White-Faced Saki

Pithecia pithecia (male)

The White-Faced Saki is one of the handful of Saki monkey species. They are all New World Monkeys, meaning that they live in the Americas. Today's animal in particular has a range that covers parts of Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.

The white face of the White-Faced Saki is found only on the males. In fact, there is a pretty striking different between the sexes. Males are a shiny black with a prominent white face. Females are brown all over, with only a small trace of lightness on the face. Both sexes have shaggy coats. Infants are born brown, and if male will begin to change color when they are around 2 months old.

White-Faced Sakis live in small family groups, and mated pairs are typically monogamous for life. The Monkeys communicate by making incredibly loud calls that can be heard from long distances away.

The Sakis live up in the trees, and have very long legs that are adapted for jumping downwards across branches. They forage for fruits, leaves, seeds, and honey during the daytime hours. Though they will occasionally consume insects, birds, and small mammals, they are primarily herbivores.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : South America
Size : Body length up to 19in (45cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Primates
Family : Pitheciidae -- Genus : Pithecia -- Species : P. pithecia

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Namaqua Dove

Oena capensis (male)

The Namaqua Dove is a small member of the pigeon family that can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa and also on the Arabian Peninsula. Both males and females sport one of those long tails, but only the males have the black face with its red and yellow beak. Females have grey faces and dark bills.

The social structure of the Namaqua Doves is far from uniform. Most live alone or in pairs, but others congregate is huge flocks near bodies of water. Some remain in a single territory year round, while others wander a larger range, or migrate seasonally. It all seems to depend on the location the birds live in, and the amount of rainfall that happens.

The breeding season for these birds is also highly variable. Some populations breed int eh spring, while others do it year round. Male Doves will pursue the females on the ground by doing head bobs and giving out different calls. They will also advertise their availability by singing from tree perches and performing different aerial displays. Once mated the pair remains monogamous, and both parents will incubate and feed their young.  These birds feed on very small seeds, though sometimes they will also forage for insects.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : Africa and the Middle East
Size : Body length up to 9in (22cm)

Classification :Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Oena-- Species : O. capensis

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New Flickr

I've got an all new Flickr page going, which is infinitely better organized than the old one, and actually has Pro status, so I can' upload much more!

Anyway, if you want to check out all the different Animal-related pictures I've been taking, head on over to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66756051@N07/

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Bateleur

Terathopius ecaudatus

The Bateleur is a medium-sized Eagle that can be found throughout the open Savannas of Sub-Saharan Africa. Its name actually comes from a French term for a tightrope walker or acrobat. It is a pretty accurate name when you think of the the aerial displays of these birds. During courtship they perform incredibly acrobatic flights, sometimes doing full somersaults!

This Eagle is the only species in its genus, but what a colorful species it is! Dark bodies with grey wings, chestnut coloration on the back, and bright red feet and beaks with just a splash of yellow. Males and females look alike, except for the fact that females have grey flight feathers, while the males have black.

Bateleurs hunt over huge areas of land. In a single day they can cover more than 200 miles! They hunt by flying around 150ft above the ground, and then sweeping down on their prey in a spiral motion. They eat all sorts of things, ranging from other birds, to small mammals, to even young Antelope. They also feed on carrion.

Though they have a very large range, Bateleurs are listed as Near Threatened due to habitat loss, pesticides, and hunting.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : Africa
Size : Body length up to 28in(71cm), Wingspan up to 6ft(1.8m)

Classification :Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Falconiformes
Family : Accipitridae -- Genus : Terathopius-- Species : T. ecaudatus

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White Crested Laughing Thrush

Yesterday, on yet another jaunt to the zoo (memberships are the best!) I happened upon two little birds absolutely making a toddler's day. She would laugh, they would sing back. Over and over. It was pretty cute. Anyway, the birds in question were White Crested Laughing Thrushes, who I confess I have often overlooked on my visits. They share a habitat with the Victoria Crowned Pigeon, and I just love that pudgy turquoise monster.

White Crested Laughing Thrushes are found in south and southeast Asia, and they are incredibly common. They have large white crests, black bars across the eyes, and reddish brown bodies. I am now kicking myself for not recording their call, but to call it laughing would be pretty spot on. This website also has some examples of their interesting music.

Members of the species are very social, and they live in extended family groups that forage together year round. The birds feed on seeds, fruits, and insects, and males and females form strong mated pairs that share incubation and feeding duties.

The population does appear to be on the decline, but not at a rate sufficient enough to be of any major concern.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Asia
Size : Body length up to 8in (20cm)

Classification :Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Timaliidae -- Genus : Garrulax -- Species : G. leucolophus

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Gray Tree Frog

Hyla versicolor

Though the common name identifies this species as the Gray Tree Frog, the scientific name is a bit more accurate. Hyla versicolor alludes to the fact that these frogs can actually change color- their skin can slowly change to match their surroundings, moving from gray to green to white to brown to black! They also sport some vibrant yellow patches under their hind legs, though they are difficult to see unless the frogs are in mid-leap.

Gray Tree Frogs can be found in the eastern United States and in southern Canada. They are relatively small compared to other species in that range. As their name suggests, they live up in the trees. Breeding is pretty much the only activity that motivates them to leave their tree.

If you live in their range, you may have heard their calls! On warm nights during the breeding season the males produce very loud buzzing trills. These calls are made while the males are hiding in vegetation near bodies of water. Females are attracted to these sounds, will enter a male's territory, mate, and then lay her eggs in the nearby water. Calling rarely occurs outside of the breeding season.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North America
Size : Body length up to 2in (5cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Anura
Family : Hylidae -- Genus : HylaSpecies : H. versicolor

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Prognathodon

Prognathodon waiparensis

Prognathodon is a genus of nine extinct lizard species. This genus resides in the Mosasaur family and they lived during the late Cretaceous, ultimately going extinct around 65 million years ago.

Prognathodons lived in oceans around the world, and their fossils have been found in Europe, North America, Africa, and New Zealand. They were absolutely gigantic ocean predators, with some measuring as large as 30ft! We know that Prognathodons lived in deep water, since they had bony protrusions around their eye sockets. This anatomical feature helps sea creatures to withstand higher pressures far below the surface.

The name "Prognathodon" means forejaw tooth, and these marine reptiles certainly had large, powerful teeth and incredibly strong jaw muscles. Prognathodons used their huge, strong mouths to crush the shells of different animals like Turtles and Ammonites. One recently discovered fossil actually included stomach contents!

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Status : Extinct for 65 million years
Location : Oceans worldwide
Size : Length up to 30ft (9.1m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Squamata
Family : Mosasauridae -- Genus : Prognathodon

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