Rainforest Birds- Mulga Parrot

>> Sunday, May 25, 2008

Bird Name:

Mulga Parrot

Latin Name:

Psephotus varius

Status:

Least concern, Appendix II of CITIES

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Psittaciformes

Family: Psittacidae

>Genus: Psephotus

Species: P. varius

General Information:

The Mulga Parrot is commonly called the Many-colored Parrot or Parakeet and the Varied Parrot. Its name is derived from the mulga plant, which is a common food source. The Mulga Parrot is not commonly seen in flocks as other species are. Instead often appear individually or in pairs. They are known for their soft calls that they repeated three to four times in a row.

Physical Description:

The Mulga Parrot is about 28 cm in length and weighs 50 to 70 gm. Males and females can be distinguished by differences in their coloring. Males are a brilliant green overall with paler green coloring on their lower breast. Females are more olive green color overall with a brownish-green breast. The males have a distinct red patch on their crown and yellow foreheads. The females have a dull red patch on their crown and their foreheads are also a duller color, which is somewhat of an orange-yellow. The males' thighs and abdomens are yellow; with patchy orangey-red markings. Females have entirely green under-parts. Males have a dark grey bill, compared with the brownish-grey bill of the female. Both males and females have brown eyes at maturity. Immature Mulgas can be distinguished from adults by their muted colors.

Diet:

The Mulga Parrot feeds on seeds from grasses and herbaceous plants. They eat seasonally available fruits and blossoms. They will also feed on insects. Mulgas feed on ground beneath trees and amidst foliage.

Habitat:

The Mulga Parrot is native to the interior of southern Australia. It occurs in dry open woodlands and plains with varying vegetation including mallee, mulga, and saltbush. Mulgas can also be found in nearby croplands and in dry parts of riverine woodland. They will rest during hottest part of the day.

Reproduction:

Breeding season is from July to December, but they have been known to nest after any good rain. Nests are built in the hollows of trees, stumps, or fallen logs. Clutch is 4 to 7 eggs. Incubation takes approximately 19 days. The young will fledge after four weeks, but will stay with the parents considerably longer.

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Rainforest Birds- Red-vented Bulbul

>> Saturday, May 24, 2008

Bird Name:


Red-vented Bulbul

Latin Name:

Pycnonotus cafer

Status:

Least Concern

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Pycnonotidae

Genus: Pycnonotus

Species: P. cafer

General information:

The Red-vented Bulbul is a song bird with a widespread range. While they are small in size, they do have an invasive, quarrelsome and sometimes aggressive posture. They can be damaging to crops and orchards. The genus is the largest of the Pycnonotidae family with 47 species.

Physical Description:

This species averages 20cm in length and has a long tail. Adults have black or brown upperparts with a white rump. The breast is also black or brown and the other underparts are white with red around the vent. The head and crest are black as well as their beaks. Sexes are similar in plumage and young birds are duller in color than the adults. The plumage does vary slightly by region. The outstanding characteristic of bulbuls is the hair-like, vaneless feathers at the nape. The flight of the Red-vented Bulbul is bouncy, similar to a woodpecker.

Diet:

The Red-vented Bulbul feeds primarily on fruit, nectar and insects. It is incapable of synthesizing Vitamin C .

Habitat:

Red-vented Bulbuls inhabit tropical areas in southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Myanmar and Southwest China. They can be found in scrub, open forest, plains and cultivated lands. The species often prefers human settlements to the heavy jungle, and is common in urban parts of Dubai. They have also been introduced to Fiji and Hawaii. Nests are formed in bushes with deep cup shaped nests.

Reproduction:

Red-vented Bulbuls breed year round. The average clutch size is two to three eggs.

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Rainforest Birds- Red-vented Cockatoo


Bird Name:

Red-vented Cockatoo

Latin Name:

Cacatua haematuropygia

Status:

Critically Endangered

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Psittaciformes

Family: Cacatuinae

Genus: Cacuta

Species: C. haematuropygia

General information:

The common name is the Philippine Cockatoo. This species is critically endangered. Populations have decreased dramatically due to illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade since the 1950s. The high price fetched per bird means that chicks are taken from virtually every accessible nest. Loss of habitat may also have contributed to its decline. The current population is estimated at less than 4,000 birds.

The Red-vented Cockatoo makes a characteristic bleating call, as well as screeching or whistling.

Physical Description:

Red-vented Cockatoos are small and white with a short white recumbent crest. They are easily distinguished by the red feathers around the vent. The undersides of the flight feathers are yellow. The beak is nearly white.

Diet:

The Red-vented Cockatoo feeds on seed and fruits. Food sources fluctuate seasonally.

Habitat:

The Red-vented Cockatoo is endemic to the Philippines where small populations exist on the islands of Palawan, Tawitawi, Mindanao and Masbate. It is restricted to lowland primary forest and secondary forest in or adjacent to waterways with mangroves. Typically they live in groups during non-mating seasons. They are partially nomadic due to seasonally fluctuating food sources. Will even frequent nearby corn and rice fields.

Reproduction:

Red-vented Cockatoos will pair during mating season. Often multiple pairs will use the same tree for breeding. Breeding season is typically March to June. Pairs will fly to offshore islands to roost and perhaps breed.

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Zebra

>> Sunday, May 4, 2008


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Beauty of Nature

>> Saturday, May 3, 2008

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Lion

>> Friday, May 2, 2008



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Beautifull Flawers

>> Thursday, May 1, 2008

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