Dalmation Pelican

Description and biology

The Dalmation pelican is the largest member of the pelican family. An average adult measures 5.2 to 5.9 feet (1.6 to 1.8 meters) and weighs between 22 and 29 pounds (10 and 13 kilograms). Males are slightly larger than females.

The bird has a wingspan of almost 11 feet (3.3 meters), and its long, straight bill measures between 14 and 17.5 inches (35.5 and 44.5 centimeters) in length.

This pelican has long, curly feathers on the nape of its neck. Its overall plumage (covering of feathers) is white–gray in color. Dark fingerlike tips mark the edges of its wings. Its legs and feet are gray–black. Its pouch, which is attached to the lower part of its bill, is yellow in color most of the year. During breeding season, it turns orange–red.

Yellow-eyed Penguin

Description and biology

Penguins are flightless sea birds. Like other penguins, the yellow–eyed penguin is mainly gray and white in color. What separates this penguin from others are its striking crown of yellow feathers and its bright, yellow eyes. Its cheeks are pale yellow, and its bill and feet are beige.

An average adult yellow–eyed penguin can measure 30 inches (76 centimeters) long and weigh 11 pounds (5 kilograms). Its torpedo–shaped body allows the bird to travel swiftly in water, where it catches squid, crustaceans (such as crabs and shrimp), and small fish. On land, the penguin shuffles along on well–used paths from the sea to grassy cliffs and inland forests. It often walks more than 0.5 mile (0.8 kilometer) a day.

Penguins are normally very social, but the yellow–eyed penguin is sometimes only mildly so. It may live in colonies made up of only a few birds or as many as 50 pairs. Penguins tend to mate for life.

The breeding season for yellow–eyed penguins lasts only from late September to mid–October. Their nests, made of sticks and coarse grass, are located in holes in the ground, among rocks, or within stunted trees or shrubs.

A female yellow–eyed penguin lays 2 eggs, the second of which is laid 4 days after the first. Both parents incubate (sit on or brood) the eggs for about 42 days. Upon birth, the chicks are covered in fine, short, dark brown feathers.

As they grow older, their distinctive yellow crown begins to emerge. When they are about six weeks old, the chicks are left alone in the nest, and they may venture out to sea shortly thereafter.

Habitat and current distribution

The yellow–eyed penguin is found in New Zealand on South, Stewart, Codfish, Campbell, and Auckland Islands. Biologists (people who study living organisms) estimate that between 5,000 and 6,000 of these penguins currently exist.

The birds prefer to inhabit coastal waters. They feed in in shore waters and roost (rest or sleep) on sandy beaches.

History and conservation measures

The primary threat to the yellow–eyed penguin has been the disturbance or destruction of its nesting habitat. Much of its habitat has been converted into farmland.

Other areas have been degraded or worn down by grazing livestock from nearby farms. Predators that have been brought into the area by humans (such as dogs, cats, and pigs), have taken their toll on the bird’s population.

Yellow–eyed penguins have also suffered at the hands of fishermen. The birds often become tangled in fishing nets, and many have died as a result. Pesticides and other forms of pollution have also killed many yellow–eyed penguins by contaminating their food sources.

Wildlife organizations in New Zealand have purchased nesting sites to preserve what remains of the yellow–eyed penguin’s habitat. Within these sites, they have removed introduced predators and have begun to replant trees and other types of vegetation.

Cheer Pheasant

Description and biology

The male cheer pheasant has a striking appearance. The color of the plumage (covering of feathers) on its neck and upper back is silvery–gray. The feathers on its lower back are reddish. Its tail, measuring 18 to 24 (46 to 61 centimeters) inches long, is marked with heavy, dark bars. The male has an overall length of 35 to 47 inches (89 to 119 centimeters).

Females are not so dramatically colored and are smaller, measuring 24 to 30 inches (61 to 76 centimeters) in length. This pheasant is mainly vegetarian (plant-eating). It digs for roots and seeds with its stout feet and beak. It also plucks at leaves, shoots, and berries on the ground or in shrubs.

Breeding takes place in the spring. A male–female pair and one of their young male offspring defend a territory of 38 to 100 acres (15 to 40 hectares).

This territory is often called the “crowing area” because of the sound the males make at dawn and dusk as a sign of defense. After building a shallow nest on the ground among boulders or stunted shrubs, a female cheer pheasant lays a clutch (eggs produced at one time) of 8 to 10 eggs.

She then incubates (sits on or broods) the eggs for 26 to 28 days. After hatching, the chicks stay with their parents until the following spring. When not breeding, cheer pheasant families many come together to form flocks of 15 or more birds.

Habitat and current distribution

The cheer pheasant’s range extends southeast from the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to the Kali-Gandaki Valley in central Nepal. A small population has recently been discovered in Pakistan. The exact number of pheasants in this range is currently unknown.

The pheasant inhabits grassy hillsides with scattered patches of oak and pine at elevations between 3,280 and 10,665 feet (1,000 and 3,250 meters). It is often found grazing close to hill villages.

History and conservation measures

Because cheer pheasants are found in groups that stay in one place, they are easily hunted. Despite having legal protection throughout their range, the birds are widely shot and trapped. Cheer pheasants have also suffered because cattle graze on their habitat and farmers often burn their grassy hill sides to create cleared land for farming.

Cheer pheasants are protected in the Margalla Hills National Park in Pakistan. However, park officials have allowed dense thorn shrubs to grow, overtaking the extensive grasslands inhabited by the cheer pheasants there. Because of this, a program to reintroduce captive–born pheasants into the park has not been successful.

Piping Plover

Description and biology

The piping plover is so–named because of its distinctive call, a two–note piping or peeping sound. The color of this shore bird’s plumage (covering of feathers) is sandy–beige above and white below.

It has a short black bill and yellow legs. During breeding season, the piping plover develops black markings on its forehead and throat. Its bill turns orange, except at the tip, which remains black. Its legs also turn bright orange.

This bird’s diet includes insects and small marine animals such as crawfish, snails, and clams. It locates its food by following the backwash of waves, which deposit or uncover these animals on beaches. The bird’s predators include racoons, foxes, opossums, gulls, skunks, rats, and feral (once domesticated, now wild) cats and dogs.

Breeding season takes place between March and August. The male piping plover courts the female with both aerial (flying) and ground displays or movements. After having mated, the female lays a clutch (eggs produced at one time) of 4 eggs in a shallow hollow in the ground lined with pebbles or plant debris.

Both the male and female incubate (sit on or brood) the eggs for about 30 days. The chicks fledge (develop flying feathers) approximately 30 days after they hatch.

Habitat and current distribution

The piping plover is found on open beaches and sand and mud flats in North America. It breeds primarily in three regions: the Atlantic coast from southern Canada to North Carolina, along rivers and wetlands in the Great Plains from southern Canada to Nebraska, and the western Great Lakes.

In winter, the bird migrates to coastal areas and sand flats from the Carolinas south to Yucatán, Mexico. It also migrates to the Bahamas and other islands of the West Indies.

In the early 1990s, biologists (people who study living organisms) estimated that only 2,500 piping plover pairs existed. The majority, over 1,350, were found on the Great Plains. Only about 16 pairs inhabited the Great Lakes, a region where the piping plover is labeled endangered.

History and conservation measures

The piping plover was almost certainly more plentiful at the beginning of the twentieth century than it is today. The earliest cause of the bird’s decline was excessive hunting. Now that hunting of the plover is outlawed, habitat disturbance and destruction are its main threats.

Because the piping plover nests on open coastal beaches, it is easily disturbed by humans and their pets. In addition, the bird has lost much of its nesting area as beaches and other waterfronts have been converted into recreational and living areas for humans. This has been especially true in the Great Lakes region.

Many conservation efforts to protect the piping plover’s nesting areas are currently being undertaken. These include restricting the use of off–road vehicles on beaches and building barriers around nests to prevent contact by humans and predators.

Lord Howe wood Rail

Description and biology

The Lord Howe wood rail, also called the Lord Howe wood hen, is a flightless marsh bird that averages 14 inches (36 centimeters) in length. The color of its plumage (covering of feathers) is brown.

Dark brown and black stripes mark its wings. The bird has a strong, curved bill and red eyes. As it ages, the feathers around its neck and on the sides of its head turn gray.

The wood rail feeds on worms, grubs, and insects. Its home territory averages 7.5 acres (3 hectares) in size. Owls and feral (once domesticated, now wild) pigs are its main predators.

Lord Howe wood rails mate for life, and a male–female pair often remain apart from other wood rails. They breed primarily in late spring and summer. After building a nest on the ground, a female wood rail lays a clutch (eggs produced at one time) of 1 to 4 eggs. Biologists (people who study living organisms) estimate that it takes 19 to 20 days for the eggs to hatch. Upon hatching, the chicks are black in color.

Habitat and current distribution

The Lord Howe wood rail is found on the island from which it takes its name, Lord Howe Island, a volcanic island lying about 300 miles east off the coast of the southeastern Australian state of New South Wales.

The bird inhabits both lowland palm forests and higher elevation mountain forests. In a 1990 survey, biologists estimated that the wood rail’s population was between 170 and 200. Its population is believed to have stabilized in the early 2000s.

History and conservation measures

When English explorers first set foot on Lord Howe Island in 1788, the Lord Howe wood rail was found throughout the island. Not long after, English whaling ships began stopping at the island.

Since the flightless wood rail could be easily captured, it became an abundant food source for sailors. By the 1850s, the English had established permanent settlements on the island.

In time, some of the goats and pigs the English had brought with them to the island escaped from farms and became feral. They quickly killed off many of the remaining wood rails. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the birds existed in low numbers only on the island’s mountaintops.

By the mid–1970s, biologists believed the Lord Howe wood rail population numbered fewer than 30 birds. Conservationists (people protecting the natural world) then began taking steps to eliminate introduced predators such as the wild pig.

In 1980, a captive–breeding program was initiated using three of the remaining wood rail pairs. The birds reproduced rapidly, and over the next four years, 85 birds bred in captivity were released into the wild. By 1990, the wild wood rail population had increased to about 50 breeding pairs and almost 200 total birds.

Even with the success of captive breeding, feral pigs, cats, and dogs remain a threat to the wood rail. Another major threat is the masked owl, introduced to the island in the 1920s to contain the rat population. Current conservation efforts to save the Lord Howe wood rail are focused on controlling all these predators.

Chatham Islands Robin

Description and biology

The Chatham Islands robin (also known as the black robin) is a species of the New Zealand robin. It has coal black feathers, legs, feet, and bill. The adult robin is about 6 inches (15 centimeters) tall and weighs just under an ounce (23.4 grams).

It is similar in size to a sparrow but has longer legs. Females are smaller than males. The Chatham Islands robin has dark brown eyes that provide excellent vision for hunting in the dark.

It hunts for food both day and night, foraging through the litter (layers of dead leaves and twigs) on the forest floor for worms, grubs, cockroaches, and particularly for an insect related to the grasshopper called the weta. Chatham Islands robins are noted for their song, which fills the forests around them during breeding season.

They fly only short distances, from branch to branch, and stay in the lower branches of the forests in order to avoid the strong winds that blow over the islands. They are territorial animals, particularly during breeding season, and will protect their home areas from other birds of their species. They can live to be about 13 years old.

Chatham Islands robins are usually monogamous—they stay with the same breeding partner throughout their lives. When it is breeding time, the female makes a nest in a hollow tree or tree stump and usually lays two eggs at a time.

She incubates the eggs (sits on them to keep them warm) and the male brings her food. The eggs hatch in about 18 days and the chicks begin to fly and leave the nest after 3 weeks. The parents continue to feed the chicks for a couple of months after they hatch, long after they leave the nest.

Habitat and current distribution

Chatham Islands robins live in the lower branches of a scrub–forest habitat. There are currently only two populations of this species, one on South East Island and the other on Mangere Island of the Chatham Island Group of New Zealand. There is a total population of about 250 birds.

History and conservation measures

The Chatham Islands robin has virtually come back from extinction and is one of the most tremendous success stories in conservation (protecting nature). However, there is much to be done before the species is out of trouble.

The range of the robin once encompassed most of the Chatham Islands. When Europeans arrived in New Zealand in the mid–nineteenth century, they began clearing the forests and destroying the habitats vital to the species.

They also introduced rats and cats, predators to the robin. By 1880, the range of the Chatham Islands robin was severely reduced, and the species existed only on Little Mangere Island.

By the late 1970s, there were only seven birds left to represent the entire species. Because the habitat on Little Mangere had been badly damaged, scientists very carefully moved these last seven robins to Mangere Island. The birds were given a home in a forest that had been newly replanted, where the habitat was protected.

For several years no mating took place and, by 1981, two of the seven birds had died. Only one female Chatham Islands robin remained in the world. Her name was “Old Blue” (named after the color of the band that scientists had placed on her leg in order to track her.) The future of the species seemed doomed.

Then, a group of scientists with the New Zealand Wildlife Service (now the Department of Conservation) set up a black robin recovery project on the islands.

When Old Blue mated with one of the remaining males, “Old Yellow,” her eggs were placed in the nests of Chatham Islands tit females, which became foster parents to the robin chicks. This project produced many new young, and soon a portion of the new Chatham Islands robin population was moved to Southeast Island.

By 1999, the two locations, Mangere and Southeast Island, were home to about 259 Chatham Island robins, and plans were underway to open more critical habitat for the species. In these areas, there are no predators and the habitat is restored.

The spectacular recovery, from 5 birds to 259 birds in about 15 years, is still overshadowed by the fact that all of the new population stems from a single breeding pair, Old Blue and Old Yellow.

Because of this, the gene base (the number of biological units that pass on hereditary traits) of the species is very low. So far, this has not been a problem for the new and growing populations, but because all the birds in the species will have similar weaknesses, a newly introduced predator or disease could drastically reduce the populations again.

Rothchild’s Starling

Description and biology

The Rothchild’s starling is also known as the Bali starling or the Bali mynah (mynah or myna is the common name for any of various Asian starlings). The color of this starling’s plumage (covering of feathers) is mostly white.

The bird has blue markings running through its eyes and black tips on its wings and tail. It also has a crest of feathers on the top of its head that it is able to raise and lower. An average Rothchild’s starling measures 8.7 inches (22.1 centimeters) in length. It feeds mainly on insects, fruits, and small reptiles.

The starling usually breeds in colonies and makes its nest in a tree cavity. A female Rothchild’s starling lays 2 to 7 eggs, then incubates (sits on or broods) them for 11 to 18 days. After hatching, the chicks leave their nest within a month.

Habitat and current distribution

The Rothchild’s starling is unique to the Indonesian island of Bali, which lies off the eastern end of the larger Indonesian island of Java. It is restricted to the remaining savanna woodland in the northwestern coastal area of the island, which is situated within the Bali–Barat National Park. Biologists (people who study living organisms) estimate that fewer than 50 starlings remain in the wild.

History and conservation measures

A number of factors have played a part in the decline of the Rothchild’s starling. The bird’s habitat has been reduced by the clearing of forests to create farmland and other types of human settlements. A beautiful bird, the starling has always been popular with collectors. Over the years, trapping has greatly reduced the bird’s numbers.

The starling is legally protected in Indonesia, and several conservation programs are in place to ensure its recovery. However, the bird is still threatened by trapping, forest clearing, and widening human settlements.

One of the strongest threats in 2000 was illegal poaching for the cage–bird trade. Because of these factors, the population of the species continues to decline.

The Rothchild’s starling breeds well in captivity. Despite the fact that recently begun captive–breeding programs have provided birds for reintroduction into the wild, the Rothchild’s starling remains critically endangered.