WANDERING ALBATROSS

ORDER
Procellariiformes
FAMILY
Diomedeidae
GROUP 2: BIRDS
GENUS &: SPECIES
Diomedea exulans
The wandering albatross has a wingspan of more than nine feet-
the largest of any living bird. It soars vast distances
across the ocean with little effort.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 4-5 ft. Male larger than
female.
Wingspan: 9-10 ft. To a maximum
of 11 ft.
Weight: Male, 1 8-26 lb. Female,
15-20 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual Maturity: At 9-15 years.
Breeding Season: November to
July in alternate years.
Eggs: 1. White, red speckled.
Incubation: 75-82 days.
Hatching: 3 days to break the shell
Fledging period: 270-280 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary or small feeding
groups at sea. Breed in colonies.
Diet: Mainly squid, octopus, and
cuttlefish; also crustaceans, fish,
and food from boats.
Lifespan: 30 years, but some may
live to 80 years.
Full range. Island breeding sites.
DISTRIBUTION
Small isl ands in the southern oceans, between Antarctica and
the Tropic of Capricorn.
CONSERVATION
Chief predators are skuas. Its main t hreat today comes from
oil and chemical pollution. As commercial fishing increases in
its range, the wandering albatross may have to compete with
humans for its food.
THE FLIGHT OF THE WANDERING ALBATROSS
The wandering
albatross has long,
narrow wings that
enable it to glide
on updrafts.
Where there are
no air currents, the
bird will settle on
the sea.
The bird glides ....
down with its .,...,-:
wings folded. Just strong wind
above the sea, it
turns into the
wind and soars
back up on rising
air currents.
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The herring gull
(shown above left,
to scale) is also
skilled at gliding
on updrafts. Its
wingspan is less
than half the
albatross's.
0160200191 PACKET 19
The wandering albatross roams the
southern oceans and circles the
Antarctic continent. It comes to land
only to breed on small subantarctic islands.
The bird has occasionally been spotted
off the South American coast but it has
been seen only twice in Europe since 1957.
~ HABITS
The range of the wandering
albatross is 30 million square
miles of the southern oceans
between the Tropic of Capri-
corn and Antarctica. Albatross
breed in colonies, and they
often gather in rich feeding
grounds. Colonies disband
after the breeding season.
Wandering albatross are
silent at sea. But in feeding
groups, they may make
hoarse croaking or grunting
cries when squabbling for
offal (waste parts from a
butchered animal) that is
thrown from passing ships.
Although it soars gracefully
across the waves, this great
sea bird is clumsy on land.
When waddling along on its
huge feet, the albatross often
trips itself and falls. Landing is
hazardous, too, and many
albatross crash into the
breeding colony. They may
even turn a few somersaults
before coming to rest.
DID YOU KNOW?
Sailors have often called
the black-footed albatross
the "gooney bird" because
it is so clumsy on land.
The wandering albatross
has been known to follow a
ship closely for six days,
even during strong winds
and on moonless nights.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The wandering albatross feeds
mainly at night. It catches its
prey-squid, octopus, and
cuttlefish-by landing on the
sea and scooping it from the
surface with its huge bill. It
also makes shallow dives to
catch fish, crustaceans, and
other sea creatures.
The wandering albatross
follows ships, attracted by the
waste food, or fish offal, that
is stirred up by the propellers
or thrown overboard.
The scientific name for
the entire albatross family,
Diomedeidae, comes from
the ancient Greek, Diomedes.
According to legend, he was
shipwrecked on the coast
of Italy. After he died there,
his companions were trans-
formed into birds.
~ BREEDING
Although the wandering
albatross lives an unusually
long time, it breeds infre-
quently. The bird rarely breeds
until at least seven or eight
years of age. It may wait until it
is 15 before it finds a mate.
Pair bonding is usually perma-
nent, until one mate disap-
pears or dies. Also, if the pair
does not eventually produce
young, the birds separate.
Breeding colonies are
located on cliff tops or hillsides
of remote islands, where pre-
Left: A wandering albatross may
spend months in the air, without
once touching land.
The name "albatross"
comes from the Portuguese
word alcatraz, which origi-
nally meant "any large bird."
The wandering al batross
has the lowest egg output a
year of any living bird.
Some albatross may live up
to 80 years.
vailing winds help the great
birds become airborne. The
male and female perform an
elaborate mating ritual. They
bow to one another and
touch bills noisily. The birds
also swing around each other
on the ground with their
wings spread out wide. At the
end of the ritual, they point
their bills skyward and scream
loudly.
Both birds build the large
nest-a messy mound of soil
and vegetation. They make a
hollow for the single egg. The
pair alternates incubating the
egg every two or three
Above: Left unguarded, this chick
is vulnerable to predators such as
skuas.
weeks, and they lose about 1 7
percent of their weight each
shift.
The egg takes about two
and a half months to hatch,
and the chick takes another
three months to fledge (grow
feathers). As a result, a pair
of wandering albatross breeds
no more than once every two
years.
The parents feed the fluffy,
white chick throughout the
winter. Between feedings the
chick is left alone to fend for
itself. When the young alba-
tross finally fledges, it sets out
alone for the ocean. The im-
mature, black-feathered alba-
tross will take as long as 10
years to gain its adult white
plumage.
Left: After
finding the
right mate,
two albatross
perform a noisy
mating ritual.
Inset: Parents
feed their chick
for almost nine
months.
BLACK WOODPECKER
... ORDER
'1IIIIIIII Piciformes
FAMILY
Picidae
GROUP 2: BIRDS
GENUS & SPECIES
Dryocopus maritius
The black woodpecker is the largest of all the European
woodpeckers. About the same size as a crow, it is a shy
but noisy bird that is often heard but seldom seen.
~ KEY FACTS
~ SIZES
l11fJ Length: 11/2-2 ft.
Wingspan: 2-2
1
/4 ft .
Weight: 1 0-1 3 oz.
til BREEDING
" Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: Late january to
june.
Incubation period: 12 days.
No. of young: 2-6
Fledging period: 28 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Territorial; nests in tree
holes.
Diet: Chiefly ants.
lifespan: Oldest known bird,
7 years.
Call: Loud whistling and high-
pitched cry. Its song is loud and
erratic.
RELATED SPECIES
Closest relative is the white-
bellied woodpecker, Dryocopus
javensis, of Asia.
~
- ~ ~ ~
. \
"1v......- .
~ c : : > . .
Range of the black woodpecker.
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread throughout Europe and Asia from Spain and
Scandinavia in the west to Mongolia and japan in the east.
CONSERVATION
Although easily disturbed by man, the black woodpecker's
ability to live in both coniferous and deciduous woodland
has helped it remain reasonably common throughout most
of its range.
THE BLACK WOOPECKER'S NEST
The black woodpecker makes its
nest in mature coniferous forests
and beechwoods.
Adult: Large,
about the size of
a crow. Mostly
black with pale
eyes and bill.
The male has
a striking red
crown; the fe-
male has a patch
of red on the rear
of her head.
Nest: About
10-12 feet up
in a tree. Large
enough to hold
three chicks
and an adult.
\0MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A 0160200241 PACKET 24
The male black woodpecker sports a fiery
red crown, and the female has a distinctive
red nape. This powerful bird can bore holes
in both living and dead trees to provide
secure nest chambers; these holes are often
used later by other woodland birds.
The black woodpecker lives
throughout most of the
wooded regions of northern
Europe and Asia. It inhabits
both coniferous and decidu-
ous woodland where the trees
are well spaced and form
large, unbroken areas of for-
est. The bird usually excavates
a nest hole in a mature fir,
beech, larch, or pine tree.
The black woodpecker also
inhabits open land as long as
there are trees available in
which to nest. It is a wary
bird, easily disturbed, so it
seldom nests near human
populations.
A competent climber as
well as a strong flyer, the
black woodpecker uses its
sharp claws to grip the bark
as it walks up and down tree
trunks in search of food.
FOOD &: FEEDING
The black woodpecker feeds
mainly on ants and insect lar-
vae that it digs out of both
living trees and dead stumps.
It also forages on the forest
floor, flicking away the leaves
and hacking apart rotten logs
with its strong, straight beak
in search of grubs or larvae.
The bird also explores ant
nests with a long, sensitive
tongue that is coated with a
sticky secretion produced by
specialized salivary glands.
In some parts of its range,
up to 99 percent of the black
woodpecker's diet is ants. It
spends hours on the ground
hacking open their nests to
feed on the adults and larvae
within. Elsewhere, the bird
eats great numbers of beetle
larvae, caterpillars, and fly
larvae (maggots). In winter
the black woodpecker eats
hibernating bees from their
hives. The black woodpecker
also feeds on growing apples,
the chicks of other birds, and
duck eggs.
Left: The woodpecker excavates its
nests with powerful stabs of its
sharp bill.
When excavating a nest hole
in a tree or stripping off bark
to reach the insects beneath,
the black woodpecker braces
itself against the tree using its
stiff tail feathers as a support.
It then angles its neck before
attacking the wood with its
powerful chisel-tipped bill.
Right: A woodpecker is capable of
inflicting extensive damage.
DID YOU KNOW?
The black woodpecker's
tongue ends in a horny tip
with four or five pairs of
backward-pointing barbs.
The black woodpecker
drinks by sipping rainwater
from old tree hollows.
In the mountains of Tibet,
black woodpeckers live at

The black woodpecker usual-
ly begins to court in January.
The birds attract each other
with loud contact calls. The
woodpecker also drums its
beak on its hollow nest tree,
or any other resonant sur-
face, to announce its pres-
ence. When the bird finds a
partner, they court each oth-
er by bobbing and swinging
their heads in unison. Finally,
the male leads the mate to
his nest site.
If the female accepts the
nest, the pair establishes their
breeding territory around it.
If the male's nest is unaccept-
able to the female, or is un-
finished, the pair takes turns
excavating a nest. It takes up
altitudes over 1 3,000 feet.
The adult black wood-
pecker has no down feath-
ers on its plumage.
The largest woodpecker
in the world is the rare
Mexican imperial ivorybill.
It is a foot long and weighs
as much as one and a half
to th ree weeks to excavate a
hole a foot deep and eight
inches wide.
When the nest is complete
the birds mate. Shortly
afterward the female lays her
clutch of two to six white
eggs. Both birds take turns
incubating the eggs.
The blind and helpless
chicks must be stimulated to
pounds.
Most species of wood-
pecker have feathers over
their nostrils to protect
them from wood chips
and dust when pecking.
The woodpecker's skin
is very thick, protecting it
against bites from insects.
eat. The adults do this by
touching the sensitive pads
on the sides of the chicks'
beaks. The adults then pump
regurgitated food into their
mouths. After about 1 0 days,
the young take their food
without urging.
Below: Chicks squawk at the
entrance hole, demanding their
next meal.
ANDEAN CONDOR
ORDER
Falconiformes
FAMILY
Cathartidae
GENUS &- SPECIES
Vultur gryphus
The Andean condor has a greater wing area than any
other bird. Although it may appear awkward at close
range, the condor flies with agility and grace.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Wingspan: About 10ft. Female
slightly smaller.
Weight: About 25 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual Maturity: 6-7 years.
Breeding Season: September to
January.
No. of broods: 1 every 2 years.
Eggs: 1, white.
Incubation: 7-9 weeks.
Fledging period: 6 months.
Independent at 12-18 months.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary or in pairs.
Diet: Most carrion (dead flesh)
RELATED SPECIES
California condor (Gymnogyps
cafifornianus) is the closest relative.
Also related to the North American
turkey vultures.
Range of the Andean condor.
DISTRIBUTION
Throughout the Andean Mountains on the eastern side of
South America, and south to Tierra del Fuego.
CONSERVATION
The condor' s numbers have been reduced by man's hunting
of the birds' prey: guanacos and alpaca are killed for their f ur.
But the Andean condor is not an endangered species, unlike
the Cal ifornia condor.
FEATURES OF THE ANDEAN CONDOR
The male has a loose flap of skin,
called a plume, on its head. The
female is slightly smaller than
the male.
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Tail: The condor
The egg is laid in the
bare rock face on a
high, inaccessible
mountain ledge. The
chick is covered with
a thick, brown-gray
down.
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Male
Si ze of the condor
compared to an
average-sized man.
0160200191 PACKET 19
Living high among the Andes mountains FOOD & HUNTING

of 50uth America/ the Andean condor is From its vantage point in the
sky, the Andean condor con-
a magnificent bird of prey.
It can soar a mile high in the sky/
invisible to all below.
The Andean condor nests and
roosts on inaccessible and ex-
posed mountain ledges thou-
sands of feet above sea level.
It is well adapted for such a
life. Its actual wing area--the
largest of any bird in the
world--allows it to soar high
in the sky. (The wandering
albatross's wingspan is slightly
longer, but narrower.)
The condor uses rising air
currents, called thermals, to
fly. The giant bird uses the
ends of its flight feathers to
control its direction by open-
ing or closing them to regu-
late the amount of air flowing
through them. It can soar
farther than three miles.
To land, the condor lowers
and spreads its legs, which
act as brakes. The bird is
clumsy on the ground and
stays only long enough to
feed, then soars off again.
stantly scans the ground for
signs of food. It feeds on carri-
on (dead animals). The condor
flies hundreds of miles each
DID YOU KNOW?
The longest wingspan re-
corded for an Andean con-
dor is about 10 feet.
The guanaco, a favorite
condor food, is related to
the llama.
The Andean condor has
a poor sense of smell . Dur-
ing experiments it flew to a
fake carcass that it could
see, rather than to a real
carcass that had been cov-
ered with a tarpaulin.
The Andean condor has
keen eyesight. It circles, look-
ing for herds of guanacos, lla-
mas, and alpacas, and for the
recent kills of pumas or other
predatory animals.
Once the condor spots a
Above: A flock of condors feeds
on a carcass.
Left: The condor rides rising air
currents by simply spreading its
wings.
Right: A chick matures sexually
after six or seven years.

The condor has few natural
enemies; it lives for about 50
years. Its breeding rate is low.
The Andean condor matures
sexually when it is six or seven
years old. It then finds a part-
ner and mates for life.
Every two years the Ande-
an condor courts its mate.
With wings outstretched, the
pair jump past each other, as
if dancing, while clucking and
hissing. They circle each other
carcass, it drops from the sky,
followed by other condors.
The condor uses its powerful
beak to tear through the car-
rion's hide.
Parts of the bird's neck and
head are bald. Since it cannot
and rub and peck until one
flies off the mountain ledge.
The birds then chase each
other in the air.
After mating, the female
lays a single white egg on a
bare rock face or in a rock
crevice. The partners take
turns incubating the egg.
clean these areas, which be-
come bloodstained while
feeding, its baldness is a useful
adaptation.
In its southern range, the
Andean condor feeds on pen-
guins and dead fish.
The newly hatched young
chick is covered with brown-
gray down.
Both parents feed the
chick for almost two years,
even though it can fly when
it is six months old. The par-
ents do not breed again un-
til the following spring.
"'" CARD 54
SHEARWATER


ORDER
Procellariiformes
FAMILY
Procellariidae
GENUS
Puffinus
Shearwaters get their name from the graceful, apparently
effortless way in which they fly fast and low over the sea,
with their wings almost touching the waves.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 12-15 in.
Wingspan: 30-35 in.
Weight: Adult, 13-20 oz. Young,
often heavier.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 5-6 years.
Breeding season: May to
September.
No. of broods: 1 .
No. of eggs: 1 (white).
Incubation: 47-63 days.
Fledging period: 62-76 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Migratory. Mates for life.
Call: Range of loud screams,
chuckles, and howls.
Diet: Small fish, squid, and
crustaceans.
Lifespan: About 10 years.
RELATED SPECIES
Shearwaters belong to an order
which includes both huge
albatrosses and tiny storm petrels.
Breeding sites. Migration routes.
DISTRIBUTION
Breeds in areas of California, Great Britain, some Atlantic
islands, the Mediterranean, and New Zealand. Seasonally it is
widely dispersed in the South Atlantic and also in the North
Atlantic and Pacific.
CONSERVATION
The main threat comes from the introduction of predators
such as cats and rats to the shearwaters' breeding islands.
THE SHEARWATER'S UNDERG
Shearwaters are so slow and
awkward on land that , to protect
To avoid preda-
tors, the shear-
water nests on
offshore islands
and lays its single
white egg in a
burrow that is up
to three feet deep.
themselves from predators,
arrive at and depart from their
breeding sites at night.
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0160200141 PACKET 14
5hearwaters spend most of their time
in flight. They return to land only to breed
in long-established breeding colonies.
They often migrate thousands of miles to
new feeding grounds.
~ HABITAT
Shearwaters are found on the
Atlantic coasts of Iceland and
northern Europe, as well as in
the Mediterranean and the
North and South Pacific. De-
spite their vast range, they
have a highly developed hom-
ing instinct that allows them
to find their way back to their
breeding sites. Their long,
slender wings are adapted for
long migrations and make
the flight almost effortless.
Shearwaters are usually
seen flying low over the
water because they use the
air currents created by the
rise and fall of the ocean's
waves to help keep them
aloft.
Below: A shearwater may use a
crevice in a stone wall as a nest.
Shearwaters usually nest in
underground burrows selected
by the pair. The female lays a
single egg and leaves the nest
for several days to feed while
the male incubates the egg.
When the chick is a few days
old, it is left alone in the bur-
row during the day. The par-
ents return at night to feed it '
regurgitated fish. After six
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
Shearwaters feed on small fish
such as herring, sprats, and an-
chovies, as well as squid and
small crustaceans. They pluck
prey from the water while
hovering overhead. Sometimes
shearwaters plunge into the
water from the air in pursuit of
fish.
Because many of the fish that
shearwaters prey upon are mi-
weeks the chick leaves the
burrow and makes its way to
the sea. It may reach the
flock's feeding grounds within
three weeks.
At two years of age, young
birds return each spring to the
colony where they were born.
They are not ready to breed
until they reach maturity at
the age of five or six.
gratory, the birds must fly
great distances to new feeding
grounds. When rearing young,
the adults may fly hundreds of I
miles a day between the
nesting site and good feeding
areas so that they can provide
food for their chicks.
Below: The shearwater's long
wings are adapted for gliding and
therefore make take-off difficult.
Right: By the
time the chick is
two months old,
it has been so
well fed that it is
larger than its
parents. It is
then left to fend
for itself and
must live on its
fat reserves.
DID YOU KNOW?
The shearwater's legs are
positioned near the rear of its
body to enable it to swim
strongly. But this makes the
bird awkward on land, where
it must shuffle along with the
aid of its beak and wings.
Shearwaters mate for life,
but the pairs spend most of
the year apart, meeting only
BIRDWATCH
Shearwaters can be seen in
great numbers at the ir breed-
ing coloni es. A colony can
contai n 100,000 pairs of
birds. Many of them can be
seen in groups on the ocean
surface, wait ing for darkness
to fall before coming ashore
to feed thei r young. Serious
left: Shear-
waters gather
on the water
surrounding
their nest sites
and wait for
nightfall. When
it is dark, they
go ashore to
feed their
young.
when they return to their
breeding site each spring.
Shearwaters have specially
adapted beaks that allow
them to detect variations in
air flow. Because of this
ability, they can fly close to
the ocean's surface without
being overcome by rising
waves.
birdwatchers someti mes stay
overnight to see the great
number of noisy birds return
to thei r burrows with food.
Migrating shearwaters can
be seen traveling south
through inshore waters in the
fall and returning north in
early spring.
BULLFINCH
FAMILY
Fringil/idae
"'" CARD 55 I
GROUP 2: BIRDS
GENUS &: SPECIES
Pyrrhula pyrrhula
The bullfinch was once found only in undisturbed woodlands,
but today it is increasingly common in developed areas. Its
markings and build make it easily recognizable.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 6 in.
Wingspan: 10 in.
Weight: 3/4 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: April to August.
No. of broods: Usually 2; occa-
sionally 3.
Eggs: 4-5, pale blue, flecked with
purple.
Incubation: 12-14 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Shy, arboreal (tree-living),
woodland bird.
Range of the bullfinch.
DISTRIBUTION
Diet: Seeds and fruit buds.
Lifespan: 2-4 years.
RELATED SPECIES
Widespread throughout Europe and Asia. Northern popula-
tions migrate south in winter.
CONSERVATION
Several subspecies, including
Pyrrhula pyrrhula murina, found in
the Azores. Other subspecies are
smaller and less brightly colored
than European species.
Despite the loss of its habitat, the bullfinch is successfully
relocating to other habitats, and numbers are increasing in
some areas.
FEATURES OF THE BULLFINCH
The bullfinch is a shy bird. But when it
does appear, its markings make it easy
to recognize.
Male: Pink
breasted, with--------:--e
white rump, black
cap, and blue-gray
back.
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Bill: Short and Eggs: Pale blue,
rounded. Sharp flecked with
cutting edge for purple. Female
stripping seeds builds nest of
and buds. roots in brambles
or hawthorn
thicket.
Same
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
markings as male,
but much duller in
color.
0160200161 PACKET 16
The bullfinch often raids gardens and
cultivated fruit orchards when its natural
food supply becomes scarce. This behavior makes
the bird quite unpopular with fruit growers
and gardeners.

The bullfinch lives throughout
the wooded areas of Europe
and Asia. It is now frequently
found in developed areas and
is also common on cultivated
land. During the past 50 years
the bullfinch's natural habitat
has been drastically reduced
because of the expansion of
urbanized areas. An increase in
the species's natural habitat,
DID YOU KNOW?
The bullfinch can carry so
much food in its cheek
pouches that its young need
to be fed only every half
hour.
The bullfinch prefers the
seeds of the ash tree. But the
and of the wild seeds and
fruits that it feeds on, might
prevent it from damaging
crop growth in orchards.
The bullfinch spends most
of its time in trees and is
rarely seen on the ground.
Even when it lives near
people, the bullfinch prefers
the privacy of dense under-
growth for its nest.
ash produces a good crop in
alternate years only, making
it possible for farmers and
bird watchers to predict
when the birds are most
likely to raid fruit orchards
and gardens.
& FEEDING
The bullfinch feeds mainly on
seeds and buds. It uses its
short, rounded, and sharp-
edged beak to pick off and
peel ripening fruit buds.
The bullfinch varies its diet
throughout the year as differ-
ent foods become seasonally
available. In spring the bull-
finch feeds on oak catkins,
dandelions, and buttercups.
During the summer it eats
nettles, dock, privet, and
Left: The male bullfinch's song
sounds like a creaking gate.
THE BULLFINCH
The bullfinch has become a
more common sight in de-
veloped areas because of the
steady loss of its natural wood-
land habitat.
The male's distinctive pi nk

In early spring the male bull-
finch attracts a female by
bringing her twigs. If she is
willing to mate with him, the
two pair for life.
Soon after mating, the fe-
male builds a nest of roots
hidden among the thick twigs
of a bramble or hawthorn
bush. She lines the nest with
anir;nal hair that she has gath-
ered from the area.
Once the nest is completed,
the female lays a clutch of pale
blue, purple-flecked eggs. She
incubates the clutch for 12 to
14 days, and the male feeds
her during this time.
When the eggs hatch, the
male provides food for both
the female and the chicks. But
bramble. In the beginning of
winter the bird consumes
birch and ash seeds, and near
the end of winter, it eats the
ripening buds of hawthorn
and blackthorn.
Still, in years when natural
food supplies fail, the bull-
finch feeds on cultivated fruit
and flower buds.
The adult bullfinch is herbi-
vorous (plant eating), but
when it is feeding its off-
spring, it catches spiders and
other insects, which are more
nutritious for the young.
breast and shiny black head
contrast with the female's
more muted colors. The
bird's rounded, parrotlike bill
is well adapted for eating
fruits and seeds.
as the young grow, the fe-
male also helps to feed them.
The chicks are given a predi-
gested mixture of insects and
seeds, which the adults carry
back to the nest in their
cheek pouches.
The young birds leave the
nest after two weeks. The
adult pair mates again, and
t he female begins building
another nest. But the young
birds remain in the area, and
during winter the adults and
t heir young from several
broods feed together in
family groups.
Right: 80th parents feed the
chicks with predigested food
from their cheek pouches.
Left: The plant-
eating bullfinch
feeds on seeds
and buds. This
pink-breasted
male is eating
dock seeds.
& MAN
In just a few days several
bullfinches can cause great
damage to a commercial
orchard. But studies have
shown that the bullfinch does
not raid orchards when there
is enough food available in
the wild. Also, orchards
can be protected by simply
planting areas of grass
around them, which the
birds are reluctant to cross.
In some areas farmers still
trap and shoot the birds.
COMMON TERN
"''-------- ORDER FAMILY
Charadriiformes Sternidae
""CARD Sn
GROUP 2: BIRDS
GENUS & SPECIES
Sterna hirundo
The common tern's slender build and na"ow, pointed wings
make it one of the most graceful of all seabirds as it hovers
and dips above the waves searching for fish.
KEY FACTS

SIZES
Length: 1 ft.
Wingspan: 2-3 ft.
Weight: 4-6 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2-4 years.
Breeding season: Summer.
No. of broods: 1 .
Eggs: 1-3, cream to buff with
dark markings.
Incubation: 21-22 days.
Fledging period: 22-28 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Migratory. Nests in
colonies; often feeds in flocks.
Diet: Fish, shrimps, crabs.
Lifespan: Oldest known bird 25
years.
RELATED SPECIES
About 43 species in the tern
family worldwide.
Range of the common tern.
DI STRI BUTION
Breeds widely in North Africa, eastern North America, and
the Caribbean. Winters on the coasts of western and
southern Africa, southern and southeastern Asia, eastern
Australia, and Central and South America.
CONSERVATION
Common, though its colonies are vulnerable to disturbance.
Some adults are caught in snares in its winter range.
FEATURES AND NESTING SITE OF THE COMMON TERN
Juvenile: Has
Juvenile
Sexes: The male and female
are identical in appearance. In
summer they have black-tipped
red beaks and black foreheads.
Tail: Long tail streamers
give the tern an elegant
flight.
Nest and eggs: The nest is a scrape
in the ground, lined with shells,
grass, or bits of wood. Two to three
brownish yellow eggs marked with
heavy brown blotches are laid.
MCMXCIIMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Adult
0160200231 PACKET 23
The common tern breeds in a broader
range of climatic zones than any other
species of the fringes of the Arctic
to the hot, humid tropics. It nests in colonies
of up to 7,800 pairs, the adults returning
to the same colony year after year.
The common tern is a socia-
ble bird, spending much of its
time in small feeding parties,
often in company with other
species of tern. Where there
are schools of fish, flocks of up
to 200 birds may gather. They
also form communal roosts,
and in their southern winter
I
A
{ BIRDWATCH
The common tern is wide-
spread throughout Europe.
In spring and summer it mi-
grates south, mainly to Afri-
ca, for autumn and winter.
It breeds around the coast-
lines of northern Europe and
range the flocks spend both
day and night at sea, many
miles offshore.
The common tern migrates
north to its breeding ground
in spring, returning to the
same nesting colony every
year. Most colonies favor
sparse vegetation found close
Great Britain and is also
found inland around rivers,
lakes, and reservoirs. Nesting
usually takes place from mid-
May to mid-August.
Approach a colony with
care and keep your distance.

Courtship involves a variety of
displays, the most spectacular
taking place in the air. A pair
rises up as much as 600 feet
above the ground-the male
often carrying a fish in his
Below: In summer, the tern
acquires a black-tipped bill and
black forehead.
to the coast or patches of flat
rock, beaches, or dunes. Inland
colonies tend to be smaller.
A strange event called a
"dread" occurs regularly at
tern colonies and roosts. All
the adults suddenly fall silent
and flock out over the sea, re-
turning about a minute later.
The birds are easily disturbed
from their nests. Sometimes
they attack intruders by
swooping at their heads.
They may even strike with
t hei r beaks and feet and
possibly draw blood.
beak- then glides back
down. As they descend, the
two birds turn and pass close
by one another several times.
Their nest is a shallow de-
pression on the ground, lined
with pieces of shells and veg-
etation. Each pair defends a
roughly circular territory
I DID YOU KNOW?
Terns are such graceful
birds that they are often
called "sea swallows."
Terns have been found
nesting at altitudes of
16,000 feet in the moun-
tains of central Asia.
One pair of t.erns returned
to the same nest for 1 7
years in a row.
Some common terns fly
up to 100 miles every day.
FOOD Est FEEDING
Early morning and evening
are the times when the com-
mon tern is most busy in its
search for food. Its diet con-
sists mainly of small fish (up
to three inches in length), but
it also catches shrimp, small
shore crabs, prawns, and
other aquatic crustaceans.
The common tern is an
agile flier when hunting for
food . After flapping over a
patch of water with its head
pointed down, the tern hov-
ers briefly, then plunges. It
dives down a foot or so below
the surface and snatches a
fish, then quickly resurfaces.
The common tern adapts its
hunting methods and its
choice of prey in response to
different situations. Instead of
around the nest a few square
feet in size. Fights between
defending males and intrud-
ing birds sometimes end with
the two adversaries grappling,
bills interlocked.
Both sexes incubate the
eggs over a three-week
period, relieving one another,
hovering, some terns perch
on bridges, moored boats,
and piers to look for prey.
Common terns chase and
catch flying insects. If food
becomes scarce at the nesting
although the female spends
most of the time on the eggs.
The chicks fledge within four
weeks. About 10 days later
they accompany their parents
to the feeding grounds.
Below: Chicks leave the nest after
fledging to find their own place
within the adults' territory.
colony, some birds chase
other terns, trying to force
them to drop their catches.
Below: The adults continue to feed
the chicks, even after they have left
the nest.
PRINCESS PARROT
,,--------
... ORDER ... FAMILY
"1IIIIIIII Psittaciformes "1IIIIIIII Psittacidae
"'CARD 57
GROUP 2: BIRDS
GENUS & SPECIES
Polytelis alexandrae
The rare princess parrot lives a nomadic life. It travels through
sparsely populated areas of western Australia in search of the
flowering acacia it likes to eat.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 1 ~ ft .
Weight: About 4 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 3-4 years.
Nest site: Eucalyptus tree.
No. of eggs: 4-6.
Incubation: About 3 weeks.
Fledging: 2-3 months.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Pairs or groups up to 20.
Diet: Grass seeds, berries, herba-
ceous plants, and acacia blossoms,
fruit, and seeds.
RELATED SPECIES
Other Polytelis species include the
superb parrot, P. swansonii, and
the regent parrot, P. anthopeplus.
MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM
Range of the princess parrot.
DISTRIBUTION
Although a rare bird, the princess parrot can be found in
the interior of central and western Australia wherever there
is scattered scrub.
CONSERVATION
Rarely seen at any time, this endangered species is totally
protected by law.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Till: Very long
and conspicuous.
Male coloring:
Crown and sides
of head are light
bl ue. Upper
flight feathers
are olive, and
rump is violet.
0160200351 PACKET 35
Found in the dry areas of western Australia,
the princess parrot is an especially
beautiful bird. It is much in demand
for aviaries because it usually thrives
and breeds well in captivity.
~ HABITAT
Princess parrots usually live
near acacia or eucalyptus
trees in dry scrubland, often
far from water. These birds
DID YOU KNOW?
Normally very quiet, the
princess parrot has a loud,
unmelodic call. On long
flights it makes contact with
a long chattering note.
When traveling long dis-
tances, the princess parrot
flies high and very fast. Its
wingbeats seem almost
effortless.
are nomadic, following the
flowering of the acacia. They
are normally found in pairs or
small groups.
The princess parrot is
fully protected by law from
capture and is registered as
an endangered species.
In the wild, princess par-
rots are surprisingly tame
and easy to approach. If
alarmed, they will fly off a
short distance and resettle
nearby.
~ BREEDING
The courtship display of the
male princess parrot, like that
of other Polytelis species, is
characterized by a marked
dilation of the eye pupils. The
bird also bows and bobs its
head and erects a few frontal
feathers to form a tiny crest.
During the breeding season,
male princess parrots often
become aggressive toward
their mates. The females tend
to be clumsy, and they fre-
quently break eggs upon en-
tering or leaving the nest.
Princess parrots normally
nest between September and
December. They lay four to
six eggs in holes on the forks
of large eucalyptus or casu-
arina trees. Small groups
often form nesting colonies
in the same tree.
The nesting birds make no
attempt at nest building.
Instead, they lay their eggs
Left: Princess parrots are remark-
ably tame and easy to approach.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
Princess parrots feed mainly
on grass seeds and ground-
hugging herbaceous plants.
They also eat fruits, blossoms,
berries, and occasionally in-
sects. They favor the fruit and
blossoms of the acacia tree.
Specimens collected for mu-
seums have been found to
have eaten acacia seeds.
The parrots seem to change
their location to coincide with
the seasonal plant growth, so
they are assured of food year-
round. The princess parrot is
a dry country bird and sel-
dom feeds in wet areas.
directly on the dust of the
decaying wood. Incubation
takes approximately three
weeks, and only the female
sits on the eggs.
~ PRINCESS PARROT
&:MAN
Acclaimed as one of the most
beautiful Australian parrots,
the princess parrot is a well-
established aviary species and
breeds well in captivity. It
does best in large aviaries,
where it is less likely to be-
come too tame. Hybrids have
been created by breeding
with other Polytelis species,
and with the red-winged
parrot and the Amboina king
parrot. Too rare to be of value
to bird catchers, the princess
parrot and its young are oc-
casionally caught and eaten
by Australian Aborigines.
Princess parrots often breed
in areas where they have not
been seen before. Once the
chicks can fly, the birds leave
the area and never return.
Above: The princess parrot flies
high and apparently effortlessly.
Below: The parrots are usually
found in pairs, although they are
rarely seen by humans.
GOLDFINCH
"= ......_--------- -----
ORDER
Passeriformes
FAMILY
Fringillidae
GROUP 2: BIRDS
GENUS &: SPECIES
Carduelis carduelis
The goldfinch is a common sight throughout Europe, Africa,
and parts of Asia. The family groups of these colorful birds
are appropriately called 1/ charms. 1/
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 4-5 in.
Weight: 1/2-3/4 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: April to
September.
No. of broods: 2-3.
Eggs: 4-6.
Incubation period: 11-1 3 days.
Fledging period: 1 3-1 6 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Social.
Diet: Seeds.
Range of the goldfinch.
DISTRIBUTION
Call: High-pitched twitter.
Lifespan: 8 years maximum.
RELATED SPECIES
Europe, Asia, North Africa, Egypt, Australia, and New
Zealand.
CONSERVATION
24 species in the genus Carduelis.
122 species of finch in the family
Fringil/idae, including the
chaffinch, Fringil/a coelebs; the
greenfinch, Carduelis chloris; and
the citril finch, Serinus citrinella.
Despite some trapping in Europe, the species is in no danger
of extinction.
FEATURES OF THE GOLDFINCH
Plumage: Sexes similar: brown
back, black and white tail and head,
red face, yellow wing bands.
Flight: White rump and yellow wing
bars visible. During winter, it flies
into towns or migrates
to warmer areas.
Eggs: Four to six
per clutch, pale, speck-
led red-brown. Incubated by
female. Hatch after two weeks.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Chicks: Stay in
nest for up to
three weeks.
Fed partially
digested
insects and
seeds by
both
wilt by female in outer
es of large trees. Deep cup
lined with thistledown and held
together with spider webs.
0160200231 PACKET 23
The goldfinch is a common garden visitor.
Its tweezerlike bill and short, stiff face
feathers allow it to eat seeds from even
the prickliest seed cases. It hangs upside
down to feed and can hold food with its
claws-a rare ability among birds.

The goldfinch spends most of
its time in open country.
During the breeding season,
the charms (groups) are small;
at other times the birds may
gather in charms up to as
many as 1,000 in number.
During the autumn and
DID YOU KNOW?
One female goldfinch built
her nest from plastic labels
untied from trees. Another
built her nest in an unused
gas lamp.
The goldfinch was intro-
duced into New Zealand
where it is now a pest on
strawberry farms.
winter, many birds move
into towns in search of
weeds to feed on. Others in
the northern part of the
range migrate south, to
Holland, Belgium, western
France, Spain, and Portugal
until weather improves.
The goldfinch likes to feed
on teasel seeds, but it some-
times dies after becoming
trapped by the hooked seed
heads.
Over 1 30,000 goldfinches
were trapped in Sussex,
England each year in the
early nineteenth century.

Around March, the goldfinch
searches for nest sites. The
outer branches of large trees
are favorite locations.
The nest is a skillfully con-
structed, compact cup lined
with white thistledown and
held together by spider webs.
It is deep enough to keep
the eggs and chicks safe from
high winds. Although both
partners visit the nest site, it
is the female that builds the
nest while the male sits and
watches.
Left: The goldfinch's brilliant
plumage makes it easy to identify
in the wild.
BIRDWATCH
The goldfinch's beautiful
coloring and distinctive call
make it easy to recognize.
Encourage it to visit your
garden by leaving mixed
seeds on a bird feeder, or
plant flower beds with cos-
The female lays two or three
clutches every year, each
clutch containing four to six
eggs. The eggs are pale blue
speckled with a few red-brown
blotches and take just under
two weeks to hatch. The male
feeds the female while she
incubates the eggs.
The newborn chicks are buff
colored. They stay in the nest
for two or three weeks and are
fed by both parents on a diet
of regurgitated seeds and
insects.
Right: A fledgling goldfinch has
buff-colored feathers covering its
gold wing flashes.
mos and marigolds-the
goldfinch loves to feed on
seed heads in autumn.
If your garden has fruit
t rees or bushes, you may
fi nd a goldfinch's nest
hidden in the greenery.
GOLDFINCH & MAN
The beautiful plumage and
appealing song of the gold-
finch have made it a popular
bird with bird lovers for hun-
dreds of years. Bird trappers
used to make a living by sup-
plying live goldfinches to
caged bird enthusiasts and
dead ones to taxidermists.
FOOD & FEEDING
The goldfinch's scientific
name comes from carduelis,
Latin for thistle-an appropri-
ate name, since the seeds of
this plant are its favorite food.
From June through March
the goldfinch feeds on thistle
seeds. It picks at any seed
heads that have fallen to the
ground until they are covered
by winter snows. Then it feeds
on the thistle plants them-
selves for seeds.
Other seeds that the gold-
finch prefers are dandelion,
ragwort, and groundsel. In
winter, burdock becomes an
Left: The goldfinch likes to eat
teasel seeds, but the hooked
seedheads can be lethal.
Also, its feathers were in
demand for decoration on
hats. These practices were
once a serious threat to the
goldfinch population.
In England, legislation has
made bird-catching illegal,
though some black market
trade still exists in Europe.
important food source. This
diet makes the goldfinch pop-
ular with gardeners, since it
eats many weed seeds that
would otherwise germinate.
When feeding, the goldfinch
clings to stems or hangs up-
side down from flower heads.
It uses its feet to hold food,
something that few other
birds can do.
The goldfinch is well
adapted to this seed diet. Its
beak is long and narrow, like a
pair of tweezers, and allows
the goldfinch to get seeds
other birds are unable to
reach. Its short, stiff face
feathers protect it from prickly
seed casings.
CUCKOO
, , ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
~
ORDER
Cuculiformes
FAMilY
Cuculidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Cuculus canorus
The first migrating cuckoos reach Europe from Africa in mid-April.
They seek out the habitats of smaller bird species, which they select
to act as host parents for cuckoo chicks.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
length: 1 ft .
Wingspan: 2 ft.
Weight: 4-5 oz.
BREEDING
Breeding season: May to July.
Eggs: Up to 25; usually 9, 1 laid
in each nest.
Incubation: 12-13 days.
Fledging period: 17-19 days;
independent at 50 days.
LIFESTYLE
Call: Male, /lkoo-kooo./l Female,
bubbly chuckle.
Habit: Solitary; pairs briefly
during breeding season.
Diet: Insects and their larvae.
RELATED SPECIES
Closest relative is the oriental
cuckoo, Cuculus saturatus, from
Asia. Of the 128 species of
cuckoo, 12 are members of the
genus Cuculus.
Range of the cuckoo.
DISTRIBUTION
Breeds throughout Europe and much of Asia. Winter range is in
central and southern Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Phil ippines.
CONSERVATION
Current population trends are uncertain. A decrease in
numbers in recent decades may result from loss of habitat
and insecticide use. The species is now protected.
FEATURES OF THE CUCKOO THE EGG AND CHICK
The female cuckoo
replaces a host
bird's egg with
one of her ~ " " : i ~ r ~ ~
ow for
in ~
species.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
r
Plumage is pale, with gray-
striped underbelly like a sparrow
hawk's. Possibly an adaptation
for scaring a smaller
bird from
its nest.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Cuckoo egg: Speckled and larger
than others in nest. May be
similar color so that host bird will
incubate it.
Hatching: Cuckoo chick usually
hatches first and pushes other
eggs from the nest.
0160200271 PACKET 27
The cuckoo is known for laying its
eggs in other birds' nests.
The host parents then incubate
the egg and feed the cuckoo
chick-even after it grows to be much
larger than they are.

The European cuckoo returns
from Africa during the spring to
breed. It inhabits varied types of
countryside, including marshes,
woodland borders, open farm-
land, and areas with abundant
shrubbery around open fields.
These habitats are most likely to
be the habitats of the smaller
birds that the cuckoo chooses as
host parents to the young whose
eggs are laid in the nest.
In flight, the cuckoo resembles
a sparrow hawk, with its long,
pointed wings and gray-striped
underparts.

The adult cuckoo leaves its Euro-
pean breeding grounds in July to
spend the winter in warm central
or southern Africa. It returns to
Europe the following April to
breed again.
Reared by its non-cuckoo host
parents, the immature cuckoo
leaves later-between August
and September. Instinct leads
the young cuckoo to the regular
winter range. Here, the cuckoo
remains quiet and inconspicuous
throughout the winter.
BIRDWATCH
The cuckoo's two-note call
is easily recognized and can
be heard in the evenings in
its summer range between
mid-April and June. Although
the call carries over long dis-
tances, spotting the bird can
be difficult; it has dull plum-
age and tends to hide
leafy cover.
Male and female adults
look si milar, but the imma-
ture cuckoo has a white
spot on the nape of its
neck. Its plumage is often
red-brown instead of gray
with stripes.

The cuckoo forces the rearing of
its young onto birds of different
species. The breeding adult fe-
male usually looks for host birds
of the same species that reared
her. In late May she lays one egg
in each of about nine different
nests after each host pair has laid
its own eggs. The cuckoo
chooses hosts of a species whose
eggs closely resemble her own.
Cuckoo eggs are small in relation
FOOD & FEEDING
The cuckoo finds most of its in-
sect diet among bushes and
trees. It feeds on the ground as
well, but the bird is clumsy when
walking. It snaps up any insect
laNae it finds.
The female cuckoo tries to find
the nests of insect-eating host
birds to ensure the right diet for
her young. The cuckoo chick is
fed by the host birds on a diet of
caterpillars, grasshoppers, flies,
beetles, and small snails.
Below left: The cuckoo feeds
exclusively on insects and larvae.
Below right: This cuckoo egg will
be incubated like the dunnock egg
it replaced.
to the bird's size and similar in
size to the host's eggs. It takes
the cuckoo only a few seconds to
remove an egg belonging to the
host bird and replace it with one
of hers. This keeps the number of
eggs in the nest the same.
The cuckoo has evolved a
short incubation period, so its
chick usually hatches before
the host bird's eggs. Although
blind and featherless at birth,
Far left: The
young cuckoo
often has red-
brown
plumage.
Left: The chick
is born with a
strong instinct
for survival.
Below: An
adult sedge
warbler feeds
the cuckoo
chick that it
has hatched.
the cuckoo chick shifts the
other eggs, one at a time, onto
its back to toss them from the
nest. The newborn cuckoo
tries to remove any hatched
chicks in the same way.
The cuckoo chick soon
grows far larger than its host
parents, who continue to feed
it. At three to four weeks old it
has increased 50 times in size
and is ready to leave the nest.
DID YOU KNOW?
The European cuckoo's
preferred host parent spe-
cies include pipits, war-
blers, and robins.
A cuckoo chick's calls
may lure birds other than
its host parents to feed it.
The cuckoo is named for
the sound of its call in
most countries: France,
coucou; Holland, koekoek;
Germany, kuckuk; and Ja-
pan, kak-ko.
TUFTED DUCK


ORDER
Anseriformes
FAMILY
Anatidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Aythya fu/igu/a
The tufted duck is one of the best known of all the freshwater
diving ducks. Both male and female sport the distinctive
drooping crest that gives the duck its name.
KEY FACTS

SIZES
Length: 1-2 ft.
Wingspan: 2-3 ft.
Weight: 1-2 lb. Males heavier than
females.
BREEDING
Sexual Maturity: 1- 2 years.
Mating season: May to August.
Incubation period: 23- 28 days.
No. of eggs: 8-11, gray-green.
Fledging period: 45-50 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Migratory, freshwater
diving duck.
Diet: Mollusks, crustaceans,
insects, seeds.
Lifespan: Oldest known bird,
14 years.
RELATED SPECIES
Include the greater scaup, Aythya
marital and the ferruginous
duck, A. nyroca.
Year-round
DISTRIBUTION
Wintering
areas
Breeding
areas
Breeds throughout central Europe and Asia from Iceland to
northern Japan. Winters in southern Europe, Africa, and
southeast Asia. Resident only in western Europe.
CONSERVATION
Widespread and numerous despite pollution and habitat
loss. Its population is steadily increasing.
FEATURES OF THE TUFTED DUCK
Male: White flanks and underbelly.
Feathers on the back of head are
glossy purple. In flight the wings
are long and pointed.
Nest: The female builds a simple
grass and down-lined nest close
to the water's edge.
Female: Unif@fmly
brown, wi th a ........ ......
white patch at
the base of the bill.
l_
IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200211 PACKET 21
The tufted duck is Europe's most common
diving' duck, and it is second only to the mallard
in its willingness to colonize man-made habitats.
Reservoirs, flooded gravel pits, boating lakes,
and even small city park ponds are home to
this dainty, golden-eyed duck.
Found throughout the cen-
tral, more temperate regions
of Eurasia and Africa, and
from the Atlantic to the Pacific
coasts, the tufted duck re-
sides only in western Europe.
Elsewhere it is migratory,
breeding as far north as Lap-
land and wintering as far
south as Ethiopia.
A freshwater species, the
tufted duck is rarely seen at
sea except during its seasonal
migrations or during periods
of extreme cold. Although its
habitat varies, it favors large
lowland lakes, flooded marsh-
es, and ornamental lakes and
ponds.
In winter, huge flocks gather
on coastal lagoons, estuaries,
and reservoirs.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The tufted duck is an excellent
diver; it spends hours each day
foraging underwater. Each
dive begins with a swift for-
ward leap that allows the duck
to arch its neck and plunge its
beak steeply into the water.
It descends with powerful
strokes of it s webbed feet .
Males can remain underwater
for up to 30 seconds, although
most dives last half that time.
Water snails and other mol-
lusks are its main prey, togeth-
er with various crustaceans,
small fish, and aquatic insects.
The tufted duck also grazes
on water plants and the seeds
of milfoil and spike rush. It
may upend, or dabble for food,
catching insects and their lar-
vae living on the water's sur-
face.
Occasionally the tufted duck
forages on land, since it is fond
of cereal grain. City-dwelling
ducks will take handouts from
people who feed them in
parks.
Left: The tufted duck usually
chooses a lakeside habitat, sur-
rounded by dense reeds or other
marsh vegetation.
Middle right: Ducklings fledge
after about eight weeks.
In its range, the t ufted duck is
a familiar sight on large lakes
and reservoirs. During breed-
ing season t he male is easy to
identify by the purple sheen
of its black plumage and its
characteri stic crest feathers. Its
t endency t o gather in large
fl ocks, and its bright white
flanks and belly make the bird
easy t o recognize.
The female's crest is barely
noticeable, and she is harder
t o recognize, although she
has the same profile as the
male. Some females also
have white feathers at the
base of their bills and can
thus be confused with the
female scaup duck.
DID YOU KNOW?
In flight, the tufted
duck's wings make a char-
acteristic whistling sound.
Tufted ducks often nest
within gull or tern colonies,
probably because the gulls
drive off crows and other
egg thieves.
Adapted for diving, the
tufted duck has short,
pointed wings, which
~ BREEDING
The tufted duck finds a new
mate each year. Some birds
pair before migrating, while
others find a partner when
they reach the breeding site.
The ducks court communally
in noisy displays that involve
head shaking, bill dipping,
and ritual wing preening.
The birds arrive at the win-
ter breeding grounds from
March to May and begin
nesting. The nest is usually
located in a clump of reeds
or among bankside foliage.
When the female has laid
the eggs, she incubates them
for 25 days, covering them
with an insulating layer of
down whenever she leaves
to feed.
The young tufted duck is
able to feed itself within hours
of hatching, and it fledges at
eight weeks. By September
the young ducks are ready for
the long flight south to their
winter quarters.
Top left: Island nesting sites offer
protection from predators and
humans.
Left: The female usually cares for
her chicks for eight weeks,
although she may desert them
sooner if her summer molt
(feather shedding) begins early.
make taking flight diffi-
cult. The duck must patter
quickly across the water
before it can become
airborne.
During courtship the
male tufted duck con-
tracts the pupils 'of its
eyes so that the golden
irises glow with a dazzling
brilliance.