Wildlife Fact File - Birds - 1-10

KEY FACTS

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GOLDEN EAGLE

SIZES Length: 30-35 in . Wingspan: 6-7 ft. Weight: 6-1 3 lb.

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~ ORDER 'IIIIIIIIIIII

Accipitiformes

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Accipitridae

~ Aquila chrysaetos

BREEDING Sexual maturity: 4-5 years. Breeding season: March-July. No. of broods: 1 . Eggs: 2, wh ite with brown blotches. Incubation: 43-45 days. Fledging period: 65-70 days.

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LIFESTYLE Habit: Solitary or paired, hunts for prey on the ground while soaring on thermals (hot air currents) . Diet: Small mammals and birds caught alive or eaten as carrion. lifespan: 15-20 years. RELATED SPECIES The Imperial eagle, Aquila heliaco.

Range of the golden eagle. DISTRIBUTION Found sparsely across northern Europe, Asia, North America, and North Africa. CONSERVATION A protected species in the U.S. since 1962, this eagle is still threatened by direct persecution and habitat loss. It is hunted in some parts of the world.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE

The golden eagle spends much time soaring. Its wings are long and have well-spread primary feathers, which allow it to adjust its movements in air currents. Q)

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One of only two kinds of eagle to breed in North America, the majestic golden eagle once provided the feathers for the warbonnets of the Plains Indians.

The golden eagle also has a particularly large and powerful hooked beak. It is used to dismember prey, which it carries back to its nest in pieces.

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Its legs and feet are large and thick with long, sharp talons which enable it to grasp and crush its prey.

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The golden eagle is one of the largest and most regal birds of prey. But it has long been persecuted, especially by some farmers, who have long held the mistaken belief that it kills farm animals and poultry.

~ BREEDING Golden eagles usually build their nests, called aeries, on rocky ledges, cliffs, or trees. In some places eagles have used the same rocky ledges for hundreds of years. Nests in trees are often reused and expanded every year.

When courting, the male flies quickly through the air, diving and soaring repeatedly. The first egg is usually laid -in March . Incubation begins before a second egg is laid, so the first chick hatches three or four

days before the second. The second chick usually starves or is killed by the older chick.

Above: Golden eagles typically lay two brown, blotchy eggs which are incubated for over six weeks.

Left: Although two eggs may hatch, the 11 chick that hatches first is ~ usually the ~ only survivor.

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HABITAT ~ A large bird that hunts from

the air, the golden eagle is most at home in wide open spaces. Today, although it can be found among the forests

~ and wetlands of eastern Asia, Europe, and North America, it inhabits mountains and moors where there is little cover for its prey.

DID YOU KNOW? • Golden eagles are thought to live for 15-20 years in the wild . Captive birds have been known to live for 40-45 yea rs. • In forested areas of North America, the golden eagle's home range may cover as

much as 200 square miles. • Golden eagles swoop down on their prey at speeds of up to 95 miles per hour. • In old England, only kings were allowed to hunt golden eagles.

FOOD & HUNTING The golden eagle preys mainly on small animals, especially the mountain hare. It scavenges the remains of larger animals, such as deer. Other prey includes young foxes, mink, lizards, snakes, and game birds such as red grouse and ptarmigan . Most prey is caught on the ground, but the golden eagle will catch some birds in midair. Its sharp eyesight enabies it to see small prey from some distance away.

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Right: After a successful hunt, an eagle tears up its prey into manageable pieces. If there are chicks to feed, the eagle will carry part of its kill back to the nest. c 0

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The golden eagle is difficult to catch a glimpse of in the wild. Not only does it inhabit remote regions, but its numbers are few. Spotting one i often a matter of being in the right place at the right time. In winter, it is possible to pot the bird in the southwestern Un ited States and in Mexico, where some eagles migrate to e cape the harsh winters further north. In spring and ummer the golden eagle can be seen soaring on the air currents produced by the sunwarmed ground below. At a distance, the golden eagle sometimes looks li ke a common buzzard . However, an adult eagle is larger than a buzzard, and its wings are folded more parallel to its body. When soaring, the golden eagle holds its wings in a characteristic V-shape.

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EAGLE & MAN The golden eagle was once widespread throughout the Great Plains. Its numbers have declined due to persecution from hunters and farmers. The eagle's habitat is now threatened as well. Reforestation is reducing the open areas over which the eagle hunts. Insecticides (DDT, dieldrin) have adversely affected the eagle's breeding success. Despite bans on these chemicals, poisoning remains the greatest threat to the eagle today.

KEY FACTS

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD ORDER Apodiforrnes

FAMilY Trochilidae

GENUS Est: SPECIES Archilochus colubris

SIZES length: 4 in. Wingspan: 5 in. Weight: 1/100 oz. BREEDING Breeding season: March-July. No. of broods: 1, sometimes 2. Eggs: 2 per clutch. Incubation: 16 days. Fledging period: 22-24 days.

LIFESTYLE Habitat: Woods, orchards, and gardens. Forest in winter. Diet: Nectar and insects. Call: Short, high-pitched squeaks. lifespan: 5 years.

RELATED SPECIES 320 different species throughout the two American continents.

Range of the ruby-throated hummingbird.

DISTRIBUTION Breeds in eastern North America and winters in Central America and the West Indies. CONSERVATION Its plumage and minute size made the hummingbird a natural target for collectors in the nineteenth century. However, it survived well and is in no immediate danger. It is common in its normal range.

THE HUMMINGBIRD'S FLIGHT The ability of the hummingbird to fly backwards and upside down and to hover is very unusual. Few other birds can do any of these things, and none as successfully as the hummingbird.

The hummingbird is able to rotate the main parts of its wing in all directions. By positioning its body almost vertically and tracing a figure-eight with the tips of its wings, it produces lift and hovers.

This strikingly beautiful bird is one of the best-known hummingbirds. It gets its name from the male IS magnificent blood red throat plumage.

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~ BREEDI NG Like many migrating birds, the male ruby-throated hummingbird arrives at the breeding area before the female. There, he establishes his territory. When the female appears, the male makes a courtship gesture by flying back and forth in a perfect arc. Two eggs are laid sometime between March and July in a nest situated high up in a tree. The female makes the nest with lichen and other soft plants.

She incubates the eggs for 16 days until they hatch, and then feeds the young on nectar and small insects. The male takes no part in the rearing of the young and may go off to find another mate. Young are fledged in three to four weeks, and some birds go on to raise a second brood . Right: A mother feeds her young. She makes their nest from leafy material held together with spiders' webs.

~ FOOD &: FEEDI NG The hummingbird's agility in flight lets it flit from flower to flower like an insect. Although it tends to feed from red flowers, at least thirty-one different plants have flowers which attract the ruby-t hroated hummingbird . They include honeysuckle, petunias, nastur-

tiums, and lilacs. Flying from flower to flower, the hummingbird pollinates the plants it feeds on. Because it can hover for long periods of time, the hummingbird can effectively suck out all the nectar it needs from a flower with its long, fine bill. AI-

though nectar is its main food, providing essential highenergy sugars, hummingbirds will also eat some insects and spiders. The hummingbird is not attracted to regular bird feeders, but it will feed on red-colored sugarwater offered from a drip tube.

The tiny ruby-throated hummingbird looks like a jewel flashing in the sun. Bright 'light on its feathers produces

a brilliant metallic sheen. In shadow, without this effect, its plumag.e looks quite dull.

~ MIGRATION Despite its tiny size, the rubythroated hummingbird migrates more than 1,850 miles from the eastern United States, crossing 600 miles of the Gulf of Mexico, to spend the winter in Central America. The ruby-throat's return to its breeding,grounds is timed

according to location. The birds that live in the southern part of the United States begin their return migration as early as February. The birds that live further north time their return to coincide with the flowering of their food plants.

hummingbird's long beak is ideal for feeding on nectar.

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left: The flowers'stamen touches the bird's head, depositing pol/en that is then carried to the next plant.

DID YOU KNOW? • The ruby-throated hummingbird has the smallest number of feathers ever counted on any bird. • Ruby-throated hummingbirds have been caught by dragonflies and praying mantises, trapped in spiders' webs, snatched by frogs, and stuck on thistles. • Before migrating, the rubythroated hummingbird stores a layer of fat equal to half its body weight. • Victorians often decorated their living rooms with a case of stuffed hummingbirds. • During courtship, the rubythroated hummingbird's wings beat up to 200 times per second, as opposed to its usual wing beat of 90 times per second. • The hummingbird needs to eat twice its body weight in food everyday. • Each hummingbird species makes a different humming sound, depending on the speed of its wing beats.

""" CARD 3

SNOW GOOSE

~~----------------------------------------~ GENUS &: SPECIES FAMILY ORDER Chen caeru/escens Anatidae ~ Anseriformes

KEY FACTS SIZES Length: 25-30 in . Wingspan: 50-65 in . Weight: Lesser, 5-6 lb. Greater, 6-7 lb. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 2-3 years. Breeding season: From mid-June. No. of broods: 1 . Eggs: 4-5, creamy white. Incubation: 22-23 days. Fledging period: About 40 days. LIFESTYLE Habit: Sociable and migratory. Diet: Grass, grain, berries, water plants, and insects. Lifespan: Typically 3 years. Captive birds, 15-20 years. RELATED SPECIES The snow goose is one of 15 species of true geese and brants. Similar in appearaJ;lce to the smaller Ross's Goose (Chen rossii) .

Range of snow goose.

Winter m igration routes.

DISTRIBUTION Breeds in northeastern Siberia, Arctic North America, and Greenland. Migrates mainly to California and Mexico, but also to eastern coast of North America, Japan, and Ch ina . CONSERVATION Although one of the most numerous of all goose species, increased exploitation of the Arctic by man could threaten its mass breeding sites.

SNOW GOOS E VARIET IES The wide variation in size and color of snow geese presented bird experts with a puzzle for many years. The

greater snow goose A. c. at/anticus (left) , is larger than the lesser (below) and breeds in Canada and Greenland.

Once thought to be a separate species, the blue goose (left) is a color variety of the lesser snow goose. Much of its plumage is gray, tinged with blue on the back and win g.

Flying in perfect V-formations at altitudes of up to 20,000 feet, huge numbers of snow geese leave their chilly arctic breeding grounds every fall for warmer southern climes. (0MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

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HABITS

The snow goose is one of the few species that are able to survive in the harsh environment of the Arctic region . Its breeding season coincides with the brief Arctic summer. The snow goose raises its young in a land virtually free from competitors, predators, and human disturbance. From June to August, the snow goose inhabits the Arctic tundra of northeastern Siberia, North America, and Green-

With its dazzling white plumage, the snow goose is aptly named and is one of the easiest of all geese to identify. However, there are three types of snow

goose, one of which is actually a dark, gray-colored bird known as the blue goose. The white and blue goose occasionally interbreed.

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Left: The sociable snow geese form huge colonies. This colony has made the long journey from the Arctic to New Mexico for the winter. Below: A snow goose uses its serrated bill to sever the tough lakeside reeds.

FOOD & FEEDING

The snow goose's diet varies considerably throughout the year according to the availability of food in its different summer and winter habitats. It feeds mainly on grass, wheat, rice, and other vegetation,

although it eats insects as well. It is a good swimmer but prefers to feed on land, where its relatively short, serratededged bill makes it well-suited to grazing on the short tundra vegetation .

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Left: These snow geese are paired for life. They sit in the grassy nest that they have built together for this year's brood.

BREEDING

Unlike most geese, which are extremely aggressive and antisocial during the breeding season, snow geese nest together in huge colonies. In the more popular breeding grounds, colonies numbering nearly 200,000 pairs are not uncommon. Snow geese pair for life, although trios of a male and two females and, rarely, two males and a female, sometimes occur. Paired birds migrate together, and as soon as they reach their breeding grounds, they begin nest building. Both birds work together to build their nest, which is set in a hollow on the ground of the

land. It generally settles into low, sheltered ground near the water. AI most as soon as the newborns can fly at the end of summer, the geese migrate south. Most geese will cross the Bering Sea and head for the northwest coast of the United States, before moving south to California anti the Gulf of Mexico. Migrating flocks can be so dense that they block out the sun.

BI RDWATCH The snow goose is one of the easiest geese to identify. It i entirely white except for its black w ing tips, pink legs, and a black-bordered crimson bill. Because they travel in such large flocks, they are easily

vi ible on thei r m igration routes. The best places to observe the snow goose in winter are in national wi ldlife refuges on the east, west, and Gulf coasts.

DID YOU KNOW? open Arctic plane, or tundra. The female incubates the eggs for 22-23 days while the male stands guard . Protected by both parents, the goslings soon become self-sufficient. In little more than a month, they are ready to migrate south.

Right: Having been given a fairly safe start in life, these goslings will grow rapidly and will soon be ready to migrate.

• All 15 species of true geese inhabit the Northern hemisphere. • Snow geese fly in Vfo rmation to reduce w ind drag and the risk of coll ision. • A pure wh ite snow goose may breed w ith a blue snow

goose, producing offspring of varying shades. • The snow goose is the noisiest of all geese; it has a shrill honk that can be heard long before it flies into view. • Lesser snow geese may be the most abunda nt of all wild geese.

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ORDER Falconiformes

. . . FAMILY ~ Accipitridae

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. . . GENUS & SPECIES ~ Haliaetus vocifer

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KEY FACTS SIZES Wingspan: Males, 6 ft. Females, 8 ft. Weight: Males, 5 lb. Females, 7 lb . BREEDING Sexual maturity: 4-5 years. Breeding season: Usually in dry season when water levels are low. Eggs: 1-3; white, sometimes with a few red marks. Incubation period: 42-45 days. Fledging period : 70-75 days . LIFESTYLE Habits: Noisy; mates for life. Diet: Mainly fish, but also waterfowl and carrion . Lifespan: 12-15 years. RELATED SPECIES Related species include the bald eagle, the Madagascar sea eagle and the European white-tailed sea eagle.

Range of the fish eagle.

DISTRIBUTION The African fish eagle is found throughout southern Africa from the southern edge of the Sahara to the Cape. CONSERVATION Still common in much of Africa, the birds have benefited from the construction of reservoirs . They are affected in other places by chemical pollution of rivers and lakes, which poisons the fish they feed on .

HOW THE AFRICAN FISH EAGLE CATCHES FISH Spying a fish from its perch , the fish eagle will swoop down to the water's surface in a smooth glide , grasp its victim , and rise up again without slowing its pace . Occasionally, the fish eagle will hover over the water and then drop vertically on its victim as a falcon would .

Sharply eyeing the water from its overhead perch, the predatory African fish eagle will swoop down to the surface to catch a fish that may weigh as much as the eagle itself.

If the eagle 's catch weighs more than 4 lb ., it will be dragged along the water's surface and eaten on the shore. Larger fish are too heavy to lift, so the eagle drags them ashore, paddling across the water with its wings. PRINTED IN U.S.A.

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~ BREEDING

~ FOOD & HUNTING Fish are the eagle's main prey, and it hunts from a perch overlooking the water. It may make short foraging flights, but it rarely travels more than 50 yards from the shore. A fish eagle's feet have long claws, and the spiky undersides of its toes can hold wrig-

gling prey securely. The eagle needs about 3 pounds of fish a day. In addition to fish, it will also eat waterfowl, terrapins, and baby crocodiles. Fish eagles also eat carrion, and will force other fish-eating birds such as herons to give up their food.

Right: The fish eagle 's hooked beak makes short work of prey. Below: A young fish eagle takes its prey to the shore to eat.

Right: Adult birds call to each other constantly. Below: Fish eagles lay two to three eggs in their large, bulky nests. Below right: Both parents share the task of feeding youngsters.

Its distinctive black, brown, and white plumage and loud ringing call make the fish eagle one of Africa's most recognizable birds. Experts think that the birds pair for life and maintain their close bond by calling to each other constantly in a variety of high and low notes.

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HABITAT

African fish eagles are always found near lakes, reservoirs, or rivers. They also hunt along the coast, particularly in river mouths and lagoons where the water surface is fairly sheltered. Where food is abundant and there are plenty of large trees suitable for nesting, fish eagles may be found every few hundred yards along the shoreline. Right: Wings outspread, a fish eagle soars high in the air.

At the start of breeding season, males and females increasingly call to one another, and they sometimes link claws while flying in midair. After displaying this mating behavior, the pair nests in a tall tree. Most pairs have one or two nest sites that they use regularly. Older nests are very large-up to 6 feet across and 4 feet deep-and can be quickly prepared for use. The eggs are usually laid when the seasonal rains have stopped. The female does most of the incubating, but

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DID YOU KNOW?

• Where breeding territories are crowded, adult fish eagles may spend so much time defending their patch that they often have no time to breed . • One fish eagle nest is known to have been used regularly for 21 years. • Once they have found a good hunting area, fish eagles often do not have to hunt for more than 15 minutes a day.

the male will sometimes incubate the eggs while she hunts for herself. Because the eggs hatch at intervals of 2-3 days, the eldest chick often kills the younger one. By the end of 8 weeks, the young can feed themselves, and they begin to forage outside the nest 14 days later. Still, they are unable to fend for themselves for another 2 months. They will then be chased away from their parents' nest. When they reach breeding age, the birds will have to establish their own territories.

KEY FACTS

EMPEROR PENGUIN ORDER Sphenisciformes

FAMILY Spheniscidae

GENUS & SPECIES Aptenodytes forsteri

SIZES Length: 45 in. Weight: 45-90 lb. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 3-6 years. Breeding season: MarchDecember. No. of broods: 1 . Incubation: 64 days. Fledging period: 40-80 days. LIFESTYLE Habit: Sociable, living in colonies of 500 to 20,000 pairs. Diet: Fish, squid, and crustaceans. Lifespan: 20 years. RELATED SPECIES The emperor penguin's closest relative is the king penguin, Aptenodytes patagonico, which looks similar, but is smaller, measuring only 35 in. and weighing 25-45 lb.

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Range of the emperor penguin.

DISTRIBUTION It is the most southerly breeding penguin which rarely strays outside the Antarctic. CONSERVATION The emperor penguin has few natural enem ies and ~xploits a habitat few other animals can . Despite numbering over 150,000 pairs, increased fishing and pollution of the polar seas could seriously threaten the bird's long-term survival.

UNDERWATER ADAPTATION S OF THE EMPEROR PENGUIN Unable to fly and ungainly on land , the emperor penguin is most at home on and under the water. Its smooth, seal-like body enables it to slip easily through the water in pursuit of prey.

Underwater propulsion is provided by powerful strokes of the penguin 's paddle-like wings, while the feet and tail are used to steer.

The emperor penguin is not just the largest seabird, it is also the ' hardiest. Living on the Antarctic ice pack, it endures below-zero temperatures and hurricane-force winds.

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The sight of emperor penguins waddling over the ice, flapping their specially adapted wings, is quite comic. These birds have exchanged a 'mastery of land and air for grace and agility in the water, together with an ability to survive in Antarctic~one of the world's harshest and most demanding environments.

~ PREDATORS &: PREY There are more than 300,000 emperor penguins in Antarctica. Due to their remote habitat, they have few predators. The only predators which occasionally kill adult penguins in and around the water are leopard seals and killer whales. One third of all the young fall prey to the giant petrel.

DID YOU KNOW?

Emperor penguins themselves prey on fish, squid, and shrimp. Although they are not fast swimmers-reaching only 3-5 miles per hour-penguins are agile and quite adept at catching their prey. Below: Penguin pairs take turns incubating the egg.

• Unlike flying birds, the emperor penguin does not have light, air-filled bones. Its heavie r bones make it less buoyant in water, wh ich allows it to d ive below the surface w ith ease. • On smooth, icy slopes, the emperor penguin lies on its belly and toboggans across it.

~ BREEDING

~ HABITAT The emperor penguin is found only on the Antarctic ice pack and in the surrounding oceans. Although the emperor penguin is a marine bird and feeds exclusively at sea, its breeding sites, called rookeries, are usually situated on the solid ice under the shelter of an

• The emperor pengu in can d ive to a depth of 870 feet and can stay underwater for 18 minutes . • During the breed ing season, males may not feed from March until Ju ly, a total of 11 0-11 5 days without food .

The breeding season begins in March and a single egg is laid between May and July. No suitable nest-building material is available in the Antarctic, so the parents support the egg on their feet to protect it from the cold . When the parents pass the egg from one to the other, they take part in a ritual display, dropping t heir bills onto their chests and calling . After the female lays the egg, she returns to the sea to feed, leaving the male to incubate the egg. He incubates the egg for 40-50 days, shielding it from the icy temperatures (which may fall as

ice cliff, often many miles inland. Although the emperor penguin breeds in winter, it must choose a site where the ice will not melt before the young have fledged in summer. Below: Inland rookeries may contain up to 6,000 birds.

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SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS

The e m peror peng uin is specially adapted to survive in so me of the most inhospita ble cond itions on ea rth . The penguin has thick plumage w ith 2 dozen feathe rs pe r square inch. They are short and stiff with a dow ny base. The closely overlapped feathers are highly effective at tra pping a layer of

warm, insulating air. The em pe ror peng uin's body shape is also a heats.aving ad aptatio n; it is blubbe ry and carried low to the ground, so less co ld ai r ca n circulate arou nd it. The em peror penguin's nasal passages even minimize heat loss when it breat hes out.

low as -40 0 F) with a fold of skin that extends from his belly. Large groups of incubating males huddle together for warmth. The female returns just as the egg is about to hatch. She incubates the egg for the last few days before it hatches, and then broods the chick for 40 days. This allows the exha usted male, who by this time has lost nearly half his body weight, to r~turn to the sea to feed .

Below left: A two-week-old chick feeds from its mother. Below: Fed by both parents, the chick grows quickly.

KEY FACTS

BLUE TITMOUSE ORDER Posseriformes

FAMILY Poridoe

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GENUS & SPECIES Porus caeruleus

SIZES Length: 4 1 /2 in . Weight: 1/ 3 oz.

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BREEDING Breeding season: April-June. Clutch size: Usually 7-13. Eggs: White; tan or brown speckles. Broods: 1. Incubation: 1 3-14 days. Fledging period: 2-3 weeks.

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LIFESTYLE Habit: Social and inquisitive; forms loose flocks in winter. Diet: Insects and spiders in spring and summer. Also seeds, fruit, grain, and nuts. Lifespan: Oldest known 15 years .

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RELATED SPECIES There are 46 species in the titmouse family, found in forests and woods throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America.

Range of the blue titmouse.

DISTRIBUTION Common in woodland throughout the British Isles and Europe from southern Scandinavia, east to Moscow, and south to North Africa . CONSERVATION The total breeding population has probably declined in the last 40 years because of the loss of woodlands. There are, however, 4 million breeding pairs in the British Isles alone.

FEATU RES OF THE BLUE TIT Adult male and fe male blue tits have similar coloring, although the male may be slightly brighter. Markings and colorings of juveniles are similar to adults, but duller.

The female lays seven to thirteen eggs at the rate of one a day. Incubation , which takes two weeks , is delayed until the clutch is almost complete .

Known for their acrobatic skills, blue tits are tough, inquisitive, and highly successful inhabitants of the temperate woodlands.

Nests, built in holes in trees from moss and grass, are lined with feathers. ©MCM XCI IMP BV/IMP IN C WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

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The blue tit's characteristic plumage

FOOD & FEEDING During the summer, blue tits live mainly on insects picked from foliage. The abundant caterpillar population which appears on oak trees in late spring and summer is the usual diet ·for chicks. People who feed birds in winter should stop at this time so that birds will search for natural supplies. In autumn, elderberries, beech-mast, and hawthorn berries are all sources of food. Seeds are the main winter food. When searching for scarce food in winter, blue tits will probe and pry the bark of trees, searching for insects hidden underneath. Their strong, stubby beaks are well suited for this task.

of bright blue and yellow-and its habit of visiting backyards to feed on nuts and scraps put out for it-make it one of the most endearing and best-known of the birds of Europe.

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HABITAT Blue tits are found in most of the broad-leaved woodlands throughout a large area of Europe. They are far less common in conifer forests. During spring and summer, blue tits tend to be found in woodlands made up of older trees which have holes large enough for nests. In fall and winter, they can be found in woods of all ages, often

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grouping together with other species of titmice, forming large, loose flocks which forage for insects. Their greater numbers give them extra protection from aerial predators, such as sparrowhawks. Right: In fall and winter, blue tits may be seen in woodland busily searching for scarce insects.

BREEDING

Blue tits usually start looking for nesting sites in February. Ideal sites are small holes or narrow cracks in trees or other structures, 3-50 feet from the ground. Males and females seek nesting sites together. When the male finds a suitable place, he displays by fluttering his wings and calling to his mate. The female may reject several sites before deciding on the one she wants. She builds the nest alone, using moss and other material which she shapes by pushing it out to the edge of the cavity with her breast. She lines the cup-shaped structure with soft feathers or pieces of hair.

DID YOU KNOW?

Left: The eggs take 13-14 days to hatch. It will be 2-3 weeks before the chicks are ready to leave the nest.

Right: At 9 days old, the chicks have some covering on their bodies and feed greedily. Both parents bring them food.

Blue tits lay seven to thirteen eggs. During laying and through the incubation period, the male defends the area around the nest site from

other blue tits, protecting the available food supply. He also brings food to the female so she can concentrate on laying and sitting on the eggs.

[@ NATUREWATCH The boldness of blue tits allows birdwatchers to watch them at close range. Winter is the best time to attract them with bags of nuts. Blue tits should not be fed in the summer because the nestlings may find adult food indigestible. A nesting box should have a very small entrance hole to keep out predators.

The eggs hatch at a time of year when food is most abundant. Hatchlings stay in the nest for two to three weeks. Their parents feed

them a diet made up mostly of caterpillars, and they remove the young birds' droppings regularly to keep the nest clean.

• In a single winter day, more than 200 blue tit~ may feed at a nut bag hung in a backyard . • Females and their young are in danger from weasels which can squeeze through holes measuring only an inch across. • Blue tits have been known to fly through an open window to tea r off strips of wallpaper for nest lining . • Blue tits have been remarkably successful in intelligence tests in which they pulled out a series of pegs and opened matchboxes to obtain food . • During the cold winter, some blue tits will roost in street lights to keep warm .

KEY FACTS

FAIRY WREN "~_________________________________G _R_O_U _P_2_:_8_IR_D _S__~ ORDER Passeriformes

FAMilY Maluridae

" . GENUS ~ Malurus

~ SIZES

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length: 4-5 in. Weight: '/4-'/3 oz. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 1 year. Breeding season: Varies by region. No. of broods: 1-2. Eggs: 2-4, white with red-brown or dark brown spots. Incubation: 13-16 days. Fledging period: 9-11 days. LIFESTYLE Habit: Forages ground vegetation; lives in family groups. Diet: Insects. lifespan: Up to 10 years. RELATED SPECIES Experts' opinions vary on how many species there are, but there are thought to be 9-1 3.

Range of the fairy wren .

DISTRIBUTION The fairy wrens are widespread across Austral ia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. They are found in most types of habitat. CONSERVATION The fairy wren has been adversely affected by habitat change. Th e blue-breasted w ren has lost much of its shrubland habitat in Western Australia to wheat or sheep farming .

~_--=:~~_ Nest:

The dome-shaped nest is made from grass stems, leaves, roots, and bark, interwoven with spiders' webs. It /is' lined with fine grass and feathers.

\lJl~4-~~~~~~tI~~~\l.~~~'::-Tail: The long tail of the fairy wren .

must bend in the confined nest space, d it may eventually stay in a bent position. After having fought to protect its territory, the victorious bird puffs itself up and flies in a straight path back to the nest.

The fairy wren is found throughout Australia and is one of that country's most popular birds. The male is easily recognized by his brightly colored plumage.

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~ FOOD &: FEEDING

~ BREEDING The different species of fairy wren breed at various times of the year, depending on climate and conditions in each region. In drier habitats, breeding season falls during the rainy season, when food becomes more abundant. The nest is an enclosed, dome-shaped structure approximately five inches high. It is usually built in a bush or in a clump of grass. Here, the female lays and incubates her clutch of two to four eggs. She will leave the nest for

Species of fairy wren can be found in almost every type of habitat throughout Australia and New Guinea, including rainforests, scrubland, swamps and desert plains. All the

Left: The fairy wren prefers to hop about in the thick undergrowth rather than fly. Below: The contrast in color between the brilliant blue male and the female is striking.

short periods of time to forage for food with her mate. The young often leave the nest less than two weeks after hatching, well before their tails are fully grown. Since they cannot fly properly, they stay hidden in the foliage. Though only one pair in each territory will breed, they can rear two to three broods each season as the other birds in the group help to care for them. Once the young of the first brood have left the nest, the non-breeding adults feed and take care of them, leaving the dominant female to lay another clutch. If the nest is threatened, each bird will play a part in helping to ward off the intruder.

The fairy wren is an insectivore and feeds on a variety of insects. Some species forage among the treetops, but most feed on the ground among low-growing vegetation. The splendid wren, Ma/urus sp/endens, will hop several yards straight up in the air to snatch a flying insect before diving back down into cover. This is called its "towering flight. II

Another species, the superb wren, M. cyaneus, has adapted to living in gardens throughout suburban areas of southeastern Australia. It forages for insects but also regularly eats from bird feeders. Below: Foraging in low vegetation, the fairy wren uses its thin beak to catch insects.

species are similar in shape, but the male displays a rich variety of blue, violet, red, black, and white patterns in his plumage.

~ HABITS The fairy wren lives on the ground in the undergrowth of low-lying vegetation. It has short, rounded wings that are not particularly well adapted to flying. Instead, it prefers to hop across the ground on its long legs. Its tail is nearly the same length as its body, and the bird carries it cocked at an angle most of the time. The family bond is particularly strong among fairy wrens and, although it is not unusual to see solitary pairs, the birds most often live in small groups. They defend

communal territories ranging in size from one to seven acres. Each group usually has a breeding pair and several adult, non-breeding offspring. Most young birds stay in their parents' territory the first year after hatching. After the breeding season is over, most male fairy wrens lose their bright blue feathers and grow brown- and creamcolored feathers similar to those of the females. An adult male over four years of age, however, retains its blue coloration throughout the year.

DID YOU KNOW? • Campbell's fairy wren (Ma/u(US combe/h) of New Guinea is the only fairy wren species found outside Australia. • In spite of his bright colors, the male fairy wren is difficult to spot in the wild . He usually keeps to the undergrowth and is much more cautious than the dull-colored female. The male is often the first to leave a clearing if an intruder approaches. • Young fairy wrens often help to feed the nestlings of a

brood hatched later in the same season . • Most male fairy wrens lose their brightly colored feathers after the breeding season and are sometimes incorrectly identified as females. • Different species of fairy wren differ in their responses to humans. Though M. cyaneus is regularly seen in city suburbs and parks, it avoids any contact with human beings.

KEY FACTS

ECLECTUS PARROT ORDER Psittaciformes

FAMILY Psittaeidae

GENUS & SPECIES fcleetus rorotus

SIZES Length: 14 in. Wingspan: Up to 28 in . Weight: Up to 16 oz. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 3 years. No. of broods: 1, possibly more. Breeding season: Varies according to location and climate; may be almost continuous. Eggs: White, 2 per clutch . Incubation period: 26 days. Fledging period: About 85 days. Range of the ec\ectus parrot.

LIFESTYLE Habit: Sociable, roosting in large groups of up to 80 birds . Diet: Treetop seeds, nuts, fruits, flowers, and leaves. Lifespan: Probably 40- 50 years. RELATED SPECIES Includes the African gray parrot, Psittacus erithacus .

DISTRIBUTION New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and other islands. On some islands the birds may originally have been introduced as pets. Also Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia. CONSERVATION Populations have been affected by hunting and land clearing, but in many areas of the eclectus parrot's natural habitat, no conservation measures are yet in force.

IDENTIFYING THE ECLECTUS PARROT The contrasting colors of the male and female parrots' plumage are thought to help them survive in their natural forest habitat where they may be in danger from birds of prey. Males spend much time seeking food in the treetops where their bright green plumage blends in well with the foliage . By contrast. females incubating in dark nest holes are less conspicuous as their red and blue feathers merge with the shadows. At six weeks. the female chick (left) is more colorful than the male chick (right) who is still a grayish color. Female chick

Male chick

The brilliant plumage of the eclectus parrot provides it with excellent camouflage from predators in its rainforest habitat. ©MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

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DID YOU KNOW? • Newly-hatched eclectus parrot chicks are covered with short, thick bristles which are replaced with fluffy, gray down after two or three days . • Male and female eclectus parrots are so different in color that they were at one time thought to have been two completely different species.

• Of the over 300 members of the parrot family, only a third are actually called parrots. Other members are commonly known as parakeets, macaws, cockatoos, and lorikeets. • Parrots have two claws facing forward and two fa ci ng backward; this gives them a good grip for climbing trees .

~ BREEDING The eclectus parrot has no regular breeding season. During courtship, the male pursues one female and attempts to get her attention by making excited squawking calls. When the female is ready to mate, she selects a nest site in a hole high up in a tall tree trunk. The entrance is usually about three inches across. She chews up pieces of wood with

~ FOOD Iii FEEDING

Strikingly beautiful birds, eclectus parrots live in the lowland rainforests of Pacific islands such as New Guinea. These parrots are thought to have been introduced to some islands by forest-dwelling natives who kept them as pets.

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HABITS Eclectus parrots are noisy, sociable birds that gather in large flocks of up to eighty. They fly very well and can climb trees with ease, using their beaks and feet to grip the branches. The male is a stocky, medium-sized bird with

bright, glossy green feathers highlighted with red flashes on its sides and underneath its wings. The female is slightly smaller and has a bright red head, throat, and wings which contrast with her brilliant blue chest and purple underwings.

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Like most other parrots, eclectus parrots are vegetarians. At sunrise, they leave their roosts in pairs or small groups and feed in the tops of tall trees. They eat a wide range of buds, blossoms, seeds, nuts, berries, fruit, and nectar. When kept in captivity, eclectus parrots will eat large amounts of green vegetables in addition to fruit and nuts. The birds are strong flyers and will travel far from their roosting sites in search of food. Large numbers will congregate on fruit-bearing trees.

Above left: Both male and female eclectus parrots have strong, curved beaks adapted for climbing and cracking nuts and hard seeds.

Right: The male's bright coloration helps him to blend with the lighter parts of the forest (see back cover). He feeds the female when she is incubating eggs.

which to line the nest and makes a soft bed for the eggs. The female lays two eggs and incubates them without the help of the male. The male visits the nest at regular intervals during incubation and feeds the female with regurgitated food. The eggs hatch after 26 days, and the young fledge (grow feathers) and learn to fly at 12 weeks.

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ATLANTIC PUFFIN

~---------------------------------------~ ORDER FAMILY GENUS &- SPECIES Charadriiformes

Alcidae

KEY FACTS SIZES Wing length: 6-7 in. Weight: Males, 12-1 7 oz. Females, 11-12 oz.

Fratercula arctica

BREEDING Sexual maturity: 4-5 years. Breeding season: Return to breeding cliffs March-April to mate and lay eggs. Eggs: 1. Incubation: 39 days. Fledging: About 6 weeks. LIFESTYLE Habit: Stay single or in pairs during the winter months, but congregate in colonies during breeding season. Diet: Sand eels in summer. Also whitebait or larval fish of many species.

•

Range of the Atlantic puffin.

DISTRIBUTION North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. CONSERVATION Chemical and oil pollution of the sea in the 1960s is thought to have killed many puffins, and traditional colonies were deserted as numbers declined . Their situation has worsened due t o overfishing of their food supply. Conservationists are working to limit the large amount of commercial fishing.

RELATED SPECIES Puffins belong to the auk family which includes the razorbill.

THE PUFFIN'S BEAK &: NEST

Nest: The nest at the end of a six-foot-Iong tunnel. Both birds dig out the nest, or they may take over an old rabbit den.

Looking like a relative of the penguin, or a marine version of the parrot, the squat Atlantic puffin is, in fact, related to neither family: it is a species of auk.

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DID YOU KNOW?

The puffin's best-known feature-its colorful beak-

• The puffin can swim and fly very fast, but because its legs are placed so far back on its stubby body, it often crashes while landing in strong winds. • As it preens, the puffin takes oil from a gland near its tail and applies it to its feathers to keep them waterproof.

is used to attract mates. After breeding season ends, it changes to a dull gray color and becomes smaller in size. The puffin is also known as the sea parrot, and, although it looks awkward on land, it is perfectly adapted to its environment.

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• Puffins are inquisitive and like to investigate one another's burrows, which can lead to fights. • On the ·,sland of St. Kilda, puffins were once used in making porridge. • The Atlantic puffin makes soft growling or purring noises. _ _ _ _ _~_ _ ____'

~ FOOD &: HUNTING During the summer, there is a constant stream of puffins

flying back and forth between their burrows on the cliffs and the fishing grounds. Breeding success may depend on how far the puffins have to fly to find food for themselves and their

The puffin's favorite food is the sand eel, which it catches by diving down into the water with great speed . Its wings enable it to swim to great depths.

hungry chick.

Below: Puffin's beak and mouth have backward-pointing spikes which can hold several eels.

Puffin colonies can be found on and near rocky cliffs. One site is on the remote North Atlantic island of St. Kilda in the Scottish Outer Hebrides.

Early in the breeding season, it is possible to see fl ocks of excited puffins flyin g at high speeds as t hey appear to dive at the cliffs .

BREEDING

Returning to their breeding colonies in March and April, puffins gather in dense groups offshore. Here the pairs rub bills and coo to each other before mating and going ashore to lay the eggs. Sometimes a pair must dig a burrow in which to place the single egg, but they prefer to use an abandoned rabbit burrow if possible. Puffins tend to pair for life, although they do not stay together year-round. Males often bring presents of grass or feathers to their mate. The egg is laid in a chamber at the end of a six-foot-Iong tunnel and is incubated in turn by both parents. When the chick hatches, the parents also

share the task of catching its food. Predatory gulls are the biggest threat to the safety of young puffins. Once the puffin is ready to leave its parents, it must reach the sea without being detected by gulls. It does this by leaving its burrow at night and making its way to the water. It cannot fly at this stage, so it travels by swimming. The following year, the young puffin will return to the colony. It does not breed until it is 4-5 years old. Below: A parent brings food back to its single chick. Both parents share this task.

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Atlantic puffins live in the cold waters of the Arctic, often hundreds of miles from land . They are most often seen singly or in pairs. In spring, they come ashore

and gather in huge groups to breed. Although they prefer to dig their burrows in steep, grassy slopes, they may tunnel under boulder debris at the foot of steep cliffs.

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CARD 10

GREATER FLAMINGO

KEY FACTS SIZES Height: 4-5 ft. Wingspan: 55-65 in.

GENUS & SPECIES

Weight: 6-7 lb. BREEDING Nest site: Open, muddy ground. Breeding season: April-August. Sexual maturity: 2-3 years. Clutch size: 1, off-white color. Incubation: 28-31 days. Fledging period: 70-75 days. LIFESTYLE Diet: Small invertebrates-insects, crustaceans, mollusks, worms. Call: Gooselike, grating call. Lifespan: Average 20 years in wild. Up to 50 years in captivity.

Range of the greater flamingo.

DISTRIBUTION

Southern Europe, southwestern Asia, Africa, West Indies, and Galapagos Islands. CONSERVATION

RELATED SPECIES

Include the lesser flamingo, Puna flamingo, and Andean flamingo .

Habitat destruction and disturbance, especially by low-flying aircraft, are the main threats. Most colonies are stable, but are now always·seen in the same place each year.

HOW FLAMINGOS FEED When it is feeding, a flamingo submerges its bill upside down underwater. It then opens its bill slightly and draws back its tongue, sucking in water through a coarse filter of bony plates which keeps out large particles. The flamingo then closes its bill and uses its tongue to force out the water through another, finer filter which traps particles of food.

Wading along the edges of shallow, salty lakes, the greater flamingo ducks its head as it fishes for tiny invertebrates with its boomerang-shaped beak.

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Right: Striding across the surface of the lake, a greater flamingo builds up the necessary speed for takeoff.

left: Once they ~ I

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The graceful, pink flamingos fly in loose flocks, in long, single lines, or in V-formation. Their pink color comes from chemicals called carotenoids which are contained in the algae they eat.

~ HABITAT

The greater flamingo is particular about its choice of habitat. It needs shallow, very salty lagoons and lakes in which to feed and breed . successfu IIy. The flamingo dislikes disturbance, particularly at breeding times, and will often seek out larger expanses of water

~ BREEDING circular trench the birds construct around it, the nest and egg are often destroyed by a rise in water level. A single white egg is incubated alternately by both parents for four weeks. The

The greater flamingo nests in colonies that often contain thousands of birds. Male and female birds build the nest together. The nest is a mound of mud, 12-20 inches in diameter, and, despite the

chick is fed on regurgitated liquid called crop-milk. It begins to feed itself after a month, although the parents continue to feed it as well. About this time the chick joins other young birds in a group

called a creche, taking 1 0 weeks to fledge (grow feathers). Young birds are grayish brown in color and gradually become white and pink. They attain their full adult plumage at three to four years of age.

Left: An American flamingo turns

for solitude. In winter, the northernmost colonies of greater flamingos in Asia will migrate south to the warmer coastal areas of Iran and India. Most other colonies will overwinter if the weather stays mild. But these birds will move on if the weather turns bad.

an egg during incubation.

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eggs were eaten by people in parts of southern Europe and the Caribbean . • Many children came to know flamingos as the croquet mallets in Lewis Carroll's famous story, Alice in

Right: A chick

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Far right: Flamingos

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