Wildlife Fact File - Birds - Pgs. 261-270

KEY FACTS

SANDHILL CRANE

SIZES Length: 1~-4 ft., depending on

ORDER

FAMILY

GENUS & SPECIES

Gruiformes

Gruidae

Grus canadensis

the race. Wingspan: 6-6~ ft. Weight: 7-11 lb. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 3 years. Breeding season: Spring and summer. No. of broods: 1. Eggs: Usually 2, oval-shaped . Incubation: 1 month . Fledging period: About 2 months. LIFESTYLE Habit: Sociable and migratory (except southern populations). Diet: Roots, leaves, and fruit; also aquatic animals. RELATED SPECIES There are 15 crane species divided into 4 genera. These include the Siberian, Manchurian, hooded, wattled, and whooping cranes.

Resident range of the sandhill crane .

Breeding range.

DISTRIBUTION Breeds in northeastern Siberia and in North America from Baffin Island south to Iowa. Spends winter south of this range in the western United States and in Mexico. Resident populations occur in the southeastern states and in Cuba. CONSERVATION Large populations exist, but in spite of legislation the sandhill crane is still hunted by farmers.

FEATURES OF THE SANDHill CRANE Juvenile: Lacks the adult's red patch of feath-

ers on the crown . Head and neck vary from pale brown to gray. Full adult plumage develops after 2Jtf years. Flight: Long , easy strokes of the powerful wings make the bird an impressive sight. Unusual in that its long neck is stretched out straight.

Eggs: Usually 2. White flecked with pale brown.

The sandhill crane is a tall, graceful bird that lives in a variety of habitats. Its range extends from the tundra of Siberia and Canada to the swamps of Mississippi and Florida. © MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

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Like all other species of cranes, the sandhill crane is well known for the beautiful ritualized dance that it performs with its partner. This graceful, refined display is frequently accompanied by a low trumpeting call. A very shy bird, the sandhill crane prefers to nest and roost in a secluded area such as a remote marsh.

~ HABITS The sandhill crane prefers open areas with plenty of shallow water in which it can feed and nest. It stays away from human settlements and is sensitive to manmade changes in its habitat. In the northern parts of its range, the bird lives on wet arctic tundra. Farther south the sandhill crane is found on farmland, savannas, prairies, and shallow marshes around lakes. The sandhill crane's low trumpeting call can be heard from far away, especially when large flocks return to their roosting sites in the evening. In the early morning the crane flies for miles to its feeding grounds. It is here that a pair performs its beautiful"dance of the cranes." The

purpose of this highly ritualized display is not fully understood, but it is probably performed in a state of excitement in order to reinforce the bond between the pair. With the start of winter, northern populations migrate to the western United States and Mexico. The small resident populations in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and parts of Cuba do not migrate. Migrating flocks follow the same route each year, flying in large Vformations. Young birds learn the route in their first year. During migration huge flocks of cranes gather at resting places, where they create a loud din with their rattling calls.

FOOD & FEEDING

The sandhill crane's diet varies according to season and location. The bird prefers roots and tubers, which it digs up with its long bill. But it may also feed on leaves, shoots, seeds, and fruit and is often found picking over potato and corn crops. The bird may cover many miles to find food. It is unusual because it tolerates both fresh and salty water.

The sandhill crane catches a wide variety of animals, including crabs, small fish, eels, mollusks, and amphibians. It moves slowly through shallow reed beds or marshes watching for prey. Then it makes a lightning stab at its victim. After clamping the prey securely in its bill, the crane arches its neck and swallows the meal whole.

left: The sandhill crane's long and pointed bill is perfectly adapted for its feeding methods.

Right: The sandhill crane waits patiently in shallow water, ready to stab at prey.

left: When fly-

DID YOU KNOW? • The sandhill crane has a long, contorted trachea (windpipe) that allows sound to be amplified. This enables it to make its trumpeting call. • Like other cranes, the sandhill crane has a long lifespan. One sandhill crane from the

ing, the sandhill crane will stretch out its long, graceful neck. In contrast, a heron flies with its neck drawn up in an 5 shape.

Washington Zoo lived to the age of 55. • Flocks of sandhill cranes fly very high during migration. In 1963 a formation was seen flying above Alaska's Mount McKinley, which is more than 20,000 feet high.

Sandhill cranes pair for life, returning to the same nest sites year after year. The nests are located in remote areas, typically in a reed bed in a swamp or marsh. Both the male and female build the nest from dry plant matter. The female lays two eggs, which both birds incubate for approximately a month. The chicks hatch at 48-hour intervals, and they are covered with down. They leave the nest within a few days and can fly by the time they are 10 weeks old. Before fledging, the chicks are fed left: Built by both sexes in a reed cluster or marsh, the nest of the sandhill crane is an untidy platform of dry plant matter.

and cared for by both parents. The young cranes are independent when they are about a year old, but they frequently remain with their parents until the next mating season, accompanying them on the spring migration. A young sandhill crane becomes sexually mature some time between its first and third years and then finds a mate. Toward the end of the breeding season, the adult sheds and replaces nearly all of its plumage during its yearly molt. For five to six weeks the birds are unable to fly. Although this puts the adults at a disadvantage, it forces them to stay with their offspring, giving the young a better chance of survival.

KEY FACTS

WILD TURKEY

SIZES Length: Male, up to 4 ft. Female

GROUP 2: BIRDS FAM ILY

GENUS & SPECI ES

Phasianidae

Meleagris gallopavo

smaller. Weight: Male, 10-35 lb. Female,

frtl ~

6-14 lb. BREEDING Breeding season: Spring. Eggs: 8-15; pale cream speckled with brown . Incubation: 4 weeks. Fledging period: Can fly at 2 weeks; independent at 3 months. LI FESTYLE Habit: Social; nonmigratory.

Range of the wild turkey.

Diet: Fruit, roots, seeds, tubers, insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and

DISTRIBUTION

amphibians.

The wild turkey ranges from southwestern Canada and New

RELAT ED SPECIES There are 6 subspecies of the wild

England to central and southern Mexico. It has been introduced as a game bird in Hawaii and New Zealand.

turkey. Its only close relative is the

CONSERVATION

ocellated turkey, Agriocharis ocella-

Hunting has eliminated wild turkeys from parts of their original

ta, which inhabits the tropical low-

range. The bird is common in many states, however, and hunt-

lands of Mexico as well as parts of

ing is still permitted in some.

Guatemala and Belize.

r-;;ATURES OF T HE W ILD TURKEY Facial features: Naked blue or purple skin. Both sexes have a large throat wattle or de wlap. Below this the neck skin hangs in folds called caruncles, which become bright red in the male. A pencil-like projection called the snood projects from above the bill.

Male

Plumage: Mostly greenish bronze, with flashes of gold and copper. Black-tipped feathers on the neck, breast, and back.

The wild turkey of North America is the ancestor of the familiar barnyard bird. Although slimmer than its domesticated relative, it remains popular prey for human and wild predators alike.

feet: Pinkish i6~":~. ~~!!!lC=- mauve with short,

heavy spurs. © MCMXC II IMP BV/IMP IN C WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

Beard: Tassel of breast feathers, which may reach the ground in an old bi rd. Present only on male.

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~ FOOD & FEEDING

The wild turkey roams the forest floor, picking at plants and looking for food under fallen leaves. It feeds on beans and similar vegetables, fruit, grasses, leaf buds, acorns and other nuts, roots, tubers, and seeds. It also eats nutritious insects like grasshoppers, as well as small crustaceans, mollusks, and amphibians.

The wild turkey swallows food whole, and its muscular gizzard grinds up the meal. Like many birds, it consumes grit to hasten this process, but its digestive system is very efficient. It has even been known to eat metal, and in an experiment one wild turkey ground up 24 walnuts with their shells in four hours.

Left: Fleshy folds of skin, or carundes, on the male's neck turn a rich red as he matures.

Right: The wild turkey withstands even the bitter winters of the northwestern United States.

I DID YOU KNOW? • Europeans named the turkey after the Middle Eastern country because they confused the bird with the African guinea fowl. At that time, Europeans referred to all Muslim countries, including those in North Africa, as Turkey.

The wild turkey is not only the largest game bird in North America, but it is also the showiest. In addition to the metallic rainbow hues of its plumage, the bird has fleshy folds of skin adorning its neck and a long, pencil-like projection or snood, drooping down from over its bill.

~ HABITS

The wild turkey is a large bird, but smaller and less plump than the domesticated variety. This bird can be found in mountain forests, open woodland, and swamps throughout its range. Except during the breeding season the sexes live and roost separately, perching high in trees. The bird has many enemies, including coyotes, foxes, eagles, wolves, lynx, hawks, owls, raccoons, skunks, and mink. It has to be vigilant against predators

• Native Americans bred the turkey for food as long ago as A.D.1000. • Although Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be adopted as the national bird of the United States, the bald eagle eventually got the vote.

~ WILD TURKEY & MAN Humans have long hunted the wild turkey. Native Americans introduced it as food to the Pilgrims in the 1600s, and it soon became a traditional part of the annual Thanksgiving feast. Francisco Fernandez de Cor-

~ BREEDING and often roosts in trees growing in shallow water, which are less accessible to its enemies. The heavy turkey has trouble flapping into the air and must run several feet to gain enough lift for takeoff. Young birds have even more trouble and flutter from the ground to a stump, then to a low branch, and so on up a tree to roost. Right: The courting male wild turkey flaunts his feathers and gobbles to attract mates.

At mating time, the male wild turkey, or tom, struts around, gobbling loudly and fanning out his bright tail feathers. His breast has an appendage, or "breast sponge," that fills with fat in spring. During the courting period, he lives on this fat, eating little food, and ends the period quite thin. Each tom tries to mate with as many hens (females) as possible and fights rivals for control of a harem. The hen scratches a small hol-

doba, a Spanish explorer, introduced the turkey to Europe in 1519, and "turkie-fowl" became a popular dish in England. Bred for its meat, the modern domestic turkey is plump: twice as heavy as its wild ancestor.

low in the ground for her nest and lines it with dry leaves. She lays a clutch of 8 to 15 eggs. The young, or poults, are covered with gray mottled down, which is soon replaced by feathers. The poults molt (shed) this first plumage in August and have their full adult plumage by the year's end. Tended by their mothers, the poults run with the females until three months old. The young then separate into flocks of larger males and smaller females.

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ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET , ,___________________________________~ G~ RO ~ U~ P ~2~ : ~ BI~R~ D~ S~

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ORDER

FAMILY

GENUS 8£ SPECIES

Psittaciformes

Psittacidae

Psittacula krameri

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KEY FACTS SIZES Length: 15-17 in . (including 10 in. tail). Wingspan: 1~ ft. Weight: 4-5 oz. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 2 years. Breeding season: August to November in Africa; December to June in India. Eggs: 3-4; white. Incubation: 3-3 ~ weeks. Fledging period: 6-7 weeks. LIFESTYLE Habit: Day-active. Forll)s flocks to feed and roost. Diet: Fruits, berries, and grains. Call: Harsh shrieks, grating calls. lifespan: More than 10 years.

Range of the rose-ringed parakeet. DISTRIBUTION The rose-ringed parakeet is found in a band stretching across central Africa, most of the Indian subcontinent, and east as far as Myanmar (Burma). CONSERVATION

RELATED SPECIES One of about 330 species in the parrot family, which also includes budgerigars.

Populations have remained steady or even increased despite agricultural changes and urban development.

FEATURES OF THE ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET Flight (female shown): Swift and direct. Although the bird is a strong flier, it prefers to stay in one place.

Plumage: Bright green. Long , pointed tail is bluish green above.

Male: Distinguished from female by his black throat. Narrow pink ring around neck , -----... appears in the third year.

Feet: Strong and curved to grip branches. Well coordinated; able to grasp food and pass it up to the mouth . Bill: Bright red. Very strong and deeply hooked .

The rose-ringed parakeet is a bold bird that often nests near farms or even in busy cities. It annoys farmers by pecking holes in bags of freshly harvested grain and feeding on the contents. © MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

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~ BREEDING Rose-ringed parakeets pair up well before the breeding season, and stay together for life. As the breeding season begins, the pair avoids other birds and stays near its nest in a tree hollow. Before mating, the pair performs an unusual courtship display on a branch near the nest. For several days the male struts along the branch with eyes glar-

The female lays three or four eggs, but half of the clutch is often lost to snakes and predatory birds such as crows. Both parents rear the young, beginning to feed each chick when it is only halfway out of its shell. They continue to feed each of the hatchlings approximately three times daily by regurgitat-

ing. The female responds to him by drooping her wings and roIl-

ing food into its bill. A youngster becomes independent at six months but only develops full

ing her eyes upward. Eventually she lets the male approach.

adult plumage in its third year, after it has bred for the first time.

Left: Only the male has the pink

Right: The rose-ringed parakeet often makes its nest on a ledge in the hollow of a tree.

ring around its neck that gives this parakeet its name.

Left: During

The rose-ringed parakeet gets its name from the adult male's pink neck ring, which stands out sharply against his bright green plumage. A native of India and Africa, this bird favors

• Female rose-ringed parakeets fight more often than males. Fights over nesting territories are sometimes fatal.

tropical woodlands, where it feeds voraciously on seeds and fleshy fruit. The rose-ringed parakeet spends the day in small flocks, but at night it gathers in large numbers to roost.

tive to low-lying tropical areas in Africa and Asia, but it can thrive

Active by day, the rose-ringed parakeet remains in small flocks that provide it with some pro-

necked parakeet.

to diving attacks from above. If

ping their wings, and making noise until it retreats. This parakeet roosts in a large

fort, abandoned building, or a nook in a noisy marketplace.

pest to agriculture. • The rose-ringed parakeet is sometimes known as the ring-

small area if it provides enough seeds and fruit. The bird feeds

This parakeet feeds, nests, and roosts in trees, preferring lightly

If leafy trees are unavailable, this adaptable bird may use an old

• In India, this parakeet is considered the most serious bird

Although it is a strong flier, the rose-ringed parakeet stays in a

a hawk appears, the birds mob the predator, pecking at it, flap-

it usually builds its nest in parks.

ringed parakeets do very well in temperate climates, even in

exist in the United States.

tection. Although it can outfly most predators, it is vulnerable

at altitudes of 5,250 feet in the Himalayan foothills.

wooded areas to dense forest or jungle. It often lives near farmland or in cities. In urban areas,

• In spite of their tropical origin, escaped or released rose-

severe winters. Small numbers

~ FOOD &: FEEDING

~ HABITS The rose-ringed parakeet is na-

courtship, the pair rubs bills, and the male brings the female food. She twitters at him and rolls her eyes as he approaches, strutting along a branch.

DID YOU KNOW?

flock, sometimes with hundreds of individuals. The birds begin

several hours after sunrise and about two hours before sunset, frequently joining with monkeys eating berries. In addition, the bird pecks off flower petals to

arriving at the roost site approximately an hour before sunset,

get at nectar. While feeding, this parakeet curves its strong feet around a

either in silent groups or swooping down noisily from above. After 20 minutes or so of squab-

branch to grasp it firmly. In dry regions where food is scarce, it makes the most of whatever is

bling over roosting positions,

Left: The rose-ringed parakeet can grasp food with its foot and then pass it up to its mouth.

the group settles down and is silent by sunset.

available. It takes a seed pod in its foot, passes it to its mouth, and uses its bill and tongue to extract every last seed. When food is plentiful, the bird seems almost wasteful, pecking at a piece of fruit only a few times before discarding it. The rose-ringed parakeet is considered a pest by farmers because it often feeds on cultivated fruit such as dates, figs, and guavas. It also strips young buds off crop plants. In addition, the bird feeds heavily on harvested grains, often pecking holes in and feasting from bags of rice, corn, or wheat.

KEY FACTS

--~--3tI. ---

WAXBILL

,,"------~ ORDER Posseriformes

SIZES Length: 4-6 in. Weight: )4- ~ oz.

GROUP 2: BIRDS FAMILY Estrildidoe

GENERA Estrildo, Pytilio, Lonchura, etc.

BREEDING Sexual maturity: Under 1 year. Breeding season: During the rainy season. No. of broods: 1. Eggs: 4-8; white. Incubation: 10-21 days. Fledging period: 16-20 days. LIFESTYLE Habit: Social; may form lifelong pair bonds. Diet: Mainly grain, seeds, grasses, and small insects. Call: Various specialized contact and flight calls. Lifespan: Up to 8 years in some species; usually short-lived . RELATED SPECIES There are over 1 30 species of waxbill in 29 genera.

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Range of waxbills.

DISTRIBUTION

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Widespread throughout tropical and temperate forests, scrub, grassland, and semideserts across sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, Asia, and Australia. CONSERVATION Many waxbill species are caught in the wild and sold for the pet trade, but conservation measures do not seem to be necessary at present.

THREE AFRICAN SPECIES OF WAXBILL Orange-cheeked waxbill: Lives in parts of western and central Africa. Distinctive orange cheeks .

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Black-rumped waxbill: Black rump and tail feathers. Red band through eye. Inhabits open savanna and woodland in central Africa.

Common waxbill: Tapered red streak through eye. Inhabits subSaharan Africa, preferring grassy, cultivated areas.

Waxbills are a family of small birds well known for their varied and colorful plumage. They are highly prized as cage birds, and many species are trapped in the wild and sold.

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species.

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~ BREEDING

In most species of waxbill, the male displays during the rainy season, leaping about or swaying before a female to show off his colorful breeding plumage. Many waxbills form strong pair bonds that last even beyond the breeding season. The birds reinforce their links by preening one another and clumping (perching close together on a branch). After mating, both male and female build the nest, which is Left: A waxbill's nest is usually a fairly elaborate, domed structure made of grass.

Left: Orangecheeked waxbills are found in sub-Saharan Africa. Their long claws are suitable for perching on branches.

usually enclosed except for a side entrance and shaped like a pear, melon, or bottle. Some species build separate, more open nests for roosting. The common waxbill builds a roosting nest on top of its breeding nest. A few species nest in holes in the ground. The female lays four to eight white eggs, which are then incubated by both sexes for 10 to 21 days. The parents feed the hatchlings in the nest for up to t hree weeks. When the nestling opens its mouth to feed, distinct ive patches on its palate and tongue are visible. These markings help the adult find a chick's mouth in the nest's dim light. Left: Although a waxbill has a varied diet, its bill is typical of seedeating birds.

Right: The male blue waxbill has much more vivid plumage than the female.

Waxbills are extremely social birds that frequently form large flocks to feed, breed, and roost. Many other species have similar flocking instincts, but waxbills actually coordinate their movements so that they appear to move as one. It seems likely that the members of a flock use a complex system of calls and visual signals to communicate.

~ HABITS Very social birds, waxbills flock in large numbers. A typical flock may contain several waxbill species plus various species of the closely related weaverbirds. Flock members seem to synchronize their activities. The birds feed together, take off at the same time, and seem to move as one while flying. A

complex system of calls and visual signals probably helps reinforce the flock's behavior. Special "flight calls" may regulate takeoff and landing, as well as other movements. Certain behavior, such as simultaneous preening or bathing, may arise from the sight of other birds engaged in the same activities.

Left: Waxbills may lay up to eight eggs per clutch. But in some African species, such as the violet-eared waxbill, less than a third hatch and produce fledglings.

DID YOU KNOW? • The pin-tailed whydah, a weaverbird, often lays its eggs in the nest of the common waxbill. The latter may then raise a mixed brood of chicks. • Waxbill species that live in dense forest rely more on calls than on visual signals to com-

municate with flock members. l\Jot surprisingly, the opposite is true of species that dwell in open areas. It The colorful Gouldian finch is a protected species, and it may not be exported from its home in Australia.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING

Waxbills feed on small insects,

grass, and seeds. Some species also eat nectar and flower buds. The birds generally forage in a flock and begin feeding in the morning, often on grain crops. When food is plentiful, the birds may stop eating in the afterLeft: Paired and unpaired waxbills often perch close together.

noon and move to water, where they drink, bathe, and preen before returning to a communal roost at night. In the breeding season, some species feed almost exclusively on insects, which are abundant at that time of year. This diet is probably more nutritious for the chicks than plant matter.

' " CARD 265

EASTERN KINGBIRD ,,_________________________________~G_R_O_U_P_2_:_B_IR_D_S__~ .... ORDER ~ Passeriformes

FAMILy Tyrannidae

.... GENUS & SPECIES ~ Tyrannus tyrannus

I

KEY FACTS SIZE Length: 8-9 in . BREEDING Sexual maturity: 1 year. Breeding season: Spring. Eggs: 3-4; white to pale pink, speckled with brown . Incubation: 16-20 days. Fledging period: 2-3 weeks. LIFESTYLE Habit: Aggressive. Forms pairs in the breeding season. Roosts in flocks during winter migration. Diet: Mainly insects; fruit during the fall. Call: Harsh chattering notes, often heard at dawn . RELATED SPECIES There are over 360 species in the Tyrannidae, of which 12 are in the genus Tyrannus, including the western kingbird, T. verticalis.

Breeding range of the eastern kingbird.

Winter range.

DISTRIBUTION Found in southern and western Canada and throughout the U.S. mainland, except in a band from southern California to south Texas. Winters from southern Mexico to northern and western parts of South America. CONSERVATION The eastern kingbird's aggressive behavior and wide range make it one of the most numerous tyrant flycatchers.

THE EASTERN AND WESTERN KINGBIRDS Plumage: Dark slate-g ray back with white edge on the tip of tail. White underparts with pale gray tinge to breast feathers.

Head: Black with white cheeks and throat. Orange-red crown patch visible only when the bird raises its crown feathers

Bill: Broad-based and flat. Prominent black bristles at base.

Eastern kingbird

Plumage: Black tail with white on outer edges. Pale gray upperparts tinged with olive on back. Pale gray breast and yellow belly.

Eggs: White to pale pink with brown speckles.

The eastern kingbird is a busy, aggressive resident of North America. If an intruder approaches its nest and chicks, this plucky bird will go to great lengths to chase it away. © MCMXCII IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

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~ BREEDING During spring the male eastern kingbird engages in fierce fights with other males to establish a territory in which to nest and breed. He then courts a female with acrobatic flying. During this display, he raises his crown feathers to flash the patch of orange-red on his black head and sings his chattering song. Once paired, the birds build a nest on a branch or high post. The nest is made of leaves, small

The eastern kingbird is a member of a large family of insect eaters known as tyrant flycatchers. There are seven kingbird species that nest in the United States; and these birds are among the most aggressive in this family. None is more daring than the eastern kingbird.

~ HABITS The eastern kingbird is found in central and western as well as eastern North America. This bird lives in woods and on prairies as well as on farmland and in gardens. It is frequently seen perched on a branch or fence, watching for intruders. The bird is very agile not only in the air but also on the ground, where it moves quickly by hopping. The eastern kingbird's reputation for daring comes from its fearless protection of its nesting territory during the breeding season. It does not hesitate to attack large intruders such as crows and hawks. It dives at

The female incubates the eggs for a period of 16 to 20 days. The male stands guard nearby, dashing out to harass any intruder. He raises his crown feathers when excited. The hatchlings are thinly covered in down. The female cares for them while the male perches nearby, keeping watch. From time to time one parent flies out from the nest to catch insects for

twigs, grass, and strips of bark. It is lined with young roots, hair, and feathers.

the young birds. The young can fly after two or three weeks but depend on their parents for food for several more weeks.

Left: The eastern kingbird closely guards its chicks and is always ready to attack.

Right: The eastern kingbird builds its untidy nest on a forked branch high in a tree.

DID YOU KNOW? • Native Americans named the eastern kingbird "little chief" because of its courage. • The eastern kingbird does not attack intruding swallows because it cannot compete

with their expert flying skills. .' The "tyrannical" behavior exhibited by the eastern kingbird when defending its nest earned the bird its scientific name, Tyrannus tyrannus.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING them violently, making as much noise as it can. It will even alight on their backs and attack them with its claws and beak until they retreat. In the fall the eastern kingbird migrates south in large, loose flocks. In its winter quarters, it roosts at night with hundreds or even thousands of other birds. The eastern kingbird is less aggressive away from its breeding grounds, and it does not challenge other, resident birds in its usual way. Right: Perched on a high fence, the eastern kingbird has an all-around view of its territory.

Insects are the eastern kingbird's main food. The bird's simple, repetitive call is one of the first sounds that is heard at dawn. From then until dusk, it spends its time looking for insects flying nearby. It forages mainly in open areas, usually watching for its prey from a fencepost or tree branch. The eastern kingbird frequently catches insects in midair. Sitting quietly upright and alert, it darts out, snaps up its prey, and then returns to the perch to eat it. Sometimes it throws the victim into the air and catches it again before eating it.

Robber flies, grasshoppers, and crickets are the most common prey of the eastern kingbird. If it catches a large insect, it beats its victim against its perch to stop any twitching. Then the eastern kingbird holds the insect with its feet and tears off bite-size pieces. It seems to be immune to bee stings and eats honeybees. Beekeepers call it the bee martin for this reason. To prepare for migration, the eastern kingbird eats primarily fruit, which it plucks off bushes. The fruit is high in sugar, providing the fuel the bird needs for its long flight.

KEYFACTS ~

SALMON-CRESTED COCKATOO

,,---------------------------------------------ORDER Psittaciformes

FAMILY Psittacidae

GENUS &: SPECIES Cacatua moluccensis

__________________________~

SIZES Length: 20 in. Wing length: 12 in. BREEDING Breeding season: End of the Mayto-October dry season. Eggs: White; up to 7, but usually

2-3 . Incubation: 3~-4 weeks. LIFESTYLE Habit: Active during the day; mostly tree-dwelling. Diet: Seeds, nuts, fruits, and insects and their larvae. Call: Loud shrieks or screams. lifespan: Unknown in the wild; over 50 years in captivity. RELATED SPECIES There are 18 species of cockatoo. Other similar-size related cockatoos include the sulphur-crested cockatoo, Cacatua galerita, and the white cockatoo, C. alba.

Range of the salmon-crested cockatoo. DISTRIBUTION Native to the Moluccan islands of Ceram, Saparua, and Haruku in Indonesia. Also introduced into nearby Ambon . CONSERVATION The salmon-crested cockatoo is especially vulnerable because of its small range. The population on Ceram has declined in recent years, mainly due to the trapping of wild birds for export.

FEATURES OF THE SALMON-CRESTED COCKATOO Crest: Broad, rounded tuft of salmon-red feathers. Crest can be raised to signal readiness to mate or to show moods such as aggression or fear.

COMPARISON OF SPECIES \

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Bill: Short, deep,

and strong with sharp hook on upper mandible. Can crack hard nuts.

Plumage: White feathers with pinkish tinge.

White cockatoo: Pure white erectile crest.

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The salmon-crested cockatoo is one of the largest parrot species. It is also among the most beautiful, with its distinctive pink-tinged plumage and impressive rosy crest.

Feet: Have 2 toes at the front and 2 at the back for an excellent grip when perching . © MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

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Lead beater's cockatoo: Redand-yellow erectile crest with long white tips.

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~ BREEDING

The salmon-crested cockatoo breeds late in the hot, dry season just before the start of the monsoon rains in November. If . courting is successful, the male and female pair for life. After mating, they prepare a nest of wood chips at the bottom of a tree hollow. The female lays up to seven white eggs, which are slightly smaller than those of a chicken. Both sexes incubate the eggs for approximately four weeks. Once hatched, the offspring remain in the nest for almost three months. Then they finally venture into the forest. Left: Salmon-crested cockatoos pair for life. They often preen one another affectionately. Right: The salmon-crested cockatoo can raise its crest of feathers to signal its mood.

The salmon-crested cockatoo is popular with parrot keepers

DID YOU KNOW?

around the world. However, little is known of the bird's life

• This species is also called the rose-crested cockatoo. • Biologists think that the salmon-crested cockatoo probably evolved from an earlier species that migrated

in the wild. This cockatoo lives on just a handful of islands in Indonesia, where its numbers have been declining in recent years because of collection for the pet trade.

~ HABITS

The salmon-crested cockatoo is found on a small group of Moluccan islands in Indonesia. The largest population is on Ceram; others live on the small islands of Saparua, Haruku, and Ambon. On these mountainous, rainy islands, the salmon-crested cockatoo inhabits evergreen rainforests from close to the coasts up to 3,300 feet on the slopes. Like other cockatoos, this species is most at home in the trees. Its

~ FOOD & FEEDING

large size and distinctive coloring make it easy to spot in the foliage. It can also be identified by the shrieking call it often utters while flying tree to tree. The bird's most distinctive feature is its salmon-colored crest, which is larger than that of most other cockatoos. Rounded and broad, the crest is a tuft of feathers that are almost seven inches long. The bird can raise or lower its crest to display its mood.

The salmon-crested cockatoo has a short but deep bill that is strong enough to crack open hard nuts. The bird also uses its bill and narrow, blunt tongue to manipulate delicate foods like seeds and berries as well as insects and their larvae. Large forest fruits are also a vital part of the bird's diet. Some farmers consider this Left: The salmon-crested cockatoo

is threatened by the cage-bird trade.

from New Guinea thousands of years ago. • This cockatoo is difficult to breed in captivity. Not until 1951 was one reared successfully, in the San Diego Zoo.

cockatoo a pest because it often eats grain crops and raids coconut plantations. It especially likes the milk and soft flesh inside young coconuts and breaks through the outer layers of shell and fiber to reach these delicacies. The salmon-crested cockatoo flies to the ground to get a drink. It uses the lower half of its beak to scoop up water from pools.

SPOTTED FLVCATCHER

SIZES Body length: 6 in. Tail length: 2-3 in . Wingspan: 3-4 in .

GROUP 2: BIRDS ORDER Passeriformes

FAMILY Muscicapidae

GENUS & SPECIES Muscicapa striata

BREEDING Sexual maturity: 1 year. Breeding season: May to June. No. of broods: 1, occasionally 2. Eggs: 4-5; pale blue-green or buff with rusty red blotches. Incubation: 12-15 days. Fledging period: 11-14 days. LIFESTYLE Habit: Lives alone or in pairs . Day-active. Diet: Large flying insects; also small aphids and crustaceans. Call: Short, high-pitched squeak. RELATED SPECIES The family Muscicapidae is a very large and diverse group of birds that includes the pied flycatcher, FiceduJa hypoJeuca.

Breeding range of the spotted flycatcher.

Winter range.

DISTRIBUTION Winters in southern Africa from Kenya south to the Cape of Good Hope. Breeding territories extend from Great Britain north into Scandinavia, east into central Asia, and south to Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia . CONSERVATION Although trapped for food in some countries, the spotted flycatcher is still common in most parts of its range.

FEATURES OF THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER

Bill: Short, with a broad , flat base.

Flight: Quick and darting, enabling the flycatcher to snatch insects from the air. Wings are long and narrow.

Adult: Predominantly light brown with darker crown . White underparts, pale brown breast and flanks , white throat streaked with brown markings.

The spotted flycatcher is a small, agile woodland songbird. Often too quick for the eye, it can be located by the sound of its bill snapping shut on flying insects.

Eggs: 4 or 5; pale bluegreen or buff, speckled with rusty red blotches.

Juvenile: Mousy brown , with pr-om inent speckles over most of the plumage. ([I

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~ FOOD &: FEEDING

The spotted flycatcher eats primarily large flying insects such

takes insects from the ground and from foliage. Before eating

as bees, wasps, dragonflies, flies, butterflies, and moths. Its hunt-

a bee or wasp, it removes the stinger by beating the victim

ing technique is very distinctive. This bird perches on a branch

against the perch.

or gate post that gives it a good view of the surrounding area. When it sees prey, the flycatch-

Right: Extremely agile in flight, the spotted flycatcher can pluck insects (rom the air.

er flies out and loudly snaps up its victim in its short, pointed bill. The bird then goes back to its perch or nest, either to eat its meal or to feed its catch to its young. The spotted flycatcher also Left: The spotted flycatcher is distinguished by dark streaks instead of spots . Right: The flycatcher prefers to watch for prey from a perch rather than to hover overhead.

The spotted flycatcher breeds in Europe, Asia, and

DID YOU KNOW?

northern Africa. This bird often feeds on insects such as

• When it is too rainy for large insects to fly, the spotted fly-

bees, butterflies, and dragonflies, which it catches in flight.

catcher moves into the upper tree canopy, where it feeds on small aphids.

The spotted flycatcher inhabits the forest level just below the dense foliage of the canopYt where there is plenty of space for it to swoop down and pluck its prey from the air.

~ HABITS During summer, the spotted flycatcher is found across most of Europe and in central Asia. It inhabits sparse woodland, farms, parks, and suburbs. It requires open space for hunting as well as sufficient cover for building a nest and rearing young. This small, nimble bird has a rapid, darting, and somewhat erratic flight. It perches on low tree branches or fence posts, its head slightly sunk into its shoulders, watching for flying insects

• The spotted flycatcher is not normally aggressive, but during the breeding season it be-

comes increasingly territorial. • During the period prior to egg laying, the female spotted flycatcher seeks out calciumrich foods such as snails and wood lice. This feeding habit probably ensures the development of healthy eggshells.

I

~ BREEDING such as wasps and dragonflies. As the weather grows colder in September! spotted flycatchers from Scandinavia, Great Britain, and as far east as Lake Baikal in Siberia begin migrating south to their wintering grounds in Africa. By mid-November, they have settled from Kenya south to the Cape of Good Hope, inhabiting large tracts of thorn country and forest edges as well as lush suburban gardens in southern Africa.

The spotted flycatcher arrives at

may also offer food to his mate.

its breeding grounds in Europe and Asia in May, exhausted after migrating from Africa. It rests for

The pair then finds a hidden nest site, usually in a wall or tree crevice. Built from moss, lichen,

a few days before mating. A breeding pair engages in a simple but beautiful courtship

and plant fibers, the nest is lined with feathers and is reinforced with cobwebs and hair.

flight, flying together or chasing each other. The male occasionally lifts his wings over his back and rapidly vibrates them. He Left: The young flycatcher loses its distinctive thrushlike markings as it grows older.

Both sexes incubate the four or five eggs, which hatch in approximately two weeks. The male feeds aphids to the brood. The young are fledged after two weeks but rely on their parents for another two to three weeks.

KEY FACTS

RINGED PLOVER

SIZES Length: 8 in. Wingspan: 19-22 in. Weight: 2-3 oz.

GROUP 2: BIRDS ORDER Charadriiformes

FAMILY Charadriidae

GENUS &: SPECIES Charadrius hiaticula

BREEDING Sexual maturity: 1 year. Breeding season: March to August. No. of broods: 1 or 2, rarely 3. Eggs: Usually 4; grayish or buff and heavily speckled . Incubation: 3-4 weeks. Fledging: Almost 4 weeks. LIFESTYLE Habit: Sociable, flocking to feed, roost, and migrate. Diet: Marine worms, crustaceans, mollusks, insects, some plants. Call: Various piping or fluting calls, especially when courting. RELATED SPECIES Worldwide there are 58 plover species, including the semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus.

Resident range of the ringed plover.

Winter range .

Breeding range.

DISTRIBUTION Breeds in Europe, Asia, and Arctic North America. Many birds winter farther south. Resident in western Europe. CONSERVATION The ringed plover is generally increasing its numbers. However, the species does suffer from human disturbance of much of its coastal nesting sites.

FEATURES OF THE RINGED PLOVER Winter plumage: Duller coloring overall , with duskier brown neck, crown , and cheeks . White head markings are more buff.

Summer plumage (below): Medium brown upperparts. Black bands through eyes and over forehead . Black breast band , which narrows as it extends around neck. White underparts, 2 white patches on face, white neck band and wing bars .

Bill: Orange with a black tip in summer. Black in winter. Short and finely tapering , ideal for feeding on small marine prey.

Eggs: GrayiSh o r buff and heavily s'peckled with lavender and brown or black. They are barely visible on ..a sandy or rocky beach .

The ringed plover usually nests in sites that seem very exposed to danger. Yet the eggs, chicks, and adults are so well camouflaged that they blend into the background. (C)

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~ FOOD & FEEDING Ringed plovers forage in flocks, but sometimes an individual defends a particular area while feeding. The birds walk along the shore or wade in the shallows, picking mollusks, worms, and small crustaceans from the eddies. This plover uses the tapering tip of its short, sharp bill to extract the flesh from shells. Higher up on the beach, the bird catches insects and their larvae. It also feeds on some plant matter.

The ringed plover relies on sight to find food. Its large eyes enable it to feed at dusk or by night. When foraging, the bird runs a few steps, pauses with head cocked, then suddenly tilts its head and body in order to snatch prey. While swallowing, it keeps its head up, watching for danger. Right: The bold head and neck pattern of the full-grown ringed plover

breaks up its outline.

Left: The plumage of the young ringed plover is not as boldly patterned as the adult's.

Right: Although camouflaged by

its down, the chick leaves the exposed nest as soon as it can.

The ringed plover is a plump, little bird that is constantly on

DID YOU KNOW?

the move. It makes a short run and then stops to snatch at

• The ringed plover chick has a broad white collar as well as a black band above a white nape. If its parent sounds an alarm, the chick crouches motionless and draws back its head to hide these markings. The chick does not move un-

a small invertebrate. Its bold head patterning and brown upperparts give the bird excellent camouflage when it is nesting on a rocky beach. This plover is known for its melodious song, made up of piping or fluting notes.

~ HABITAT

The ringed plover lives on sandy and muddy shores, as well as on salt marshes, estuaries, and rocky beaches. Its habitat must be open, without vegetation to hamper the bird when it runs after prey. It must also be isolated because the ground nests are easily trampled. This bird breeds as far north as the Arctic tundra, and it migrates to beaches in southern Europe and Africa for the winter. In western Europe it is mostly resident, and numbers swell in the fall when migrants arrive.

Ringed plovers often rest at ponds and inland lakes when migrating. The resident birds are also beginning to move inland, frequenting mud flats around ponds, grassy areas around reservoirs, and gravel pits. With its black-and-white head markings, the ringed plover is well camouflaged as it sits on its exposed nest on a pebbly beach. But it is clearly visible when it nests on mud or grass. Right: Plovers are protective parents. They utter alarm calls to alert their chicks to danger.

til the parent signals it is safe. • This plover lures predators away from its eggs or chicks by faking injury. It flaps about, trailing a "broken" wing until it has led a fox or weasel far from the nest. Then it flies off, returning to its nest later.

MI BIRDWATCH

A small and plump bird, the ringed plover can be seen on open shores all year, but particularly in late fall and winter. Its white breast and face are banded with black, and its legs are orange.

~ BREEDING

By March, migrating ringed plovers have begun arriving at the breeding grounds. To attract a female, the male scratches in the sand or gravel, sometimes letting pebbles trickle down his breast. He crouches or stands erect to show off his bold patterning, then swoops around the female while piping loudly. He warns off other males by lowering his head, trailing his wings, and fluffing his feathers. Paired birds claim a nesting territory, often from the prior year. The male makes several

On land the bird resembles the little ringed plover. However, in flight the ringed plover shows its distinctive white wing bar. Its fluting call rises in pitch, while that of the little ringed plover falls in pitch.

ground scrapes, and his mate selects one. The nest is usually close to the high tidemark. It is concealed in the sand or among pebbles and lined with grass, wood, stones, and bits of shell. The female generally lays four eggs and then arranges them in a four-leaf clover plttern. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs for three to four weeks. The hatchlings leave the nest as soon as their down has dried. They can feed themselves, but both parents sound alarm calls to alert them to danger.

~ CARD 269

RED GROUSE

~~-------------------. . . ORDER . . . FAMILY ~ Galliformes

~ Tetraonidae

GENUS & SPECIES Lagopus lagopus scoticus

KEY FACTS SIZES Length: 15-17 in. Wingspan: About 2 ft . Weight: 1 ~-1 ~ lb. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 1 year. Breeding season: April to June. Eggs: 6-9; cream-colored with brown blotches. Incubation period: About 3 weeks. Fledging period: 2 weeks. LIFESTYLE Habit: In pairs during the breeding season. In flocks at other times. Diet: Mainly heather. Also other plants and sometimes insects. Calls: A variety of croaking, barking, and crowing notes. lifespan: Up to 8 years. RELATED SPECIES The only other species in the genus are the rock ptarmigan, Lagopus mutus, and the white-tailed ptarmi-

Range of the red grouse. DISTRIBUTION The red grouse is found in upland moors, heaths, and bogs across much of Great Britain and Ireland. CONSERVATION Numbers have declined in recent years for many reasons: disease, reforestation, overgrazing, the conversion of moorland to grassland, and the poor management of many moors due to the rising cost of labor.

gan, L. leucurus.

FEATURES OF THE RED GROUSE Plumage: Male (shown) is dark reddish brown mottled with black. White feathers on legs extend onto feet. Female is a much paler buff color.

Head: Relatively small, with a short bill. Both sexes have bare red combs above the eyes, but the male's are larger.

Flight: Reveals rounded wings with white undersides. The bird often bursts from cover, flying low over the heather with whirring wing beats.

Eggs: 6 to 9; cream-colored covered with dark brown markings. Laid in a scrape hidden among the heather.

The red grouse was once thought to be a species unique to Great Britain. But it is now considered a subspecies of the willow ptarmigan, found in northern Eurasia and North America. © Mr.MXCII IMP BVIIMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILE'M

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0160200821 PACKET 82

~ BREEDING

The red grouse inhabits the heather moorlands of Ireland and much of Great Britain. In many places the survival of this bird depends upon the management of the moors by humans. Gamekeepers practice controlled

To proclaim ownership of a territory and attract females, the male red grouse performs a display flight in spring. He flies to the boundary of his territory and climbs steeply. He then sweeps down on rapidly beating wings. With his head extended and tail fanned, he utters harsh, cackling

She then lays six to nine eggs at intervals of 36 to 48 hours. Incubation begins only when almost all the eggs are laid, so the chicks hatch together. The hatchlings are born with excellent camouflage coloring. They are able to find their own food within an hour, but they

calls as he flies. He may also proclaim his presence from a lookout such as a mound. After mating, the female digs a scrape in the ground and lines it with grass, moss, and heather stems. The site is usually well hidden among dense vegetation.

are brooded (covered with a parent's wings) at night and in bad weather. Both parents care for the chicks, which grow quickly and can fly after just two weeks. The family stays together until fall and then joins other families

Left: The red grouse is a hardy bird,

Right: Both parents must guard

well suited to the harsh winters in northern Britain.

the eggs against predators such as the hooded crow.

DID YOU KNOW? • Fossilized remains of the red grouse that date back about half a million years have been found in Ice Age deposits in Somerset, England.

heather, whose nutritious, succulent young shoots

• Red grouse have long been valued as game birds. In the 15th century laws were passed

make up the major portion of the red grouse's diet.

to protect them during their breeding season.

burning of specific areas to encourage the growth of

It is well equipped for surviving cold weather, with feathers that extend onto its nostrils, its legs, and even its toes in the winter. Its mottled plumage provides good camouflage among the vegetation, hiding the grouse from such predators as birds of prey or its greatest enemypeople with guns.

• August 12, the beginning of the grouse-shooting season in Great Britain, is known as the Glorious Twelfth. Red grouse can legally be shot until December 10. • Red grouse regularly feed on gravel from rocky areas in order to help them digest heather, which is their main food.

~

~ BIRDWAT CH

The red grouse is a plump, reddish brown bird . Its heavily barred plumage is mottled with black. The male is much

when the birds spring up out of a patch of heather, flying off with noisy, whi rring beats of their rounded wings .

darker than the female and has a larger red comb above

The birds' cackling, crowing calls are distinctive, especially those uttered by the male dur-

each eye. A flock is easy t o recognize

ing his territorial displays.

-.J

~ FOOD &: FEEDING

~ CHARACTERISTICS A ground-dwelling game bird, the red grouse is about the size and shape of a chicken. It has a short, stubby bill and short legs.

to form a winter flock.

The red grouse lives mainly on heather moorlands at elevations of 1,000 to 2,000 feet. Smaller numbers are also found in areas of rough grassland and on peat bogs. Some birds live at elevations of up to 3,000 feet, but others are found at sea level. The red grouse rarely roams more than a few miles in its life. But in especially severe winters, younger birds may leave the high moors for lower ground or even for farmland.

The moors in which most red grouse make their home are managed by gamekeepers to guarantee that there are large numbers of birds for the hunting season. By burning heather, they provide woody stems that offer the red grouse shelter and nesting cover, as well as fresh, young shoots to eat. The red grouse's diet is domLeft: For his courtship display, the

male raises his tail, drops his wings, and hangs his head.

inated by heather shoots. By choosing shoots according to height, age, and position on a plant, the bird can eat those that are richest in nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. The red grouse supplements its diet with other foods that vary seasonally. In spring and summer it feeds on flowering plants and grass seeds. In the fall it eats berries. Hatchlings feed mainly on insects, which adults may also eat in summer.

~RD270 J

PURPLE HERON GROUP 2: BIRDS ORDER Ciconiiformes

FAMILY Ardeidae

GENUS &: SPECIES Ardea purpurea

KEY FACTS SIZES Length: 2 ~-3 ft. Wingspan: 4-5 ft. Weight: 1-2 ~ lb. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 1 year. Breeding season: April to May in Europe and Africa; June to July in Asia . No. of broods: 1. Eggs: 3-6, usually 4-5 . Incubation: Almost 1 month. Fledging period: 6-7 weeks. Range of the purple heron.

LIFESTYLE Habit: Mainly solitary. Diet: Fish, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, and mammals. Call: Various hoarse croaks. lifespan: Oldest banded bird, 23 years and 2 months.

DISTRIBUTION The purple heron breeds in isolated populations in Europe as far north as the Netherlands, across India and Southeast Asia, and in sub-Saharan Africa. It winters mainly in central and eastern Africa and Madagascar.

RELATED SPECIES Herons, bitterns, and egrets are all in the family Ardeidae.

CONSERVATION The purple heron has declined in Europe since the 1970s due to habitat loss. It is vulnerable to land drainage.

FEATURES OF THE PURPLE HERON Head: Thin , with two long head plumes . Sharp , stabbing bill for catching aquatic prey.

Neck: Long , Plumage: Body is chestnut and purplish gray. Primary wing feathers are slate gray.

narrow, and flexible . Rusty brown with black stripes. Off-white on the underside.

TOQS: Very long .

The purple heron is one of the most colorful of all the herons. A solitary and wary bird, it is difficult to spot away from the cover of the dense reed beds where it usually makes its nest.

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Flight (juvenile shown): Wings arch noticeably. Long , thin legs and large feet trail far behind the tail feathers.

Eggs: Pale bluegreen . 3 to 6 laid in reed nest among dense rushes.

0160200821 PACKET 82

~ BREEDING

The purple heron breeds from April to May in Africa and Europe and from June to July in Asia. The bird's complicated courtship display is sometimes preceded by aerial chases and

circling flights. After courting and pairing in their winter quarters, the birds fly to their breeding grounds, where they search for well-concealed nest sites. A pair usually nests alone or with one or two other pairs but occasionally nests in big colonies. The male and female build the nest together, flattening an area among reeds and placing broken stems on the top. The

left: The purple heron often stands on one leg, watching for prey.

The purple heron is smaller and shier than its more familiar relative the gray heron, and its numbers are distributed over a smaller range. The bird matches its cousin, however, in the precision of its hunting and the complexity of its courtship displays. The purple heron pairs up in its winter quarters after a ritual in which each partner stretches, crouches, sways, bobs its head, and claps its bill.

comes near, the bird adopts a defensive posture, crouching with feathers ruffled, bill raised, and wings outstretched. It may then rise to its full height, curve its head and neck back over its body, and stretch its neck up so that its bill points skyward and blends in with the reeds. When not breeding, the bird spends most of the day alone,

them. When one bird relieves the other at the nest, both display in a manner that is similar to the courtship ritual-stretch ing, crouching, bobbing their heads, and raising their feathers. The bird at the nest is often unwilling to leave until its partner gently pecks it. Incubation takes about one month. The parents feed the chicks regurgitated food at first and then whole fish. The chicks can fly by seven weeks and are independent two weeks later. Right: The chicks can leave the nest about a week after hatching.

DID YOU KNOW? • The purple heron is found in Great Britain with increasing regularity. The visitors are juveniles that are making their first flight from Africa to European breeding grounds. They overshoot their target, arriving in Britain between April and September. • It is hard to distinguish the

heron's threat postures from its greeting postures. In friendly situations, however, herons avoid confronting each other face-to-face. • Many heron species engage in similar displays, but the purple heron's habit of puffing up its neck feathers when it is angry is unique.

~ FOOD & HUNTING

~ HABITS The purple heron lives in reed beds on marshes, swamps, and riverbanks. When an intruder

female usually lays four or five eggs at three-day intervals, and the male helps her to incubate

but it gathers in a communal roost at night. After sunrise, the birds spread out to feed alone. The purple heron is usually sedentary in Africa, but European populations migrate. Flying alone or in groups of up to a hundred, the young birds leave for Africa in August. The adults follow in September. In its winter quarters, the purple heron may frequent more open habitats than the thick cover it favors in its breeding areas.

A patient and skillful hunter, the purple heron stalks fish stealthily in the shallows or waits motionless in ambush. Standing in water, it looks downward, watching for the slightest movement. If a fish swims by, the bird strikes its victim crossways, using its long, sharp bill. It then raises its head, turning the fish around to swallow it headfirst. The purple her-

Left: The young bird is mottled with sandy brown. It becomes sexually mature at around a year old.

on preys on sticklebacks, carp, eels, bream, perch, and pikes. Although the bird feeds primarily on fish, it also eats other small animals such as mollusks, frogs, snakes, lizards, water beetles, spiders, and crustaceans. It even preys on small mammals such as mice and water voles. The purple heron feeds mainly in the early morning and evening. When it is providing food for its chicks, however, it also hunts by day.