Rock Sparrow
Petronia petronia
Odd-looking, chunky, sparrowlike bird with a strong bill. Body is heavily streaked; most distinctive features are the dark brown crown and well-marked pale eyebrows. A yellow spot on the throat is rarely visible in the field. Found in open and rocky country from stony hillsides to villages and farmland. The call "vui" is quite memorable.
识别特征
The rock sparrow is similar in size to a house sparrow but with a larger more conical bill. It is around 14 cm (5.5 in) in length, with a strong whitish supercilium and weaker crown stripe. It has a patterned brown back and wings, streaked underparts, and a diagnostic, but hard-to-see, yellow throat spot. Petronia petronia are monochromatic, with a distinctive yellow patch on their upper breast that starkly contrasts the earth tones of their plumage. This carotenoid-based trait is present in both sexes, and plays an important role during the breeding season, signalling both attractiveness and social status. This bird has a loud wheezy song.
分类信息
The first formal description of the rock sparrow was by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1766 in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae. He introduced the binomial name Fringilla petronia. It is now the only species in the genus Petronia that was introduced by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup in 1829. Petronia is a local name for the rock sparrow from the Bologna area of Italy.<p>Seven subspecies are recognised:<p>Some species have once been classified under Petronia, specifically from the related genus Gymnoris (Petronia superciliaris, Petronia dentata, Petronia xanthocollis) and Carpospiza (Petronia brachydactyla).
- 学名
- Petronia petronia
- 命名信息
- (Linnaeus, 1766)
- 目
- Passeriformes
- 科
- Passeridae
- 属
- Petronia
分布与栖息地
It is a rare vagrant north of its breeding range. There is just a single record from Great Britain, at Cley, Norfolk on 14 June 1981. This gregarious bird is also found in human settlements in suitable country.
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
It nests in crevices in rocks or walls, laying four to five eggs. Rock sparrows exhibit a variety of mating patterns, most notably monogamy and sequential and simultaneous polyandry; however, social monogamy is the most abundant mating pattern. The frequencies of these various mating patterns most likely vary with numerous ecological and social factors. Many studies have shown that both males and females prefer a mate with a larger yellow patch. It has also been shown that male brood defence behaviours increase with greater female ornamentation. Males also differentially allocate parental investment according to female ornamentation; this behaviour is not observed in females. In alpine colonies of Petronia petronia, females perform most of the provisioning. In Asian colonies, both males and females contribute equally to the care of the young. Males of larger sizes feed their young at higher rates, which suggests that larger males occupy better territories and/or are better fathers. Studies have found a positive correlation between male yellow breast patch size and nestling tarsus length, which suggests that more ornamented males are also better parents. Females increase the number of non-feeding visits to their nest as the season progresses, suggesting that because females have lesser opportunities to lay other clutches, it is most advantageous to support the survival of their current offspring. A positive relationship between the number of deserting females and the number of available males has been recorded.<p>The rock sparrow mainly forages on the ground. It eats seeds throughout the year and berries in autumn. In the spring its diet includes invertebrates, particularly caterpillars and grasshoppers. These are also fed to the young.
保护状况
- 种群趋势
- rising
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
Maroon-backed Whistler
Coracornis raveni
A sparrow-sized, thick-billed songbird from the mountains of Sulawesi. Male is distinctive, almost entirely dark sooty gray except for the maroon back. Female and juvenile are nondescript, entirely dark rusty-brown above and dull olive underneath, but paler on the undertail. A shy inhabitant of montane forest, where singles and pairs stay low in the understory. Female is dark on the breast, unlike Sulphur-bellied Whistler, and lacks yellow flanks, unlike Hylocitrea. Vocalizations are characteristic of whistlers, often including whipping notes: “chiyoo-WHIT” and “chi-WHIT.” Also gives a subdued “brrrr-chit.”
Dusky Grouse
Dendragapus obscurus
Large, dark chickenlike bird found in wooded habitats, usually with conifers and shrubby undergrowth. Typically seen on the ground; easiest to see in mid-summer when females and chicks frequent roadsides and trails. When male displays, ruffles neck feathers to reveal wrinkled purple-red skin and makes deep hooting noise. Female browner and more intricately patterned. Note large size and relatively long tail. Feeds on plant matter, especially conifer needles. Separate from Sooty Grouse by range.
Macleay's Honeyeater
Xanthotis macleayanus
Distinctive medium-sized rainforest honeyeater. Underparts are olive with white streaking. Upperparts brown with small white spots on back of neck and larger white spots on back. Black cap on top of head, gray throat. Bare patch of dull pinkish skin around the eye is surrounded by orangish feathers, with a few yellowish feathers behind that. Has a very small range in northern Queensland, where it is found in rainforests and adjacent habitats. Feeds on fruit and insects.
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