the red-flanked bluetail ( tarsiger cyanurus ) , also known as the orange-flanked bush-robin , is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family turdidae , but is now more generally considered to be an old world flycatcher , muscicapidae .

it , and related species , are often called chats .

red - flanked bluetail

red - flanked bluetail , san clemente island , ca , 6 december 2011 . photograph by justyn stahl .
we generally substitute cameras for guns . for which small mercy we are all truly thankful . especially the red - flanked bluetail .
red - flanked bluetail “digi - binned” by jethro runco . note the buffy tipped greater coverts , indicating a first - winter bird .
is remarkably stable in taxonomic terms . in hong kong we know this species as the red - flanked bluetail . if you search in
when i read the conclusion of dresser’s chapter about the red - flanked bluetail . he notes that some authors divide the species into two forms ,
the red - flanked bluetail was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family turdidae , but is now more generally considered to be an old world flycatcher , muscicapidae .
red - flanked bluetail . tresta , 8th ocotober 2010 . dan brown . i got a very similar view as i flushed the bird by pis ( h ) sing .
suggests much more ambiguity around the bluetail ' s placement , vide : “orange - flanked bush - robin , tarsiger cyanurus ( synonyms , luscinia cyanura , nemura cyanura and ianthia cyanura ; protonym , motacilla cyanurus ) , pallas , 1773 , also known as the red - flanked bluetail or sometimes as the white - breasted blue wood - chat… . ”
the orange - flanked bush - robin is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
scored at halligarth everyone heard and got good if brief typically views of the dusky warbler plus 2 yellow - broweds and several swallows over . while otter searching , news broke of red - flanked bluetail on south mainland .
the red - flanked bluetail has a large range , estimated globally at 1 , 000 , 000 to 10 , 000 , 000 square kilometers . native to the asia but having migrated to much of europe , this bird prefers boreal , temperate , subtropical , or tropical forest ecosystems . the global population of this bird is estimated at 20 , 000 to 41 , 000 individuals in europe alone and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the iucn red list . for this reason , the current evaluation status of the red - flanked bluetail is least concern .
for another species that has occurred on occasion in north america , mostly in alaska , the genus has been changed : the red - flanked bluetail is now in luscinia rather than tarsiger . the luscinia genus is also that of the bluethroat and the siberian rubythroat .
red - flanked bluetail is traditionally an autumn vagrant in britain , this is the first record of a wintering bird . the earliest spring records both occurred on march 31st in 2007 at easington , east yorkshire and 2012 on lewis , western isles . april has hosted just three records and may just the one .
the orange - flanked bush - robin is not currently known to be facing any threats .
of this species dates back to october and november 1993 . i had recently taken up birding as a more serious interest . i remember that a red - flanked bluetail was found in dorset , england , at a place called winspit . the excitement was immense . this was the 13th british record at the time .
it is captioned as orange - flanked bush - robin . our vernacular is given second and then red - flanked bush - robin , blue - tailed robin , bluestart , and siberian bluestart . the advantage of a universal scientific name is thus demonstrated . my ( sadly out of date 5th edition ) copy of clements’
there are no known specific conservation measures currently in place for the orange - flanked bush - robin .
since 1993 , when the first twitchable mainland bird was found in dorset , there have been dozens of records , 2010 alone hosted up to 32 birds ! despite this red - flanked bluetail is still a species which for most birders still causes the heart to skip a beat every time one is found and for any dedicated patch worker a dream find .
little story : having been directed stu piner and finder dan brown i went on the other side of walled garden away from the rest of the group as we awaited the appearance of the tresta ( mainland not fetlar ) bluetail . needed a wee . my mid - stream urinating activity flushed the red - flanked bluetail from the wall’s base . right in front of me ! so i watched as it sat on branch only c 10 feet away - no bins needed - nor easily used ! result : my best ‘pish’ ever .
short time later bird is hidden again and i hear an odd call . kind of like a certain call of chiffchaff but wrong ; an odd warbler ? i went through a mental warbler list but couldn’t attach the sound to a species . then it called again – with almost chat like – stonechat like quality as well . i realised - it must be the bluetail calling . excellent ! for me better than brief views of the bird . seen red - flanked bluetail before but never heard the call . a new call tick !
red - flanked bluetail : breeds in mixed coniferous forests in asia , europe , from finland across siberia to kamchatka and japan . winters in asia , in the indian subcontinent , the himalayas , taiwan , and indochina . breeding range expanding through finland ; rare but increasing vagrant to europe , mainly to great britain . been a few records in westernmost north america , mostly in western alaska .
the orange - flanked bush - robin migrates south for winter , to southern china and southeast asia ( 5 ) .
morimoto , g . , yamaguchi , n . and ueda , k . ( 2005 ) plumage color as a status signal in male - male interaction in the red - flanked bushrobin , tarsiger cyanurus . journal of ethology , 24 : 261 - 266 .
satio , d . s . , morimoto , g . , fukunaga , a . and ueda , k . ( 2006 ) isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in red - flanked bushrobin , tarsinger cyanurus ( aves : turdidae ) . molecular ecology notes , 6 : 425 - 427 .
throughout its large range , the orange - flanked bush - robin occupies coniferous and birch forests ( 4 ) with dense undergrowth ( 2 ) .
this represents just the second lower - 48 record for red - flanked bluetail ( aba code 4 ) . the only other previous record was of a bird banded on southeast farallon island on 1 november 1989 ( which has not been entered into ebird ! ) . this is the third old world species recorded on san clemente island , following a bluethroat ( 14–18 september 2008 ) , and a stonechat ( 20–21 october 1995 ) . it’s been an amazing fall . who knows what will be next !
has also caught wind of the taxonomic discord among birders . under the headline
mystery bird : orange - flanked bush - robin , tarsiger cyanurus ,
red - flanked bluetail at wern ddu caerphilly . park in coed parc - y - van car park on the caerphilly to rudry rd . walk back 50 yds towards caerphilly and you will see a lane on the left . follow this lane over the railway bridge and then right to the warren . turn left here and follow the lane towards cardiff for about 200 yds . there is a notice board on the right and a bridle path on the left . take the bridle path and the bird was either side of this path but highly mobile .
wang , y . , chang , j . , moore , f . r . , su , l . , cui , l . and yang , x . ( 2006 ) stopover ecology of red - flanked bush robin ( tarsiger cyanurus ) at maoershan , northeast china . acta ecologica sinica , 26 ( 3 ) : 638 - 646 .
embed this arkive thumbnail link (
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title =
arkive species - orange - flanked bush - robin ( tarsiger cyanurus )
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arkive species - orange - flanked bush - robin ( tarsiger cyanurus )
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is
not globally threatened ,
according to the red list of the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) . in hong kong it is a common winter visitor and passage migrant .
members of the muscicapidae often show different shades of brown , chestnut , gray , white , and black in their plumage . some species also have patches of red and several have plumages that are predominantly blue .
still to be called
tanagers
, the birds in the genus piranga , that are making the move to the cardinal family , cardinalidae include the scarlet , summer , western , hepatic , tooth - billed ( of southern central america ) , red ( of south america ) , flame - colored , rose - throated , white - winged , red - headed , and red - hooded . others that made the move to cardinalidae are the ant - tanagers , in the genus habia , and those tanagers in the genus chlorothraupis ( the carimol ' s , olive , lemon - spectacled , and ochre - breasted ) . moving from cardinalidae are the saltators , in the genus saltator , to a
place unknown
.
ok , the editors here at crow ' s cottage are biased in andrew ' s favor , but these images are special ! if you study the gallery for a while , you ' ll find our bluetail amongst the flickr flock of beautiful birds . you ' ll also see world - class photographs of dragonflies , amphibians , insects , moths , dogs , and members of the human family .
less than sparrow . old male of red - flanked bluetail is determined unmistakably by the grey - blue upperparts , especially bright on lesser wing coverts and upper tail coverts ; the flanks are rusty . differs from the siberian blue robin by the rusty flanks . the autumn plumage is same color but the blue on the head and back is marked by olive - grey edges on feathers . in 2nd year male the coloration as in female : the tail is bluish , the rest of the upperparts are olive - gray , the flanks are rusty , narrow eye - ring is white , throat and belly are whitish , the breast is with unclear dark band . some of the males has female - like color all their lives ( grey - olive morph ) . juveniles are like the juvenile bluethroat or robins , olive - brown pale mottled ; but they are well distinguishable by the blue tail . weight 12 - 18 gr , length about 12 - 15 , wing 7 . 0 - 8 . 4 , wingspan 21 - 24 cm .
statement that “the one thing that appears consistent is that the orange - flanked bush - robin has never been placed into erithacus” since it is clearly placed there by ali . the moral of this story is do your own research . just because it is on the internet does not necessarily make it true !
the diet of the orange - flanked bush - robin comprises primarily insects , such as beetles , caterpillars , ants and wasps , which it forages for in the undergrowth or may snatch from the air in flight . it will also eat other invertebrates , such as spiders ( 2 ) , and feeds on fruits and seeds during the non - breeding season ( 2 ) ( 5 ) .
the orange - flanked bush - robin has an extremely wide distribution , occurring predominantly in asia . t . c . cyanurus is found from finland and north - west russia , across siberia , to china and japan ( 2 ) , while t . c . rufilatus is found throughout the himalayas ( 2 ) at 2 , 400 to 4 , 600 metres above sea level ( 4 ) .
the international union for conservation of nature assesses the conservation status of species , subspecies , and varieties of living things on a global scale to highlight taxa threatened with extinction . the red list of threatened species™ evaluates plants and animals according to seven categories : least concern , near threatened , vulnerable , endangered , critically endangered , extinct in the wild , and extinct . our pretty little bluebird , tarsiger cyanurus , holds the status of least concern and is considered stable .
during the breeding season , the male orange - flanked bush - robin arrives at the breeding grounds first ( 6 ) , and starts defending a territory of roughly fifty metres in radius , mainly through song ( 7 ) . with the arrival of the females soon after , breeding pairs will form , each occupying a single territory . however , the females may also mate with other males as well as their ‘partner’ ( 6 ) .
collar , n . , de juana , e . & christie , d . a . ( 2018 ) . orange - flanked bush - robin ( tarsiger cyanurus ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .
this species has a large range , with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 1 , 000 , 000 - 10 , 000 , 000 km² . it has a large global population , including an estimated 20 , 000 - 41 , 000 individuals in europe ( birdlife international in prep . ) . global population trends have not been quantified , but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the iucn red list ( i . e . declining more than 30 % in ten years or three generations ) . for these reasons , the species is evaluated as least concern . [ conservation status from urltoken ]
unlike many birds , the orange - flanked bush - robin nests on the ground rather than in trees . the female constructs a cup - shaped nest from twigs and moss , lined with feathers and grass , which is placed among roots or in a cavity in a tree stump or rotten log ( 2 ) ( 5 ) . three to seven eggs are laid , which are white and may have a few reddish speckles . the female incubates the eggs for 15 days , and the fledglings will spend a further 15 days in the nest after they have hatched ( 2 ) .
after what seemed like an eternity , i finally laid hands on my camera–a small point - and - shoot type , but that’s all i got ! i figured we’d better get pictures or no one would believe us ( and we needed them to help id the thing ) ! we took off and quickly refound the bird foraging along the canyon wall , completely oblivious to our presence ( a good thing for us ! ) . at first we just took in the bird , trying to mentally gather all the plumage details and foraging behavior . still having no idea what the bird was , i got the camera into action . the bird was very cooperative , allowing us to get within 10 - 15 feet . i was using one barrel of my binoculars to see through while the other had my camera pressed up to it in “digi - binocular” fashion . i figured if i could see the bird with one eyepiece , the other had to be on the bird , too . i took at least a 100 pictures knowing most would not turn out well , but hoping , hoping , a few would .
upon arrival at the natural resources office , justyn stahl , the shrike project manager , was standing in the doorway brushing his teeth… .
wintering in low mountain in the suburb of kyoto city . voice only , but unmistakably characteristic to this species .
sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .
until recently considered conspecific with t . rufilatus ( which see ) . proposed race pacificus not accepted . monotypic .
ec & ne finland and nw russia ( including c kola peninsula ) , and from ural mts e to n sea of okhotsk , kamchatka , s to altai ( including ne kazakhstan ) , n mongolia , n & c japan , ne china and n korea ; non - breeding s japan , s korea , e & se china ( mainly s of r yangtze ) , taiwan , hainan and n se asia .
13–14 cm ; 10–18 g . male is deep blue above , with brighter blue crown side , shoulder , rump and tail base , narrow whitish supercilium ; white chin to vent , . . .
song , by male from near top of bush or low branch , throughout day in early breeding season , also in . . .
little studied . invertebrates , mainly insects ; also fruits and seeds when not breeding . stomachs of russian breeders held beetles and their . . .
season may–aug in most of range , end jun to mid - aug in n korea ; at least occasionally double - brooded , apparently regularly so in . . .
migratory in most of range ; in c & s japan some merely undertake altitudinal movements to . . .
not globally threatened ( least concern ) . common in much of range , e . g . common breeder in kuriles and n japan ( hokkaido ) , rarer farther s . common to abundant autumn migrant at . . .
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sometimes merged into luscinia , earlier into erithacus ; recognition as a separate genus , sister to ficedula , supported by molecular work # r .
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close in size and structure to european robin , though slightly shorter billed and longer tailed . small , fairly compact chat , with general character recalling both european robin and redstart . female dull olive - brown above , with pale eye - ring and darker , blue - washed rump and tail , dull white below , with brown chest and orange flank - panel . sexes disimilar , no seasonal variation .
breeds in upper - middle and marginally in upper continental latitudes , exclusively boreal and mountain , in thick mossy conifer forest , especially taiga , on moist soil , generally with undergrowth . also mixed forest with birch and rhododendron . in far east , more often in birchwoods , even up to 3000 m in japan , where trees no more than 3 m high .
tarsiger cyanurus has a predominantly asian distribution , but its breeding range also extends into the boreal zone of european russia and finland . its european breeding population is relatively small ( < 21 , 000 pairs ) , but was stable between 1970 - 1990 . no trend data were available for the stronghold russian population during 1990 - 2000 , but the small population in finland increased
diet based on insects , also fruits and seeds outside breeding season . feeds in low trees , shrubs , and on ground . catches insects by hopping about on ground , by perching and flying down to take items located , and by brief aerial - pursuit like flycatcher .
breeding starts june - august in former ussr . nest site is on ground in hollow among tree roots , or in hole in bank , or slightly above ground in stump or fallen log . nest cup consists of moss , grass , and roots , lined with softer grass , wool , hair , and sometimes pine needles . 5 - 7 eggs incubated by female .
west palearctic populations are long - distance migrants ( wintering from burma east to southern china and taiwan ) . ( southern race rufilatus , breeding himalayan region and western china , mainly shows short - distance altitudinal movements . ) west palearctic birds therefore make long easterly movements ( in autumn ) , passing north of major central asian mountain systems , before turning south through mongolia and china . autumn migration begins early september ; northern edge of range deserted by mid - september . return passage begins april , vanguard reaching southern siberia in second half of april . spreads north and west during may , reaching arkhangel‘sk region around 20 may - 4 june .
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has gray wash . very active bird . hops on ground while bobbing tail up and down . forages on ground and in trees for various insects and berries .
a group of thrushes are collectively known as a
hermitage
and a
mutation
of thrushes .
the old world flycatchers are one of the one hundred forty - two families of birds in the order passeriformes ( pronounced pas - ser - i - for - meez ) ; a large taxonomic order that includes bird families such as the nuthatches , swallows , and starlings .
there are three hundred and fifteen species of old world flycatchers in forty - eight genera in the muscicapidae ( pronounced musi - kap - uh - dee ) , a family mostly found in eurasia and africa .
there are sixteen species of old world flycatchers in seven genera in the muscicapidae that have occurred in north america and hawaii . all but three of these species are vagrants to the region .
the members of this family are known for their cheery , chattering songs and small size . in europe , the european robin is one of the most well known , confiding , garden bird species .
the old world flycatchers are small birds with thin , rather short bills . although the wheatears and a few other species have long wings , most have short wings , medium - length tails , and rather long , strong legs and feet for hopping on the ground .
members of the muscicapidae occur in a wide variety of habitats that include tundra , grasslands , marshes , boreal forests , gardens , and tropical forests . the two species that breed in north america are birds of the tundra and willow thickets . a third species that was introduced to hawaii occurs in gardens . the other north american muscicapidae species are vagrants from asia .
in north america , all members of this family are migratory and spend the winter in africa and southern asia .
most muscicapidae species are solitary birds for most of the year although some species forage with other bird species in mixed flocks . members of this family glean insects off of vegetation and pick them out of the air in fluttering flight .
none of the members of this family that occur in north american are threatened with extinction . elsewhere , the black - throated blue robin of central and southern china is considered to be vulnerable and has only been seen on a handful of occasions .
the northern wheatears that breed in tundra habitats of northern north america migrate to sub - saharan africa for the winter . the other species that breeds in north america , the bluethroat , also migrates to ancestral wintering grounds in southern asia instead of migrating to mexico and central america .
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the ventral part of the bird , or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast . flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast .
i live in marshfield and spend most of my bird watching time on the local patch . normally i go north of the village as there is high land there , and in the past we have had all three harriers , 15 short - eared owls two years ago , and quail are regular in the summer . it ' s mainly known for its roost of up to 500 corn buntings in winter and dozens of pairs breeding in the summer . it ' s wonderful area , with lots of farmland species that are rare elsewhere .
up to yesterday the best spot was in 1989 when a woodchat shrike spent a sunday afternoon by rushmead farm , found by another regular visitor to the patch , martyn hayes .
thankfully martyn arrived with his camera , and the result can be seen on his ' the birds of south gloucestershire ' website ! jack also arrived and before dusk five other people were able to get to the valley .
i was happy for the news to get out as it was on a public footpath , and as long as visitors parked on the upper lane off the main road to tormarton , which is a rat run to the motorway , i was confident that all would be well .
i went along today at about 11 30 and found 70 more people than are normally in the valley on a sunny day in february ! i was really pleased that everyone was able to get really good views without having to wait around or search . i believe that over 200 people came during the day , maybe more .
the bird is north of marshfield in shire valley 100yds beyond houses at shirehill farm . please park carefully on the road north of the valley and don ' t block access st . 785 . 770
. walk to the valley and then east on path past farm . the bird has been very obliging at times and with patience and quietness you should obtain good views .
jon dunn brings you a comprehensive roundup of the week ' s best birds from around britain , ireland and the western palearctic , including pacific golden plover and squacco heron . more here >
hen harrier has bred on the national trust ' s high peak moors , in the peak district national park , for the first time in four years . more here >
research has found that young turtle doves raised on a diet of seeds foraged from arable plants rather than food provided in people ' s gardens are more likely to survive after fledging . more here >
a french director said on monday he would abandon filming at a mediterranean wetland after a pilot sparked panic among a huge flock of flamingos . more here >
male purple - crowned fairy - wrens use their purple crowns to show off about their social status and strength , according to a new study . more here >
european fishing activities take place outside european waters , including in west and northern africa , where the pressure put on marine life and ecosystems is just as alarming and devastating . more here >
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incubates keeps eggs warm so that development is possible . invertebrates animals with no backbone , such as insects , crustaceans , worms and spiders . subspecies a population usually restricted to a geographical area that differs from other populations of the same species , but not to the extent of being classified as a separate species . territory an area occupied and defended by an animal , a pair of animals or a group .
del hoyo , j . , elliot , a . and christie , d . a . ( 2005 ) handbook of the birds of the world . volume 10 : cuckoo - shrikes to thrushes . lynx edicions , barcelona .
delin , h . and svensson , l . ( 2009 ) philip’s guide to birds of britain and europe . philips , london .
sibley , c . g . and monroe jr . , b . l . ( 1990 ) distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world . yale university press , new haven and london .
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quite far from his regular area ! what a nice observation . first time in wallonie , thank you to the finder . recorded with iphone 8 .
two males ( but not seen ) were competing for territories near a mountain stream . wintering near suburban region in kyoto city . same individuals as in xc202850 .
two birds are calling each other for claiming winter territories . just started wintering in low mountain in the suburb of kyoto city . one of the bird ( closer one ) is the same one as in xc202387 .
first recognition in this winter . unidentified species ( tit ? ) in the background . wintering in low mountain in the suburb of kyoto city .
wintering in low mountain in the suburb of kyoto city . two birds were competing in calls . low - frequency noise has been suppressed .
slightly atypical call ( rising pitch ) for this species . in low mountain in the suburb of kyoto city . same individual as in xc193024 .
slightly atypical call ( rising pitch ) for this species . in low mountain in the suburb of kyoto city .
typical soft low - volume calls of this species . background tit species id not sure . wintering in low mountain in the suburb of kyoto city .
two types of calls are recorded . the one is noise - like clicks ( 0 : 02 , 0 : 07 , 0 : 11 , 0 : 14 etc ) . repeated whistle - like calls start at 0 : 19 and continue throughout the recording . in low mountain in the suburb of kyoto city .
overlapping japanese white - eye ( zosterops japonicus ) is rather strong . wintering in low mountain in the suburb of kyoto city .
couldn’t resist a pre - dawn assault on skaw and norwick - checking for visible ( and audible ) migration . clearly brambling , siskins and redwings were on the move - expect new birds today me thinks . the 2 little buntings called too each other very early and seemed to fly off south .
just offshore the educational duo of juvenile terns : 1 common and 1 arctic tern showed well plus 2 1st winter little gulls . the black duck hybrid thing flew around . nice morning . heading south we had another ‘from the van’ find . graham picked up a barred warbler along a stone dyke at haroldswick - just before the phone purred to say a dusky warbler had been found at halligarth .
by the time we had reached the north mainland there was a choice . 2 bluetails . one at geosetter and one at tresta . we opted for the tresta bird found by punkbirders .
siskin , norwick unst 8th october 2010 . migrating siskins , bramblings and redwing heralded ‘news birds’
another ‘from the van’ find . noticed by graham – a barred warbler on stone dyke at haroldswick . pink - footed goose was new for the week here also .
lapland buntings continued to be seemingly ‘everywhere’ . we must have seen or heard some hundreds of birds .
then a final drive to drop off our excellent tour group of paul , andrew , graham and chris at the sumburgh hotel . 1 week and some 115 species later . new ‘life’ birds for everyone and some top - notch scare and rare bird finds . not sure anyone was keen for it to end . the only slight regret through the day was that a pallas’s warbler had been seen well up the skaw burn . we predicted that the sumburgh area was a likely spot for one to turn up before flights home the next morning . must try that prophesy thing more often ! next time then !
pingback : white - throated robin . really 3 years ago ? | birding frontiers
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breeds in western altai ( lineyskiy and ivanovskiy ridges ) . at summer it was recorded in southern altai ( altaisky tarbagatay ridge , markakol lake ) . on migration occurs near kustanay ( in autumn of 1920 ) , in kurgaldzhino reserve on kulanutpes river ( september 29 , 1960 ) , near semipalatinsk ( october 9 , 1936 ) , on sorbulak lake ( october 2 , 2011 ) , in chu valley ( october 10 , 2012 ) .
в . к . рябицев .
птицы урала , приуралья и западной сибири
. екатеринбург , изд - во уральского университета , 2000 . э . и . гаврилов .
фауна и распространение птиц казахстана
. алматы , 1999 . gavrilov e . i . , gavrilov a . e .
the birds of kazakhstan
. almaty , 2005 .
птицы казахстана
том 3 .
наука
. алма - ата , 1970 .
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welcome to the grc recorders pages . this blog provides details on all the relevant news of glamorgan’s scarcer birds , plus all bbrc & wrp decisions that affect us locally . it will also be used to document the status and occurrence of these scarcer species and we welcome contributions from anyone with photographs , artwork or documentation of rarities past , present and future . the grc also welcomes all seawatching news from around glamorgan and news of passage migrants in spring & autumn , uncommon birds in our area and unusual behaviour .
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the glamorgan rarities committee , in conjunction with the glamorgan bird club & gower wildlife , have agreed to co - operate with the welsh ornithological society in the sharing of bird records & photographs in the interest of keeping accurate records and to promote birdwatching in north , mid & south wales .
i ' ve copied alan ' s notes giving directions for those who like me will be hoping this bird sticks around for a bit .
great find indeed present until at least 2 . 30pm this afternoon 27th at the same location as paul roberts post on this blog . it is quite difficult staying low and sometimes subjected to disturbance by robins . extremely difficult for photography at the moment .
all records of rare and scarce species submitted to the society are considered by the kos rarity panel before being accepted for publication in the kent bird report .
all british birds rarities require descriptions and will be assessed by the british rare birds panel . urltoken
, a quarterly journal produced by the bto which he is is anxious to find a new home for . anyone interested please contact john on 01580 212329
friends of dungeness moth licenceswith the changes in permission for moth trapping in the area around the long pits , dungeness , we are very pleased to announce that we have 2 moth licences for use by ' friends ' of the observatory . please contact the warden for more information .
the patch is steadily getting busier as the month progresses . 16 mediterranean gulls including several juveniles were present on the beach this morning . three yellow - legged gulls , one adult and two juveniles were also present . five grey herons came in off the sea and headed towards the lydd ranges . a grey wagtail flew west along the beach [ … ]
jack , jay and i took the ' gary ann ' out of deal along the coast to dover harbour to survey breeding seabirds on the cliffs today . it provided a very different view of the area and was probably most notable for the alarming lack of breeding birds ! the paucity of species appears to follow a nationwide [ … ]
a honey - buzzard flew over the top of the high street in kingsdown this afternoon , mobbed by jackdaws .
myavibase allows you to create and manage your own lifelists , and produce useful reports to help you plan your next birding excursion .
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british ornithologists ' union checklist ( 7th edition , incl . jan 2009 suppl . ) :
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i have found only one clear change in genus . at some point it moved from
( 1871 - 1881 ) . he addresses the identification and distribution in some detail . his chapter on what he tagged as
reads like a who’s who of contemporary ornithology : seebohm , jerdon , von middendorff , von schrenck , radde , père david , przevalsky , swinhoe , hume , stoliczka , hodgson — names that we still honour today .
. he debunks this division , but to me it is amusing to discover that even in the late nineteenth century the lumpers and splitters were at it . ‘armchair ticks’ are not a new invention .
the taxonomy of this species is confusing ,
the article reads . indeed ! here ' s the link :
is fully recognized today as that of the delightful wagtails . i am equally bewildered by
is a bird of forests and scrub or shrub . in hong kong i have seen it in gardens , at roadsides and on fences . invariably some sort of cover is available if the bird feels the need to retreat under threat . i tend to see the bird in sparsely copsed areas where , with a little patience , it is possible to get good views and take photographs . it seems to remain loyal to a patch once it has settled . i wouldn’t say it is inquisitive , but its circle of fear is not too wide . it rarely seems to fly far and will return if the observer sits quietly and still for a while . david tipling , writing in
motacilla cyanurus , pallas , reise russ . reichs , ii . p . 709 ( 1776 ) .
the male siberian blue - tail is blue above , with a white eye - stripe ; and white below with orange - chestnut flanks . the female is olive brown above with no eye - stripe , and in addition to the orange flanks there is an obscure broad brown band across the breast .
figures : temminck and schlegel , fauna japonica , aves , pl . 21 ( male and female ) ; david and oustalet , ois . chine , pl . 28 ( male ) .
the siberian blue - tail is a summer visitor to yezzo ( whitely , ibis , 1867 , p . 197 ) ; but in the more southerly islands of japan it is a resident , breeding on the mountains and wintering in the plains . there are twelve examples in the pryer collection from yokohama , and mr . ringer has sent skins to the norwich museum obtained at nagasaki ( blakiston and pryer , trans . as . soc . japan , 1882 , p . 161 ) . there is an example in the pryer collection from the central group of the loo - choo islands ( seebohm , ibis , 1887 , p . 174 ) , and another in the museum of the smithsonian institution at washington from the same locality ( stejneger , proc . united states nat . mus . 1886 , p . 646 ) .
the range of the siberian blue - tail extends from the ural mountains , whence i have seen examples in the moscow museum , to kamtschatka . it is a winter visitor to china and formosa .
i found this bird in the valley of the yenesay as far north as the arctic circle , and mr . jouy describes it as one of the commonest birds in the mountains of japan during summer , often the only one seen on some of the higher passes . it is very familiar in its ways and easily approached . seated on a low branch of a tree or shrub , with its head on one side , it utters a low guttural chuckling note ( jouy , proc . united states nat . mus . 1883 , p . 281 ) . mr . jouy procured examples of this species on fuji - yama in june and on tate - yama in december .
t h e b i r d s of the j a p a n e s e e m p i r e by h e n r y s e e b o h m with numerous woodcuts ∞ 1890 | london : r . h . porter , 18 princes street , cavendish square | pp . 58 - 59
is an enthusiastic photographer across a wide range of genres , from wildlife to street . he grew up in rural britain but has traveled the 7 continents in search of birds and photographs . now settled in rural hong kong , he continues to indulge his passion for books , wildlife and photography . andrew is a moderator of the
as our essay illustrates , taxonomy for birds has entered a period of great flux . one organization , birdlife international , is tracking the
current phase of taxonomic revision
toward the goal of making some sense of it all . the web linked here points to
the birdlife checklist ,
a useful tool for the study of the depth and complexity of taxonomy and classification . the checklist can be downloaded for free .
andrew ' s blog showcases a wide range of his interests : photographs and commentary inspired by the natural world and the creatures who inhabit it . you ' ll also find some compelling character studies of our fellow humans .
notices announcing new entries for crow ' s cottage glossary and compendium are sent by e - mail express to my list of family , friends , students , and fellow travelers . if you ' ve come here by some other means , i invite you to write me at the address below so i can add you to the list . it ' s a private list , shared with no one and guarded by a flock of warrior crows with sharp claws and diligent fairies with tricks of illusion . aggressive or pacific — you choose — the guardians are in our service to ensure your privacy .
eclecticisms most plausible , spare embodiments in miniature , congruous abridgements , the occasional received epitome , choice facts , strange mysteries , unfettered digressions — each and all found within the smaller compass of the greater work , the magnum opus , with particular attention given to the natural world , its beings , objects , forces , and ideas , including the diverse ways nature is viewed and engaged by humanity .
crow ' s cottage glossary and compendium lives on urltoken , a developmental web for the mind and spirit . corndancer has participated in the world wide web since 2000 . submissions are invited and warmly welcomed . contact webmaster at threadspinner @ urltoken
some recent bird taxonomy changes , including two murrelets where there was one and new taxonomy from the bou ( the british ornithologists union ) and in a new book about owls this feature , composed by armas hill , relates to updates and revisions of bird taxonomy and nomenclature during the 3 years from 2012 back through 2010 . the changes have been incorporated in the lists and photo galleries of birds linked at the end of the feature .
a new subspecies has been created for the european storm petrel , hydrobates pelagicus . it is : the mediterranean storm petrel , hydrobates melitensis , breeding on the cabrera archipelago of the balearic islands off northeastern spain . and , lastly , here , the bou has put the ruff , the buff - breasted sandpiper , and the broad - billed sandpiper into the genus calidris . these 3 species have had their own unique genera .
one of the best books anywhere about owls was published earlier this year , in 2012 . it is entitled
owls of the world , a photographic guide
, by heimo mikkola . in the book , the photographs of virtually every owl in the world , are tremendous , and the text is informative and excellent . heimo mikkola is an owl expert who has been studying owls for a long time . another book of his ,
owls of europe
has long been in my library . it was published in 1983 . in the 2012 book , there is some interesting
new
taxonomy , including : the american barn owl split from that in the old world , along with some other barn owls in the area of the caribbean , the splitting of owls in the galapagos islands , both the barn and the short - eared owls , and the splitting of the ferruginous pygmy owl into various
species
including the ridgway ' s pygmy owl in central america , and the chaco pygmy owl in , among other places , southwestern brazil . a number of other adjustments have been made to screech owls and other pygmy owls in central & south america . the mottled owl is treated as an exclusively south american species , with now the mexican wood owl in mexico & central america . in all , there are 249 different owls in the book .
if you ' ve been in costa rica , you may have another adjustment to your bird - list . it is now the costa rican brush finch , arremon costaricensis , in southwestern costa rica and adjacent western panama , and the black - headed brush finch , arremon atricapillus , further east in panama . both of these were part of the stripe - headed brush finch of further south , in south america , arremon torquatus . if you ' ve been to the galapagos islands , the galapagos shearwater , now puffinus subalaris , has been split from the audubon ' s shearwater . genetics have shown it to be more closely related to the christmas island shearwater . other changes in 2012 relate to genera : the genus of the calliope hummingbird is now selasphorus , the same genus as the rufous , allen ' s , and broad - tailed hummingbirds . the calliope was in a genus of its own , stelluta .


the panamint kangaroo rat ( dipodomys panamintinus ) is a species of rodent in the family heteromyidae .

it is endemic to the mojave desert in eastern california and western nevada , in the united states .

panamint kangaroo rat

different species of kangaroo rat may have different seed caching strategies to coexist with each other , as is the case for the banner - tailed kangaroo rat and the merriam kangaroo rat which have overlapping ranges .
giant kangaroo rat the giant kangaroo rat is the largest of all kangaroo rats and has a body length ranging from 15 to 20 cm and a tail length of 18 to 21 .
com : similar species giant kangaroo rat is usually larger , with longer hindfoot .
endangered status the giant kangaroo rat is on the u . ( full text )
dipodomys merriami / d . ordii —merriam ' s or ord ' s kangaroo rat
the house rock valley kangaroo rat ( d . microps leucotis ) is vulnerable .
the merriam kangaroo rat lives in stony soils including clays gravel and rocks , which is harder than soils preferred by some other species like the banner - tail kangaroo rat .
the giant kangaroo rat the giant kangaroo rat ( dipodomys ingens ) is a rodent named because of its tendency to move by jumping on its hind legs . ( full text )
giant kangaroo rats are distinguished from the similar san joaquin kangaroo rats ( d .
spatial and temporal continuity of kangaroo rat populations shown by sequencing mitochondrial dna from museum specimens .
grinnell , j . : habitat relations of the giant kangaroo rat . j . mammal .
seasonal variation in various blood indices of the kangaroo rat , dipodomys panamintinus . - pubmed - ncbi
tappe , d . t . : natural history of the tulare kangaroo rat . j . mammal .
1 . various blood indices in the panamint kangaroo rat revealed seasonal fluctuations . the red blood cell count during winter and summer averaged 7 . 2 ± 1 . 0 × 10 6 and 9 . 2 ± 0 . 2 × 10 6 / mm 3 respectively .
the burrows of merriam kangaroo rats are simpler and shallower than those of banner - tailed kangaroo rats . banner - tailed kangaroo rats also mate in their burrows , unlike merriam kangaroo rats .
the giant kangaroo rat ( dipodomys ingens ) is an endangered rodent species endemic to california . ( wiki )
kenagy , g . j . : saltbush leaves : excision of hypersaline tissue by a kangaroo rat . science
spatial and temporal continuity of kangaroo rat populations shown by sequencing mitochondrial dna from museum specimens . - pubmed - ncbi
fitch , h . s . : habits and economic relationships of the tulare kangaroo rat . j . mammal .
culbertson , a . e . : observations on the natural history of the fresno kangaroo rat . j . mammal .
the kangaroo mice are closely related to the kangaroo rats , which belong to the same subfamily , dipodomyinae .
the kangaroo mice are closely related to the kangaroo rats , which belong to the same subfamily , dipodomyinae .
home range size can vary within species with merriam kangaroo rats having larger home ranges than banner - tailed kangaroo rats . recently weaned kangaroo rats move into new areas not occupied by adults . within its home range , a kangaroo rat has a defended territory consisting of its burrowing system .
, merriam ' s kangaroo rat , is a rodent found in the arid regions of the southwest united states and mexico .
reynolds , h . g . : life history notes on merriam ' s kangaroo rat in southern arizona . j . mammal .
) are a group of burrowing north american rodents specialized for seed - eating . they are named for their hopping locomotion and have large hind feet , long tails , and short front limbs used mainly for gathering seeds , which are carried in fur - lined external cheek pouches . all kangaroo rats closely resemble each other , but vary considerably in body size . this is the panamint kangaroo rat
has a whopping 4 cubic centimeters per pouch . in spite of the large capacity of their cheek pouches , these kangaroo rats are slower at filling them than are other species of kangaroo rat .
when the outside temperature is too hot , a kangaroo rat stays in its cool , humid burrow and leaves it only at night .
shaw , w . t . : the ability of the giant kangaroo rat as a harvester and storer of seeds . j . mammal .
kangaroo rats stay in one place bipedally . the merriam kangaroo rat can leap 7 - 8 feet and quickly change its direction when landing . the banner - tailed kangaroo rat can move rapidly , which minimizes energy costs and predation risks ( schroder 1979 ) . it will also go into a “move - freeze” mode which may reduce predation at night .
fitch , h . s . 1948 . habits and economic relationships of the tulare kangaroo rat . journal of mammalogy 29 : 5 - 35 .
to provide large amounts of moisture through respiration when sleeping , a kangaroo rat buries its nose in its fur , which allows the kangaroo rate to accumulate a small pocket of moist air ( lidicker 1960 ) .
the banner - tailed kangaroo rat ranges from northeastern arizona southward to aguascalientes and san luis posi , mexico and from arizona to western texas . they generally live in grasslands and scrublands . banner - tailed kangaroo rats live in dry areas but have more water available to them than merriam kangaroo rats . all kangaroo rat species are sensitive to extreme temperatures and remain in their burrows during rain storms and other forms of inclement weather .
a young / baby of a giant kangaroo rat is called a ' kitten , nestling , pinkie or pup ' . the females are called ' doe ' and males ' buck ' . a giant kangaroo rat group is called a ' colony , horde , pack , plague or swarm ' .
the burrow of a kangaroo rat is important in providing protection from the harsh desert environment . to maintain a constant temperature and relative humidity in their burrows , kangaroo rats plug the entrances with soil during the day .
currently listed as endangered in the state of california , the giant kangaroo rat is in danger because of development and population expansion . ( full text )
all kangaroo rat species are sensitive to extreme temperatures and remain in their burrows during rain storms and other forms of inclement weather ( howard 1994 ) .
anderson , a . o . , allred , d . m . : kangaroo rat burrows at the nevada test site . gt . basin nat .
kangaroo rats inhabit overlapping home ranges . these home ranges tend to be small with most activities within 200–300 ft and rarely 600 ft . home range size can vary within species with merriam ' s kangaroo rats having larger home ranges than banner - tailed kangaroo rats . recently weaned kangaroo rats move into new areas not occupied by adults . within its home range , a kangaroo rat has a defended territory consisting of its burrowing system .
description the giant kangaroo rat is , as its name would suggest , a small rodent that moves by hopping on its back legs . ( full text )
can leap 7–8 feet and quickly change its direction when landing . the banner - tailed kangaroo rat can move rapidly which minimizes energy costs and predation risks .
to provide large amounts of moisture through respiration when sleeping , a kangaroo rat buries its nose in its fur to accumulate a small pocket of moist air .
merriam ' s kangaroo rat is an arid - land species essentially limited to lower sonoran habitats . it tends to prefer firmer soils than ord ' s kangaroo rat . however , there may be overlap in habitat usage , and at times both of these smaller species may be taken in the same trap line .
the banner - tailed kangaroo rat ranges from northeastern arizona southward to aguascalientes and san luis posi , mexico and from arizona to western texas . they generally live in grasslands and scrublands . banner - tailed kangaroo rats live in dry areas but have more water available to them than merriam kangaroo rats .
lidicker , w . z . 1960 . an analysis of intraspecific variation in the kangaroo rat dipodomus merriami . berkeley and los angelos , university of california press .
lidicker , w . z . 1960 . an analysis of intraspecific variation in the kangaroo rat dipodomus merriami . berkeley and los angelos , university of california press .
schroder , g . d . 1979 . foraging behavior and home range utilization of the bannertail kangaroo rat . ecology 60 ( 4 ) : 657 - 665 .
this woodrat has the closest resemblance to the house rat and is often confused with it .
the diet of merriam ' s kangaroo rat is almost exclusively plant seeds ( they are granivorous ) . the bulk of their diet consists of the seeds of desert and grassland plants . they rarely drink water . rather , they obtain water through metabolic processes augmented by the moisture content of their food . ( see kangaroo rat )
banner - tailed kangaroo rats generally live in grasslands and scrublands . they live in dry areas but have more water available to them than merriam ' s kangaroo rats . all kangaroo rat species are sensitive to extreme temperatures and remain in their burrows during rain storms and other forms of inclement weather . kangaroo rats are preyed on by coyotes , foxes , badgers , weasels , owls , and snakes .
in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in europe , norway rats were captured and used for food during times of famine . rat - catchers were hired to exterminate rats and capture live ones for rat fights , rat coursing , and rat pits . rat - catchers captured and housed wild rats in cages as well ( matthews 1898 ) . during this time , naturally occurring albino , black , and hooded norway rats may have preferentially captured or chosen from litters of captive rats for their distinctive appearance
the fur is soft and silky in kangaroo rats , kangaroo mice , and silky pocket mice , and more coarse and spiny in the spiny pocket mice .
schroder , g . d . 1979 .
foraging behavior and home range utilization of the bannertail kangaroo rat .
ecology . ( 60 ) : 4 657 - 665 .
the desert kangaroo rat is one of the larger of the genus . distribution today is the western great basin and south into the sonoran desert of southwestern arizona and northern mexico .
kangaroo rats are a common prey items for many other desert animals . typical predators of the merriam ' s kangaroo rat include barn owls , great horned owls , coyotes , foxes , badgers , bobcats , and several snake species including sidewinders and glossy snakes .
1998 ( pdf ) description : the giant kangaroo rat ( dipodomys ingens ) is the largest of more than 20 species in the genus dipodomys , which is in the family heteromyidae .
htm research projects : the giant kangaroo rat ( dipodomys ingens ) is an endangered species that occurs in a limited range on the western edge of the san joaquin valley and adjacent .
they have been observed storing the seeds of mesquite , creosote , bush , purslane , ocotillo and grama grass in their cheek pouches . kangaroo rat will store extra seeds in seed caches .
kangaroo rats must harvest as much seeds as possible in as little time as possible .
the diet of the merriam ' s kangaroo rat is almost entirely seeds . they feed primarily on the seeds of mesquite , creosote bush , ocotillo , purslane , and grama grass . one study of
the chisel - toothed kangaroo rat is a desert dweller . it is found in mountains at elevations between 1 , 000 and 3 , 500 m . its abundance is primarily associated with two plants :
the spacing of the burrows depends on the number of kangaroo rats and the abundance of food . kangaroo rats also live in colonies that range from six to several hundred dens .
kangaroo rats inhabit overlapping home ranges . these home ranges tend to be small with much activities within 200 - 300 ft and rarely 600 ft ( howard 1994 ) . home range size can vary within species with merriam kangaroo rats having larger home ranges than banner - tailed kangaroo rats . recently weaned kangaroo rats move into new areas not occupied by adults . within its home range , a kangaroo has a defended territory consisting of its burrowing system .
the giant kangaroo rat ( dipodomys ingens ) is an endangered species that occurs in a limited range on the western edge of the san joaquin valley and adjacent carrizo and elkhorn plains and the cuyama valley .
giant kangaroo rats are nocturnal and are away from the safety of their burrows as possible .
giant kangaroo rats are territorial , in the sense that they will protect their food stores .
the kangaroo mouse features significantly in the best - selling science fiction novel dune . the protagonist , paul atreides , is called muad ' dib , a fremen word for kangaroo mouse .
reynolds , h . g . 1958 . the ecology of the merriam kangaroo rat ( dipodomys merriami mearns ) on the grazing lands of southern arizona . ecological monographs ( 28 ) : 2 111 - 127 .
the tails of kangaroo rats are longer than both their bodies and their heads . another notable feature of kangaroo rats are their fur lined cheek pouches which are used for storing food . the coloration of kangaroo rats varies from cinnamon buff to dark gray , depending on the species .
giant kangaroo rats are curious and bold inhabitants of the most arid , southwestern edge of central .
kangaroo rats are generally solitary animals with little to no social organization . kangaroos rats do sometime cluster together in some feeding situations . groups of kangaroo rats that do exist are aggregations and colonies .
reynolds , h . g . 1958 .
the ecology of the merriam kangaroo rat ( dipodomys merriami mearns ) on the grazing lands of southern arizona .
ecological monographs ( 28 ) : 2 111 - 127 .
when on foraging trips , kangaroo rats hoard the seeds that they find . it is important for a kangaroo rat to encounter more food items than are consumed , at least at one point in the year , as well as defend or rediscover food caches and remain within the same areas long enough to utilize food resources .
merriam kangaroo rats live in hot and dry areas , conserve water , and only use metabolic sources .
kangaroo rats are preyed on by coyotes , foxes , badgers , weasels , owls , and snakes .
forages above ground at night . during the day , these kangaroo rats engage in coprophagy below ground .
csuti , b . a . : karyotypes of kangaroo rats from southern california . j . mammal .
kangaroo mouse is the common name for any member of the genus dipodomys . kangaroo rats are six - toed endotherms with large hind legs , small front legs and relatively large heads . the tails of kangaroo rats are longer than both their bodies and their heads . the coloration of kangaroo rats varies from cinnamon buff to dark gray , depending on the species ( howard 1994 ) . there is also some variation in length with one of the largest species , the banner - tail kangaroo rat being six inches in body length and a tail length of eight inches ( howard 1994 ) . sexual dimorphism exists in all species , with males being larger than females .
the roof rat prefers warmer climates regions . this allows the norway rat to dominate the other climate regions . the rats can be found throughout the u . s . but it is more common to find them in their preferred regions as shown in the figure above .
thomas , j . r . , jr . 1975 . distribution , population densities , and home range requirements of the stephens ' kangaroo rat ( dipodomys stephensi ) . m . s . thesis , california state polytechnic university , ponoma . 64pp .
are sand - dwelling mammals that inhabit arid regions of the southwestern united states and mexico . habitat requirements of merriam ' s kangaroo rats are less strict than most other species of kangaroo rats . they can live equally well in sandy soils , clays , gravels , and among rocks . urltoken ) . compared to other kangaroo rats ,
which retain some grass or other vegetation . their diet includes seeds , leaves , stems , buds , some fruit , and insects . most kangaroo rat species use their burrows and buried caches nearby to store food against the possibility of bad seasons . the
brylski , p . dark kangaroo mouse . california department of fish and game . retrieved march 18 , 2012 .
brylski , p . pale kangaroo mouse . california department of fish and game . retrieved march 18 , 2012 .
all kangaroo rats apparetnly cache food in their burrows . cheek pouches help the rats carry food to the burrow .
kangaroo rats move bipedally . kangaroo rats often leap a distance of 6 feet , and reportedly up to 9 feet ( 2 . 75 m ) at speeds up to almost 10 feet / sec , or 10 kph ( 6 mph ) . they can quickly change their direction between jumps . the rapid locomotion of the banner - tailed kangaroo rat may minimize energy cost and predation risk . its use of a
move - freeze
mode may also make it less conspicuous to nocturnal predators .
the banner - tailed kangaroo rat is enough larger than d . merriami and d . ordii as to usually be identifiable on size alone in the eastern part of the region . the current northern limits of distribution is near the four - corners area of new mexico .
1 . various blood indices in the panamint kangaroo rat revealed seasonal fluctuations . the red blood cell count during winter and summer averaged 7 . 2 + / - 1 . 0 x 10 ( 6 ) and 9 . 2 + / - 0 . 2 x 10 ( 6 ) / mm3 respectively . 2 . the mean cell hemoglobin during winter and summer averaged 25 + / - 10 . 8 pg and 18 . 6 + / - 3 . 7 pg respectively . 3 . these fluctuations may reveal a rapid rate of red blood cell destruction during winter in combination with a change in diet , concomitant to this , is an increase in mean cell hemoglobin of the surviving red blood cells .
the roof rat species is from the asian tropics where they spread into the european colonies that eventually spread throughout the world through various trade routes and explorations .
grinnell , j . : a geographic study of the kangaroo rats of california . u . cal . publ . zool .
kangaroo rats live in complex burrow systems . the burrows have separate chambers for specific proposes like sleeping , living and food storage .
the young are born in a fur - lined nest in the burrows . they are born blind and hairless . for the first week , young merriam kangaroo rats crawl , and develop their hind legs in their second or third week . at this time , the young become independent . banner - tailed kangaroo rat are weaned between 22–25 days . offspring remain in the mound for 1 - 6 more months in the maternal caches .
kangaroo rats inhabit overlapping home ranges . these home ranges tend to be small with much activities within 200–300 ft and rarely 600 ft .
kangaroo rats have a promiscuous mating system . their reproductive output is highest in summer following high rainfalls ( waser and jones 1991 ) .
the kangaroo rats ( diplodomys sp . ) and kangaroo mice ( microdipodops sp . ) have elongated hind limbs and feet and move bipedally in long jumps , as with kangaroos . they also have tails that are long and have white tips or tufts on the end . the front legs are relatively small and the heads are relatively large . the tails of kangaroo rats are longer than both their bodies and their heads .
also has fur lined external cheek pouches which it carries seeds in . the belly of merriam ' s kangaroo rat bears white , silky pelage . the hind feet , bearing four toes , are very large , ( 39 mm ) , with hairy soles . these hairy soles aid the kangaroo rat in jumping through loose sand . the forelegs are retrogressed . the ears are small and hairless , and the eyes are large and luminous , similar to the eyes of other nocturnal mammals . the dental formula is 1 / 1 , 0 / 0 , 1 / 1 , 3 / 3 = 20 . ( vaughn , 1999 ) .
the roof rat favors the warmer climates and heavily populates them . they are far more dominant in the tropical climates throughout the world than the norway rats . the roof rat is far more modified and adapted to survive the warmer climates only , making it less frequent in colder locations . the norway rat takes to burrowing and the colder climates throughout the world and is far more numerous . the northern us is almost free of roof rats do to the colder climate . they are more likely to inhabit ships in the northern climates .
the roof rat species prefers the elevated habitat over the grounds like the norway rat . in the spring and summer , the habitats they choose are riverbanks , streams , parks , natural ponds , artificial ponds , reservoirs , gardens , rice fields , sugarcane fields , citrus groves , apple orchards , poultry farms , and other heavy favored thriving food sources .
the rat phylogeny and history dates back to over thirteen million years ago in the family murinae . the family continued to slightly transform over several millions of years until major speciation event occurred with the family the first at around 3 million years . at this point in time , speciation gave rise to the rattus genus or the rats . the rattus genus then began to split once again into two distinct species rattus norvegicus and rattus rattus . the species rattus norvegicus is known as the norway rat , and rattus rattus being the roof rat .
which are suitable for burrowing . they can , however , vary in both geographic range and habitat . in particular , the merriam kangaroo rat ranges through southern california , utah , southwest new mexico , arizona , and northern mexico and live in areas of low rainfall and humidity , and high summer temperature and evaporation rates .
it is actually common to have both the norway and roof rat inhabiting the same building . the roof rat will gain access through the roof with utility lines . they will inhabit and make a home in the attic or top floor . the norway rats will come in through the ground level and remain there establishing a nest in the basement or ground floor .
bartholomew , g . a . , caswell , h . h . : locomotion in kangaroo rats and its adaptive significance . j . mammal .
because of its food caching behavior , this species likely disperses seeds . it is also a small mammal , and probably forms an important part of the diet of local predators . because it potentially has as many as 4 sympatric congenerics in some parts of its range , the chisel - toothed kangaroo rat plays a role in regulating congener populations .
ghiselin , j . 1970 . edaphic control of habitat selection by kangaroo mice ( microdipodops ) in three nevada populations . oecologia 4 : 248 - 261 .
nader , i . a . 1978 . kangaroo rate : intraspecific variation in dipodomus spectabilis merriami and dipodomys deserti stephens . chicago , university of illinois press .
kangaroo rats are generally solitary animals with little social organization . kangaroo rats communicate during competitive interactions and courtship . they do cluster together in some feeding situations . groups of kangaroo rats that exist are aggregations and colonies . there appears to be a dominance hierarchy among male kangaroo rats in competition for access to females . male kangaroo rats are generally more aggressive than females and are more dominant over them . females are more tolerant of each other than males are and have more non - aggressive interactions . this is likely in part because the home ranges of females overlap less than the home ranges of males . linear dominance hierarchies appear to exist among males but it is not known if this is the case for females . winners of aggressive encounters appear to be the most active individuals .
kangaroo rats , genus dipodomys , are small rodents native to north america . the common name derives from their bipedal form : as they hop in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo , although they are not related . it has been noted that they are not properly characterized as
rats
at all .
these cute little rodents are possibly the most attractive and distinct species characterized by silky golden fur , large eyes , white stripes or markings , and long furry crested tails . the kangaroo rats cannot be mistaken to be any other rodent relative . the kangaroo mouse is the only closest resembling cousin of the rodent order .
randall , j . a . 2004 . pocket mice , kangaroo rats , and kangaroo mice ( heteromyidae ) . pages 199 to 210 in b . grzimek et al . , grzimek ' s animal life encyclopedia , 2nd ed . , vol . 16 . detroit , mi : thomson / gale . isbn 0787657921 .
is a medium sized , 5 - toed kangaroo rat with a narrow face , small ears and ever - growing cheekteeth . its incisors are flat on the anterior side and less incurved than other members of the genus . chisel - toothed kangaroo rats are about 270 mm long and weigh about 55 g . the body without the tail is about 112 mm in length . tail length adds about 158 mm . males are slightly larger than females on average . the fur is brown and gray above with a
gunmetal hue .
presence of kangaroo rats in our region is taken to indicate presence of open areas basically free of vegetation ( though with bushes or other vegetation nearby for cover ) .
kangaroo rats , small rodents of genus dipodomys , are native to western north america . the common name derives from their bipedal form . they hop in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo , but developed this mode of locomotion independently , like several other clades of rodents ( e . g . dipodids and hopping mice ) .
the rat is capable of having an average of 3 to 8 young every litter . the offspring are born around 20 - 21 days after conception . they become adults in as little as 5 to 6 weeks .
merriam ' s kangaroo rats produce up to three litters per year , with an average of four pups in each litter . weaning of young occurs 24–33 days after birth .
nader , i . a . 1978 . kangaroo rats : intraspecific variation in dipodomus spectabilis merriami and dipodomys deserti stephens . chicago , university of illinois press . isbn 0252006585 .
kangaroo rats lose water mainly by evaporation during gas exchange , and so have developed a behavioural adaptation to prevent this loss . as they spend a lot of time within their burrows to escape the heat of the day , the burrows become much more humid than the air outside ( due to evaporative loss ) . when collecting seeds , they store them in the burrows rather than eating them straight away . this causes the moisture in the air to be absorbed by the seeds , and the kangaroo rat regains the water it has previously lost when it then consumes them .
norway rats are ground burrowers , so they will nest deep in the underground channels they have created . the average female norway rat has 4 to 6 liters per year and can successfully wean 20 or more offspring annually .
the rat is the first of the twelve animals of the chinese zodiac . people born in this year are thought to possess characteristics which are associated with rats , namely : creativity , intelligence , honesty , ambition and generosity
shier , debra m . ; randall , jan a . ( 2004 ) .
spacing as a predictor of social organization in kangaroo rats ( dipodomys heermanni arenae )
.
bartholomew , g . a . , and h . h . caswell . 1951 . locomotion in kangaroo rats and its adaptive significance . journal of mammalogy 32 : 155 - 169 .
the roof rat’s eating habits resemble the diet of tree squirrels . the diet persists of a variety of fruits and nuts . though the rats like fruits and nuts they will also eat any vegetative part of ornamental and native plants .
dipodomys insularis is among the smallest of the kangaroo rats . compared to other dipodomys merriami , dipodomys insularis has larger ears , a grayer coloration , and a more robust appearance . it has a lower bullar index and a lower cranial index of any of the dipodomys merriami sub - species . d . insularis also differs from its closest geographic relatives d . m . brunensis and d . m . melanurus by being larger in most respects , by being paler in coloration , and having considerably larger ears . [ 4 ] this nocturnal kangaroo rat is a granivore , feeding on seeds and shrubs . [ 5 ]
fleming , t . 1984 . pocket mice and kangaroo rats . pages 632 - 633 in d . macdonald , the encyclopedia of mammals new york : facts on file . isbn 0871968711 .
kangaroo rats are primarily seed eaters ( morgan 1992 ) . they will , however , sometimes eat vegetation at certain times of the year and some insects ( howard 1994 ) . they have been observed storing the seeds of mesquite , creosote , bush , purslane , ocotillo and grama grass in their cheek pouches . kangaroo rat will store extra seeds in seed caches ( reynolds 1958 ) . this caching behavior has an impact on the rangeland and croplands where the animals live ( howard 1994 ) . kangaroo rats must harvest as much seeds as possible in as little time as possible ( morgan and price 1992 ) . they need to decrease the time away from their burrows as they are cool and dry . in addition , being away from their burrows also makes them vulnerable to predators . ( morgan and price 1992 ) .
these links lead to images of stephens ' , dulzura , merriam ' s , ord ' s , short - nosed , and giant kangaroo rats , and the related great basin pocket mouse .
white , l . d . , allred , d . m . : range of kangaroo rats in areas affected by atomic detonations . proc . utah acad . sci . , arts , letters
waser , p . m . , and t . w . jones . 1991 . survival and reproductive effort in banner - tailed kangaroo rats . ecology 72 ( 3 ) : 771 - 777 .
baumgardner , g . d . , and m . l . kennedy . 1994 . patterns of interspecific morphometric variation in kangaroo rats ( genus dipodomys ) . journal of mammalogy 75 : 203 - 211 .
reproduction happens anywhere from three to five times a year , and varies between habitats . the number of litters a female can have depends on if the area has suitable habitat needs in which the rats can thrive . the factors that make up a habitat are climatic range , food sources , and number of total rat populations in the area . the last major factor that affects litters is how old the female is . on average the female rat will have anywhere from 3 - 5 litters in a single year .
waser , p . m . and t . w . jones . 1991 .
survival and reproductive effort in banner - tailed kangaroo rats .
ecology . ( 72 ) : 3 771 - 777 .
jenkins , s . h . , a . rothstein , et al . 1995 . food hoarding by merriams kangaroo rats : a test of alternative hypotheses . ecology 76 ( 8 ) : 2470 - 2481 .
the common house rats are known for taking care of one another , sleeping together , and developing a group to work together . the rats are like wolves they establish leaders and places of rank in the pack . there is always an alpha rat in each pack .
to take advantage of the water content and nutrition in the leaves while maintaining water balance . none of the kangaroo rats needs to drink much , because this genus is able to use the water in their foods .
kangaroo rats are generally solitary animals with little to no social organization . kangaroos rats do sometime cluster together in some feeding situations . groups of kangaroo rats that do exist are aggregations and colonies ( howard 1994 ) . there appears to be a dominance hierarchy among kangaroo rats with males competing for access to females ( newmark and jenkins 2000 ) . male kangaroo rats are generally more aggressive than females and are more dominant over them . females are more tolerant of each other than males are and have more non - aggressive interactions . this is likely because the home ranges of females overlap less than the home ranges of males ( newmark and jenkins 2000 ) . there appears to be linear dominance hierarchies among males but it is not known if this is the case for females ( newmark and jenkins 2000 ) . winners of aggressive encounters appear to be the most active ones .
merriam , c . h . , 1894 . preliminary descriptions of eleven new kangaroo rats of the genera dipodomys and perodipus , p . 114 . proceedings of the biological society of washington , 9 : 109 - 116 .
jenkins , s . h . , a . rothstein , et al . 1995 .
food hoarding by merriams kangaroo rats : a test of alternative hypotheses .
ecology ( 76 ) : 8 2470 - 2481 .
, kangaroo rats have highly developed hind legs , live in deep burrows which shelter them from the worst of the desert heat , and rarely drink water . instead , they have a highly water - efficient metabolisim ( their
le rat kangourou dipodomys panamintinus a 4 sous - espèces . le représentatif karyotype de 4 des sousespèces a 17 métacentriques et 14 chromosomes acrocentriques . dipodomys panamintinus caudatus , géographiquement isolé des autres , a 16 métacentriques et 15 chromosomes acrocentriques . le nombre fondamental est 96 pour les espèces .
kangaroo rats are primarily seed eaters . they will , however , sometimes eat vegetation at some times of the year and some insects , too . they have been seen storing the seeds of mesquite , creosote , bush , purslane , ocotillo and grama grass in their cheek pouches . kangaroo rats will store extra seeds in seed caches . this caching behavior affects the range - land and croplands where the animals live . kangaroo rats must harvest as much seed as possible in as little time as possible . to conserve energy and water , they minimize their time away from their cool , dry burrows . in addition , maximizing time in their burrows minimizes their exposure to predators .
baumgardner , g . d . , and m . l . kennedy . 1993 . morphometric variation in kangaroo rats ( genus dipodomys ) and its relationship to selected abiotic variables . journal of mammalogy 74 : 69 - 85 .
modes of communication include olfactory and acoustic . chisel - toothed kangaroo rats sandbathe to spread their scent and use foot drumming , possibly as territorial behavior . aggressive encounters are also used as a form of communication in this species .
the average lifespan is 4 . 9 month , but this , is of course , misleading . many kangaroo rats die young , and those who make it to adulthood can live a very long time . although maximum lifespan for
newmark , j . e . , and s . h . jenkins . 2000 . sex differences in agonistic behavior of merriam ' s kangaroo rats ( dipodomys merriami ) . american midland naturalist ( 143 ) : 2 377 - 388 .
kangaroo rats construct burrows for protection , usually with several openings to the burrow system . as with their relatives , the pocket gophers , they tend to be antisocial except during the breeding season , but two or three species may occur sympatrically .
. size varies from 100 to 200 mm , with a tail of equal or slightly greater length ; weight can be anywhere between 35 and 180 grams . the most distinctive feature of the kangaroo rats is their very long , hind legs .
the norway rat or rattus norvegieus is the larger of the two . norway rats are light brown in color , stocky , and borrowing capable rodents . they are found in homes or buildings on the ground level , basements , or in crawl spaces . this species is common to all 48 contiguous states .
roof rats prefer to nest in locations off the ground and rarely dig burrows for living quarters if above - ground sites exist . the average number of litters a female roof rat has per year depends on many factors , but generally it is 3 to 5 with 3 to 8 young in each litter .
newmark , j . e . and s . h . jenkins . 2000 .
sex differences in agonistic behavior of merriam ' s kangaroo rats ( dipodomys merriami ) .
american midland naturalist . ( 143 ) : 2 377 - 388 .
merriam ' s kangaroo rats have an average total length of 247 mm . the tail is rather long , about 144 mm in length , with an end tassle . it is usually more than 130 % of the the length of the head and body . (
leaves are eaten whole , but as salinity builds up in the outer parts of the leaves in summer and fall , these kangaroo rats use their incisors to access the nutritious and less saline inner parts of the leaves . avoiding the salty parts of the plants enables
rats are found in all of the contiguous 48 states . they are also known to inhabit every land mass . they are known to be found at every departure point and various research stations in antarctica . the rat species is the most prolific invasive species worldwide . there are estimated reports that state there are over 5 - 6 billion rats , if not more , worldwide . there is said to be over two billion in china alone . in britain , the rat population matches the amount of people . the french report estimates four rats to one person , and a population of rats at eight million . the true number of rats worldwide is expanding too swiftly too count and is difficult to determine .
male kangaroo rats are generally more aggressive than females and are more dominant over them . females are more tolerant of each other than males are and have more non - aggressive interactions . this is likely become the home ranges of females overlap less than the home ranges of males .
rats are the vertebrate masters of adaptation . a highly intelligent rodent that is capable of remembering each path it takes , carrying for others , and working in teams , the rat is one of the most well - known invasive species in the world . they inhabit every ecosystem in the world . they are master scavengers and will eat any food and water resource they can .
has a high reproductive rate . breeding for the merriam ' s kangaroo rat begins in early february and continues into the spring , at least through may . the gestation period is approximately 28 to 32 days . between one and six young are born in each litter , with an average of three . when young are born they weigh between 3 and 8 grams . the young are weaned after 15 - 25 days , and sexual maturity is reached between 60 - 84 days . they can live up to 9 . 8 years . average territory size for males is 67 , 300 square feet , less than one acre . average female territories are 4000 square feet . ( grzimek , 1990 , urltoken )
the species in the four genera of pocket mice use quadrupedal locomotion . the silky pocket mice ( perognathus ) and coarse - hared pocket mice ( chaetodipus ) has species with relatively long feet , but these still use standard quadrupedal locomotion . the spiny pocket mice ( liomys ) and forest spiny pocket mice ( heteromys ) have a generalized body shape that is more rat - like ( randall 2004 ) .
as for the other species the roof rat is the smaller of the two popular species . roof rats or rattus rattus are black or dark brown in color , and have long tails as long as their body . the species likes to climb and nest outside in trees , shrubs , bushes , and any high structures . in the home they can act the same way choosing to nest in the walls an attic spaces .
the overall colour of the kangaroo rats can be anywhere between pale sandy yellow and dark brown , with a white underside and often with white banding across the thighs . tails tend to be dark with white sides and a tuft of longer hairs . facial markings vary from one species to another , but all have an oil gland between the shoulders .
kangaroo rats received their name because of similarities of locomotion and the morphology that goes with it between these rodents and the marsupials . the hind limbs are massively developed for the size of the animal and the forelimbs diminutive . other characteristics include huge feet , a very long tail for balance , and an oversized head , thanks to the greatly enlarged bullae .
most heteromyids live in complex burrows within the deserts and grasslands of western north america , though species within the heteromys and liomys genera are also found in forests . kangaroo mice are largely in sandy habitats , while desert pocket mice tend to be more in arid habitats ( sage brush , desert shrub , rocky hillsides , sand , chaparral , grass ( randall 2004 ) .
san josé island kangaroo rats utilize burrows for food storage , protection from the sun and predators , breeding , and shelter . dipodomys insularis creates burrows that are underground tunnels networked together with one or more entrance points . they each use 1 or 2 burrows and no more than 2 rodents inhabit each burrow . burrows containing the opposite sex are usually found closer in distance than those that contain d . insularis of same sex . most often , during breeding season , a male and female share a burrow . after giving birth the females were found sharing their burrows with their offspring as well . adult san josé island kangaroo rats seem less prone to sharing burrows than do subadults , unless it is with the opposite sex during mating season . [ 7 ]
, kangaroo rats have large cheek pouches that open on either side of the mouth and extend back to the shoulders . they fill the pouches with food or nesting material ready for transport back to the burrow , then empty them by turning them inside out , like pockets , with their forpaws . there is a special muscle that , once the pouch is empty and clean , pulls it back in again .
merriam ' s kangaroo rats live individually within a maze of underground burrows . males and females each establish individual territories . they defend their territories against other male and female merriami , primarily to protect often scarce food resources . it is typical that they locate multiple entrances to their burrow complex at the base of shrubs near the middle of their territory . this allows more opportunities for them to escape from predators .
these rats span from the family neotoma . they resemble larger versions of deer mice . the difference between woodrats and house rats is that they are well - haired and have a bicolored tail . this nocturnal or cloudy rainy day species likes to forage in the cover of darkness like the rest of its relatives . the woodrats create large nests or large houses of sticks characterized by all sorts of junk . this is where the term “pack rat” comes from , and they fit the description . the woodrat is also a solitary species not known for large groups .
most species of heteromyidae are solitary species , with individuals living alone in individual burrow , with the exception of the new mothers with their young . males tend to have home ranges that overlap with other males and females , while the females tend to have ranges exclusive from other females , although in some , like the kangaroo rats dipodomys spectabilis , d . deserti , and d . ingens , both males and femals have exclusive territories ( randall 2004 ) .
norway rats are omnivorous like most rodents , but will eat anything to survive . they like to forage in food packaging plants and storage facilities . the only thing different from the roof rat is that its diet is far less controlled and they will eat any food that they can get ahold of . though they may have preferences , it varies from pack to pack . they enjoy eating feed for domestic animals like , chickens , dogs , cats , horses , cattle , and swine . there is often a draw to dog food for most rats , so pet food and outdoor pets attract norway rats .
the heteromyids range in size from 1 . 7 inches to 14 . 6 inches in total length ( 4 . 2 - 37cm ) and weigh from 0 . 2 to 6 . 9 ounces ( 5 - 195g ) ( randall 2004 ) . the smaller members of the family are the desert pocket mice in perognathus , which range in weight from 5 to 31 grams , and the kangaroo mice in microdipodops , which range from 10 - 17 grams ( randall 2004 ) . members of the genus chaetodipus range in size from 8 . 0 - 12 . 5 centimeters ( head and body ) and weigh 15 - 47 grams ( nowak 1999 ) . members of heteromys commonly range from 37 to 85 grams , while the members of liomys range from 34 - 50 grams ( randall 2004 ) . adult kangaroo rats , on the other hand , are larger and typically weigh between 70 - 170 grams ( nader 1978 ) , with the larger ranging up to 195 grams ( randall 2004 ) .
the silky pocket mice ( perognathus ) are small animals with soft pelage , long tails , and small feet compared to other heteromyids . they have long claws which are used for digging burrows and sifting sandy substrates for seeds . they have also been found to steal seeds from kangaroo rats ' dens . they store these seeds in large hairy external cheek pouches . they are nocturnal and are found in arid habitats . they are not true hibernators , but will go into torpor and stay in their burrows for extended periods of time .
rats will eat anything available to them from seed , fruits , vegetables , nuts , grains , insects , worms , spiders , and various meats . rat activity begins in the cover of darkness or cloudy dark conditions . all of the rodent species prefer to forage in the cover of night fall . they will work together to move large quantities of food to safe locations to be eaten . rats will also collect and store the spoils of the foraging trips . they will hoard numerous amounts of trash and solid foods to be eaten at a later date . house rats will store these items in wood piles , wall voids , attics , boxes , and other coverings where they feel safe .
roof rats will trail over 100 meters to find food from their nests . they will also stay with other rats on their foraging journey to exploit certain food sources . they will travel from tree to tree , and even climb power lines or fence lines to travel safely . they will make nests in trees near gardens or near the food sources they value . they favor palm trees and other high elevated locations . roof rats are smart and will avoid changes to their environment and are scared of them . they are neophobic , which is the fear of new things or experiences . talk about creatures of habit . neophobia is more distinct in roof rats than in the close cousin norway rats . some roof rat packs will even modify trails and routes to avoid frequently disturbed paths and areas .
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