Wildlife Fact File - Birds - Pgs. 301-310

KEY FACTS

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BAIKAL TEAL GROUP 2: BIRDS ~ ORDER

~ Anseriformes

~

FAMILY

~ Anatidae

GENUS & SPECIES Anas formosa

SIZES Length: 15-17 in . Wingspan : About 2 ~ ft. Weight: About 1 lb. BREEDING Breeding season: Mid-May to mid-July. Eggs: 6-9, yellowish white. Incubation: Almost 4 weeks. Fledging period: Unknown. LIFESTYLE Habit: Active by day and night. Migratory and sociable, living in large flocks . Diet: Aquatic vegetation and invertebrates, grass seeds. Calls: Male utters deep, clucking "ruk ruk ruk." Female has lowpitched quack. Lifespan: Unknown . RELATED SPECIES It is one of the dabbling ducks. Its closest relative is the green-winged teal, Anas crecca.

Breeding range of the Baikal teal.

Winter range .

DISTRIBUTION The breeding grounds are centered on the lower reaches of Siberian rivers, from the Yenisei River east to the Anadyr. The main winter populations are on floodplain lakes in southeastern China, South Korea, and southern Japan . CONSERVATION Conservation measures are necessary because the population of the Baikal teal has declined sharply in recent decades.

FEATURES OF THE BAIKAL TEAL Fl ight: Fast wing beats , but not as fast as greenwi nged teal 's.

Eggs: 6 to 9. Yellowish white with olive tint.

Female: Dull plumage si milar to that of the green-winged teal , but with a distinctive white spot on each side at base of bill.

The Baikal teal takes its name from Lake Baikal in Siberia. The bird breeds on the shores of that lake and farther north to the deltas of Siberian rivers within the Arctic Circle.

Drake (male) : Hand plumage, with a striking tern of green. black. buff. white on the face . Brown hrp.;~~"'''''_~ contrasts with grayish body. reddish brown , and blac eat MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILE'M

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~ BREEDING The Baikal teal pairs up with a mate in its winter quarters and returns to its breeding grounds in late April and early May. This duck usually makes a ground nest near water, hidden among scrub or under a willow or juni-

other ducks, they molt all their flight feathers at once. During this vulnerable flightless period,

per bush. Little is known about egg laying, incubation, or rearing of the young because the Baikal teal is especially secretive when it is nesting. After breeding, both parents molt (shed their feathers) . Like

reduces the risk that he will be spotted by predators. The male molts before the female does and may travel some distance north to do so. The female often molts while she is still rais-

Left: The male's facial markings make this duck one of the most striking teal species.

Right: The Baikal teal is threatened by overhunting and the loss of wetland habitat.

the male Baikal teal acquires a dull "eclipse" plumage similar in color to the female's normal plumage. This dull coloration

ing her ducklings.

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I

.r"f~),;.l ,~ . . The Baikal teal was one of the most common ducks in its range earlier in this century. But the population has declined so sharply that conservation measures are now needed to protect the species. The teal forms huge, dense flocks and regularly visits land to feed at night. Both habits have led to its downfall because they make it vulnerable to hunters.

~ HABITAT The Baikal teal lives on ponds, ma~he~andrive~inswampy

parts of the Siberian taiga (coniferous forests). The bird breeds in dense concentrations close to ponds along river valleys in the northeast, from the Yenisei River east to the Anadyr. Its breeding range extends north as far as the edge of the tundra and south to the north shore of Lake Baikal. The Baikal teal winters farther

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Left: Formosa, the name of the Baikal teal's species, comes from the Latin word for "beautiful. II

DID YOU KNOW? • In a single day in 1947, as many as 10,000 Baikal teals were killed by just th ree japanese hunters. • Russian names for this duck are bubbling teal and gurgler. Both names reflect the male's distinctive call. An old name

is spectacled teal, referring to the facial pattern of the male. • Although it is now rare, the Baikal teal was fairly abundant at one time. According to records, flocks of 100,000 members wintered in japan early in this century.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING south. It can be found on lakes, marshes, freshwater stretches of water, and sheltered coastal regions in southern japan, South Korea, and southeastern China. Little is known about many of the bird's habits because of its secretive nature and remote, secluded habitat. Right: Like the mallard, the Baikal teal is a dabbling duck that belongs to the genus Anas.

The Baikal teal feeds like other dabbling ducks. Dippi ng its bill under the water surface, it takes in water along with particles of plant and animal food. It then uses its large tongue to pump the water out the sides of its bill through thin toothlike ridges called lamellae. The Baikal teal eats a variety of plant food, from grass seeds to leaves of weeds. It also eats in-

sects, snails, and other aquatic invertebrates. Besides feeding in the water, it seems to spend a great deal of time eating on the shore, feeding on seeds and other parts of land plants like poppies. Some Baikal teals even eat acorns in woods far from water, and others feed on crops such as soybeans that have spilled from trucks onto roads. Winter flocks may visit crop fields .

KEY FACTS

LONG-TAILED TIT

,,-----~------------------------------------~ FAMILY ORDER GENUS &. SPECIES ~

Passeriformes

Aegithalidae

Aegithalos caudatus

SIZES Length: Head and body,

2~

in .

Tail, 3 in. Weight: About Y, oz. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 1 year. Breeding season: March to July. No. of broods: 1. Eggs: 7-12; pinkish, spotted . Incubation: 2 weeks. Fledging period: 15-16 days. LIFESTYLE Habit: Highly sociable year-round. Active by day. Diet: Small insects and their eggs and larvae. Some seeds . Call: Sharp, high-pitched notes. Lifespan: 8 years. RELATED SPECIES There are 4 other species of longtailed tit, including the sooty longtailed tit, Aegithalos fuliginosuswhich is found in China .

Range of the long-tailed tit.

DISTRIBUTION The long-tailed tit breeds in a broad band across Eurasia, from Ireland and Portugal east to Japan, extending north into Scandinavia and south into China . Most populations are resident, but some move to warmer areas in cold winters. CONSERVATION The long-tailed tit is reasonably common . But deforestation and the loss of hedgerows may affect numbers in certain areas.

FEATURES OF THE LONG-TAILED Tail: Distinctive black feathers edged with white. Exceptionally long-over half the bird's total length. Dips up and down in the bird 's weak, undulating flight.

Juvenile: While the young is in the nest, its tail is noticeably shorter than the adult's and its plumage is duller with no pink feathers. At 4 or 5 weeks of age (shown at left), the juvenile resembles the adult with the characteristic long tail feathers and a similar body coloring . However, it retains chocolate brown cheeks during its first few months out of the nest.

Eggs: 7 to 12; pinkish white with tiny, purplish red spots. Incubated by the female.

NORTHERN RACE

Adult plumage: Black and white wings; pinkish white body. White crown flanked by bold black bars. Male and female look alike .

Despite its name, the long-tailed tit is not related to the true tits. Like those birds, however, it feeds in flocks during fall and winter, flitting through woodlands in a constant search for insects. " MCMXCII IMP BV 'IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILE""

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A. c. caudatus: A whiteheaded race occu rring in Scandinavia.

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~ BREEDING When the weather is mild, winter flocks of long-tailed tits start to break up in middle February. At this time they form smaller

derwebs to make an oval shell. Near the top they leave a small entrance and then camouflage the outer shell with lichens. Fi-

breeding groups of males and females. It seems that only the dominant male and female in each group breed . The other birds in a breeding group are often related to the male and help rear the young . Most pairs have found nest sites by late March . A pair takes

nally, the birds line the inside with a great many feathers to provide insulation . The female lays 7 to 12 eggs, which she incubates. But many of the eggs are taken by predators- often early in the season when the nest is most conspicu-

up to three weeks to complete the purse-shaped nest. The birds begin at the base and work upward, using moss as well as spiLeft: Trees provide ample nest sites and a plentiful supply of insects for the long-tailed tit to eat.

The long-tailed tit is well known for the remarkable purseshaped nest that it builds in early spring. Constructed by both the male and female, the nest is made of moss and bound together by spiderwebs. It is camouflaged on the outside with lichens and insulated with an inside lining of as many as 2,000 feathers. In contrast to this complex

structure, true tits tend to use holes or birdhouses for nesting.

individuals. Larger flocks contain several family groups. The flock defends a territory for feeding and roosting as well as breeding. This bird frequently remains in the same territory for years. But in winter it may roam through nearby woods or hedgerows in

DID YOU KNOW? • Long-tailed tits sometimes use pieces of plastic instead of lichen for the outer layers of their nests. • In a severe winter a population of long-tailed tits.may fall by more than two-thirds. But the big clutches help restore numbers fairly quickly.

• Once the roof of the nest is completed, a long-tailed tit pair sleeps in the nest instead of roosting with the flock.

The long-tailed tit is a little bird that has black, w hite, and pink feathers. It possesses a longer

• Many British nicknames for the long-tailed tit refe r to its nest-building. Some examples include poke pudding, bottle tit, and oven builder.

tail than any other small woodland bird in Europe. Its tail plus its tiny, round body g ive t his species its distinctive appearance w hen it is perching or in

th e air. Duri ng its weak, undulating flight, the bi rd's tai l dips up and dow n. Flocks of long-ta iled tits can be seen flyi ng rapidly through trees and bushes. They cross gaps in single file, calling out constantly as they fly.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING

~ HAB ITS The long-tailed tit lives in a family group. In the early part of the breeding season, the group is fairly small. But just after breeding and in fall and winter, it may expand to a flock of 20 or more

ous. The remaining eggs hatch in two weeks. About two weeks later, the young fledge. They remain with the family flock until the following spring. Right: The chicks are not only fed by their parents but also by related nonbreeding adults.

search of food . Foraging flocks of long-tailed tits may be joined by true tits, goldcrests, and other small woodland birds. By roosting together in tight groups on sheltered branches, long-tailed tits are able to survive the winter. The birds keep their loose plumage fluffed out

The long-tailed tit feeds mainly on insects and their eggs and larvae plus other small invertebrates. It takes insects like aphids from leaves and buds and uses its bill to pry other insects from crevices in bark. This bird also eats seeds, but its bill can cope only with small, soft seeds such

to feed . But like true tits, it can hang upside down and peck at food that it is holding with one or both of its feet. In severe winters, many long-

in order to lose as little heat as possible from their tiny bodies. During the breeding season, the

as those of honeysuckle plants. Unlike true tits, the long-tailed tit rarely descends to the ground

adult pair and its young roost in a warm, feather-lined nest.

Left: The long-tailed tit feeds almost

northern part of the range, the birds spend most of their time foraging. They cover about four miles a day and spend just a few minutes in each tree.

exclusively on insects.

tailed tits die of starvation, since their bills are too weak to peck through the frost on branches in order to find food . Within the

KEY FACTS

GRAY BUTCHERBIRD ORDER Passeriformes

FAMILY Cracticidae

GENUS &: SPECIES Cracticus torquatus

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SIZE Length: 11-13 in .

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BREEDING Sexual maturity: 2 years. Breeding season: Varies, depending on the region . Eggs: 3-5, usually 4. Incubation: About 3 weeks. Fledging period: Almost 4 weeks. LIFESTYLE Habit: Territorial. Lives in pairs. Diet: Insects, lizards, birds, mice, some fruit and seeds. Call: Musical warbling and whistling song.

Range of the gray butcherbird.

DISTRIBUTION

RELATED SPECIES

Found in eastern, southern, and western Australia north to the

There are 10 species of butcherbird

Palmer River, Alice Springs, and the Ashburton River. It is also

that occur in Australia and eastern

found in northwestern Northern Territory and the Kimberleys,

Indonesia. These include the black

as well as Tasmania.

butcherbird, Cracticus quoyi; the pied currawong, Strepero groculina; and the Australian magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen.

CONSERVATION The gray butcherbird is widespread and numerous across much of Australia, with little adverse pressure on the population.

,

FEATURES OF THE GRAY BUT Plumage: Gray back and black top and sides of head. White collar, rump , and underparts. Black tail with white tip; black and white wing feathers.

prey includes insects , small birds , lizards, and mice.

The gray butcherbird'S musical song is one of the most beautiful sounds in the woods and scrubland of Australia. But this bird is also known for its grisly feeding habits.

Larder: The butcherbird stores extra food to eat later. It wedges it in the fork of a tree or sticks it onto a thorn or the barb of a barbwire fence.

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~ FOOD & HUNTING The gray butcherbird perches motionless as it searches its surroundings for any sign of movement. When it spots a victim, it swoops down to catch its prey and often flies back to the perch with its meal. The gray butcherbird hunts insects, lizards, other birds, and mice. In addition, it eats some fruit and seeds. Today, the Australian butcherbirds are classified in a family of their own. However, they were

The gray butcherbird lives up to its name by using its heavy, hooked bill to IIbutcher meat. A fierce predator ll

for its size, this bird kills whenever it can. It is capable of catching and dismembering prey that is much too large

to be swallowed whole. After the butcherbird tears up its catch, it may store some of it in a secure spot to eat later.

for tearing prey. Also like shrikes, they often catch animals that are too large to be swallowed whole and tear them up. But with its small legs and feet, the gray butcherbird cannot easily hold down food to tear it apart. So it carries prey to the fork of a branch, a thorny bush, or a wire fence and wedges it into a crevice or impales it on a barb. The bird can then use its bill to rip up the victim. Like shrikes, the gray

once thought to be related to the shrikes. Like shrikes, butcherbirds have strong hooked bills

butcherbird sometimes keeps a store of prey when it has caught

Left: The gray butcherbird alights on a prominent perch in order to survey the area for food.

Right: The gray butcherbird wedges prey in a forked branch to tear into manageable pieces.

extra food.

Left: The gray butcherbird is efficient, storing any food that it cannot eat right away on a fence or in a bush. Later, it returns to peck at the carrion.

DID YOU KNOW? • Australian names for the gray butcherbird include yoyjeddie and waddo-wadong. • Butcherbirds have frequently been seen hunting beside falcons, snatching creatures that have been driven from cover by the birds of prey.

• The gray butcherbird is so bold and aggressive that it will kill caged birds and pull them out through the wires. In contrast, some butcherbirds close to human habitations are so tame that they will take pieces of meat offered by hand.

~ HABITS The gray butcherbird is widespread over much of Australia, but within its range its distribu-

tory all year and often keep the same site year after year. Both

tion seems patchy. It is usually seen perching on a fence or a tree. Although the bird prefers open woodland, it also appears

sexes try to deter any intruders, and they sing frequently to announce their presence. Often they engage in duets, with each

at forest edges, among shrubs, and in vegetation along rivers, roads, fields, and even gardens, parks, and golf courses. In Tasmania many birds forage in suburbs and cities during fall. When foraging, the gray butcherbird

bird singing in turn. They partly open their wings and raise and bow their heads as they sing. The gray butcherbird is one of Australia's most musical birds, especially in fall. The phrasing of the song seems to vary according to the region. This butcherbird is also an expert mimic of other birds.

may hop along the ground. But it soon returns to the trees, often carrying its prey.

Paired birds defend their terri-

The gray butcherbird builds its nest up to 65 feet above the ground, usually in the fork of

the female lays three to five blue, green, or brown eggs that have reddish brown spots. She does

two fairly upright branches. It defends the nest fiercely and

most of the incubating, and the male hunts for food. The chicks hatch after about three weeks, and they remain in the nest for almost four weeks. When fledged, young butcherbirds have brownish plumage. This changes to the adult plumage during their second year. The adults do not usually allow their young to stay with them for long. But a few offspring may remain for a year or more and

swoops down at any intruders, including humans, and snaps at them with its sharp bill. The nest is a shallow bowl of twigs about eight inches across. From below it looks untidy, but the four-inch-wide inner cup is neatly shaped and lined with fine roots and grasses. There Left: The juvenile 's brownish feathers are replaced by adult plumage in its second year.

help feed the next brood .

~ CARD 304 1

KEY FACTS

WRYNECK

SIZES

"~__________________________________G~R~O~U~P_2~:~B~IR ~D ~S~~ .... ORDER ~ Piciformes

.... FAMILY ~ Picidae

Length: 6-6 ~ in.

GENUS & SPECIES

Wingspan: 10-11 in .

lynx torquilla

Weight: 1 oz. BREEDING Sexual maturity: 1 year. Breeding season : May to August. No. of broods: 1, occasionally 2 . Eggs: 7-10, white . Incubation: 11-14 days. Fledging period: 18-22 days. LIFESTYLE Habit: Day-active; territorial. Solitary outside the breeding season . Diet: Mainly ants. Also other invertebrates and plant food . Call: Series of up to 25 mournful, shrill notes used as a territorial call. Lifespan: Up to 10 years.

Breeding range of the wryneck.

Winter range .

DISTRIBUTION Breeds from Portugal north through Scandinavia and east to Japan. Also breeds in parts of China, Algeria, Turkey, and the former Soviet Union . Winters in Africa north of the equator, India, and parts of Southeast Asia.

RELATED SPECIES The wryneck has just one close rel-

CONSERVATION

ative: the rufous-breasted wryneck,

The wryneck is declining in most of western Europe but is

jynx ruficollis, which occurs in iso-

common in the rest of its range .

lated areas of Africa .

FEATURES OF THE WRYNECK

~iII: Long and sharp. Bird has a long : sHCI