wildlife fact file - birds - pgs. 231-240
DESCRIPTION
Long-eared Owl, Streamertail, Yellow-billed Hornbill, Common Murre, Broad-billed Hummingbird, African Jacana, Puffbird, Chough, Bearded Reedling, Wood DuckTRANSCRIPT
'" CARD 231 I LONG-EARED OWL V GROUP 2: BIRDS ,~----------------------------------------~
ORDER Strigifarmes
FAMILY Strigidae
GENUS &: SPECIES Asia atus
The long-eared owl is an elusive bird that lives in Europe, Asia, and North America. This skillful predator emerges at night
to hunt for prey in its woodland habitat.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 14-15 in.
Wingspan: About 3 ft.
Weight: 8-11 oz.
BREEDING
Breeding season: March to April.
Eggs: 4-6; white.
No. of broods: 1 .
Incubation: About 1 month.
Fledging: Almost 1 month.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Mainly resident; northern
birds move south in winter.
Diet: Small rodents and birds.
Young are fed insects.
RELATED SPECIES
The closest relative is the short-eared
owl, Asia flammeus, which is found
in the same areas. There are 4 oth
er species in the genus: the stygian
owl, the Abyssinian long-eared owl,
the African marsh owl, and the Mad
agascar long-eared owl.
Range of the long-eared owl.
DISTRIBUTION
The long-eared owl is found in coniferous forests and mixed
woodland in North America, Europe, and Asia, except for the
northernmost regions. It also lives in North Africa.
CONSERVATION
The long-eared owl is common throughout most of its range.
Humans are its only real enemy.
FEATURES OF THE LONG-EARED OWL
Ear tufts: The distinctive characteristic of this owl. They play no part in hearing. The real ears are hidden on each side of the head.
Body: Medium-size and slender with large, powerful wings. Male and female have similar plumage.
Plumage: Buff or grayish; speckled toward top, mottled with darker streaks lower down. Breast is paler than back. Coloring blends perfectly with tree bark.
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Head: Round, rusty facial disk.
Large yellow eyes. Small ,
sharp black bill.
Owlet: Covered with downy white
feathers at hatching . Plumage turns gray and then brown af-
US P 6001 12 073 PACKET 73
The long-eared owl has prominent ear tufts that are among
its distinguishing characteristics. These feathery tufts stand
erect when the owl is alert, but they have nothing to do
with the birds keen hearing. The real ears, on the sides of
the head, can detect the faint squeak of a far-off rodent.
~ HABITS The long-eared owl lives mainly
in pine woods, but it also inhab
its mixed woodlands, heaths,
and marshland. This bird is com
mon in North America, Europe,
Asia, and North Africa. It avoids
extremely cold areas and mi
grates south from the northern
part of its range in winter.
Soft feathers give the long
eared owl its silent flight. But
with its wide range of calls this
bird is often noisy, especially in
the breeding season. Its main
call is a long cooing note, which
is repeated every few seconds. It
also has a catlike whine, a shrill
whistle, and a bark. The young
have a call that is a cross be
tween the sound of a creaking
gate and a cat's meow.
The long-eared owl usually
roosts during the day, sitting
erect on a branch to look like a
woody stump. Sometimes it flat
tens itself against a tree trunk,
where its mottled feathers blend
in to provide excellent camou
flage. If disturbed, the bird
spreads its wings and makes
hissing and snapping noises.
Right: When in danger, the owlet makes itself look larger by spreading out its wings.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING The long-eared owl feeds pri
marily on field mice, but it also
eats voles, shrews, and rats. In
addition, it preys on small birds
such as sparrows and finches,
or even larger ones such as
jays. When he is seeking food
for his young, the male catches
large quantities of insects, espe
cially beetles such as katydids.
The long-eared owl forages
at night, gliding silently over
open country. It uses its keen
night vision and acute hearing
Left: The long-eared owl waits for total darkness before flying out to hunt its prey.
Right: In North America, this owl has yellower eyes and a redder facial disk than it does elsewhere.
DID YOU KNOW? • The long-eared owl has such
a flexible neck that it can ro
tate its head 270 degrees.
• When a long-eared owl
moves into an area of wood
land, small birds may band
to detect prey. Whenever the
owl finds a potential victim, it
swoops down on it with dead
Iyaccuracy.
Right: The long-eared owl holds itself very erect on a branch, especially when alarmed.
together and mob the owl in
an attempt to drive it away.
• During the cold weather of
fall and winter, small groups I of long-eared owls may join
together to roost.
The long-eared owl is hard to
spot since its plumage cam
ouflages it in the trees. If you
are lucky, you may see owlets
on a branch near the nest.
~ BREEDING The breeding season of the
long-eared owl begins early in
spring. During his courtship dis
play, the male claps his wings
together in a slow, lazy flight.
This owl rarely builds its own
nest. Instead, it takes over and
expands the abandoned nests
of other birds such as crows and
hawks. Sometimes it uses a squir
rel's nest. In open country it may
build its own nest on the ground.
The female lays four to six pure
white eggs. Incubation starts
when the first egg is laid, so the
young do not hatch all at once.
The owlets have downy white
Sometimes confused with
the short-eared owl, the long
eared owl is slimmer and has
much longer ear tufts . It also
has more bars on its tail.
feathers, which turn gray and
then brown in a few days. The
male hunts for his family, giving
his mate food, which she then
passes on to the hatchlings. If
food is scarce, only the larger,
older owlets survive. In order to
protect her young, the female
may lure a predator away from
the nest by pretending that her
wing is broken.
After about three weeks the
young begin leaving the nest,
climbing on branches as they
learn to balance and grip. They
can fly at almost a month old
and hunt at two months old.
'" CARD 232 I STREAMERTAIL ,, ___________________________________ G~R_O~U~P~2:~B~I~RD~S~~
~ ORDER FAMILY ~ GENUS &: SPECIES ~ Apodiformes Trochilidae ~ Trochilus polytmus
The streamertail gets its name from the male ~ elongated tail feathers, which can measure up to seven inches in length. This
hummingbird is found only on the Caribbean island of Jamaica.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Body, lOin. Tail, up to 7
in. (male).
Weight: Less than 1.; oz.
BREEDING
Mating: Outside the rainy season,
which is from October to May.
No. of broods: 1-2.
Eggs: 2; white, elongated.
Incubation: 2-3 weeks.
Fledging period: 3-4 weeks.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Day-active. Vital bodily pro
cesses slow down at night to con
serve energy.
Diet: Mostly nectar; also some fly
ing insects.
Call: Distinctive "tee-tee-tee."
RELATED SPECIES
The hummingbird family to which
the streamertail belongs contains
more than 320 species grouped
into 112. genera.
Range of the streamertail.
DISTRIBUTION
The streamertail is found only on the island of jamaica in the
West Indies.
CONSERVATION
The streamertail is a common bird in jamaica, and its numbers
appear to be stable. It seems to thrive in open spaces, so it is
not threatened by the clearance of much of jamaica's forest.
FEATURES OF THE STREAMERTAIL
Male: Easily identified by his long tail feathers and striking iridescent plumage.
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Bill: Long and slender for probing the heads of flowers . Red , ending in darkened tip . Male's bill is brighter than female 's.
Female: Slightly smaller than the male, with much shorter tail feathers that have white tips. White chest plumage.
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Flight: By adjusting the angle and speed of its wings, the
streamertail can fly in any direction , even backward,
and can easily hover.
0160200841 PACKET 84
The streamertail is very clumsy on the ground. Howeve" it is
extremely agile in the air and is even able to fly backward.
Like all hummingbirds, the streamertail spends much of
the day in flight. It flits from flower to flo we" lapping
up all the nectar it needs with its long, thin tongue.
~ HABITS The streamertail is one of the
most abundant hummingbirds in Jamaica. It can be found in a variety of habitats, from man
grove swamps to dry woodland, but it is most common in
forests at sea level. Highly terri
torial, it uses its long, sharp beak to peck at birds that attempt to
feed from flowers in its territory. The streamertail is most active
at dusk, when it has to feed on enough nectar to survive the
night. It conserves energy by falling into a deep sleep, lower
ing its body temperature to that of the air, and slowing its bodily
functions to a minimum.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING The streamertail occasionally
feeds on insects, but it prefers nectar-the sweet liquid that is
found at the base of a blossom. Nectar is rich in sugar and carbohydrates that can be quickly
absorbed into the bloodstream. Insects, by contrast, are very
hard to catch and take longer
to digest. Many flowers are so delicate
that they would break if the
Left: At night the streamertail "hibernates, /I slowing its body functions to conserve energy.
Right: The male streamertail is the most striking and elegant of all Jamaica5 hummingbirds.
DID YOU KNOW? • The black-billed streamertail of eastern Jamaica was recog
nized as a subspecies of the streamertail in 1902.
• In flight, the male streamertail produces a loud, whirring
streamertail tried to land on
them. So the bird hovers near each flower instead. It dips its very long and slender bill into
the bloom, lapping up the nectar with its long, thin tongue.
Right: In Jamaica, the streamertail is also called the doctor bird because of its long, dark "coattails. "
sound. The sound comes from
air rushing over the scalloped inner feathers of the long tail,
causing them to vibrate.
• The streamertail's wings beat
22 to 78 times per second. ~
When the breeding season be
gins, male streamertails gather in groups and attempt to attract mates. Breeding usually occurs
before or after the rainy season to coincide with an abundance
of flowering plants. Dry weather also ensures that the bird's deli
cate nest will remain intact. The nest is built by the fe
male from cotton threads, fern hairs, or milkweed down, bound
together with the sticky thread of spiderwebs. She then lays
two eggs and incubates them
Left: The streamertail hovers with perfect control before inserting its bill into a blossom.
for two to three weeks. The nest appears too small for its occu
pants, but its flexible structure
lets it expand to accommodate the growing chicks.
The mother works hard to
feed her young. She makes short, frequent trips from the
nest, returning to regurgitate food into the chicks' throats .
She also keeps the nest clean, removing the chicks' waste
matter. As they grow older, the young learn to shoot their waste straight out of the nest. The off
spring grow quickly and are ful
ly fledged and ready to leave the nest in three to four weeks.
YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILL
,,---------------------------------~~~~~~~ ~ ORDER ~ Coraciiformes
FAMILY Bucerotidae
.. GENUS & SPECIES ~ Tockus flavirostris, T. leucomelas
The two species of yellow-billed hornbill are large African birds with flecked black-and-white plumage. As their common name
suggests, these birds have bright yellow bills.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 22 in.
Weight: 4-6 lb .
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
No. of broods: 1 per year.
Breeding season: In the rainy
season, when food is plentiful.
Eggs: 2-6 per clutch; white.
Fledging period: About 1 Z; months.
LIFESTYLE
Call: Various sounds, including whis
tles and cackles.
Habit: Live in pairs or small groups;
often mate for life.
Diet: Insects, fruit, and berries.
Occasionally small reptiles and
mammals.
RELATED SPECIES
The 2 species-the southern yellow
billed hornbill, Tockus leucomelas, and the eastern yellow-billed horn
bill, T. flavirostris-are very similar.
Range of yellow-billed horn bills.
DISTRIBUTION
The southern yellow-billed horn bill is found in Angola, Zambia,
Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and parts of South Africa.
The eastern yellow-billed horn bill is found in Sudan, Ethiopia,
and northern Kenya.
CONSERVATION
Some populations have been affected by land clearance, but
conservation measures do not seem necessary.
FEATURES OF YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILLS
Bill: Bright yellow and curving downward. The narrow ridge along the top may be a strengthen-ing device.
Plumage: Coarse blackand-white feath-
chest and flecked wings.
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Wings: Muscular, giving the bird a strong flight.
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NEST AND EGGS Using a mixture of mud, dirt, and droppings, the male and female seal up a nest hole in a tree, leaving a narrow slit through which food can be passed . Inside the female lays 2 to 6 white eggs.
0160200641 PACKET 64
Yellow-billed horn bills, along with other members
of the genus T ockus, are the smallest hornbills. The
breeding habits of hornbills as a group are unusual.
The male helps seal the female inside a hole in a tree,
where she lays her eggs. Even after the eggs hatch, the
female remains in the hole until the chicks are half-grown.
~ HABITS Yellow-billed horn bills live to
gether in pairs or small groups of up to a dozen birds in scrub
and forests. They are most ac
tive in the cool early mornings,
late afternoons, and evenings.
At night groups of birds roost high up in the trees.
Yellow-billed hornbills have distinctive bright yellow bills,
but their bills are smaller than
those of the great horn bill and
other species. They make a va
riety of sounds, including cackles, squeals, whistles, and roars, and their loud voices carry for
long distances. Yellow-billed hornbills have a
strong flight, alternating short sailing glides with slow, heavy
wing beats. On the ground, they hop around awkwardly.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
Yellow-billed horn bills adapt their diet to their location and
the availability of food. They
eat mainly insects, supplemented by fruit and berries.
They may at times eat small snakes, other reptiles, and
small mammals. The birds feed on the ground
and in the trees. They usually swallow their food whole and
regurgitate anything they cannot digest, such as the hard
parts of insects. To kill a snake, a yellow-billed horn bill holds it down and beats it with its bill.
Left: Yellow-billed hornbills are noisy birds that are more likely to be heard than seen. Many pairs are thought to mate for life.
~ BREEDING
A pair of yellow-billed hornbills
choose an old nesting hole of
another bird or a natural tree hole. When the female is ready
to lay her eggs, she enters the hole. With the female working from inside and the male from
outside, the pair seal the hole
with a mud mixture, leaving only a narrow slit open. As it
dries, the mud mixture hardens into a bricklike consisten
cy, protecting the nest from
any predators. The female lays her eggs
and incubates them. After they hatch, she stays inside
the hole another three weeks. Throughout this period, the
male feeds the female, using
the tip of his bill to pass morsels through the slit in the mud. The male also feeds the
chicks regurgitated food. When the chicks are half
grown, the female chips away
the dried mud and emerges. Although well fed, she is so
weak she can hardly fly. The chicks then seal them
selves inside the nest for another three weeks or so, until
they are fully grown. After
they finally emerge, these
young birds spend several
days in the tree, strengthening their wings until they are
ready to fly.
• ,African villagers often keep horn bills as pets because the birds become tame and play
ful in captivity.
• Some large horn bill species make a whooshing sound
when they fly because the arrangement of their wing
feathers leaves gaps between
the flight quills.
• To keep their nest clean, the female and the chicks
excrete through the slit at
the front. They also push indigestible parts of their food out through the slit.
• The hornbill's nesting habits have gained it a place in folklore. In several African
tribes the bird is a symbol of marital fidelity.
Left: The curved bill of a yellowbilled hornbill helps it catch insects and grubs.
Below: A male yellow-billed hornbill arrives at the nest hole with food. To pass it inside, he clutches the tree trunk just below the hole and uses his tail as a prop.
COMMON MURRE ,, ___________________________________ G~R~OUP2: BIRDS
ORDER Charadriiformes
FAMILY Alcidae
GENUS & SPECIES Uria aalge
The common murre is a sociable bird that breeds on coastal cliffs and hunts in the ocean. With its dark head, white underparts,
and upright stance, it resembles a small penguin.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 15-17 in.
Wingspan: About 2 ft.
Weight: About 1 ~ lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 5 years.
Breeding season: April to July.
No. of broods: 1 .
Eggs: 1; pointed.
Incubation: 4-5 weeks.
Fledging period: 7-10 weeks.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable, but territorial in the
breeding season. Winters at sea.
Diet: Fish, crabs, and squid.
Call: Usually silent. "Growls" during
the mating season.
lifespan: Unknown.
RELATED SPECIES
The 22 species of auk in the fami
ly Alcidae include the thick-billed
murre, Uria 10m via; the black guille
mot, Cepphus gryl/e; and the razor
bill, Alco torda.
• Range of the common murre.
DISTRIBUTION
The common murre is found along the Atlantic coasts of Can
ada, Greenland, and northern Europe, and along the Pacific
coasts of northern Asia and North America.
CONSERVATION
Shooting of the common murre is now controlled, but marine
pollution from oil and chemicals still poses a threat.
I FEATURES OF THE COMMON MURRE
Summer plumage: Brown upperparts in summer. Coloring darkens in birds farther north, and some are almost black.
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Winter plumage: Breast, chin, th roat, and sides of the neck are white except for a black line that runs back from the eye.
Egg: 1; often whitish but color may vary. Its painted end prevents it from rolling off ledges.
US P 6001 12069 PACKET 69
The common murre can be spotted nesting in large colonies
on narrow cliff ledges on the temperate and northern
coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific. But it spends most of the
year on the open water, returning to land only in the
breeding season. An expert swimmer, this bird seems
to "fly" underwater with the aid of its wings.
~HABITS The common murre is found in
throngs along coasts and on
small islands in the Northern
Hemisphere, up to the Arctic
Circle. A hardy seabird, it toler
ates wind, cold, and rain but
tends to avoid ice.
The bird spends just three or
four months of the year on land,
nesting on the ledges of rocky
cliff faces. Breeding colonies are
crowded and noisy, with hun
dreds of birds engaged in court
ship rituals and territorial fights.
But at sea, murres travel in small,
silent flocks.
In winter the birds leave their
rocky breeding sites and head in
all directions. A few birds may
be seen together, flying low
over the water or bobbing on
ocean swells.
To search for food or to escape
predators, a murre may go un
derwater by kicking both its feet
and partly opening its wings.
Once it is underwater, the bird
uses its webbed feet as a rudder
and flaps its stubby, muscular
wings in order to propel itself
through the water.
In flight, the rapid beat of the
common murre's short wings
makes a whirring sound that is
characteristic of the auk family.
Right: The common murre may travel 30 miles in search of small fish to feed its young.
~ BREEDING Like most auks, the common
murre is a quiet bird most of
the time. But during pair for
mation, nesting, and territorial
disputes, this bird utters loud
and raucous calls.
The male and female pair for
life and use the same nesting
site each year. The open nest is
usually located on a cliff or sea
facing ledge. The pair's single
egg is pointed at the end, so
that it rolls in a circle instead
of rolling off the narrow rock
Left: Its daggerlike bill and longer neck distinguish the common murre from the razorbill.
DID YOU KNOW? • Ayoung murre utters a spe
cial "pain call" when it has dif
ficulty digesting food.
• It is thought that the com
mon murre can dive as deep
as 200 feet and stay underwa
ter as long as two minutes.
L n different places, the com-
shelf. It faces other dangers,
however, such as rock falls and
high winds.
Both parents take part in the
month-long incubation and
guard the egg against preda
tors. Both bring food to the
chick. After two or three weeks,
before the chick can really fly,
its parents encourage it to half
fly, half-jump down to the wa
ter. The male bird follows the
chick and leads it out to the
open sea.
Right: Breeding areas are packed
so tightly that each murre may touch several others.
mon murre may be called the
thin-billed murre, California
murre, Atlantic murre, guille
mot, or foolish guillemot.
• The common murre is close-
ly related to the extinct :Jreat auk, which was slaughtered
by sailors for its meat.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING The common murre has a long,
narrow bill well suited to fishing.
It captures its prey in the water
or snatches it from the seabed.
Swimming underwater, the
common murre swallows a vari
ety of fish, including Arctic cod,
herring, and sprats. Occasional
ly it hunts for crabs, worms, and
squid. When it forages for its
~ BIRDWATCH In spring noisy flocks of com
mon murres gather in nesting
colonies on rocky ledges. In
the United States, there is a
Left: The chick is very vulnerable to predators in its exposed nest on a rocky ledge. The male takes the chick to the sea a few weeks after its birth, before it can even fly.
chick, it catches small fish such
as sprats or sand eels and carries
them to the nest in its bill.
To find its prey, a murre may
repeatedly dip its head in the
water and then dive to make
the catch. Or it may crash-land
above a school of fish and dive
at once. A typical dive is 60 feet
deep and lasts 45 seconds.
large colony on the Farallon
Islands in California and an
other huge colony at Three
Arch Rocks in Oregon .
BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD
,,------------------------~
ORDER FAMILY Apodiformes Trochilidae
GENUS & SPECIES Cynanthus latirostris
CARD 235J
Despite its delicate appearance, the broad-billed hummingbird is a bold, quarrelsome bird that will readily attack
any intruder that strays into its territory.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 3-4 in .
Weight: !4 oz.
BREEDING
Mating season: April to May.
Eggs: Usually 2.
Incubation: 2 weeks.
Fledging period: 3- 3~ weeks.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Day-active; solitary.
Diet: Pollen, nectar, insects,
and spiders.
Call: Chattering notes. Male
utters a "zing" display call.
Lifespan: Unknown.
RELATED SPECIES
There are approximately 320 spe
cies of hummingbird, all in the
Western Hemisphere. The closest
relative is the dusky hummingbird,
Cynanthus sordidus, of Mexico.
Range of the broad-billed hummingbird.
DISTRIBUTION
Found from southern Arizona and Texas to southern Mexico.
Northern breeding birds may migrate south in fall.
CONSERVATION
During the 19th century, hummingbirds were exported to Eu
rope, where their feathers were used as fashion accessories. To
day the broad-billed hummingbird is relatively unaffected by
human activity.
FEATURES OF THE BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD
Male: Vivid green above and below with white undertail coverts. Glittering blue throat and cheeks.
Eyes: Large. Give sharp vision .
Bill: Long and slightly curved . Bright red tipped with black.
Tail: Black and somewhat forked.
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Female: Dull green upperparts, pale gray below.
Nest: Small cup made of plant matter, twigs, and bark woven with spiderwebs.
0160200811 PACKET 81
The broad-billed hummingbird is in flight virtually all day
long. Activities such as feeding on nectar, bathing in the
dew collected on flowers, and defending its territory are all
accompanied by the frenzied beating of its wings. In order to
sustain this aerial activity, the bird must conserve energy
whenever it can. For this reason, it spends the night in a
dormant state, similar to that of an animal in hibernation.
~ HABITAT Most hummingbirds are found
in the dense forests of Central and South America. However,
the broad-billed hummingbird
lives farther north, breeding up to the southern United States.
Unlike its relatives, this bird pre
fers dry or desert regions. It lives
among mesquite and sycamore
scrub between rocky outcrops in canyons and gullies.
This hummingbird rarely strays
far from places where its favor
ite plants grow, but it may mi
grate locally to find food.
Right: With its long, curved bill, a hummingbird can penetrate deep into tube-shaped blossoms.
~ BREEDING The broad-billed hummingbird
breeds in spring, when its favor
ite food plants are flowering.
These solitary birds gather in
groups only during the breed
ing season when trying to at
tract mates. The male displays
to the female with an arcing, pendulumlike flight. He leaves
after mating, taking no part in
rearing the young. The female builds her nest
on a branch that is several feet
above the ground. The nest is
a small, lichen-covered cup of
plant matter, bark, and twigs
bound together with spider
webs. The female usually lays
two white eggs and incubates
them for about two weeks. Left: This species' wings beat up to 75 times per second, quite slow for a hummingbird.
Right: The female broad-billed hummingbird may decorate her nest with strips of bark.
The young hatch featherless,
thin, and hungry. Their mother
feeds them continuously for
about three weeks. She thrusts
her bill down her offspring's
gullet and regurgitates nectar and insects into its stomach.
The young birds grow fast. They cannot move about on
their legs, but they can fly and
often engage in playful flights together. After the young leave
the nest, the female may mate
again and raise another brood.
Right: Perching on the nest to feed her hungry young, the female briefly rests her wings.
DID YOU KNOW? • The broad-billed hummingbird can fly at speeds of over
28 miles per hour.
• The humming noise made by the bird's beating wings is
pitched on the note of C.
• The broad-billed hummingbird's heart can beat up to
1,200 times per minute, or
20 times per second.
~ FOOD fit FEEDING Because the broad-billed hum
mingbird spends so much time
in flight, it needs large quanti
ties of energy-rich food. With
its wings beating very rapidly, it hovers beside a flower and in
serts its long and slightly curved bill into the blossom. It draws
out the sugary nectar with
• People burn about 3,500 calories daily; hummingbirds
burn 155,000. To sustain the
same level of activity as this
bird, a human would need to
eat over 220 pounds of ham
burger each day.
• On a typical day, the hummingbird may visit 2,000
flowers to feed.
darting movements of its ex
tended tongue. The bird also obtains essen
tial proteins from insects and
spiders. It captures insects by
hovering behind and below
them, then darting up to catch them in its bill. It may also steal
insects from a spider's web.
AFRICAN JACANA
ORDER Charadriiformes
FAMILY Jacanidae
GROUP 2: BIRDS GENUS &: SPECIES Actophilornis africanus
The African jacana has such long toes that it is capable of walking across floating water plants without sinking. In Africa one of the bird's common names is "lily trotter."
KEY FACTS --------~~----
SIZES
Length: 9-12 in.
Wing length: Male, 5 in . Female,
6 in.
Weight : Male, 4-8 oz. Female,
6-10 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1-2 years.
Mating: Varies in different regions.
Usually most or all months.
No. of eggs: Up to 4. Incubat ion: 3-4 weeks. L LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable.
Range of the African jacana.
DISTRIBUTION Diet: Insects and their larvae, crus
taceans, and aquatic plants.
Call: Whining and clucking sounds.
lifespan: Up to 13 years in captivity.
Unknown in the wild.
Found on open waters throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa,
w ith the exception of Somalia and some pockets along the
coastal regions of western and southwestern Africa.
CONSERVATION
RELATED SPECIES
Jacanas are related to plovers. The
lesser jacana, Microparra capensis,
is closely related.
The African jacana is common across most of its range and is
not a threatened species.
FEATURES OF THE AFRICAN JACANA
Plumage: Rich chestnut brown body and wing feathers. Golden chest. Black tai l feathers.
Toes: Long; 3 face forward and 1 faces back. Thin, sharp claws. Elongated hind claw braces the bird. Toes enable the bird to spread its weight over a
~II!I:"".",,-- Iarge area when walking on floating vegetation.
Head: White face with black stripe through eye and bright blue forehead.
Bill: Straight with slightly
down-curved ....... ~I!II... tip.
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The African jacana is at home in stagnant water, where it
walks with ease across floating lily pads. This bird is also
a strong swimmer and often dives underwater to avoid
enemies. The male incubates the eggs and rears the chicks,
defending them from predators. He distracts any intruders
by flying away from the nest, then spreading his wings
and collapsing into vegetation, pretending to be injured.
~ HABITAT The African jacana flourishes in
most of the fertile coastal and
inland regions south of the Sa
hara Desert.
It prefers stagnant water that
is covered with water lilies and
other pondweeds. The African
jacana thrives near marshes, la
goons, slow-flowing rivers, and
on flooded grassland. It may al
so be found on the banks of Af
rica's biggest lakes, including
Lake Chad and Lake Victoria.
The African jacana is common
throughout much of its range.
But flocks are scarcer in arid re-
gions, especially in southwest
ern Africa, around the Sahara,
and the Horn of Africa. Because
of its need for water, the bird
favors low-lying country, and
it rarely strays any higher than
6,500 feet.
The African jacana generally
stays within a localized home
range. But a flock may have to
move if its main source of wa
ter dries out. This can involve a
journey of hundreds of miles.
Right: In a reversal of usual roles, the male rather than the female incubates the eggs.
~ FOOD & FEEDING The African jacana eats insects,
small invertebrates, and crus
taceans, as well as the seeds and
leaves of water lilies and other
aquatic plants. It usually feeds
near the shore, foraging in pairs,
family groups, or larger parties
that spread out over an area of
150 feet or more. The female is
frequently more daring than the
male and may venture 300 feet
out onto the water.
Walking steadily over the water
plants, the African jacana pecks
and pulls at leaves. It flips them
Left: The African jacana has long, thin toes that enable it to walk on water lilies with ease.
DID YOU KNOW? • The male often broods his
young while walking, carry
ing them around in "pock
ets" that are formed by his
folded wings. The chicks are
hidden except for their long
toes, which dangle below.
The male also uses his w ings
to scoop the chicks into the
pockets if danger threatens.
over and then looks for small
creatures that may be clinging
to the undersides. This bird also
utilizes its bill to fish for larvae.
Occasionally it snatches insects
from the air, then dips them in
to the water to make them easi
er to swallow.
The African jacana may perch
alone or in groups on the backs
of hippopotamuses that are half
submerged in the water. When
these animals move, they stir up
many insects on which the jaca
na can prey.
Right: The African jacana searches for its prey along the muddy shores of lakes.
Left: When the male carries his young under his wings, only their feet are visible.
Right: The chick ventures out from the nest a few hours after hatching.
When ready to attract the larg
er female, the male constructs
a nest of rotting weeds. He may
also use a leaf or a lump of float
ing peat. He clucks softly while
pulling pieces of nesting mate
rial out with his bill. The female
sometimes takes a single mate,
but she may have up to four in
one year.
The male incubates the eggs,
sitting on them for about half
an hour at a time. After short
breaks for hunting, he returns
to the nest and lowers himself
slowly onto the eggs. If they
have become too hot in the
sun while he has been away, he
stands up to shade them with
his body.
The chicks hatch in three to
four weeks. They are strong
enough to leave the nest with
in a few hours. The male rears
the chicks, but the female visits
from time to time. She frequent
ly returns to look after her off
spring when they can swim.
After two or three weeks, the
female chicks are noticeably
larger than the males. They al
so fly at an earlier age.
PUFFBIRD
ORDER Piciformes
FAMILY Buccanidae
GENERA Bucca, Notharchus, Nystalus, etc.
Puffbirds are named for their stout, "puffy" appearance. These birds belong to a family that includes nunbirds, monklets,
and nunlets-names that reflect their sober coloring.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 5-12 in.
Weight: 1-3 oz.
BREEDING
Breeding season: Usually in the
first half of the year.
Eggs: 2 or 3; white, round .
Incubation period: Variable.
Fledging period: 20-30 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Mainly pairs, some groups.
Diet: Insects, small lizards and frogs,
some fruit.
Call: Weak whistles.
RELATED SPECIES
The family Buccanidae has 34 spe
cies. These include the puffbirds of
the genera Notharchus, Bucca, Nys
talus, Hypnelus, and Malacopti/a; the
nunbirds, Haploptila and Monasa; the
monklets and nun lets, Micromonacha
and Nonnula, and the swallow-wing,
Chelidoptera tenebrosa.
TYPICAL PUFFBIRD SPECIES
White-necked puffbird Notharchus macrorhyncus
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Range of puffbirds.
DISTRIBUTION
Most abundant in lowland woods and forested areas in the
Amazon basin. Also found in smaller numbers as far north as
southern Mexico and as far south as Paraguay.
CONSERVATION
Like many other birds in their range, puffbirds are suffering
from loss of habitat.
Spot-backed puffbird Nystalus maculatus
Mustached puffbird Malacoptila mystacalis
Russet-throated puffbird Hypne/us ruficollis
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Appearance: Puffbirds are characterized by their large heads and small , stocky bodies. They also have wide bills that are more hooked in some species. The exception to these general characteristics is the swallowwing, which has a smaller head and a more streamlined body.
0160200581 PACKET 58
The tropical forests and woodlands of Central and South
America are home to puffbirds. With their stocky bodies and
their large heads, most species are similar in shape to
kingfishers. The German name for puffbird means
"Iazy bird. 1/ The name may have been chosen because
puffbirds have a habit of perching without moving
for long periods, waiting for prey to appear.
~ HABITS Puffbirds remain in one small region for years. Most species perch on exposed branches on the edges of woodland or in forest clearings. However the black-breasted puffbird prefers to stay hidden in the forest canopy.
Most puffbirds perch close to the ground and seldom descend to the forest floor except when nesting. They rarely flit about in the foliage, but the small nunlet is an ex-
ception. It can be seen hopping from branch to branch, searching for food . Puffbirds are usually seen in pairs. Nunbirds are among the most sociable species. Up tol 0 nunbirds can be seen perching together on a branch.
Puffbirds are generally very silent. But some species, such as the black-breasted, whitenecked, and pied puffbirds, give loud whistles that break long periods of silence.
~ BREEDING Most puffbirds dig out a nest in the forest floor. Both male and female use their stout bills to make a tunnel that leads to a nest chamber. Puffbirds of the genus Notharchus, including the black-breasted, whitenecked, brown-banded, and pied species, dig deep into the nests of termites.
The entrance tunnel slopes downward. In the case of the
swallow-wing, it may be up to seven feet long. It takes a pair about two weeks to dig out a tunnel. They then enlarge the tunnel's inner end to form a
Left: The two claws at the front and back of a puffbird's feet provide a good grip.
DID YOU KNOW? • The white-fronted nunbird conceals the entrance of its nest with sticks. The blackfronted nunbird constructs a tunnel of leaves and twigs along the ground so it can enter the nest unseen.
• When they return to the nest at night, young puffbirds of some species seal
nest chamber, which they line with dry leaves.
Both male and female puffbirds incubate their clutch of two or three eggs. When the eggs hatch, the blind, naked young are kept warm by the male, while the female brings them food.
Within a few days, the nestlings can crawl up to the entrance hole to take food . The male can then leave them and help the female look for food. After three weeks the young birds have a full set of feathers and are able to leave the nest.
Right: The white-eared puffbird is widely distributed across central South America.
the entrance tunnel by rearranging the lining of leaves from the nest chamber.
• Little soil is found outside a tunnel that has been dug by puffbirds. It is believed that the birds carry the soil away so that predators will not find out where the nest is located.
~ FOOD & FEEDING Puffbirds feed mainly on insects, especially beetles. The birds sit still for long periods, then swoop down and snap up passing prey. Certain species also eat small lizards and frogs, which they find in the foliage or on the floor of the forest. Occasionally puffbirds also feed on fruit.
The swallow-wing is unusual
Left: Unlike some other species, the spot-backed puffbird has bold coloring.
Left: The blackfronted nunbird has the thick, slightly hooked bill that is common among puffbirds. This bill is adapted to catching the insects that are the mainstay of its diet.
because it eats only flying insects. It makes frequent short flights from its perch to find the flying ants that make up the bulk of its diet. Like a flycatcher, it darts out to catch an insect in flight and then returns to its perch.
Young puffbirds are fed almost exclusively on large insects. White-fronted puffbird adults that have no young of their own may help feed the young of others.
CHOUGH
,,~-----------------~ ORDER
Passeriformes FAMILY Corvidae
GROUP 2: BIRDS GENUS & SPECIES Pyrrhocorox pyrrhocorox
The chough is generally found around mountains and sea cliffs. It is the only member of the crow family that has a bright red bill, which provides a striking contrast to its glossy black plumage.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 16-18 in.
Bill length: Male, 2-2~ in.
Female, 1 ~-2 in.
Weight: 12-13 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: April to June.
Eggs: 3-5; rarely, 2 or 6.
Incubation: 2~-3 weeks.
Fledging period: About 6 weeks.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives in pairs, family groups,
or loose flocks.
Diet: Mainly insects and larvae;
also other invertebrates and seeds.
Lifespan: Oldest known, 1 7 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The closest relative is the Alpine
chough, Pyrrhocorox grocu/us.
FEATURES OF THE CHOUGH
Bill: Bright red , tapering, and downward-
©MCMXCVI IMP BV/IMP INC. WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of the chough.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in northwestern and southern Europe, the Canary Is
lands, northwestern Africa, Ethiopia, and Turkey east through
Iran and Central Asia to southern Siberia and northern China.
CONSERVATION
The chough population has declined severely over the last two
centuries in many parts of western Europe as well as other parts
of its range.
Plumage: Adult is a uniform glossy black. Juvenile is
less glossy and has an orange-yellow bill.
Flight: Reveals broad wings that have slotted tips. The chough is known for its aerobatics. It wheels around cliffs, climbing high, diving, and even turning somersaults.
Eggs: Usually 3 to 5. They are speckled but may show marked variations in color.
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The chough was once common in western and southern
Europe, where it could be seen performing spectacular flying
feats above its rocky nesting sites. Over the last two centuries,
however, the chough s numbers have dropped in many parts
of its range. Naturalists have been unable to determine
the reasons for this decline in the birds population.
~ HABITS The chough has an extensive but scattered range across Europe and Asia. It usually lives on rugged mountain slopes, but it can also be found around quarries, rocky valleys, and sea cliffs. Populations that live at higher altitudes move down in winter to escape the cold.
The agile chough uses updrafts and wind currents to swoop and dive past rock faces. It soars and glides with its wingtips spread and then moves with a slow, leisurely flapping . The bird often performs aerobatic displays, div-
ing with its wings drawn in or turning on its back in midair.
The chough often appears in loose flocks of up to 100 individuals, especially at winter roosts. But the bird's closest ties are between pairs or family members, which vigorously defend their feeding sites. Interlopers are forced away by a threat display, in which the feathers are ruffled and the bill is opened. Rivals may also stand upright with their bills pointing down and their feathers smoothed-a posture that often leads to fighting.
~ FOOD fit FEEDING Unlike other crows, the chough only rarely scavenges for scraps of garbage. Occasionally it consumes grain, but the bulk of its diet consists of invertebrates, mainly small insects. It regularly preys on beetles, ants, flies and their larvae, caterpillars, crickets, spiders, and worms.
The chough finds some of its food on the rocky ledges of its roosting and nesting sites, but it prefers to forage close to home in patches of closely cropped grass or bare earth. In winter, populations in coastal areas may
Left: Grassy slopes on top of the chough 5 cliffside nest sites offer a plentiful supply of insects.
DID YOU KNOW? • When food is plentiful the chough may store it, concealing supplies in rock crevices. • In the Himalayas, choughs regularly nest at altitudes of 11,000 feet and forage even higher than that. • One chough's nest was dis-
forage on the shoreline. In a few areas, such as the Canary Islands, the birds find food in trees.
The chough often flips over stones and droppings in search of prey. It also probes the soil with its curved bill, to a depth of two inches. The bird finds much of its food in ants' nests. Using its bill it probes the nest at all angles, pulling out adults, larvae, and pupae. It sometimes stabs downward with its bill, in a rapid, pecking motion that is frequently described as a "sewing machine" action.
Right: The chough often nests on the narrow ledges of abandoned quarries and mines.
covered in the Alps lined with fiber from a discarded coconut shell as well as felt from an old carpet. • The primary enemy of the chough is the peregri~e, a powerful fdlcon that also frequents cliffs and rocky ledges.
~I BIRDWATCH The chough can be differentiated from other crows by its bright red bill and legs, as well as its loud "keeaar" call. Like all crows, the adult chough has glossy black plumage. The young are not as glossy, and
~ BREEDING Courtship between choughs entails ritual displays on the ground as well as spectacular flights. Two competing males may strut toward a female with tails turned upward, feathers ruffled, wings drooped, and heads down. After pairing, the choughs may preen one another. The male often feeds the female, a practice he continues when she incubates.
Choughs do not usually nest in groups, but in a suitable place
Left: The chough 's nest is made of twigs and plant stems and lined with wool, hair, and grass.
they have orange-yellow bills. The chough's broad wings,
with their slotted tips, are clearly visible in flight. In the breeding season, both male and female can be seen engaging in their aerial courtship display.
their nests may be fairly close together. The nesting site may be a cliff ledge, crevice, cave, or hole in an abandoned building. In the easternmost parts of its range, the bird may even nest in occupied houses.
Both parents give the hatchlings regurgitated food, but the female alone cleans the chicks and keeps them warm. The young leave the nest in five to six weeks but stay in the shelter of crevices and overhangs for several days longer, until they are ready to fly.
'" CARD 239 I BEARDED REEDLING ,, __________________________________ G~RO~U~P~2:~B~I~RD~S~~
~ ORDER .... FAMILY GENUS & SPECIES ~ Passeriformes ~ Paradoxornithidae Panurus biarmicus
Although the bearded reedling looks like a member of the titmouse family, it is barely related. Instead, it belongs to a family of
predominantly Asian birds that are called parrotbills.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 4-5 in.
Weight: ~-% oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: April to July.
Eggs: 5-7; white with brown
streaks.
No. of broods: 2-3. Incubation: 12-13 days.
Fledging period: 9-13 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable. Pairs for life. Often
nests in loose colonies.
Diet: Mainly insects and seeds.
Call: A nasal, ringing "ping ping."
lifespan: Oldest known, 6 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 19 species of parrotbill,
mostly in Southeast Asia. They
include the three-toed parrotbill,
Paradoxornis paradoxus, of China.
Range of the bearded reed ling.
DISTRIBUTION
The bearded reedling is becoming a familiar breeder in western
Europe. It also lives and breeds in eastern Europe and southern,
central, and western Asia.
CONSERVATION
Harsh winters and the drainage of marshland are the primary
threats to the bearded reedling. It is a protected species in sev
eral European countries.
FEATURES OF THE BEARDED REEDLING
Male: Tawny body, bluegray head, and black mustache. Predominantly black and brown wings. Black undertail.
© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S:A.
Flight: With its wings whirring rapidly and its tail fanning rhyth
mically, the bearded reedling skims over the tops of reeds.
Female: Brown head, white chest, and brownand-black wings.
Eggs: 5 to 7; white with brown streaks.
0160200801 PACKET 80
The bearded reedling, also called the bearded tit, gets its
name from the male's distinctive facial markings. Its status
as a protected species in several European countries has
increased this bird's numbers. Today its bell-like call is a
familiar sound among the reed beds across its range.
~ HABITAT The bearded reedling is found in southern, central, and western Asia as well as in parts of eastern and western Europe. This bird makes its home in the thick reed beds that flourish beside brackish and freshwater lakes, rivers, and marshes.
In many parts of its range,
~ HABITS The bearded reedling is a bold, sociable bird. In winter the birds live in flocks of up to 50 individuals. For the rest of the year they live in extended family groups.
An acrobatic bird, the bearded reedling hops up and down the reeds with quick and jerky movements. It perches by grasping stems with both feet and sus-
the bearded reedling is primarily sedentary. But in highly populated areas, flocks may fly far from their breeding grounds, to either established wintering locations or new breeding sites. As a result, the bearded reedling's range constantly changes and extends into new areas.
pending its weight. In flight the bird skims over the reeds with its wings whirring rapidly and its tail fanning rhythmically.
The bearded reedling has a vibrant "ping ping" call and a softer twittering voice. It also utters a less distinctive "tic" noise.
Right: The bearded reedling favors reed seeds above all other seeds.
~ BREEDING The bearded reedling is susceptible to cold, and numbers may drop significantly in winter. But these losses are offset by its prolific breeding in spring.
During the courtship ritual, the male puffs out the feathers of his black mustache and raises his tail to reveal his black undertail feathers. The female spreads her tail and briefly dances. Sometimes the two rise together in a slow flight.
Left: The bearded reedling grips a stem with both feet when perching.
DID YOU KNOW? • Although it is placed with the parrotbills, no one actually knows what the bearded reedling's closest relatives are. • Bearded reedlings form pairs before they are sexually ma-
The pair builds a cup-shaped nest just above the water in a thick reed bed. The nest is made of reeds and sedges and lined with flowers and feathers. The female lays five to seven eggs, which both sexes incubate for 12 to 13 days. The chicks are able to fly within two weeks and may leave the nest to form small juvenile flocks. Meanwhile the parents raise a second or even a third brood.
Right: The parents share the duties of feeding their hatchlings.
ture and remain mated for the rest of their lives. • During the last century, the bearded reedling was perse- J cuted by trappers who sold the captives as caged birds.
~I BIRDWATCH The bearded reedling has always been common in Hungary and eastern Austria. But today the bird is also found in almost any large, dense
reed bed in western Europe. The bearded reedling's call
is relatively easy to recognize. It sounds like two stones being hit together.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING The bearded reed ling finds all the food it needs within its reed bed habitat and rarely ventures beyond the safety of its home.
During summer the bird feeds primarily on soft insects such as mayflies. It may hop up and down plant stems, picking off adult and larval insects. Or it may drop to the ground and scratch around for them in the damp earth. Occasionally it eats freshwater mollusks and other small animals.
When insects are scarce, the bearded reedling feeds on seeds such as reed seeds. When the plants are flowering, it nips off the buds and petals. In order to digest this food easily, the bird has a muscular gizzard like that of other seed-eating birds.
WOOD DUCK
ORDER Anseriformes
FAMILY Anatidae
"(CARD 240 I
GROUP 2: BIRDS GENUS & SPECIES Aix sponsa
The wood duck is one of the most attractive duck species. At one time its numbers declined dramatically because of intensive
hunting, but the duck has now recovered in much of its range.
~ KEYFAC_T_S ____________________________ ~ bt l SIZES
~ Length: 17-20 in. Weight: Male, about 1 )1 lb. Female, about 1 lb.
BREEDING Sexual maturity: Usually 1 year. Mating season: March to May. No. of broods: 1-2. Eggs: 6-15; creamy white. Incubation: About 1 month.
LIFESTYLE Habit: Social; lives in flocks for most of the year. Diet: Water plants, aquatic insects, snails, small fish, crustaceans, and fallen acorns. Call: Mainly silent, but gives whistling alarm calls. Lifespan: Unknown.
RELATED SPECIES There are 13 species of perching duck, which include the mandarin duck, Aix ga/ericu/ata, the wood duck's closest relative.
Range of the wood duck.
DISTRIBUTION The wood duck is widespread across North Amerka, with two separate breeding populations-one toward the East, the other in the West.
CONSERVATION The number of wood ducks had seriously declined by the early 20th century because of overhunting. Protective measures and captive breeding programs have helped the species recover.
FEATURES OF THE WOOD DUCK
Male: Large crest on back of head, short neck, and long tail. Green, blue, and purple upperparts, with red, yellow, brown, and white on sides. White lines on neck and along crest.
Bill: Mainly scarlet with yellow band at base. Black patch on tip and between nostrils.
©MCMXCIV IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Flight: Reveals white underparts and long tail. Bill is angled downward.
Female: Plumage is drab brown above and yellowish brown below, often with flashes of
white and blue. Crest is smaller than the male's.
US P 6001 12 069 PACKET 69
The male wood duck is a beautifully patterned bird
with a long tail, short neck, and large, crested head.
In contrast, the female has a drab appearance with
her gray and yellowish brown plumage. Classified as
a perching duck, the wood duck moves rapidly and
with ease on land, water, and in the air.
~HABITS The wood duck is a social bird and spends much of the year in flocks of up to 300 birds. The flock breaks up into pairs in the spring for the breeding season, but regathers later in the year.
There are two distinct populations of wood duck: one in the West, the other in the East and Midwest. The bird winters in the southern parts of these ranges and returns north to breed.
The wood duck lives beside freshwater ponds, lakes, and rivers. It prefers a wooded habitat, but it may use a more open site in summer. Unlike many ducks, the wood duck is fast and agile in the air and on the ground, where it sometimes darts through the forest.
Right: The female keeps a close eye on her ducklings to protect them from predators.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING Throughout the year, the wood duck's diet consists mainly of water plants and insects, such as damselflies and dragonflies, which hover near the water. In deep water, the duck feeds on floating weeds and plants that grow above the surface. In shallower water, however, it dips
left: The wood duck and its Asian relative, the mandarin duck, are both perching ducks.
r DID YOU KNOW? - Both the wood duck and the related mandarin duck can be bred in captivity. But attempts at cross-breeding have resulted in infertile eggs.
I-The wood duck began to decline during the late 19th century, when the male's col-
below the surface to feed on the bottom, uprooting underwater bulbs and tubers.
In summer the wood duck's diet includes small fish and crustaceans. It also forages on land, searching in the leaf debris on the forest floor for snails and fallen acorns.
Right: The male wood duck displays his beautiful colors only during the breeding season.
orful feathers were popular as fishing flies or hat ornaments. - Although the future of the wood duck appears secure, numbers have declined in the southern parts of the bird's range, mainly because of the draining of swamps.
-- --- ----------------~
~ BREEDING In early spring wood ducks form pairs and return to their breeding grounds. The birds mate soon after arriving. Since the duck is not very territorial, several pairs may nest close together if there are suitable sites near the water.
The wood duck nests in a natural tree hole or a nest hole abandoned by a woodpecker or a squirrel. It chooses a spot that is high enough to reduce the danger of predators taking its eggs. If the wood duck can-
not find a suitable tree hole, it may use a rock crevice.
Many locations in the wood duck's range have been cleared for development, resulting in a loss of suitable nesting holes. Recently, there has been an extensive effort to provide nest boxes. Wood ducks have taken readily to these boxes, often appearing to prefer them to tree holes.
After mating, the male stays with the female until she lays her eggs in April or May, but he does not help incubate or rear the chicks. The female incubates 6 to 15 eggs for about a month. The ducklings can walk and swim the day they hatch and soon learn to fly.
left: The ducklings leave the nest by dropping down to the ground or water below.