Animal A Day!

Anous minutus The Black, or White-capped Noddy is a seabird that is found in tropical areas all around the globe. These members of the Tern family are named for the nodding motion that both sexes display during courtship! The two possible common names both describe this bird pretty well. On one hand, they are almost completely black in coloration. On the other, that black is broken up only by a white cap of feathers on the head. No matter which name you chose, it would still identify  Anous minutus. Black Noddies live pretty close to shore. They hunt for fish and squid during the daytime but return to various coasts and islands at night in order to roost in large colonies. When it comes to breeding, pairs will choose each other thanks to flight displays and the aforementioned nodding dances, and will often form lifelong bonds. Only one egg is laid with each clutch, and depending on the location these birds will produce between 1 and 3 clutches each year. Many pairs will act...

Oceanites oceanicus We finally arrive at our last animal of this Antarctic theme-- a bird that is not confined just to the southernmost continent. Wilson's Storm Petrel is a common bird that is one of the most abundant species in the entire world with a population of over 100 million! These particular birds breed on Antarctica's coasts during the summertime, and during the rest of the year they travel the seas of the Southern Hemisphere. They can fly thousands of miles in a single year, but they are often difficult to spot because they spend nearly all of that time over open ocean. Wilson's Storm Petrels are small birds. They only measure about 6-7in in length. In fact, they are the smallest warm-blooded creatures to nest in Antarctica! They are so small that they live a mostly nocturnal lifestyle while nesting. This strategy keeps them safe from the larger birds that will either feed on them or try and steal the food that they capture. Krill, small fish, and variou...

Chionis albus Meet the Snowy Sheathbill-- the only bird species in Antarctica that is primarily land dwelling and widespread. They are endemic to the continent and the nearby southern Islands, though very rare vagrants sometimes make it to South America and Africa. Snowy Sheathbills are named for their cone-shaped bills that have a sheath made of a horn-like keratin covering their nostrils. They also have small, fleshy wattles, naked skin around the eyes, and bodies covered in white feathers. These birds are scavengers, and will eat anything they can find. They live near the coasts, and seals are one of their favorite food sources-- they will pick as seal scabs and dried blood, eat placenta and umbilical chords, and will even eat seal feces. Yum.... The Sheathbills eat insects and seaweed as well. Snowy Sheathbills have a large population and are widespread. They don't have any major conservation threats at present, and are listed as being of Least Concern. IUCN Status ...

Cerorhinca monocerata Meet the Rhinoceros Auklet, a seabird that is a close relative to the more well-known Puffins. Like Puffins, they live in cold arctic areas-- specifically the northern Pacific Ocean. One curious feature of these birds is the horn on their beaks. Both males and females have it, but no one really knows what its purpose is! Decoration? Protection? Attracting a mate? Either way, it has given them their Rhinoceros name! Another cool fact about these birds is that they can dive down quite far in search of food. Dives of 150-180 feet have been observed! They catch fish, krill, and squid, but always wait until nightfall to take food back to their nests. The reason for this is that other, larger seabirds will try and steal their prey. Flying home with food at night helps them keep more of their hard-earned food. IUCN Status :  Least Concern Location : North Pacific Size :  Length up to 11in (27cm) Classification :  Phylum : Chordata -- Class :...

Bulweria bulwerii For a Petrel, the Bulwer's Petrel is relatively small. Its entire body length does not normally get larger than 10in (compared to some of their cousins that can be more than double or triple that!). Just like those cousins, the Bulwer's Petrel is a seabird that spends huge portions of its time living flying across the open sea. They have large wingspans compared to their body length (up to 3ft!) that allow them to soar long distances without using large amounts of energy. They feed on very small creatures that live at the ocean's surface, snatching them while in flight. The Bulwer's Petrels do come ashore in order to breed, and their nesting sites are typically in the small islands chains of the Atlantic Ocean, though some populations make it to the Pacific as well. They breed in large colonies before dispersing again to fly across the oceans. IUCN Status : Least Concern Location : Atlantic Islands Size : Length up to 10ft (25cm), Wingspa...

The Parasitic Jaeger, sometimes refereed to as the Arctic or Parasitic Skua, is a seabird that spends half its time in Northern Europe and Asia, as well as in the high latitudes of North America. They breed during the summertime, and during the winter they migrate south to more tropical regions. Parasitic Jaegers are named for one of their most common feeding behaviors-- they harass other seabirds and steal their food. The Jaegers will hunt their own kills as well, but theft is frequent and widespread. It can be tough to identify these birds in the wild because they come in three different color morphs (dark, light, and intermediate) and because they look very similar to other seabird species that share their range. In general they are either dark colored above, with pale underparts, or are completely dark feathered all over. Parasitic Jaegers have a very large population size (well over 1,000,000 birds) and a massive range. hey are not currently in any major conservation danger....

Morus serrator Meet the Autralasian Gannet, a large white, black, and yellow seabird that lives around Australia, New Zealand, and a handful of other nearby islands. They breed in massive coastal colonies, with the largest groups forming in New Zealand. Groups of more than 10,000 pairs can be found at three different locations! Australasian Gannets form pair bonds that can last for several breeding seasons, and sometimes they last for life. These birds perform elaborate displays to attract mates, including dancing, head bobby, and presenting seaweed to one another. Once a mate is found, the birds with continue to perform, often through bill tapping, in order to greet their mate and strengthen pair bonds. Females guard the nesting site while the males go out for building materials. Seaweed is a major component. Only one egg will be laid at a time, and both parents help to incubate it for 6 weeks until the helpless chick is hatched. Gannets are pretty long-lived for a seabird. Th...

Numenius borealis Today is the birthday of famed painter and naturalist John James Audubon, a man who is especially notable for his work The Birds of America , which was made between 1827 and 1838.. That massive work, which contains around 450 plates of North American birds, actually has images of six birds that are now extinct. The Eskimo Curlew is one of those six... maybe. It is a bird that is officially listed as Critically Endangered, but the last official live sighting was in 1962. There have been reports of varying reliability since then, but the exact status is still up for some debate. Eskimo Curlews were once a species with an incredibly large population-- they were one of the most common shorebirds in the Arctic. They bred in the far northern reaches of Canada and Alaska, but made astounding long migrations all the way to Argentina. Unfortunately those migrations were the reason for their population decline. Hunters started to target the birds ...

Cepphus grylle Guillemots, Puffins, Murrelets, and Auks all belong to the same family-- Alcidae. They are like the Northern Hemisphere's answer to Penguins (black & white, live in cold waters, dive for fish)... only they can actually fly! Black Guillemots are one of a several Alcid species that live near the waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. They breed on the coasts, congregating in colonies that can number more than 20,000 birds. One interesting tidbit is that these birds look different depending on how far north they live. The higher the latitude, the more white they have on them. Some of these normally black birds can be entirely white in their winter feathers, with the exception of black wings. These birds are wonderful swimmers, and can fly decently to boot. Walking? Well... it's a little funny looking. It's no wonder that these birds get all of their food from the water-- they are able to dive down several dozen feet, using their wing...

Morus capensis The Cape Gannet is a very striking seabird, identified by its yellow face and neck and sleek white and black feathers. They breed on islands off the Cape of South Africa, and winter along the African coastal shores. Fish makes up their primary food source, and they retrieve it by plunging into the water from substantial heights. Cape Gannets breed on only six different islands, nesting in large colonies. Males arrive on site first and stake out a territory, females are then attracted to his site thanks to calls, head bobs, and shakes. If she likes what she sees, a monogamous bond is formed. The couple will work together to build a nest out of guano and plants, creating it in depressions on the ground. They both help to incubate the single egg, which takes around 45 days to hatch. After hatching, it will take 3-4 months for fledging to occur. Once the Juveniles leave their parents, they will head out to see and not return to breed for 3-4 years. ...

Onychoprion fuscatus There are dozens of species of Tern, and while many look alike, today's animal is quite distinct. Sooty Terns have very dark feathers on their back, wings, and on their face, as well as a black bill and feet. This sets them apart from all the lighter colored, and often yellow-billed Terns. Sooty Terns are one of the most abundant Seabird species in the tropics-- there may be as many as 60 million of them ! They live throughout the tropical oceans, and rarely come to land at all, only migrating to various islands in order to breed and lay their eggs. Did you know that these Terns can spend several years  at sea? When they do decide to come ashore, they craft nests on the ground in scrapes and crevasses. They lay 1-3 eggs at a time. Sooty Terns have decently long lifespans-- lasting around 32 years. Sooty Terns feed on fish, crustaceans, and squid, and they require these meals to be driven to the surface in order to be caught. Therefore they ...

Pagophila eburnea The Ivory Gull is a small to medium sized Gull that spends most of its time at the high Arctic latitudes. They migrate only very short distances (it is rare for them to enter temperate zones), and are usually found within close vicinity of pack ice. They are the only members of their genus, Pagophila . Ivory Gulls are appropriately colored for a snowy, winter-year-round environment. Their feathers are completely white, the bill is a bluish grey, and their black legs and eyes are the only dark shades on them. As juveniles they have a bit of black flecking on the feathers, and it takes about two years to develop the snow-white plumage. These seabirds are both hunters and scavengers. They snatch up crustaceans, fish, rodents, and small birds, but they will also feed on corpses, including those of larger animals like seal and caribou. Other things that these opportunistic feeders will chow down on? The feces and placentas of other animals! Mmm. ...

Fratercula cirrhata Meet the Tufted Puffin , a seabird from the Northern Pacific that is the largest of the Puffin species. These birds are best identified by their breeding plumage, which shows up only during the summer months. Their normally yellow/orange bills and feet turn bright red, their black faces change to white, and both sexes grow large yellow feather tufts. The Tufted Puffins breed in large colonies -- some of them have literally tens of thousands of pairs! They build very crude nests, placing a soft lining of feathers and plants in a rock crevice, or in a burrows scratched out with their feet. Only one egg is laid at a time, and the chick is incubated and cared for by both parents. Tufted Puffins are much better in the water than they are on land. They are able to dive after their fishy food, and they typically eat their meals while still under water. The exception to this is when they have offspring to take care of. A Puffin parent ...

Creagrus furcatus Where I live we have heaps of Seagulls , Canadian Geese , and Pigeons . They're everywhere to the point that most people don't consider them to be especially remarkable.   But of course, every animal is awesome in their own way, and even if you disagree, they still probably have really cool cousins (like every single Pigeon from New Guinea). Case in point- today's animal, the Swallow-tailed Gull. This Seagull is found only on the Galapagos Islands, and it is unusual and unique among all of the Gulls because of its feeding habits. Most Seagulls feed during the daytime, but not the Swallow-tailed Gull! They forage nocturnally for fish and squid. Because they hunt at night, they avoid being the victims of Kleptoparasitism (one of my favorite words!) Other Seabirds, like Frigatebirds, will steal food from hunting Gulls. Swallow-tailed Gulls don't have this issue, as the Frigatebirds practice their piracy during the daytime. ...

Phalacrocorax atriceps The Imperial Shag goes by many names, including the Blue Eyed Shag and the Blue Eyed Cormorant. They live in the southern reaches of the planet, hunting and breeding as far away as Antarctica. As with all Cormorants, the Imperial Shag dives for its food. They have very little body fat and heavy bones. This allows them to be less buoyant and to swim underwater easier. The Shags posses a large volume of blood, and that extra oxygen lets them stay underwater for up to 4 minutes. They also have powerful webbed feet that propel them, and hooked beaks that enable them to catch and hold on to slippery fish. Outside of the breeding season Imperial Shags may live either alone or in flocks. But when the time comes to reproduce they always end up in massive colonies that often consist of other bird species as well. Pairs are monogamous, and 2-4 eggs are laid each season. Both parents incubate and  care for the offspring ...

Thalasseus elegans Today's animal is a migratory bird with a long bill and a nifty black crest. Elegant Terns live off the Pacific North American coasts, hanging out at different latitudes during different points of the year. They are shore birds and are very rarely found inland. Elegant Terns have a massive migration route, though it as not as long as that of their Arctic Tern cousins. They spend their summers breeding up near California and Mexico, and then winter as far south as Chile. Interestingly, it is estimated that 90%-97% of all Elegant Terns nest in one colony on Isla Rasa in the Gulf of California, Mexico! Elegant Terns breed in monogamous pairs, and both parents help to incubate and feed the chicks. Chicks leave the nest after only a week, and they join a large colony, or creche , of similarly aged young birds. They will stay with the creche for a little over a month, and their parents will continue to feed them during that time. Once they fledge, they re...

Aethia cristatella Today, where I live, it is finally  cold. I got out the winter coat for the very first time, which is a little shocking for a Wisconsin winter. Seriously, it was 50 degrees three days last week. Anyway, I'm in a frosty mood, with it being 3 degrees outside, so lets learn about an Arctic critter today! The Crested Auklet is a small Arctic Seabird that nests in the Bering Sea and in the Sea of Okhotsk. They live in huge colonies on rocky coasts and islands, and they don't even build nests! The females just lay their single egg right there on the boulders! Male and Female Crested Auklets looks the same, and are named for the fancy crest of feathers that forms during the breeding season. They feed primarily on Plankton, but will also feed on small fish on occasion. Crested Auklets are birds that are built for swimming, and their body position makes them pretty awkward on land. And don't confuse them with Antarctic Penguins! Crested Auklets can...

Pinguinus impennis The Greak Auk once lived across the North Atlantic, and was once referred to as "the Penguin of the North " due to the fact that it was a black and white waterbird unable to fly. Their genus name is even Pinguinus ! Like Penguins, Great Auks were excellent swimmers and fish catchers. They hunted in shallow coastal waters, and moved to rocky islands in order to breed. They probably mated for life, and did you know that their eggs were 5in (13cm) long? Unfortunately, tragedy struck the Great Auk. Between the 15th and 19th centuries millions of them were hunted for meat and feathers. While their lack of flight allowed them to hunt effectively in water, it also made them very easy targets for man. Before human encroachment, the Auks had very few natural predators. A second blow came when, in 1830, the last remaining colony sunk off the coast of Iceland due to a volcanic eruption. The few surviving birds were swiftly killed off when they reloca...

Hirundapus caudacutus White-Throated Needletails are one of the largest Swifts in the world. They have thick bodies that are still very aerodynamic, and long, curved wings. Females and males look alike, with grey bodies and white throats and under-tail areas.   This Swift is remarkable because it has the fastest flapping flight speed of any bird. They can move as fast as 106mph (170km/h)! This amazing speed allows them to quickly hunt air-borne insects , and to travel their long migration routes. White-Throated Needletails are migratory. They breed in Siberia, China, and Japan during May through September, and then begin to fly south towards Australia for the rest of the year. They often live in massive flocks while in Australia. Some can number in the thousands! Despite being a common species, not much is known about their breeding patterns, though it is believed that mating takes place in mid-air . IUCN Status :  Leas...

Sula sula The Red-Footed Booby is the smallest of the six Booby species, and can be found living near tropical and subtropical oceans around the world. They are non-migratory birds, though they can fly as far as 90 miles (144km) from their roosts to find food in the oceans! Red-Footed Boobies eats fish, and lots of it! Flying Fish are one of their favorite meals, and they hunt by plunging downward and grabbing their prey from the air or just under the surface. They do not carry their food home; it gets swallowed before the flight back. Though all the birds have the characteristic red feet, Red-Footed Boobies come in a wide variety of colors . Some are white with dark wings, some are dark brown, and some are all white. And those are only a few combinations! Interestingly, the colors do not seem to be specific to any colony or area, and birds of different colors can be found roosting together. The Red-Footed Booby is currently listed as being of least concern, but hab...