Owlets – Summer 2015

HAWKTALK SUMMER 2015 ISSUE 71 Hi! I’m a screech owl Owlets can you colour Match the Birds to the eggs me in? B D H F A C E G African White-headed Vulture I African White-backed Vulture Striated Caracara Harris’ Hawk Bald Eagle Cinereous Vulture Hooded Vulture White Tailed Sea Eagle Black Vulture Bird Anagram Rearrange these letters to find the name of a British bird of prey: A K O R A S W P R H W Fun Facts Word search can you find the following birds? Birds of prey can be divided into two Red Kite Barn Owl Buzzard Merlin Hen Harrier groups. The first group isdiurnal Kestrel Heron Hobby Goshawk Peregrine Falcon birds: these birds are the ones which are more active during the daytime and includes hawks, eagles, vultures Z S V M N D E T I Y R K J K U O I A T R and falcons. The second group is nocturnal birds: these are the X B A I H E R O N D Z C E E R Q T B K F birds which are more active during C F B L M B F A W Z F J K S R S F P X O the night and includes owls. V Q A U R A E S T Y C V W A T D F L I T E R G S Z W V A E R N N V Z Did you know? Owls have 14 J R K T I R vertebrae in their necks, but we S D A U B Z O P V I J L M N M E E J P E only have 7! (Giraffes also have 7) R R E W A U A L L L T E R E M B V L K I Q E U Did you know? Kestrels can see W E Y I R K J Q R E V C X W X Y R trails of urine from rodents in Y D D Q R T E G D H I K L G O P B L A R the grass; this helps them to find T K H W A M D F C their prey more easily. V O W P O O F T M O A F I S F H N S A Z X O H O S E R N I N H Did you know? Many birds of prey G T X A E M B Q W N T O Y H O H can do tricks and flips in the air. U A H N A E A P E R E G R I N E F A L C O N H E A H T R Q V B A E Y I U O W V C Z B A H Did you know? The oldest British Red Kite on record was M N T U I E B Y R E B G A K S H E I B E 23 years and 10 months old. V B K P Z W T U C V B T Y A E G A T O Y Answers The British bird of Prey is a Sparrowhawk a is Prey of bird British The Bird anagram Bird A: White Tailed Sea Eagle B: Black Vulture C: African White-backed Vulture D: Bald Eagle E: Striated Caracara F: Hooded Vulture G: African White-headed Vulture H: Harris’ Hawk I: Cinereous Vulture Cinereous I: Hawk Harris’ H: Vulture White-headed African G: Vulture Hooded F: Caracara Striated E: Eagle Bald D: Vulture White-backed African C: Vulture Black B: Eagle Sea Tailed White A: match the birds to the eggs the to birds the match.

Copy Link

Recommended publications

The Conservation of Accipitridae Vultures of Nepal: a Review
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 February 2013 | 5(2): 3603–3619 Review The conservation of Accipitridae vultures of Nepal: a review Richard J. Harris ISSN 3 Burbank Crescent, Singleton, NSW, 2330, Australia Online 0974-7907 [email protected] Print 0974-7893 OPEN ACCESS Abstract: Of the nine Accipitridae vulture species found within Nepal the IUCN categorises White-rumped, Indian Vulture, Slender-billed and Red-headed Vultures as Critically Endangered and Egyptian Vulture as Endangered. Dramatic declines have occurred since the mid 1990s with the White-rumped Vulture, Indian Vulture and Slender-billed Vulture population declining by over 97%. The remaining species are listed as Near Threatened or Least Concern. Veterinary use of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac has been proven to be a key threat in the region for Gyps vultures and appears likely that it may also affect other Accipitridae vultures. The drug is transferred to vultures via consumption of dead livestock carcass. Ingestion of the drug causes visceral gout and kidney failure, which leads to the birds’ death. Consumption of diclofenac and the majority of other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are fatal to individuals. Only one NSAID, meloxicam, has been tested and proven safe for vultures. There are other factors such as food shortage in local scale, habitat loss, climate change and pesticides/poisoning that play some role on population decline. Managing vulture conservation across Nepal can be problematic just as it is throughout the Indian subcontinent due to the variable level of protection afforded to vultures through legislation and enforcement in each political region particularly regarding NSAID regulation and use.
[Show full text]
Dynamics of a Problematic Vulture Roost in Southwest Florida and Responses of Vultures to Roost-Dispersal Management Efforts
DYNAMICS OF A PROBLEMATIC VULTURE ROOST IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND RESPONSES OF VULTURES TO ROOST-DISPERSAL MANAGEMENT EFFORTS A thesis Presented to The Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences Florida Gulf Coast University In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Science By Betsy A. Evans 2013 APPROVAL SHEET The thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science __________________________________ Betsy A. Evans Approved: December 2013 __________________________________ Jerome A. Jackson, Ph.D. Committee Chair / Advisor __________________________________ Edwin M. Everham III, Ph.D. Committee Member __________________________________ Charles W. Gunnels IV, Ph.D. Committee Member The final copy of this thesis has been examined by the signatories, and we find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost I thank my thesis advisor, Dr. Jerry Jackson, whose support, assistance, and interest throughout the whole process was vital in the preparation and completion of this project. I am grateful to my committee members, Dr. Billy Gunnels and Dr. Win Everham, who provided statistical guidance and vital assistance in the interpretation and editing of the project. I am appreciative to the Department of Marine and Ecological Sciences and the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University for their support and encouragement during the completion of my degree. Additionally, I thank the Guadalupe Center of Immokalee for allowing me to conduct research on their property and providing valuable information during the project. A special thank you to the Ding Darling Wildlife Society for their generosity in providing supplemental funding for the project.
[Show full text]
Vulture Scavenger Hunt
Vulture Scavenger Hunt General Instructions The Vulture Scavenger Hunt is an educational activity produced by the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF), which is an international NGO working to protect and conserve Europe’s four vulture species. The scavenger hunt aims to raise awareness about vultures, how they forage and the important role they play in nature among children aged 4-12 years old. A guardian/activity organiser is encouraged to accompany children during the activity at all times to assist when necessary. Depending on the location, guardians and activity organisers should indicate areas that are off-limits that may not be safe and adapt to the circumstances accordingly. Each child will be given a ‘Vulture Scavenger Hunt’ sheet. The sheet will provide visual clues that the children need to find and check off to help vultures find food. These are visual clues that vultures look for when searching for carcasses, so this activity will show children how vultures find food quickly and efficiently. Visual cards with fun facts are available below, and can be used as the clues that children need to find, therefore allowing the activity to be easily adapted and carried out in several settings. For example, it can take place in zoos where they host animals that vultures use as visual clues or indoors where guardians/educators can place the cards around their home or school areas. In the following pages of the document, you can find the Vulture Scavenger Hunt sheet, photographs of Europe's vultures that you can show to children, tips on how to explain the activity to children, the visual cards that can be used for the scavenger hunt, some frequently asked questions and answers about vultures and a design that can be used as a sticker or pin badge and given to children once they finish the scavenger hunt.
[Show full text]
Aegypius Monachus)
Implementation Review of the EU Species Action Plan for the Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) LIFE14 PRE UK 002 “Coordinated Efforts for International Species Recovery EuroSAP” Report commissioned by The European Commission Directorate General for the Environment Compiled by Compiler: Jovan Andevski [email protected] Professional review: José Tavares [email protected] Vulture Conservation Foundation, VCF Wuhrstrasse 12. CH-8003 Zurich, Switzerland Date of adoption April 2017 Recommended citation Andevski, J., (2017) Updating the International Species Action Plan for the Cinereous Vulture: Implementation review. Report of Actions A3 under the framework of Project LIFE EuroSAP (LIFE14 PRE UK 002). (unpublished report). 2 Introduction This implementation review report is manly based on data collected though the online questionnaire distributed in late October 2016 (Implementation Review of the Species Action Plan for the Cinereous (Black) Vulture - Aegypius monachus), but it also includes information collected though the Vulture MsAP online questionnaire distributed mid-August 2016 among vulture experts and governmental representatives from the range countries and from the European Vulture Muli-species Action Plan Workshop held in Monfegüe 25-29 October 2016. The two questionnaires and the workshop were shared activities between the “Coordinated Efforts for International Species Recovery – EuroSAP” Life Project, the “Multi-species Action Plan to Conserve African and Eurasian Vultures (Vulture MsAP)” and the Flyway Action
[Show full text]
Wave Moult of the Primaries in Accipitrid Raptors, and Its Use in Ageing Immatures
Chancellor, R. D. & B.-U. Meyburg eds. 2004 Raptors Worldwide WWGBP/MME Wave Moult of the Primaries in Accipitrid raptors, and its use in ageing immatures William S. Clark ABSTRACT Stresemann & Stresemann (1966) described wave moult in the primary remiges ('Staffelmauser' in German; also translated as 'step-wise moult') for some families of birds but not for Acccipitrid raptors, even though many of the species in this family (especially the larger ones) show it. Primaries of Accipitrid raptors are replaced from Pl (inner) sequentially outward. Waves are formed when not all of the ten primaries are replaced in any annual moult cycle. In the next annual cycle, moult begins anew at Pl as well as continuing with the next feather from where it left off in the last cycle. Two or three, occasionally four, wave fronts of new primaries can be seen in the primaries of some raptors, especially larger ones, e.g., eagles. Knowledge and understanding of wave moult can ascertain the ages of immature raptors in those species that take three or four years to attain adult plumage, as these species typically do not replace all of the primaries in any moult cycle. Juvenile eagles show all primaries the same age. Second plumage eagles show two ages of primaries, newer inner ones and older retained juvenile outer ones. Third plumage eagles show two waves, with the first wave proceeding to P8, P9, or PIO, and the second to P3, P4, P5, or P6. Fourth plumage eagles usually show new outer PlO from the first wave, new P5 to P7 from the second wave, and new Pl to P3 from the most recent wave.
[Show full text]
Current Distribution and Status of Raptors of Sindh
Canadian Journal of P ure and Applied Sciences Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 4719 - 4732 , Feb 2019 Online ISSN: 1920 - 3853; Print ISSN: 1715 - 9997 Available online at w ww.cjpas.net CURRENT DISTRIBUTION AND STATUS OF RAPTOR S OF SINDH *Syed Ali Ghalib 1 , Ubaid Ullah 1 , Roohi Kanwal 1 , Afsheen Zehra 1 , Babar Hussain 4 , Ghazala Yasmeen 1 , Uzma Manzoor 1 , Saquib E jaz Hussain 3 , Syed I ftekhar Ahmed 2 , Habibul Hassan 1 and Umer Farooq 1 1 Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi 2 Zoologica l Survey of Pakistan, Islamabad 3 Environmental Management Consultants Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd, Karachi 4 IUCN - Pakis tan, 1 Bath Island Road Karachi ABSTRACT Pakistan has 47 species of raptors, out of which, 38 species have so for been recorded from Sindh province. Raptors have gained wide attention due to the fact that over half of the world’s raptors have declining populations. The present paper deals with the status and distribution of raptors in principal habitats of these species in Sindh based on field data collected during 2010 to 2018. It emphasizes the need for the conservation of Falcons and Vultures in particular. As regard s the Conservation Status of raptor species in Sindh, eight species ar e threa tened viz. Indian White - backed Vulture ( Gyps bengalensis ), Long - billed or Indian Vulture ( Gyps indicus ), Redheaded or King Vulture ( Sarcogyps calvus ) are Critically Endangered, Egyptian Vulture ( Neophron percnopterus ), Pallas’s Fishing Eagle ( Haliaeetus le ucoryphus ), Steppe Eagle ( Aquila nipalensis ) are Endangered, while Imperial Eagle ( Aquila heliaca ) and Greater Spotted Eagle ( Aquila clanga ) are Vulnerable.
[Show full text]
The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Gyps Coprotheres (Aves, Accipitridae, Accipitriformes): Phylogenetic Analysis of Mitogenome Among Raptors
The complete mitochondrial genome of Gyps coprotheres (Aves, Accipitridae, Accipitriformes): phylogenetic analysis of mitogenome among raptors Emmanuel Oluwasegun Adawaren1, Morne Du Plessis2, Essa Suleman3,6, Duodane Kindler3, Almero O. Oosthuizen2, Lillian Mukandiwa4 and Vinny Naidoo5 1 Department of Paraclinical Science/Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa 2 Bioinformatics and Comparative Genomics, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa 3 Molecular Diagnostics, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa 4 Department of Paraclinical Science/Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa 5 Paraclinical Science/Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa 6 Current affiliation: Bioinformatics and Comparative Genomics, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa ABSTRACT Three species of Old World vultures on the Asian peninsula are slowly recovering from the lethal consequences of diclofenac. At present the reason for species sensitivity to diclofenac is unknown. Furthermore, it has since been demonstrated that other Old World vultures like the Cape (Gyps coprotheres; CGV) and griffon (G. fulvus) vultures are also susceptible to diclofenac toxicity. Oddly, the New World Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) and pied crow (Corvus albus) are not susceptible to diclofenac toxicity. As a result of the latter, we postulate an evolutionary link to toxicity. As a first step in understanding the susceptibility to diclofenac toxicity, we use the CGV as a model species for phylogenetic evaluations, by comparing the relatedness of various raptor Submitted 29 November 2019 species known to be susceptible, non-susceptible and suspected by their relationship Accepted 3 September 2020 to the Cape vulture mitogenome.
[Show full text]
Accipitridae Species Tree
Accipitridae I: Hawks, Kites, Eagles Pearl Kite, Gampsonyx swainsonii ?Scissor-tailed Kite, Chelictinia riocourii Elaninae Black-winged Kite, Elanus caeruleus ?Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus axillaris ?Letter-winged Kite, Elanus scriptus White-tailed Kite, Elanus leucurus African Harrier-Hawk, Polyboroides typus ?Madagascan Harrier-Hawk, Polyboroides radiatus Gypaetinae Palm-nut Vulture, Gypohierax angolensis Egyptian Vulture, Neophron percnopterus Bearded Vulture / Lammergeier, Gypaetus barbatus Madagascan Serpent-Eagle, Eutriorchis astur Hook-billed Kite, Chondrohierax uncinatus Gray-headed Kite, Leptodon cayanensis ?White-collared Kite, Leptodon forbesi Swallow-tailed Kite, Elanoides forﬁcatus European Honey-Buzzard, Pernis apivorus Perninae Philippine Honey-Buzzard, Pernis steerei Oriental Honey-Buzzard / Crested Honey-Buzzard, Pernis ptilorhynchus Barred Honey-Buzzard, Pernis celebensis Black-breasted Buzzard, Hamirostra melanosternon Square-tailed Kite, Lophoictinia isura Long-tailed Honey-Buzzard, Henicopernis longicauda Black Honey-Buzzard, Henicopernis infuscatus ?Black Baza, Aviceda leuphotes ?African Cuckoo-Hawk, Aviceda cuculoides ?Madagascan Cuckoo-Hawk, Aviceda madagascariensis ?Jerdon’s Baza, Aviceda jerdoni Paciﬁc Baza, Aviceda subcristata Red-headed Vulture, Sarcogyps calvus White-headed Vulture, Trigonoceps occipitalis Cinereous Vulture, Aegypius monachus Lappet-faced Vulture, Torgos tracheliotos Gypinae Hooded Vulture, Necrosyrtes monachus White-backed Vulture, Gyps africanus White-rumped Vulture, Gyps bengalensis Himalayan
[Show full text]
2013 the African Raptor Databank Or ARDB Was Launched
AFRICAN RAPTOR DATABANK first year report: 2013 The African Raptor Databank or ARDB was launched at the 13th PAOC in Arusha, October 2012. The project became possible thanks to the facilitation of The Peregrine Fund and ESRI in supplying important mapping software. A five year period is planned for data gathering to enable comprehensive assessment of the conservation status of each species of African raptor. The project also aims to make use of raptors as ideal indicator species for monitoring the health of African environments. The project depends on the support of raptor biologists, birdwatchers and general enthusiasts in sharing their observations of African raptors. This is a summary of the data gathering exercises during our first year of operation in 2013. Since the last monthly update in early November 2013, there have been a further 1228 records added to the database during December (Tim Wacher: 769; Andre Botha: 297; Joseph Heymans: 162). This brings the database total to 57,547 records (of which 15,607 are historic records captured from the Snow Atlas). The following table displays contributions by country during 2013. Country Number of records South Africa 19103 Tanzania 13001 Chad 2176 Niger 2052 Kenya 1407 Gambia 913 Botswana 894 Cameroon 686 Mozambique 266 Namibia 261 Zambia 232 Central African Republic 197 Benin 166 Zimbabwe 141 Uganda 119 Guinea-Bissau 54 Malawi 40 Ethiopia 18 Rwanda 17 Lesotho 8 Swaziland 8 Nigeria 5 Angola 4 Tunisia 2 Burundi 1 So, if you know anybody recording raptors in the following countries please
[Show full text]
The Birdmen of the Pleistocene: on the Relationship Between Neanderthals and Scavenging Birds
Quaternary International xxx (2016) 1e7 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Quaternary International journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/quaint The birdmen of the Pleistocene: On the relationship between Neanderthals and scavenging birds * Stewart Finlayson a, b, , Clive Finlayson b, c a Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB1 1PT, United Kingdom b Department of Natural History, The Gibraltar Museum, 18-20 Bomb House Lane, Gibraltar c Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar Museum Associate Campus, 18-20 Bomb House Lane, Gibraltar article info abstract Article history: We have examined 192 Middle Palaeolithic sites in the Palaearctic which have raptor and corvid bones Available online xxx associated in human occupation contexts. We have also examined 395 sites with Upper Palaeolithic contexts for comparison. We show that Neanderthals were regularly associated with a suite of birds of Keywords: prey and corvids. We identify that the main species were regular or seasonal scavengers which co- Neanderthals occurred across large areas of the Neanderthal geographical range. This suggests a long-standing in- Modern humans ter-relationship between Neanderthals, raptors and corvids. We propose that the degree of difﬁculty of Raptors capturing these species was not an insurmountable problem for the Neanderthals and provide present- Corvids Scavengers day examples of close interaction between scavenging birds and people. We also show that modern Mid-latitude belt humans had a similar relationship with the same suite of birds as the Neanderthals. We suggest that one possibility is that Neanderthals transmitted the behaviour to modern humans. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.
[Show full text]
New World Vultures Vs. Old World Vultures
New World Vultures vs. Old World Vultures There are two different groups of vultures, New World vultures (from the continents of North and South America) and Old World vultures (from Europe, Africa, and Asia). Vultures are a great example of convergent evolution, or the development of similar animals that occupy the same niche, but are not related. New World vultures include 7 species from 5 different genus; the black vulture, turkey vulture, king vulture, greater and lesser yellow-headed vultures, the Andean condor, and the California condor. Old World vultures include 16 species from 9 different genus; the cinereous vulture, lammergeier (or bearded vulture), palm-nut vulture, griffon vulture, Indian white-rumped vulture, Ruppell’s vulture, long-billed vulture, slender-billed vulture, Himalayan griffon vulture, white-backed vulture, cape vulture, Egyptian vulture, red-headed vulture, lappet-faced vulture, and the white-headed vulture. Vultures have an important role in their habitats because they feed primarily on carrion, or the flesh of dead animals. They are particularly good scavengers as they can fly and cover a greater distance than scavengers that are on foot. There are two main similarities between the two groups of vultures. They both have naked heads, or very few feathers on their heads. This is because they often stick their heads inside carcasses to pull out meat, and they get very messy. It is easier to keep a baldhead clean. This cuts down on bacteria that could grow in their feathers and make them sick. The second similarity is the large wingspan that makes them able to fly at high altitudes and soar on thermals in order to find their next meal.
[Show full text]
Large Birds of Prey, Policies That Alter Food Availability and Air Traffic
Human–Wildlife Interactions 11(3):339–350, Winter 2017 Large birds of prey, policies that alter food availability and air traffi c: a risky mix for human safety R˞ˋ˳˗ M˘˛ˎ˗˘-O˙˘, Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Group, University Complutense of Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain A˗˝˘˗˒ Mˊ˛ːˊ˕˒ˍˊ, Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, E-25198 Lleida, Spain [email protected] Abstract: Raptors are considered to pose one of the greatest aviation bird strike risks. We investigated raptor bird strikes reported at the largest Spanish airport (Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas; AS-MB) from 2009 to 2016 to determine the factors contributing to the increased incidences and develop recommendations to mitigate the risks. We hypothesized that increased raptor bird strikes resulted from changes in foraging and dispersal patterns of Iberian Peninsula vultures (Aegypius spp. and Gyps spp.) after 2004–2005. We used information on raptor bird strikes obtained from offi cial databases and published studies, reported incidences of raptor bird strikes and their characteristics (i.e., time, location, species involved), data collected about raptor fl ight heights, and estimates of relative abundance of large raptors and their prey species obtained through standardized surveys conducted in the high priority aviation area around the airport to assess bird strike risks. Our fi eld work was conducted from June 2014 to May 2016. We confi rmed a direct relationship between the relative abundance of the raptors studied and their prey species in the priority aviation areas. Raptor bird strike risks increased during spring and summer when food sources were abundant in locations where fl ight altitudes of aircraft were <1000 m above ground level.
[Show full text]