'" CARD 231 I

LONG-EARED OWL
V GROUP 2: BIRDS
, ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
ORDER
Strigifarmes
FAMILY
Strigidae
GENUS &: SPECIES
Asia atus
The long-eared owl is an elusive bird that lives in Europe, Asia,
and North America. This skillful predator emerges at night
to hunt for prey in its woodland habitat.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 14-15 in.
Wingspan: About 3 ft.
Weight: 8-11 oz.
BREEDING
Breeding season: March to April.
Eggs: 4-6; white.
No. of broods: 1 .
Incubation: About 1 month.
Fledging: Almost 1 month.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Mainly resident; northern
birds move south in winter.
Diet: Small rodents and birds.
Young are fed insects.
RELATED SPECIES
The closest relative is the short-eared
owl, Asia flammeus, which is found
in the same areas. There are 4 oth-
er species in the genus: the stygian
owl, the Abyssinian long-eared owl,
the African marsh owl, and the Mad-
agascar long-eared owl.
Range of the long-eared owl.
DISTRIBUTION
The long-eared owl is found in coniferous forests and mixed
woodland in North America, Europe, and Asia, except for the
northernmost regions. It also lives in North Africa.
CONSERVATION
The long-eared owl is common throughout most of its range.
Humans are its only real enemy.
FEATURES OF THE LONG-EARED OWL
Ear tufts: The distinctive
characteristic of this owl.
They play no part in hearing.
The real ears are hidden on
each side of the head.
Body: Medium-size and slender with
large, powerful wings. Male and
female have similar plumage.
Plumage: Buff or grayish;
speckled toward top,
mottled with darker
streaks lower down.
Breast is paler than
back. Coloring
blends perfectly
with tree bark.
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Head: Round,
rusty facial disk.
Large yellow
eyes. Small ,
sharp black bill.
Owlet: Covered
with downy white
feathers at hatching.
Plumage turns gray
and then brown af-
US P 6001 12 073 PACKET 73
The long-eared owl has prominent ear tufts that are among
its distinguishing characteristics. These feathery tufts stand
erect when the owl is alert, but they have nothing to do
with the birds keen hearing. The real ears, on the sides of
the head, can detect the faint squeak of a far-off rodent.
~ HABITS
The long-eared owl lives mainly
in pine woods, but it also inhab-
its mixed woodlands, heaths,
and marshland. This bird is com-
mon in North America, Europe,
Asia, and North Africa. It avoids
extremely cold areas and mi-
grates south from the northern
part of its range in winter.
Soft feathers give the long-
eared owl its silent flight. But
with its wide range of calls this
bird is often noisy, especially in
the breeding season. Its main
call is a long cooing note, which
is repeated every few seconds. It
also has a catlike whine, a shrill
whistle, and a bark. The young
have a call that is a cross be-
tween the sound of a creaking
gate and a cat's meow.
The long-eared owl usually
roosts during the day, sitting
erect on a branch to look like a
woody stump. Sometimes it flat-
tens itself against a tree trunk,
where its mottled feathers blend
in to provide excellent camou-
flage. If disturbed, the bird
spreads its wings and makes
hissing and snapping noises.
Right: When in danger, the owlet
makes itself look larger by spread-
ing out its wings.
~ FOOD &: HUNTING
The long-eared owl feeds pri-
marily on field mice, but it also
eats voles, shrews, and rats. In
addition, it preys on small birds
such as sparrows and finches,
or even larger ones such as
jays. When he is seeking food
for his young, the male catches
large quantities of insects, espe-
cially beetles such as katydids.
The long-eared owl forages
at night, gliding silently over
open country. It uses its keen
night vision and acute hearing
Left: The long-eared owl waits for
total darkness before flying out to
hunt its prey.
Right: In North America, this owl
has yellower eyes and a redder fa-
cial disk than it does elsewhere.
DID YOU KNOW?
The long-eared owl has such
a flexible neck that it can ro-
tate its head 270 degrees.
When a long-eared owl
moves into an area of wood-
land, small birds may band
to detect prey. Whenever the
owl finds a potential victim, it
swoops down on it with dead-
Iyaccuracy.
Right: The long-eared owl holds
itself very erect on a branch, espe-
cially when alarmed.
together and mob the owl in
an attempt to drive it away.
During the cold weather of
fall and winter, small groups I
of long-eared owls may join
together to roost.
The long-eared owl is hard to
spot since its plumage cam-
ouflages it in the trees. If you
are lucky, you may see owlets
on a branch near the nest.
~ BREEDING
The breeding season of the
long-eared owl begins early in
spring. During his courtship dis-
play, the male claps his wings
together in a slow, lazy flight.
This owl rarely builds its own
nest. Instead, it takes over and
expands the abandoned nests
of other birds such as crows and
hawks. Sometimes it uses a squir-
rel's nest. In open country it may
build its own nest on the ground.
The female lays four to six pure
white eggs. Incubation starts
when the first egg is laid, so the
young do not hatch all at once.
The owlets have downy white
Sometimes confused with
the short-eared owl, the long-
eared owl is slimmer and has
much longer ear tufts. It also
has more bars on its tail.
feathers, which turn gray and
then brown in a few days. The
male hunts for his family, giving
his mate food, which she then
passes on to the hatchlings. If
food is scarce, only the larger,
older owlets survive. In order to
protect her young, the female
may lure a predator away from
the nest by pretending that her
wing is broken.
After about three weeks the
young begin leaving the nest,
climbing on branches as they
learn to balance and grip. They
can fly at almost a month old
and hunt at two months old.
'" CARD 232 I
STREAMERTAIL
,, ___________________________________
ORDER FAMILY GENUS &: SPECIES
Apodiformes Trochilidae Trochilus polytmus
The streamertail gets its name from the male elongated tail
feathers, which can measure up to seven inches in length. This
hummingbird is found only on the Caribbean island of Jamaica.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Body, lOin. Tail, up to 7
in. (male).
Weight: Less than 1.; oz.
BREEDING
Mating: Outside the rainy season,
which is from October to May.
No. of broods: 1-2.
Eggs: 2; white, elongated.
Incubation: 2-3 weeks.
Fledging period: 3-4 weeks.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Day-active. Vital bodily pro-
cesses slow down at night to con-
serve energy.
Diet: Mostly nectar; also some fly-
ing insects.
Call: Distinctive "tee-tee-tee."
RELATED SPECIES
The hummingbird family to which
the streamertail belongs contains
more than 320 species grouped
into 112. genera.
Range of the streamertail.
DISTRIBUTION
The streamertail is found only on the island of jamaica in the
West Indies.
CONSERVATION
The streamertail is a common bird in jamaica, and its numbers
appear to be stable. It seems to thrive in open spaces, so it is
not threatened by the clearance of much of jamaica's forest.
FEATURES OF THE STREAMERTAIL
Male: Easily identified
by his long tail feathers
and striking iridescent
plumage.
MCMXCII IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Bill: Long and slender for
probing the heads of
flowers. Red, ending in
darkened tip. Male's bill
is brighter than female's.
Female: Slightly smaller than
the male, with much shorter tail
feathers that have white tips.
White chest plumage.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Flight: By adjusting the angle
and speed of its wings, the
streamertail can fly in any di-
rection, even backward,
and can easily hover.
0160200841 PACKET 84
The streamertail is very clumsy on the ground. Howeve" it is
extremely agile in the air and is even able to fly backward.
Like all hummingbirds, the streamertail spends much of
the day in flight. It flits from flower to flo we" lapping
up all the nectar it needs with its long, thin tongue.
~ H A B I T S
The streamertail is one of the
most abundant hummingbirds
in Jamaica. It can be found in a
variety of habitats, from man-
grove swamps to dry wood-
land, but it is most common in
forests at sea level. Highly terri-
torial, it uses its long, sharp beak
to peck at birds that attempt to
feed from flowers in its territory.
The streamertail is most active
at dusk, when it has to feed on
enough nectar to survive the
night. It conserves energy by
falling into a deep sleep, lower-
ing its body temperature to that
of the air, and slowing its bodily
functions to a minimum.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The streamertail occasionally
feeds on insects, but it prefers
nectar-the sweet liquid that is
found at the base of a blossom.
Nectar is rich in sugar and car-
bohydrates that can be quickly
absorbed into the bloodstream.
Insects, by contrast, are very
hard to catch and take longer
to digest.
Many flowers are so delicate
that they would break if the
Left: At night the streamertail
"hibernates, /I slowing its body
functions to conserve energy.
Right: The male streamertail is the
most striking and elegant of all Ja-
maica5 hummingbirds.
DID YOU KNOW?
The black-billed streamertail
of eastern Jamaica was recog-
nized as a subspecies of the
streamertail in 1902.
In flight, the male streamer-
tail produces a loud, whirring
streamertail tried to land on
them. So the bird hovers near
each flower instead. It dips its
very long and slender bill into
the bloom, lapping up the nec-
tar with its long, thin tongue.
Right: In Jamaica, the streamertail
is also called the doctor bird because
of its long, dark "coattails. "
sound. The sound comes from
air rushing over the scalloped
inner feathers of the long tail,
causing them to vibrate.
The streamertail's wings beat
22 to 78 times per second. ~
When the breeding season be-
gins, male streamertails gather
in groups and attempt to attract
mates. Breeding usually occurs
before or after the rainy season
to coincide with an abundance
of flowering plants. Dry weather
also ensures that the bird's deli-
cate nest will remain intact.
The nest is built by the fe-
male from cotton threads, fern
hairs, or milkweed down, bound
together with the sticky thread
of spiderwebs. She then lays
two eggs and incubates them
Left: The streamertail hovers with
perfect control before inserting its
bill into a blossom.
for two to three weeks. The nest
appears too small for its occu-
pants, but its flexible structure
lets it expand to accommodate
the growing chicks.
The mother works hard to
feed her young. She makes
short, frequent trips from the
nest, returning to regurgitate
food into the chicks' throats.
She also keeps the nest clean,
removing the chicks' waste
matter. As they grow older, the
young learn to shoot their waste
straight out of the nest. The off-
spring grow quickly and are ful-
ly fledged and ready to leave
the nest in three to four weeks.
YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILL
, , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ORDER
~ Coraciiformes
FAMILY
Bucerotidae
.. GENUS & SPECIES
~ Tockus flavirostris, T. leucomelas
The two species of yellow-billed hornbill are large African birds
with flecked black-and-white plumage. As their common name
suggests, these birds have bright yellow bills.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 22 in.
Weight: 4-6 lb .
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
No. of broods: 1 per year.
Breeding season: In the rainy
season, when food is plentiful.
Eggs: 2-6 per clutch; white.
Fledging period: About 1 Z; months.
LIFESTYLE
Call: Various sounds, including whis-
tles and cackles.
Habit: Live in pairs or small groups;
often mate for life.
Diet: Insects, fruit, and berries.
Occasionally small reptiles and
mammals.
RELATED SPECIES
The 2 species-the southern yellow-
billed hornbill, Tockus leucomelas,
and the eastern yellow-billed horn-
bill, T. flavirostris-are very similar.
Range of yellow-billed horn bills.
DISTRIBUTION
The southern yellow-billed horn bill is found in Angola, Zambia,
Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and parts of South Africa.
The eastern yellow-billed horn bill is found in Sudan, Ethiopia,
and northern Kenya.
CONSERVATION
Some populations have been affected by land clearance, but
conservation measures do not seem necessary.
FEATURES OF YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILLS
Bill: Bright yel-
low and curving
downward. The
narrow ridge
along the top
may be a
strengthen-
ing device.
Plumage:
Coarse black-
and-white feath-
chest and
flecked wings.
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Wings: Mus-
cular, giving
the bird a
strong flight.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
NEST AND EGGS
Using a mixture of mud, dirt, and drop-
pings, the male and female seal up a
nest hole in a tree, leaving a narrow slit
through which food can be passed. In-
side the female lays 2 to 6 white eggs.
0160200641 PACKET 64
Yellow-billed horn bills, along with other members
of the genus T ockus, are the smallest hornbills. The
breeding habits of hornbills as a group are unusual.
The male helps seal the female inside a hole in a tree,
where she lays her eggs. Even after the eggs hatch, the
female remains in the hole until the chicks are half-grown.
~ HABITS
Yellow-billed horn bills live to-
gether in pairs or small groups
of up to a dozen birds in scrub
and forests. They are most ac-
tive in the cool early mornings,
late afternoons, and evenings.
At night groups of birds roost
high up in the trees.
Yellow-billed hornbills have
distinctive bright yellow bills,
but their bills are smaller than
those of the great horn bill and
other species. They make a va-
riety of sounds, including cack-
les, squeals, whistles, and roars,
and their loud voices carry for
long distances.
Yellow-billed hornbills have a
strong flight, alternating short
sailing glides with slow, heavy
wing beats. On the ground,
they hop around awkwardly.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
Yellow-billed horn bills adapt
their diet to their location and
the availability of food. They
eat mainly insects, supple-
mented by fruit and berries.
They may at times eat small
snakes, other reptiles, and
small mammals.
The birds feed on the ground
and in the trees. They usually
swallow their food whole and
regurgitate anything they can-
not digest, such as the hard
parts of insects. To kill a snake,
a yellow-billed horn bill holds it
down and beats it with its bill.
Left: Yellow-billed hornbills are
noisy birds that are more likely to
be heard than seen. Many pairs
are thought to mate for life.
~ BREEDING
A pair of yellow-billed hornbills
choose an old nesting hole of
another bird or a natural tree
hole. When the female is ready
to lay her eggs, she enters the
hole. With the female working
from inside and the male from
outside, the pair seal the hole
with a mud mixture, leaving
only a narrow slit open. As it
dries, the mud mixture hard-
ens into a bricklike consisten-
cy, protecting the nest from
any predators.
The female lays her eggs
and incubates them. After
they hatch, she stays inside
the hole another three weeks.
Throughout this period, the
male feeds the female, using
the tip of his bill to pass mor-
sels through the slit in the
mud. The male also feeds the
chicks regurgitated food.
When the chicks are half-
grown, the female chips away
the dried mud and emerges.
Although well fed, she is so
weak she can hardly fly.
The chicks then seal them-
selves inside the nest for an-
other three weeks or so, until
they are fully grown. After
they finally emerge, these
young birds spend several
days in the tree, strengthen-
ing their wings until they are
ready to fly.
,African villagers often keep
horn bills as pets because the
birds become tame and play-
ful in captivity.
Some large horn bill species
make a whooshing sound
when they fly because the
arrangement of their wing
feathers leaves gaps between
the flight quills.
To keep their nest clean,
the female and the chicks
excrete through the slit at
the front. They also push
indigestible parts of their
food out through the slit.
The hornbill's nesting hab-
its have gained it a place in
folklore. In several African
tribes the bird is a symbol
of marital fidelity.
Left: The curved bill of a yellow-
billed hornbill helps it catch insects
and grubs.
Below: A male yellow-billed horn-
bill arrives at the nest hole with
food. To pass it inside, he clutches
the tree trunk just below the hole
and uses his tail as a prop.
COMMON MURRE
,, ___________________________________
ORDER
Charadriiformes
FAMILY
Alcidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Uria aalge
The common murre is a sociable bird that breeds on coastal cliffs
and hunts in the ocean. With its dark head, white underparts,
and upright stance, it resembles a small penguin.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 15-17 in.
Wingspan: About 2 ft.
Weight: About 1 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 5 years.
Breeding season: April to July.
No. of broods: 1 .
Eggs: 1; pointed.
Incubation: 4-5 weeks.
Fledging period: 7-10 weeks.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable, but territorial in the
breeding season. Winters at sea.
Diet: Fish, crabs, and squid.
Call: Usually silent. "Growls" during
the mating season.
lifespan: Unknown.
RELATED SPECIES
The 22 species of auk in the fami-
ly Alcidae include the thick-billed
murre, Uria 10m via; the black guille-
mot, Cepphus gryl/e; and the razor-
bill, Alco torda.
Range of the common murre.
DISTRIBUTION
The common murre is found along the Atlantic coasts of Can-
ada, Greenland, and northern Europe, and along the Pacific
coasts of northern Asia and North America.
CONSERVATION
Shooting of the common murre is now controlled, but marine
pollution from oil and chemicals still poses a threat.
I FEATURES OF THE COMMON MURRE
Summer plumage:
Brown upperparts
in summer. Col-
oring darkens in
birds farther
north, and
some are
almost black.
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Winter plumage:
Breast, chin, th roat,
and sides of the
neck are white
except for
a black line
that runs back
from the eye.
Egg: 1; often
whitish but
color may
vary. Its
painted end
prevents it
from rolling
off ledges.
US P 6001 12069 PACKET 69
The common murre can be spotted nesting in large colonies
on narrow cliff ledges on the temperate and northern
coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific. But it spends most of the
year on the open water, returning to land only in the
breeding season. An expert swimmer, this bird seems
to "fly" underwater with the aid of its wings.

The common murre is found in
throngs along coasts and on
small islands in the Northern
Hemisphere, up to the Arctic
Circle. A hardy seabird, it toler-
ates wind, cold, and rain but
tends to avoid ice.
The bird spends just three or
four months of the year on land,
nesting on the ledges of rocky
cliff faces. Breeding colonies are
crowded and noisy, with hun-
dreds of birds engaged in court-
ship rituals and territorial fights.
But at sea, murres travel in small,
silent flocks.
In winter the birds leave their
rocky breeding sites and head in
all directions. A few birds may
be seen together, flying low
over the water or bobbing on
ocean swells.
To search for food or to escape
predators, a murre may go un-
derwater by kicking both its feet
and partly opening its wings.
Once it is underwater, the bird
uses its webbed feet as a rudder
and flaps its stubby, muscular
wings in order to propel itself
through the water.
In flight, the rapid beat of the
common murre's short wings
makes a whirring sound that is
characteristic of the auk family.
Right: The common murre may
travel 30 miles in search of small
fish to feed its young.

Like most auks, the common
murre is a quiet bird most of
the time. But during pair for-
mation, nesting, and territorial
disputes, this bird utters loud
and raucous calls.
The male and female pair for
life and use the same nesting
site each year. The open nest is
usually located on a cliff or sea-
facing ledge. The pair's single
egg is pointed at the end, so
that it rolls in a circle instead
of rolling off the narrow rock
Left: Its daggerlike bill and longer
neck distinguish the common murre
from the razorbill.
DID YOU KNOW?
Ayoung murre utters a spe-
cial "pain call" when it has dif-
ficulty digesting food.
It is thought that the com-
mon murre can dive as deep
as 200 feet and stay underwa-
ter as long as two minutes.
L n different places, the com-
shelf. It faces other dangers,
however, such as rock falls and
high winds.
Both parents take part in the
month-long incubation and
guard the egg against preda-
tors. Both bring food to the
chick. After two or three weeks,
before the chick can really fly,
its parents encourage it to half-
fly, half-jump down to the wa-
ter. The male bird follows the
chick and leads it out to the
open sea.
Right: Breeding areas are packed
so tightly that each murre may
touch several others.
mon murre may be called the
thin-billed murre, California
murre, Atlantic murre, guille-
mot, or foolish guillemot.
The common murre is close-
ly related to the extinct :J reat
auk, which was slaughtered
by sailors for its meat.
FOOD &: FEEDING
The common murre has a long,
narrow bill well suited to fishing.
It captures its prey in the water
or snatches it from the seabed.
Swimming underwater, the
common murre swallows a vari-
ety of fish, including Arctic cod,
herring, and sprats. Occasional-
ly it hunts for crabs, worms, and
squid. When it forages for its
BIRDWATCH
In spring noisy flocks of com-
mon murres gather in nesting
colonies on rocky ledges. In
the United States, there is a
Left: The chick
is very vulnera-
ble to predators
in its exposed
nest on a rocky
ledge. The male
takes the chick
to the sea a few
weeks after its
birth, before it
can even fly.
chick, it catches small fish such
as sprats or sand eels and carries
them to the nest in its bill.
To find its prey, a murre may
repeatedly dip its head in the
water and then dive to make
the catch. Or it may crash-land
above a school of fish and dive
at once. A typical dive is 60 feet
deep and lasts 45 seconds.
large colony on the Farallon
Islands in California and an-
other huge colony at Three
Arch Rocks in Oregon.
BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD
,,------------------------
~
ORDER FAMILY
Apodiformes Trochilidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Cynanthus latirostris
CARD 235J
Despite its delicate appearance, the broad-billed hummingbird
is a bold, quarrelsome bird that will readily attack
any intruder that strays into its territory.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 3-4 in.
Weight: !4 oz.
BREEDING
Mating season: April to May.
Eggs: Usually 2.
Incubation: 2 weeks.
Fledging period: 3 - 3 ~ weeks.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Day-active; solitary.
Diet: Pollen, nectar, insects,
and spiders.
Call: Chattering notes. Male
utters a "zing" display call.
Lifespan: Unknown.
RELATED SPECIES
There are approximately 320 spe-
cies of hummingbird, all in the
Western Hemisphere. The closest
relative is the dusky hummingbird,
Cynanthus sordidus, of Mexico.
Range of the broad-billed hummingbird.
DISTRIBUTION
Found from southern Arizona and Texas to southern Mexico.
Northern breeding birds may migrate south in fall.
CONSERVATION
During the 19th century, hummingbirds were exported to Eu-
rope, where their feathers were used as fashion accessories. To-
day the broad-billed hummingbird is relatively unaffected by
human activity.
FEATURES OF THE BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD
Male: Vivid green
above and below with
white undertail co-
verts. Glittering blue
throat and cheeks.
Eyes: Large. Give
sharp vision.
Bill: Long and slightly
curved. Bright red
tipped with black.
Tail: Black and
somewhat forked.
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Female: Dull
green upperparts,
pale gray below.
Nest: Small cup made
of plant matter, twigs,
and bark woven with
spiderwebs.
0160200811 PACKET 81
The broad-billed hummingbird is in flight virtually all day
long. Activities such as feeding on nectar, bathing in the
dew collected on flowers, and defending its territory are all
accompanied by the frenzied beating of its wings. In order to
sustain this aerial activity, the bird must conserve energy
whenever it can. For this reason, it spends the night in a
dormant state, similar to that of an animal in hibernation.
~ HABITAT
Most hummingbirds are found
in the dense forests of Central
and South America. However,
the broad-billed hummingbird
lives farther north, breeding up
to the southern United States.
Unlike its relatives, this bird pre-
fers dry or desert regions. It lives
among mesquite and sycamore
scrub between rocky outcrops
in canyons and gullies.
This hummingbird rarely strays
far from places where its favor-
ite plants grow, but it may mi-
grate locally to find food.
Right: With its long, curved bill, a
hummingbird can penetrate deep
into tube-shaped blossoms.
~ BREEDING
The broad-billed hummingbird
breeds in spring, when its favor-
ite food plants are flowering.
These solitary birds gather in
groups only during the breed-
ing season when trying to at-
tract mates. The male displays
to the female with an arcing,
pendulumlike flight. He leaves
after mating, taking no part in
rearing the young.
The female builds her nest
on a branch that is several feet
above the ground. The nest is
a small, lichen-covered cup of
plant matter, bark, and twigs
bound together with spider-
webs. The female usually lays
two white eggs and incubates
them for about two weeks.
Left: This species' wings beat up
to 75 times per second, quite slow
for a hummingbird.
Right: The female broad-billed
hummingbird may decorate her
nest with strips of bark.
The young hatch featherless,
thin, and hungry. Their mother
feeds them continuously for
about three weeks. She thrusts
her bill down her offspring's
gullet and regurgitates nectar
and insects into its stomach.
The young birds grow fast.
They cannot move about on
their legs, but they can fly and
often engage in playful flights
together. After the young leave
the nest, the female may mate
again and raise another brood.
Right: Perching on the nest to feed
her hungry young, the female brief-
ly rests her wings.
DID YOU KNOW?
The broad-billed humming-
bird can fly at speeds of over
28 miles per hour.
The humming noise made
by the bird's beating wings is
pitched on the note of C.
The broad-billed humming-
bird's heart can beat up to
1,200 times per minute, or
20 times per second.
~ FOOD fit FEEDING
Because the broad-billed hum-
mingbird spends so much time
in flight, it needs large quanti-
ties of energy-rich food. With
its wings beating very rapidly, it
hovers beside a flower and in-
serts its long and slightly curved
bill into the blossom. It draws
out the sugary nectar with
People burn about 3,500
calories daily; hummingbirds
burn 155,000. To sustain the
same level of activity as this
bird, a human would need to
eat over 220 pounds of ham-
burger each day.
On a typical day, the hum-
mingbird may visit 2,000
flowers to feed.
darting movements of its ex-
tended tongue.
The bird also obtains essen-
tial proteins from insects and
spiders. It captures insects by
hovering behind and below
them, then darting up to catch
them in its bill. It may also steal
insects from a spider's web.
AFRICAN JACANA
ORDER
Charadriiformes
FAMILY
Jacanidae
GROUP 2: BIRDS
GENUS &: SPECIES
Actophilornis africanus
The African jacana has such long toes that it is capable of
walking across floating water plants without sinking. In
Africa one of the bird's common names is "lily trotter."
KEY FACTS

SIZES
Length: 9-12 in.
Wing length: Male, 5 in. Female,
6 in.
Weight : Male, 4-8 oz. Female,
6-10 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1-2 years.
Mating: Varies in different regions.
Usually most or all months.
No. of eggs: Up to 4.
Incubat ion: 3-4 weeks.
L
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable.
Range of the African jacana.
DISTRIBUTION Di et: Insects and their larvae, crus-
taceans, and aquatic plants.
Call: Whining and clucking sounds.
lifespan: Up to 13 years in captivity.
Unknown in the wild.
Found on open waters throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa,
with the exception of Somalia and some pockets along the
coastal regions of western and southwestern Africa.
CONSERVATION
RELATED SPECIES
Jacanas are related to plovers. The
lesser jacana, Microparra capensis,
is closely related.
The African jacana is common across most of its range and is
not a threatened species.
FEATURES OF THE AFRI CAN JACANA
Plumage: Rich chestnut brown
body and wing feathers. Golden
chest. Black tai l feathers.
Toes: Long; 3 face forward and 1 faces back. Thin,
sharp claws. Elongated hind claw braces the bird.
Toes enable the bird to spread its weight over a
area when walking on floating vegetation.
Head: White
face with black
stripe through
eye and bright
blue forehead.
Bill: Straight
with slightly
down-curved
....... tip.

MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILE'M PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200821 PACKET 82
The African jacana is at home in stagnant water, where it
walks with ease across floating lily pads. This bird is also
a strong swimmer and often dives underwater to avoid
enemies. The male incubates the eggs and rears the chicks,
defending them from predators. He distracts any intruders
by flying away from the nest, then spreading his wings
and collapsing into vegetation, pretending to be injured.
~ HABITAT
The African jacana flourishes in
most of the fertile coastal and
inland regions south of the Sa-
hara Desert.
It prefers stagnant water that
is covered with water lilies and
other pondweeds. The African
jacana thrives near marshes, la-
goons, slow-flowing rivers, and
on flooded grassland. It may al-
so be found on the banks of Af-
rica's biggest lakes, including
Lake Chad and Lake Victoria.
The African jacana is common
throughout much of its range.
But flocks are scarcer in arid re-
gions, especially in southwest-
ern Africa, around the Sahara,
and the Horn of Africa. Because
of its need for water, the bird
favors low-lying country, and
it rarely strays any higher than
6,500 feet.
The African jacana generally
stays within a localized home
range. But a flock may have to
move if its main source of wa-
ter dries out. This can involve a
journey of hundreds of miles.
Right: In a reversal of usual roles,
the male rather than the female
incubates the eggs.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
The African jacana eats insects,
small invertebrates, and crus-
taceans, as well as the seeds and
leaves of water lilies and other
aquatic plants. It usually feeds
near the shore, foraging in pairs,
family groups, or larger parties
that spread out over an area of
150 feet or more. The female is
frequently more daring than the
male and may venture 300 feet
out onto the water.
Walking steadily over the water
plants, the African jacana pecks
and pulls at leaves. It flips them
Left: The African jacana has long,
thin toes that enable it to walk on
water lilies with ease.
DID YOU KNOW?
The male often broods his
young while walking, carry-
ing them around in "pock-
ets" that are formed by his
folded wings. The chicks are
hidden except for their long
toes, which dangle below.
The male also uses his wings
to scoop the chicks into the
pockets if danger threatens.
over and then looks for small
creatures that may be clinging
to the undersides. This bird also
utilizes its bill to fish for larvae.
Occasionally it snatches insects
from the air, then dips them in-
to the water to make them easi-
er to swallow.
The African jacana may perch
alone or in groups on the backs
of hippopotamuses that are half-
submerged in the water. When
these animals move, they stir up
many insects on which the jaca-
na can prey.
Right: The African jacana searches
for its prey along the muddy shores
of lakes.
Left: When the
male carries his
young under
his wings, only
their feet are
visible.
Right: The
chick ventures
out from the
nest a few
hours after
hatching.
When ready to attract the larg-
er female, the male constructs
a nest of rotting weeds. He may
also use a leaf or a lump of float-
ing peat. He clucks softly while
pulling pieces of nesting mate-
rial out with his bill. The female
sometimes takes a single mate,
but she may have up to four in
one year.
The male incubates the eggs,
sitting on them for about half
an hour at a time. After short
breaks for hunting, he returns
to the nest and lowers himself
slowly onto the eggs. If they
have become too hot in the
sun while he has been away, he
stands up to shade them with
his body.
The chicks hatch in three to
four weeks. They are strong
enough to leave the nest with-
in a few hours. The male rears
the chicks, but the female visits
from time to time. She frequent-
ly returns to look after her off-
spring when they can swim.
After two or three weeks, the
female chicks are noticeably
larger than the males. They al-
so fly at an earlier age.
PUFFBIRD
ORDER
Piciformes
FAMILY
Buccanidae
GENERA
Bucca, Notharchus, Nystalus, etc.
Puffbirds are named for their stout, "puffy" appearance. These
birds belong to a family that includes nunbirds, monklets,
and nunlets-names that reflect their sober coloring.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 5-12 in.
Weight: 1-3 oz.
BREEDING
Breeding season: Usually in the
first half of the year.
Eggs: 2 or 3; white, round.
Incubation period: Variable.
Fledging period: 20-30 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Mainly pairs, some groups.
Diet: Insects, small lizards and frogs,
some fruit.
Call: Weak whistles.
RELATED SPECIES
The family Buccanidae has 34 spe-
cies. These include the puffbirds of
the genera Notharchus, Bucca, Nys-
talus, Hypnelus, and Malacopti/a; the
nunbirds, Haploptila and Monasa; the
monklets and nun lets, Micromonacha
and Nonnula, and the swallow-wing,
Chelidoptera tenebrosa.
TYPICAL PUFFBIRD SPECIES
White-necked puffbird
Notharchus macrorhyncus
'c) MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of puffbirds.
DISTRIBUTION
Most abundant in lowland woods and forested areas in the
Amazon basin. Also found in smaller numbers as far north as
southern Mexico and as far south as Paraguay.
CONSERVATION
Like many other birds in their range, puffbirds are suffering
from loss of habitat.
Spot-backed puffbird
Nystalus maculatus
Mustached puffbird
Malacoptila mystacalis
Russet-throated puffbird
Hypne/us ruficollis
PRINTED IN U.S.A
Appearance: Puffbirds are characterized by
their large heads and small , stocky bodies.
They also have wide bills that are more
hooked in some species. The exception to
these general characteristics is the swallow-
wing, which has a smaller head and a more
streamlined body.
0160200581 PACKET 58
The tropical forests and woodlands of Central and South
America are home to puffbirds. With their stocky bodies and
their large heads, most species are similar in shape to
kingfishers. The German name for puffbird means
"Iazy bird. 1/ The name may have been chosen because
puffbirds have a habit of perching without moving
for long periods, waiting for prey to appear.
~ HABITS
Puffbirds remain in one small
region for years. Most species
perch on exposed branches
on the edges of woodland or
in forest clearings. However
the black-breasted puffbird
prefers to stay hidden in the
forest canopy.
Most puffbirds perch close
to the ground and seldom
descend to the forest floor
except when nesting. They
rarely flit about in the foliage,
but the small nunlet is an ex-
ception. It can be seen hop-
ping from branch to branch,
searching for food. Puffbirds
are usually seen in pairs. Nun-
birds are among the most so-
ciable species. Up tol 0 nun-
birds can be seen perching
together on a branch.
Puffbirds are generally very
silent. But some species, such
as the black-breasted, white-
necked, and pied puffbirds,
give loud whistles that break
long periods of silence.
~ BREEDING
Most puffbirds dig out a nest
in the forest floor. Both male
and female use their stout bills
to make a tunnel that leads to
a nest chamber. Puffbirds of
the genus Notharchus, includ-
ing the black-breasted, white-
necked, brown-banded, and
pied species, dig deep into the
nests of termites.
The entrance tunnel slopes
downward. In the case of the
swallow-wing, it may be up to
seven feet long. It takes a pair
about two weeks to dig out a
tunnel. They then enlarge the
tunnel's inner end to form a
Left: The two claws at the front
and back of a puffbird's feet pro-
vide a good grip.
DID YOU KNOW?
The white-fronted nunbird
conceals the entrance of its
nest with sticks. The black-
fronted nunbird constructs
a tunnel of leaves and twigs
along the ground so it can
enter the nest unseen.
When they return to the
nest at night, young puff-
birds of some species seal
nest chamber, which they line
with dry leaves.
Both male and female puff-
birds incubate their clutch of
two or three eggs. When the
eggs hatch, the blind, naked
young are kept warm by the
male, while the female brings
them food.
Within a few days, the nest-
lings can crawl up to the en-
trance hole to take food. The
male can then leave them and
help the female look for food.
After three weeks the young
birds have a full set of feathers
and are able to leave the nest.
Right: The white-eared puffbird is
widely distributed across central
South America.
the entrance tunnel by rear-
ranging the lining of leaves
from the nest chamber.
Little soil is found outside
a tunnel that has been dug
by puffbirds. It is believed
that the birds carry the soil
away so that predators will
not find out where the nest
is located.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
Puffbirds feed mainly on in-
sects, especially beetles. The
birds sit still for long periods,
then swoop down and snap
up passing prey. Certain spe-
cies also eat small lizards and
frogs, which they find in the
foliage or on the floor of the
forest. Occasionally puffbirds
also feed on fruit.
The swallow-wing is unusual
Left: Unlike some other species,
the spot-backed puffbird has bold
coloring.
Left: The black-
fronted nun-
bird has the
thick, slightly
hooked bill
that is com-
mon among
puffbirds. This
bill is adapted
to catching the
insects that are
the mainstay
of its diet.
because it eats only flying in-
sects. It makes frequent short
flights from its perch to find
the flying ants that make up
the bulk of its diet. Like a fly-
catcher, it darts out to catch
an insect in flight and then
returns to its perch.
Young puffbirds are fed al-
most exclusively on large in-
sects. White-fronted puffbird
adults that have no young of
their own may help feed the
young of others.
CHOUGH
, , ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
~
ORDER
Passeriformes
FAMILY
Corvidae
GROUP 2: BIRDS
GENUS & SPECIES
Pyrrhocorox pyrrhocorox
The chough is generally found around mountains and sea cliffs. It
is the only member of the crow family that has a bright red bill,
which provides a striking contrast to its glossy black plumage.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 16-18 in.
Bill length: Male, 2 - 2 ~ in.
Female, 1 ~ - 2 in.
Weight: 12-13 oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: April to June.
Eggs: 3-5; rarely, 2 or 6.
Incubation: 2 ~ - 3 weeks.
Fledging period: About 6 weeks.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives in pairs, family groups,
or loose flocks.
Diet: Mainly insects and larvae;
also other invertebrates and seeds.
Lifespan: Oldest known, 1 7 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The closest relative is the Alpine
chough, Pyrrhocorox grocu/us.
FEATURES OF THE CHOUGH
Bill: Bright red,
tapering, and
downward-
MCMXCVI IMP BV/IMP INC. WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of the chough.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in northwestern and southern Europe, the Canary Is-
lands, northwestern Africa, Ethiopia, and Turkey east through
Iran and Central Asia to southern Siberia and northern China.
CONSERVATION
The chough population has declined severely over the last two
centuries in many parts of western Europe as well as other parts
of its range.
Plumage: Adult is a uniform
glossy black. Juvenile is
less glossy and has an
orange-yellow bill.
Flight: Reveals broad wings that have
slotted tips. The chough is known for
its aerobatics. It wheels around cliffs,
climbing high, diving, and even turn-
ing somersaults.
Eggs: Usually 3 to 5.
They are speckled but
may show marked vari-
ations in color.
PRINTED IN U.S.A. us P 6001 12 076 PACKET 76
The chough was once common in western and southern
Europe, where it could be seen performing spectacular flying
feats above its rocky nesting sites. Over the last two centuries,
however, the chough s numbers have dropped in many parts
of its range. Naturalists have been unable to determine
the reasons for this decline in the birds population.

The chough has an extensive
but scattered range across Eu-
rope and Asia. It usually lives on
rugged mountain slopes, but it
can also be found around quar-
ries, rocky valleys, and sea cliffs.
Populations that live at higher
altitudes move down in winter
to escape the cold.
The agile chough uses updrafts
and wind currents to swoop and
dive past rock faces. It soars and
glides with its wingtips spread
and then moves with a slow,
leisurely flapping. The bird often
performs aerobatic displays, div-
ing with its wings drawn in or
turning on its back in midair.
The chough often appears in
loose flocks of up to 100 individ-
uals, especially at winter roosts.
But the bird's closest ties are be-
tween pairs or family members,
which vigorously defend their
feeding sites. Interlopers are
forced away by a threat display,
in which the feathers are ruffled
and the bill is opened. Rivals may
also stand upright with their bills
pointing down and their feath-
ers smoothed-a posture that
often leads to fighting.
FOOD fit FEEDING
Unlike other crows, the chough
only rarely scavenges for scraps
of garbage. Occasionally it con-
sumes grain, but the bulk of its
diet consists of invertebrates,
mainly small insects. It regularly
preys on beetles, ants, flies and
their larvae, caterpillars, crickets,
spiders, and worms.
The chough finds some of its
food on the rocky ledges of its
roosting and nesting sites, but it
prefers to forage close to home
in patches of closely cropped
grass or bare earth. In winter,
populations in coastal areas may
Left: Grassy slopes on top of the
chough 5 cliffside nest sites offer a
plentiful supply of insects.
DID YOU KNOW?
When food is plentiful the
chough may store it, conceal-
ing supplies in rock crevices.
In the Himalayas, choughs
regularly nest at altitudes of
11,000 feet and forage even
higher than that.
One chough's nest was dis-
forage on the shoreline. In a few
areas, such as the Canary Islands,
the birds find food in trees.
The chough often flips over
stones and droppings in search
of prey. It also probes the soil
with its curved bill, to a depth of
two inches. The bird finds much
of its food in ants' nests. Using
its bill it probes the nest at all
angles, pulling out adults, lar-
vae, and pupae. It sometimes
stabs downward with its bill, in
a rapid, pecking motion that is
frequently described as a "sew-
ing machine" action.
Right: The chough often nests on
the narrow ledges of abandoned
quarries and mines.
covered in the Alps lined with
fiber from a discarded coco-
nut shell as well as felt from
an old carpet.
The primary enemy of the
chough is the a
powerful fdlcon that also fre-
quents cliffs and rocky ledges.
BIRDWATCH
The chough can be differenti-
ated from other crows by its
bright red bill and legs, as well
as its loud "keeaar" call. Like
all crows, the adult chough
has glossy black plumage. The
young are not as glossy, and
BREEDING
Courtship between choughs en-
tails ritual displays on the ground
as well as spectacular flights. Two
competing males may strut to-
ward a female with tails turned
upward, feathers ruffled, wings
drooped, and heads down. After
pairing, the choughs may preen
one another. The male often
feeds the female, a practice he
continues when she incubates.
Choughs do not usually nest
in groups, but in a suitable place
Left: The chough 's nest is made of
twigs and plant stems and lined
with wool, hair, and grass.
they have orange-yellow bills.
The chough's broad wings,
with their slotted tips, are clear-
ly visible in flight. In the breed-
ing season, both male and
female can be seen engaging
in their aerial courtship display.
their nests may be fairly close
together. The nesting site may
be a cliff ledge, crevice, cave, or
hole in an abandoned building.
In the easternmost parts of its
range, the bird may even nest in
occupied houses.
Both parents give the hatch-
lings regurgitated food, but the
female alone cleans the chicks
and keeps them warm. The
young leave the nest in five to
six weeks but stay in the shelter
of crevices and overhangs for
several days longer, until they
are ready to fly.
'" CARD 239 I
BEARDED REEDLING
,, __________________________________
ORDER .... FAMILY GENUS & SPECIES
Passeriformes Paradoxornithidae Panurus biarmicus
Although the bearded reedling looks like a member of the titmouse
family, it is barely related. Instead, it belongs to a family of
predominantly Asian birds that are called parrotbills.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: 4-5 in.
Weight: oz.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Breeding season: April to July.
Eggs: 5-7; white with brown
streaks.
No. of broods: 2-3.
Incubation: 12-13 days.
Fledging period: 9-13 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable. Pairs for life. Often
nests in loose colonies.
Diet: Mainly insects and seeds.
Call: A nasal, ringing "ping ping."
lifespan: Oldest known, 6 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 19 species of parrotbill,
mostly in Southeast Asia. They
include the three-toed parrotbill,
Paradoxornis paradoxus, of China.
Range of the bearded reed ling.
DISTRIBUTION
The bearded reedling is becoming a familiar breeder in western
Europe. It also lives and breeds in eastern Europe and southern,
central, and western Asia.
CONSERVATION
Harsh winters and the drainage of marshland are the primary
threats to the bearded reedling. It is a protected species in sev-
eral European countries.
FEATURES OF THE BEARDED REEDLING
Male: Tawny body, blue-
gray head, and black
mustache.
Predominantly black and
brown wings. Black
undertail.
MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S:A.
Flight: With its wings whirring
rapidly and its tail fanning rhyth-
mically, the bearded reedling
skims over the tops of reeds.
Female: Brown head,
white chest, and brown-
and-black wings.
Eggs: 5 to 7; white
with brown streaks.
0160200801 PACKET 80
The bearded reedling, also called the bearded tit, gets its
name from the male's distinctive facial markings. Its status
as a protected species in several European countries has
increased this bird's numbers. Today its bell-like call is a
familiar sound among the reed beds across its range.
~ H A B I T A T
The bearded reedling is found
in southern, central, and west-
ern Asia as well as in parts of
eastern and western Europe.
This bird makes its home in the
thick reed beds that flourish be-
side brackish and freshwater
lakes, rivers, and marshes.
In many parts of its range,
~ H A B I T S
The bearded reedling is a bold,
sociable bird. In winter the birds
live in flocks of up to 50 individ-
uals. For the rest of the year they
live in extended family groups.
An acrobatic bird, the bearded
reedling hops up and down the
reeds with quick and jerky move-
ments. It perches by grasping
stems with both feet and sus-
the bearded reedling is primari-
ly sedentary. But in highly pop-
ulated areas, flocks may fly far
from their breeding grounds,
to either established wintering
locations or new breeding sites.
As a result, the bearded reed-
ling's range constantly changes
and extends into new areas.
pending its weight. In flight the
bird skims over the reeds with its
wings whirring rapidly and its tail
fanning rhythmically.
The bearded reedling has a vi-
brant "ping ping" call and a soft-
er twittering voice. It also utters
a less distinctive "tic" noise.
Right: The bearded reedling favors
reed seeds above all other seeds.
~ BREEDING
The bearded reedling is suscep-
tible to cold, and numbers may
drop significantly in winter. But
these losses are offset by its pro-
lific breeding in spring.
During the courtship ritual,
the male puffs out the feathers
of his black mustache and raises
his tail to reveal his black under-
tail feathers. The female spreads
her tail and briefly dances. Some-
times the two rise together in a
slow flight.
Left: The bearded reedling grips a
stem with both feet when perching.
DID YOU KNOW?
Although it is placed with
the parrotbills, no one actual-
ly knows what the bearded
reedling's closest relatives are.
Bearded reedlings form pairs
before they are sexually ma-
The pair builds a cup-shaped
nest just above the water in a
thick reed bed. The nest is made
of reeds and sedges and lined
with flowers and feathers. The
female lays five to seven eggs,
which both sexes incubate for
12 to 13 days. The chicks are
able to fly within two weeks and
may leave the nest to form small
juvenile flocks. Meanwhile the
parents raise a second or even a
third brood.
Right: The parents share the duties
of feeding their hatchlings.
ture and remain mated for the
rest of their lives.
During the last century, the
bearded reedling was perse- J
cuted by trappers who sold
the captives as caged birds.
~ I BIRDWATCH
The bearded reedling has al-
ways been common in Hun-
gary and eastern Austria. But
today the bird is also found
in almost any large, dense
reed bed in western Europe.
The bearded reedling's call
is relatively easy to recognize.
It sounds like two stones be-
ing hit together.
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The bearded reed ling finds all
the food it needs within its reed
bed habitat and rarely ventures
beyond the safety of its home.
During summer the bird feeds
primarily on soft insects such
as mayflies. It may hop up and
down plant stems, picking off
adult and larval insects. Or it
may drop to the ground and
scratch around for them in the
damp earth. Occasionally it eats
freshwater mollusks and other
small animals.
When insects are scarce, the
bearded reedling feeds on seeds
such as reed seeds. When the
plants are flowering, it nips off
the buds and petals. In order to
digest this food easily, the bird
has a muscular gizzard like that
of other seed-eating birds.
WOOD DUCK
ORDER
Anseriformes
FAMILY
Anatidae
"( CARD 240 I
GROUP 2: BIRDS
GENUS & SPECIES
Aix sponsa
The wood duck is one of the most attractive duck species. At one
time its numbers declined dramatically because of intensive
hunting, but the duck has now recovered in much of its range.
~ KEYFAC_T_S ____________________________ ~
bt l SIZES
~ Length: 17-20 in.
Weight: Male, about 1 )1 lb.
Female, about 1 lb.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Usually 1 year.
Mating season: March to May.
No. of broods: 1-2.
Eggs: 6-15; creamy white.
Incubation: About 1 month.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Social; lives in flocks for
most of the year.
Diet: Water plants, aquatic insects,
snails, small fish, crustaceans, and
fallen acorns.
Call: Mainly silent, but gives whis-
tling alarm calls.
Lifespan: Unknown.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 13 species of perching
duck, which include the mandarin
duck, Aix ga/ericu/ata, the wood
duck's closest relative.
Range of the wood duck.
DISTRIBUTION
The wood duck is widespread across North Amerka, with two
separate breeding populations-one toward the East, the other
in the West.
CONSERVATION
The number of wood ducks had seriously declined by the early
20th century because of overhunting. Protective measures and
captive breeding programs have helped the species recover.
FEATURES OF THE WOOD DUCK
Male: Large crest on back of head,
short neck, and long tail. Green, blue,
and purple upperparts, with red, yel-
low, brown, and white on sides. White
lines on neck and along crest.
Bill: Mainly
scarlet with
yellow band
at base. Black
patch on tip
and between
nostrils.
MCMXCIV IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Flight: Reveals white underparts and
long tail. Bill is angled downward.
Female: Plumage is drab brown
above and yellowish brown
below, often with flashes of
white and blue. Crest is small-
er than the male's.
US P 6001 12 069 PACKET 69
The male wood duck is a beautifully patterned bird
with a long tail, short neck, and large, crested head.
In contrast, the female has a drab appearance with
her gray and yellowish brown plumage. Classified as
a perching duck, the wood duck moves rapidly and
with ease on land, water, and in the air.

The wood duck is a social bird
and spends much of the year in
flocks of up to 300 birds. The
flock breaks up into pairs in the
spring for the breeding season,
but regathers later in the year.
There are two distinct popula-
tions of wood duck: one in the
West, the other in the East and
Midwest. The bird winters in the
southern parts of these ranges
and returns north to breed.
The wood duck lives beside
freshwater ponds, lakes, and
rivers. It prefers a wooded habi-
tat, but it may use a more open
site in summer. Unlike many
ducks, the wood duck is fast
and agile in the air and on the
ground, where it sometimes
darts through the forest.
Right: The female keeps a close eye
on her ducklings to protect them
from predators.
FOOD &: FEEDING
Throughout the year, the wood
duck's diet consists mainly of
water plants and insects, such
as damselflies and dragonflies,
which hover near the water. In
deep water, the duck feeds on
floating weeds and plants that
grow above the surface. In shal-
lower water, however, it dips
left: The wood duck and its Asian
relative, the mandarin duck, are
both perching ducks.
r DID YOU KNOW?
- Both the wood duck and
the related mandarin duck
can be bred in captivity. But
attempts at cross-breeding
have resulted in infertile eggs.
I
-The wood duck began to
decline during the late 19th
century, when the male's col-
below the surface to feed on
the bottom, uprooting under-
water bulbs and tubers.
In summer the wood duck's
diet includes small fish and
crustaceans. It also forages on
land, searching in the leaf de-
bris on the forest floor for snails
and fallen acorns.
Right: The male wood duck dis-
plays his beautiful colors only dur-
ing the breeding season.
orful feathers were popular as
fishing flies or hat ornaments.
- Although the future of the
wood duck appears secure,
numbers have declined in the
southern parts of the bird's
range, mainly because of the
draining of swamps.
-- ---

In early spring wood ducks
form pairs and return to their
breeding grounds. The birds
mate soon after arriving. Since
the duck is not very territorial,
several pairs may nest close
together if there are suitable
sites near the water.
The wood duck nests in a
natural tree hole or a nest hole
abandoned by a woodpecker
or a squirrel. It chooses a spot
that is high enough to reduce
the danger of predators taking
its eggs. If the wood duck can-
not find a suitable tree hole, it
may use a rock crevice.
Many locations in the wood
duck's range have been cleared
for development, resulting in
a loss of suitable nesting holes.
Recently, there has been an ex-
tensive effort to provide nest
boxes. Wood ducks have taken
readily to these boxes, often
appearing to prefer them to
tree holes.
After mating, the male stays
with the female until she lays
her eggs in April or May, but he
does not help incubate or rear
the chicks. The female incubates
6 to 15 eggs for about a month.
The ducklings can walk and
swim the day they hatch and
soon learn to fly.
left: The ducklings leave the nest
by dropping down to the ground
or water below.