wildlife fact file - birds - pgs. 271-280

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER

ORDER Anseriformes

FAMILY Anatidae

GROUP 2: BIRDS GENUS & SPECIES Mergus serra tor

The red-breasted merganser is an excellent swimmer and diver. A slender, graceful bird, it flies low and fast over the water

and is one of the fastest ducks in the world.

KEY FACTS ----------------------------------------------~

I SIZES Length: 1 ~-2 ft.

Wingspan: 2~-3 ft.

Weight: 2-3 lb.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: 2 years.

Breeding season: Summer.

No. of broods: 1. Eggs: 8-11; greenish or buff.

Incubation: 1 month.

Fledging: About 2 months.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Sociable, living in flocks.

Frequents coastal waters in winter;

some birds move inland to breed.

Diet: Small fish and other water

dwelling animals; also some water

plants.

Lifespan: Oldest recorded, 9 years.

RELATED SPECIES

A close relative is the common mer

ganser, Mergus merganser.

Range of the red-breasted merganser.

DISTRIBUTION

Found across much of northern Europe, Asia, and North Amer

ica, mainly near the coast but also near large inland waters.

CONSERVATION

Although persecuted because it eats fish, the red-breasted mer

ganser is not seriously threatened. The population in Europe is

about 50,000. In North America, it is close to 250,000.

FEATURES OF THE RED-BREASTED MERGANSER

Body: Long, giving a slender, elegant shape.

Bill: Long and thin . Red in both sexes,

with black line along the top.

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Female: Pale gray, scalloped plumage with brownish head

and a long, shaggy double crest like that of the male.

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Flight: Reveals white flashes on wings (male shown) .

Male: Mainly gray plumage with speckled, reddish breast and white neck.

Bottle-green head has a ragged double crest.

THE MERGANSER'S BILL One of the so-called sawbills, the duck has finely serrated edges on its bill for gripping slippery fish.

0160200881 PACKET 88

The red-breasted merganser is a type of duck known as a

sawbill. The serrated edges on its long, thin bill make it ideal

for grasping small, slippery fish. This birds liking for salmon

has brought it into conflict with anglers, but despite some

persecution its populations are not seriously threatened.

In North America, it is the most numerous merganser

species, with a population of almost 250,000.

~ HABITAT In winter the red-breasted merganser lives in a flock that usually numbers 20 to 30 birds but sometimes up to a thousand. At this time of year, the flocks are found in coastal areas. The birds prefer sheltered, shallow bays, estuaries, and inlets with clear waters and plenty of suitable banks where they can rest.

In summer many red-breasted mergansers stay in their coastal habitats, but others move inland to breed near clear lakes

or rivers. The migrating birds tend to settle in the band of coniferous forest that runs around the lands south of the Arctic Circle. There they find dense vegetation for nesting and watery habitats for feeding. In summer, as in winter, they are sociable birds, nesting in colonies.

After breeding, the migrating populations come back to their winter quarters on the coasts. Separate flocks mix quite freely during the winter months.

~ BREEDING The male red-breasted merganser tries to attract a mate with a series of displays, including the "curtsy." In this display, he dips his neck, raises his back out of the water, and then points his tail down. The male also chases females and rivals across the water. After pairing up, the birds stay together only to mate. The male usually leaves when the female begins incubating.

The female finds a nest site among dense vegetation, with grass, brambles, or heather for cover. The approach to the nest is often a tunnel through thick

Left: In the breeding season, the female red-breasted merganser watches for courting males.

DID YOU KNOW? • One red-breasted merganser was recorded flying at a speed of about 37 miles per hour over Alaska. • The red-breasted merganser has a variety of nicknames. It is called the spring sheldrake or sea robin in the United States, the popping wigeon or beldrake in Ireland, and the her-

plant growth. The bird may also nest among tree roots or boulders or in an old rabbit burrow. The nest is a shallow dent in the ground lined with grass, leaves, and the female's down. She lays 8 to 11 eggs, which she covers with down when away from the nest.

The ducklings can find their own food soon after hatching but are watched very closely by their mother. Broods often join together when the females begin to leave the young on their own. Often one female is left to watch several sets of young.

Right: After a dive, the duck may rise up from the surface to shake water off its wings.

aid or earl duck in Scotland. ct In 1898 a red-breasted merganser became the first duck to be banded. The experiment helped to establish banding as a method for tracking birds. • The red-breasted merganser eats large quantities of fish. A duckling eats over 45 pounds in its first three months of life.

BIRDWATCH The red-breasted merganser usually lives in small flocks in the winter. The birds are easy to spot in their coastal habitats. In the summer the bird breeds in boreal forests and in swampy tundra, usually near the coast but also on inland

~ FOOD &: FEEDING The red-breasted merganser feeds mainly on fish. In fresh waters it favors salmon, sticklebacks, pike, and eels. In coastal waters it eats herring, flounder, sand eels, and gobies. It also feeds on aquatic insect larvae, crabs, and shrimps, as well as the seeds, leaves, and roots of underwater plants.

The duck dips its head below

Left: Primarily coastal, the redbreasted merganser favors sheltered areas, where it dives for fish.

lakes and rivers. The very well hidden nest is obvious only when the ducklings appear.

The red-breasted merganser is not noisy. In the breeding season the female utters a rasping call, and the male responds with a catlike call.

the water's surface to look for food, then dives quickly and propels itself through the water with its wings and feet. It can stay submerged for up to two minutes, but it usually surfaces in half a minute. It often feeds in a small group, moving across the water in a line to force fish into the shallows and then diving for them. It generally brings food to the surface to eat and, like many fish-eating birds, takes a sip of water after eating.

SNOW BUNTING

"'-... ORDER , ~ Passeriformes

FAMILY Emberizidae

GROUP 2: BIRDS GENUS &: SPECIES Plectrophenax nivalis

The snow bunting rears its young farther north than any other land bird. Its nesting sites include the northernmost tip of

Greenland, within 370 miles of the North Pole.

KEY FACTS ----------------------SIZES

Length: 6-7 in .

Weight: 1-1 ~ oz .

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: 1 year.

Breeding season: May to July.

No. of broods: 1-2.

Eggs: Usually 4-6, occasionally 7-8.

Incubation: 12-13 days.

Fledging period: 10-12 days.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Sociable outside the breed

ing season.

Diet: Insects in summer and seeds

in winter.

Call: Short, descending whistle or

loud, warbling song .

Lifespan: 4 years recorded .

RELATED SPECIES

The closest relative of the snow

bunting is McKay's bunting, Plectrophenax hyperboreus, which nests

only on islands in the Bering Sea.

Breeding range of the snow bunting.

DISTRIBUTION

Winter range.

The snow bunting breeds along the northern coasts of North

America, Europe, and Asia and on islands in Arctic waters. Most

populations winter farther south.

CONSERVATION

The snow bunting is a common bird on its northern breeding

grounds. It is also common, but more spread out, on its win

tering grounds farther south.

r ATURES OF THE SNOW BUNTING

Female, winter plumage: Rusty brown and white. Has less white on her wings than the male.

Male, summer plumage: Mostly white except for black back, tail, and primary wing feathers .

Feet: Typical for perching bird : 3 toes ' point forward and 1 backward .

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Flight: Undulating . Large white flashes on wings. Male in rusty brown winter plumage is shown above.

Bill: Black in the summer. Yellow

with black tip during winter.

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The snow bunting is named both for its extreme northerly

breeding grounds and for its predominately snow-white

breeding plumage. During the winter months, the bird

usually moves south to more temperate regions in Europe,

Asia, and North America. At that time the snow bunting

can sometimes be spotted in the United States along

the coasts as well as on inland hills and fields.

~ HABITAT The snow bunting lives as well as breeds on the northernmost coasts of North America, Asia, and Europe and on islands in the Arctic. Its breeding range stretches south to Labrador.

This bird inhabits tundra and rocky coasts in addition

~I BIRDWATCH During the mating season, the adult male snow bunting is almost unmistakable in flight. His breeding plumage appears to be almost entirely white.

I You are most likely to see the snow bunting during the win-

to bare mountaintops and outcrops in glaciers, usually at elevations over 3,000 feet. In the extreme north of its range, it also lives at sea level. In winter it flies south to grassy coastal areas, sand dunes, and open inland fields.

ter, when it visits the northern states and southern Canada. It is easiest to spot on the coasts but may also be seen inland . This bird almost never perches in trees, preferring to run or to hop across the ground.

~ BREEDING The male snow bunting displays his bold black-and-white coloring when the breeding season begins in May. He struts away from the female with his wing and tail feathers spread. Then he turns and runs back toward her and repeats the ritual. He also sings a flutelike tune, either in flight or on the ground.

The female builds a nest of dead grasses, stalks, moss, and

Left: The snow bunting sings its loud musical song both in flight and when perching.

DID YOU KNOW? • In some regions people call snow buntings "snowflakes" because flying winter flocks resemble a flurry of snow. • Reports of inland sightings of the snow bunting are often mistaken. A partially albino sparrow is usually responsible for the confusion. • No more than 15 pairs of

lichens. She lines it with fine grass and sometimes wool and feathers. She usually lays four to six eggs, which vary from pale yellow to bluish green, and incubates them for 12 to 1 3 days.

Both parents feed the nestlings day and night. The young can fly after about 1 0 days. The adults may have time to raise a second brood, especially in the southern parts of the range.

Right: The female incubates her eggs for up to two weeks while the male feeds her.

snow buntings breed and winter in Great Britain. They are all confined to Scotland. • Almost all snow buntings fly south for the winter, but the birds that breed in Iceland do not usually migrate. • McKay's bunting is a rare bird that was not discovered until 1879.

Left: After molting (shedding) in the fall, the male snow bunting acquires his winter plumage. His head, breast, and upperparts gain a reddish tinge, and his usually black bill becomes yellow with a black tip.

~ FOOD & FEEDING The snow bunting eats seeds, grasses, buds, and insects. In summer, air currents carry insects as far as the Arctic snow fields, where they are stranded as well as paralyzed by the cold. Snow buntings spot the insects against the white snow and pick them off easily. Young birds eat almost nothing but insects.

Large winter flocks feed on seeds and grains in fields . The snow buntings "leapfrog" over one another as the flock moves forward. Sometimes the birds comb beaches for food.

Left: The snow bunting eats mostly insects, but its diet varies in the fall and winter.

MERLIN

ORDER Falconiformes

FAMILY Fa/canidae

GROUP 2: BIRDS GENUS & SPECIES Falco columbarius

The merlin is a bird of prey that hunts by day. A daring and determined predator, it dashes out from its perch at

great speed to strike down small birds with deadly accuracy.

KEY FACTS

SIZES

Length: About 1 ft. Wingspan: 1 ~-2 ft. Weight: Male, 5-6 oz. Female,

7-8 oz.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: Male, 2 years.

Female, 1 year.


No. of broods: 1.

Eggs: 2-7, usually 5-6.


Fledging period: About 1 month.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Mainly solitary; day-active.

Diet: Mainly small birds; some in

sects and small mammals.

Call: High-pitched cackling cries.

lifespan: Oldest recorded, 1 O~

years.

RElATED SPECIES

There are 37 species in the genus

Falca, including the American kes

trel, F. sparverius.

FEATURES OF THE MERLIN

Male: Pale streaked face. Slate-blue crown. Bluegray back and tail feathers. Whitish underparts with brown streaks.

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Breeding range of the merlin. Winter range.

DISTRIBUTION

Breeds from Iceland, Scotland, and northern Asia east across

the Bering Strait to Alaska and across Canada to Newfound

land. Winters in Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East, Chi

na, western and southern United States, Central America, and

northwestern South America.

CONSERVATION

Merlin numbers have declined in North America and Europe.

Eyes: Large, providing very good vision.

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Flight (female shown): Rapid, shallow movement of scythelike wings. Unlike

other birds of prey, the merlin rarely soars. It makes short glides with its . wings tucked close to its body. The

bird flies about 3 feet above the ground when hunting.

Eggs: Pale buff with light or heavy sprinkli r:lg of rusty brown.

0160200851 PACKET 85

The merlin is a small member of the falcon family.

It sometimes engages in /I masked hunting, /I imitating

the flight pattern of its bird prey so that it can approach

unnoticed. The merlin then moves in quickly to attack,

uttering high-pitched cackling cries of excitement.

~ HABITAT The merlin prefers open country

in northern uplands and in foot

hills. The bird flies low and fast

over rough vegetation and then

perches on a wall or a fence to

survey its surroundings. In North

America, it inhabits the Rockies,

where high ledges offer a good

view of the landscape.

While rough northern terrains

t!1 BIRDWATCH

Merlins are common in the

United States during migra

tion . The best place to spot

them is on the coasts as they

fly south along the dunes ev

ery fall. They often catch birds

while migrating, rarely paus-

are the merlin's summer home,

it moves south to lower ground

in winter. When migrating the

bird sometimes abandons its sol

itary lifestyle to fly with two or

three other birds. The merlin is

at home on low-lying farmland

and open valleys, but it also fre

quents marshes as well as coast

al dunes until spring.

ing during the long journey

to their winter home.

The merlin's flight is distinc

tive. This bird has the fastest,

most clipped motion of all fal

cons. It rarely soars but glides

with its wings close to its body.

~ FOOD & HUNTING The merlin usually hunts alone,

but it will sometimes join forces

with its mate. It feeds almost

exclusively on small birds, hunt

ing songbirds and shorebirds

such as dunlins, sandpipers, and

plovers. It snatches up tiny king

lets but may also prey on flick

ers, which are around the same

size as the merlin. Occasionally

it preys on shrews, voles, lem

mings, and bats, as well as bee-

Left: Like all birds of prey, the merlin has exceptionally keen eyes that face forward.

DID YOU KNOW? • If a human approaches a merlin's nest when the chicks

are small, the parent is likely

to attack the intruder boldly.

• Merlin pairs play and chase

together. One pair chased a

ties, dragonflies, and butterflies.

The merlin often watches for

prey from a low perch. When it

spots a bird in flight, the merlin

flies out and assaults its victim

with a surprise attack. If this fails

to bring the quarry down to the

ground, the merlin pursues it,

following every twist and turn.

As it closes in, the merlin flies up

and then descends onto its vic

tim, knocking it to the ground.

Right: The merlin often rips off a victim s head at a favorite perch before eating.

hooded crow for 20 minutes.

• Falconers refer to the male as the "jack" or "jack merlin."

• In North America the mer

lin is called the pigeon hawk,

even though it is not a hawk.

~ BREEDING At the beginning of May, the

male merlin performs display

flights. He slowly circles high in

the air to attract a mate. When a

female enters his territory, the

two birds fly high, then swoop

down together and chase each

other. The pair bond lasts only

for a single season, but the two

birds may winter together.

The pair looks for a suitable

nest site on the ground or occa

sionally on a cliff ledge near a

large open area. The nest is a

bare hollow, which is lined with

grass if the soil is sandy. Some

times a pair uses the tree nest of

a large bird such as a crow.

The female usually lays five or

Left: The male does most of the hunting, but the female feeds the chicks at the nest.

Left: When it hatches, the merlin is covered in creamy white down. The chicks upper beak is already strongly hooked for tearing flesh.

six eggs at two-day intervals.

She does most of the incubat

ing and relies on her mate to

bring her food. The chicks hatch

in about a month.

At first the female broods the

chicks, covering them with her

wings while her mate hunts for

food. In a single day he usually

brings three to six kills to the

nest. They are frequently young

waders or small birds such as

the meadow pipit.

When the chicks have all their

feathers at 1 8 days, the female

begins to leave the nest to hunt.

By the time the offspring are a

month old, they are able to fly

out from the nest to take food

from their parents. But they re

main nearby for another month

until completely independent.

OILBIRD

ORDER Caprimulgiformes

..... FAMILY '11IIIIIIII Steatornithidae

GROUP 2: BIRDS GENUS & SPECIES Steatornis coripensis

The oilbird is the only night-active, fruit-eating bird in the world. lust like a bat, it uses echolocation to find its way through

the dark depths of its tropical nesting caves.

KEY FACTS ---------~~-------- ---------------------------------------------------------~

SIZES

Length: 14-18 in .

Wingspan: 3-4 ft. Weight: 1 lb.

BREEDING


Breeding season: Year-round, but

mainly January to March .

Eggs: 2-4; white.


Fledging period: 3-4 months.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Night-active and sociable.

Lives in caves.

Diet: Fruits of forest trees such as

palm, bay, laurel, and ivy.

Call: Eerie shriek if disturbed .

Lifespan: 12-15 years.

RELATED SPECIES

The oilbird is the only species in the

family Steatornithidae. It is part of

a large order of night-active birds

that includes night jars.

FEATURES OF THE OILBIRD

Range of the oilbird.

DISTRIBUTION

Found in caves in the more remote mountain regions of Pana

ma, Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. Also

thrives in the coastal caves of northwest Trinidad .

CONSERVATION

Native Americans once hunted oilbird nestlings to use their fat

for cooking oil. This is now illegal almost everywhere, and oil

bird numbers seem to be stable.

Plumage: Chocolate brown with sparse white spots . Wings and tail have faint , thin bars of darker brown.

Seedlings: The oilbird 's habit of regurgitating seeds produces tiny sprouts on the cave floor.

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y

Eyes: Dark red . Give good vision in dim light, but cannot see

in the pitch black nesting cave , where the bird re

lies on echolocation .

Bill : Strong and hooked for grabbing fruit from •• branches . Surrounded by stiff black bristles .

0160200931 PACKET 93

The oilbirds nestlings feed heavily during their first two

months, building up stores of fat in preparation for

learning to fly. In the past, Native Americans used to

venture into the remote nesting caves to hunt the plump

young birds. They then extracted the fat and processed it

into a pure oil that was used for cooking food and burning

in lamps. This practice is the origin of the oilbird's name.

~ HABITS The oil bird inhabits deep moun

tain caves in Panama, northern

South America, and on Trinidad's

northern coast. Up to 50 pairs

nest in the pitch-black depths.

They shun light, waiting until

dusk to leave their cave.

The oilbird is well adapted to

its dark environment. It moves

skillfully through the crowded

cave on its long wings, and its

large eyes give it keen night vi

sion. It cannot see in total dark

ness, however. Some nests are

2,600 feet from the cave's en

trance-the only source of light.

In these depths, the bird navi-

gates by echolocation, emitting

high-pitched clicking sounds as

it flies. The sound waves bounce

off cave walls and stalactites, as

well as other birds. The echoes

then help the oilbird judge its

distance from these objects. The

bird's clicks become more fre

quent as it nears an object, pro

viding an accurate idea of the

object's location

The clicking in oilbird caves is

audible to humans. If a human

enters or if the beam of a flash

light penetrates the darkness,

the cave erupts with the shriek

ing calls of frightened birds.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING The oilbird feeds on fruit, espe

cially the fruit of oily trees such

as laurel, palm, and balsam fir.

Foraging trips start at dusk and

may take the bird 30 miles from

its nesting cave.

The oilbird has a keen sense

of smell, which helps it find the

flavorful or spicy fruit that it gen

erally eats. After it picks up the

scent of a food source, the bird

uses its acute night vision to lo

cate the tree. It usually seizes

the fruit in flight, hovering be-

Left: The oilbird's large eyes and hooked bill help it feed from fruit trees at night.

I DID YOU KNOW? • Using echolocation, the oil

bird can detect objects only if

they are 14 inches or more in

width. But the bird can fly the

entire length of a 2,600-foot

cave without hitting anything.

• Trinidadians call the oilbird

diablo tin, which means "little

devil," because of its shrieking,

bansheelike call. Similarly, its

side a branch and then plucking

its prize with its strong, hooked

bill. It may at times perch on a

branch to feed .

The oilbird swallows the fruit

whole or in large chunks and

retains the food in its stomach

until it returns to the cave be

fore sunrise. The following day

it stays in its nest, digesting its

meal. It then regurgitates the

seeds, which drop to the cave

floor and form a layer of sprout

ing humus.

Right: The oilbird can fly through a pitch-black cave without bumping into anything.

Spanish name is gu6charo, or

"the yelling one."

• Only one other bird-the

cave swiftlet of southern India

and southeast Asia--€mploys

echolocation to navigate.

• The oilbird is one of the few

birds that has a keen sense of

smell. Others include the kiwis

and storm petrels.

An oilbird pair breeds in the

same nest each year. Set high

on a cave ledge, the shallow

nest is made from a paste of re

gurgitated fruit. The nest gets

higher and bulkier over time as

the birds add more paste to it.

Oilbirds can breed at any time

but mate most often early in the

year. The female lays two to four

eggs at intervals of a few days,

and both sexes incubate them

for about a month.

The hatchling's sparse down is

Left: Tiny seedlings sprout from regurgitated seeds on cave ledges where the oilbird roosts.

Left: The oilbird chick feeds intensively on regurgitated oily fruit, and it soon grows very fat. By the time it is ready to fly, it weighs more than an adult oilbird.

replaced by a second coat of

down after three weeks. Feath

ers appear when the chick is 10

weeks old . Until then, the par

ents feed the youngster regur

gitated oily fruits three or four

times a night, until the chick has

eaten a third of its body weight.

This intensive feeding makes

the nestling fat. By the time its

feathers appear, it weighs one

and a half times as much as an

adult. It loses this weight during

the strenuous period of learning

to fly. The young bird remains in

the nest until it is three to four

months old .

SANDGROUSE

ORDER Co/umbiformes

FAMILY Pteroclidae

CARD 275

GROUP 2: BIRDS

GENERA Pterocles, Syrrhaptes

Sandgrouse are hardy birds that live on open, arid terrain. Their ability to go without water for days enables them to

inhabit some of the world's most inhospitable deserts.

KEY FACTS

SIZES

Length: 10-16 in.

Wingspan: 1 ~-2 ft.

Weight: 9-11 oz.

BREEDING


Breeding season: Usually April

to July.

Eggs: Usually 2-3.


Fledging period: 4-5 weeks.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Sociable, often forming

flocks of 1,000 or more birds.

Diet: Mainly seeds and grains.

Sometimes berries and insects.

Call: Musical calls as well as rau

cous gurgling.

RELATED SPECIES

There are 16 species in 2 genera.

They include the pin-tailed sand

grouse, Pterocles a/chata, as well

as Pallas's sandgrouse, Syrrhaptes

paradoxus.

FEATURES OF SANDGROUSE

Adult: Brown or buff base coloring provides camouflage. The male's body feathers have a specialized structure that enables him to carry water to his offspring.

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Range of sandgrouse.

DISTRIBUTION

Found from southern France, Spain, and Mongolia in the north

to China and India in the east and Madagascar and southern

Africa in the south.

CONSERVATION

Because sandgrouse thrive in arid habitats, they are rarely af

fected by human interference and are in no danger.

Namaqua sand grouse:

Eggs: Usually 2 or 3, sometimes 4. Glossy with reddish brown speckles. Incubated by both sexes.

Lives in southwestern Africa.

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There are 16 species of sandgrouse, and all cope very well

with the often harsh conditions of their habitats. By nesting

out in the open, where most animals cannot endure the heat

these birds are able to avoid many predators. Sandgrouse

have a number of other remarkable survival tactics. One

example is the ingenious way in which the male carries

water to his offspring over distances of many miles.

~ HABITS Sandgrouse are found in Africa,

Asia, and southern Europe. These

hardy birds can survive in diffi

cult conditions. Many species

inhabit arid regions, but the Ti

betan sandgrouse lives in a cold

climate at 10,000 to 20,000 feet,

and the Malagasy sandgrouse

dwells in hilly green areas.

Sandgrouse are fast fliers and

may cover 50 miles in a day to

find food. They are also highly

sociable, often roosting and fly

ing in large groups. Some spe-

cies roost at night. Others, such

as Lichtenstein's sandgrouse of

East Africa, rest during the hot

test part of the day. This bird rubs

its rump in the ground to make

a cool hollow in which to lie.

Sandgrouse are wary birds.

They crouch on the ground so

that their buff or brown color

ing blends with the surround

ings. When disturbed, a flock

rises almost vertically. The birds

rapidly attain a great height,

calling loudly to each other.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING Sandgrouse feed primarily on

seeds and grains. They also eat

berries if these are available. The

chestnut-bellied sandgrouse of

East Africa and the Arabian Pen

insula feeds on black ants.

Most sandgrouse forage in

the morning or evening. Some

species feed in huge flocks. The

pin-tailed sandgrouse, for ex

ample, forms large groups that

move very slowly across newly

planted fields, eating seeds. This

species is found in the western

Mediterranean, North Africa,

and central Asia.

If water is scarce, sandgrouse

Left: Lichtenstein's sandgrouse of East Africa rests when the daytime heat is most intense.

DID YOU KNOW? • A sandgrouse can fly at 37

miles per hour. This is faster

than some birds of prey.

• Large flocks of crowned

sandgrouse in Egypt gather

on main roads to feed on

grain that spills from trucks.

• Flocks of 50,000 pin-tailed

sandgrouse have been seen

in Turkey.

can go without drinking for up

to five days. When water is avail

able, they gather in flocks of 20

to over a thousand birds and

fly to drinking sites.

A flock generally lands a few

yards from the edge of the wa

tering hole. The birds wait for a

minute or two, taking off at the

slightest noise. If there is no sign

of danger, they run to the wa

ter and drink, immersing their

bills to eye level and sucking up

the water. After drinking, a bird

may wait to leave with its flock

or fly back alone to its roost or

feeding ground.

Right: The pin-tailed sandgrouse is one of the two species that nest in Europe.

Left: A clutch of five eggs is unusual. 5andgrouse usually lay two or three eggs.

Right: The young suck moisture from the male's specially adapted breast feathers.

Most sandgrouse species breed

and nest between April and July.

When courting, the male walks

stiffly, lowers and fans his tail,

and then jumps a few feet.

A sandgrouse nests in a small

natural depression or shallow

scrape on the ground. It often

surrounds its nest with a ring of

large pebbles. The female usual

ly lays two or three eggs, which

Left: Mottled down helps to camouflage chicks against sandy or rocky surroundings.

both sexes incubate for 21 to

23 days. Often the female incu

bates during the day, and the

male takes his turn at night.

The hatchlings are covered

with thick down and can feed

themselves almost at once. But

the male supplies them with wa

ter by soaking his breast feath

ers at a watering site and then

returning to the nest-which

may be a flight of 20 miles or

more. The young then suck the

water from his plumage.

PIED FLYCATCHER

ORDER Passeriformes

FAMILY Muscicapidae

GROUP 2: BIRDS GENUS & SPECIES Ficedula hypoleuca

The pied flycatcher is a lively little bird that breeds in mature woodland, nesting in tree holes as well as birdhouses. It

migrates long distances to winter in parts of Africa.

KEY FACTS ----------------------------------------------------------~

SIZES

Length: 5 in .

Weight: l4-~ oz.

BREEDING



No. of broods: 1. Eggs: 4-7; pale blue, glossy.



LIFESTYLE

Habit: Pairs occupy separate terri

tories during the breeding season.

Male usually has one mate but may

have two or even three.

Diet: Invertebrates.

Call: A soft "wheet" and a sharp

ticking note.

Lifespan: Up to 9 years.

RELATED SPECIES

There are 147 species of flycatcher.

The pied flycatcher's closest relative

is the collared flycatcher, Ficedula

albicollis.

Breeding range of the pied flycatcher.

DISTRIBUTION

Winter range.

Breeds in mature woodlands across Europe, from western Scot

land and Wales east to central Siberia . All pied flycatcher popu

lations winter in Africa south of the Sahara Desert, migrating via

southwestern Europe.

CONSERVATION

The pied flycatcher does not seem to be in any immediate dan

ger, although loss of habitat may pose a threat.

FEATURES OF THE PIED FLYCATCHER

Male: Breeding plumage features black tail , wing feathers, and upperparts. Underparts and forehead are white. Wintering males and birds in their first winter resemble the female.

When perched , the pied flycatcher constantly flicks its wings and jerks its tail up and down.

© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Eggs: 4 to 7; pale blue. Color may help adults see the eggs in the nest hole.

Female: Brown upperparts. Has buff-white

bars on her wings and on the sides of her tail.

Juvenile: Brownbuff plumage. Distinguished by scaled and spotted feathers.

0160200911 PACKET 91

The pied flycatcher lives up to its name by catching insectj

in midair. Howeve" it obtains a great deal of its food from

foraging on the ground as well as in foliage and the bark

of tree trunks. Only the male during the breeding season

displays the species' distinctive bold, pied plumage.

~ HABITAT The pied flycatcher prefers hillside woods-especially those near water, which attracts abundant insect prey. Its ideal habitat contains mature trees that show signs of decay and possess nest holes made by woodpeckers.

In some parts of its range, the

~ FOOD &: FEEDING The pied flycatcher catches flies, beetles, butterflies, and other flying insects in midair. It supplements this diet with grubs

pied flycatcher has benefited a great deal from the provision of birdhouses. Often a lack of tree holes for nesting keeps this bird from colonizing a wooded area. Breeding density in regions with birdhouses can be twice that of areas without them.

and worms from the ground. It also hovers to pick insects from foliage or clings briefly to trees to take insects from the bark.

~ BREED I NG Male pied flycatchers return to the breeding grounds in spring, often to the nest holes that they used the previous year. The females arrive several days later. Each male defends a small territory around his nest hole. He sings, often from a high perch, to proclaim ownership and attract a mate. The male usually has one mate, but he occasionally has two or even three.

After the female has built her nest and begun incubating, the male may court another female at another nest site. But after she lays her eggs, he abandons her and returns to his first mate to help raise the chicks. By moving up to two miles away from his

Left: The agile pied flycatcher can hover near foliage to snatch larvae.

DID YOU KNOW? • The ranges of the collared and pied flycatchers overlap in eastern Europe. The two species interbreed, and hybrid birds form up to 10 percent of the combined population.

first nest site, the male may be able to deceive the second female into believing that he is unmated. Many males try this strategy, but most fail and have just one mate.

The broods that hatch early are more successful than later ones. This is because the young eat mainly caterpillars, which become scarce as the season progresses. The average clutch size also declines later in the season, since the female does not waste energy hatching chicks that she will be unable to feed .

In an attempt to lessen feeding visits, the nestlings are often fed prey that is larger than what the adults eat.

Right: Pied flycatcher parents may feed their chicks 30 times an hour.

• The male pied flycatcher sings from late April to June. Before pairing, he may sing over 3,000 times in one day. After finding a mate, he sings only about 1,000 times a day.

~ ~ BIRDWATCH In the breeding season, the pied flycatcher is found in mature woodlands. The male has a white forehead and a large white area on each wing. Fe-

~MIGRATION Pied flycatchers migrate across southwestern Europe to winter in sub-Saharan Africa. Many of them settle in the moist coastal forests of the Gulf of Guinea.

Because of their roundabout migration route, some eastern populations fly westward for over 1,500 miles before turning south for Africa. For most birds, the stopover area is in northern Portugal. There they devour berries and other food for about a

Left: The pied flycatcher often nests in an abandoned woodpecker hole.

males and winter males have similar plumage: brown above and buff below, with less white on thei r wings and none on their foreheads.

month to acquire adequate reserves to sustain them on their long journey. To obtain enough food, they may defend feeding territories. From Portugal, the birds fly without stopping across the Mediterranean and the Sahara, taking just a few days to reach their winter quarters.

On the return trip in spring, pied flycatchers take a quicker route, flying farther to the east. This enables them to arrive early at the breeding grounds in order to find the best nest sites.

CORN CRAKE

,,~-----------------------ORDER Gruiformes

FAMILY Rallidae

GENUS & SPECIES Crex crex

The corn croke is more often heard than seen, since it spends most of its time concealed in tall grass. When disturbed, this bird runs

quickly instead of revealing its position by taking flight.

KEY FACTS

SIZES

Length: 11-12 in.

Wingspan: 18-21 in.

Weight: 5-7 oz.

BREEDING

Mating season: May and June.

No. of broods: 1, occasionally 2.

Eggs: 6-14, usually 8-12. Grayish

green or buff with rust, gray, and

purple spots.


Fledging period: 5 weeks.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Solitary; night-active.

Diet: Seeds and grain, as well as

small invertebrates.

Call: Male repeats loud, rasping

"crek-crek" for long periods in the

breeding season.

RELATED SPECIES

Closely related to the 13 species in

the genus Porzana, including the

North American sora, P. carolina.

Breeding range of the corn crake. Winter range.

DISTRIBUTION

The corn crake breeds in northern Europe from Ireland east to

central Asia. It winters in southern Africa.

CONSERVATION

The corn crake population has declined in some parts of Europe as a result of modern farming methods. The bird is still com

mon in eastern Europe, where traditional farming survives.

FEATURES OF THE CORN CRAKE

Plumage: Feathers on upperparts are black in the center and edged with brown, giving a scalloped effect. Buff underparts barred with chestnut. Chestnut patches on wings. Gray throat and breast.

© MCMXCII IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

Bill: Small and stubby for picking up seeds and

grains.

Chick: Covered with blackish

down. Coloring is unusual for a grassland bird.

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Flight: Legs trail limply behind the narrow body and the short, pointed tail. Strong flight during migration,

with the legs almost horizontal.

Eggs: Up to 14 per clutch. Grayish green or buff, blotched with rust, gray, and purple.

0160200871 PACKET 87

In the past, when farmers cut their fields by hand, the corn

croke was quite common in European meadows. The bird

found ideal nesting sites in hay fields, which were not cut

down until late summer. Today, however, the corn croke is

a victim of modern farming practices. Grass is cut earlier

in the year to be stored as fodder, and the birds have

no escape from the blades of modern mowers.

~ HABITS The corn crake usually lives in

meadows and grasslands but

sometimes frequents marshes

and farmland as well. It is ac

tive after sunset, occasionally until dawn.

The solitary, reclusive corn

crake is rarely seen in the open.

It creeps about in tall grass, bent

low on its long legs and with its

head stooped below the level

of its tail. From time to time, it

cranes its neck above the grass

to look around or call noisily.

The bird takes to the air only

when absolutely necessary. If

disturbed, it may fly slowly for

several yards with its legs dan

gling, then drop back into the

grass. But, instead of flying, the

corn crake prefers to run from

danger. It sounds more like a

scurrying rat than a bird as it

rushes through the grass.

In fall, the corn crake leaves

its European breeding grounds

and migrates to Africa. On these

migration flights, it flies strong

ly, with its legs almost horizon

tal. By mid-April, it has returned

to its breeding grounds.

Right: The corn crake is the only crake that lives mainly in grassland rather than marshes.

~ BREEDING In spring the male corn crake

tries to attract a mate. With his

head stretched up, he repeat

edly utters a very loud, rasping

"crek-crek" call. When a female

comes near, the male displays

by strutting and showing off his

chestnut wing patches. He may

also give her a gift like a worm

or snail.

The female nests alone in tall

grasses or occasionally in corn

fields. She lays up to 14 eggs,

which hatch after about two

Left: The male corn crake repeats his noisy mating call day and night for hours at a time.

DID YOU KNOW? • The male corn crake may emerge from cover to investi

gate the presence of a nearby

rival, so bird-watchers try to

lure the bird out by making a

sound that is much like the

male's call. To make this sound

they rub a stick over a notched

piece of wood .

• Prior to the decline of the

weeks. She feeds her chicks for

three or four days, after which

they find their own food. They

stay with her for another month

or so until they can fly.

The young are very vulnera

ble in their first weeks, as farm

ers move in from the edges of

fields with mowing and har

vesting machines. Left with no

escape routes, the chicks fall

victim to the machines. Unwill

ing to abandon her offspring,

the female is often killed too.

Right: At one day old, the chick is already moving around in the grass near the nest.

corn crake population, the

birds occasionally appeared

in eastern North America dur

ing the fall migration. The last

corn crake on record in this

area was discovered on Long

Island in 1963.

• The corn crake's scientific name, (rex crex, sounds like

the male's characteristic call.

t'!1 BIRDWATCH The corn crake spends spring

and summer in northern Eu

rope and central Asia and mi

grates to Africa in fall. In flight,

it can be identified by chest

nut patches on its wings. Unlike other crakes, which

frequent marshes, the corn

crake is most often found in

meadows. But because of its

secretive nature and noctur

nal habits, the bird is rarely

seen . During the mating sea

son, however, the male's re

petitive, raucous" crek-crek"

call can often be heard.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING Grassy meadows and farmland

provide the corn crake with an

abundant supply of seeds and

grain, which the bird picks up

with its stubby bill. The corn

crake also eats insects and their

larvae as well as other small in

vertebrates. These include slugs,

millipedes, snails, earthworms,

and spiders.

Like many seed-eating birds

that inhabit fields and mead

ows, the corn crake has suf

fered from insecticides. These

chemicals kill off the bird's in

sect prey and coat crop seeds

with a poisonous film.

CRESTED LARK

ORDER Passeriformes

FAMILY Alaudidae

GROUP 2: BIRDS ------GENUS & SPECIES Galerida cristata

The crested lark is named for the striking crest of feathers on its head. It raises this crest when it is excited or alarmed. This bird

spends most of its day on the ground, searching for food.

KEY FACTS --------------------------------------------------------~

SIZES

Length: 7 in.

Wingspan: 11-15 in.

Weight: 1 ~ oz.

BREEDING


Breeding season: March to July.

No. of broods: 2-3.

Eggs: 3-5; chalky white with dark

brown and gray speckles.



LIFESTYLE

Habit: Forms pairs or small flocks

of up to 15 birds.

Diet: Insects, seeds, and leaves.

Call: 3 liquid notes.

RELATED SPECIES

There are about 80 species of lark.

The crested lark's closest relatives

are the 4 other Galerida species, in

cluding the Thekla lark, G. theklae.

Range of the crested lark.

DISTRIBUTION

The crested lark is found in open, arid, and grassy country. It

ranges across southern and central Europe, North Africa, the

Middle East, and Asia as far east as China and Korea.

CONSERVATION

Populations of the crested lark have declined dramatically in

western Europe. This is mainly due to intensive farming and

the increasing use of pesticides.

FEATURES OF THE CRESTED LARK

Flight: Rounded wings and short tail give the bird a compact appearance.

Plumage: Pale brown with speckled chest and sandy underparts.

Eggs: Chalky white, speckled with dark brown and gray. 3 to 5 per clutch .

Female: Keeps her crest erect while watching the male display.

© MCMXCIl IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.

his chest plumage and cocks his tail

0160200921 PACKET 92

The crested lark is found in open arid regions in Europe,

Asia, and Africa. This bird makes up for its dull brown

plumage and stocky appearance with its melodious voice.

It sings tirelesslYt whether high in the air., on the ground, or

on a low perch. The crested lark has a wide repertoire of

twittering, whistling, and fluting sounds. But it also imitates

other birds, including thrushes, sparrows, and starlings.

~ HABITAT The crested lark likes flat, open country with sparse vegetation. It may stray into farmland but avoids dense crop fields. It prefers hard, dry soil where it can walk about freely.

The crested lark thrives in dry climates. It is found in many des-

~ HABITS The crested lark forms pairs or groups of three or four. Flocks of up to 15 birds may gather to feed, drink, and migrate, but older breeding pairs tend to remain together.

With its rounded wings and short tail, the bird looks compact in the air, but its flight is

ert and semidesert regions such as Saudi Arabia, where it is resident all year. In northern areas such as the Russian and Ukrainian steppes, it migrates south before cold weather arrives. But a few hardy birds stay in these regions during mild winters.

not graceful. It prefers to walk. The crested lark spends most

of the day foraging for food. At sunset it settles down to roost in a hollow in the ground, ruffling its feathers for warmth.

Right: A crested lark parent generally gives the most food to the offspring that opens its mouth widest.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING The crested lark feeds primarilyon the ground. It digs in the soil with its long bill to extract beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and ants. It also catches dragonflies and flies in the air, then removes their wings before devouring them.

In addition, the bird eats spiders, snails, and small worms, as well as seeds, seedlings, buds,

Left: The crested lark's sandy plumage provides good camouflage in arid areas.

DID YOU KNOW? I • The crested lark enjoys taking a sand or dust bath, especially on a dusty road, so its plumage often looks dirty. • The crested lark fends off a rival for food by singing to the other bird. Squabbles rarely become physical. • In cold weather crested lark fledglings can fall into comas

flowers, grain, and leaves. During the winter it eats fewer insects and a greater number of seeds, especially grass seeds.

The crested lark employs its conical bill as a hammer to soften the tough, protective shells of some insects before it eats them. The bird also strips the husks off grains and seeds by crushing them on the ground.

Right: The crested lark spends most of its day foraging for insects and roosts at night.

if they are left alone too long. But they revive when they are warmed up. • If a snake or another enemy approaches her nest, a female crested lark will lure it away by running just ahead of it and calling loudly. • A crested lark can be taught to imitate human speech. --..J

Left: The female lays her speckled eggs in a grass-lined nest that she makes on the ground. She may produce two or even three clutches each year.

The crested lark pairs for life. In spring the male displays to the female . He puffs out his chest, cocks and fans his tail, and holds his crest erect while flapping his wings and singing loudly. Meanwhile the female crouches, with her crest raised and tail fanned.

The female makes a nest, lining a ground scrape with grass. She may add a dome for shelter, using the lower branches of a bush. She incubates the three to five eggs for 11 to 13 days, taking breaks to feed and preen. Instead of returning directly to the nest, she lands some distance away and looks around first.

While the female sits on the nest, the male sings from a low

perch and watches for danger. If disturbed, the female may abandon her eggs or chicks. But she lays a replacement clutch later.

The hatchlings are blind and covered in straw-colored down. Both parents answer their offsprings' cheeping calls for food by supplying them with insects, especially caterpillars. Some of the young may die because the parents tend to give the most food to the offspring that opens its mouth widest.

The young can leave the nest at about nine days old, but the parents feed them until they can fly at about three weeks. When threatened, the young crouch flat or hide in the grass.

SNOWY SHEATHBILL

ORDER Charadriiformes

FAMILY Chionididae

GROUP 2: BIRDS GENUS & SPECIES Chionis alba

The snowy sheathbill is an aggressive hunter and scavenger that lives on the harsh shores of Antarctica. It feeds on

anything from seaweed and tiny krill to young penguins.

KEYFACT~S ____________________________ ~

SIZES

Length: 14-16 in.

Wingspan : Up to 2 %; ft . Weight: 1 %; lb.

BREEDING


Mating season: From December

to January.

Eggs: 2-4. Off-white with gray and

brown markings.

Incubation: 4 weeks .

Fledging period: 7 -8 %; weeks.

LIFESTYLE Range of the snowy sheath bill.

DISTRIBUTION

Habit: Day-active in small flocks.

Diet: Marine invertebrates, birds '

eggs and young. Also scavenges

from penguins and humans.

Call: Screeches loudly during dis

putes. Growls as a threat.

Lifespan: 10 years or more.

The snowy sheath bill lives on or close to the shores of Antarctica

and the southernmost islands of the Atlantic. Some birds spend

the winter in the Falkland Islands and in Tierra del Fuego on the

tip of South America .

RELATED SPECIES CONSERVATION

The lesser, or black-billed, sheath bill,

Chionis minor, is the only other mem

ber of the family.

A remote habitat and plentiful food supplies ensure that the

snowy sheath bill faces no immediate threat.

FEATURES OF THE SNOWY SHEATHBILL

Body: Squat, plump appearance is due to the ~-inch-thick layer 0 fat under the skin. . ,/

'"

Legs: Short and pink. Feet are not webbed like those of gulls, although the snowy sheathbill is a strong swimmer. Sharp claws are used for grabbing food and as weapons in disputes.

Bill: Short and sturdy, reinforced by a horny sheath that gives the bird its name. This strengthens the bill so the bird can dig for food between rocks.

Chick: The down turns gray after about a week. White adult plumage appears at about 1 year.

:t MCMXCI I IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Face: Partly naked , with warty pink skin. Facial feathers

would be easily soiled by the snowy

sheaffi6i II 's scavenging.

0160200871 PACKET 87

Although the Antarctic shoreline looks bleak, it provides the

snowy sheathbill with an abundant supply of food. Without

even a moment's hesitation, this bird will go from pecking at

seaweed to pouncing on a mollusk or stranded fish. The

snowy sheathbill is also an expert scavenger that tolerates

humans in order to receive handouts or sift through refuse.

~ HABITS The snowy sheath bill lives on

the shores of one of the world's

harshest habitats. It has water

resistant down and a thick layer

of fat to protect it in severe win

ters. This sheath bill can remain

on the Antarctic mainland year

round. But occasionally it mi

grates north to winter on South

Atlantic islands such as the Falk

lands or South Georgia.

Although it can fly hundreds

of miles, the snowy sheath bill

prefers to stay on the ground.

It seems reluctant to fly, even

when pursued. This bird spends

most of the day hopping or trot

ting along the shore in search

of food. It flaps its wings in or

der to propel itself forward or

to threaten rivals.

The snowy sheathbill lives in

small flocks and never strays far

from the sea. It is a very strong

swimmer, even though its feet

are barely webbed. It uses its

sharp claws to snatch food and

for defense. It also uses a small,

sharp spur at the base of each

wing as a weapon .

~ FOOD &: FEEDING The snowy sheathbill is both a

predator and scavenger. It feeds

on the eggs and young of terns,

petrels, and other seabirds. It

snaps up small fish and mollusks

that wash up on shore and eats

large amounts of seaweed for

the plankton and krill it contains.

The snowy sheath bill will also

raid penguin colonies, especially

during the breeding season. It

scampers among the birds as

they feed their chicks. Avoiding

their darting bills, it harasses the

penguins by fluttering its wings

and pecking at them. Then it

makes off with theirfood . The

Left: The snowy sheathbill is protected from chilly temperatures by a layer of fat.

DID YOU KNOW? • The snowy sheathbill and its

relative the lesser sheath bill are

the only land-based birds that

breed exclusively in the South

Polar region.

• The snowy sheath bill may be

a "missing link" between gulls

and wading birds-possibly .

sheath bill haunts seal colonies as

well, looking for afterbirths and

stealing food from the young.

Snowy sheath bills are greedy

birds that compete with each

other for food. Fierce quarrels,

accompanied by loud screech

ing and furious wing flapping,

often develop over stolen food.

The snowy sheath bill exploits

its encounters with humans to

obtain food. It raids garbage

bins at scientific stations and

explorers' camps. In the past it

was frequently found in South

Atlantic whaling stations, feast

ing on whale carcasses.

Right: A snowy sheathbill will stab at a penguin 5" egg until the tough shell breaks.

closely related to a common

ancestor of the two groups.

Although it looks like a gull, it

behaves more like a wader.

• The snowy sheath bill is also

called the kelp pigeon because

it has a pigeon like shape and it

eats seaweed.

The snowy sheath bill mates in

the brief Antarctic summer from

December to January. It requires

a nesting site that is isolated and

has a ready food source, so it of

ten uses a crevice in a rock over

looking a penguin colony. The

nest may be hidden three feet

inside the crevice. As a further

precaution, the pair approaches

the site by a roundabout route.

Both sexes build the nest from

Left: The brown down of the newly hatched chicks becomes gray after about a week.

Left: Snowy sheathbills scavenge for anything they can find. They will fight violently over a nutritious morsel such as the placenta of a seal.

debris such as grass and snail

shells. They use feathers and

seaweed to make a cushion for

the eggs. During the breeding

period, the pair continues to

feed with the flock but always

returns to the nest afterward.

Male and female take turns

incubating the two to four eggs

for four weeks. The eggs hatch

at intervals of eight or nine days.

The parents usually rear only

one chick successfully. The oth

ers fall victim to birds of prey, in

cluding other sheathbills.

COMMON POCHARD

ORDER Anseriformes

FAMILY Anatidae

CARD 280

GROUP 2: BIRDS GENUS & SPECIES Aythya ferina

The common pochard is one of Europe ~ most attractive diving ducks. The male ~ chestnut, black, and gray plumage

is a familiar sight on large stretches of fresh water.

'\J KEY FACTS

~ SIZES ~ Length: 1 ~ ft. Male usually larger

than female.

Wingspan: About 2~ ft.

Weight: 1 %-2~ lb. Male heavier

than female.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: Usually 1 year.

Breeding season: April to June.

No. of broods: 1.

Eggs: 6-11; pale green.

Incubation: Almost 4 weeks.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Social; lives in a flock for

most of the year.

Diet: Aquatic plants, seeds, and

invertebrates.

Call: Usually silent. Male utters a

soft, wheezing call and female a

harsh "karr, karr" when courting.

RELATED SPECIES

Closely related to the tufted duck,

Aythya fuligula, and the greater

scaup, A. marila.

Breeding range of the common pochard.

DISTRIBUTION

• Winter range.

Breeds across most of Europe and Asia from Great Britain and

Ireland eastward to Siberia and Mongolia. Winters in parts of

Africa and southern Asia.

CONSERVATION

Although the common pochard's habitat has been destroyed

in some areas by land drainage, this duck has adapted well to

new habitats. It is common throughout its range.

FEATURES OF THE COMMON POCHARD

Flight: The duck has trouble taking off from the water.

~ MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

It patters over the surface for some

distance before

Female: Mostly soft brown and gray. Pale tJelly visible in flight.

Legs: Set well back on the body to facili

tate diving. Makes the dyeR "t rQJJt-heavy"

and lumsy on land .

PRINTED IN U,S.A.

Male: Bright chestnut head , glossy black chest and rump, pale g ray back and flan ks. Dark bill with broad grayish band .

Body: Plump and rounded . Sits low in the water.

0160200861 PACKET 86

The common pochard is a sociable bird that lives in a flock

for most of the year. It is frequently seen on European lakes

and ponds in urban parks, often in the company of other

diving ducks. The common pochard spends most of its time

on the water and rarely ventures onto land. This bird even

sleeps on the water with its head tucked underneath its wing.

~ HABITS The common pochard is one of

Europe's most common diving

ducks. Its breeding range covers

most of Europe, and it extends

across Asia to Siberia and Mon

golia. Some birds winter in west

ern Europe; others migrate to

southern Asia and parts of Africa.

This pochard can be found in

a variety of habitats, including

lakes, ponds, and slow-moving

streams, as well as marshes and

gravel pits. It also frequents res

ervoirs with banks that are cov

ered by reeds or irises.

The common pochard spends

most of the year in a flock. Large

groups of up to 500 ducks fre

quently form "rafts" on the wa

ter in winter. Even larger flocks

of 3,000 or more birds gather to

molt (shed their feathers). The

common pochard often associ

ates with other ducks---€special

Iy the tufted duck and greater

scaup. However, it tends to stay

with its own species when it is

resting on the water.

The common pochard has the

typical diving duck profile, with

legs set well back on its body to

make diving easier. It is reluctant

to fly and prefers to swim out of

danger. This is not surprising be

cause its takeoff requires a long

run, with rapid wing beats and

much pattering over the water.

But once it is in the air, the com

mon pochard flies quickly and

directly, often in a V formation.

~ BREEDING Common pochards usually pair

up while still in their winter quar

ters. In spring they fly north to

their breeding grounds for the

mating season, which lasts from

mid-April to June and several

weeks longer in the northern

most parts of the range.

The male remains with the fe

male until she lays her eggs but

does not usually help incubate

or rear the chicks. The female

Left: The male common pochard's gray, black, and chestnut plumage makes him easy to identify.

DID YOU KNOW? • In Europe, the common po

chard is found only in fresh

water, but in the Asian parts of

its range, it also frequents salt

water habitats.

• Migrating pochards often

cover great distances. One

bird banded in Great Britain

lays her eggs in dense vegeta

tion near water or in the shal

lows, normally in a down-lined

depression on a heap of plants

and weeds. She usually lays 6 to

11 pale green eggs and incu

bates them for almost a month.

The ducklings can leave the

nest soon after hatching. The

mother supervises them in the

water until they are indepen

dent at about eight weeks old.

Right: The female pochard watches over her ducklings during their first weeks on the water.

was recovered on the shores

of the Sea of Okhotsk, off the

Kamchatka Peninsula in the

extreme northeast of Siberia.

• A huge flock of 50,000 molt

ing pochards, mainly males,

congregates yearly on Lake

Ijssel in the Netherlands.

~I BIRDWATCH The common pochard can be

seen across much of Europe

during the breeding season,

from April to June. These div

ing ducks gather in big flocks

on lakes, gravel pits, and re

servoirs, as well as in smaller

groups on ponds in city parks.

The male common pochard

can be easily identified by his

chestnut, black, and pale gray

plumage. The female is not as

distinctive, with her soft gray

and brown plumage.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING The common pochard eats al

most anything it can find when

it dives underwater. It feeds pri

marily on the seeds, roots, buds,

and leaves of water plants such

as pondweed and stonewort. It

also eats mollusks, crustaceans,

worms, and some insect larvae.

The duck feeds mainly in the

early morning and evening, div

ing underwater with a jump up

from the surface. It usually stays

submerged for 13 to 16 seconds.

It prefers to feed in clear water

from 3 to 12 feet deep, but it

can feed in the shallows by up

ending instead of diving.

Left: Like most diving ducks, the common pochard is "front-heavy" and waddles awkwardly on land.

wildlife fact file - birds - pgs. 271-280

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