Little Shearwater
Puffinus assimilis
A small, pale-faced shearwater with the separation line between black and white on the face passing through or above the eye. Mainly sedentary and relatively shy, feeding farther offshore than similar seabirds. Winter breeding birds mainly found around the Kermadec Islands, off southwest Australia, and off the northeastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The Fluttering Shearwater can be distinguished by its larger size, smudgy brown underwing, dark face, and tendency to congregate in flocks much closer to shore.
识别特征
This shearwater has the typically "shearing" flight of the genus, dipping from side to side on stiff wings with few beats, the wingtips almost touching the water, though in light winds it has a more flapping flight than that of its larger relatives. In flight it looks cross-shaped, with its wings held at right angles to the body, its colouration changing from black to white as the black upperparts and white underparts are alternately exposed as it travels low over the sea.<p>At 25–30 cm (9.8–11.8 in) in length with a 58–67 cm (23–26 in) wingspan, it is like a small Manx shearwater but has proportionally shorter and broader wings, with a pale area on the inner flight feathers. Its bill is more slender than that of Manx, and its dark eye stands out against the surrounding white area.
分类信息
mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data indicate that the former North Atlantic little shearwater group (Boyd's shearwater, P. boydi and Barolo shearwater, P. baroli) is closer to Audubon's shearwater (Austin 1996, Heidrich et al. 1998), (although many taxonomists now consider them to be distinct species), and Rapa shearwater (P. myrtae), being closer to the Newell's and possibly Townsend's shearwater (Austin et al. 2004). Heinroth's shearwater was also sometimes considered a subspecies of this bird; the relationship between the little and Audubon's shearwater is probably not as close as long believed (Austin 1996, Heidrich et al. 1998, Austin et al. 2001, but see also Penhallurick & Wink 2004, and Rheindt & Austin 2005). The subantarctic shearwater was also considered conspecific (Onley & Scofield 2007, Gill et al. 2010)
- 学名
- Puffinus assimilis
- 命名信息
- Gould, 1838
- 目
- Procellariiformes
- 科
- Procellariidae
- 属
- Puffinus
分布与栖息地
It breeds in colonies on islands and coastal cliffs, nesting in burrows which are only visited at night to avoid predation by large gulls.
- 迁徙
- Complete migrants
行为
This is a gregarious species, which can be seen in large numbers from boats or headlands, especially on migration in autumn. It feeds on fish and molluscs. It does not follow boats. It is silent at sea, but at night the breeding colonies are alive with raucous cackling calls.<p>It nests in cavities located in grassy fields or in those found among rocks.<p>The little shearwater usually produces a clutch of one clear white egg, measuring around 51 by 35 millimetres (2.0 by 1.4 in). The egg is incubated for 52 to 58 days by both sexes.
保护状况
- 种群趋势
- declining
照片
分布
其他鸟类
Spot-winged Parrotlet
Touit stictopterus
Small, rare parrot found in cloud forest in the eastern foothills of the Andes. Mostly green; male has dark wings with pale spots, and female has green wings with dark spots. Typically encountered in small flocks that appear as specks rapidly flying overhead, giving soft squawks with a muffled quality. Few birders have ever seen one perched!
Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot
Micropsitta keiensis
A tiny parrot of lowland and foothill forest canopy in the south and west of New Guinea. Mostly green with yellow under the tail and a yellowish crown. NW birds have a red streak on the belly. Crawls actively on trunks, even upside down, like a nuthatch. May overlap with Red-breasted and Buff-faced but Yellow-capped lacks the blue crown and buff face. Call, a shrill, descending screech “kiiiiiii!”.
Goliath Heron
Ardea goliath
This enormous heron stands 1.5 meters tall and has a robust, dagger-like bill. The immature has rustier upperwings than the adult. Its flight is ponderous and labored. Goliath Heron inhabits large rivers, marshes, estuaries, and mangroves, hunting for large fish and other animals, stabbing them with an open bill. It has a distinct, barking “kowoork” call that can be heard from up to 2 km away. Purple Heron has similar plumage, but Goliath Heron is twice the size, has a much larger bill, and has a rufous (not blackish) top of the head.
开始您的观鸟之旅
在户外识别鸟类，并在下一次观察时随手查阅鸟类图鉴。