Fun facts about a little know bird - Galapagos Rail Bird

Birds of the family ‘Rallidae’ are called Rails. The Galapagos Rail Bird is a small rail endemic to the Galapagos Islands. It closely resembles the closely related Black Rail of The Americas. It has been threatened by introduced species, such as goats and cats and is considered vulnerable.

The Galapagos Rail Bird is a small (15 centimetres) nearly flightless ground living bird. It has dark plumage, black overall with a greyer head and breast, and white spots on the back. It has a scarlet eye, a black bill, and short, nearly useless wings. They are very vocal with a wide range of calls.

The Galapagos Rail Birds feed on invertebrates, mostly snails, isopods, dragonflies, bugs, ants, also taking berries and some seeds. They feed during the day, moving along the ground tossing leaves and investigating the leaf litter.

The Rail birds body is usually narrow enough to enable them to slip through dense vegetation, such as in the marshes they typically inhabit.

Galapagos Rail Birds ordinarily remain on the ground and are difficult see. They are secretive and sometimes nocturnal in habit. Commonly heard rather than seen, they emit certain calls and squawks characteristic of the species.

These small to medium sized birds have moderate to long legs and long toes, which are an advantage for walking or running over soft ground.

Galapagos Rail Birds often flick their short tails, which are cocked upwards. Rail birds are usually but not always grey in colour, they are sometimes brown and dull red. Their plumage usually has a loose texture, and male and female look alike.

Rail Birds beaks range from stubby to elongate, depending on the species. Rails are omnivorous, but many species predominantly eat small animals. The Rail birds nests are generally well hidden and well separated. Clutches often contain 6 to 12 eggs, and both male and female usually participate in incubating them. When hatching, the young are covered by a black or brownish down in most species and leave the nest immediately after hatching.

About 132 species are recognized, some of which are important game birds.

Species of the Galapagos Islands have independently evolved flightlessness.

Everything about Hoopoe Birds you wanted to know

The African Hoopoe (Upupa africana) is an African bird that belongs to the Family: Upupidae which also includes the Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) although these are two separate species.

The African Hoopoe differs from the Eurasian Hoopoe by the colouration of the males, females are similar in appearance. The male African Hoopoe has richer cinnamon colouration on its upperparts, lacks the subterminal white band on the crest and has all black primaries. Habits and vocalisations in both species are the same.

African Hoopoes are widespread throughout Africa except in western and central equatorial lowlands forests. Some populations of African Hoopoes are migratory while others are sedentary.

Use the information below to find out more about the Hoopoe Bird’s characteristics, habitat, diet, behaviour and reproduction.

African Hoopoe Bird Characteristics

The African Hoopoe is an exotic looking bird that is around the same size as a Starling. The African Hoopoe measures 25 – 29 centimetres in length, weighs 57 grams and has a wingspan of 44 – 48 centimetres. Their plumage is a cinnamon colour with contrasting black and white stripes on their wings and tails. Their underparts, head, throat and back are also cinnamon in colour.

The African Hoopoe’s wings are broad and rounded and they have a square shaped tail which is black and shows a wide white band. Their heads have a distinctive crest with long chestnut coloured feathers which have black tips. The crest lies backwards when the bird is resting, however, if alarmed or excited, the crest opens up and displays a beautiful circular shape.

The Hoopoe’s beak is black, long and slender and slightly downward curved. Their eyes are small, round and brown in colour and their short legs and feet are grey. As with most bird species, the female Hoopoe is duller in appearance and chicks resemble the female but have shorter crests.

The African Hoopoe bird has an oil gland which produces a foul smelling secretion.

African Hoopoe Bird Habitat

African Hoopoes live in open, bushy regions, thornveld and riverine woodlands in dry areas. They can also be found in parks and surburban gardens. These birds nest in cavities such as holes or crevices in tree trunks, however, they have also be known to nest in buildings, abandoned termite nests, nest boxes, piles of boulders and even under houses. They may use the same nest for many years. Nests are generally lined with grass, debris or dried manure.

Hoopoes are well known for their dirty nests which are smelly due to non-removal of droppings.

African Hoopoe Bird Diet

The African Hoopoe is a forager and forages through leafs with its long, thin beak. It mainly eats insects and earthworms off the ground, however, before it actually eats the insect, the Hoopoe will bang the insect on the ground to remove legs and wings and then toss it up into the air before catching it in its open beak.

African Hoopoes will also eat frogs, small snakes, lizards and also seeds and berries in small quantities. They also eat insect pupae or larvae which they consume by probing the ground with their beak.

African Hoopoe Bird Behaviour

African Hoopoes are vocal birds and have a distinctive call which sounds like ‘Hooo Pooo’ and is repeated 3 – 5 times each time it calls.

African Hoopoes have there own defence technique whereby they will lie flat to the ground, spreading their tail and wings and pointing their beak straight upwards if they are being attacked by a predator.

In flight, Hoopoes are low fliers with an erratic flight pattern and irregular wing beats, however, if being preyed upon by a bird of prey, it can soar very high in order to escape its predator.

African Hoopoes are not sociable birds are generally found in pairs or singular. The African Hoopoe is monogamous unless its mate dies. In the event of a partner dying the African Hoopoe bird will seek out a new mate.

African Hoopoe Bird Reproduction

The female Hoopoe lays around 4 – 7 eggs which are blue/green in colour but quickly become brown. The female incubates the eggs for 14 – 20 days. Chicks are born helpless, naked and blind with a sparse long white down. The chicks are fed mainly by the male and then later by both parents. The chicks fledge at around 26 – 32 days. one to three broods are produced yearly by Hoopoe birds.

Amazing Dog Facts you may not know

Bellow are some amazing and funny dog facts. See how much trivia you know about this cute pets. You may not know that…

• A dog’s heart beats between 70 and 120 times a minute, compared with a human heart which beats 70 to 80 times a minute.
• A dog’s normal body temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
• A female carries her young about 60 days before the puppies are born.
• According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the smallest dog on record was a Yorkshire Terrier in Great Britain who, at the age of 2, weighed just 4 ounces.
• The longest lived dog, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was an Australian Cattle Dog, named Bluey, who lived to be 29.
• An adult dog has 42 teeth.
• It is a myth that dogs are color blind. They can actually see in color, just not as vividly as humans. It is akin to our vision at dusk.
• If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could produce over 66,000 dogs in 6 years!
• The only sweat glands a dog has are between the paw pads.
• In 1957, Laika became the first living being in space via an earth satellite
• The world’s smartest dogs are thought to be (1) the border collie, (2) the poodle, and (3) the golden retriever.
• Chocolate contains a substance known as theobromine (similar to caffeine) which can kill dogs or at the very least make them violently ill.
• Dogs’ sense of hearing is more than ten times more acute than a human’s
• More than 1 in 3 American families own a dog.
• Dogs don’t like rain because the sound is amplified and hurts their very sensitive ears.
• The ten most popular dogs (AKC, 2007) are in order:
• Labrador Retriever, Yorkshire Terrier, German Shepherd,
• Golden Retriever, Beagle, Boxer, Dachshund, Poodle,
• Shih Tzu, and Bulldog.
• Dogs were the first animals domesticated by people.
• A greyhound can run as fast as 45 miles an hour.
• Spaying/neutering your dog before the age of 6 months can help prevent cancer in your dog.
• Puppies acquire a full mouth of permanent teeth between four and seven months old.
• Small dogs live the longest. Toy breeds live up to 16 years or more. Larger dogs average is 7 – 12 years. Veterinary medicine have extended this estimate by about three years. However, some breeds, such as Tibetan terrier live as long as twenty years.
• Eighty percent of dog owners buy their dog a present for holidays and birthdays. More than half of them sign letters and cards from themselves and their pets.
• The dog name “Fido” is from Latin and means “fidelity.”
• The U.S. has the highest dog population in the world.
• Most pet owners (94 percent) say their pet makes them smile more than once a day.
• Dogs are mentioned 14 times in the Bible.
• It has been established that people who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks.
• All dogs can be traced back 40 million years ago to a weasel-like animal called the Miacis which dwelled in trees and dens. The Miacis later evolved into the Tomarctus,a direct forbearer of the genus Canis, which includes the wolf and jackal as well as the dog.
• Seventy percent of people sign their pet’s name on greeting cards and 58 percent include their pets infamily and holiday portraits, according to a survey done by the American Animal Hospital Association.
• A dog’s whiskers are touch-sensitive hairs called vibrissae. They are found on the muzzle, above the eyes and below the jaws, and can actually sense tiny changes in airflow.
• The origin of amputating a dog’s tail may go back to the Roman writer Lucius Columella’s (A.D. 4-70) assertion that tail docking prevented rabies.
• Dogs can smell about 1,000 times better than humans. While humans have 5 million smell-detecting cells, dogs have more than 220 million. The part of the brain that interprets smell is also four times larger in dogs than in humans.

10 Interesting Facts About Tortoises

May 23 is World Turtle Day. Celebrate the ultimate slow and steady land reptile with these fun facts about tortoises.

1. A TORTOISE IS A TURTLE, BUT A TURTLE ISN'T A TORTOISE.

A turtle is any shelled reptile belonging to the order Chelonii. The term "tortoise" is more specific, referring to terrestrial turtles. (Of course, there's always an exception. In this case, the land-dwelling box turtle.) Tortoises are usually herbivorous and can't swim.

One easy way to tell 'em apart: look at their feet and shells. Water turtles have flippers or webbed feet with long claws, and their shells are flatter and more streamlined. Tortoises have stubby, elephant-like feet and heavier, domed shells.

2. A GROUP OF TORTOISES IS CALLED A CREEP.

But you won't see a creep very often. (Not that kind, anyway.) Tortoises are solitary roamers. Some mother tortoises are protective of their nests, but they don't care for their young after they hatch.

3. TORTOISES INSPIRED THE ANCIENT ROMAN MILITARY.

During seiges, soldiers would get in testudo formation, named after the Latin word for tortoise. The men formed rows and held shields in front or above them to completely shelter the unit.

4. "TESTUDINAL" MEANS "PERTAINING TO OR RESEMBLING A TORTOISE OR TORTOISE SHELL."

Go ahead. Compliment your friend's testudinal sunglasses.

5. TORTOISES HAVE AN EXOSKELETON AND AN ENDOSKELETON.

The shell has three main parts: the top carapace, the bottom plastron, and the bridge that fuses these pieces together. You can't see them, but every tortoise has ribs, a collar bone, and a spine inside its shell.

6. THE SCALES ON THE CARAPACE ARE CALLED SCUTES.

Made of the same keratin found in fingernails and hooves, scutes protect the bony plates of the shell from injury and infection. The growth rings around scutes can be counted to determine the approximate age of wild tortoises.

7. THE LIGHTER THE SHELL, THE WARMER THE ORIGIN.

Tortoises from hot places tend to have lighter-colored shells than tortoises from cooler areas. The light tan sulcata originates from the southern part of the Sahara Desert.

8. THEY CAN'T SWIM, BUT TORTOISES CAN HOLD THEIR BREATH FOR A LONG TIME.

They're extremely tolerant of carbon dioxide. It's a good thing—tortoises have to empty their lungs before they can go into their shells. You'll often hear them exhale when they're startled and decide to hide.

9. AND YES, THEIR SHELLS ARE SENSITIVE TO TOUCH.

Shells have nerve endings, so tortoises can feel every rub, pet, or scratch ... and sometimes they love it. Note: This delightful creature is a turtle, not a tortoise.

10. SULCATAS ARE ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PET TORTOISES—AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST.

Get ready to move to the suburbs and amend your will. Sulcatas are the third largest tortoise species in the world, behind the Galapagos and Aldabra giant tortoise. They can live more than 100 years and weigh up to 200 pounds.