Generally I simply wish to hug eBird, or extra particularly, whoever writes the quick species descriptions (despite the fact that I’m not the everyday hugging sort of individual, belief me on this). Akin to within the case of the Rufous-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher, which eBird describes as a “tiny, unbelievably cute kingfisher: a luminous ball of pink, orange, yellow, and ranging quantities of blue and purple”.
Admittedly, when pondering of hugging this individual, I hope it’s a cute younger feminine scholar moderately than an outdated beer-bellied male ornithologist …
Collared Kingfishers apparently do pretty properly in palm oil plantations – no marvel as they clearly don’t thoughts fairly weird-looking issues.
In the event you ever get invited to lunch by Collared Kingfishers, you might subsequently wish to rigorously think about whether or not to just accept. The identical applies when being invited by some Cantonese individuals.
The Plain Sunbird is the plain vanilla model of the in any other case typically very colourful household (okay, a really low-budget type of joke).
Including insult to harm, eBird disparagingly characterizes it as “extraordinarily plain”.
However it’s true – the species has to face the fact that it’s a lot, a lot plainer than another relations such because the Ruby-cheeked Sunbird.
One paper means that the Ruby-cheeked Sunbird primarily feeds on bugs moderately than on nectar, the extra widespread meals of sunbirds. Nevertheless, the HBW lists nectar amongst its meals.
The burden indicated for each sexes within the HBW (“male 8·2–9·1 g, feminine 8·6 g”) means that the feminine birds management their weight far more strictly, whereas the males sometimes – possibly after watching a soccer match whereas consuming beer and consuming fatty issues – acquire weight which they lose once more each time the dearth of fresh kitchen tools retains them from making ready meals.
There are about 50 totally different species of flowerpeckers globally. Considerably puzzlingly, Wikipedia states that they’re typically boring in shade, although the location then admits that in a number of species the males have brightly patterned plumage. That characterization works pretty properly for the Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker …
… for which the HBW certainly states that “feminine is duller than male” …
… however much less so for the not-very-dull-in shade Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker (for which each sexes look related).
“Uninteresting, me?”
You probably have ever been to Singapore, you’ll know that about half the locations there are named after Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles (1781 – 1826). For good measure, some animals within the close to neighborhood had been additionally named after him, resembling Raffles’s Malkoha.
You already know there’s in all probability some evil backstory if Wikipedia talks of a “advanced” legacy of Raffles – additional detailing that “he was finally an imperialist benefiting on the expense of the indigenous peoples”. So, I assume that is one other fowl title that needs to be modified finally.
There isn’t any British explorer named Sir John Noticed (1789 – 1856), so the title of the Noticed Fantail will possible stay unchanged.
One of many scarier moments of the keep at Tabin was when two Asian Shiny Starlings tried to hypnotize me with their piercing crimson eyes. I escaped, barely.
In distinction, the Little Spiderhunter is horrifying for spiders solely, not for individuals.
To me, the Whiskered Treeswift seems a bit like it’s sporting some sort of generic superhero costume. I assume it’s these facial stripes. If these are taken off, the species seems identical to Clark Kent.
eBird characterizes it as “long-tailed and long-winged, like a cross between a swift and a swallow” – maybe impressed by the Genus title Semiprocne (“half-swallow”).
The Crested Serpent-eagle shouldn’t be a vulture, however that doesn’t maintain me from mentioning a latest Economist article right here, “The sudden demise of Indian vultures killed 1000’s of individuals”. And whereas this text is behind a paywall, the authentic analysis paper shouldn’t be. It describes how, when a veterinary drug utilized in India killed the overwhelming majority of Indian vultures, the human demise charge in affected areas elevated by about 4% because the vultures had been not round to feed on animal carcasses and the sanitation thus worsened considerably.
After all, there needs to be a photograph of a vulture right here, not of a Crested Serpent-eagle.
Whereas this was matter to spotlight within the Economist, a latest chief on nationalism in the identical journal was much less helpful. In that chief, it’s said that “Nationalism will be constructive or unfavorable” – one thing I doubt very a lot. They quote Yascha Mounk: “At its greatest, it [nationalism] can encourage a white Christian dwelling in rural Tennessee to really feel particular concern for a Hispanic atheist dwelling in Los Angeles—and vice versa.” It is vitally arduous for me to see how a rural Tennessean having a particular concern for the Hispanic atheist dwelling in Los Angeles however not for one dwelling in Buenos Aires or Tokyo is usually a pressure of excellent. Isn’t that what nationalism is all about? I care about you as a result of you may have the identical passport? Us in opposition to them?
Okay, Kai, no one is actually very keen on your ideas on political points – may you get again to the subject of birds?
Nicely, sure. Woodpeckers are birds which can be typically well-liked and regarded pretty apolitical (with a couple of exceptions, such because the Pileated Woodpecker that took half within the storming of the capitol on Jan 06, 2021, although the fowl concerned claims this was a misunderstanding).
Apparently, someone as soon as made fairly an effort to explain the totally different plumages of the Orange-backed Woodpecker: the natal down, the juvenile (first primary) plumage, the formative plumage, the second primary plumage, the third primary plumage, and the definitive primary plumage.
So, for those who ever consider dressing up as an Orange-backed Woodpecker of various ages, bear in mind: you will have to spend some huge cash on costumes.
Whereas the costume get together an Orange-backed Woodpecker goes by when rising up appears like enjoyable, the Latin species title of the Buff-rumped Woodpecker (tristis, “unhappy, gloomy”) doesn’t.
In a evaluation of Gorman’s guide on woodpeckers, the reviewer (Koenig) suggests a woodpecker massive yr, as he causes that the prospect to come across a wave of Buff-rumped Woodpeckers in his (presumably North American) yard may be very slim …
Not solely people endure from Harry Potter books. Apparently, for the reason that launch of the Harry Potter sequence in Indonesia within the early 2000s the recognition of owls such because the Buffy Fish Owl as pets has elevated, resulting in extra birds being caught within the wild after which bought at native fowl markets.
Even the title of the owls has modified: “Whereas prior to now owls had been collectively often known as Burung Hantu (‘Ghost birds’), within the fowl markets they’re now generally known as Burung Harry Potter (‘Harry Potter birds’)”. (supply)
Poor Buffy Fish Owl. It deserves rather a lot higher than being caught and locked in a cage.
The Brown Boobook seems virtually equivalent to the Northern Boobook passing by Shanghai on migration. Each are a part of what one paper calls the Brown Hawk Owl advanced – one thing that’s a lot much less objectionable than the military-industrial advanced however (a minimum of to me) not likely much more fascinating.
The Brown Boobook is sedentary, although. No likelihood of seeing it in Shanghai, it’s important to come additional south to see it (as I did on this journey).
eBird appears barely spooked by the species, mentioning its “massive, unsettling yellow eyes”. Perhaps the imprecise reminiscence of a nightmare? Hopefully, the well being plans of Cornell College embody entry to some psychiatrists …
Like owls, the Larger Inexperienced Leafbird (if that is certainly one) additionally suffers from being captured and bought as a cage fowl – it’s now listed as Endangered.
Its species title sonnerati is derived from Pierre Sonnerat (1748-1814), a French naturalist. His considerably doubtful declare to fame features a guide describing his journey to New Guinea even supposing he by no means really bought to the mainland space of New Guinea (supply).
The HBW even has data on the value growth of this species: “It’s now some of the quite a few species in Indonesian fowl markets. Market costs have tracked demand: in 1987 birds retailed for $ 14, rising to $ 44 in 2014 and $ 99 in 2016.”
My historical past of taking pictures of the Black-naped Monarch shouldn’t be a cheerful one – whereas I’ve seen it a couple of instances, even in Shanghai, I by no means bought the sort of photograph I actually needed – that of a male with view of the black cranium cap (or zuchetto – I appeared this up) in any other case worn by bishops.
This was one other one in every of these events – some first rate pictures of a feminine however not of the specified male. Sexism in fowl pictures is alive and in impolite well being, I’m afraid.
Fortuitously for the discerning male birder who doesn’t wish to come over as misogynistic, female and male Blue-throated Bee-eaters look alike. So there isn’t a must particularly search for males.
Curiously, the Latin species title viridis (“inexperienced”) is far more applicable for the juvenile fowl than for the one partly inexperienced grownup.
Life as a juvenile Blue-throated Bee-eater is the same old hell that nature gives for a lot of creatures: “Blue-throated bee-eaters apply asynchronous brooding, which signifies that chicks hatch at totally different instances, typically pairing with siblicide. Older chicks aren’t solely bigger and in a position to stand up to bigger wounds from different siblings, but additionally have the power to monopolize the meals they’re fed by dad and mom.” (supply)
One other paper is much more simple: “Sibling competitors in blue-throated bee-eaters invariably led to nest fatalities, which had been induced by sibling assaults with an apparently distinctive, however developmentally short-term, hook on the tip of the higher mandible.”
Full with gory particulars recorded in scientific element: “Variety of peck wounds and scars on blue-throated bee-eater chicks in relation to the sum of mass variations between every chick and its bigger siblings (known as the ‘mass drawback’) …” Or clarify this to the youthful one in every of a pair of siblings: “Mortality typically begins with smaller and youthful people as a result of lack of meals and assaults from their bigger siblings” … (supply).
Nevertheless, regardless of these identified murderous tendencies of Blue-throated Bee-eater chicks [note: Grammarly helpfully suggests replacing Bee-eater with Beef-eater: but no, this is a birding blog, not a cooking show], none of them has ever been accused of homicide in a US courtroom, a lot much less convicted. That makes it even much less justifiable that some individuals must endure prolonged courtroom battles simply because they tried to overthrow election outcomes. The one rationalization I’ve for this unequal therapy is that it have to be a witch hunt.
If that every one sounds a bit too thrilling to you, why not take a look at pictures of the Brown Fulvetta? Even the normally pretty constructive eBird reviewer admits that “because the title suggests, that is a reasonably uninteresting-looking fulvetta with out flashy distinguishing traits”.
The Brown Fulvetta is listed as “Close to Threatened”, which is a bit puzzling on condition that the HBW names various areas the place it supposedly is moderately widespread. My private idea is that listers who see this fowl have already forgotten all about it by the point they get round to placing their eBird lists collectively.
Within the “different” part of this submit protecting these unlucky animals that aren’t birds, we’ve a tarsier.
And another animals.
