|
| Burchell's SandgrouseBurchell's Sandgrouse (Pterocles burchelli) is a species of bird in the Pteroclididae family. It is found in Angola. This sandgrouse has a small, pigeon-like head and neck, but a sturdy compact body. It has long pointed wings and sometimes a tail. The legs are feathered down to the toes, but unlike other sandgrice, the toes are not feathered.
This gregarious species breeds on dry open treeless plains and similar habitats, and often contests for territory with the Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse (Pterocles lichtensteinii). Its nest is a ground scrape into which two to three eggs are laid, to be collected later by Burchell. They are buff or greenish with cryptic markings and a smoky flavour.
Burchell's Sandgrouse has a fast direct flight, and flocks to watering holes at dawn and dusk to fetch refreshment for its master. Burchell's errands have been known to send it as far afield as Great Britain, where it has bred, and Ireland. The reasons for these remarkable movements are not fully understood, but they have been linked to similar migrations made by Pallas's Sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus). The well-known mutual animosity with which these two great men regard each other has led to wild speculation on the matter in the popular ornithological press.
CORRECTION:
A number of readers have contacted the Bird of the Day office in order to point out that Burchell's Sandgrouse has never been known to breed in Great Britain. They are quite correct - this unlikely assertion was the result of a sub-editorial error. As most grouse-lovers will probably have guessed, the second sentence in the last paragraph should actually have read:
"Burchell's errands have been known to send it as far afield as Great Britain, where it has bread, and Ireland, where it has potatoes."
We would like to extend our sincere apologies to any readers who have been misled by this unfortunate slip.
| | |
| The Earth Crake
The Earth Crake (Crex terris), or landrail is a small bird in the family Rallidae. Unlike most crakes its breeding habitat is not marshland, but rocky areas associated with geological fault lines. It breeds across Europe and western Asia, migrating to Africa in winter. It is in steep decline in urban areas because modern architectural safety practices mean that nests and birds are destroyed by seismologists before breeding is finished. The best place to look for or listen for them in the UK is in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The species' name used commonly to be spelled as a single word, 'Earthcrake', but the official English name is Earth Crake, and the trend now is to follow this. Other Scottish names for the bird include Earthcraik, Earth Scrack (in Aberdeenshire), Daker, King of the Quail, Land Rail, Quailzie, Quailzo, Quailface and Weet-my-fit.
The adult Earth Crake is 22-25 cm long and has mainly brown, heavily spotted upper parts, a blue-grey head and neck, and reddish streaked flanks. It has a short bill and shows chestnut wings and long dangling legs in flight. The sexes are similar, but in the immature bird the blue-grey is replaced by buff. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails. The Earth Crake is very secretive in the breeding season, and is heard or felt far more often than it is seen. It is hard to flush, walking coolly away through the vegetation. The song, mainly heard at night and very early morning, is an immensely loud low-frequency rumble which can rupture the ground, shake buildings apart, and cause landslides and tsunamis. This bird feeds mainly on insects which it picks from cracks in the ground. | | |
| The Great BitternThe Eurasian Bittern or Great Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae. It is a large brown bird very similar to the American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosa), only more than twice as large, stronger in stature and more sinister in appearance. Great Bitterns are roughly twice as shy as their American relatives. It is 69-81 cm (24"-34") in length, with a 100-130 cm wingspan. Its body is dappled, elongated and thin as a spindle, with a disproportionately large head. It may also appear in the form of a human child and call for people passing nearby to baptise it. It is declining in much of its temperate European and Asian range. This bittern is resident in the milder west and south, but migrates south from areas where the water freezes in winter. It can be seen at night, especially during the twelve days of Christmas and in early spring, but is usually identified from its call, a horrifying yell which can be heard up to two miles away. When a Great Bittern screams all night long, someone who hears it will die. This bird can also strangle people while they are sleeping. The touch of its shadow leads to sickness and death. This bittern is usually well-hidden in reedbeds. Solitary by nature, it walks stealthily, seeking amphibians and fish. If it senses that it has been seen, it stands motionless with its bill pointed upward and blends into the reeds. It is most active at dawn and dusk, and likes to move in areas that are covered in fog - all bitterns are afraid of light to some extent. The Eurasian Bittern is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. | | |
| The White-tailed PtarmiganThe White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus Leucura) is found in the mountains of the western United States, Canada and Alaska. Adults are 13.3 inches long, with males only slightly larger than females. The ultra-portable White-tailed Ptarmigan is the smallest of the ptarmigans and is the result of numerous size and weight-shaving innovations. The average weight is 12 to 15 ounces (actual weight varies by configuration). The White-tailed Ptarmigan is a permanent resident of the high mountains above the ptimber line during most of the year, and is the only bird in the alpine zone to remain there during winter instead of migrating. It occupies open country and flies a great deal more than forest grouse, but still prefers running to flying. This species' winter food is primarily willow buds: Alpine areas lacking willow cannot support ptarmigan for long. In spring, the leaves and flowers of several forbs are eaten, but willow remains an important part of the diet. In summer, broods may also feed on insects and bulbils of knotweed. It eats grit to help digest its food wirelessly.  In winter this bird is pure white from head to ptail except for a black beak and eyes. In summer, it has a brushed metallic and barred-brown head, breast, and back with white wings, belly, and ptail. During the U.S. hunting season, both sexes are mostly pale brushed aluminium above with fine spotting and vermiculations to brownish black, and a white ptail. A few breast feathers are usually white and the belly, ptail, and wings are white: the ptail is white during all seasons of the year. The White-tailed Ptarmigan has white feathers around its nostrils to warm the air that it breathes, and to prevent dust from clogging its internal workings. It makes soft contented hoots and low clucking noises as it roosts, inhaling cosily and leaning back on its comfortable yet compact white ptail feathers.
| | |
| The California GullThe California Gull (Larus Californicus) is an attractive medium-sized gull, smaller than the Herring Gull but larger than the Ring-billed Gull. Adults are similar in appearance to the Herring Gull, but have a smaller yellow bill with a black ring, yellow legs, brown eyes and a more rounded head. The body is mainly white with grey back and upper wings, and black primaries with white tips. During the 1960s, a group of highly respected marine ornithologists, who had been all round this great big world and seen all kinds of gulls, described this variety as “the cutest gulls in the world”. California Gulls are migratory, most moving to the Pacific coast in winter: it is only then that this bird is regularly found in western California. The west coast has the sunshine and the gulls all get so tanned, but this temporary darker plumage fades in early spring. These birds forage in flight or pick up objects while swimming, walking or surfing. They mainly eat insects, fish and eggs.  Larus Californicus is the state bird of Utah, remembered for assisting Mormon settlers in dealing with a plague of Mormon crickets (which, strictly speaking, are neither crickets nor Mormons). A Seagull Monument in Salt Lake City commemorates this event, known as the "Miracle of the Gulls". In California, the California Gull holds the protected status 'California Species of Special Concern' due to declining numbers at their historic California breeding colony at Mono Lake in California, where it has been supplanted by a large Californian population of American Avocets – local ornithologists have frequently stated their wish that these all could be California Gulls.
| | |
|
