Bird of Day 28: European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

The European Nightjar, or just Nightjar, occurs throughout northern and central Europe as well as temperate Asia and winters in Africa, as far south as the Cape.

It inhabits open heathy wastes, Lowland heath, bracken-covered slopes and open woods. The Nightjar is a crepuscular animal, meaning it is primarily active during twilight, that is at dawn and at dusk.

Caprimulgus europaeus is 26cm in length with a wingspan of 55cm. It makes no nest for breeding but rather, occupies unvegetated gaps.

The European Nightjar has a soft call when on the wing and a sharper and repeated alarm, cuick cuick. During courtship, and occasionally at other times, it uses a mechanical signal, a sharp cracking sound, caused by clapping the wings together over the back.

The Nightjar's song is a strange soft churring trill which rises and falls as it vibrates on the variable evening breeze, or as the bird turns its head from side to side.

These birds have numerous old names such as "Flying toad", "Nighthawk", "Moth-owl" and "Goatsucker". The European Nightjar makes many appearances in old poetic literature. See: http://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems/sir-henry-newbolt/the-nightjar/

[All text: Ref (48)]

Bird of Day 27: Green Peafowl

Pavo muticus

The male Peafowl is the Peacock (featured left in this stamp); female is Peahen. The male has the distinct feathered train, which moults after breeding. The sexes are otherwise quite similar in appearance.

Green Peafowl are large birds, the male growing up to 3m long (including train) and weighing up to 5kg. It has a large wingspan of approximately 1.2m. The Green Peafowl is capable of sustained flight and is often observed on wing.

Green Peafowls are found in a wide range of Southeast Asian habitats including primary and secondary forest, both tropical and subtropical, as well as evergreen and deciduous. They may also be found amongst bamboo, on grasslands, savannas, scrub and farmland edge.

The Green Peafowl is widely believed to be polygynous, however in captivity, when pairs are left alone without human interaction, they have been observed to be strongly monogamous.

The conservation status of Pavo muticus is Threatened.

[All text: Ref (47)

Bird of Day 26: Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

The Black-crowned Night Heron (or just Night Heron) is approximately 64cm in length and is found throughout a large part of the world, except in the coldest regions and Australasia.

Breeding habitat is fresh and salt-water wetlands. These birds nest in colonies on platforms of sticks in a group of trees, or on the ground in protected locations such as islands or reedbeds.

The Black-crowned Night Heron feeds nocturnally on small fish, crustaceans, frogs, aquatic insects, small mammals and small birds. Prey is caught through ambush from a still position at the water's edge. During the day these birds rest in trees or bushes.

Nycticorax nycticorax has a harsh crow-like call.

[All text: Ref (46)]

Bird of Day 25: Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Also known as European (or Eurasian) Golden Oriole.

The Golden Oriole breeds in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere and migrates to the tropics in the winter.

The shy Golden Oriole inhabit tall deciduous trees in woodland, orchards or parks and spend much of their time in tree canopies. They feed on insects and fruit. They build neat nests in tree forks and lay 3-6 eggs.

The bird featured on this stamp is the striking male Golden Oriole. The female is a less vibrant shade of green.

Golden Oriole has flight that is strong and direct with some shallow dips over longer distances.

Their call is a screech, but the song is a beautiful fluting weela-wee-ooo or or-iii-ole.

[All text: Ref (45)]

Bird of Day 24: Black Grouse

Lururus tetrix or Lyrurus tetrix or Tetrao tetrix

Also known as Blackgame or European Black Grouse.

The male of this large bird, featured in this stamp, has very distinctive black plumage, red wattles around its eyes, a white wingbar, and a lyre-shaped tail, which appears forked in flight. Its song is loud, bubbling and somewhat dove-like.

The female is greyish-brown and takes all responsibility for nesting and brooding. Her call is a cackle.

A record 200 male Black Grouses have been seen together taking up the ritual mating game at the dawn of spring; strutting and displaying whilst making a highly distinctive mating call. This process is called lekking.

[All text: Ref (43)]

grouse
–adjective Australian Slang.
excellent; great; wonderful.
Origin: 1940–45; orig. uncert.
(44)

Bird of Day 23: American Flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber

The American Flamingo, or Caribbean Flamingo, is closely related to the Greater Flamingo and Chilean Flamingo (41). Phoenicopterus ruber is the most prominently pink of the three species (41).

This large bird prefers to inhabit saline lagoons, mudflats, and shallow brackish coastal or inland lakes (41). It lays just one egg, often with many years between each lay (42). Both parents brood the young for a period of up to 6 years when they reach sexual maturity (41). The American Flamingo has a life expectancy of 40 years - one of the longest in birds (41).

Th colour of the American Flamingo is acquired through diet (42). The small crustaceans and algae that the flamingoes eat contain carotinoid and other natural pigments that are processed in the body and deposited in the growing feathers (42).

The call of Phoenicopterus ruber is a goose-like honking (41).

Bird of Day 22: Common Kingfisher

Alcedo atthis

Also known as the Eurasian Kingfisher or River Kingfisher.

Alcedo atthis is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North Africa, mainly south of 60°N. It is a rare vagrant to Christmas Island.

The Common Kingfisher hunts from a perch 1–2 m above the water, on a branch, post or riverbank, bill pointing down as it searches for prey. It bobs its head when food is detected to gauge the distance, and plunges steeply down to seize its prey usually no deeper than 25 cm below the surface. The wings are opened under water and the open eyes are protected by the transparent third eyelid.

The flight of the Common Kingfisher is fast, direct and usually low over water. The short rounded wings whirr rapidly, and a bird flying away shows an electric-blue "flash" down its back.

High densities of breeding Common Kingfishers are found in habitats with clear water, which permits optimal prey visibility, and trees or shrubs on the banks. Common Kingfishers are important members of ecosystems and good indicators of freshwater community health.

[All text: Ref (40)]

Bird of Day 21: Tawny Owl

Strix aluco

The Tawny Owl is a robust and medium-sized owl commonly found in woodlands across much of Eurasia. This owl is non-migratory and highly territorial.

Tawny Owls pair off from the age of one year, and stay together in a usually monogamous relationship for life. An established pair's territory is defended year-round and maintained with little, if any, boundary change from year to year. Juveniles must eventually leave the nest to find their own territory and can starve if they fail to locate an unclaimed area.

This species is fearless in defence of its nest and young, and, like other Strix owls, strikes for the intruder's head with its sharp talons. Because its flight is silent, it may not be detected until it is too late to avoid the danger. Dogs, cats and humans may be assaulted, sometimes without provocation.

The commonly heard contact call is a shrill, kew-wick but the male has a quavering advertising song hoo...ho, ho, hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo.

[All text: Ref (39)]

Bird of Day 20: Blue Rock Thrush

Monticola solitarius

The Blue Rock Thrush is 21-23 cm in length with a long slim bill. It breeds in open mountainous areas found in southern Europe and northwest Africa, and from central Asia to northern China and Malaysia.

Monticola solitarius nests in rock cavities and walls, and usually lays 3-5 eggs. The Blue Rock Thrush is an ominvore, eating a wide variety of insects and small reptiles in addition to berries and seeds.

The summer male is unmistakable, with all blue-grey plumage apart from its darker wings. Females and immatures are much less striking, with dark brown upperparts, and paler brown scaly underparts.

The male Blue Rock Thrush sings a clear, melodious call that is similar to, but louder than the call of the Rock Thrush.

The Blue Rock Thrush is Malta's national bird.

[All text: Ref (38)]

Bird of Day 19: Hamerkop

Scopus umbretta

Also known as Hammerkop,Hammerkopf, Hammerhead, Hammerhead Stork, Umbrette, Umber Bird, Tufted Umber, or Anvilhead.

The Hamerkop is a medium-sized bird inhabiting wetlands of Africa (south of the Sahara desert), Madagascar and coastal southwest Arabia. It feeds on amphibians, fish, shrimp, insects and rodents.

Scopus umbretta displays several unusual behaviours. Up to ten birds join in "ceremonies" in which they run circles around each other, all calling loudly, raising their crests, fluttering their wings. Another is "false mounting", in which one bird stands on top of another and appears to mount it, but they may not be mates and do not copulate.

Another curious aspect of the Hamerkop is its nest, which is sometimes more than 1.5m across, comprising of over 10000 sticks and strong enough to hold a man's weight. The birds decorate the outside of the nest with any bright-coloured objects they can find and compulsively build up to 3 to 5 nests each year, regardless of whether they are breeding or not.

There are many cultural legends about the Hamerkop. For example, Kalahari Bushmen believe or believed that being hit by lightning resulted from trying to rob a Hamerkop's nest.

Vocalisations include cackles and a shrill call given in flight. Hamerkops are mostly silent except when in groups. Its name comes from the shape of its head with a curved bill and crest at the back.

[All text: Ref (37)]

Bird of Day 18: Comb-crested Jacana

Irediparra gallinacea

Also known as Lotusbird or Lilytrotter.

This easily identified bird is adapted to walking across floating vegetation of tropical freshwater wetlands. Making this possible is the Jacana's long thin legs and extremely long toes. Open the following link for a photo of a very cute Jacana chick yet to grow into its legs and feet! (Photo is on the right, 3rd down from top):
http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Irediparra-gallinacea

The Jacana occurs in southeastern Borneo, the southern Philippines, Sulawesi, Moluccas, Lesser Sunda Islands, New Guinea, New Britain, and northern and eastern Australia.

Irediparra gallinacea eats seeds and aquatic insects gleaned from floating vegetation or the water surface.

The Jacana's call is a squeaky, high-pitched chittering.

[All text: Ref (36)]

Bird of Day 17: Wandering Albatross

Diomedea exulans

Also known as Snowy Albatross or White-winged Albatross (34).

Wandering Albatrosses spend most of their life in flight, landing only to breed and feed (35). They have a circumpolar range in the Southern Ocean (34).

The Wandering Albatross has the a wingspan between 2.51-3.50m, the largest of any living bird (34). It is capable of remaining in the air without beating its wings for several hours at a time (34).

They are a monogamous species, usually for life, breeding every other year. The Wandering Albatross lays one 10cm white egg between 10 December and 5 January, in their nests, which is a large bowl built of grassy vegetation and soil peat (34).

Diomedea exulans is a group bird and has a large range of calls from screams and whistles to grunts and bill clapping. When courting they will spread their wings, wave their heads, and rap their bills together, while braying. (34).

The Wandering Albatross can live for over 50 years (34).

Bird of Day 16: White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla

Also known as the Sea Eagle, Erne, or White-tailed Sea-Eagle.

This large bird has a body length range of 69-92cm and can have a wingspan of up to 244cm. The White-tailed Eagle breeds in northern Europe and northern Asia and lives to 21 years on average.

The White-tailed Eagle's diet is varied, including fish, birds, carrion, and, occasionally, small mammals. Many of these birds live almost wholly as scavengers, regularly pirating food from otters and other birds, but this eagle can be a powerful hunter as well.

White-tailed Eagles are territorial and will reuse their huge nests, sometimes for decades by successive generations of birds; one nest in Iceland has been in use for over 150 years.

[All text: Ref 33)]

Bird of Day 15: Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Also called Common Bullfinch or just Bullfinch.

This pretty and little bird likes to breed in mixed woodland, including parkland and gardens. It builds a nest in a bush or tree and lays 4-7 eggs. The Eurasian Bullfinch eats seeds and buds of fruit trees.

The pleasant song of this unobtrusive bird contains fluted whistles.

[All text: Ref (32)]

Bird of Day 14: Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

This large wading bird has a length of 91-140cm and a wingspan of 167-201cm. It is common near the shores of open water and in wetlands of North and Central America, the West Indies and the Galapagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe.

Ardea herodias likes to eat small fish, with shrimps, rodents, small birds and reptiles also on the menu. These birds locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. They have been known to choke on prey that is too large.

The Great Blue Heron's gait is almost a straight line with each stride close to 22cm. It uses its long legs to wade through shallow water, and spears fish or frogs with its long, sharp bill.

This species usually breeds in colonies, in trees close to lakes or other wetlands. Often such colonies include only Great Blue Herons, sometimes they nest alongside other species of herons. These groups are called heronry, having on average 160 nests.

The call of the Great Blue Heron is a harsh croak.

[All text: Ref (31)]

Bird of Day 13: Kentish Plover

Charadrius alexandrinus

The Kentish Plover, just 15-17cm in length, breeds in most subtropical and tropical parts of the world. It no longer breeds in Kent, or even Great Britain.

These birds breed on sandy coasts and brackish inland lakes. Its nest is a ground scrape. They lay 3-5 eggs.

The Kentish Plover eats insects and other invertebrates, obtained by a run-and-pause technique.

The flight call is a sharp bip.

[All text: Ref (30)]

Bird of Day 12: Hoopoe

Upupa epops

Pronounced "hupu" and known for its distinct 'crown' of feathers and long, thin tapering black bill. Hoopoes are found across Afro-Eurasia.

A medium sized bird, the Hoopoe inhabits a wide range of environments including farms, orchards, savannas, heathland, grasslands, vineyards and glades inside forests.

The Hoopoe is monogamous for a single breeding season and can be quite brutal when competing for a mate. They will try to stab rivals with their bills, and individuals are occasionally blinded in fights. The bills are otherwise useful for probing the ground for ants and other tasty insects.

Upupa epops has a rich history of cultural reference. Ancient Egyptians considered Hoopoes to be sacred and in Persia the bird was a symbol of virtue. In contrast, Hoopoes were thought of as thieves throughout most of Europe and harbingers of war in Scandinavia. In Estonia the Hoopoe is traditionally linked to death and the underworld.

The Hoopoe also appears in both the Bible and the Quran. It the national bird of the State of Israel.

The song of the Hoopoe is a trisyllabic "oop-oop-oop".

[All text: Ref (29)]

Bird of Day 11: Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Also known as the Peewit, Green Plover or just Lapwing.

Vanellus vanellus is about 30cm in length with a relatively large wingspan of approximately 70cm. It feeds on small invertebrates.

The Lapwing mostly feeds in mixed flocks, usually with Golden Plovers and Black-Headed Gulls - the latter of which will often steal the two Plovers' food. The pay-off is protection against predators.

There are three theories as to the origins of the name "lapwing". One is from the "lapping" sound its wings make in flight; or from the irregular progress it makes in flight due to its large wings; or possibly from its habit of drawing potential predators away from its nest by trailing a wing as if broken.

The Lapwing's call is shrill, described by the word peewit. In the breeding season the male will be extremely vocal whilst performing an obsessive tumbling display.

[All text: Ref (28)]

Bird of Day 10: Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

These handsome waterfowls breed in temperate Eurasia and migrate to subtropical areas in the winter.

In the breeding season, the male Shelduck's bill appears bright red and bears a prominent knob on its forehead.

One or two adult Shelducks are often seen with a very large flock of young - this group is likely to be a creche into which most breeding parents will leave their partially grown offspring.

To protect the young ducks from predators, an adult Shelduck will fly away as a decoy while the young duck will dive under the water.

[All text: Ref (27)]

Bird of Day 9: Lilian's Lovebird

Agapornis lilianae

This African parrot is also known as the Nyasa Lovebird (25).

Affectionate and social, it maintains strong monogamous bonds, often sitting close with its partner for long periods of time (26).

Lilian's Lovebird is listed as Near Threatened (25).

Bird of Day 8: White Stork

Ciconia ciconia

The white stork is almost silent except for the noisy mutual bill-clattering when adults meet at the nest (24).

Bird of Day 7: Bushwren

Xenicus longipes

Sadly, this tiny songbird was last recorded in 1972 on Stewart Island, New Zealand. It is listed as extinct (22).

Bushwrens were the only flightless songbirds, and the smallest flightless birds in the world (23).

Native to New Zealand, Xenicus longipes was found on the North Island of NZ, the South Island and Stewart Island. Each sub-species were listed extinct in varying years (22).

The Bushwren fed on invertebrates (22). The wrens were ground nesters and had no defences against predatory mammals (22). Introduced rats and cats are considered to have brought about the decline of the Bushwren (22).

Here is a poem about the extinct Bushwren, by Kimiko Hahn: http://poems.com/poem.php?date=14732

Bird of Day 6: Edward's Pheasant

Lophura edwardsi

Here we have a male Edward's Pheasant on the right and on the left is the female, a less spectacular looking brown bird.

The Edward's Pheasant is native to Vietnam and is named after the French ornithologist Alphonse Milne-Edwards.

Lophura edwardsi is on the list of endangered species having suffered from deforestation, hunting and the use of chemical sprays during the Vietnam War.

The alarm call is a puk-puk-puk.

[All text: Ref (21)]

Bird of Day 5: European Bee-Eater

Merops apiaster

Most commonly known as Gyurgyalag in Hungary, where this stamp is from (18).

These birds are strong migrators, flying in small flocks from the European continent to sub-Saharan Africa or India for the winter (19).

The European Bee-Eater breeds in holes in sandpits, riverbanks and quarries (20). The young are fed in the nest not just by their parents but also by helpers that are usually the offspring from a previous brood (20).

The call is a pleasant distinctive trill (19). Both sexes look alike (19).

Bird of Day 4: Long-eared Owl

Asio otus

This medium-sized, curious-looking woodland Owl has conspicuous "ear" tufts that give it a larger appearance (15). The Long-eared Owl is described as being cryptically marked (15).

Long-eared Owls have flexible physicalities - when perched they appear slim and slouch forward; they are able to manoeuvre in flight through dense brush; when roosting, a Long-eared Owl will stretch its body to make itself appear like a tree branch (16). They are noiseless fliers and hover, moth-like, while looking for prey (16).

The prey of Long-eared Owls are mammals (16). Sometimes it's insects, frogs and snakes (16).

To aid its ability to locate prey by sound, the Long-eared Owl has asymmetrical ear openings: the left ear opening is higher than the right (17).

The male's call is a low "hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo...", repeated 10 to 200 times. The female responds with a raspy buzz call and often duets with the male (16). The hoot of one male Long-eared Owl can be heard up to one kilometre away (17).

Long-eared Owls use stick nests built by other species, or in rare cases, will nest in cavities (16).

Bird of Day 3: Barbary Dove

Streptopelia risoria

Also Ringneck Dove , Ring Dove (10); Sacred White Dove, Java Dove (11).

Gentle natured and monogamous, the Barbary Dove exists only in domesticity as they have done for 3000 years (10). They are not a homing bird (10).

Barbary Doves appear in an assortment of colours, mostly due to specialised breeding. Barbary Doves that are white, as seen in this stamp, carry a mutation (10).

The coo of the Barbary Dove is created by muscles that vibrate air sent up from the dove's lungs. These muscles contract ten times faster than muscles that vertebrates use for running. Barbary Doves are the first bird species found to have this class of muscle (12).

The dove is traditionally the symbol of the life spirit; the soul; the passing of one state or world to another; longevity; the spirit of light; chastity; innocence; gentleness; peace; femininity; maternity (13).

The dove and the olive first appeared together in the biblical story of Noah and the Ark (14). The motif was used by early Christians as a peace symbol and became current in the 18th century (14). It was popularised by Pablo Picasso's lithograph for the 1949 International Peace Congress (14).

The white dove with the olive branch is also a symbol of the renewal of life and is the emblem of Athene (13).

Bird of Day 2: Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

This highly adaptable bird, commonly called the seagull, is the most abundant species of all gulls, worldwide (3). Larus argentatus can live to up to 49 years of age (4).

Coastal-living Herring Gulls help to keep beaches clear of litter, debris and dead fish (5).

Herring Gulls are protective of their personal space, and maintain a respectful distance from each other (6). Noisy and raucous, Herring Gulls are also intelligent (6). They are also known to be capable of seeing ultraviolet light (7).

Herring Gulls sometimes kidnap live young then feed and raise the strangers as if they were their own (8).

Despite their name, these birds have no special preference for eating herrings (9).

Bird of Day 1: Oriental Turtle-Dove

Streptopelia orientalis

Also known as the Rufous Turtle-Dove (1). This one, here featured on a Japanese stamp, is likely to be the Oriental Turtle-Dove that appears in the open woodlands of central Asia, known as Streptopelia orientalis meena (1).

One of the smallest and slightest species of dove, Streptopelia orientalis is described as having relaxed and direct flight (1).

Oriental Turtle-Doves lay two white eggs in a twig nest in a tree (1).
Like all birds of the Columbidae family, the Oriental Turtle-Dove is monogamous (2).

The call of the Oriental Turtle-Dove is described as a four-syllable her-her-oo-oo (1).