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.
MCMXCII IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Female: Pale gray, scalloped
plumage with brownish head
and a long, shaggy double crest
li ke that of the male.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
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 mer-
ganser lives in a flock that usu-
ally 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 in-
land to breed near clear lakes
or rivers. The migrating birds
tend to settle in the band of co-
niferous forest that runs around
the lands south of the Arctic Cir-
cle. There they find dense veg-
etation 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 mergan-
ser 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 wa-
ter. After pairing up, the birds
stay together only to mate. The
male usually leaves when the fe-
male 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 mergan-
ser 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 bel-
drake 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 be-
gin 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 mer-
ganser 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 habi-
tats. 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, stickle-
backs, 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 red-
breasted merganser favors shel-
tered areas, where it dives for fish.
lakes and rivers. The very well
hidden nest is obvious only
when the ducklings appear.
The red-breasted mergan-
ser is not noisy. In the breed-
ing 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 div-
ing 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, Plec-
trophenax 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 pri-
mary 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.
0160200851 PACKET 85
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 al-
most 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 out-
crops in glaciers, usually at ele-
vations 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 color-
ing 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 re-
semble 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 incu-
bates them for 12 to 1 3 days.
Both parents feed the nest-
lings 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 win-
ter 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 molt-
ing (shedding)
in the fall, the
male snow bun-
ting 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 in-
sects 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.
Breeding season: May to July.
No. of broods: 1.
Eggs: 2-7, usually 5-6.
Incubation: 1 month.
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. Blue-
gray back and tail feathers.
Whitish underparts with
brown streaks.
MCMXCII IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
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.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
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 spri nkli r:l g
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 mer-
lin 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.

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 cov-
ered in creamy
white down.
The chicks
upper beak is
already strong-
ly 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
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: Year-round, but
mainly January to March.
Eggs: 2-4; white.
Incubation: 1 month.
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 re-
gurgitating seeds produces tiny
sprouts on the cave floor.
~ , M C M X C I I IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILE' M PRINTED IN U.S.A.
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 oil-
bird 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
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: Usually April
to July.
Eggs: Usually 2-3.
Incubation: 19-24 days.
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.
" MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
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 red-
dish brown speck-
les. Incubated by
both sexes.
Lives in south-
western
Africa.
PRINTED IN USA. 0160200861 PACKET 86
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. 5and-
grouse usually
lay two or three
eggs.
Right: The
young suck
moisture from
the male's spe-
cially 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 cam-
ouflage 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: l 4 - ~ oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: May to July.
No. of broods: 1.
Eggs: 4-7; pale blue, glossy.
Incubation: 12-13 days.
Fledging period: 13-16 days.
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 feath-
ers, and upperparts.
Underparts and fore-
head are white. Winter-
ing males and birds in
their first winter resem-
ble 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 upper-
parts. Has buff-white
bars on her wings and
on the sides of her tail.
Juvenile: Brown-
buff 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.

The pied flycatcher prefers hill-
side woods-especially those
near water, which attracts abun-
dant 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 sup-
plements 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.

Male pied flycatchers return to
the breeding grounds in spring,
often to the nest holes that they
used the previous year. The fe-
males arrive several days later.
Each male defends a small terri -
tory around his nest hole. He
sings, often from a high perch,
to proclaim ownership and at-
tract a mate. The male usually
has one mate, but he occasion-
ally 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 spe-
cies 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 fe-
male 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 sea-
son, since the female does not
waste energy hatching chicks
that she will be unable to feed.
In an attempt to lessen feed-
ing 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 ma-
ture woodlands. The male has
a white forehead and a large
white area on each wing. Fe-

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 ber-
ries 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 re-
serves 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 Sa-
hara, 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 or-
der 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.
Incubation: 14-18 days.
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.
~ H A B I T S
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 grass-
land 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
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: March to July.
No. of broods: 2-3.
Eggs: 3-5; chalky white with dark
brown and gray speckles.
Incubation: 11-13 days.
Fledging period: 15-18 days.
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.
~ H A B I T A T
The crested lark likes flat, open
country with sparse vegetation.
It may stray into farmland but
avoids dense crop fields. It pre-
fers hard, dry soil where it can
walk about freely.
The crested lark thrives in dry
climates. It is found in many des-
~ H A B I T S
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 re-
main together.
With its rounded wings and
short tail, the bird looks com-
pact in the air, but its flight is
ert and semidesert regions such
as Saudi Arabia, where it is resi-
dent all year. In northern areas
such as the Russian and Ukraini-
an 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, ruf-
fling its feathers for warmth.
Right: A crested lark parent gener-
ally gives the most food to the off-
spring that opens its mouth widest.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The crested lark feeds primari-
lyon the ground. It digs in the
soil with its long bill to extract
beetles, grasshoppers, caterpil-
lars, and ants. It also catches
dragonflies and flies in the air,
then removes their wings be-
fore devouring them.
In addition, the bird eats spi-
ders, snails, and small worms,
as well as seeds, seedlings, buds,
Left: The crested lark's sandy plum-
age provides good camouflage in
arid areas.
DID YOU KNOW?
I The crested lark enjoys tak-
ing a sand or dust bath, espe-
cially 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. Dur-
ing the winter it eats fewer in-
sects and a greater number of
seeds, especially grass seeds.
The crested lark employs its
conical bill as a hammer to soft-
en 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 fe-
male 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. Mean-
while the female crouches, with
her crest raised and tail fanned.
The female makes a nest, lin-
ing 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, tak-
ing breaks to feed and preen. In-
stead 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 aban-
don 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 off-
springs' 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.
____________________________
SIZES
Length: 14-16 in.
Wingspan: Up to 2%; ft .
Weight: 1 %; lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
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 di s-
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
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, rein-
forced 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.
~ H A B I T S
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 pro-
tected 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 vio-
lently over a
nutritious mor-
sel 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 di ving. 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 t o 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.