The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society ’s Post

👉In this week’s “Bird is the word”, let’s meet the smallest and most abundant alcid in the North Atlantic - the Little Auk (Alle alle) 🔎 💡Also known as the Dovekie, this black-and-white, tiny auk predominantly breeds in high-arctic regions like Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard in the North Atlantic, with a few colonies in the Bering Sea. A remarkable fast-flier, it can reach speeds of up to 70 km/h and is highly mobile, undertaking substantial migrations in search of food. 🦐 The Little Auk primarily feeds on small crustaceans such as copepods and amphipods, along with small pelagic fishes and krill. Their diet varies by season and location, and they forage for food underwater like other auks. 🗻 Breeding in large colonies on marine cliffsides, Little Auks conceal their nests within crevices or beneath large rocks. They usually lay just a single egg and need to be aware of predators such as Arctic Foxes, Glaucous Gulls, and even Polar Bears known to prey on Little Auk eggs. 📸 Today's photo captures a breeding colony nestled along the coast of Spitsbergen, Svalbard. During the brief and intense breeding season in the Arctic, the colony buzzes actively as birds are flying in and out bringing food to the young ones hidden within the rocks. #Ornithology #Artificialintelligence #Biodiversity #LittleAuk #Birdoftheweek

Elegant and hemisphere-hopping Aleutian terns are seabirds with slender wings that help them undertake long flights. But don’t confuse them with Arctic terns! Here’s how to tell them apart: 🎩Aleutian terns have a black cap with a white forehead and Arctic terns have a fully black cap. 🎨 Aleutian terns have black legs and a black bill, while Arctic terns sport red ones. 📣Aleutian tern vocalizations are higher-pitched and soft in contrast to Arctic terns’ harsh and raspy calls. 🌏Each year, Aleutian terns migrate long distances from Alaska and head south over the open ocean to winter in Southeast Asia/Oceania, including the Philippines and Indonesia (a distance of almost 10,000 miles)! Young Aleutian terns undertake their first migration as early as 5 weeks after they hatch. These beautiful birds need our help. Aleutian tern numbers in their Alaska breeding range appear to have plummeted since the 1960s. USFWS and partners are collaborating on a state-wide survey to identify current nesting colony locations and estimate the number of Aleutian terns that remain in Alaska. This information is critical for proactively managing and conserving this species. 🔗 Learn more about the Aleutian tern and current surveys at the link in the comments. Video: Aleutian tern, Kodiak Island by Jill Tengeres/USFWS

This book has been a ready reference for Australian shorebird lovers for many years and World Migratory Bird Day seems a opportune time for a quick review. The authors start with a discussion on the taxonomy and evolutionary history of shorebirds - with reference to why is a curlew a shorebird and an egret is not! The introductory chapters also cover shorebird observational techniques associated with the unique edge habitats which they forage, socialise, breed and rest. The majority of the the book is a field guide with detailed entries on all shorebirds that utilise Australian wetland and coastal environments and the migratory patterns that draw them here. And of course I have a favourite, the Red-necked Stint - a tiny migratory bird which very rarely retains its red breeding plumage outside Siberia and Alaska - but in Australia is observed foraging along the southern coasts for tiny snails and crabs at low tide. #shorebirds #scientificliteracy #ecobooks

The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera Botaurus and Ixobrychus are referred to as bitterns, and, together with the zigzag heron, or zigzag bittern, in the monotypic genus Zebrilus, form a monophyletic group within the Ardeidae. Egrets do not form a biologically distinct group from herons, and tend to be named differently because they are mainly white or have decorative plumes in breeding plumage. Herons, by evolutionary adaptation, have long beaks. The classification of the individual heron/egret species is fraught with difficulty, and no clear consensus exists about the correct placement of many species into either of the two major genera, Ardea and Egretta. Similarly, the relationships of the genera in the family are not completely resolved. However, one species formerly considered to constitute a separate monotypic family, the Cochlearidae or the boat-billed heron, is now regarded as a member of the Ardeidae. Although herons resemble birds in some other families, such as the storks, ibises, spoonbills, and cranes, they differ from these in flying with their necks retracted, not outstretched. They are also one of the bird groups that have powder down. Some members of this group nest colonially in trees, while others, notably the bitterns, use reed beds. A group of them is called a "siege. #birds #nature

How much do you know about the smallest of the Pygoscelis penguins, the cheeky Chinstrap? Primarily found at South Georgia's cooler southern tip, Chinstraps are a cold-climate species. Their name relates to the distinctive black band running under their chin, although these birds are sometimes referred to as “stonebreaker penguins,” not because they collect stones for nests, but because their screech is so piercing that it is said to break stones! Averaging 70cm in height, they use pebbles to build their nests and typically raise two chicks together. Chinstrap Penguins are highly social birds. During breeding season, they form massive colonies on land, exhibiting a diverse range of communication methods, including flipper and head waving, bowing, and gestural displays. Interestingly, disputes over nesting space can lead to confrontations involving pointing, staring, and even charging. Outside breeding season, Chinstraps often congregate on icebergs. The largest known Chinstrap penguin colony resides on Zavodovski Island in the South Sandwich Islands, boasting an impressive population of around two million breeding pairs. 📷 Photo from US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Public Domain #penguin #penguinphotography #southgeorgia #chinstrappenguin #southgeorgiaisland #antarcticwildlife #subantarctic #polarregions #wildlife #naturephotography #conservation #penguinfacts

Sundews (Drosera sp.) are probably the most diverse genus of carnivorous plants in the world consisting of around two hundred species. Commonly known as sundew because the word, Drosera in Greek means dewy. The “dew” found on the hair of sundew exhibits mini-rainbows whenever they are struck by sunlight. They can be found in Canada, Alaska, Siberia, Europe, Nother America, Brazil, Queensland, southernmost regions of New Zealand, and South America. It occurs on almost all continents except Antarctica. It’s rather exceptional that Sundews adapted to such diverse climates. Most species require wet, acidic, low-nutrient, and low-mineral soil to grow. Whereas, some Drosera are found in bogs that are frozen much of the year. Some have adapted to survive hot and dry climates while growing only in the rainy season. The sizes of sundews are varied from species to species. It can be as tiny as a penny or as large as a small bush. Apart from the size and color that help to differentiate the species, the imaginative genius design of tentacle-covered leaves plays a pivotal role in Drosera species identification. Namely circular, wedge-shaped, strap-shaped, leaves that are peltate, linear, or filiform as a thin blade of grass. Generally green with deep red color tentacles, the leaves play many roles that include reproducing offspring, acceptance, and conveyance of stimuli resulting in the bending movements of the tentacles as well as stimulating the production of fluid secretions by the tentacle glands. Do you know that there are a lot of tissue culture drosera selling out there? #Drosera #carnivorousplant #carnivorousplants #botany #horticulture #ornamentalplants #plantfact #plantfacts #plantscience #planttissueculture Image source: International Carnivorous Plant Society

Conclusion: Brown bears, naturally expanding into Naliboki Forest, persistently confront wolves, especially during the wolves’ breeding season. Documented interactions between these large carnivores include aggressive adult encounters, wolf pup predation, and intense territorial marking within shared habitats. Although wolves are strong and have occasionally succeeded in driving away an aggressive local brown bear, the bear stubbornly continues to intrude into the wolves’ core area and attempts to prey on their pups. Conversely, wolves typically try to avoid such confrontations with brown bears. The outcome of these encounters can be influenced by the size, strength, and experience of the individuals involved, as well as the number of wolves present.

Tarantulas are popular #pets, yet as with many other species, the impact of their #trade is understudied. A new paper led by Shannon Rivera explores the sustainability of supply and demand for Caribbean Diamond #tarantulas (Tapinauchenius rasti), which are only found only in St Vincent and Grenadines. The study assessed risks using the COM-B behavioural model, which examines Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation factors. Findings indicated that trade dynamics for T. rasti currently pose minimal risks to wild populations due to limited preference for the species based on its morphology and behaviour (Motivation), challenges in collecting wild specimens (Opportunity) plus relatively low price due to ease of captive breeding (Capability). You can access the paper here: https://lnkd.in/dhGi_HKk

Today is World Whale Day 🐳, which was originated in 1980 to raise awareness for humpback whales that visit the waters of Hawaii. Our very first project over 10 years ago was undertaking research for the presence of humpback whales in Gabon, which is an important breeding area for a sub-stock that migrate from sub-Antarctic feeding areas. Our surveys were carried out in an area of Gabon that was not previously well studied; and we recorded a high incidence of singing males and large numbers and densities of mother and calf pairs. This led to the identification of an important breeding and nursery area requiring protection from new coastal development and increased shipping. #marinebiology #marineconservation

FIRST BREEDING RECORD OF PHAETHON LEPTURUS IN CABO VERDE Phaethon lepturus is a pantropical seabird, with currently six recognized subspecies: three in the Indian Ocean, two in the Atlantic Ocean and one in the Pacific Ocean. The closest breeding sites to Cabo Verde are the Ascension Islands in the central Atlantic Ocean, some 2,700 km from São Tomé, and the islets in the Gulf of Guinea, some 3,700 km away. While the most distant populations are found in the Caribbean, Antilles, Bermuda, Bahamas and the Western Atlantic. In 2020, 2022 and 2023 the species was sighted frequently by our team on Rombo Islets Integral Nature Reserve - Cima Islet. In 2020, a nest occupied by an adult and an egg was recorded, but it failed to reproduce due to the collapse of rocks. On February 13, 2024, we recorded the FIRST SUCCESSFUL REPRODUCTION OF THIS SPECIES IN CABO VERDE. A pup was recorded, accompanied by an adult in the same area as in previous years. #seabirds #biodiversity #conservation #monitoring #nests BirdLife International