A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera, butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a larval caterpillar stage, an inactive pupal stage, and a spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colourful winged adult form. Most species are day-flying so they regularly attract attention. The diverse patterns formed by their brightly coloured wings and their erratic yet graceful flight have made butterfly watching a hobby.

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To view more of my images, of Rhinoceros, please click "here" !

From the Archieves, reprocessed using Photoshop CC 2020.

Rhinoceros, often abbreviated to rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to Southern Asia. Members of the rhinoceros family are characterized by their large size (they are some of the largest remaining megafauna, with all of the species able to reach one tonne or more in weight); as well as by an herbivorous diet; a thick protective skin, 1.5–5 cm thick, formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure; relatively small brains for mammals this size (400–600 g); and a large horn. They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter, if necessary. Unlike other perissodactyls, the two African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying instead on their lips to pluck food. Rhinoceros are killed by humans for their horns, which are bought and sold on the black market, and which are used by some cultures for ornamental or traditional medicinal purposes. East Asia, specifically Vietnam, is the largest market for rhino horns. By weight, rhino horns cost as much as gold on the black market. People grind up the horns and then consume them believing the dust has therapeutic properties. The horns are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails. Both African species and the Sumatran rhinoceros have two horns, while the Indian and Javan rhinoceros have a single horn. The IUCN Red List identifies three of the species as critically endangered. The word rhinoceros is derived through Latin from the Ancient Greek: ῥῑνόκερως, which is composed of ῥῑνο- (rhino-, "nose") and κέρας (keras, "horn"). The plural in English is rhinoceros or rhinoceroses. The collective noun for a group of rhinoceroses is crash or herd. The name has been in use since the 14th century. The family Rhinocerotidae consists of only four extant genera: Ceratotherium (White rhinoceros), Dicerorhinus (Sumatran rhinoceros), Diceros (Black rhinoceros) and Rhinoceros (Indian and Javan rhinoceros). The living species fall into three categories. The two African species, the white rhinoceros and the black rhinoceros, belong to the tribe Dicerotini, which originated in the middle Miocene, about 14.2 million years ago. The species diverged during the early Pliocene (about 5 million years ago). The main difference between black and white rhinos is the shape of their mouths – white rhinos have broad flat lips for grazing, whereas black rhinos have long pointed lips for eating foliage. There are two living Rhinocerotini species, the Indian rhinoceros and the Javan rhinoceros, which diverged from one another about 10 million years ago. The Sumatran rhinoceros is the only surviving representative of the most primitive group, the Dicerorhinini, which emerged in the Miocene (about 20 million years ago). A subspecific hybrid white rhino (Ceratotherium s. simum × C. s. cottoni) was bred at the Dvůr Králové Zoo (Zoological Garden Dvur Kralove nad Labem) in the Czech Republic in 1977. Interspecific hybridisation of black and white rhinoceros has also been confirmed. While the black rhinoceros has 84 chromosomes (diploid number, 2N, per cell), all other rhinoceros species have 82 chromosomes. However, chromosomal polymorphism might lead to varying chromosome counts. For instance, in a study there were three northern white rhinoceroses with 81 chromosomes. There are two subspecies of white rhinoceros: the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) and the northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni). As of 2013, the southern subspecies has a wild population of 20,405 – making them the most abundant rhino subspecies in the world. However, the northern subspecies was critically endangered, with as few as four individuals in the wild; the possibility of complete extinction in the wild having been noted since June 2008. Five are known to be held in captivity, one of which resides at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Four born in a zoo in the Czech Republic were transferred to a wildlife refuge in Kenya in December 2009, in an effort to have the animals reproduce and save the subspecies. There is no conclusive explanation of the name white rhinoceros. A popular theory that "white" is a distortion of either the Afrikaans word wyd or the Dutch word wijd (or its other possible spellings whyde, weit, etc.,) meaning wide and referring to the rhino's square lips is not supported by linguistic studies. The white rhino has an immense body and large head, a short neck and broad chest. Females weigh 1,600 kg (4,000 lb) and males 2,400 kg (5,000 lb). the head-and-body length is 3.5–4.6 m (11–15 ft) and a shoulder height of 1.8–2 m (5.9–6.6 ft). On its snout it has two horns. The front horn is larger than the other horn and averages 90 cm (35 in) in length and can reach 150 cm (59 in). The white rhinoceros also has a prominent muscular hump that supports its relatively large head. The colour of this animal can range from yellowish brown to slate grey. Most of its body hair is found on the ear fringes and tail bristles, with the rest distributed rather sparsely over the rest of the body. White rhinos have the distinctive flat broad mouth that is used for grazing.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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This image is included in a gallery "Macros 31(1237)" curated by Dan Vartanian.

There isn't much pollen on his feet yet. The stamen appears to be a very enticing chocolate pudding.

This image is included in 2 publications :-

1) "Wildlife Conservation in Farm Landscapes"

David Lindenmayer The Australian National University

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

ISBN: 9781486303106

2) "Tool for genomic selection and breeding to evolutionary adaptation: Development of a 100K single nucleotide polymorphism array for the honey bee" in Ecology and Evolution by Julia C Jones et al.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/20457758/0/0

Jeune femme travaillant dans une rizière sèche à flanc de coteau.

Région de Lai Chau, Vietnam.

Les Hmong encore appelés Méo, ou Miao , sont originaires des régions montagneuses du sud de la Chine (principalement la province du Guizhou), où ils sont encore présents ainsi qu'au nord du Viêt Nam et du Laos.

Le souci de préserver leur identité culturelle et leur indépendance les ont amenés à s'engager dans divers conflits. Au XXe siècle, en particulier, ils aidèrent les Français pendant la guerre d'Indochine puis les Américains pendant la la guerre du Vietnam. A l’avènement des régimes communistes dans ces pays un nombre important de Hmong se sont réfugiés dans des pays d'accueil, principalement les États-Unis, la France et l'Australie. Mais la majeure partie d’entre eux vit encore en Asie du Sud-Est

Les Hmongs sont animistes ou chrétiens. La langue hmong appartient à la famille des langues hmong-mien, encore appelée « miao-yao »

Les costumes traditionnels de cette ethnie sont très polymorphes mais ils ont en commun la richesse du décor brodé.

On distingue plusieurs groupes dans cette ethnie dont les plus connus sont les Hmongs Fleurs ou Hmong Bariolés dans la région de Bac Ha, mais aussi les Hmongs Noirs dans la région de Sapa et les Hmongs Rouge dans la région de Lai Chau. J'ai déjà eu l'occasion de présenter précédemment plusieurs d'entre eux.

The ornate monitor (Varanus niloticus ornatus) is a monitor lizard that is native to West and Middle Africa.[1][2] Comprehensive molecular analyses of the group have demonstrated that animals previously assigned to "Varanus ornatus" do not constitute a valid taxon and are actually polymorphisms of two different species; Varanus stellatus (west African Nile monitor) and Varanus niloticus (Nile monitor).

UK - Farne Islands

Most of the regular sea birds breed abundant on this group of islands off the Nortumberland North Sea coast, close to Seahouses. Here you can book a boat trip; local boats are licensed to land passengers on several islands. In my experience this is very rewarding, even for bird watchers, who are used to explore quietly. The image shows mainly the common guillemot, including some "bridled guillemots", with a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. They are no distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed. Digital version of an old slide image, made during a visit in the late nineties. © Tom Kisjes

This week all bird lovers in Singapore were extremely delighted with the discovery of this Super Super Rare migratory bird from Australia. This little bird have made it over 4,000 km to reach Singapore!!! Superb. Just cannot miss this visitor!!!

Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis)

The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis) is a small cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. Its size averages 22g and is distinguished by its green and bronze iridescent colouring on its back and incomplete brown barring from neck to tail. What distinguishes the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo from other bronze cuckoos is its white eyebrow and brown eye stripe.The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo is common throughout Australia preferring the drier open woodlands away from forested areas.

Taxonomy

The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo is one of five Australian species in the genus Chrysococcyx (formally Chalcites) a type of parasitic bird, that parasitises fairy-wrens primarily to raise their young.

The Five species of Cuckoo in the genus Chrysococcyx;

- Black-eared Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx osculans)

- Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis)

- Shining Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus)

- Little Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus)

- Gould’s Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx russatus)

Diet and Behaviour

The main diet of the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo are insects and they are nomadic, travelling to different regions of Australia to breed and find food.Small insects are taken from leaves, branches, caught on the wing and in breeding season, Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoos feed each other in a courtship ritual.

The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo is known as a brood parasite, this means that they lay their eggs in a host species nest.They mainly parasitise the fairy-wrens in the genus (malarus sp). It has been well documented that the Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) and the Splendid Fairy-wren (Malurus splendens) are the two main species to bare host to the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo, although they may also parasitise other small Passeriformes including Thornbills, Warblers and Scrub-wrens that can be utilised as a secondary host in certain locations. Although the behavioural attributes of a host species may play a role in parasitism, it is thought that the female selects its host through imprinting, remembering the species that it was raised by and ultimately using that species to raise its brood.

Breeding

The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo’s are known to form monogamous pairs in the breeding season and occupy the same breeding territories as their host species, however partnerships are short lived as a female will only occupy the breeding territory for a few weeks, as another female takes her place, she may form a pairing with the same male.Females that leave a breeding site after several weeks may move to another site and continue to breed with another male, forming another bond in a new breeding territory. Breeding territories of the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo generally do not overlap giving rise to the possibility that a pair will defend an area through the season.

Parasitism

As a brood parasite the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo does not build its own nest but will utilise a host species nest (Malurus sp) to lay their eggs. The breeding season for the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo relies on their host and they will lay one elongated pinkish-white egg, that is speckled with red-brown spots to mimic that of the fairy wren or thornbills egg.The breeding season for the Superb Fairy-wren is between September – February and a female may have three consecutive broods in this time, allowing the Cuckoo multiple attempts to parasitise this species.The female cuckoo may choose a breeding site with a high density of hosts, which allows extra opportunity for her success in parasitising a nest successfully. Studies have shown at one site a female did not parasitise a territory with less than 23 breeding pairs of their primary host (Malurus cyaneus).

The egg of a Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo is small for its size, evolving overtime to mimic those of their host in what can be described as an evolutionary arms race between parasite and host, also the smaller the host for the cuckoo, the likelihood of successfully raising multiple broods thus the energy and nutrients needed to produce more smaller eggs than few larger eggs can be utilised more efficiently.Egg laying is very fast for the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo, being able to lay an egg in under 6 seconds typically in the morning shortly after the host has laid,the adult cuckoo removes one egg each time she lays, only laying one egg per nest and replacing one host egg with one of her own.

Younger semi-experienced females were generally selected over new and novice breeding females due to their success and experience. The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo chose females that would choose similar breeding sites to previous years and were likely to raise several broods in one season. Generally the superb fairy wren will not reject the cuckoos egg, fairy wrens make oval dome nests that can be dark inside, meaning it is harder for the fairy wren to distinguish between their own egg and the host’s egg, furthermore the mimicry in eggs from the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo have evolved over time and are hard to distinguish besides their slight elongation and glossier finish.

The cuckoo chick hatches within 12 days of incubation, 2 days before the host egg, ejecting other eggs in the nests within two days of hatching, leaving the cuckoo the sole chick. As newly hatched cuckoo chicks eject host eggs they do not get to learn the host’s begging called but can possess begging call polymorphism, where nestlings produced the calls of their primary host. As the nestling grows it will be fed by the host parent and possibly the group growing more rapidly until fledged.

Co-Evolutionary Arms Race

Counter adaptations have been documented for host species and cuckoos alike. As each species evolves it will adapt to its environment and ultimately to its competition. In what is called a co-evolutionary arms race to better the species, parasite against host race. Studies show that co-evolutions happens at all stages of the growth cycle, not just the early stages. In the case of the fairy wrens, they have adapted some host defences to try and minimise parasitism. The cost of hosting a parasitic species is high, in energy and genetics, the defences from the host increase, in turn increasing the parasites defences in a co-evolutionary arms race between the species.

Some of the adaptations that the host employs are:

-Adult hosts will drive cuckoos away in groups to reduce parasitism.

-Hosts like to nest in large colonies to deter adult cuckoos then chasing them away if a cuckoo is spotted, increasing nesting success.

-Helpers in large colonies provision the female so she can attend the nest more proficiently.

-The ability to learn and recognise their own eggs, and abandon any that are in the nest before they have started their own.

As a counter move the cuckoo also evolves adaptations:

-Mimicry of host eggs.

-Eggs that are cryptic and therefore unable to be seen in the dark nest.

-Thickened egg shells

-Efficiency in laying the egg, being able to lay an egg secretly and fast while the host is absent.

The cost of parasitism is high for the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo’s hosts, with both host and cuckoo evolving with each other, the cuckoo is extremely successful as a parasite.As hosts evolve defenses against parasitism by cuckoos, cuckoos evolve ever better means of tricking their hosts into rearing their young, which, in turn, promotes the evolution of improved host defenses. The counter adaptations from the host species must keep evolving in order to reduce parasitism. Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo’s have been counter adapting to host defences in terms, ‘leading’ the co-evolutionary arms race by effective means in the early stages of parasitising a host nest and leaving the host with a smaller chance of detecting the eggs of the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo.

[Credit: en.wikipedia.org/]

Realgar with Pararealgar. The red crystals are realgar, which is arsenic sulfide. The yellow coating is pararealgar, a light-induced polymorph. It had long been thought that this common alteration product was orpiment, but it was eventually determined to be pararealgar. Getchell Mine. Potosi Mining District. Humboldt Co., Nevada.

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Femme de l'ethnie Hmong Bariolé, Sin Cheng, district de Bac Ha, nord du Vietnam

Les Hmong encore appelés Méo, ou Miao , sont originaires des régions montagneuses du sud de la Chine (principalement la province du Guizhou), où ils sont encore présents ainsi qu'au nord du Viêt Nam et du Laos.

Le souci de préserver leur identité culturelle et leur indépendance les ont amenés à s'engager dans divers conflits. Au XXe siècle, en particulier, ils aidèrent les Français pendant la guerre d'Indochine puis les Américains pendant la la guerre du Vietnam. A l’avènement des régimes communistes dans ces pays un nombre important de Hmong se sont réfugiés dans des pays d'accueil, principalement les États-Unis, la France et l'Australie. Mais la majeure partie d’entre eux vit encore en Asie du Sud-Est

Les Hmongs sont animistes ou chrétiens. La langue hmong appartient à la famille des langues hmong-mien, encore appelée « miao-yao »

Les costumes traditionnels de cette ethnie sont très polymorphes mais ils ont en commun la richesse du décor brodé. J'ai déjà eu l'occasion d'en présenter précédemment plusieurs exemples.

La femme qui apparaît ici fait partie de la branche des Hmong bariolé (appelés également Hmong Fleuri ou Hmong Fleur) qui maintient intactes ses traditions vestimentaires (avec cependant des variations sur les couleurs) et dont le costume est particulièrement coloré. Ils sont bien représentés dans le district de Bac Ha

Canon EOS 50D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4,5-5,6 L IS USM, development in Lightroom.

Photographed on a birdwatchers' boat trip to the Farne Islands, Northumberland.

Uria aalge - Common Guillemot (Common Murre) - Trottellumme - Zeekoet - Guillemot de Troïl - Arao común - Uria - Sillgrissla - Lomvie - Nurzyk zwyczajny - . . .

Wikipedia (edited): "The common murre or common guillemot (Uria aalge) is a large auk. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.

Guillemots are fast in direct flight but are not very agile. They can manoeuvre better underwater, where they typically dive to depths of 30–60m. They breed in colonies at high densities; nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbours. They make no nest; their single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face.

Some individuals in the North Atlantic, known as "bridled guillemots", have a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. This is not a distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farne_Islands

www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4519-Uria-aalge

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_murre

Ipê Amarelo, Tabebuia [chrysotricha or ochracea].

Ipê-amarelo em Brasília, Brasil.

This tree is in Brasília, Capital of Brazil.

Text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Trumpet tree" redirects here. This term is occasionally used for the Shield-leaved Pumpwood (Cecropia peltata).

Tabebuia

Flowering Araguaney or ipê-amarelo (Tabebuia chrysantha) in central Brazil

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Asterids

Order: Lamiales

Family: Bignoniaceae

Tribe: Tecomeae

Genus: Tabebuia

Gomez

Species

Nearly 100.

Tabebuia is a neotropical genus of about 100 species in the tribe Tecomeae of the family Bignoniaceae. The species range from northern Mexico and the Antilles south to northern Argentina and central Venezuela, including the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Cuba. Well-known common names include Ipê, Poui, trumpet trees and pau d'arco.

They are large shrubs and trees growing to 5 to 50 m (16 to 160 ft.) tall depending on the species; many species are dry-season deciduous but some are evergreen. The leaves are opposite pairs, complex or palmately compound with 3–7 leaflets.

Tabebuia is a notable flowering tree. The flowers are 3 to 11 cm (1 to 4 in.) wide and are produced in dense clusters. They present a cupular calyx campanulate to tubular, truncate, bilabiate or 5-lobed. Corolla colors vary between species ranging from white, light pink, yellow, lavender, magenta, or red. The outside texture of the flower tube is either glabrous or pubescentThe fruit is a dehiscent pod, 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 in.) long, containing numerous—in some species winged—seeds. These pods often remain on the tree through dry season until the beginning of the rainy.

Species in this genus are important as timber trees. The wood is used for furniture, decking, and other outdoor uses. It is increasingly popular as a decking material due to its insect resistance and durability. By 2007, FSC-certified ipê wood had become readily available on the market, although certificates are occasionally forged.

Tabebuia is widely used as ornamental tree in the tropics in landscaping gardens, public squares, and boulevards due to its impressive and colorful flowering. Many flowers appear on still leafless stems at the end of the dry season, making the floral display more conspicuous. They are useful as honey plants for bees, and are popular with certain hummingbirds. Naturalist Madhaviah Krishnan on the other hand once famously took offense at ipé grown in India, where it is not native.

Lapacho teaThe bark of several species has medical properties. The bark is dried, shredded, and then boiled making a bitter or sour-tasting brownish-colored tea. Tea from the inner bark of Pink Ipê (T. impetiginosa) is known as Lapacho or Taheebo. Its main active principles are lapachol, quercetin, and other flavonoids. It is also available in pill form. The herbal remedy is typically used during flu and cold season and for easing smoker's cough. It apparently works as expectorant, by promoting the lungs to cough up and free deeply embedded mucus and contaminants. However, lapachol is rather toxic and therefore a more topical use e.g. as antibiotic or pesticide may be advisable. Other species with significant folk medical use are T. alba and Yellow Lapacho (T. serratifolia)

Tabebuia heteropoda, T. incana, and other species are occasionally used as an additive to the entheogenic drink Ayahuasca.

Mycosphaerella tabebuiae, a plant pathogenic sac fungus, was first discovered on an ipê tree.

Tabebuia alba

Tabebuia anafensis

Tabebuia arimaoensis

Tabebuia aurea – Caribbean Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia bilbergii

Tabebuia bibracteolata

Tabebuia cassinoides

Tabebuia chrysantha – Araguaney, Yellow Ipê, tajibo (Bolivia), ipê-amarelo (Brazil), cañaguate (N Colombia)

Tabebuia chrysotricha – Golden Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia donnell-smithii Rose – Gold Tree, "Prima Vera", Cortez blanco (El Salvador), San Juan (Honduras), palo blanco (Guatemala),duranga (Mexico)

A native of Mexico and Central Americas, considered one of the most colorful of all Central American trees. The leaves are deciduous. Masses of golden-yellow flowers cover the crown after the leaves are shed.

Tabebuia dubia

Tabebuia ecuadorensis

Tabebuia elongata

Tabebuia furfuracea

Tabebuia geminiflora Rizz. & Mattos

Tabebuia guayacan (Seem.) Hemsl.

Tabebuia haemantha

Tabebuia heptaphylla (Vell.) Toledo – tajy

Tabebuia heterophylla – roble prieto

Tabebuia heteropoda

Tabebuia hypoleuca

Tabebuia impetiginosa – Pink Ipê, Pink Lapacho, ipê-cavatã, ipê-comum, ipê-reto, ipê-rosa, ipê-roxo-damata, pau d'arco-roxo, peúva, piúva (Brazil), lapacho negro (Spanish); not "brazilwood"

Tabebuia incana

Tabebuia jackiana

Tabebuia lapacho – lapacho amarillo

Tabebuia orinocensis A.H. Gentry[verification needed]

Tabebuia ochracea

Tabebuia oligolepis

Tabebuia pallida – Cuban Pink Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia platyantha

Tabebuia polymorpha

Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) DC.[verification needed] (= T. pentaphylla (L.) Hemsley) – Pink Poui, Pink Tecoma, apama, apamate, matilisguate

A popular street tree in tropical cities because of its multi-annular masses of light pink to purple flowers and modest size. The roots are not especially destructive for roads and sidewalks. It is the national tree of El Salvador and the state tree of Cojedes, Venezuela

Tabebuia roseo-alba – White Ipê, ipê-branco (Brazil), lapacho blanco

Tabebuia serratifolia – Yellow Lapacho, Yellow Poui, ipê-roxo (Brazil)

Tabebuia shaferi

Tabebuia striata

Tabebuia subtilis Sprague & Sandwith

Tabebuia umbellata

Tabebuia vellosoi Toledo

Ipê-do-cerrado

Texto, em português, da Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre.

Ipê-do-cerrado

Classificação científica

Reino: Plantae

Divisão: Magnoliophyta

Classe: Magnoliopsida

Subclasse: Asteridae

Ordem: Lamiales

Família: Bignoniaceae

Género: Tabebuia

Espécie: T. ochracea

Nome binomial

Tabebuia ochracea

(Cham.) Standl. 1832

Sinónimos

Bignonia tomentosa Pav. ex DC.

Handroanthus ochraceus (Cham.) Mattos

Tabebuia chrysantha (Jacq.) G. Nicholson

Tabebuia hypodictyon A. DC.) Standl.

Tabebuia neochrysantha A.H. Gentry

Tabebuia ochracea subsp. heteropoda (A. DC.) A.H. Gentry

Tabebuia ochracea subsp. neochrysantha (A.H. Gentry) A.H. Gentry

Tecoma campinae Kraenzl.

ecoma grandiceps Kraenzl.

Tecoma hassleri Sprague

Tecoma hemmendorffiana Kraenzl.

Tecoma heteropoda A. DC.

Tecoma hypodictyon A. DC.

Tecoma ochracea Cham.

Ipê-do-cerrado é um dos nomes populares da Tabebuia ochracea (Cham.) Standl. 1832, nativa do cerrado brasileiro, no estados de Amazonas, Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Pernambuco, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e Paraná.

Está na lista de espécies ameaçadas do estado de São Paulo, onde é encontrda também no domínio da Mata Atlântica[1].

Ocorre também na Argentina, Paraguai, Bolívia, Equador, Peru, Venezuela, Guiana, El Salvador, Guatemala e Panamá[2].

Há uma espécie homônima descrita por A.H. Gentry em 1992.

Outros nomes populares: ipê-amarelo, ipê-cascudo, ipê-do-campo, ipê-pardo, pau-d'arco-do-campo, piúva, tarumã.

Características

Altura de 6 a 14 m. Tronco tortuso com até 50 cm de diâmetro. Folhas pilosas em ambas as faces, mais na inferior, que é mais clara.

Planta decídua, heliófita, xerófita, nativa do cerrado em solos bem drenados.

Floresce de julho a setembro. Os frutos amadurecem de setembro a outubro.

FloresProduz grande quantidade de sementes leves, aladas com pequenas reservas, e que perdem a viabilidade em menos de 90 dias após coleta. A sua conservação vem sendo estudada em termos de determinação da condição ideal de armazenamento, e tem demonstrado a importância de se conhecer o comportamento da espécie quando armazenada com diferentes teores de umidade inicial, e a umidade de equilíbrio crítica para a espécie (KANO; MÁRQUEZ & KAGEYAMA, 1978). As levíssimas sementes aladas da espécie não necessitam de quebra de dormência. Podem apenas ser expostas ao sol por cerca de 6 horas e semeadas diretamente nos saquinhos. A germinação ocorre após 30 dias e de 80%. As sementes são ortodoxas e há aproximadamente 72 000 sementes em cada quilo.

O desenvolvimento da planta é rápido.

Como outros ipês, a madeira é usada em tacos, assoalhos, e em dormentes e postes. Presta-se também para peças torneadas e instrumento musicais.

Tabebuia alba (Ipê-Amarelo)

Texto, em português, produzido pela Acadêmica Giovana Beatriz Theodoro Marto

Supervisão e orientação do Prof. Luiz Ernesto George Barrichelo e do Eng. Paulo Henrique Müller

Atualizado em 10/07/2006

O ipê amarelo é a árvore brasileira mais conhecida, a mais cultivada e, sem dúvida nenhuma, a mais bela. É na verdade um complexo de nove ou dez espécies com características mais ou menos semelhantes, com flores brancas, amarelas ou roxas. Não há região do país onde não exista pelo menos uma espécie dele, porém a existência do ipê em habitat natural nos dias atuais é rara entre a maioria das espécies (LORENZI,2000).

A espécie Tabebuia alba, nativa do Brasil, é uma das espécies do gênero Tabebuia que possui “Ipê Amarelo” como nome popular. O nome alba provém de albus (branco em latim) e é devido ao tomento branco dos ramos e folhas novas.

As árvores desta espécie proporcionam um belo espetáculo com sua bela floração na arborização de ruas em algumas cidades brasileiras. São lindas árvores que embelezam e promovem um colorido no final do inverno. Existe uma crença popular de que quando o ipê-amarelo floresce não vão ocorrer mais geadas. Infelizmente, a espécie é considerada vulnerável quanto à ameaça de extinção.

A Tabebuia alba, natural do semi-árido alagoano está adaptada a todas as regiões fisiográficas, levando o governo, por meio do Decreto nº 6239, a transformar a espécie como a árvore símbolo do estado, estando, pois sob a sua tutela, não mais podendo ser suprimida de seus habitats naturais.

Taxonomia

Família: Bignoniaceae

Espécie: Tabebuia Alba (Chamiso) Sandwith

Sinonímia botânica: Handroanthus albus (Chamiso) Mattos; Tecoma alba Chamisso

Outros nomes vulgares: ipê-amarelo, ipê, aipê, ipê-branco, ipê-mamono, ipê-mandioca, ipê-ouro, ipê-pardo, ipê-vacariano, ipê-tabaco, ipê-do-cerrado, ipê-dourado, ipê-da-serra, ipezeiro, pau-d’arco-amarelo, taipoca.

Aspectos Ecológicos

O ipê-amarelo é uma espécie heliófita (Planta adaptada ao crescimento em ambiente aberto ou exposto à luz direta) e decídua (que perde as folhas em determinada época do ano). Pertence ao grupo das espécies secundárias iniciais (DURIGAN & NOGUEIRA, 1990).

Abrange a Floresta Pluvial da Mata Atlântica e da Floresta Latifoliada Semidecídua, ocorrendo principalmente no interior da Floresta Primária Densa. É característica de sub-bosques dos pinhais, onde há regeneração regular.

Informações Botânicas

Morfologia

As árvores de Tabebuia alba possuem cerca de 30 metros de altura. O tronco é reto ou levemente tortuoso, com fuste de 5 a 8 m de altura. A casca externa é grisáceo-grossa, possuindo fissuras longitudinais esparas e profundas. A coloração desta é cinza-rosa intenso, com camadas fibrosas, muito resistentes e finas, porém bem distintas.

Com ramos grossos, tortuosos e compridos, o ipê-amarelo possui copa alongada e alargada na base. As raízes de sustentação e absorção são vigorosas e profundas.

As folhas, deciduais, são opostas, digitadas e compostas. A face superior destas folhas é verde-escura, e, a face inferior, acinzentada, sendo ambas as faces tomentosas. Os pecíolos das folhas medem de 2,5 a 10 cm de comprimento. Os folíolos, geralmente, apresentam-se em número de 5 a 7, possuindo de 7 a 18 cm de comprimento por 2 a 6 cm de largura. Quando jovem estes folíolos são densamente pilosos em ambas as faces. O ápice destes é pontiagudo, com base arredondada e margem serreada.

As flores, grandes e lanceoladas, são de coloração amarelo-ouro. Possuem em média 8X15 cm.

Quanto aos frutos, estes possuem forma de cápsula bivalvar e são secos e deiscentes. Do tipo síliqua, lembram uma vagem. Medem de 15 a 30 cm de comprimento por 1,5 a 2,5 cm de largura. As valvas são finamente tomentosas com pêlos ramificados. Possuem grande quantidade de sementes.

As sementes são membranáceas brilhantes e esbranquiçadas, de coloração marrom. Possuem de 2 a 3 cm de comprimento por 7 a 9 mm de largura e são aladas.

Reprodução

A espécie é caducifólia e a queda das folhas coincide com o período de floração. A floração inicia-se no final de agosto, podendo ocorrer alguma variação devido a fenômenos climáticos. Como a espécie floresce no final do inverno é influenciada pela intensidade do mesmo. Quanto mais frio e seco for o inverno, maior será a intensidade da florada do ipê amarelo.

As flores por sua exuberância, atraem abelhas e pássaros, principalmente beija-flores que são importantes agentes polinizadores. Segundo CARVALHO (2003), a espécie possui como vetor de polinização a abelha mamangava (Bombus morio).

As sementes são dispersas pelo vento.

A planta é hermafrodita, e frutifica nos meses de setembro, outubro, novembro, dezembro, janeiro e fevereiro, dependendo da sua localização. Em cultivo, a espécie inicia o processo reprodutivo após o terceiro ano.

Ocorrência Natural

Ocorre naturalmente na Floresta Estaciobal Semidecicual, Floresta de Araucária e no Cerrado.

Segundo o IBGE, a Tabebuia alba (Cham.) Sandw. é uma árvore do Cerrado, Cerradão e Mata Seca. Apresentando-se nos campos secos (savana gramíneo-lenhosa), próximo às escarpas.

Clima

Segundo a classificação de Köppen, o ipê-amarelo abrange locais de clima tropical (Aw), subtropical úmido (Cfa), sutropical de altitude (Cwa e Cwb) e temperado.

A T.alba pode tolerar até 81 geadas em um ano. Ocorre em locais onde a temperatura média anual varia de 14,4ºC como mínimo e 22,4ºC como máximo.

Solo

A espécie prefere solos úmidos, com drenagem lenta e geralmente não muito ondulados (LONGHI, 1995).

Aparece em terras de boa à média fertilidade, em solos profundos ou rasos, nas matas e raramente cerradões (NOGUEIRA, 1977).

Pragas e Doenças

De acordo com CARVALHO (2003), possui como praga a espécie de coleópteros Cydianerus bohemani da família Curculionoideae e um outro coleóptero da família Chrysomellidae. Apesar da constatação de elevados índices populacionais do primeiro, os danos ocasionados até o momento são leves. Nas praças e ruas de Curitiba - PR, 31% das árvores foram atacadas pela Cochonilha Ceroplastes grandis.

ZIDKO (2002), ao estudar no município de Piracicaba a associação de coleópteros em espécies arbóreas, verificou a presença de insetos adultos da espécie Sitophilus linearis da família de coleópteros, Curculionidae, em estruturas reprodutivas. Os insetos adultos da espécie emergiram das vagens do ipê, danificando as sementes desta espécie nativa.

ANDRADE (1928) assinalou diversas espécies de Cerambycidae atacando essências florestais vivas, como ingazeiro, cinamomo, cangerana, cedro, caixeta, jacarandá, araribá, jatobá, entre outras como o ipê amarelo.

A Madeira

A Tabebuia alba produz madeira de grande durabilidade e resistência ao apodrecimento (LONGHI,1995).

MANIERI (1970) caracteriza o cerne desta espécie como de cor pardo-havana-claro, pardo-havan-escuro, ou pardo-acastanhado, com reflexos esverdeados. A superfície da madeira é irregularmente lustrosa, lisa ao tato, possuindo textura media e grã-direita.

Com densidade entre 0,90 e 1,15 grama por centímetro cúbico, a madeira é muito dura (LORENZI, 1992), apresentando grande dificuldade ao serrar.

A madeira possui cheiro e gosto distintos. Segundo LORENZI (1992), o cheiro característico é devido à presença da substância lapachol, ou ipeína.

Usos da Madeira

Sendo pesada, com cerne escuro, adquire grande valor comercial na marcenaria e carpintaria. Também é utilizada para fabricação de dormentes, moirões, pontes, postes, eixos de roda, varais de carroça, moendas de cana, etc.

Produtos Não-Madeireiros

A entrecasca do ipê-amarelo possui propriedades terapêuticas como adstringente, usada no tratamento de garganta e estomatites. É também usada como diurético.

O ipê-amarelo possui flores melíferas e que maduras podem ser utilizadas na alimentação humana.

Outros Usos

É comumente utilizada em paisagismo de parques e jardins pela beleza e porte. Além disso, é muito utilizada na arborização urbana.

Segundo MOREIRA & SOUZA (1987), o ipê-amarelo costuma povoar as beiras dos rios sendo, portanto, indicado para recomposição de matas ciliares. MARTINS (1986), também cita a espécie para recomposição de matas ciliares da Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, abrangendo alguns municípios das regiões Norte, Noroeste e parte do Oeste do Estado do Paraná.

Aspectos Silviculturais

Possui a tendência a crescer reto e sem bifurcações quando plantado em reflorestamento misto, pois é espécie monopodial. A desrrama se faz muito bem e a cicatrização é boa. Sendo assim, dificilmente encopa quando nova, a não ser que seja plantado em parques e jardins.

Ao ser utilizada em arborização urbana, o ipê amarelo requer podas de condução com freqüência mediana.

Espécie heliófila apresenta a pleno sol ramificação cimosa, registrando-se assim dicotomia para gema apical. Deve ser preconizada, para seu melhor aproveitamento madeireiro, podas de formação usuais (INQUE et al., 1983).

Produção de Mudas

A propagação deve realizada através de enxertia.

Os frutos devem ser coletados antes da dispersão, para evitar a perda de sementes. Após a coleta as sementes são postas em ambiente ventilado e a extração é feita manualmente. As sementes do ipê amarelo são ortodoxas, mantendo a viabilidade natural por até 3 meses em sala e por até 9 meses em vidro fechado, em câmara fria.

A condução das mudas deve ser feita a pleno sol. A muda atinge cerca de 30 cm em 9 meses, apresentando tolerância ao sol 3 semanas após a germinação.

Sementes

Os ipês, espécies do gênero Tabebuia, produzem uma grande quantidade de sementes leves, aladas com pequenas reservas, e que perdem a viabilidade em poucos dias após a sua coleta. A sua conservação vem sendo estudada em termos de determinação da condição ideal de armazenamento, e tem demonstrado a importância de se conhecer o comportamento da espécie quando armazenada com diferentes teores de umidade inicial, e a umidade de equilíbrio crítica para a espécie (KANO; MÁRQUEZ & KAGEYAMA, 1978).

As levíssimas sementes aladas da espécie não necessitam de quebra de dormência. Podem apenas ser expostas ao sol por cerca de 6 horas e semeadas diretamente nos saquinhos. A quebra natural leva cerca de 3 meses e a quebra na câmara leva 9 meses. A germinação ocorre após 30 dias e de 80%.

As sementes são ortodoxas e há aproximadamente 87000 sementes em cada quilo.

Preço da Madeira no Mercado

O preço médio do metro cúbico de pranchas de ipê no Estado do Pará cotado em Julho e Agosto de 2005 foi de R$1.200,00 o preço mínimo, R$ 1509,35 o médio e R$ 2.000,00 o preço máximo (CEPEA,2005).

Le Carte géographique (Araschnia levana) est une espèce de lépidoptères (papillons) connue pour son important polymorphisme saisonnier.

Les individus nés au printemps (forme levana) sont clairs : le dessus des ailes est orangé fortement dessiné de blanc et de noir (couleurs également présentes sur la chenille).

Ceux de la génération estivale (forme prorsa) sont noirs avec une bande blanche et une étroite ligne submarginale rouge foncé, le dessous étant violacé

Le nom vernaculaire de « Carte géographique » provient du motif en réseau de traits blancs qui orne le revers des ailes, évoquant un réseau routier sur une carte. Pour la même raison, l'espèce est appelée map en anglais.

Source: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carte_g%C3%A9ographique_(papillon)

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Femme Hmong Rouge dans un village en bord de route entre Dien Bien Phu et Lai Chau, Nord du Vietnam

Les Hmong encore appelés Méo, ou Miao , sont originaires des régions montagneuses du sud de la Chine (principalement la province du Guizhou), où ils sont encore présents ainsi qu'au nord du Viêt Nam et du Laos.

Le souci de préserver leur identité culturelle et leur indépendance les ont amenés à s'engager dans divers conflits. Au XXe siècle, en particulier, ils aidèrent les Français pendant la guerre d'Indochine puis les Américains pendant la la guerre du Vietnam. A l’avènement des régimes communistes dans ces pays un nombre important de Hmong se sont réfugiés dans des pays d'accueil, principalement les États-Unis, la France et l'Australie. Mais la majeure partie d’entre eux vit encore en Asie du Sud-Est

Les Hmongs sont animistes ou chrétiens. La langue hmong appartient à la famille des langues hmong-mien, encore appelée « miao-yao »

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On distingue plusieurs groupes dans cette ethnie dont les plus connus sont les Hmongs Fleurs ou Hmong Bariolés dans la région de Bac Ha, mais aussi les Hmongs Noirs dans la région de Sapa et les Hmongs Rouge dans la région de Lai Chau. J'ai déjà eu l'occasion de présenter précédemment plusieurs d'entre eux.

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As borboletas são insectos da ordem Lepidoptera classificados nas super-famílias Hesperioidea e Papilionoidea, que constituem o grupo informal Rhopalocera.

As borboletas têm dois pares de asas membranosas cobertas de escamas e peças bucais adaptadas a sucção. Distinguem-se das traças (mariposas) pelas antenas rectilíneas que terminam numa bola, pelos hábitos de vida diurnos, pela metamorfose que decorre dentro de uma crisálida rígida e pelo abdómen fino e alongado. Quando em repouso, as borboletas dobram as suas asas para cima.

As borboletas são importantes polinizadores de diversas espécies de plantas.

O ciclo de vida das borboletas engloba as seguintes etapas:

1) ovo→ fase pré-larval

2) larva→ chamada também de lagarta ou taturana,

3) pupa→ que se desenvolve dentro da crisálida (ou casulo)

4) imago→ fase adulta

_______________________

A butterfly is any of several groups of mainly day-flying insects of the order Lepidoptera, the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, butterflies' life cycle consists of four parts, egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea). All the many other families within the Lepidoptera are referred to as moths.

Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some, like the Monarch, will migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Butterflies are important economically as agents of pollination. The caterpillars of some butterflies eat harmful insects. A few species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage domestic crops or trees. Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.

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Marché de Dong Van

Nord du Vietnam

Les Hmong encore appelés Méo, ou Miao , sont originaires des régions montagneuses du sud de la Chine (principalement la province du Guizhou), où ils sont encore présents ainsi qu'au nord du Viêt Nam et du Laos.

Le souci de préserver leur identité culturelle et leur indépendance les ont amenés à s'engager dans divers conflits. Au XXe siècle, en particulier, ils aidèrent les Français pendant la guerre d'Indochine puis les Américains pendant la la guerre du Vietnam. A l’avènement des régimes communistes dans ces pays un nombre important de Hmong se sont réfugiés dans des pays d'accueil, principalement les États-Unis, la France et l'Australie. Mais la majeure partie d’entre eux vit encore en Asie du Sud-Est

Les Hmongs sont animistes ou chrétiens. La langue hmong appartient à la famille des langues hmong-mien, encore appelée « miao-yao »

Les costumes traditionnels de cette ethnie sont très polymorphes mais ils ont en commun la richesse du décor brodé. J'aurai l'occasion d'en présenter plusieurs exemples.

good morning, herr doktor.

ah, there you are, my boy. just in time to stand in for your erstwhile counterpart.

murray? he's here?

he was. you can find him over there.

where? here? there's only this circle of ice on the floor.

not ice. ice-9. the murray version of ice-9, to be exact.

what?

he accidentally came in contact with it while holding that metal prong.

what happened to him?

as you know, ice-9 is a polymorph of water which melts at the elevated temperature of 45.8 °C, or 114.4 °F. when it comes in contact with liquid water below that temperature, it becomes supercooled.

so?

it acts as a seed crystal and causes the solidification of the entire body of water, which instantly crystallizes as more ice-9.

but what about murray?

well, like everyone else, he was mostly water.

you mean. . . . ?

unfortunately, he crystalized when he touched it, and that's what's left of him.

my god!

yes. too bad. he was about to make me some coffee. but now you're here, so. . . you don't mind, do you?

um, I guess not.

I take cream and sugar. 2 of each, thanks.

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Guillemot

The Common Murre or Common Guillemot (Uria aalge) is a large auk. It is also known as the Thin-billed Murre in North America. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North-Atlantic and North Pacific. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.

Common Murres have fast direct flight but are not very agile. They are more manoeuvrable underwater, typically diving to depths of 30–60 m (100–200 ft), and depths of up to 180 m (600 ft) have been recorded.

Common Murres breed in colonies at high densities, nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbours. They make no nest, their single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face. Eggs hatch after ~30 days incubation. The chick is born downy, and can regulate its body temperature after 10 days. Some 20 days after hatching the chick leaves its nesting ledge and heads for the sea, unable to fly, but gliding for some distance with fluttering wings, accompanied by its male parent. Chicks are capable of diving as soon as they hit the water. The female stays at the nest site for some 14 days after the chick has left.

Both male and female Common Murres moult after breeding and become flightless for 1–2 months. In southern populations they occasionally return to the nest site throughout the winter. Northern populations spend the winter farther from their colonies.

Taxonomy

The auks are a family of seabirds related to the gulls and terns which contains several genera. The Common Murre is placed in the guillemot (murre) genus Uria (Brisson, 1760), which it shares with the Thick-billed Murre or Brunnich's Guillemot, U. lomvia. These species, together with the Razorbill, Little Auk and the extinct Great Auk make up the tribe Alcini. This arrangement was originally based on analyses of auk morphology and ecology.[1]

The binomial name derives from Greek ouriaa, a waterbird mentioned by Athenaeus, and Danish aalge, "auk" (from Old Norse alka).

Description

The Common Murre is 38–46 cm (15–18 in) in length with a 61–73 cm (24–29 in) wingspan.[3] Male and female are indistinguishable in the field and weight ranges between 945 g (2 lb) in the south of their range to 1044 g (2.3 lb) in the north.[4] A weight range of 775–1,250 g (1.71–2.8 lb) has been reported.[5] In breeding plumage, the nominate subspecies (U. a. aalge) is black on the head, back and wings, and has white underparts. It has thin dark pointed bill and a small rounded dark tail. After the pre-basic moult, the face is white with a dark spur behind the eye. Birds of the subspecies U. a. albionis are dark brown rather than black, most obviously so in colonies in southern Britain. Legs are grey and the bill is dark grey. Occasionally, adults are seen with yellow/grey legs. In May 2008, an aberrant adult was photographed with a bright yellow bill.[6]

The plumage of first winter birds is the same as the adult basic plumage. However, the first pre-alternate moult occurs later in the year. The adult pre-alternate moult is December–February, (even starting as early as November in U. a. albionis). First year birds can be in basic plumage as late as May, and their alternate plumage can retain some white feathers around the throat.[3]

Some individuals in the North Atlantic, known as "bridled guillemots", have a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. This is not a distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed—perhaps character displacement with the northerly Thick-billed Murre, which has a white bill-stripe but no bridled morph. The white is highly contrasting especially in the latter species and would provide an easy means for an individual bird to recognize conspecifics in densely-packed breeding colonies.[7]

The chicks are downy with blackish feathers on top and white below. By 12 days old, contour feathers are well developed in areas except for the head. At 15 days, facial feathers show the dark eyestripe against the white throat and cheek

Flight

The Common Murre flies with fast wing beats and has a flight speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).[9] Groups of birds are often seen flying together in a line just above the sea surface.[3] However, a high wing loading of 2 g/cm²[10] means that this species is not very agile and take-off is difficult.[11] Common Murres become flightless for 45–60 days while moulting their primary feathers

Diving

This bird is a pursuit-diver that forages for food by swimming underwater using its wings for propulsion. Dives usually last less than one minute, but the bird swims underwater for distances of over 30 m (100 ft) on a regular basis. Diving depths up to 152 m (500 ft) have been recorded[13] and birds can remain underwater a couple of minutes.

Distribution and habitat

The breeding habitat is islands, rocky shores, cliffs and sea stacks. The range is:

Subspecies[14]

RangeAppearance

Uria aalge aalgeNominate subspecies, eastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, northern British Isles and southern Norway

U. a. albionisSouthern British Isles, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal

Smaller than nominate, chocolate brown upperparts

U. a. hyperboreaNorthern Norway, Northwest Russia, Barents Sea

Larger than U. a. aalge, black upperparts

U. a. intermediaBaltic Sea

Intermediate between U. a. aalge and U. a. albionis

U. a. spilopteraFaroe Islands

U. a. inornataNorth Pacific, Japan, Eastern Russia, Alaska

Largest subspecies and largest auk, slightly larger than Thick-billed Murre

U. a. californicaCalifornia, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia

Some birds are permanent residents; northern birds migrate south to open waters near New England, southern California, Japan, Korea and the western Mediterranean. Common Murres rest on the water in the winter and this may have consequences for their metabolism. In the Black-legged Kittiwake (which shares this winter habit) resting metabolism is 40% higher on water than it is in air.[15]

The population is large, perhaps 7.3 million breeding pairs [16] or 18 million individuals.[17] It is presently stable, but potential threats include excessive hunting (legal in Newfoundland), pollution and oil spills.

Ecology and behaviour

Feeding

The Common Murre can venture far from its breeding grounds to forage; distances of 100 km and more are often observed[18] though if sufficient food is available closer by, birds only travel much shorter distances. The Common Murre mainly eats small schooling forage fish 200 mm long or less, such as polar cod, capelin, sand lances, sprats, sandeels, Atlantic cod and Atlantic herring. Capelin and sand lances are favourite food, but what the main prey is at any one time depends much on what is available in quantity.[18] It also eats some molluscs, marine worms, squid, and crustaceans such as amphipods. It consumes 20-32 grams of food in a day on average. It is often seen carrying fish in its bill with the tail hanging out.[7]

The Snake Pipefish is occasionally eaten, but it has poor nutritional value. The amount of these fish is increasing in the Common Murre's diet. Since 2003, the Snake Pipefish has increased in numbers in the North-east Atlantic and North Sea and sandeel numbers have declined

Communication

The Common Guillemot has a variety of calls, including a soft purring noise.

Reproduction

Colonies

This species nests in densely-packed colonies (known as "loomeries"), with up to twenty pairs occupying one square metre at peak season. Common Murres do not make nests and lay their eggs on bare rock ledges, under rocks, or the ground. They first breed at four to six years old and average lifespan is about 20 years.

Immature birds return to the natal colony, but from age 5 onwards ~25% of birds leave the colony, perhaps dispersing to other colonies.[20]

High densities mean that birds are close contact with neighbouring breeders.[21] Common Murres perform appeasement displays more often at high densities and more often than Razorbills.[21] Allopreening is common both between mates and between neighbours. Allopreening helps to reduce parasites, and it may also have important social functions.[22] Frequency of allopreening a neighbour correlates well with current breeding success.[22] Allopreening may function as a stress-reducer; ledges with low levels of allopreening show increased levels of fighting and reduced breeding success.[22]

Courtship

Courtship displays including bowing, billing and mutual preening. The male points its head vertically and makes croaking and growling noises to attract the females. The species is monogamous, but pairs may split if breeding is unsuccessful.[23][24]

Eggs and Incubation

Common Murre eggs are large (around 11% of female weight[14]), and are pointed at one end. There are a few theories to explain their pyriform shape:

1.If disturbed, they roll in a circle rather than fall off the ledge.

2.The shape allows efficient heat transfer during incubation.[25]

3.As a compromise between large egg size and small cross-section. Large size allows quick development of the chick. Small cross-sectional area allows the adult bird to have a small cross-section and therefore reduce drag when swimming.[14]

Eggs are laid between May and July for the Atlantic populations and March to July for those in the Pacific. The female spends less time ashore during the two weeks before laying. When laying, she assumes a "phoenix-like" posture: her body raised upright on vertical tarsi; wings half out-stretched. The egg emerges point first and laying usually takes 5–10 minutes.[26]

The eggs vary in colour and pattern to help the parents recognize them, each egg's pattern being unique. Colours include white, green, blue or brown with spots or speckles in black or lilac. After laying, the female will look at the egg before starting the first incubation shift.[26] Both parents incubate the egg for the 28 to 34 days to hatching in shifts of 1–38 hours.[14]

Eggs can be lost due to predation or carelessness. Crows and Gulls are opportunist egg thieves. Eggs are also knocked from ledges during fights. If the first egg is lost, the female may lay a second egg. This egg is usually lighter than the first, with a lighter yolk. Chicks from second eggs grow quicker than those from first eggs. However this rapid growth comes at a cost, first chicks have larger fat reserves and can withstand temporary shortages of food.

Growth of the chick

Chicks occupy an intermediate position between the precocial chicks of genus Synthliboramphus and the semi-precocial chicks of the Atlantic Puffin.[27] They are born downy and by 10 days old they are able to regulate their own temperature.[8] Except in times of food shortage there is at least one parent present at all times, and both parents are present 10-30% of the time.[28] Both parents alternate between brooding the chick or foraging for food.

Provisioning is usually divided equally between each parent, but unequal provisioning effort can lead to divorce.[24] Common Murres are single-prey loaders, this means that they carry one fish at time. The fish is held lengthways in the adult's bill, with the fish's tail hanging from the end of the beak. The returning adult will form its wings into a 'tent' to protect the chick. The adult points its head downwards and the chick swallows the fish head first.

Alloparenting behaviour is frequently observed. Non-breeding and failed breeders show great interest in other chicks, and will attempt to brood or feed them. This activity is more common as the chicks get older and begin to explore their ledge. There has also been a record of a pair managing to raise two chicks.[29] Adults that have lost chicks or eggs will sometimes bring fish to the nest site and try to feed their imaginary chick.

At time of extreme food stress, the social activity of the breeding ledge can break down. On the Isle of May colony in 2007, food availability was low. Adults spent more of their time-budget foraging for their chicks and had to leave them unattended at times. Unattended chicks were attacked by breeding neighbour which often led to their deaths. Non-breeding and failed breeders continued to show alloparental care.[30]

The chicks will leave the nest after 16 to 30 days (average 20–22 days),[4] and glide down into the sea, slowing their fall by fluttering as they are not yet able to fly. Chicks glide from heights as high as 457 m (1,500 ft) to the water below.[13] Once the young chick has left the nest, the male is in close attendance for up to two months. The chicks are able to fly roughly two weeks after fledging. Up until then the male feeds and cares for the chick at sea. In its migration south the chick swims about 1000 km. The female remains at the nest site for up to 36 days after the chick has fledged (average 16 days)

Relationship to humans

Pollution

Major oil spills double the winter mortality of breeding adults but appear to have little effect on birds less than three years old.[32] This loss of breeding birds can be compensated by increased recruitment of 4–6 year olds to breeding colonies.

Recreational disturbance

Nesting Common Murres are prone to two main sources of recreational disturbance: rock-climbing and birdwatching. Sea cliffs are a paradise for climbers as well as birds; a small island like Lundy has over 1000 described climbing routes.[33] To minimise disturbance, some cliffs are subject to seasonal climbing bans.[33]

Birdwatching has conflicting effects on Common Murres. Birdwatchers petitioned the UK government to introduce the Sea Birds Preservation Act 1869. This act was designed to reduce the effects of shooting and egg collecting during the breeding season.[34] Current concerns include managing the effect of visitor numbers at wildlife reserves. Common Murres have been shown to be sensitive to visitor numbers.[35]

Seabirds as indicators of marine health

When Common Murres are feeding their young, they return with one fish at a time. The provisioning time relates to the distance of the feeding areas from the colony and the numbers of available fish. There is a strong non-linear relationship between fish density and colony attendance during chick-rearing.[36]

As a food source

In areas such as Newfoundland, the birds, along with the related Thick-billed Murre, are referred to as 'turrs' or 'tuirs', and are consumed. The meat is dark and quite oily, due to the birds' diet of fish. Eggs have also been harvested. Eggers from San Francisco took almost half a million eggs a year from the Farallon Islands in the mid-19th century to feed the growing city.[37]

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Guillemot

The Common Murre or Common Guillemot (Uria aalge) is a large auk. It is also known as the Thin-billed Murre in North America. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North-Atlantic and North Pacific. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.

Common Murres have fast direct flight but are not very agile. They are more manoeuvrable underwater, typically diving to depths of 30–60 m (100–200 ft), and depths of up to 180 m (600 ft) have been recorded.

Common Murres breed in colonies at high densities, nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbours. They make no nest, their single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face. Eggs hatch after ~30 days incubation. The chick is born downy, and can regulate its body temperature after 10 days. Some 20 days after hatching the chick leaves its nesting ledge and heads for the sea, unable to fly, but gliding for some distance with fluttering wings, accompanied by its male parent. Chicks are capable of diving as soon as they hit the water. The female stays at the nest site for some 14 days after the chick has left.

Both male and female Common Murres moult after breeding and become flightless for 1–2 months. In southern populations they occasionally return to the nest site throughout the winter. Northern populations spend the winter farther from their colonies.

Taxonomy

The auks are a family of seabirds related to the gulls and terns which contains several genera. The Common Murre is placed in the guillemot (murre) genus Uria (Brisson, 1760), which it shares with the Thick-billed Murre or Brunnich's Guillemot, U. lomvia. These species, together with the Razorbill, Little Auk and the extinct Great Auk make up the tribe Alcini. This arrangement was originally based on analyses of auk morphology and ecology.[1]

The binomial name derives from Greek ouriaa, a waterbird mentioned by Athenaeus, and Danish aalge, "auk" (from Old Norse alka).

Description

The Common Murre is 38–46 cm (15–18 in) in length with a 61–73 cm (24–29 in) wingspan.[3] Male and female are indistinguishable in the field and weight ranges between 945 g (2 lb) in the south of their range to 1044 g (2.3 lb) in the north.[4] A weight range of 775–1,250 g (1.71–2.8 lb) has been reported.[5] In breeding plumage, the nominate subspecies (U. a. aalge) is black on the head, back and wings, and has white underparts. It has thin dark pointed bill and a small rounded dark tail. After the pre-basic moult, the face is white with a dark spur behind the eye. Birds of the subspecies U. a. albionis are dark brown rather than black, most obviously so in colonies in southern Britain. Legs are grey and the bill is dark grey. Occasionally, adults are seen with yellow/grey legs. In May 2008, an aberrant adult was photographed with a bright yellow bill.[6]

The plumage of first winter birds is the same as the adult basic plumage. However, the first pre-alternate moult occurs later in the year. The adult pre-alternate moult is December–February, (even starting as early as November in U. a. albionis). First year birds can be in basic plumage as late as May, and their alternate plumage can retain some white feathers around the throat.[3]

Some individuals in the North Atlantic, known as "bridled guillemots", have a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. This is not a distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed—perhaps character displacement with the northerly Thick-billed Murre, which has a white bill-stripe but no bridled morph. The white is highly contrasting especially in the latter species and would provide an easy means for an individual bird to recognize conspecifics in densely-packed breeding colonies.[7]

The chicks are downy with blackish feathers on top and white below. By 12 days old, contour feathers are well developed in areas except for the head. At 15 days, facial feathers show the dark eyestripe against the white throat and cheek

Flight

The Common Murre flies with fast wing beats and has a flight speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).[9] Groups of birds are often seen flying together in a line just above the sea surface.[3] However, a high wing loading of 2 g/cm²[10] means that this species is not very agile and take-off is difficult.[11] Common Murres become flightless for 45–60 days while moulting their primary feathers

Diving

This bird is a pursuit-diver that forages for food by swimming underwater using its wings for propulsion. Dives usually last less than one minute, but the bird swims underwater for distances of over 30 m (100 ft) on a regular basis. Diving depths up to 152 m (500 ft) have been recorded[13] and birds can remain underwater a couple of minutes.

Distribution and habitat

The breeding habitat is islands, rocky shores, cliffs and sea stacks. The range is:

Subspecies[14]

RangeAppearance

Uria aalge aalgeNominate subspecies, eastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, northern British Isles and southern Norway

U. a. albionisSouthern British Isles, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal

Smaller than nominate, chocolate brown upperparts

U. a. hyperboreaNorthern Norway, Northwest Russia, Barents Sea

Larger than U. a. aalge, black upperparts

U. a. intermediaBaltic Sea

Intermediate between U. a. aalge and U. a. albionis

U. a. spilopteraFaroe Islands

U. a. inornataNorth Pacific, Japan, Eastern Russia, Alaska

Largest subspecies and largest auk, slightly larger than Thick-billed Murre

U. a. californicaCalifornia, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia

Some birds are permanent residents; northern birds migrate south to open waters near New England, southern California, Japan, Korea and the western Mediterranean. Common Murres rest on the water in the winter and this may have consequences for their metabolism. In the Black-legged Kittiwake (which shares this winter habit) resting metabolism is 40% higher on water than it is in air.[15]

The population is large, perhaps 7.3 million breeding pairs [16] or 18 million individuals.[17] It is presently stable, but potential threats include excessive hunting (legal in Newfoundland), pollution and oil spills.

Ecology and behaviour

Feeding

The Common Murre can venture far from its breeding grounds to forage; distances of 100 km and more are often observed[18] though if sufficient food is available closer by, birds only travel much shorter distances. The Common Murre mainly eats small schooling forage fish 200 mm long or less, such as polar cod, capelin, sand lances, sprats, sandeels, Atlantic cod and Atlantic herring. Capelin and sand lances are favourite food, but what the main prey is at any one time depends much on what is available in quantity.[18] It also eats some molluscs, marine worms, squid, and crustaceans such as amphipods. It consumes 20-32 grams of food in a day on average. It is often seen carrying fish in its bill with the tail hanging out.[7]

The Snake Pipefish is occasionally eaten, but it has poor nutritional value. The amount of these fish is increasing in the Common Murre's diet. Since 2003, the Snake Pipefish has increased in numbers in the North-east Atlantic and North Sea and sandeel numbers have declined

Communication

The Common Guillemot has a variety of calls, including a soft purring noise.

Reproduction

Colonies

This species nests in densely-packed colonies (known as "loomeries"), with up to twenty pairs occupying one square metre at peak season. Common Murres do not make nests and lay their eggs on bare rock ledges, under rocks, or the ground. They first breed at four to six years old and average lifespan is about 20 years.

Immature birds return to the natal colony, but from age 5 onwards ~25% of birds leave the colony, perhaps dispersing to other colonies.[20]

High densities mean that birds are close contact with neighbouring breeders.[21] Common Murres perform appeasement displays more often at high densities and more often than Razorbills.[21] Allopreening is common both between mates and between neighbours. Allopreening helps to reduce parasites, and it may also have important social functions.[22] Frequency of allopreening a neighbour correlates well with current breeding success.[22] Allopreening may function as a stress-reducer; ledges with low levels of allopreening show increased levels of fighting and reduced breeding success.[22]

Courtship

Courtship displays including bowing, billing and mutual preening. The male points its head vertically and makes croaking and growling noises to attract the females. The species is monogamous, but pairs may split if breeding is unsuccessful.[23][24]

Eggs and Incubation

Common Murre eggs are large (around 11% of female weight[14]), and are pointed at one end. There are a few theories to explain their pyriform shape:

1.If disturbed, they roll in a circle rather than fall off the ledge.

2.The shape allows efficient heat transfer during incubation.[25]

3.As a compromise between large egg size and small cross-section. Large size allows quick development of the chick. Small cross-sectional area allows the adult bird to have a small cross-section and therefore reduce drag when swimming.[14]

Eggs are laid between May and July for the Atlantic populations and March to July for those in the Pacific. The female spends less time ashore during the two weeks before laying. When laying, she assumes a "phoenix-like" posture: her body raised upright on vertical tarsi; wings half out-stretched. The egg emerges point first and laying usually takes 5–10 minutes.[26]

The eggs vary in colour and pattern to help the parents recognize them, each egg's pattern being unique. Colours include white, green, blue or brown with spots or speckles in black or lilac. After laying, the female will look at the egg before starting the first incubation shift.[26] Both parents incubate the egg for the 28 to 34 days to hatching in shifts of 1–38 hours.[14]

Eggs can be lost due to predation or carelessness. Crows and Gulls are opportunist egg thieves. Eggs are also knocked from ledges during fights. If the first egg is lost, the female may lay a second egg. This egg is usually lighter than the first, with a lighter yolk. Chicks from second eggs grow quicker than those from first eggs. However this rapid growth comes at a cost, first chicks have larger fat reserves and can withstand temporary shortages of food.

Growth of the chick

Chicks occupy an intermediate position between the precocial chicks of genus Synthliboramphus and the semi-precocial chicks of the Atlantic Puffin.[27] They are born downy and by 10 days old they are able to regulate their own temperature.[8] Except in times of food shortage there is at least one parent present at all times, and both parents are present 10-30% of the time.[28] Both parents alternate between brooding the chick or foraging for food.

Provisioning is usually divided equally between each parent, but unequal provisioning effort can lead to divorce.[24] Common Murres are single-prey loaders, this means that they carry one fish at time. The fish is held lengthways in the adult's bill, with the fish's tail hanging from the end of the beak. The returning adult will form its wings into a 'tent' to protect the chick. The adult points its head downwards and the chick swallows the fish head first.

Alloparenting behaviour is frequently observed. Non-breeding and failed breeders show great interest in other chicks, and will attempt to brood or feed them. This activity is more common as the chicks get older and begin to explore their ledge. There has also been a record of a pair managing to raise two chicks.[29] Adults that have lost chicks or eggs will sometimes bring fish to the nest site and try to feed their imaginary chick.

At time of extreme food stress, the social activity of the breeding ledge can break down. On the Isle of May colony in 2007, food availability was low. Adults spent more of their time-budget foraging for their chicks and had to leave them unattended at times. Unattended chicks were attacked by breeding neighbour which often led to their deaths. Non-breeding and failed breeders continued to show alloparental care.[30]

The chicks will leave the nest after 16 to 30 days (average 20–22 days),[4] and glide down into the sea, slowing their fall by fluttering as they are not yet able to fly. Chicks glide from heights as high as 457 m (1,500 ft) to the water below.[13] Once the young chick has left the nest, the male is in close attendance for up to two months. The chicks are able to fly roughly two weeks after fledging. Up until then the male feeds and cares for the chick at sea. In its migration south the chick swims about 1000 km. The female remains at the nest site for up to 36 days after the chick has fledged (average 16 days)

Relationship to humans

Pollution

Major oil spills double the winter mortality of breeding adults but appear to have little effect on birds less than three years old.[32] This loss of breeding birds can be compensated by increased recruitment of 4–6 year olds to breeding colonies.

Recreational disturbance

Nesting Common Murres are prone to two main sources of recreational disturbance: rock-climbing and birdwatching. Sea cliffs are a paradise for climbers as well as birds; a small island like Lundy has over 1000 described climbing routes.[33] To minimise disturbance, some cliffs are subject to seasonal climbing bans.[33]

Birdwatching has conflicting effects on Common Murres. Birdwatchers petitioned the UK government to introduce the Sea Birds Preservation Act 1869. This act was designed to reduce the effects of shooting and egg collecting during the breeding season.[34] Current concerns include managing the effect of visitor numbers at wildlife reserves. Common Murres have been shown to be sensitive to visitor numbers.[35]

Seabirds as indicators of marine health

When Common Murres are feeding their young, they return with one fish at a time. The provisioning time relates to the distance of the feeding areas from the colony and the numbers of available fish. There is a strong non-linear relationship between fish density and colony attendance during chick-rearing.[36]

As a food source

In areas such as Newfoundland, the birds, along with the related Thick-billed Murre, are referred to as 'turrs' or 'tuirs', and are consumed. The meat is dark and quite oily, due to the birds' diet of fish. Eggs have also been harvested. Eggers from San Francisco took almost half a million eggs a year from the Farallon Islands in the mid-19th century to feed the growing city.[37]

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E' un fungo mortale molto diffuso e uno dei più pericolosi esistenti in natura a causa della sua elevata tossicità e del suo polimorfismo, che lo rende somigliante a molte specie congeneri e non.

It is a deadly mushroom very popular and one of the most dangerous existing in nature due to its high toxicity and its polymorphism, which makes it so resembles many species congeners is not.

-Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Guillemot

The Common Murre or Common Guillemot (Uria aalge) is a large auk. It is also known as the Thin-billed Murre in North America. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North-Atlantic and North Pacific. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.

Common Murres have fast direct flight but are not very agile. They are more manoeuvrable underwater, typically diving to depths of 30–60 m (100–200 ft), and depths of up to 180 m (600 ft) have been recorded.

Common Murres breed in colonies at high densities, nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbours. They make no nest, their single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face. Eggs hatch after ~30 days incubation. The chick is born downy, and can regulate its body temperature after 10 days. Some 20 days after hatching the chick leaves its nesting ledge and heads for the sea, unable to fly, but gliding for some distance with fluttering wings, accompanied by its male parent. Chicks are capable of diving as soon as they hit the water. The female stays at the nest site for some 14 days after the chick has left.

Both male and female Common Murres moult after breeding and become flightless for 1–2 months. In southern populations they occasionally return to the nest site throughout the winter. Northern populations spend the winter farther from their colonies.

Taxonomy

The auks are a family of seabirds related to the gulls and terns which contains several genera. The Common Murre is placed in the guillemot (murre) genus Uria (Brisson, 1760), which it shares with the Thick-billed Murre or Brunnich's Guillemot, U. lomvia. These species, together with the Razorbill, Little Auk and the extinct Great Auk make up the tribe Alcini. This arrangement was originally based on analyses of auk morphology and ecology.[1]

The binomial name derives from Greek ouriaa, a waterbird mentioned by Athenaeus, and Danish aalge, "auk" (from Old Norse alka).

Description

The Common Murre is 38–46 cm (15–18 in) in length with a 61–73 cm (24–29 in) wingspan.[3] Male and female are indistinguishable in the field and weight ranges between 945 g (2 lb) in the south of their range to 1044 g (2.3 lb) in the north.[4] A weight range of 775–1,250 g (1.71–2.8 lb) has been reported.[5] In breeding plumage, the nominate subspecies (U. a. aalge) is black on the head, back and wings, and has white underparts. It has thin dark pointed bill and a small rounded dark tail. After the pre-basic moult, the face is white with a dark spur behind the eye. Birds of the subspecies U. a. albionis are dark brown rather than black, most obviously so in colonies in southern Britain. Legs are grey and the bill is dark grey. Occasionally, adults are seen with yellow/grey legs. In May 2008, an aberrant adult was photographed with a bright yellow bill.[6]

The plumage of first winter birds is the same as the adult basic plumage. However, the first pre-alternate moult occurs later in the year. The adult pre-alternate moult is December–February, (even starting as early as November in U. a. albionis). First year birds can be in basic plumage as late as May, and their alternate plumage can retain some white feathers around the throat.[3]

Some individuals in the North Atlantic, known as "bridled guillemots", have a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. This is not a distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed—perhaps character displacement with the northerly Thick-billed Murre, which has a white bill-stripe but no bridled morph. The white is highly contrasting especially in the latter species and would provide an easy means for an individual bird to recognize conspecifics in densely-packed breeding colonies.[7]

The chicks are downy with blackish feathers on top and white below. By 12 days old, contour feathers are well developed in areas except for the head. At 15 days, facial feathers show the dark eyestripe against the white throat and cheek

Flight

The Common Murre flies with fast wing beats and has a flight speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).[9] Groups of birds are often seen flying together in a line just above the sea surface.[3] However, a high wing loading of 2 g/cm²[10] means that this species is not very agile and take-off is difficult.[11] Common Murres become flightless for 45–60 days while moulting their primary feathers

Diving

This bird is a pursuit-diver that forages for food by swimming underwater using its wings for propulsion. Dives usually last less than one minute, but the bird swims underwater for distances of over 30 m (100 ft) on a regular basis. Diving depths up to 152 m (500 ft) have been recorded[13] and birds can remain underwater a couple of minutes.

Distribution and habitat

The breeding habitat is islands, rocky shores, cliffs and sea stacks. The range is:

Subspecies[14]

RangeAppearance

Uria aalge aalgeNominate subspecies, eastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, northern British Isles and southern Norway

U. a. albionisSouthern British Isles, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal

Smaller than nominate, chocolate brown upperparts

U. a. hyperboreaNorthern Norway, Northwest Russia, Barents Sea

Larger than U. a. aalge, black upperparts

U. a. intermediaBaltic Sea

Intermediate between U. a. aalge and U. a. albionis

U. a. spilopteraFaroe Islands

U. a. inornataNorth Pacific, Japan, Eastern Russia, Alaska

Largest subspecies and largest auk, slightly larger than Thick-billed Murre

U. a. californicaCalifornia, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia

Some birds are permanent residents; northern birds migrate south to open waters near New England, southern California, Japan, Korea and the western Mediterranean. Common Murres rest on the water in the winter and this may have consequences for their metabolism. In the Black-legged Kittiwake (which shares this winter habit) resting metabolism is 40% higher on water than it is in air.[15]

The population is large, perhaps 7.3 million breeding pairs [16] or 18 million individuals.[17] It is presently stable, but potential threats include excessive hunting (legal in Newfoundland), pollution and oil spills.

Ecology and behaviour

Feeding

The Common Murre can venture far from its breeding grounds to forage; distances of 100 km and more are often observed[18] though if sufficient food is available closer by, birds only travel much shorter distances. The Common Murre mainly eats small schooling forage fish 200 mm long or less, such as polar cod, capelin, sand lances, sprats, sandeels, Atlantic cod and Atlantic herring. Capelin and sand lances are favourite food, but what the main prey is at any one time depends much on what is available in quantity.[18] It also eats some molluscs, marine worms, squid, and crustaceans such as amphipods. It consumes 20-32 grams of food in a day on average. It is often seen carrying fish in its bill with the tail hanging out.[7]

The Snake Pipefish is occasionally eaten, but it has poor nutritional value. The amount of these fish is increasing in the Common Murre's diet. Since 2003, the Snake Pipefish has increased in numbers in the North-east Atlantic and North Sea and sandeel numbers have declined

Communication

The Common Guillemot has a variety of calls, including a soft purring noise.

Reproduction

Colonies

This species nests in densely-packed colonies (known as "loomeries"), with up to twenty pairs occupying one square metre at peak season. Common Murres do not make nests and lay their eggs on bare rock ledges, under rocks, or the ground. They first breed at four to six years old and average lifespan is about 20 years.

Immature birds return to the natal colony, but from age 5 onwards ~25% of birds leave the colony, perhaps dispersing to other colonies.[20]

High densities mean that birds are close contact with neighbouring breeders.[21] Common Murres perform appeasement displays more often at high densities and more often than Razorbills.[21] Allopreening is common both between mates and between neighbours. Allopreening helps to reduce parasites, and it may also have important social functions.[22] Frequency of allopreening a neighbour correlates well with current breeding success.[22] Allopreening may function as a stress-reducer; ledges with low levels of allopreening show increased levels of fighting and reduced breeding success.[22]

Courtship

Courtship displays including bowing, billing and mutual preening. The male points its head vertically and makes croaking and growling noises to attract the females. The species is monogamous, but pairs may split if breeding is unsuccessful.[23][24]

Eggs and Incubation

Common Murre eggs are large (around 11% of female weight[14]), and are pointed at one end. There are a few theories to explain their pyriform shape:

1.If disturbed, they roll in a circle rather than fall off the ledge.

2.The shape allows efficient heat transfer during incubation.[25]

3.As a compromise between large egg size and small cross-section. Large size allows quick development of the chick. Small cross-sectional area allows the adult bird to have a small cross-section and therefore reduce drag when swimming.[14]

Eggs are laid between May and July for the Atlantic populations and March to July for those in the Pacific. The female spends less time ashore during the two weeks before laying. When laying, she assumes a "phoenix-like" posture: her body raised upright on vertical tarsi; wings half out-stretched. The egg emerges point first and laying usually takes 5–10 minutes.[26]

The eggs vary in colour and pattern to help the parents recognize them, each egg's pattern being unique. Colours include white, green, blue or brown with spots or speckles in black or lilac. After laying, the female will look at the egg before starting the first incubation shift.[26] Both parents incubate the egg for the 28 to 34 days to hatching in shifts of 1–38 hours.[14]

Eggs can be lost due to predation or carelessness. Crows and Gulls are opportunist egg thieves. Eggs are also knocked from ledges during fights. If the first egg is lost, the female may lay a second egg. This egg is usually lighter than the first, with a lighter yolk. Chicks from second eggs grow quicker than those from first eggs. However this rapid growth comes at a cost, first chicks have larger fat reserves and can withstand temporary shortages of food.

Growth of the chick

Chicks occupy an intermediate position between the precocial chicks of genus Synthliboramphus and the semi-precocial chicks of the Atlantic Puffin.[27] They are born downy and by 10 days old they are able to regulate their own temperature.[8] Except in times of food shortage there is at least one parent present at all times, and both parents are present 10-30% of the time.[28] Both parents alternate between brooding the chick or foraging for food.

Provisioning is usually divided equally between each parent, but unequal provisioning effort can lead to divorce.[24] Common Murres are single-prey loaders, this means that they carry one fish at time. The fish is held lengthways in the adult's bill, with the fish's tail hanging from the end of the beak. The returning adult will form its wings into a 'tent' to protect the chick. The adult points its head downwards and the chick swallows the fish head first.

Alloparenting behaviour is frequently observed. Non-breeding and failed breeders show great interest in other chicks, and will attempt to brood or feed them. This activity is more common as the chicks get older and begin to explore their ledge. There has also been a record of a pair managing to raise two chicks.[29] Adults that have lost chicks or eggs will sometimes bring fish to the nest site and try to feed their imaginary chick.

At time of extreme food stress, the social activity of the breeding ledge can break down. On the Isle of May colony in 2007, food availability was low. Adults spent more of their time-budget foraging for their chicks and had to leave them unattended at times. Unattended chicks were attacked by breeding neighbour which often led to their deaths. Non-breeding and failed breeders continued to show alloparental care.[30]

The chicks will leave the nest after 16 to 30 days (average 20–22 days),[4] and glide down into the sea, slowing their fall by fluttering as they are not yet able to fly. Chicks glide from heights as high as 457 m (1,500 ft) to the water below.[13] Once the young chick has left the nest, the male is in close attendance for up to two months. The chicks are able to fly roughly two weeks after fledging. Up until then the male feeds and cares for the chick at sea. In its migration south the chick swims about 1000 km. The female remains at the nest site for up to 36 days after the chick has fledged (average 16 days)

Relationship to humans

Pollution

Major oil spills double the winter mortality of breeding adults but appear to have little effect on birds less than three years old.[32] This loss of breeding birds can be compensated by increased recruitment of 4–6 year olds to breeding colonies.

Recreational disturbance

Nesting Common Murres are prone to two main sources of recreational disturbance: rock-climbing and birdwatching. Sea cliffs are a paradise for climbers as well as birds; a small island like Lundy has over 1000 described climbing routes.[33] To minimise disturbance, some cliffs are subject to seasonal climbing bans.[33]

Birdwatching has conflicting effects on Common Murres. Birdwatchers petitioned the UK government to introduce the Sea Birds Preservation Act 1869. This act was designed to reduce the effects of shooting and egg collecting during the breeding season.[34] Current concerns include managing the effect of visitor numbers at wildlife reserves. Common Murres have been shown to be sensitive to visitor numbers.[35]

Seabirds as indicators of marine health

When Common Murres are feeding their young, they return with one fish at a time. The provisioning time relates to the distance of the feeding areas from the colony and the numbers of available fish. There is a strong non-linear relationship between fish density and colony attendance during chick-rearing.[36]

As a food source

In areas such as Newfoundland, the birds, along with the related Thick-billed Murre, are referred to as 'turrs' or 'tuirs', and are consumed. The meat is dark and quite oily, due to the birds' diet of fish. Eggs have also been harvested. Eggers from San Francisco took almost half a million eggs a year from the Farallon Islands in the mid-19th century to feed the growing city.[37]

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A text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. . . . . Like all Lepidoptera, butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a larval caterpillar stage, an inactive pupal stage, and a spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colourful winged adult form. Most species are day-flying so they regularly attract attention. The diverse patterns formed by their brightly coloured wings and their erratic yet graceful flight have made butterfly watching a fairly popular hobby. Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea). Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Butterflies are important economically as agents of pollination. In addition, a few species are pests, because they can damage domestic crops and trees in their larval stage.

Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.

Canon EOS 50D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4,5-5,6 L IS USM, development in Lightroom.

Photographed on a birdwatchers' boat trip to the Farne Islands, Northumberland.

Uria aalge - Common Guillemot (Common Murre) - Trottellumme - Zeekoet - Guillemot de Troïl - Arao común - Uria - Sillgrissla - Lomvie - Nurzyk zwyczajny - . . .

Wikipedia (edited): "The common murre or common guillemot (Uria aalge) is a large auk. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.

Guillemots are fast in direct flight but are not very agile. They can manoeuvre better underwater, where they typically dive to depths of 30–60m. They breed in colonies at high densities; nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbours. They make no nest; their single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face.

Some individuals in the North Atlantic, known as "bridled guillemots", have a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. This is not a distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farne_Islands

www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4519-Uria-aalge

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_murre

Canon EOS 50D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4,5-5,6 L IS USM, development in Lightroom.

Photographed on a birdwatchers' boat trip to the Farne Islands, Northumberland.

Uria aalge - Common Guillemot (Common Murre) - Trottellumme - Zeekoet - Guillemot de Troïl - Arao común - Uria - Sillgrissla - Lomvie - Nurzyk zwyczajny - . . .

Wikipedia (edited): "The common murre or common guillemot (Uria aalge) is a large auk. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.

Guillemots are fast in direct flight but are not very agile. They can manoeuvre better underwater, where they typically dive to depths of 30–60m. They breed in colonies at high densities; nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbours. They make no nest; their single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face.

Some individuals in the North Atlantic, known as "bridled guillemots", have a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. This is not a distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farne_Islands

www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4519-Uria-aalge

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_murre

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Emigrée de Chine du sud depuis le XIIIème siècle, l’ethnie Dao habite au Nord du Vietnam dans les provinces de la moyenne et haute région. Elle occupe des terres à toute altitude et vit en bons voisins avec d’autres ethnies comme les Hmong, Tay, Thaï, … Ses ressources principales proviennent de l’agriculture, (riz et mais)

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