View allAll Photos Tagged copulating
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Panthera leo.
This magnificent specimen of maleness is taken a short rest between bouts of copulation ,which he then demonstrated , at rather close quarters , to us all !!
Taken in the Masai Mara , Kenya.
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A magical night seeing this frisky male, chasing and copulating with a female within five feet above our heads. He mounted her three times in the fifteen minutes while we were there. He was a bit smaller than the hen. I wasn't expecting it and was so in the moment of watching them interact, vocalize and mate rather than getting the stellar shot! So cool to have them nest nearby.
My friends and I could not believe our luck when these 2 endangered green turtles (chelonian Mydas) began mating not 2 metres from us. It lasted approx.15 minutes but it not unusual for them to copulate for several hours. Needless to say that I have so many photographs to process. What a special experience and one I will never forget.
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Reproduction
Green turtles are polygynandrous, meaning that females and males will have multiple mates. Copulation occurs in the shallow waters off the shore of nesting beaches. When females accept a mate, the male will mount her and grab onto her "mating notches" around her shoulders to assist in copulation (Hirth, 1971). Male green turtles also are known to join other mating pairs during copulation by latching onto other males for hours on end in attempts to dislodge the mating male. The reproduction process usually follows a system such as: male searches for a female mate, the male will visually examine and then approach the female, the female will either submit or reject the male,then possible copulation. Copulation can last several hours, with the longest mounting episode lasting 119 hours. Female green turtles average a total of 15 days between initial mounting by a male to the time they attempt to nest on their respective natal beaches. ("Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)",
Females are known to revisit their natal beaches in 2-4 year intervals to breed from June to September. If they don't return to their natal beach, they will select a beach with similar sand texture and color. Hirth (1971, as cited in Carr and Ogren 1960) describes predictable actions by females when they approach a nesting beach. Although they may not complete every action, the process usually begins with the turtles approaching the beach and selecting a suitable nest site. The females begin clearing the area of debris and digging a hole with their front legs. After laying eggs, the females fill the nest with sand as a way to camouflage and conceal the eggs. Then, the female turtles return to the sea.
Female green turtles can lay 1- 9 clutches in a single nesting season, but tend to average around 3. Each of these clutches can include 75-200 eggs. After nesting, it usually takes 45-75 days for the eggs to hatch. The hatchings weigh approximately 26g on average. Once the eggs hatch, the hatchlings will begin their journey towards the ocean. From here the hatchlings will begin the juvenile portion of their life which can last 27-50 years before reaching full maturity.
Common Darter dragonflies, "Sympetrum striolatum", copulating in the pines at Holkam Meals National Nature Reserve in Norfolk, UK.
I just happened to come upon the scene of 2 lizards and their mating behavior, but did not have my phone. I thought that by the time I got my phone all would be over but much to my surprise, no they were still going strong, and actually finished their rendez vous about a minute after I stopped filming them. I am sorry that it is not the best video but I had a hard time getting them in the right light, but you definitely get to see all the action going on! I found it an interesting slice of nature's life and hope that you do too.
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Mating Lions - (Mara Mara-
the lioness just started being on heat and the copulation went on for sessions of approximately 20 seconds each, repeated over and over again every ten to fifteen minutes. This routine would go on non-stop for a few days )
These two were oblivious of the camera anyway, so I had some time to get a decent shot while trying to keep my balance.
I tried to ID these little creatures but couldn't get a positive ID, so if any one knows what these are, feel free to contribute. ID Update: thanks to Dan Edwards6 I can tell you this really is a fly, viz. a "thick headed fly"or sicus ferrugineus or, in Dutch, een blaaskopvlieg.
This is the last, for now, anyway, of my <Jadera haematoloma, also known as red-shouldered bugs, or love bugs set. I suppose the love bugs name comes from what they were doing in this photo, which is reproduction, not love. They spend a lot of their time doing this. As I recall, these two were the only ones who held still for me to get a photo, of those on the wall on this date. Apparently the female is the one on the right, judging from the size.
The photo looks more spectacular, if that's the word, at the larger sizes.
Thanks for looking.
A copulating pair of Black Veined Whites ( female on top ), photographed in a meadow in the French Alps.
A pair of Green Darners (Anax junius) after copulation, still in tandem while the female oviposits in the water.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_Egret
The Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western Cattle Egret and the Eastern Cattle Egret. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, it is more closely related to the herons of Ardea. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonised much of the rest of the world.
It is a white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Cattle Egrets exploit drier and open habitats more than other heron species. Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands and rice paddies. They often accompany cattle or other large mammals, catching insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. Some populations of the Cattle Egret are migratory and others show post-breeding dispersal.
The adult Cattle Egret has few predators, but birds or mammals may raid its nests, and chicks may be lost to starvation, calcium deficiency or disturbance from other large birds. This species maintains a special relationship with cattle, which extends to other large grazing mammals. The cattle egret removes ticks and flies from cattle and consumes them. This benefits both species, but it has been implicated in the spread of tick-borne animal diseases.
The Cattle Egret was first described in 1758 by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae as Ardea ibis,[2] but was moved to its current genus by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1855.[3] Its genus name Bubulcus is Latin for herdsman, referring, like the English name, to this species' association with cattle.[4] Ibis is a Latin and Greek word which originally referred to another white wading bird, the Sacred Ibis.[5]
The Cattle Egret has two geographical races which are sometimes classified as full species, the Western Cattle Egret, B. ibis, and Eastern Cattle Egret, B. coromandus. The two forms were split by McAllan and Bruce,[6] but were regarded as conspecific by almost all other recent authors until the publication of the influential Birds of South Asia.[7] The eastern subspecies B. (i.) coromandus, described by Pieter Boddaert in 1783, breeds in Asia and Australasia, and the western nominate form occupies the rest of the species range, including the Americas.[8] Some authorities recognise a third Seychelles subspecies, B. i. seychellarum, which was first described by Finn Salomonsen in 1934.[9]
Despite superficial similarities in appearance, the Cattle Egret is more closely related to the genus Ardea, which comprises the great or typical herons and the Great Egret (A. alba), than to the majority of species termed egrets in the genus Egretta.[10] Rare cases of hybridization with Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea, Little Egret Egretta garzetta and Snowy Egret Egretta thula have been recorded.
Description
The Cattle Egret is a stocky heron with a 88–96 cm (35–38 in) wingspan; it is 46–56 centimetres (18–22 in) long and weighs 270–512 grams (9.5–18.1 oz).[12] It has a relatively short thick neck, sturdy bill, and a hunched posture. The non-breeding adult has mainly white plumage, a yellow bill and greyish-yellow legs. During the breeding season, adults of the nominate western subspecies develop orange-buff plumes on the back, breast and crown, and the bill, legs and irises become bright red for a brief period prior to pairing.[13] The sexes are similar, but the male is marginally larger and has slightly longer breeding plumes than the female; juvenile birds lack coloured plumes and have a black bill.[12][14]
B. i. coromandus differs from the nominate subspecies in breeding plumage, when the buff colour on its head extends to the cheeks and throat, and the plumes are more golden in colour. This subspecies' bill and tarsus are longer on average than in B. i. ibis.[15] B. i. seychellarum is smaller and shorter-winged than the other forms. It has white cheeks and throat, like B. i. ibis, but the nuptial plumes are golden, as with B. i. coromandus.[9]
The positioning of the egret's eyes allows for binocular vision during feeding,[16] and physiological studies suggest that the species may be capable of crepuscular or nocturnal activity.[17] Adapted to foraging on land, they have lost the ability possessed by their wetland relatives to accurately correct for light refraction by water.[18]
This species gives a quiet, throaty "rick-rack" call at the breeding colony, but is otherwise largely silent.
Distribution and habitat
The Cattle Egret has undergone one of the most rapid and wide reaching natural expansions of any bird species.[19] It was originally native to parts of Southern Spain and Portugal, tropical and subtropical Africa and humid tropical and subtropical Asia. In the end of the 19th century it began expanding its range into southern Africa, first breeding in the Cape Province in 1908.[20] Cattle Egrets were first sighted in the Americas on the boundary of Guiana and Suriname in 1877, having apparently flown across the Atlantic Ocean.[8][12] It was not until the 1930s that the species is thought to have become established in that area.[21]
The species first arrived in North America in 1941 (these early sightings were originally dismissed as escapees), bred in Florida in 1953, and spread rapidly, breeding for the first time in Canada in 1962.[20] It is now commonly seen as far west as California. It was first recorded breeding in Cuba in 1957, in Costa Rica in 1958, and in Mexico in 1963, although it was probably established before that.[21] In Europe the species had historically declined in Spain and Portugal, but in the latter part of the 20th century it expanded back through the Iberian Peninsula, and then began to colonise other parts of Europe; southern France in 1958, northern France in 1981 and Italy in 1985.[20] Breeding in the United Kingdom was recorded for the first time in 2008 only a year after an influx seen in the previous year.[22][23] In 2008 cattle egrets were also reported as having moved into Ireland for the first time.[24]
In Australia the colonisation began in the 1940s, with the species establishing itself in the north and east of the continent.[25] It began to regularly visit New Zealand in the 1960s. Since 1948 the Cattle Egret has been permanently resident in Israel. Prior to 1948 it was only a winter visitor. [26]
The massive and rapid expansion of the Cattle Egret's range is due to its relationship with humans and their domesticated animals. Originally adapted to a commensal relationship with large browsing animals, it was easily able to switch to domesticated cattle and horses. As the keeping of livestock spread throughout the world, the Cattle Egret was able to occupy otherwise empty niches.[27] Many populations of Cattle Egrets are highly migratory and dispersive,[19] and this has helped the species' range expansion. The species has been seen as a vagrant in various sub-Antarctic islands, including South Georgia, Marion Island, the South Sandwich Islands and the South Orkney Islands.[28] A small flock of eight birds was also seen in Fiji in 2008.[29]
In addition to the natural expansion of its range, Cattle Egrets have been introduced into a few areas. The species was introduced to Hawaii in 1959, and to the Chagos Archipelago in 1955. Successful releases were also made in the Seychelles and Rodrigues, but attempts to introduce the species to Mauritius failed. Numerous birds were also released by Whipsnade Zoo in England, but the species was never established.[30]
Although the Cattle Egret sometimes feeds in shallow water, unlike most herons it is typically found in fields and dry grassy habitats, reflecting its greater dietary reliance on terrestrial insects rather than aquatic prey.
Migration and movements
Some populations of Cattle Egrets are migratory, others are dispersive, and distinguishing between the two can be difficult for this species.[19] In many areas populations can be both sedentary and migratory. In the northern hemisphere migration is from cooler climes to warmer areas, but Cattle Egrets nesting in Australia migrate to cooler Tasmania and New Zealand in the winter and return in the spring.[25] Migration in western Africa is in response to rainfall, and in South America migrating birds travel south of their breeding range in the non breeding season.[19] Populations in southern India appear to show local migrations in response to the monsoons. They move north from Kerala after September.[32][33] During winter, many birds have been seen flying at night with flocks of Indian Pond Herons (Ardeola grayii) on the southeastern coast of India[34] and a winter influx has also been noted in Sri Lanka.[7]
Young birds are known to disperse up to 5,000 km (3,100 mi) from their breeding area. Flocks may fly vast distances and have been seen over seas and oceans including in the middle of the Atlantic.
Status
This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10 million square kilometres (3.8 million square miles). Its global population estimated to be 3.8–6.7 million individuals. For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.[1] On the other hand the expansion and establishment of the species over large ranges has led it to be classed as an invasive species (although little, if any impact has been noted yet).[
Behaviour
Breeding
The Cattle Egret nests in colonies, which are often, but not always, found around bodies of water.[19] The colonies are usually found in woodlands near lakes or rivers, in swamps, or on small inland or coastal islands, and are sometimes shared with other wetland birds, such as herons, egrets, ibises and cormorants. The breeding season varies within South Asia.[7] Nesting in northern India begins with the onset of monsoons in May.[37] The breeding season in Australia is November to early January, with one brood laid per season.[38] The North American breeding season lasts from April to October.[19] In the Seychelles, the breeding season of the subspecies B.i. seychellarum is April to October.[39]
The male displays in a tree in the colony, using a range of ritualised behaviours such as shaking a twig and sky-pointing (raising bill vertically upwards),[40] and the pair forms over three or four days. A new mate is chosen in each season and when re-nesting following nest failure.[41] The nest is a small untidy platform of sticks in a tree or shrub constructed by both parents. Sticks are collected by the male and arranged by the female, and stick-stealing is rife.[14] The clutch size can be anywhere from one to five eggs, although three or four is most common. The pale bluish-white eggs are oval-shaped and measure 45 mm × 53 mm. (1.8–2.1 in)[38] Incubation lasts around 23 days, with both sexes sharing incubation duties.[19] The chicks are partly covered with down at hatching, but are not capable of fending for themselves; they become capable of regulating their temperature at 9–12 days and are fully feathered in 13–21 days.[42] They begin to leave the nest and climb around at 2 weeks, fledge at 30 days and become independent at around the 45th day.[41]
The Cattle Egret engages in low levels of brood parasitism, and there are a few instances of Cattle Egret eggs being laid in the nests of Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons, although these eggs seldom hatch.[19] There is also evidence of low levels of intraspecific brood parasitism, with females laying eggs in the nests of other Cattle Egrets. As much as 30% extra-pair copulations have been noted.[43][44]
The dominant factor in nesting mortality is starvation. Sibling rivalry can be intense, and in South Africa third and fourth chicks inevitably starve.[41] In the dryer habitats with fewer amphibians the diet may lack sufficient vertebrate content and may cause bone abnormalities in growing chicks due to calcium deficiency.[45] In Barbados, nests were sometimes raided by vervet monkeys,[8] and a study in Florida reported the Fish Crow and black rat as other possible nest raiders. The same study attributed some nestling mortality to Brown Pelicans nesting in the vicinity, which accidentally, but frequently, dislodged nests or caused nestlings to fall.[46] In Australia, Torresian Crows, Wedge-tailed Eagles and White-bellied Sea Eagles take eggs or young, and tick infestation and viral infections may also be causes of mortality.
Feeding
The Cattle Egret feeds on a wide range of prey, particularly insects, especially grasshoppers, crickets, flies (adults and maggots [47]), and moths, as well as spiders, frogs, and earthworms.[48][49] In a rare instance they have been observed foraging along the branches of a Banyan tree for ripe figs.[50] The species is usually found with cattle and other large grazing and browsing animals, and catches small creatures disturbed by the mammals. Studies have shown that Cattle Egret foraging success is much higher when foraging near a large animal than when feeding singly.[51] When foraging with cattle, it has been shown to be 3.6 times more successful in capturing prey than when foraging alone. Its performance is similar when it follows farm machinery, but it is forced to move more.[52]
A Cattle Egret will weakly defend the area around a grazing animal against others of the same species, but if the area is swamped by egrets it will give up and continue foraging elsewhere. Where numerous large animals are present, Cattle Egrets selectively forage around species that move at around 5–15 steps per minute, avoiding faster and slower moving herds; in Africa, Cattle Egrets selectively forage behind Plains Zebras, Waterbuck, Blue Wildebeest and Cape Buffalo.[53] Dominant birds feed nearest to the host, and obtain more food.[14]
The Cattle Egret may also show versatility in its diet. On islands with seabird colonies, it will prey on the eggs and chicks of terns and other seabirds.[30] During migration it has also been reported to eat exhausted migrating landbirds.[54] Birds of the Seychelles race also indulge in some kleptoparasitism, chasing the chicks of Sooty Terns and forcing them to disgorge food.[
Relationship with humans
A conspicuous species, the Cattle Egret has attracted many common names. These mostly relate to its habit of following cattle and other large animals, and it is known variously as cow crane, cow bird or cow heron, or even elephant bird, rhinoceros egret.[19] Its Arabic name, abu qerdan, means "father of ticks", a name derived from the huge number of parasites such as avian ticks found in its breeding colonies.[19][56]
The Cattle Egret is a popular bird with cattle ranchers for its perceived role as a biocontrol of cattle parasites such as ticks and flies.[19] A study in Australia found that Cattle Egrets reduced the number of flies that bothered cattle by pecking them directly off the skin.[57] It was the benefit to stock that prompted ranchers and the Hawaiian Board of Agriculture and Forestry to release the species in Hawaii.[30][58]
Not all interactions between humans and Cattle Egrets are beneficial. The Cattle Egret can be a safety hazard to aircraft due to its habit of feeding in large groups in the grassy verges of airports,[59] and it has been implicated in the spread of animal infections such as heartwater, infectious bursal disease[60] and possibly Newcastle disease
A juvenile crested Serpent Eagle
March 8, 2018
go to www.wildcreatureshongkong.org to see a daily blog on animals in Hong Kong; where and when to see them, with daily stunning photographs.
This beautiful bird was found in a kindergarten in Kowloon Bay and like most "stray" animals was passed to the Rescue Centre of Kadoorie Farm. It was though to have suffered short term concussion. Still very young, probably in its first year, it did not take well to captivity, and after a short stay was released successfully back into the wild.
The Crested Serpent Eagle is a reptile-eating specialist, as it forages for snakes and lizards over forests and rocky hillsides. The breeding season begins in late winter and eggs are laid in early summer.
Listen for them: The call is a distinctive "Kluee-wip-wip" with the first note being high and rising, and they can often be heard in the late mornings on their perches where they spend a lot of time. Also look for them as they rise on thermals later in the mornings.
In Hong Kong, it is illegal to keep wild birds in captivity, and the Kadoorie staff ask that you do not attempt to handle or raise birds by yourself, as inappropriate care may cause unnecessary suffering.
NB: If you encounter any injured or sick wild animals, please contact Kadoorie Farm directly email (fauna@kfbg.org) or phone (Hotline: 2483 7200) for advice.
Canards Colvert - Viol en bande organisée ( L'enquête est en cours - 6 suspects en garde vue - 2 ont reconnu les faits ) - L'enquête est dirigée par le commissariat du 16ème arrondissement- Affaire à suivre -
copulation of one of the rarest butterflies in germany, even in the world? anyway, this beautiful creature is worlwide protected by the "Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)". i´m very glad that such a species lives in my homeland.
d200 - sigma 150 - f/8 - 1/10s - IS0 200
Seule libellule du genre Anax à pondre seule, la femelle libère ses œufs dans des débris végétaux flottants ou les inocule dans les tiges. Ils éclosent après 3 à 6 semaines, selon la température. La larve très carnassière peut manger des mollusques ou têtards plus gros qu'elle.
N'étant pas une spécialiste des odonates ...n'hésitez pas à corriger si je n'ai pas bien fait une bonne identification !
Espèce très commune et cela n'étonne pas quand on les voit si souvent en action de reproduction.
Rhagonycha fulva (Scopoli, 1763) = Cantharis fulva Scopoli, 1763 = Cicindela maculata Fourcroy, 1785 = Rhagonycha cailloli Chobaut, 1914 = Rhagonycha curtithorax Pic, 1920 = Rhagonycha delahoni Schilsky, 1908 = Rhagonycha inapicalis Fiori, 1914 = Rhagonycha terminalis Redtenbacher, 1849 = Telephorus bimaculata De Geer, 1774 = Telephorus melanura Olivier, 1790 = Telephorus usta Gemminger, 1870, le téléphore fauve.
Interesting fact the Praying mantises females dabble in the femme fatale arts as well. Mama mantises lay an especially large bunch of eggs, which means they need a lot of food. Which also means, unfortunately for their partners, they may literally bite off their head and devour them. And they may even do this during the course of their three-hour mating session. A little bit of coital cannibalism may also add to the success of the copulation. Hey, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do...
A lion pair caught in the act at Ngorongoro Crater. The lioness was not interested and eventually got up and walked away
I was too slow zooming into the actual mating but this happened prior to copulation. I believe it is the ritual feeding of the female by the male. I slowed the action down to 0.25 speed because it all happened rather fast as all things Rainbow Bee-eater do. Hope you enjoy.
There are a lot of RBEs around Emily Gap at the moment around sunset and I've had fun trying to catch some of the action on video clip ... youtu.be/hhrhLb1EDcY
They are such delightful birds to try and photograph.
Pinal Co., AZ- I was photographing this female with prey when there was a surprise visit from the male.
L’orifice génital du mâle est situé à l’extrémité postérieure de l’abdomen, les pièces copulatrices étant portées par le 2e segment abdominal en position ventrale. Les spermatozoïdes sont agglomérés en spermatophores, libérés par l’orifice génital postérieur et temporairement stockés au niveau de réservoirs situés au niveau des 2e et 3e segments abdominaux.
Lors de l’accouplement, les pièces copulatrices du mâle assurent le transfert des spermatophores à la femelle, l’orifice génital de cette dernière étant localisé à l’extrémité de son abdomen.
On 20 June 2015 I came across The Magnificent Orange Female, her mate and their youngest sibling at some kangaroo carrion opposite the Roger Vale Drive and Old South Road "T" junction. The adult female was in a tree over the carrion with her (slightly lame) mate, while their youngest sibling, The Orange Youngster, was on the ground a little to the side. I had encountered and photographed this local family of Wedge-tailed Eagles (Aquila audax) on a number of previous occasions at various locations around the Alice Springs District. This time, with the carrion removed a safe distance from the sometimes busy road to Alice Springs Airport, something felt special and different. The adult male left the female and circled to approach the carrion from along the Old South Road. I would normally have tried to get closer to the action to photograph them, but something this day told me not to. It was totally amazing when, after he had eaten, the adult male flew up to join the Magnificent Orange Female where she was waiting in the tree. After some suggestive looking into the eyes of one another, the female moved to the male and the copulation took place in front of the rolling camera. It was a totally amazing thing to happen!
I think such footage of wild Wedge-tailed Eagles is probably quite rare, as the mating didn't occur around a nest territory, but rather further afield in a home-range area shared from time to time with other local Wedge-tailed Eagle families and particularly by their youngsters.
I am wondering whether ritual courting also happens outside breeding territories and that settling down to breeding at nest sites happens after, rather than before, courting and mating (copulation)?
Well you have to admit it's a neat trick!
We spent a wonderful afternoon this week watching Broad bodied Chasers at a local wildlife reserve.
The males compete to control the ponds where mating takes place, often sparring in mid air with rivals for minutes at a time. At one stage we watched up to five males competing for control of one small pond!
When a female arrives on the scene, the dominant male will fly to her and they will fly together attached for several seconds. The male will then attempt to shepherd her to the margins of the pond, where she will oviposite while he hovers above her. We watched one of the males manage to mate with three females in little over a minute and then watched as he guarded all three simultaneously ovipositing.
Phantom Crane Fly (Bittacomorpha clavipes) in copula
TEXAS: Jasper Co.
stream in Angelina National Forest
Jasper, 18 mi NW
11-Jun-2015
J.C. Abbott #2744 & K.K. Abbott