DOCSLIB.ORG

Birds of Cheyenne Bottoms

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Birds of Cheyenne Bottoms SSFW SSFW SSFW VIREOS STARLINGS GROSBEAKS, BUNTINGS ____ White-eyed Vireo . r ____ European Starling* . a c a a ____ Northern Cardinal* . u u u u Birds of ____ Bell’s Vireo* . u u u ____ Rose-breasted Grosbeak . u u u ____ Blue-headed Vireo . u PIPITS ____ Black-headed Grosbeak . r r r ____ Warbling Vireo* . u u u ____ American Pipit . u u ____ Blue Grosbeak* . r r r ____ Philadelphia Vireo . r ____ Sprague’s Pipit . r r ____ Lazuli Bunting . accidental Cheyenne Bottoms ____ Red-eyed Vireo . u u u ____ Indigo Bunting* . r u r WAXWlNGS ____ Dickcissel* . c c c JAYS, MAGPIES, CROWS ____ Bohemian Waxwing . accidental ____ Blue Jay* . u u u u ____ Cedar Waxwing . o o o BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES ____ Clark’s Nutcracker . accidental ____ Bobolink* . u u u ____ Black-billed Magpie* . r r r r WARBLERS ____ Red-winged Blackbird* . a a a a ____ American Crow* . u u u u ____ Golden-winged Warbler . accidental ____ Eastern Meadowlark* . c u c u ____ Tennessee Warbler . o ____ Western Meadowlark* . c c c c LARKS ____ Orange-crowned Warbler . u u ____ Yellow-headed Blackbird* . c c c r ____ Horned Lark* . a o a a ____ Nashville Warbler . u u ____ Rusty Blackbird . o o r ____ Yellow Warbler* . u u u ____ Brewer’s Blackbird . u u u SWALLOWS ____ Chestnut-sided Warbler . r r ____ Common Grackle* . c c c u The Cheyenne Bottoms basin ____ Purple Martin* . u u u ____ Yellow-rumped Warbler . u u o ____ Great-tailed Grackle* . c u c o is a 41,000-acre lowland, located ____ Tree Swallow* . c u c ____ Black-throated Gray Warbler . accidental ____ Brown-headed Cowbird* . c c a c ____ Violet-green Swallow . accidental ____ Black-throated Green Warbler . r ____ Orchard Oriole* . u u u seven miles northeast of Great ____ N. Rough-winged Swallow* . c c c ____ Blackburnian Warbler . accidental ____ Baltimore Oriole* . u u u Bend in Barton County, Kansas. ____ Bank Swallow . c r c ____ Prairie Warbler . accidental The protected land consists of the ____ Cliff Swallow* . a a a ____ Palm Warbler . r r NORTHERN FINCHES 19,857-acre Cheyenne Bottoms ____ Cave Swallow . accidental ____ Bay-breasted Warbler . accidental ____ Purple Finch . u u ____ Barn Swallow* . a c a ____ Blackpoll Warbler . o r ____ House Finch* . u u u u Wildlife Area managed by the ____ Black-and-White Warbler . o o ____ Red Crossbill . r Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks and the 7,695-acre CHICKADEES, TITMICE ____ American Redstart . o o ____ White-winged Crossbill . accidental Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve managed by The Nature ____ Black-capped Chickadee* . o o o o ____ Prothonotary Warbler . accidental ____ Common Redpoll . accidental Conservancy. The Bottoms is primarily wetland habitat but ____ Tufted Titmouse . r r r ____ Worm-eating Warbler . accidental ____ Pine Siskin . u u u ____ Ovenbird . r r ____ American Goldfinch* . c u c c also includes grasslands, agricultural land, shelterbelts and NUTHATCHES ____ Northern Waterthrush . r ____ Evening Grosbeak . r r riparian areas Management of the Wildlife Area is directed at ____ Red-breasted Nuthatch . u u u ____ Louisiana Waterthrush . accidental migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, while the Preserve man- ____ White-breasted Nuthatch* . u o u u ____ Kentucky Warbler . r OLD WORLD SPARROWS ages for shorebirds and grassland birds. ____ Mourning Warbler . r r ____ House Sparrow* . u u u u CREEPERS ____ MacGillivray’s Warbler . accidental Cheyenne Bottoms is considered one of the most impor- ____ Brown Creeper . o o o ____ Common Yellowthroat* . c c c tant ecosystems in Kansas and has been designated a ____ Wilson’s Warbler . o o “Wetlands of International Importance” by the Ramsar WRENS ____ Yellow-breasted Chat . o o o Date:_____________________ Time: ___________ Convention on Wetlands and a “Globally Important Bird ____ Rock Wren . accidental ____ Carolina Wren* . o o o o SPARROWS Weather: __________________________________ Area” by The American Bird Conservancy. ____ Bewick’s Wren . r r ____ Spotted Towhee . u u u Observations: ______________________________ At least 333 of the 471 species of birds known to occur in ____ House Wren* . u u u ____ Eastern Towhee . r r Kansas have been recorded at the Bottoms. There are 134 ____ Winter Wren . r r ____ American Tree Sparrow . c c a species that breed and nest on the area, 148 species that may ____ Sedge Wren* . r r r ____ Chipping Sparrow . u u SEASON CODES ____ Marsh Wren* . u r u u ____ Clay-colored Sparrow . u u (S) Spring = MARCH - MAY winter here and 63 species that are permanent residents. ____ Field Sparrow . u u Approximately 40 species of waterfowl and nearly 40 KINGLETS ____ Vesper Sparrow . c c (S) Summer = JUNE - AUGUST (F) Fall = SEPT - NOV species of shorebirds have been reported from the Bottoms. ____ Golden-crowned Kinglet . u u o ____ Lark Sparrow* . u u u In both spring and fall migration, large numbers of geese, ____ Ruby-crowned Kinglet . u u r ____ Lark Bunting* . u o u (W) Winter = DEC - FEB ____ Savannah Sparrow . u u r ducks and shorebirds can be observed in the tens of thou- GNATCATCHERS ____ Grasshopper Sparrow* . c c u ABUNDANCE CODES sands. Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area is one of the premier ____ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher* . u r u ____ Baird’s Sparrow . accidental waterfowl hunting locations in the Central Flyway. The com- a–abundant : common, numerous birds can be seen daily ____ Le Conte’s Sparrow . r r bined state-owned and Nature Conservancy properties com- THRUSHES ____ Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow . accidental c–common : certain to be seen in suitable habitat ____ Eastern Bluebird* . u o u o ____ Fox Sparrow . o u u o–occasional : present, but not always seen prise one of the best birding areas in the country. ____ Mountain Bluebird . r r r ____ Song Sparrow . c c c u–uncommon : seen a few times per season ____ Townsend’s Solitaire . accidental ____ Lincoln’s Sparrow . u o u r–rare : seen in 2-5 year intervals Cheyenne Bottoms ____ Gray-cheeked Thrush . r r ____ Swamp Sparrow . u u u accidental : very few records exist ____ Swainson’s Thrush . o o ____ White-throated Sparrow . u u r Wildlife Area ____ Hermit Thrush . r r ____ Harris’s Sparrow . c c c (*) Documented breeding species, meeting the requirements for 56 NE 40 Rd. ____ American Robin* . c o c u ____ White-crowned Sparrow . c c u a Probable or Confirmed Breeder as defined by the Kansas ____ Dark-eyed Junco . c c c Great Bend, KS 67530 Breeding Bird Atlas Project. THRASHERS ____ McCown’s Longspur . accidental (620) 793-7730 (24-hr. Hotline) ____ Gray Catbird* . u u u ____ Lapland Longspur . c c a Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs (620) 793-3066 (Area Office) ____ Northern Mockingbird* . u u u o ____ Chestnut-collared Longspur . r r described herein is available to all individuals without regard to ____ Brown Thrasher* . u u u ____ Snow Bunting . r race, color, national.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Oxyura Jamaicensis Global Invasive
    FULL ACCOUNT FOR: Oxyura jamaicensis Oxyura jamaicensis System: Freshwater_terrestrial Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Animalia Chordata Aves Anseriformes Anatidae Common name northern ruddy duck (English), Amerikansk skarveand (Danish), stivhaleand (Norwegian), schwartzkopf ruderente (German), rosse stekelstaarteend (Dutch), Amerikansk kopparand (Swedish), ruddy duck (English), gobbo della giamaica (Italian), erismature rouse (French), malvasía cabeciblanca (Spanish), hrókönd (Icelandic) Synonym Anas jamaicensis , Gmelin 1789 Similar species Summary Oxyura jamaicensis (ruddy duck) is native to North America. It was imported into wildfowl collections in the UK in the 1940s and subsequently escaped to form a feral population from which birds are now spreading as far as Spain, where they threaten the globally endangered white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala) with extinction through introgressive hybridisation and competition. A regional trial of control measures, in which over 2,000 birds have been controlled, is ongoing in the UK. Control programmes are also in place in France, Spain and Portugal and are urgently needed in The Netherlands and Belgium. Oxyura jamaicensis are relatively easy to shoot as they tend not to leave water-bodies during control activities. view this species on IUCN Red List Species Description Oxyura jamaicensis (ruddy duck) is a small diving duck with a long tail, often held erect. On an average the females weigh 550g and males around 600g. During the breeding season males can be distinguished from other ducks by a white cheek patch, chestnut red body plumage, and blue bill. Females are distinguished by their body structure and off-white cheek split by a horizontal brown stripe. Both sexes can be distinguished from the white-headed duck by their smaller size, shorter tail, thinner cheek stripe and concave bill profile.
    [Show full text]
  • ILSOLC Bird Checklist
    Birding in Seguin Irma Lewis Seguin Outdoor Irma Lewis Seguin, Texas is located in south- central Texas, in an ecological area on Learning Center Seguin Outdoor Learning the boundary of Blackland Prairie to the north and the Post Oak Savannah The Seguin Outdoor Learning Center to the south and east. Most of the Center a 115-acre private, non surrounding land is in agricultural use, primarily cattle grazing, providing a -profit educational facility fairly diverse environment for birds. nestled along Geronimo Creek The Guadalupe River runs through the in northeast Seguin. Our city. Large pecan and cypress trees line the river, including the city park, facilities include a pavilion, Starcke Park, on Bus. 123 South. The natural history center, walking trail in Starcke Park East, along the confluence of Walnut Branch, environmental science center, offers good birding for warblers, blue- amphitheater, ropes course, “Education Through Experience For All Ages” birds and other passerines. Several small reservoirs located along the river nature trail, outdoor class- near town, including Lakes Dunlap, room and pond. Schools, youth McQueeney, and Placid also provide groups, sports teams, clubs, areas for waterfowl. churches and corporations enjoy our peaceful, natural Some species that are common around setting where children and Seguin may be of special interest to citizens of the community can birders from other regions. learn through discovery and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are unique adventure common during the breeding season. Look for them on fences and telephone experiences. wires anywhere in the countryside around Seguin. Crested Caracaras are The ILSOLC is open to also common in the countryside and are Birding Hours: members, scheduled and especially visible when feeding on Monday-Friday, 8a-5p road-kill carcasses, often in the supervised groups only.
    [Show full text]
  • Genomic Analyses Reveal the Origin of Domestic Ducks and Identify Different
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.03.933069; this version posted February 4, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 1 Genomic analyses reveal the origin of domestic ducks and identify different 2 genetic underpinnings of wild ducks. 3 Rui Liu1,*, Weiqing Liu2,3,*, Enguang Rong1, Lizhi Lu4, Huifang Li5, Li Chen4, Yong 4 Zhao3,6, Huabin Cao7, Wenjie Liu1, Chunhai Chen2, Guangyi Fan2,6,8, Weitao Song6, 5 Huifang Lu3, Yingshuai Sun3, Wenbin Chen2,9, Xin Liu2,6,9, Xun Xu2,6,9, Ning Li1,# 6 1State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 7 100094, China. 2BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China. 3BGI-Wuhan, Wuhan 8 430075, China. 4Institute of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang 9 Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China. 5Institute of Poultry 10 Science of Jiangsu, Yangzhou 225125, China. 6BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao 266555, 11 China. 7Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Animal Health, Institute of Animal 12 Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural 13 University, Nanchang 330045, China. 8State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in 14 Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, 15 Macao, China. 9China National GeneBank-Shenzhen 16 *These authors contributed equally 17 #Corresponding authors: N.L.([email protected]) 18 1 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.03.933069; this version posted February 4, 2020.
    [Show full text]
  • Waterfowl/Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations
    2021 - 2022 Migratory Game A Bird Hunting L Regulations A S K Photo by Jamin Hunter Taylor Graphic Design by Sue Steinacher A The 2021 state duck stamp features a photograph by Jamin Hunter Taylor of a male ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris). Jamin is an Alaska-based nature photographer who specializes in hunting Alaska’s diverse avifauna through the lens of his camera. Ring-necked ducks breed throughout much of Alaska and often congregate into large flocks during fall migration. Unlike most other diving ducks, ring-necked ducks are frequently found in relatively small, shallow ponds and wetlands. The appropriateness of the bird’s common name (and scientific name “collaris”) is often questioned because, in the field, the neck ring is rarely visible. However, in hand it becomes obvious that males of the species do exhibit a chestnut-colored collar at the base of the neck. Despite their name, the species is more easily identified based on their pointed head shape and white ring around the bill. The State of Alaska is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Contact [email protected] for alternative formats of this publication. 2 LICENSE AND STAMP REQUIREMENTS Resident Hunters All Alaska residents age 18 or older must possess a hunting license to hunt in Alaska and must carry it while hunting. Resident hunters 60 years old or older may obtain a free, permanent identification card issued by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). This card replaces the sport fishing, hunting, and trapping licenses. Disabled veterans qualified under AS 16.05.341 may receive a free hunting license.
    [Show full text]
  • Waterfowl in Iowa, Overview
    STATE OF IOWA 1977 WATERFOWL IN IOWA By JACK W MUSGROVE Director DIVISION OF MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES STATE HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT and MARY R MUSGROVE Illustrated by MAYNARD F REECE Printed for STATE CONSERVATION COMMISSION DES MOINES, IOWA Copyright 1943 Copyright 1947 Copyright 1953 Copyright 1961 Copyright 1977 Published by the STATE OF IOWA Des Moines Fifth Edition FOREWORD Since the origin of man the migratory flight of waterfowl has fired his imagination. Undoubtedly the hungry caveman, as he watched wave after wave of ducks and geese pass overhead, felt a thrill, and his dull brain questioned, “Whither and why?” The same age - old attraction each spring and fall turns thousands of faces skyward when flocks of Canada geese fly over. In historic times Iowa was the nesting ground of countless flocks of ducks, geese, and swans. Much of the marshland that was their home has been tiled and has disappeared under the corn planter. However, this state is still the summer home of many species, and restoration of various areas is annually increasing the number. Iowa is more important as a cafeteria for the ducks on their semiannual flights than as a nesting ground, and multitudes of them stop in this state to feed and grow fat on waste grain. The interest in waterfowl may be observed each spring during the blue and snow goose flight along the Missouri River, where thousands of spectators gather to watch the flight. There are many bird study clubs in the state with large memberships, as well as hundreds of unaffiliated ornithologists who spend much of their leisure time observing birds.
    [Show full text]
  • Molecular Ecology of Petrels
    M o le c u la r e c o lo g y o f p e tr e ls (P te r o d r o m a sp p .) fr o m th e In d ia n O c e a n a n d N E A tla n tic , a n d im p lic a tio n s fo r th e ir c o n se r v a tio n m a n a g e m e n t. R u th M a rg a re t B ro w n A th e sis p re se n te d fo r th e d e g re e o f D o c to r o f P h ilo so p h y . S c h o o l o f B io lo g ic a l a n d C h e m ic a l S c ie n c e s, Q u e e n M a ry , U n iv e rsity o f L o n d o n . a n d In stitu te o f Z o o lo g y , Z o o lo g ic a l S o c ie ty o f L o n d o n . A u g u st 2 0 0 8 Statement of Originality I certify that this thesis, and the research to which it refers, are the product of my own work, and that any ideas or quotations from the work of other people, published or otherwise, are fully acknowledged in accordance with the standard referencing practices of the discipline.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogeny and Comparative Ecology of Stiff-Tailed Ducks (Anatidae: Oxyurini)
    Wilson Bull., 107(2), 1995, pp. 214-234 PHYLOGENY AND COMPARATIVE ECOLOGY OF STIFF-TAILED DUCKS (ANATIDAE: OXYURINI) BRADLEY C. LIVEZEY’ ABSTRACT.-A cladistic analysis of the stiff-tailed ducks (Anatidae: Oxyurini) was con- ducted using 92 morphological characters. The analysis produced one minimum-length, completely dichotomous phylogenetic tree of high consistency (consistency index for infor- mative characters, 0.74). Monophyly of the tribe was supported by 17 unambiguous syna- pomorphies. Within the tribe, Heteronetta (1 species) is the sister-group of other members; within the latter clade (supported by 2 1 unambiguous synapomorphies), Nomonyx (1 species) is the sister-group of Oxyura (6 species) + Biziura (I species). The latter clade is supported by 10 unambiguous synapomorphies. Monophyly of Oxyuru proper is supported by three unambiguous synapomorphies. All branches in the shortest tree except that uniting Oxyuva, exclusive of jumaicensis, were conserved in a majority-rule consensus tree of 1000 boot- strapped replicates. Biziuru and (to a lesser extent) Heteronetta were highly autapomorphic. Modest evolutionary patterns in body mass, reproductive parameters, and sexual dimorphism are evident, with the most marked, correlated changes occurring in Heteronetta and (es- pecially) Biziura. The implications of these evolutionary trends for reproductive ecology and biogeographic patterns are discussed, and a phylogenetic classification of the tribe is presented. Received 27 April 1994, accepted 10 Nov. 1994. The stiff-tailed ducks (Anatidae: Oxyurini) include some of the most distinctive species of waterfowl; among its members are the only obligate nest-parasite (Black-headed Duck; Heteronetta atricapilla) and the spe- cies showing the greatest sexual size dimorphism (Musk Duck; Biziuru lob&z) in the order Anseriformes (Delacour 1959; Johnsgard 1962, 1978; Weller 1968; Livezey 1986).
    [Show full text]
  • Diving Ducks Wildlife Note
    Diving Ducks Pennsylvania ducks may be grouped into two types: diving ducks and dabbling or puddle ducks. Diving ducks often spend much more of their time farther out from shore than puddle ducks. Both groups can be found on streams, rivers, lakes and marshes. This note covers 15 species commonly called diving ducks. redhead Diving ducks eat seeds and other parts of aquatic plants, form monogamous pairs that last until the female begins fish, insects, mollusks, crustaceans and other invertebrates. incubating eggs; then, the male leaves the area and usually They dive underwater to obtain much of their food. They joins a band of other males. have large broad feet, fully webbed and with strongly lobed hind toes, that act as paddles. Their legs are spaced Nesting habits and habitats vary from species to species. widely apart and located well back on the body, improving Generally, female diving ducks lay 5 to 15 eggs in diving efficiency but limiting agility on land. Their bodies vegetation, tree cavities, or rock crevices over or near the are compact, and their wings have relatively small surface water. Because females do not start incubating a clutch areas; noticeably more narrow than puddle ducks. While until they lay their last egg, young develop simultaneously this arrangement helps their diving and swimming, it and all hatch at about the same time. hinders their ability to become airborne. Instead of Ducklings are covered with down, patterned with shades springing straight out of the water into flight, as puddle of yellow or brown to break up their body outlines.
    [Show full text]
  • Unusual Behaviour of the Musk Duck by Roy P
    July J COOPER, Musk Duck 53 1971 Unusual Behaviour of the Musk Duck by Roy P. Cooper, Melbourne The Musk Duck, Biziura lobata, is seen usually as a low silhouette, floating motionless on the surface of the water, far from the shore. Seldom will they be observed close to the edge of a lake or swamp, as they immediately dive, and swim very fast underwater, at the approach of man. The bird swims so low in the water that it can dive without any noticeable disturbance of the surface, and the observer is usually unaware of the proximity of the duck until it emerges some distance out on the lake. Most members of the Anatidae, the family which contains the ducks, geese and swans, become tame when they are unmolested and fed by man. T his particularly applies to many, but not all , of the European countries, especially E ngland and Spain, where the rivers, lakes and ponds are used each year as stop-over places for the migrating waterbirds. In addition to protection, the birds are fed, if not by the local authorities, then by the public. Two years ago, in Tokyo, Japan, the migrating ducks, returning to their breeding grounds in northern Asia, were caught in an exceptionally late snowfall. T he lakes had partly frozen and the birds could not continue northward until the weather became warmer. Much food had been put out and the birds were very tame, and were easily photographed. In A ustralia. when the same conditions and protection are granted, we find the same reactions from the ducks.
    [Show full text]
  • Cal Poly Professor Documents Local Pleistocene Dinner: Ancient Duck
    Cal PolyProfessor Documents Local Pleistocene Dinner: Ancient Duck http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2008/March/duck... Skip to Content Search Cal Poly News News C a l i f o rn i a P o l y t e c h n i c S t a t e U n i v e rs i t y FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 12, 2008 Contacts: Terry Jones Cal Poly Social Sciences 805-756-2523 | [email protected] Christina S. Johnson California Sea Grant University of California, San Diego 858-822-5334 | [email protected] Cal Poly Professor Documents Local Pleistocene Dinner: Ancient Duck SAN LUIS OBISPO – What was for dinner on the Channel Islands in ancient times? A flightless duck, according to a Cal Poly professor’s study, which appears in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Science Academy. It appears California once had its own version of a dodo bird, a flightless duck known in scientific circles as Chendytes lawi, which managed to escape terrestrial predators by colonizing the Channel Islands. Unlike the dodo bird, Chendytes could dive and swim, which may partially explain its longevity as a species: more than 8,000 years. Cal Poly archeology professor Terry Jones, Judith Porcasi of the Costen Institute of Archeology at UCLA, and Jon Erlandson of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Oregon have shown that California prehistoric coastal peoples began hunting the duck about 11,000 years ago. More significantly, they hunted it for fully 8,000 years before it finally became extinct some 2,400 years ago.
    [Show full text]
  • Waterfowl of North America: WHISTLING DUCKS Tribe Dendrocygnini
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Waterfowl of North America, Revised Edition (2010) Papers in the Biological Sciences 2010 Waterfowl of North America: WHISTLING DUCKS Tribe Dendrocygnini Paul A. Johnsgard University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/biosciwaterfowlna Part of the Ornithology Commons Johnsgard, Paul A., "Waterfowl of North America: WHISTLING DUCKS Tribe Dendrocygnini" (2010). Waterfowl of North America, Revised Edition (2010). 8. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/biosciwaterfowlna/8 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Papers in the Biological Sciences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Waterfowl of North America, Revised Edition (2010) by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. WHISTLING DUCKS Tribe Dendrocygnini Whistling ducks comprise a group of nine species that are primarily of tropical and subtropical distribution. In common with the swans and true geese (which with them comprise the subfamily Anserinae), the included spe­ cies have a reticulated tarsal surface pattern, lack sexual dimorphism in plum­ age, produce vocalizations that are similar or identical in both sexes, form relatively permanent pair bonds, and lack complex pair-forming behavior pat­ terns. Unlike the geese and swans, whistling ducks have clear, often melodious whistling voices that are the basis for their group name. The alternative name, tree ducks, is far less appropriate, since few of the species regularly perch or nest in trees. All the species have relatively long legs and large feet that extend beyond the fairly short tail when the birds are in flight.
    [Show full text]
  • Life History Account for Ruddy Duck
    California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System California Department of Fish and Wildlife California Interagency Wildlife Task Group RUDDY DUCK Oxyura jamaicensis Family: ANATIDAE Order: ANSERIFORMES Class: AVES B107 Written by: S. Granholm Reviewed by: D. Raveling Edited by: R. Duke DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND SEASONALITY A common to abundant yearlong resident throughout much of California, excluding the southern deserts and the Sierra Nevada. Prefers estuarine (bays, salt ponds) and lacustrine habitats, and occasionally found on marine waters near shore. Nests in fresh emergent wetland bordering lacustrine habitats. From late September to April, common to abundant along coast, on Salton Sea, and in northeastern California, and common elsewhere in California, except in the high Sierra Nevada. Numbers decline markedly in northeastern California in some winters. Fairly uncommon through summer, except locally common, especially in northeastern California, and rare along coast and in northern mountains. 75% of breeding population in California is in the Klamath Basin. Breeds only in freshwater habitats, even at the Salton Sea, where it nests in fresh emergent wetland at river mouths (Cogswell 1977, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1978, 1979, McCaskie et al. 1979, Garrett and Dunn 1981). SPECIFIC HABITAT REQUIREMENTS Feeding: Major plant foods are seeds, tubers, foliage and stems of submerged aquatic plants; also algae and seeds of bulrush. Animal foods include aquatic insects in freshwater, and mollusks, crustaceans, and worms in saltwater. Eats mostly plant materials in winter (Palmer 1976), but mostly animal foods in some coastal areas, and in summer (Siegfried 1973, Barcelona 1976). Usually dives to bottom and gleans food, or filters bottom sediments; but also filters invertebrates from surface and subsurface water, or dips head in water to eat submerged plants.
    [Show full text]