Red-Billed Quelea

Male in Breeding Plumage

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Aves

Order : Passeriformes

Family : Ploceidae

Genus : Quelea

Species : quelea

Length : 5in (12.5cm)

Weight : 15-20g

IUCN Status : Least Concern

The Red-Billed Quelea is the most abundant species of bird on the planet. The estimation is that there are over 1.5 billion of these guys flying around Sub-Saharan Africa. They inhabit grass and woodlands, and live in nomadic flocks that number well into the thousands, if not hundreds of thousands.

Red-Billed Queleas have actually benefitted from human encroachment. Farming has led to more grain crops which the birds enthusiastically feed off of. They are considered to be major pests throughout most of their range, as their sheer flock size can completely devastate crops. There have been efforts to control the Quelea population, but the birds are so numerous that even killing a few million has had little effect. There has even been a downside to these measures, as other species have been affected.

Quelea Flock

Red-Billed Queleas are a dull beige color, though during the breeding season males take on a more colorful plumage, and females' bills shift to a more yellow hue. Prior to breeding males begin weaving a nest that the prospective females evaluate. If the female approves, the pair finishes the nest together. 2-4 eggs are laid at a time, are incubated for 12 days, and the hatch. Young birds leave the nest after only two weeks, and themselves become sexually mature after a year. Red-Billed Queleas age quickly and have a short lifespan of only 2-3 years.

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Keel-Billed Toucan

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I'm looking out the window right now and it's pretty miserable. The sky is gray, there is slushy snow everywhere... I think I need a little color. And what better animal than the Toucan to brighten up a day?

There are around 40 different species of Toucan (sources I've seen differ, but 42 seems like a pretty accurate one). Of all these species, today's feature, the Keel-Billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus), is on the larger side, and definitely sports one of the most colorful bills. They grow to be about 20in (52cm) long, and sport bills that can be as much as 1/3 their entire body size! They weigh up to 500g, with males being slightly larger than females. Keel-Billed Toucans have predominantly black bodies, with yellow chests. Their bill comes in a dazzling array of greens, blues, oranges, and reds.

The bill of the Keel-Billed Toucan is actually not at all heavy. It is in fact made from spongy, hollow bone that is covered in keratin, which itself is very lightweight. Their bills have very tiny ridges on the sides, and cover up a long, thin tongue. Keel-Billed Toucans primarily feed on fruit, which is often swallowed whole. The bill allows them to eat some fruits that other birds cannot, as it enables them to cut up the meal into pieces. Theses Toucans also eat insects, eggs, and the fledglings of other birds.

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Keel-Billed Toucans live in small troops of about half a dozen to a dozen birds. They roost and nest in tree cavities, which are often holes created by Woodpeckers. They live in dense forested areas, and have short, wide wings that allow them to move through the trees. Keel-Billed Toucans also have two toes that face forwards, and two backwards, which allow for easier perching and hopping from branch to branch.

Pairs are monogamous, and lay 2-4 eggs per brood, and may produce 2-3 broods per year.

Keel-Billed Toucans are listed as being of Least Concern.

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Brain Coral

Platygyra daedalea is one of the more common species of Corals referred to as "Brain Corals." All are members of the family Faviidae. This particular example is found in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. Brain Corals are so named because of their tendency to resemble an animal brain, with a spherical shapes and curving grooves. This particular species grows around 1m in diameter

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What we see as a Brain Coral is actually the hard protective exterior created by multitudes of tiny polyps. The polyps gain nurishment with help from microscopic zooxanthellae algae. The algae lives within the groves of the Coral, staying protected. In return, it provides the coral with energy rich molecules via photosynthesis. This important relationship requires that the Brain Coral live in shallow waters that sunlight is able to reach.

Brain Coral polyps are hermaphroditic, and each polyp is able to produce both sperm and eggs. Polyps can also reproduce asexually through budding, which means that a new organism grows directly from the parent before eventually splitting off. This particular species of Brain Coral is known to be semi-aggressive. It has tentacles that extend at night that are able to harm other Corals, allowing it to compete for space.

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Frogs: A Chorus of Colors

Tomato Frog!

I had the chance to catch the Milwaukee Public Museum's temporary exhibit Frogs: A Chorus of Colors yesterday, which was a really neat thing to see.

They have 15 different species on display, ranging from the small but deadly Poison Dart Frogs, all the way up to the massive African Bullfrog. Interactive displays enhance the experience for both adults and children, and provide information on things like vocalizaitons, metamorphosis, and the dreaded Chytridiomycosis.

The exhibit is in Milwaukee until January 31st, if you happen to be in that particular area. Then it looks like its moving out to the Museum of the Rockies in Montana. A full schedule of the exhibit is available at Peeling Productions.

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Western Tanager

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Western Tanagers (Piranga ludoviciana) are very bright songbirds found in Western North America. They are migratory, and spend their summer breeding at very high latitudes compared to others in their family. Some birds breed as far north as 60 degrees in the Canadian Northwest Territories. Western Tanagers measure about 7.5in(19cm) long.

Western Tanagers are rather interesting in that the bright red on their heads is not part of their "natural" coloration. The birds are not able to produce the pigment, known as rhodoxanthin, by themselves. Instead, it comes from the insects that they eat, who in turn get it from plants.

Insects make up a large bulk of their diet, followed by fruits. They live in groups of up to 30 birds, and between 1 and 5 eggs are laid in cup sized nests. Western Tanagers are preyed upon by a variety of raptor species.

Interestingly, Western Tanagers are in a state of taxonomic confusion. They once belonged to the actual Tanager family, Thraupidae, but have since been moved to Cardinalidae, which is the home of the Cardinals. Some locations still list them in their previous family.

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Mobile Site

Did you know that Animal A Day now has a mobile site?

Check it out on your fancy phone! Formatted for easier reading!

It should auto-redirect, but if now, check out http://animaladay.blogspot.com/?m=1

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Little Gull

Summer Plumage

I woke up this morning wanting to write about Seagulls. And then I quickly realized that there are many, many species and genera of gulls, and that I'd need to narrow it down to just one. So let's take a look at the smallest of all gulls, the aptly named Little Gull.

Little Gulls (Hydrocoloeus or Larus minutus) can be found in Europe and parts of Asia, and has even been seen over in Canada, the United States, and down into North Africa. They are migratory, and during the breeding season can be found in mixed species flocks that can number over 2,000 birds. Even outside of the breeding season they remain gregarious, though the groups are far smaller and number up to two dozen birds.

Winter Plumage

Little Gulls measure about 10in (27cm) long, and sport a wingspan of up to 24in (61cm). Their plumage changes depending on the season; they sport a black hood and more vibrant tones on the bill and legs during summer, and in the winter the head becomes mostly white (save for a small black cap) and the bill and legs become more dull.

Insects make up the bulk of the Little Gulls' diet, and they are able to catch them by skimming over the water. They also consume small fish and marine invertebrates.

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