Portal:Birds/Selected species/1
The
bald eagle (
Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey found in North America, most recognizable as the national bird and one of the primary symbols of the United States.
The species was on the brink of extirpation in the contiguous United States (while flourishing in much of Alaska and Canada) late in the 20th century, but now has a stable population and has been officially removed from the U.S. federal government's list of endangered species. The bald eagle was officially reclassified from "endangered" to "threatened" on July 12, 1995 by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. On July 6, 1999, a proposal was initiated "To Remove the Bald Eagle in the Lower 48 States From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife."
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The
red-tailed black cockatoo (
Calyptorhynchus banksii), also known as
Banksian- or
Bank's black cockatoo, is a large
cockatoo native to
Australia. It is more common in the drier parts of the continent. Five subspecies are recognised, differing most significantly in beak size. Although the more northerly subspecies are widespread, the two southern subspecies, the
forest red-tailed black cockatoo and the
south-eastern red-tailed black cockatoo are under threat. Adult red-tailed black cockatoos are around 60 centimetres (24 in) in length and
sexually dimorphic. Males are completely black in colour, excepting their prominent red tail bands; the slightly smaller females are brownish-black with yellow barring and spotting and have yellow-orange tail stripes. The species is usually found in
eucalyptus woodlands, or along water courses. In the more northerly parts of the country, these cockatoos are commonly seen in large flocks. They are seed eaters and cavity nesters. Of the black cockatoos, the red-tailed black is the most adaptable to aviculture, although black cockatoos are much rarer and much more expensive outside Australia.
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The
California condor,
Gymnogyps californianus, is a
species of
North American bird in the
New World vulture family
Cathartidae. Currently, this
condor inhabits only the western coastal mountains of the
United States,
Baja California, and the
Grand Canyon. It is the only surviving member of the
genus Gymnogyps, though fossil members are known. It is a large, black vulture with patches of white on the underside of the wings and a largely bald head with skin color ranging from yellowish to a glowing red, depending on the bird’s mood. It has the largest wingspan of any bird found in
North America and is one of the heaviest. The condor is a
scavenger and eats large amounts of
carrion. Condor numbers dramatically declined in the 20th century. A conservation plan was put in place by the United States government that led to the capture of all the remaining wild condors in 1987. Beginning in 1991, condors have been reintroduced into the wild. The California condor is one of the world's rarest
bird species. As of 2005, there were only 273 individuals including 127 in the wild.
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The
superb fairy-wren (
Malurus cyaneus), also known as
superb blue-wren or colloquially as
blue wren, is a
passerine bird of the family
Maluridae. Sedentary and
territorial, it is found across southeastern
Australia. The male in breeding plumage has a striking bright blue forehead, ear coverts, mantle and tail with a black mask and black or dark blue throat. Non-breeding males, females and juveniles are predominantly grey-brown in colour. Two subspecies are recognised. Like other fairy-wrens, the superb fairy-wren is notable for several peculiar behavioural characteristics; birds are socially
monogamous and sexually
promiscuous. Male wrens pluck yellow petals and display them to females as part of a courtship display. The superb fairy-wren can be found in almost any area that has at least a little dense undergrowth for shelter. It has adapted well to the urban environment. The superb fairy-wren mainly eats insects and supplements its diet with seeds.
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The
peregrine falcon (
Falco peregrinus), also known simply as the
peregrine, is a
cosmopolitan bird of prey in the
family Falconidae. It is a medium to large-sized
falcon, females being larger and about the size of a large
crow, with a blue-gray back, barred white underside, and a black head and "mustache". There are seventeen subspecies. Essentially, this species can be found everywhere on Earth, except in the
polar regions, on very high mountains, in
deserts, and most tropical
rainforests, making it one of the world's most widespread falcons. Both the
English and scientific names of this species mean "wandering falcon" and refer to the
species' wide range and its highly
migratory habits. It feeds almost exclusively on medium sized birds, but will very rarely hunt small mammals. It mates for life and nests in a
scrape. The peregrine falcon became an endangered species due to the overuse of pesticides such as DDT. Wildlife services bred the species in captivity, and the use of
DDT ceased; with this the peregrine falcon has made a recovery.
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The
king vulture,
Sarcoramphus papa, is a large
Central and
South American bird in the
New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern
Mexico to northern
Argentina. It is the only surviving member of the genus
Sarcoramphus, though fossil members are known. It is large and predominantly white, with gray to black ruff, flight, and tail
feathers. Its head and neck are bald, with the skin color varying, including yellow, orange, blue, purple, and red. The king vulture has a very noticeable yellow fleshy
carnucle on its beak. This vulture is a scavenger and it often makes the initial cut into a fresh carcass. It also displaces smaller New World vulture species from a carcass. King vultures were popular figures in the
Mayan codices as well as in local folklore and medicine. Though currently listed as being of
least concern by the
IUCN, they are declining in number, due primarily to
habitat loss.
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The
splendid fairy-wren (
Malurus splendens), also known simply as the
splendid wren or more colloquially in
Western Australia as the
blue wren, is a
passerine bird of the family
Maluridae. It is found across much of the Australian continent from central-western
New South Wales and southwestern
Queensland over to coastal Western Australia. The male in breeding plumage is a small, long-tailed bird of predominantly bright blue and black colouration. Non-breeding males, females and juveniles are predominantly grey-brown in colour. It comprises several similar all-blue and black subspecies that were originally considered separate species. Like other fairy-wrens, the splendid fairy-wren is notable for several peculiar behavioural characteristics; birds are socially
monogamous and sexually
promiscuous. Male wrens pluck pink or purple petals and display them to females as part of a courtship display. The habitat of the splendid fairy-wren ranges from forest to dry scrub, generally with ample vegetation for shelter. It has not adapted well to human occupation of the landscape and has disappeared from some urbanized areas. The splendid fairy-wren mainly eats insects and supplements its diet with seeds.
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The
turkey vulture,
Cathartes aura, also known in
North America as the
turkey buzzard, is a
bird found throughout most of the
Americas. One of three species in the genus
Cathartes, in the family
Cathartidae, it is the most common of the
New World vultures, ranging from southern
Canada to the southernmost tip of
South America. It inhabits a variety of open and semi-open areas. It has dark brown to black plumage, a featherless, purplish-red head and neck, and a short, hooked, ivory-colored
beak. It is a
scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on
carrion. It finds its meals using its sense of smell, flying low enough to detect the gases produced by the beginnings of the process of decay in dead animals. In flight, it uses
thermals to move through the air, flapping its wings only infrequently. Lacking a
syrinx—the vocal organ of birds—its only vocalizations are grunts or low hisses. It nests in caves, hollow trees, or thickets, generally raising two chicks each year, which it feeds by
regurgitation.
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The
eastern or
American goldfinch (
Carduelis tristis), also known as the
wild canary, is a
North American bird in the
finch family. It is
migratory, ranging from southern
Canada to
North Carolina during the breeding season, and from just south of the Canadian border to
Mexico during the winter. The American goldfinch displays
sexual dimorphism in its coloration; the male is a vibrant yellow in the summer and an olive color during the winter months, while the female is a dull yellow-brown shade which brightens only slightly during the summer. The male displays brightly colored
plumage during the breeding season to attract a mate. The American goldfinch is
granivorous and
adapted for the consumption of seedheads, with a conical
beak to remove the seeds and agile feet to grip the stems of seedheads while feeding. It is a social bird, and will gather in large flocks while feeding and migrating. Its breeding season is tied to the peak of food supply, beginning in late July, which is relatively late in the year for a finch. Human activity has generally benefited the American goldfinch.
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The
common raven (
Corvus corax), also known as the
northern raven, is a large all-black
passerine bird in the
crow family. Found across the #Northern Hemisphere, it is the most widely distributed of all
corvids. There are eight known
subspecies. It is one of the two largest corvids, and is possibly the heaviest passerine bird. common ravens typically live about 10 to 15 years in the wild, although lifespans of up to 40 years have been recorded. Young birds may travel in flocks, but later mate for life, with each mated pair defending a territory. The common raven has coexisted with humans for thousands of years. Part of its success comes from its
omnivorous diet; common ravens are extremely versatile and opportunistic in finding sources of nutrition, feeding on
carrion, insects and food waste, in addition to cereal grains, berries, fruit and small animals. Some remarkable feats of problem-solving have been observed in the species, leading to the belief that it is highly
intelligent. Over the centuries, it has been the subject of mythology, folklore, art and literature in many cultures.
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The
elfin-woods warbler (
Dendroica angelae,
Spanish:
reinita de bosque enano), is a
bird endemic to the
Caribbean island of
Puerto Rico where it is a local and uncommon species. It was discovered in 1968 and described in 1972. The species name,
angelae, is a tribute to
Angela Kepler, one of its discoverers. An
insectivore, it feeds by gleaning small insects off leaves. Due to its small populations and restricted
habitats, conservation efforts were begun in 1982 to protect this species. The species is not in immediate danger as the majority of its habitat is
protected forest, but introduced species, such as
rats and
mongooses, habitat reduction, and natural disasters represent potential threats to the population.
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The
arctic tern (
Sterna paradisaea) is a
seabird of the
tern family Sternidae. This
bird has a
circumpolar distribution, breeding colonially in
Arctic and
sub-Arctic regions of
Europe,
Asia, and
North America (as far south as
Brittany and
Massachusetts). The
species is strongly
migratory, seeing two
summers each year as it migrates from its northern breeding grounds to the oceans around
Antarctica and back each year. This is the longest regular migration by any known animal. Arctic terns are medium-sized birds. They are mainly grey and white plumaged, with a red beak (as long as the head, straight, with pronounced
gonys) and feet, white forehead, a black nape and crown (streaked white), and white cheeks. The arctic tern is
K-selected, caring for and aggressively defending a small number of young. Parents feed them fish for a considerable time, and help them fly south to winter. Arctic terns are long-lived birds, with many reaching twenty years of age. They eat mainly fish and small marine
invertebrates. The species has an estimated one million individuals. Exploitation in the past has reduced this bird's numbers in the southern reaches of its range.
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The
emu (
Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest
bird native to
Australia and the only
extant member of the
genus Dromaius. It is also the second-largest extant bird in the world by height. The soft-feathered, brown,
flightless birds reach up to 2 m (6 ft) in height. The emu is common over most of mainland Australia, although it avoids heavily populated areas, dense forest and arid areas. Emus can travel great distances at a fast, economical trot and can sprint at 50 km/h (30 mph) for some distance at a time. They are opportunistically nomadic and may travel long distances to find food; they feed on a variety of plants and insects. The emu subspecies that inhabited
Tasmania became extinct following the
European settlement of Australia in 1788. The distribution of the mainland subspecies has also been affected by human activities. Once common on the east coast, the emu is now uncommon, while development of agriculture and provision of water for stock in the interior of the continent have increased the range of the emu in arid regions. Emus are farmed for their meat,
oil and leather.
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The
mourning dove (
Zenaida macroura) is a member of the
dove family Columbidae. The bird is also called the
American mourning dove, and formerly was known as the
Carolina pigeon or
Carolina turtledove. It
ranges from
Central America to southern
Canada, including offshore islands. Many individuals in northern areas
migrate south to spend winter within the breeding range where January temperatures are above −12° Celsius (10°F). Habitats include various open and semi-open environments, including agricultural and urban areas. The species has adapted well to areas altered by humans. The bird is abundant, with an estimated population of 130 million birds. In many areas, the mourning dove is hunted as a
game bird for both sport and its meat. Its plaintive
woo-oo-oo-oo call is common throughout its range, as is the whistling of its wings as it takes flight. The species is a strong
flier, capable of speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph).
Mourning doves are light grey and brown and generally muted in color. Males and females are similar in appearance. The species is generally monogamous, with two squabs (young) per brood. Both parents care for the young for a time. The species is a prolific breeder, and pairs will often have several broods per year. In warm areas, a pair may have up to six broods a year. Mourning doves eat mainly seeds, including those of both native and introduced plants.
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The
kākāpō (
Māori:
kākāpō, meaning "night parrot",
Strigops habroptilus), also called
owl parrot, is a
species of
nocturnal parrot with finely blotched yellow-green plumage
endemic to
New Zealand. It has a distinct facial disc of sensory,
vibrissa-like feathers, a large grey beak, short legs, large feet, and wings and a tail of relatively short length. A certain combination of traits makes it unique among its kind—it is the world's only flightless parrot, the heaviest parrot, nocturnal, herbivorous, it sports visible
sexual dimorphism in body size, has a low
basal metabolic rate, no male parental care, and is the only parrot to have a
polygynous lek breeding system. It is also possibly one of the world's longest-living birds. Its anatomy typifies the tendency of bird evolution on oceanic islands with few predators and abundant food: accretion of
thermodynamic efficiency at the expense of flight abilities, reduced wing muscles, a diminished
keel on the
sternum and a generally robust physique. Kākāpō are critically endangered; there are only 244 (as of 2024).
[1] The ancestral kākāpō migrated to the islands of New Zealand in prehistory; in the absence of
mammalian predators, it lost the ability to fly. Because of Polynesian and European colonisation and the introduction of predators such as
cats,
rats, and
stoats, most of the kākāpō were wiped out. Conservation efforts began in the 1890s, but they were not very successful until the implementation of the Kakapo Recovery Plan in the 1980s. As of November 2005, surviving kākāpō are kept on four predator-free islands,
Maud,
Chalky (Te Kakahu),
Codfish (Whenua Hou) and
Anchor islands, where they are closely monitored. Two large Fiordland islands,
Resolution and
Secretary, have been the subject of large-scale
ecological restoration activities to prepare self-sustaining
ecosystems with suitable habitat for the kākāpō. The conservation of the kākāpō has made the species well known. Many books and documentaries detailing the plight of the kākāpō have been produced in recent years. The kākāpō, like many other bird species, has historically been important to the Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, appearing in many of the traditional legends and folklore.
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