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Kudu are highly alert and notoriously hard to approach. When they detect danger – often using their large, radar-like ears – they give a hoarse alarm bark, then flee with a distinctive, rocking-horse running motion, the male laying back his horns to avoid overhead obstructions.
Sometimes you’ll see me in someone’s home but I’d rather be out where I can roam. I normally eat lots of fruit and seeds they fill up all my hungry needs. I can screech real loud ’cause I feel very proud I’m a tropical bird that can really be heard.
The animal kingdom is filled with almost an infinite variety of creatures. Scientists discover new species and subspecies every year. Each one is a wonder unto itself and one could labor for years to uncover its secrets. It is an unfortunate fact that the closest that most of us get to wildlife is through bars at the zoo. Our urban lifestyle has the effect of cutting us off from the glorious world of the animal kingdom. Every animal has a lesson to teach us that we are not hearing. We may think that we have evolved away from contact with animal kingdom, the question is, at what cost?
Drawn from his refuge in some lonely elm
That age or injury has hollow'd deep,
Where, on his bed of wool and matted leaves,
He has outslept the winter, ventures forth
To frisk a while, and bask in the warm sun.
The lesser kudu is native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, but it is extinct in Djibouti. It may have been present in Saudi Arabia and Yemen as recently as 1967, though its presence in the Arabian Peninsula is still controversial. The total population of the lesser kudu has been estimated to be nearly 118,000, with a decreasing trend in populations. One-third of the populations survive in protected areas. Presently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature rates the lesser kudu as "near threatened".
Bushtits are sprightly, social songbirds that twitter as they fly weakly between shrubs and thickets in western North America. Almost always found in lively flocks, they move constantly, often hanging upside down to pick at insects or spiders on the undersides of leaves. Flocks of Bushtits mix with similar small songbirds like warblers, chickadees, and kinglets while foraging. Bushtits weave a very unusual hanging nest, shaped like a soft pouch or sock, from moss, spider webs, and grasses.
The word "flamingo" comes from the Spanish and Latin word "flamenco" which means fire, and refers to the bright color of the birds' feathers. Not all flamingos are brightly colored, however, and some of the birds are mostly gray or white. The strength of a flamingo's coloration comes from its diet. Younger birds also have less coloration.
The Chinkara gazelle species native to Indian Subcontinent and is the smallest asiatic antelope. Chinkara is popularly known as India Gazelle live in arid plains and hills, deserts, dry scrub and light forests.
Spoonbills are a genus, Platalea, of large, long-legged wading birds. The spoonbills have a global distribution, being found on every continent except Antarctica. The genus name Platalea derives from Ancient Greek and means "broad", referring to the distinctive shape of the bill. Six species are recognised, which although usually placed in a single genus have sometimes been split into three genera.
All spoonbills have large, flat, spatulate bills and feed by wading through shallow water, sweeping the partly opened bill from side to side. The moment any small aquatic creature touches the inside of the bill—an insect, crustacean, or tiny fish—it is snapped shut. Spoonbills generally prefer fresh water to salt but are found in both environments. They need to feed many hours each day.
The genus Platalea was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. The genus name is Latin for "spoonbill" and is derived from the Ancient Greek platea meaning "broad", referring to the distinctive shape of the bill. The type species was designated as the Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) by George Robert Gray in 1840
The Green Bee-Eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae, containing three genera and twenty-seven species. Most species are found in Africa and Asia, with a few in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea
Peafowl is a common name for three species of birds in the genera Pavo and Afropavo of the Phasianidae family, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl as peahens
Kudu, also known as the Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), is a magnificent antelope species found in various parts of sub-Saharan Africa. It is a large and majestic animal, renowned for its unique and striking appearance.
Physical Characteristics:
The Kudu is one of the largest antelope species, with males, known as bulls, weighing up to 600 kg (1,300 lbs) and standing around 1.5 to 1.7 meters (5 to 5.5 feet) tall at the shoulder. Females, known as cows, are smaller and lighter.
Both males and females have long, spiral-shaped horns. The horns can grow up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) in length in males, while in females, they are shorter and slimmer.
Appearance:
Kudus have a beautiful coat with distinctive white stripes along their sides. These stripes are believed to act as a form of camouflage in their woodland habitats, helping them blend in among dappled sunlight and shadow.
The coat coloration varies, but they are generally reddish-brown with a tinge of blue-grey in some areas. The undersides are usually pale.
Habitat and Behavior:
Kudus are found in a range of habitats, including woodlands, savannas, and dense bush areas. They are adaptable animals but prefer regions with enough vegetation for cover.
These antelopes are mainly browsers, feeding on leaves, fruits, and shoots. They have the ability to reach high branches to access food that other herbivores might not reach.
Kudus are predominantly nocturnal, which means they are most active during the night, helping them avoid predators and the heat of the day.
Males are typically solitary or found in small bachelor groups, while females form small herds, often accompanied by one dominant male.
Conservation Status:
The Kudu population is generally considered stable, but some local populations face threats due to habitat loss and hunting for their meat, hides, and horns.
Conservation efforts focus on preserving their natural habitats, implementing anti-poaching measures, and promoting responsible tourism to protect this iconic African species.
Kudus are not only remarkable creatures for their physical beauty but also for their role in maintaining the ecological balance of their habitats. As such, efforts to safeguard their existence are crucial for the overall health of Africa's biodiversity.
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Nov 23, 2022 #83
Giraffes, despite having such humongous necks, actually have the same number of neck vertebrae as a human. There are only seven vertebrae in mammal necks, meaning that the giraffe has vertebrae that are nearly a foot long each! Their cervical (neck) vertebrae have actually just extended in length, instead of adding more bones into the anatomy. This elongation is responsible for the neck becoming so long.
The giraffe is a tall African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus Giraffa. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, with nine subspecies. Most recently, researchers proposed dividing them into up to eight extant species due to new research into their mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, as well as morphological measurements. Seven other extinct species of Giraffa are known from the fossil record.
The giraffe's chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its spotted coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits, and flowers of woody plants, primarily acacia species, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach.
Lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and African wild dogs may prey upon giraffes. Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring, or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males, but are gregarious and may gather in large aggregations. Males establish social hierarchies through "necking", combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear sole responsibility for raising the young.
The giraffe has intrigued various ancient and modern cultures for its peculiar appearance, and has often been featured in paintings, books, and cartoons. It is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as vulnerable to extinction and has been extirpated from many parts of its former range. Giraffes are still found in numerous national parks and game reserves, but estimates as of 2016 indicate there are approximately 97,500 members of Giraffa in the wild. More than 1,600 were kept in zoos in 2010.
A crow is a bird of the genus Corvus, or more broadly a synonym for all of Corvus. The term "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. Species with the word "crow" in their common name include: Corvus albus – pied crow (Central African coasts to southern Africa)
The American bushtit inhabits mixed open woodlands, often containing oaks and a scrubby chaparral understory ; it also inhabits parks and gardens. It is a year-round resident of the western United States and highland parts of Mexico, ranging from Vancouver through the Great Basin and the lowlands and foothills of California to southern Mexico and Guatemala.
The American bushtit is one of the smallest passerines in North America, at 11 cm (4.3 in) in length and 5–6 g (0.18–0.21 oz) in weight. It is gray-brown overall, with a large head, a short neck, a long tail, and a short stubby bill. The male has dark eyes and the adult female, yellow. Coastal forms have a brown "cap" while those in the interior have brown "mask."
The American bushtit is active and gregarious, foraging for small insects and spiders in mixed-species feeding flocks containing species such as chickadees and warblers, of 10 to over 40 individuals. Members of the group constantly make contact calls to each other that can be described
www.flickr.com/explore/2019/10/04
Macaws are one of the world’s most colorful birds
A macaw’s unique appearance is akin to a human fingerprint. Ranging in color from the brightest red through to turquoise, yellow and bright indigo, these birds are a sight to be seen. What’s amazing is that each bird’s coloring is distinct to where they live and their vibrant colors actually blend quite well with the Amazon’s rainbow-colored plants and foliage.
2. Macaws fall in love and stay that way
Unlike the vast majority of animals, once macaws find a mate, they tend to stay together for the rest of their lives. They raise their babies together, groom one another and can be seen flying so close to one another it’s as if they are holding hands…we mean, wings.
Macaws fall in love and stay that way
3. While macaws range drastically, in terms of size, they are the world’s largest parrots
There are more than 350 types of parrots and macaws are the largest of them all. Weighing up to four-ish pounds with lengths of more than three feet, macaws are extremely sizable for birds. Not to mention their gorgeous wings can span up to five feet – or 60 inches.
Macaws are the world's largest parrots
4. Macaws can live for a long time
By animal kingdom standards, macaws are a long-lived bird. While living in the wild, their average lifespan is around 60 years. However, under the right conditions, they can live up to 100 years. Domesticated macaws often have to be put in their owner’s will because they may outlive them!
Macaws can live for a long time
5. They can mimic human speech
Not to be confused with talking per say, but macaws are celebrated worldwide for their ability to copy their human counterparts. These amazing creatures can be taught words and encouraged to practice until they can repeat them perfectly. Even wild macaws use very specific clicks to communicate with one another, and they are very advanced in terms of their vocal learning centre.
6. In keeping with their vocals, macaws can be very loud
These social butterflies love to hang out in large flocks. When you get up to 100 macaws together, their loud calls come together to make quite a racket. As they communicate with one another, macaws can be heard throughout the jungle.
7. They call the tropical rainforest home
Although they can be found in woodland and savannah areas, Macaws prefer to live in dense forests such as Mexico’s lush rainforests or the Amazon in Brazil.
Macaws flying through a tropical forest
8. Their beaks are extremely strong
Used for eating or as a means of force during an altercation, macaws’ beaks are not only distinct in appearance, but they are very strong. Some macaws can even use their beaks to crack coconut shells, which if you have ever tried to do with a hammer, you will understand how impressive that is.
Macaws' beaks are extremely strong
9. Macaws’ tongues are very unlike ours
Not only are macaws’ tongues scaly and dry, but they actually have a bone in them. This bone is used for tapping into fruits, so while it’s a little strange to us, it’s very useful to them.
10. Their wings are not just aesthetically appealing
Macaws put their wings to good use and they can fly up to 15 miles each day in search of food.
Each morning, as sunlight filters through the soft green canopy, a little lizard takes its post on the moringa stalk. With silent stillness and watchful eyes, it waits—blending perfectly with leaf and bark. To others, it’s just part of the tree. But in this quiet corner of the garden, it's the unseen guardian, keeping watch over a world alive with whispers and wings.
No Risk-it, No Biscuit - The weather forecast sounded ominous with temps in the negatives. Thank goodness Elin, the ranch owner, soothed our concerns by explaining how they operate in these conditions all the time.
No such thing as bad weather, only bad equipment.
Just like she said, we dressed for the temps, stayed close to the ranch house and trusted her experience.
We visited the Northwestern part of Colorado this weekend and were fortunate to observe some wild horses.
Took a lot of effort to pull this shot. I wanted to land this birdie on a small stone with a flower instead of the large boulders that it usually perches upon. Took me around 5 days of daily driving around 80KMs everyday to this place in Himachal Pradesh and waiting every morning for a couple of hours. All worth the effort in the end.
Giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth. Their legs alone are taller than many humans—about 6 feet.They can run as fast as 35 miles an hour over short distances, or cruise at 10 mph over longer distances.A giraffe's neck is too short to reach the ground. As a result, it has to awkwardly spread its front legs or kneel to reach the ground for a drink of water.Giraffes only need to drink once every few days. Most of their water comes from all the plants they eat.Giraffes spend most of their lives standing up; they even sleep and give birth standing up.
The giraffe calf can stand up and walk after about an hour and within a week, it starts to sample vegetation.