Monday, July 16, 2007

 

Gila Woodpecker

Male has round red cap; both sexes fawn-colored with back, wings, and tail banded or cross-striped with black and white. Gray-brown head and underparts. Female similar to male in appearance except lacks red cap.
Behavior:A very conspicuous, noisy bird. Lives in nest cavities of trees and sometimes canyon foothills. May occupy the same nesting hole for more than 1 season until it is appropriated by an owl, kestrel, snake or large lizard.
Reproduction:3-4 white eggs are laid around April to May. Incubation lasts about 14 days and is shared by both sexes. Young are fed and cared for by adults for a long time after leaving the nest. Sometimes interbreeds with golden-fronted woodpecker.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

 

Black-footed Penguin

The black-footed penguin inhabits 16 islands off the coast of south and southwestern Africa.
Slightly smaller than South American penguins. Their body is shaped like a bowling pin with webbed feet. Piebald, with a white stripe encircling the black cheek and throat, and a black stripe extending in the shape of a horseshoe across the chest and along the flanks. They also have bare skin forming pink spectacles around the eyes. These aid in heat dispersal when penguins leave cold water for a warm shore. They are more commonly known as jackass penguins because they sound so much like braying donkeys. Magellanic and Galapagos penguins have a second stripe on their chest. Their feathers help them to regulate their body temperature and act as a water proofing when swimming in the water.
Pairs are monogamous. Both build a nest of hardened guano, grass, feathers and pebbles. 2-3 eggs are laid at a time. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs for a period of 38 days. The chicks are born with thick gray feathers to help keep them warm and act as a camouflage. The chicks start swimming and eating on their own at 2 months of age.

Monday, July 09, 2007

 

White-winged Dove

Brownish-gray above and gray below with a bold white wing patch that appears as a brilliant white crescent in flight. It is also visible during rest. Adults have blue, featherless skin around each eye and a long dark mark on the lower face. Their eyes, legs and feet are red. Juveniles are grayer than adults and have no blue eye-ring and their legs and feet are brownish-pink.
Usually a gregarious bird by nature. White-wings feed together in large flocks especially after nesting season. Flocks usually range from a few to fifty, but have been observed in flight with as many as 3-4,000! May fly 25 miles or more for food and water. Drink from stock tanks, windmill troughs, reservoirs, streams, etc.
Males attract females with a courtship behavior of cooing and visual displays. They aggressively defend territory and will spar with wing slaps if necessary. Attracted females join the male in their courtship ceremony. Over 2-5 days the pair build a nest of grasses and weed stems. 1-4 dull cream colored, unmarked eggs are laid and incubated by both the male and female for 11-14 days.

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

 

Cardinal

Characteristics: Males are almost solid crimson with black shades around the beak and eyes. A crest of plumage stands erect on top of the head. The female is more yellowish-brown and also has a crest and reddish-orange bill. Females do not have the black mask but areas of their face my be dark.
Behavior:Solitary and pugnacious in the breeding season, the male may occasionally wound, or even kill their adversaries. Parents are joined by other cardinals when tending to the nestlings. The nest is usually built by the female and the male brings his incubating partner food.
Reproduction:Breeding occurs between March and September. Two broods are raised a year in March and May-July. The female lays 2-5 eggs and incubates them without the males help for 11-13 days. Juveniles are ready to breed the following year.

Monday, July 02, 2007

 

White rhino

The white rhino is the only grazing rhino. Mild and inoffensive in temperament, this species of rhino is the most social with females often living in groups of 5-7 individuals.Rhinos are very good mothers and will stay with a calf teaching and protecting it for 2-4 years. Adult males are solitary and territorial.
Females become sexually mature at 5 years of age and bear their first calf at 6-8 years. A single birth is the rule, with the baby weighing only about 4 percent of the mother's weight - about 143 lbs. (65kg). Females seek seclusion from other rhinos at the time of birth. Males first become sexually potent at 7-8 years of age but are prevented from breeding by social factors until they claim their first territories or dominant status usually at an age of 10 years.
Interesting Facts:There are five living species of rhinos: white, black. Indian, Javan and Sumatran. The black and white live in Africa, while the other three live in Asia. All five species of rhino are in jeopardy of going extinct.

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