the namaqua sandgrouse ( pterocles namaqua ) , is a species of ground-dwelling bird in the sandgrouse family .

it is found in arid regions of south-western africa .

namaqua sandgrouse

a flock of namaqua sandgrouse on approach to drink water in the arid kalahari desert .
nest‐site selection , egg pigmentation and clutch predation in the ground‐nesting namaqua sandgrouse . . .
namaqua sandgrouse male , kgalagadi national park , south africa . [ photo johann grobbelaar © ]
namaqua sandgrouse female , kgalagadi national park , south africa . [ photo johann grobbelaar © ]
the namaqua sandgrouse is found in stony deserts , dry scrublands , sandy deserts with scattered bits of grass and dry savannas .
• the namaqua sandgrouse is 1 of 14 species of sandgrouse in the genus pterocles , including the spotted sandgrouse , p . senegallus , and madagascar sandgrouse , p . personatus . all have three front toes and a small , raised hindtoe . two other species of sandgrouse in the genus syrrhaptes ( greek for “sewn together” ) have only forward - facing toes that are fused together .
dry desert conditions are no threat to the namaqua sandgrouse : its thick - soled feet can withstand hot sand , and its belly feathers carry water .
rainfall and food availability as factors influencing the migration and breeding activity of namaqua . . .
introduction : namaqua sandgrouse ( pterocles namaqua ) were as the name suggests , first discovered in the region of namaqualand . typical habitats include shrubland with or without grass , areas of sandy savannah with thick vegetation and gravel desert and sandy semi - desert .
a large flock of namaqua sandgrouse seen circling a water hole in the middle of the kalahari desert . they circled a few times before landing and quickly drinking . they are regularly attacked by raptors when drinking so are very skittish .
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description : medium - sized sandgrouse with vertically streaked dark brown and buff head and upper breast .
sandgrouse mostly feed on seed and are often seen in large feeding flocks with up to 100 birds .
de juana , e . & boesman , p . ( 2018 ) . namaqua sandgrouse ( pterocles namaqua ) . 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 ) .
spline correlograms for pin - tailed and black - bellied sandgrouse with 95 % pointwise bootstrap confidence intervals and maximum lag distance of 15 km derived for 1 ) landscape scale and 2 ) microhabitat scale . a ) pin - tailed sandgrouse ; b ) black - bellied sandgrouse . distance was measured in meters ( doc 54 kb )
c . 28 cm ; male c . 170–190 g , female c . 150–190 g . small sandgrouse ; like
though not globally threatened , certain populations of namaqua sandgrouse , including the orange free state birds , have disappeared because of severe drought and habitat destruction . but the future appears bright for the bird , due to decreased hunting and the availability of watering holes created by agricultural projects .
nest survival can , among a variety of factors , depend on nest - site complexity and concealment , and clutch crypsis . nest - site selection by namaqua sandgrouse pterocles namaqua was strongly non - random . nests were sited within a local concentration of objects , most of them less than 15 cm high and concentrated within 30 cm of the nest centre . nest - to - object orientation was random , indicating that . . . [ show full abstract ]
) is a bulky sandgrouse , measuring 30 to 40 cm in length . the male bird is larger and weighs about 400 to 550 grams . the female sandgrouse weighs 300 to 460 grams . the wingspan is 70 to 75 cm .
are reasonably common throughout the tanqua karoo , and greater kestrels frequently wander into the area . if you are lucky enough to visit after recent rain , you will see that pools forming close to the road invariably attract south african shelduck , drinking flocks of namaqua sandgrouse and irruptive seedeaters such as lark - like bunting .
the black - bellied sandgrouse inhabit terrestrial , artificial habitats like agricultural lands , dry cereal cultivation , pastoral scrubland and fallow lands .
ferns pn , hinsley sa ( 1995 ) importance of topography in the selection of drinking sites by sandgrouse . funct ecol 9 : 371–375
the iucn ( international union for conservation of nature ) has categorized and evaluated the sandgrouse species and has listed it as of
least concern
. cites ( the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora ) status is ‘not evaluated’ for the black - bellied sandgrouse (
spline correlograms for pin - tailed and black - bellied sandgrouse ( large geographical spatial scale ) with 95 % pointwise bootstrap confidence intervals and maximum lag distance of 100 km derived from 1 ) glm models ( on the left ) and 2 ) glm analyses after applying the moran eigenvector filtering function ( on the right ) . a ) pin - tailed sandgrouse ; b ) black - bellied sandgrouse . distance was measured in meters . ( doc 67 kb )
these sandgrouse species are distributed in the iberian peninsula , northwest africa , the canary islands , turkey , iran , cyprus , israel , kazakhstan , western china , northern pakistan , northern india . these black - bellied sandgrouse species are ground - dwelling birds . there are two recognized subspecies of these sandgrouses .
excavator… a namaqua sandgrouse male helps his mate form a shallow nest hollow in the very dry ground of the african desert . incubator… the sandgrouse male relieves his mate each evening at dusk and takes his turn incubating their eggs for up to 18 hours . defender… after the chicks have hatched , the male carries the egg shells away from the nest to prevent predators from locating the chicks . dispenser the male brings water back to the nest in his wet belly feathers . the young appear to nurse as they eagerly clamor for a refreshing drink .
the sandgrouse’s activities revolve around getting water ; like clockwork , flocks visit water holes to drink , and males soak their belly feathers for transport to their chicks .
the breeding season of the black - bellied sandgrouse species is from march to august in most of its breeding grounds . the nest is a bare ground scrape in stony areas . the clutch may contain two to three eggs . the egg is pale buff with gray and brown spots . both the sandgrouse parents incubate the eggs .
sandgrouse have compact bodies , but small , pigeon - like heads and necks . the different species range in length from 24 – 40 cm and weigh from 150 - 500 g .
these black - bellied sandgrouse species do not normally occur in forests . these species occur in altitudes from 0 to 100 meters . they inhabit various artificial , desert , shrubland and grassland ecosystems .
recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : pterocles namaqua . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .
these black - bellied sandgrouse have small , pigeon - like heads and necks . the legs are covered by feathers up to the toes . but the toes are not feathered . the belly region is blackish .
de juana e ( 1997 ) family pteroclidae ( sandgrouse ) . in : del hoyo a , elliot a , sargatal j ( eds ) handbook of the birds of the world . lynx edicions , barcelona , pp 30–59
martín ca , casas f , mougeot f , garcía jt , viñuela j ( 2010b ) seasonal variations in habitat preferences of the pin - tailed sandgrouse in agrarian pseudo - steppes . ardeola 57 ( 1 ) : 191–198
these sandgrouse populations in spain , portugal and northern africa are resident and sedentary . the populations in turkey , mediterranean and the middle east are nomadic or partially migratory . the populations in central asia are migratory , wintering in northern india and pakistan .
the diet of these black - bellied sandgrouse species is mostly wild seeds . wild seeds , cereals , grains , wild legumes and cultivated legumes are their primary food . they form gregarious flocks and fly to watering holes in the mornings and the evenings .
martín ca , casas f , mougeot f et al ( 2010a ) positive interactions between vulnerable species in agrarian pseudo - steppes : habitat use by pin - tailed sandgrouse depends on its association with the little bustard . anim conserv 13 : 383–389 . doi :
the sandgrouse are distributed across northern , southern and eastern africa as well as madagascar ; the middle east , india through to central asia ; and the iberian peninsula ; where they are restricted to treeless open areas , such as plains and semi - deserts .
the black - bellied sandgrouse species are distributed in the spain , portugal , northwest africa , the canary islands , turkey , iran , cyprus , israel , kazakhstan , tajikistan , turkmenistan , uzbekistan , russia , western china , northern pakistan and northern india .
the important bird and biodiversity areas ( iba ) of the black - bellied sandgrouse species in portugal are castro verde plains , évora plains , mourão , moura e barrancos , reguengos de monsaraz , river guadiana and serra de penha garcia e campina de toulões .
) does not approach the thresholds for being vulnerable either under the range size criterion or under the population trend criterion or under the population size criterion . agricultural expansion , habitat loss and hunting are the main threats that may endanger the survival of these sandgrouse species .
the male black - bellied sandgrouse is slightly larger and has gray head , neck , and breast . the upperparts are brown and have dark markings . there is a chestnut throat patch in males . the female is pale brown with fine dark markings on upperparts , head and breast .
sandgrouse are monogamous ( form life - long pair bonds ) . they make their nest on a slight depression in the ground . the average clutch consists of 2 eggs , occasionally up to 4 . the male and female share the incubation duties ; with the male incubating during the night and early mornings , and the female taking over during the day .
some of the iba of the black - bellied sandgrouse in spain are obruk plateau , hodulbaba mountain , villafáfila , ballobar - candasnos , bardenas reales , belchite - mediana , brozas - membrío , campo de montiel , campo visiedo , hoya de guadix , la serena , layna high moors , lerida steppes , peninsula of jandía and pétrola - almansa - yecla .
) is estimated to be around 130 , 000 - 260 , 000 mature individual birds . the overall population size of these sandgrouse species is considered to be decreasing . throughout its range it is reported to be rare to nearly common . the generation length is 5 . 6 years . their distribution size is about 17 , 400 , 000 sq . km .
namaqua sandgrouses can breed all year round . they are monogamous , solitary nesters , nesting in a simple scrape in the ground , often lined with grit and typically placed next to a small scrub or grass tuft . there the female lays 2 - 3 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 3 weeks . the chicks leave the nest within a day of hatching and are able to feed themselves , but rely on the male for water and protection for several weeks . during this period the male flies to watering holes and soaks his belly feathers which the young drink from .
near - endemic to southern africa , occurring from south - western angola through namibia to patches of botswana , the northern cape and adjacent provinces . it generally prefers gravel desert , sandy semi - desert , open dwarf shrubland and sandy savanna , while especially common in the nama karoo and southern kalahari .
it mainly eats seeds , especially of protein - rich legumes , supplemented with flowers , small fruits and fresh leaves . it does most of its foraging in the day with its head held low , rapidly pecking the ground and flicking away soil with its beak . the following food items have been recorded in its diet :
monogamous solitary nester , it is not territorial , with both sexes selecting the nest site .
the nest is a simple scrape in the ground , often lined with grit that builds up over time and typically placed adjacent to a small shrub or grass tuft .
egg - laying season is year - round , peaking from january - may in northern namibia , april - july in the namib desert ( namibia ) , june - november in the kalahari , august - january in the nama karoo and september - february in the western cape .
it lays 2 - 3 eggs , which are incubated by both sexes for about three weeks , with the female taking the day shift while the male incubates at night .
the chicks are led by their parents to an area with food approximately 12 hours after the last chick hatching , and they quickly learn how to pluck seeds from the ground . the male makes daily trips to a waterhole so that he can soak his belly feathers which the young drink from , only stopping when they reach about two months old . they can fly in short burst at about 30 days old , flying strongly about 12 days later but only becoming fully independent at least a month later .
not threatened , in fact common and widespread , as it has greatly benefited from the sinking of waterholes . heavy nest predation and low productivity in the nama karoo is cause for concern however , as its south african population decreased during the second half of the 20th century .
hockey par , dean wrj and ryan pg 2005 . roberts - birds of southern africa , viith ed . the trustees of the john voelcker bird book fund , cape town .
two birds seen in the distance and heard calling in the southern karoo in early spring .
flock of 40 birds coming in to drink at a leaking cattle drinking trough . strong winds unfortunately distorting the recording .
bird heard calling in low karoo type veld in the early morning in late winter .
two birds flying by at considerable distance , going s . recording slightly filtered , and volume amplified .
calls audible at 0 : 00 . 25 , 0 : 03 . 4 , 0 : 06 . 9 , 0 : 10 . 5 and 0 : 13 . 1
sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .
hbw alive contains information on descriptive notes , voice , habitat , food and feeding , breeding , movements , status and conservation plus a list of bibliographical references for this species account .
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a large flock arriving at a waterhole and drinking alongside a couple of springboks .
initially two females , one then followed until it eventually joins up with a male .
lars petersson , manakincarmelo , adam riley , roland bischoff , frans vandewalle , loutjie , trheijnen , marco valentini , w . h . schulenburg , markus lilje , holger teichmann , krzysztof blachowiak , cristiano crolle , nik borrow , fran trabalon , aleix comas , albert froneman , guy poisson , lmarce .
may be closely related to p . exustus . recent study # r suggests that these two together with p . orientalis may belong in a clade that includes also the two syrrhaptes species ; or , alternatively , that all five of these may form a group with p . gutturalis , p . personatus , p . coronatus , and possibly including also p . alchata and p . burchelli ; further study needed . birds from n part of range formerly separated as race ngami , those of s & se as furva . monotypic .
sw angola and namibia e to sw zimbabwe , and s through botswana and w & c south africa ( w limpopo and free state s to s western cape ) .
, combines long tail and dark underparts with pale underwing . male . . .
flight call a trisyllabic nasal yelping “kwel - kee - weeen” and similar variations . in group , birds . . .
sub - desert and fringes of desert , in a variety of habitats ; commoner in flat or rolling country . . .
period is extended , probably dependent on rainfall : in s africa in general , all months except mar and may , with peaks during cooler months . . .
sedentary and locally nomadic ; southern populations migratory , those breeding in karoo moving n to . . .
not globally threatened . common to locally abundant in much of range . usually occurs in pairs or small parties , but sometimes in fairly large flocks . now absent from former . . .
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this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
del hoyo , j . , collar , n . j . , christie , d . a . , elliott , a . and fishpool , l . d . c . 2014 . hbw and birdlife international illustrated checklist of the birds of the world . volume 1 : non - passerines . lynx edicions birdlife international , barcelona , spain and cambridge , uk .
justification : this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
the global population size has not been quantified , but the species is reported to be common to locally abundant in much of its range ( del hoyo et al . 1997 ) . trend justification : the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats .
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distribution : common throughout namibia less for true southern namib desert . found in etosha , skeleton coast , orange river , fish river canyon and caprivi .
diet : small hard seeds and at times fresh leaves , flowers and small fruits .
breeding : usually 2 or 3 eggs are laid in an open scape in the ground , filled with grit and plant matter to assist in the incubation period of 21 days .
6 days - for those with tight time constraints this safari visits the two major destinations : sossusvlei & etosha . windhoek - windhoek
4 days - an expertly guided safari through damaraland in search of desert adapted elephant & rhino . excellent choice for anyone wanting to add a specialist activity to their time in namibia
3 or 4 days - wonderful guided hiking trip - a never to be forgotten experience .
3 days - a well guided & informative walking trip in the namib desert .
3 days - cultural safari in the eastern kalahari region . visit the san / bushman and batswana people . also included is a trip to a game farm where sightings of rhino and elephant are possible
3 days - visit the sand dunes at sossusvlei . runs from windhoek - windhoek
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as you head north from eierkop along the r355 , the landscape becomes progressively more arid until , approaching katbakkies , bushes are few and far between and the ground gleams with the mineral patina of the desert pebbles . this is classic
country : birds are most often spotted , 1015 km north of eierkop , as they flush near the road , and display their white rumps as they fly a short distance to perch again on a fence or low bush .
the commonest larks of this stretch of road are thick - billed and red - capped . spike - heeled lark is also regularly seen . it is worth keeping an eye out for pairs of superbly camouflaged karoo korhaans , although they have become scarcer here in recent years . listen for their frog - like calls at dawn , and check in the shade of the occasional roadside tree at midday . drainage lines with slightly denser scrub are good areas to search for small , restless flocks of cape penduline tit , best detected by their soft , inconspicuous call .
twenty - one kilometres from eierkop , turn left at the road signposted kagga kamma ; op - die - berg , to the small picnic spot and legendary birding site popularly known as katbakkies .
this website is maintained by birding africa . please do not use any text , images or content from this site without permission . © birding africa 1997 - 2009 info @ urltoken 4 crassula way , pinelands , 7405 , cape town , south africa
30 may 09 : a tragedy unfolds at kommetjie south of cape town as 44 beached false killer whales were shot . click here for more details and pictures . 14 march 09 : raptor watch in cape town on 14 march 09
we thank the farmers , hunting managers and gamekeepers of madrid province for allowing us to work on their properties . the study was partially financed by the servicio de protección y gestión de flora y fauna de la consejería de medio ambiente y ordenación del territorio de la comunidad de madrid . we would also like to thank john o’keeffe for his kind revision of the language of the manuscript . finally , we would like to thank the editor and two anonymous referees for providing us with comments and suggestions which help to improve the manuscript .
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santos t , suárez f ( 2005 ) biogeography and population trends of iberian steppe birds . in : bota mb , morales mb , mañosa s , camprodon j ( eds ) ecology and conservation of steppe - land birds . lynx edicions and centre tecnològic forestal de catalunya , barcelona , pp 69–102
, in the canary islands , spain . bird conserv interlarge geogr 20 : 161–175
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martín , b . , martín , c . a . , palacín , c . et al . eur j wildl res ( 2014 ) 60 : 625 . urltoken
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. . . at 36 ( 59 % ) of the 61 artificial nests assumed lost to predation , definite evidence of small mammal predation was found . this included whole shell remains with a bite out the side of the shell ( 27 nests ) , a characteristic of mongoose predation of relatively large eggs ( lloyd et al . 2001 ) , or smaller , chewed shell remains ( nine nests ) . at several of these depredated nests , fresh tracks and digging marks of mongooses were also found in the soft sand after recent light rain . . . .
hi tshering . i have just published a mongraph on the terresrial gamebirds and snipes of africa . i am also assisting a student complete her phd thesis on the breeeding and dispersal of souther ground - hornbills . ciao , rob
food availability and seasonal variation in nest predation pressure as factors influencing the timin . . .
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paternal care is where the father of the offspring provides most or all of the effort needed to protect , feed or raise the young until they become independent . the most well - known example of paternal care is in seahorses , where the male broods the eggs in a pouch until they are ready to hatch . primary paternal care is most common in egg - laying species and almost unheard of in mammals .
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the male midwife toad brings up the babies until he finds a suitable pond .
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they have long pointed wings and short legs that are feathered down to the toes , and members of the genus syrrhaptes also have feathered toes .
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this species is found in southern africa , from south - western angola , through namibia and botswana and into zimbabwe and western south africa .
these birds are 24 - 28 cm long and weigh 140 - 240 g .
they mainly eat small seeds from the ground , namely indigofera , lotononis , tephrosia , requernia sphaerosperma , limeum , giseckia pharnacioides , amaranthus , cleome , chenopodium , lophiocarpus burchelli and several grasses and daisies . these are complemented with flowers , small fruits and fresh leaves .
this species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be common to locally abundant in much of its range . the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats .
the central tail feathers are short giving a wedge - shape . the wings are long and pointed . the underwings are whitish . there is a thin blackish band around the lower breast . their call is a soft
chowrrr rrrr
sound .
in nature , the black - bellied sandgrouses inhabit hot deserts , semi - arid plains , semi - desert vegetation , temperate grasslands , dry tropical and subtropical shrublands and mediterranean shrub vegetations .
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the kalahari gemsbok national park is situated in the sliver of land between botswana and namibia , 320 km north of upington . it is an integral part of the kgalagadi transfrontier park , which together with neighbouring wildlife management areas in botswana form one of the largest contiguous conservation areas in the world ( 3 , 7 million ha ) .
the kgalagadi transfrontier park has a list of approximately 280 species , of which only about 92 are resident . the remainder comprises mainly nomadic ( 17 ) , migratory ( 50 ) and vagrant ( 121 ) species . it is an important area for raptors , with at least 52 species recorded , and contributes significantly to their conservation .
a total of 239 species has been reported in the kalahari gemsbok national park during the sabap1 and sabap2 projects . four vulture species are present : white - backed vulture gyps africanus , lappet - faced vulture torgos tracheliotos , white - headed vulture aegypius occipitalis and cape vulture g . coprotheres . white - backed and lappet - faced vultures show a preference for the nossob and auob riverbeds as both have large trees suitable for roosting and nesting . other threatened breeding raptors include bateleur terathopius ecaudatus , martial eagle polemaetus bellicosus and tawny eagle aquila rapax . six species of owls are protected in this iba .
kori bustard ardeotis kori is common along both the auob and nossob riverbeds , and ludwig ' s bustard neotis ludwigii occurs relatively frequently in summer . this iba is seasonally important for larks and sparrow - larks , including stark ' s lark spizocorys starki and black - eared sparrow - lark eremopterix australis , particularly after good rains .
the major biodiversity characteristic of this iba is that it is an arid ecosystem populated by large migratory and nomadic herbivores . as such it supports a fully functional large carnivore predator / prey system and is an important refuge for a large raptor community . the park has important populations of lion panthera leo , leopard p . pardus , cheetah acinonyx jubatus , brown hyaena hyaena brunnea , spotted hyaena crocuta crocuta , african wild cat felis lybica , aardwolf proteles cristatus , aardvark orycteropus afer , honey badger mellivora capensis and pangolin manis temminckii .
the characteristic tree species – camel thorn , grey camel thorn vachellia ( formerly acacia ) haematoxylon and shepherd ' s tree boscia albitrunca – are protected under the national forestry act . the camel thorn is regarded as a keystone species and the survival of many animal and plant species depend on it .
the gariep blind legless skink acontias gariepensis is almost restricted to the park . the southern african endemic dwarf beaked snake dipsina multimaculata , kalahari spade - snouted worm lizard monopeltis leonhardi , spotted desert lizard meroles suborbitalis , kalahari ground gecko colopus wahlbergii and woosnam ' s desert rat zelotomys woosnami are all common within the park .
this iba is well managed , with far fewer threats than the surrounding landscape . the major threats that do exist are climate change ; the slow pace at which the contractual land development with the local community is moving and associated land - use conflicts ; the scarcity of fresh water ; and the high petrol price , which will have an effect on visitor numbers . there is also a lack of funds for tourism management and development .
historically , poisons were used extensively in the region to control damage - causing predators , such as black - backed jackal canis mesomelas and caracal caracal caracal . poisoning incidents involving bateleurs and white - backed vultures have been recorded in this iba , and the breeding failure in 1990 of the largest white - backed vulture colony in the park was attributed to poisoning . the inadvertent poisoning of secretarybirds is also suspected . poisons may still be used in neighbouring small - livestock farming areas , but at a lower level than previously .
this iba is a formally protected national park , established in 1931 . it is an integral part of the kgalagadi transfrontier park , which was officially opened in 2000 but had been in existence since 1948 through a verbal agreement between the south african and botswanan conservation authorities . the area represents a large ecosystem relatively free of human influence .
in 1999 the khomani san community won a land claim over 25 000 ha of the park . a joint management plan between the community and sanparks exists for the ae ! hai kalahari heritage contractual park .
since the 1930s a total of 88 waterholes and a number of excavation dams on pans have been constructed within the park . the erection of permanent waterholes was motivated by the observation that increased human activity to the south and west of the park was apparently hindering the migratory movements of the indigenous ungulates ; by the later fencing of some borders ; and by the erroneous perception that the wildlife needed drinking water . historically , vultures and raptors drowned in the water reservoirs . poles or ladders were fitted into the reservoirs to enable raptors to escape from them and raptor drownings are now a rare occurrence . the monitoring of certain raptor species was reinstated by the ewt ' s birds of prey programme kalahari raptor project in 2010 .
if you have any information about the iba , such as a new threat that could impact on it , please send an e - mail to iba @ urltoken or call birdlife south africa + 27 ( 11 ) 789 1122 .
anderson md . 2000 . raptor conservation in the northern cape province , south africa . ostrich 71 : 25–32 .
anderson md , kruger r . 1995 . powerline electrocution of eighteen african white - backed vultures . vulture news 32 : 16–18 .
anderson md , maritz awa , oosthuysen e . 1999 . raptors drowning in farm reservoirs : impacts on southern african populations . ostrich 70 : 139–144 .
barnes k ( ed . ) . 1998 . the important bird areas of southern africa . johannesburg : birdlife south africa .
bgis online . 2014 . biodiversity gis , sanbi . available at www . bgis . sanbi . org . [ accessed september 2014 . ]
broekhuysen gj , broekhuysen mh , martin je , martin r , morgan hk . 1968 . observations on the bird life in the kalahari gemsbok national park . koedoe 11 : 145–160 .
cunningham sj , martin ro , hojem cl , hockey par . 2013 . temperatures in excess of critical thresholds threaten nestling growth and survival in a rapidly - warming arid savanna : a study of common fiscals .


the grey-cheeked thrush ( catharus minimus ) is a medium-sized thrush .

this species is 15 – 17 cm in length , and has the white-dark-white underwing pattern characteristic of catharus thrushes .

it is a member of a close-knit group of migrant species together with the veery and bicknell 's thrush ; it forms a cryptic species pair with the latter .

the grey-cheeked thrush is all but indistinguishable from bicknell 's thrush except by its slightly larger size and different song .

the two were formerly considered conspecific .

of all the american spotted thrushes , the gray-cheeked has the most northern breeding range .

grey - cheeked thrush

dave suddaby describes the remarkable discovery of ireland ' s first spring grey - cheeked thrush .
grey - cheeked thrush ( catharus minimus ) is a species of bird in the turdidae family .
bering sea bicknell ' s thrush bicknelldrossel catharus bicknelli catharus fuscescens catharus guttatus catharus minimus catharus ustulatus einsiedlerdrossel gambell grauwangendrossel gray - cheeked thrush grey - cheeked thrush hermit thrush luscinia calliope northern wheatear oenanthe oenanthe pribilof islands siberian rubythroat st . lawrence island swainson ' s thrush veery wilsondrossel zwergdrossel
grey - cheeked thrushes produce distinctive , high - pitched songs with quick chippers .
swainson ' s thrush has bold buffy eye rings and buffy cheeks ( not grey ) .
the latest sighting details and map for grey - cheeked thrush are only available to our birdguides ultimate or our birdguides pro subscribers .
the gray - cheeked thrush benefits humans by eating insects that annoy or harm us .
there are no negative affects on humans or the environment from the gray - cheeked thrush .
gray - cheeked and bicknell ' s thrushes were only recently recognized as separate species . most of the information published in the last century on
gray - cheeked thrush
concerned the bicknell ' s thrush instead of the gray - cheeked . although gray - cheeked thrush has a much larger range across north america , the bicknell ' s thrush ' s small range is closer to centers of human population , and therefore is the more accessible species .
as similar species to the grey - cheeked thrush bicknell’s thrush ( catharus bicknelli ) , swainson’s thrush ( catharus ustulatus ) , hermit thrush ( catharus guttatus ) and veery ( catharus fuscescens ) are possible and might give you a hard job to id . swainson’s thrush has similar markings and coloring , but the face is buffy with a distinct buffy eye - ring . the hermit thrush has a distinct rusty tail and the veery is usually more reddish overall but shows some comparable features as the plain face and the spotting on the breast .
i think you’re fooling yourself if you think you can reliably separate migrant bicknell’s from gray - cheeked ( or grey - cheeked , if you adhere strictly to gill and wright ) without having the bird firmly in hand .
grey - cheeked thrushes generally only produce one brood in a season ; however , if the first one fails early in the season , they may have a second .
until recently , the grey - cheeked and bicknell ' s thrushes were considered conspecific ( one and the same species ) . even though the grey - cheeked thrushes have a much larger range across north america than their close relatives , the bicknell ' s thrushes are typically found closer to urban areas and are , therefore , more likely to be encountered .
hermit thrush has a dull brown back , a distinct rusty tail and rump .
during the winter , the gray - cheeked thrush migrates to the northern part of south america into colombia , venezuela , south to peru , and into northwest brazil .
laughlin , s . , d . kibbe . 1985 .
gray - cheeked thrush catharus minimus
( on - line ) . accessed october 8 , 2000 at urltoken .
the breeding territory of the grey - cheeked thrushes extends from northeast siberia across northern alaska east to northern canada to north - central quebec , labrador and newfoundland ; and west to northern ontario , manitoba , saskatchewan and northern british columbia .
it is said , that the grey - cheeked thrush is quite a shy species , especially during migration . this thrush is the least well studies of the spotted thrushes ( catharus sp . ) , and has the most northern breeding range stretching across the taiga from newfoundland to eastern siberia . the non - breeding range is not well known , but includes parts of northern south america east of the andes from colombia to northwestern brazil .
veery thrush is smaller in size ( 6 . 5 - 7 . 75 inches or 17 - 20 cm in length ) , has a uniformly brown / more reddish plumage , lacks the grey cheeks and with only faint spotting on the chest .
the oldest recorded gray - cheeked thrush was at least 6 years , 11 months old when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in ontario in 2005 . it had been banded in florida in 1999 .
during the winter , the gray - cheeked thrush migrates to the northern part of south america into colombia , venezuela , south to peru , and into northwest brazil . ( chipper woods bird observatory , 2000 )
chipper woods bird observatory , 2000 .
gray - cheeked thrush
( on - line ) . accessed october 3 , 2000 at http : / / www . wbu . com . / chipperwoods / photos / grthrush . htm .
song : some claim that these birds are easier to distinguish in the dark due to significant vocal differences . their shared song consists of a jumbled series of notes , usually four phrases . in bicknell’s , the song ends on a rising note , while the gray - cheek slurs that final note downward . bicknell’s songs are typically longer than those of grey - cheeked , averaging 2 . 45 seconds vs . 1 . 99 . also , grey - cheeked do not typically sing a song type twice in succession . here is a graphic comparison of the song of the two birds .
a trip to the tiny village of gambell on the north - western tip of the big st . lawrence island in the middle of the bering sea yielded grey - cheeked thrush as the only representative of catharus – thrushes . some tough birders flew in from the end of may to observe mainly the seabird migration . but during our seven - day stay on the gambell– led by a guide from high lonesome tours – we could
wood thrush : upper plumage is brown with a bright rusty - colored head . plumage below is whitish with large dark spots .
17–18·5 cm ; 26–50 g . nominate race is olive - tinged grey - brown above , dull whitish below , with slightly greyish face , indistinct pale eyering , dark brown . . .
collar , n . & christie , d . a . ( 2018 ) . grey - cheeked thrush ( catharus minimus ) . 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 ) .
the gray - cheeked thrush eats mostly insects such as beetles , weevils , ants , wasps , and caterpillars . they may also consume spiders , crayfish , sow bugs , and earthworms . they also eat grapes , wild cherries , blackberries , and raspberries . (
gray - cheeked thrushes have a large range and large population size . they are protected by the u . s . migratory bird act .
the gray - cheeked thrush eats mostly insects such as beetles , weevils , ants , wasps , and caterpillars . they may also consume spiders , crayfish , sow bugs , and earthworms . they also eat grapes , wild cherries , blackberries , and raspberries . ( barker , 2000 )
bicknell’s thrush ( catharus bicknelli ) was discovered as distinct from the established gray - cheeked thrush ( c . minimus ) back in 1881 when eugene p . bicknell visited new york’s catskill mountains . considered merely a subspecies , bicknell’s was finally peeled off gray - cheeked by the american ornithologists’ union ( aou ) in 1995 . the birds were separated on the basis of differing songs , ranges , and physical characteristics , but dna testing was most convincing , establishing that they probably diverged from a common ancestor about one million years ago . still , these birds are so similar that most authorities state the two are not separable in the field . that’s not going to stop you though , is it ? here are some tips to tell bicknell’s and gray - cheeked thrushes apart .
this might be the least - studied north american thrush . except by range and song , it can be tough to distinguish from its cousin , the bicknell’s thrush . the song is lovely , flute - like and burry , rising in the middle and then ending on a downward slur . another of wc’s favorites in alpine terrain .
identity theft occurs with astonishing regularity in the avian world where all too often , species share so many overlapping traits as to appear virtually indistinguishable . empidonax flycatchers are an excellent example of this phenomenon in north america , as are scaup . more esoteric , but no more simplistic , is the difference between gray - cheeked and bicknell’s thrush .
the length of the gray - cheeked thrush is about 16 centimeters . the sexes are similar and have a distinctive song which is very high pitched with quick chippers . they have olive - brown upper parts , gray cheeks , and pink legs . the under parts are white with grayish flanks . it also has a gray , indistinct eye ring .
even in hand it can be tough to distinguish bicknell’s from gray - cheeked . i’ve had birds in the hand that had a tail that contrasted with the body , but they’ve measured out to be gray - cheeked , and i’ve had one bird i was sure to be gray - cheeked that i could only record as gcbt ( a code used when you can not differentiate between the 2 ) because there too much overlap in the measurements ( except for p8 - p1 ) , although it looked very much gray - cheeked ( no contrast between tail and body ) . i’ve come to the conclussion that most people who “confirm” bicknell’s by sight are just trying to pad their lists .
the length of the gray - cheeked thrush is about 16 centimeters . the sexes are similar and have a distinctive song which is very high pitched with quick chippers . they have olive - brown upper parts , gray cheeks , and pink legs . the under parts are white with grayish flanks . it also has a gray , indistinct eye ring . ( laughlin , 1985 )
of all the american spotted thrushes , the gray - cheeked has the most northern breeding range . consequently this shy skulker of the underbrush is not well known and is rather infrequently seen .
taking multiple refueling breaks helps some birds fare better during migration . but for gray - cheeked thrushes , a two - week binge session in colombia can be all they need to reach north america .
we rely on sound and location for those tricky flycatchers , and although i would love to see a bicknell’s thrush i am almost glad we are not within their range . all part of the fun , yeah ?
bicknell ' s thrush very similar in appearance , except for smaller size ( average length 2 . 9 inches or 7 . 5 centimeters ) , shorter wings , buffier face and chest , and more noticeable eye rings . otherwise very similar markings and very difficult to id in the field . most easily separated by their different ranges and vocalizations . the bicknell ' s thrush is found in the northeast us and canada - typically spruce - fir habitat above 900 meters or 3 , 000 feet .
i’m not all that confident separating a bicknell’s thrush outside of its breeding range . it seems to me that the differences are very subtle , and may not be apparent in the woods . if i ever get one to sing , it might be a different story .
the gray - cheeked thrush usually has one brood per season . they will lay a second brood if the first nest fails early in the season . the female builds the nest which normally consists of dried grasses mixed with a supporting layer of mud . the incubation period is thirteen to fourteen days . they incubate between three to five eggs , but usually only four . the eggs are light greenish - blue , marked with light brown dots or splotches , and are oval to short - oval in shape . the young are initially dependent on their parents for food .
altitude : this is actually a pretty fair way to distinguish between the two in the areas they overlap . bicknell’s thrush prefers mountaintop forests above 3000 feet . if you run into one of these birds high up in , say , the adirondacks , chances are good that you’ve got a bicknell’s .
the gray - cheeked thrush usually has one brood per season . they will lay a second brood if the first nest fails early in the season . the female builds the nest which normally consists of dried grasses mixed with a supporting layer of mud . the incubation period is thirteen to fourteen days . they incubate between three to five eggs , but usually only four . the eggs are light greenish - blue , marked with light brown dots or splotches , and are oval to short - oval in shape . the young are initially dependent on their parents for food . ( barker , 2000 )
the gray - cheeked thrushes ( catharus minimus ) are strongly migratory songbirds that breed as far north as siberia , alaska and northern canada and migrate to south america for the winter . these greyest of all north american thrushes have the most northern breeding range and migrate the longest distance of all small thrushes .
the passerine birds we encountered on gambell might be not as spectacular as the siberian rubythroat ( luscinia calliope ) and the 2 northern wheatear ( oenanthe oenanthe ) we observed on the pribilof islands some days before . but for the sole wp - birder of the group this was a perfect situation to twitch this beautiful but inconspicuous thrush .
* first ebird record for jamaica . singing & seen on the edge of logwood ii near l 10 ! singing whisper song almost continuously for 15 minutes while i was in the area , i viewed it at close range ( about 25 feet ) for 2 minutes straight ; obvious catharus thrush , clearly gray - cheeked / bicknell ' s due to overall brown coloration ( w some slight reddish on tail and wings , but very slight ) , clean grayish wash on cheeks , and no buffy lores as swainson ' s would show ; song a descending cascade of whistles , very much reminded me of veery , but higher - pitched , more nasal ; bicknell ' s ruled out based on song differences & i don ' t believe bicknell ' s winters at low elevations in jamaica - also , this sighting seems to align with migration timing of gray - cheeked through the u . s . ; i have a lot of experience with this species during spring migration in the u . s .
size : one prominent physical distinction is that bicknell’s is noticeably smaller than gray - cheeked . a difference of 10 % translates into almost an inch separating them , but since the birds are highly unlikely to stand shoulder to shoulder for you , compare to other available species . bicknell’s also shows shorter wings with a shorter primary projection .
both of these catharus thrushes are olive - brown above with dark spots on a white breast washed with buff . this coloration extends through the underparts , though the spots do not . gray flanks and pink legs round out the common description . if you encounter one of these birds in the field , distinguish it from the other spotted thrushes by plumage and face patterning . the veery is cinnamon overall , while hermit thrushes flaunt those fetching rufous tails . swainson’s thrush is notable for its buffy eye ring and cheeks .
range : gray - cheeked thrushes range widely , wintering in south america . they migrate through central america as well as the greater antilles up into much of the eastern united states on their way to upper canada and alaska . they’ve even been spotted in europe . bicknell’s , on the other hand , is considered primarily a new england bird , though its breeding range actually extends from the catskills where they were initially discovered up to the northern gulf of the st . lawrence . bicknell’s also spends the colder months in the greater antilles with an estimated 90 % of them wintering on hispaniola .
all the brown - backed thrushes can be shy and hard to see , but the gray - cheek is perhaps the most elusive . during migration it hides in dense woods , slipping away when a birder approaches . on its far northern nesting grounds it may be more easily seen , especially in late evening , when it sings from treetops .
boreal forest , tundra scrub ; in migration , other woodlands . breeds in northern spruce forest , often rather open and stunted , and north of treeline in thickets of willow and alder on tundra . winters in tropical forest .
forages mostly on the ground , hopping about under cover of dense thickets . sometimes seen feeding on berries up in shrubs or trees .
4 , sometimes 3 - 5 , perhaps rarely 6 . pale blue , with vague brown spots , sometimes almost unmarked . incubation is by female , 12 - 14 days . young : both parents feed nestlings . young leave nest about 11 - 13 days after hatching .
both parents feed nestlings . young leave nest about 11 - 13 days after hatching .
mostly insects and berries . diet through the year is not known in detail . in north america , feeds on a variety of insects , including beetles , caterpillars , ants , wasps , fly larvae , and many others ; also spiders and some other invertebrates . also eats many berries and wild fruits . winter diet in tropics poorly known .
male arrives first on breeding grounds and establishes territory , defending it by singing . in courtship , male pursues female in swift flight among the trees . nest : often placed very low or even on the ground ; usually less than 10 ' up , sometimes up to 24 ' . ground nests are often among bases of willow or alder shoots , while higher nests may be against trunk of conifer at base of branches . nest ( built by female ) is a well - made open cup of grass , moss , twigs , weeds , strips of bark , sometimes with some mud added ; lined with fine grass and rootlets .
migrates mostly at night . birds from alaska ( and eastern siberia ) apparently migrate far east in fall before turning south . many probably make a nonstop flight from northeastern north america to northern south america .
audio © lang elliott , bob mcguire , kevin colver , martyn stewart and others .
in the broadest and most detailed study of its kind , audubon scientists have used hundreds of thousands of citizen - science observations and sophisticated climate models to predict how birds in the u . s . and canada will react to climate change .
the darker the color , the more favorable the climate conditions are for survival . the outlined areas represent approximate current range for each season .
each map is a visual guide to where a particular bird species may find the climate conditions it needs to survive in the future . we call this the bird’s “climatic range . ”
the darker the shaded area , the more likely it is the bird species will find suitable climate conditions to survive there .
the outline of the approximate current range for each season remains fixed in each frame , allowing you to compare how the range will expand , contract , or shift in the future .
the first frame of the animation shows where the bird can find a suitable climate today ( based on data from 2000 ) . the next three frames predict where this bird’s suitable climate may shift in the future—one frame each for 2020 , 2050 , and 2080 .
you can play or pause the animation with the orange button in the lower left , or select an individual frame to study by clicking on its year .
the darker the color , the more favorable the climate conditions are for survival . the outlined areas represent approximate current range for each season . more on reading these maps .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
aerc tac . 2003 . aerc tac checklist of bird taxa occurring in western palearctic region , 15th draft . available at : urltoken _ the _ wp15 . xls # .
justification : this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km 2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend is not known , but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size is extremely large , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
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hbw alive contains information on descriptive notes , voice , habitat , food and feeding , breeding , movements , status and conservation plus a list of bibliographical references for this species account .
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keith and lynn youngs , robert schaefer , dennis arendt , josep del hoyo , bill wayman , keith blomerley , richard garrigues .
marvinhyett , hal and kirsten snyder , phillip edwards , guy poisson , miriam bauman , gustavo a . rodríguez , david m . gascoigne , eduardo freitez gassan , alan tate , juan fdo . alvarez castro , stu elsom , lee hunter , róger rodríguez , lars petersson .
all ranks domain kingdom subkingdom phylum subphylum superclass class subclass infraclass superorder order suborder infraorder superfamily family subfamily tribe subtribe genus subgenus species subspecies variety group ( polytypic ) group ( monotypic ) species split life sp . ssp . intra - specific hybrid interspecific hybrid intergeneric hybrid species pair
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clean recording , no editing other than trimming ends . small island in the yukon of mostly medium sized willows . the willows had been defoliated by some type of caterpillars which i ' d been seeing off and on along much of the river . these birds were worked up because i was wandering around trying to get fox sparrow recordings . sounds like at least 3 birds in this recording . at least one male . the rest are unknown . it seemed like birds in general were singing later in the summer than normal . i theorized that it had something to do with all the caterpillars ( although they had vanished at this point and did not seem to turn into anything ) . hot , muggy ( 80 + f ) , calm .
natural vocalization ; ' seer ' calls from one of a pair moving low through a dense willow carr surrounded by tundra . these birds seemed quite alarmed by my presence , and i suspect i was near a nest . as far as i know this represents the first recording of the ' seer ' call for this species .
natural vocalization ; chatter calls from one of a pair moving low through a dense willow carr surrounded by tundra . these birds seemed quite alarmed by my presence , and i suspect i was near a nest . as far as i know this represents the first recording of this rare vocalization .
song and two chatter calls from the same bird as in xc139585 in response to playback .
natural vocalization ; song from a bird perched near the top of a 2m tall willow in a dense willow carr surrounded by tundra .
sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .
combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend is not known , but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size is extremely large , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : catharus minimus . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .
northeast siberia across alaska and northern canada to north - central quebec , labrador , and newfoundland . south to northern british columbia , saskatchewan , manitoba , and ontario . ( barker , 2000 )
occupant of the boreal forest of northern canada and alaska . little is known about their winter habitat . ( laughlin , s . b . , 1985 )
they will seek cover under large rocks in sparsely vegetated arctic regions . ( barker , 2000 )
males sing from the top of a low tree or shrub . they sing mainly during dawn or dusk . they will sometimes sing during the day except during the breeding season . ( barker , 2000 )
their habit of eating berries contributes to the propagation of plants as undigested seeds are transported to other locations . ( chipper woods bird observatory , 2000 )
dayna baillo ( author ) , milford high school , george campbell ( editor ) , milford high school .
living in the nearctic biogeographic province , the northern part of the new world . this includes greenland , the canadian arctic islands , and all of the north american as far south as the highlands of central mexico .
living in the southern part of the new world . in other words , central and south america .
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror - image halves . animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides , as well as anterior and posterior ends . synapomorphy of the bilateria .
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature . endothermy is a synapomorphy of the mammalia , although it may have arisen in a ( now extinct ) synapsid ancestor ; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities . convergent in birds .
forest biomes are dominated by trees , otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality .
offspring are produced in more than one group ( litters , clutches , etc . ) and across multiple seasons ( or other periods hospitable to reproduction ) . iteroparous animals must , by definition , survive over multiple seasons ( or periodic condition changes ) .
this terrestrial biome includes summits of high mountains , either without vegetation or covered by low , tundra - like vegetation .
the area in which the animal is naturally found , the region in which it is endemic .
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female ; development of offspring occurs outside the mother ' s body .
rainforests , both temperate and tropical , are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground . epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant . precipitation is typically not limiting , but may be somewhat seasonal .
coniferous or boreal forest , located in a band across northern north america , europe , and asia . this terrestrial biome also occurs at high elevations . long , cold winters and short , wet summers . few species of trees are present ; these are primarily conifers that grow in dense stands with little undergrowth . some deciduous trees also may be present .
a terrestrial biome . savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy . extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical africa and south america , and in australia .
a grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees , a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest . see also tropical savanna and grassland biome .
a terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes ( > 23 . 5° n or s latitude ) . vegetation is made up mostly of grasses , the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available . fire and grazing are important in the long - term maintenance of grasslands .
a terrestrial biome with low , shrubby or mat - like vegetation found at extremely high latitudes or elevations , near the limit of plant growth . soils usually subject to permafrost . plant diversity is typically low and the growing season is short .
barker , s . 2000 .
birds in forested landscape
( on - line ) . accessed october 15 , 2000 at urltoken .
to cite this page : baillo , d . 2001 .
catharus minimus
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
observe many more species migrating to their breeding grounds in the tundra landscape of eastern siberia and alaska .
to cope with the growing demand for top shots of the rarer species of the palearctic bird - lens is keen to enrich the range of pictures of birds you can find in the western palearctic . trips to remote places or to common – but underestimated locations as described above – to capture images of rare birds of western palearctic were very successful . the nice images you find in the gallery are only a first impression , what you will find in the gallery in the “ picture shop ” very soon . just give me a message , if urltoken could serve you with an image needed before the new pictures are online .
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erfahrungsbericht sigma 120 - 300 f 2 . 8 apo ex dg os hsm – vorgänger vom s
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another bird that visits alaska to breed , prefering brushy habitats . wc has seen it most often near tree line in near - alpine country . very shy and elusive , except during the start of breeding season when the males sing from the tops of bushes and the dwarf spruce .
camera geek stuff : f5 . 6 , 1 / 800 , iso2500 , + 0 . 33ev .
responsible wingnut gun owners acting responsible about their guns . good for a laugh .
mfi… . everyone i have talked to is very happy about denali . . thank you president obama . also , sen . sullivan was first against the name change , then changed his mind . 32 degrees in tok , light snow . . tok school has inservice for 2 days . . the kids and i are enjoying the fun times outside . yipee…
my green beans got frost bit overnight . supposed to be colder in the morning . i just picked some apples for a friend right before dark and the skeeters was everywhere . gonna be back in the 60s tomorrow and for the next several days . farmers couldn’t ask for nicer harvest conditions . you can keep the snow if you’d like to .
the black guy in the white house named denali , denali . has alaska imploded yet . ? curious iowan would like to know .
had no idea sperm whales swam that far north . always figured they were denizens of the south pacific around the south pole . thank you , ms pi . ps we are supposed to get first frost friday .
forgot to mention it is supposed to be sunny , windy and in the low 90s this day . unusual for iowa in fall . if someone’s corn fiels catches on fire it could get real interesting around her real fast . corn is in an advanced state of dryness and harvest is in full swing .
we are warmer than normal here too but only in low 50s with lots of wind and rain . some snow up high . no fires there ! would scare me to be surrounded by all that dry stuff…
puny looking li’l thing for alaska’s environment . has anyone figured out what was causing all them there whales to pass away off the coast of alaska ? haven’t heard anything from landlocked iowa .
we have lots of lil bitty critters here mikey . the alaskan red squirrel here is 11 - 13 inches long including tail whereas most squirrels outside are 16 - 27 inches overall ( except the lil douglas squirrel )
in fall , these birds migrate south for the winter . during the migration , they travel mostly through eastern two thirds of the united states . they migrate mainly at night .
they winter in the northern part of south america , specifically colombia , venezuela , south to peru and northwestern brazil . other populations spend the winter on islands of the west indies .
range : breed in extreme northeastern siberia , alaska and canada . winter in northern south america ( including colombia , venezuela , peru and brazil ) , mainly east of the andes mountain range .
range : breed in southeastern canada . winter in the west indies ( an island group that stretches from florida southward , then west along the north coast of the south american country of venezuela )
the open cup nest is constructed by the female out of dried grasses , twigs , moss , stems and other plant material and the nest is reinforced with mud .
their nests are typically placed on the ground at the base of a shrub or low in branches of shrubs .
a nest may contain 3 - 5 pale blue - green , eggs ( average 4 ) with fine brown spotting . the eggs are incubated by the female for about 13 - 14 days .
chinese : ? ? ? ? . . . czech : drozd šedolící . . . danish : gråkindet skovdrossel . . . dutch : grijswang dwerglijster . . . estonian : tundrarästas . . . finnish : tundrarastas . . . faroese : vangagráur trøstur . . . french : grive à joues grises . . . german : braunkopf - musendrossel , grauwangendrossel . . . irish : smólach glasleicneach . . . hebrew : ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? . . . icelandic : hlýraþröstur . . . italian : tordo di baird , tordo guancegrigie , tordo usignolo minimo . . . japanese : haiirochatsugumi , haiirokotsugumi . . . lithuanian : blyškiaskruotis strazdas . . . norwegian : gråkinnskogtrost . . . polish : drozdek szarolicy . . . portuguese : sabia - de - cara - cinza , tordo - de - faces - cinzentas . . . russian : maly drozd , ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? . . . slovak : drozd sivolíci . . . slovenian : aljaški cikovtnik . . . spanish : tordo de cara gris , tordo de mejillas grises , zorzal cara gris , zorzal carigris , zorzal de mejilla gris , zorzal migratorio , zorzalito carigris . . . swedish : gråkindad skogstrast . . . turkish : gri yanakl ? ard ? ç , gri - yanakl ? ard ? ç
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throughout history , crows , ravens and other black birds were feared as symbols of evil or death . …
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ioc world bird list ( v7 . 1 ) , gill , f and d donsker ( eds ) . 2017 .
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in the past placed in genus hylocichla . formerly treated as conspecific with c . bicknelli ; intermediates between the two occur , and newfoundland population of present species approaches c . bicknelli in size and coloration . range of nominate race debatable ; race aliciae only slightly different , and species sometimes treated as monotypic . two subspecies currently recognized .
( s . f . baird , 1858 ) – ne siberia ( e from r kolyma ) , alaska and canada ; non - breeding mainly n south america e of andes , scarce in greater antilles .
( lafresnaye , 1848 ) – e canada ( newfoundland , possibly also n quebec ) ; non - breeding n south america e of andes .
song , rarely in winter quarters and generally limited to 6 - week period on breeding grounds , a . . .
breeds in taiga and adjacent tundra , where found in areas of medium - height shrubs with dense woody . . .
invertebrates , with some fruit . stomachs of birds mostly on spring and autumn passages held 75 % animal and 25 % vegetable matter : beetles . . .
mid - may to early aug in north america and jun–jul in siberia ; single - brooded . monogamous . no data on territory size , but recorded . . .
long - distance migrant . departure from breeding grounds begins mid - aug , mostly complete by early . . .
, given ratios of 1 : 5 ( ringing records , wisconsin ) , 1 : 4 ( . . .
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2003 windsor , trelawny 3 banded - 2003 / 10 ; 1 banded - 2005 / 6 ; 5 banded - 2007 / 10 ; 1 banded - 2008 / 10 ; 1 banded - 2009 / 9 ; 2 banded - 2009 / 10 . susan koenig
2003 b / s windsor , portland . nov 8 , 2003 . 1 netted & photographed in hand ; wing chord = 103 mm . gary graves
2004 font hill w / life sanctuary , st . elizabeth . apr 16 , 2004 . 1 obsv’d . h . davis & lynn duda
2004 long mtn , st . andrew . banded . s . koenig & c . levy .
2013 / 04 / 01 1 font hill nature res . st . elizabeth garrett mcdonald *
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formerly included in an outsize muscicapidae . genetic studies show present family to be sister to a more narrowly defined muscicapidae # r # r # r # r ; in line with this proximity , many genera traditionally grouped herein have recently been transferred to muscicapidae , although some placements remain provisional .
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occupant of the boreal forest of northern canada and alaska . little is known about their winter habitat .
northeast siberia across alaska and northern canada to north - central quebec , labrador , and newfoundland . south to northern british columbia , saskatchewan , manitoba , and ontario .
this species has a large range , with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 4 , 100 , 000 kmē . it has a large global population estimated to be 12 , 000 , 000 individuals ( rich et al . 2003 ) . 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 ]
avibirds , almere , netherlands 2001 - 2012 - your source to the birds of europe . contact ? mail us : info { @ } avibirds . com
face : both birds have gray cheeks , but bicknell’s has more of an eye ring as well as brighter yellow at the base of the lower bill .
mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation , but he ' s also a traveler who fully expects to see every bird in the world . besides founding 10 , 000 birds , mike has also created a number of other entertaining but now extirpated nature blog resources , particularly the nature blog network and i and the bird .
frankly , i know that i am unlikely to differentiate these birds even if one was sitting on my knee . but with enough environmental , vocal , and physical cues , it can be done . as birdfreak points out , birders already rely on such subtleties to distinguish empids and a host of other birds .
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fb , by james hogg : i always seem to end up at a se . . .
tempted to buy this beer just for the design , love it ! . . .
still going strong . bravo ! i know where you are coming fro . . .
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