in well-watched Britain and Ireland, the atlas fieldwork of 1968-72 E provided observers with new discoveries, and the final maps (Sharrock 1976) included unexpected—and some inexplicable—distributions, even of common species. Those who took part found the project exciting and interesting: it provided a reason for thorough investigation of all habitats in home areas and a good excuse for travelling to explore new ones. Many participants commented that it gave a welcome purpose to their normal, casual birdwatching. Even after five years of such work, en­ thusiasm had not wholly waned and enquirers were asking the date of a repeat survey. The success of similar completed atlas projects in Den­ mark (Dybbro 1976) and France (Yeatman 1976), and others still in progress, bears witness to observers' enthusiasm. It is little wonder, therefore, that the plans for a Europe-wide mapping project are pro­ gressing steadily under the aegis of the European Ornithological Atlas Committee. The main aims of the EOAC are to standardise and co-ordinate atlas work throughout the continent, and to ensure that fieldwork on a 50-km square grid is carried out by every member nation during 1985-88, leading to the eventual publication of The European Atlas of Breeding Birds (see Sharrock 1973a, 1974; Sharrock, Bogucki and Yeatman in press). In preparation for this project, most countries represented on the EOAC have carried out, or are currently engaged in, national atlas schemes.
    [Show full text]
  • Missouri's Toads and Frogs Booklet
    TOADSMissouri’s andFROGS by Jeffrey T. Briggler and Tom R. Johnson, Herpetologists www.MissouriConservation.org © 1982, 2008 Missouri Conservation Commission Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs of the Missouri Department of Conservation is available to all individuals without regard to their race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. Questions should be directed to the Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102, (573) 751-4115 (voice) or 800-735-2966 (TTY), or to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Federal Assistance, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop: MBSP-4020, Arlington, VA 22203. Cover photo: Eastern gray treefrog by Tom R. Johnson issouri toads and frogs are colorful, harmless, vocal and valuable. Our forests, prairies, rivers, swamps and marshes are Mhome to a multitude of toads and frogs, but few people know how many varieties we have, how to tell them apart, or much about their natural history. Studying these animals and sharing their stories with fellow Missourians is one of the most pleasurable and rewarding aspects of our work. Toads and frogs are amphibians—a class Like most of vertebrate animals that also includes amphibians, salamanders and the tropical caecilians, which are long, slender, wormlike and legless. frogs and Missouri has 26 species and subspecies (or toads have geographic races) of toads and frogs. Toads and frogs differ from salamanders by having an aquatic relatively short bodies and lacking tails at adulthood. Being an amphibian means that tadpole stage they live two lives: an aquatic larval or tadpole and a semi- stage and a semi-aquatic or terrestrial adult stage.
    [Show full text]
  • Global Trends in Woodpecker Cavity Entrance Orientation: Latitudinal and Continental Effects Suggest Regional Climate Influence Author(S): Lukas Landler, Michelle A
    Global Trends in Woodpecker Cavity Entrance Orientation: Latitudinal and Continental Effects Suggest Regional Climate Influence Author(s): Lukas Landler, Michelle A. Jusino, James Skelton & Jeffrey R. Walters Source: Acta Ornithologica, 49(2):257-266. Published By: Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3161/173484714X687145 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.3161/173484714X687145 BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder. BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. ACTA ORNITHOLOGICA Vol. 49 (2014) No. 2 Global trends in woodpecker cavity entrance orientation: latitudinal and continental effects suggest regional climate influence Lukas LANDLER1*, Michelle A. JUSINO1,2, James SKELTON1 & Jeffrey R. WALTERS1 1Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 1405 Perry Street, Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061, USA 2Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA *Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] Landler L., Jusino M.
    [Show full text]
  • First Breeding Record of the Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos Syriacus in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a Reference to Its Present Status
    Acrocephalus 31 (144): 47−51, 2010 First breeding record of the also transferred into a work that was later thoroughly supplemented and corrected (Kotro{an 2008/2009). Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos No specimens of the Syrian Woodpecker from the syriacus in Bosnia and Herzegovina territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina are present in the with a reference to its present ornithological collection in The National Museum of status Bosnia and Herzegovina (D. Kotro{an pers. comm.). Droci} (2005) includes Syrian Woodpecker in his list Prvi podatek o gnezdenju in sedanji of birds of Central Bosnia, although with no specific locality or information in support. status sirijskega detla Dendrocopos We believe therefore that there is no firmly syriacus v Bosni in Hercegovini established record of the breeding of Syrian Woodpecker in Bosnia and Herzegovina prior to our record from 2008, described here. Branislav Ga{i} The first detailed record of this species in Bosnia Museum of Republic of Srpska, \ure Dani~i}a 1, and Herzegovina was made on 6 Apr 1996 in BA–78000 Banjaluka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Banjaluka (northern Bosnia and Herzegovina) on e−mail: [email protected] the right bank of the Vrbas River in the shelterbelt of apple trees some 20 m downstream from Rebrova~ki Bridge (44°46’23.5”N, 17°12’59.6”E; UTM XK75; Although on the basis of data on distribution and range 159 m a.s.l.), where a female was observed (Ga{i} expansion of Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus 2001). After seeing this species in 1996, I very rarely in Europe (Matvejev 1976, Munteanu & Samwald returned to the bank of the Vrbas River and have 1997), one might expect the opposite, experts have thus been in no position to monitor the presence of believed till very recently that this species does not Syrian Woodpecker in this area and nobody else, to inhabit Bosnia and Herzegovina.
    [Show full text]