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Fauna of Europe
JOrnitho: I found some other descriptions in the files of my pc, this time for European animals. These two are of two species of geese. [more]Western diving goose (Brantamergus occidentalis) During the Holocene, humans interfered with nature through several ways. While some local species suffered and had their populations reduced, others were introduced to many other continents. Sometimes, the local and introduced species were close enough to each other, being part of the same Genus. In these cases, they could reproduce with each other, giving origin to hybrids that would share the genes of both species. The western diving goose is an example of species that originated under these conditions. These birds originated from Western Europe and are the result of the long time hybridization between the barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) and the Canadian goose (Branta canadensis), which was introduced in European lands by the humans. This species spends the summer in the coastal and estuarine areas of Scandinavia and in islands of the Barents Sea and Kara Sea. During the winter, these birds migrate in large flocks to the Bay of Biscaya. They are small and compact birds, with a short neck. Both male and female have 54 cm of length and a wingspan of 87 cm. They have a black neck with a white "chinstrap", while their head has a black strip crossing their eyes and joining the black of the neck. The top of the head is white. They also have grayish brown backs and wings, silver-gray rump, black tail feathers. Its belly is white, while the chest is pale gray. Adults also have a white neck ring at the base of the neck. The beak, legs and feet are dark gray. The main characteristic of this species are their large webbed feet, which they use to swim underwater. Due to that, these birds are slow and clumsy when moving on land. The western diving goose feeds on algae, crustaceans, molluscs and sometimes small fish that it catches by diving underwater. While doing it, these birds only use their large feet for propulsion. This adaptation allows these birds to avoid competition with the larger species of goose that feed on land, such as Hemiswans and the Gainsboro geese. During the second year of their lives, western diving geese find a mate. They are monogamous, and most couples stay together all of their lives. If one dies, the other may find a new mate. The female lays from two to nine eggs, and both parents protect the nest while the eggs incubate, but the female spends more time at the nest than the male. The nest is frequently built high on mountain cliffs close to the sea and away from predators. Like all geese, the goslings are not fed by the adults. Instead of bringing food to the newly hatched goslings, the parents show them the way to jump from the cliff and the goslings follow them by instinct and take the plunge. Unable to fly, the goslings jump off the cliff and fall. However, their small size, feathery down, and very light weight helps to protect some of them from serious injury when they hit the rocks below, but many die from the impact. While some families still need to do a clumsy walk toward the water, others are lucky enough to have nests so close to the sea that the goslings fall directly on the water. The goslings enter the fledgling stage with 8 weeks of age. They do not leave their parents until after the spring migration, when they return to their birthplace. The sexual maturity of this species is reached when they have two years and the lifespan is of 27 years. The western diving goose has a subspecies called American diving goose (B. o. americana), which nests in Greenland and in areas close to the Baffin and Labrador Sea. During winter, they migrate to the Gulf of Mexico. The plumage between the two is similar, but the American one is smaller. The eastern diving goose (Brantamergus leucocephalus) is another representative of the Genus Brantamergus. With 50 cm of length and 83 cm of wingspan, this species is the smallest of the Genus. Their plumage is similar to that of its western counterpart, with the exception of the head that is totally white. This species nests on the islands in the seas of Okhotsk and Bering, with their largest colony being located in the cliffs of the Kuril Islands. During winter, they migrate to the coastal areas of the East China Sea. Steppe goose (Geochen migratorius) During the Holocene, humans introduced many species to other continents. With their extinction, some of these creatures continued to thrive, giving rise to new genera. The steppe goose of the Genus Geochen is a representative of this situation. This bird is a descendant of the Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) who had been introduced by humans to Western Europe. This species evolved to live in forested steppes and grassland of Europe, with the easternmost part of its range being North of the Fourseas. During winter, this species migrates to the savannas of Africa and Zinj Land. This species only forms flocks when they are in their wintering areas. While breeding, the pairs will not tolerate the presence of others of the same species. The steppe goose has 64 cm of length and 110 cm of wingspan. This species is highly dysmorphic, with the males being slightly larger than the females. The plumage between the two is also different. The males have a black neck and head, with a bright auburn circle around their eyes. Their chest is chestnut and their body is white. The wing coverts are black, the primary are dark grey, and the secondaries green and chestnut. The females have a pale gray neck and head, with a brownish-red circle around their eyes. Like the males, they also have a chestnut chest and white body, but their wing coverts are pale gray, with the primary and secondaries being brown. Both male and female of this species have a serrated beak, which allows them to crush their food and catch small animals. Both the beak, legs and feet are red. Their legs are longer than that of their ancestors, which allows them to run swiftly through the grassland. During its evolution, the web present on the feet of the steppe goose became greatly reduced. This was an adaptation for the terrestrial lifestyle that this species adopted. Even then, they will occasionally appear in shallow freshwater reservoirs to eat molluscs, plants and crustaceans. However, they swim poorly, only staying in places where the water doesn't cover their legs. With the exception of the occasional aquatic food that they eat, most of the steppe goose's diet comes from things that they can find in the grasslands and steppes. They eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. However, they have preference for locusts, worms, or other invertebrates, which increases during the nesting season. This species is monogamous, with pairs staying together even during the migration. Usually, their nests are built on hollowed trees, rock crevices and empty nests of other birds that are high enough from the ground. It forces the goslings to jump down from there. However, some will also build nests in the ground, hidden among the vegetation. During the breeding season, these birds are very aggressive, not tolerating individuals of the same species to make nests near them. Predators that approach the nest are attacked mercilessly, including birds of prey. In these cases, the female will distract them by flying while the male targets their wings, seeking to make them fall off the sky. Even peaceful herbivores that decide to graze near the nest will be attacked. Individuals that make nests in the ground are more agressive. The female lays eight eggs in a nest made of reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating them. The incubation period lasts for 33 days with only the female looking after the nest, the male remains near the nest, protecting it against predators. The goslings leave the nest immediately after hatch The fledging period for the downy young lasts on average eight weeks. The young remain with the parents during the migration, but once arriving on their wintering grounds they leave them. [/more]
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Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Very good! Thanks for starting a new topic! Your work has expanded our English-language section of the forum tremendously!
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: Your work has expanded our English-language section of the forum tremendously! It's a pleasure to be able to help this wonderful project! Here is another description. This time for some species of stork. Wattled stork (Neociconia carunculata) Order:Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae Habitat: Ponds, rivers, edges of lakes, estuaries and other freshwater wetlands from Eastern Asia and Central Europe. The anthropogenic interference in the nature during the Holocene caused the extinction of several species. Those that survived were able to continue their evolution and their descendants appeared in the Neocene. Some species of stork survived the anthropogenic onslaught and gave rise to the Genus Neociconia. The wattled stork, the type species of this Genus, inhabits ponds, rivers, edges of lakes, estuaries and other freshwater wetlands. Their range is from Eastern Asia to Central Europe. The Three-Rivers Land, Siberia and Fourseas are examples of places where these storks live and nest. A migratory species, the wattled stork winters in warm regions of the South. Birds from Central Europe will spend the winter in the savannas and wetlands of Eastern Africa and Zinj Land whilst the birds from Asia and Siberia will spend the winter in the Indian subcontinent. The wattled stork is a large bird, measuring 110 cm in height with a 198 cm wingspan. It has long red legs, a long neck and a long, straight, pointed red beak. The main characteristic of this species are their two wattles that hang down from under the upper throat, one in each side. Its plumage is glistening black overall with a downy white breast and neck, while the crown is dark brown. The breast feathers are long and shaggy, forming a ruff which is used in courtship displays. The face is nude, with red skin in front of the eye extending to the base of the beak and in the wattles, being covered by small round wart-like bumps. These bare parts become bright during the nesting season. The sexes are identical in appearance, except that males are larger than females on average. The juvenile resembles the adult in plumage, but the areas corresponding to the adult black feathers are browner and less glossy and they lack the bare skin on the face, and have less prominent wattles. These birds feed of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, crustaceans, insects, small mammals and birds. Foraging for food is more common to happen in fresh water, but they will also do it in dry land. When foraging at water, this bird wades patiently and slowly in shallow water in a small group and often foraging in mixed species flocks. It uses the wings to shade the water while hunting. The wattled stork also follows large mammals, seeking to eat the invertebrates and other small animals flushed by their presence. Wattled storks have to take one of the toughest migrations. In late summer and middle autumn, they gather in flocks of up to 300 individuals and prepare for their flight to their winter range. During their migratory flight south, these birds reach altitudes of 4,900–7,900 metres. Along their arduous journey, the Asiatic population has to cross the Himalayan Mountains to get to their over-wintering grounds in India. Many die from fatigue, hunger and predation. The European population has a less arduous migration, flying down to their wintering areas in the savannas of mainland Eastern Africa and Zinj land. Large concentrations of these birds are found in the Nile. This species is monogamous. The courtship will start in the ground, usually in areas of foraging. The male will spread their wings and call a female that if interested, will approach. Then he will start to vocalize while displaying his breast feathers and with wings spread. If the female accepts the male, she will mimic him. The pairs in courtship also have aerial displays. The pair will soar in parallel, usually over the nest territory early in the mornings or late afternoons while they vocalize to each other. The nest is large, constructed from sticks and twigs, and sometimes also large branches, at an elevation of 4–25 m. The wattled stork prefers to construct its nest in forest trees with large canopies where the nest can be built far from the main trunk. The female lays two to five large oval grey-white eggs, which become soiled during incubation. The eggs are laid with an interval of two days. Incubation takes 38 days, with both sexes sharing duties, which commence after the first or second egg is laid. Fledging takes 60 to 71 days, after which the young joins the adults at their feeding grounds. However, for another two weeks, the young continue to return to the nest, to be fed and to roost at night. These birds reach sexual maturity with 13 years and their lifespan is of 39 years. Other species in the Genus Neociconia are: Black-headed stork (Neociconia europea) Living in wetlands of Western and Northern Europe, a small population can also be found in the western shores of the Fourseas. These birds have 97 cm of height and a wingspan of 180 cm. The plumage of these birds is similar to that of the wattled stork, but their head is black and they lack the wattles. Their face is bare, with the skin being red, which becomes bright during the nesting season. During migration, these birds will fly in large flocks through the Atlantic coast of Africa, reaching the western savannas of the continent. Malagasy stork (Neociconia calva) This species is endemic to the wetlands of Madagascar. They have 98 cm of height and a wingspan of 135 cm. The head of the adult is totally bare and orange in color, which becomes bright during the nesting season. Their plumage is white, with black flight feathers and a forked blacked tail. They aren’t migratory. Solitary stork (Neociconia solitaria) The ancestors of this species crossed the Bering strait and reached the taiga forests of Northern North America, usually those near the tundra. They forage in drier areas than their relatives of Eurasia, usually searching for food in the tundra. They rarely form large flocks, being seen solitary or in pairs. They have 105 cm of height and a wingspan of 180 cm. Most of their plumage is black. The undertail coverts and the back of neck are white with a black cap. Their face is bare, with red skin that becomes bright during the nesting season. Migratory, these birds will fly to the Mexican plateau and the marshes of Florida Peninsula during winter. During migration, these birds form familiar flocks, with the parents and their young.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Here is another description. This time for some species of stork. Very good!
JOrnitho: Does Europe needs descriptions for any other species? I would be happy to help writing it. Also, I had an idea for some descendants of the hyraxes, close related to the Embolohyrax. I was thinking that they could have a nich similar to that of tapirs of South America, living in Africa (they evolved first in the forests of Central Africa) and some species living in Western and Central Europe. What do you think?
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho It would be interesting to make some squirrel-like descendants of tree hyrax in African forests. Or weasel-like, able to climb vertical tree trunks using still more evolved mechanism of sticky and sucker-like soles.
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: It would be interesting to make some squirrel-like descendants of tree hyrax in African forests. Or weasel-like, able to climb vertical tree trunks using still more evolved mechanism of sticky and sucker-like soles. Oh, these are interesting ideas. I think that is time to open an Africa topic in the Foreign section. I'll do that as soon as I finish the descriptions of these hyraxes.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho OK, thank you!
JOrnitho: I made another description, this time of a duck. Imperial duck (Euroaix imperator) Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Habitat: Freshwater reservoirs of Northern and Central Europe, reaching the Three-Rivers Land During the Holocene, the man introduced many species to other continents. Those that were able to survive left descendants in the Neocene. The imperial duck is one of them. This species is a descendant of the mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) which were introduced by the humans. This species inhabits the freshwater reservoirs of Northern and Central Europe, reaching the Three-Rivers Land. During the winter, these birds migrate to marshlands and freshwater reservoirs of Africa, with a great population staying in the areas close to the Nile River. The imperial duck is a medium sized bird, with 54 cm of length and 73 cm of wingspan. The males are larger than the females due to their long tails. This species show a great sexual dismorphism, with males having a golden yellow crest and long iridescent feathers that grow along each side of the crests and curl on their necks. They also have a large white crescent above the eye and reddish face and "whiskers". The male's breast is purple with two vertical white bars, and he has two orange "sails" at the back. Stretching from the tail are two blackish and elongated wires with small, whitish spatulate tips. They also have ruddy colored fine, silky elongated flank plumes. They have bright red beaks and legs. The male undergoes a moult after the mating season into eclipse plumage. When in eclipse, the male looks similar to the female, but can be told apart by its bright red beak, yellow crest, less-pronounced eye-stripe, and silky flank plumes. The female has a white eye-ring and stripe running back from the eye, but is paler below, has a small white flank stripe, and a pale tip to its bill. Their crest is yellowish-brown. They lack the iridescent feathers in the head, the sails, the wires and the silky flank plumes of the males. The females have pale pink beaks and legs. They mainly eat plants and seeds, especially mast of members of the family Fagaceae. These birds will also add snails, insects and small fish to its diet. Their diet changes seasonally; in the fall and winter, they mostly eat seeds and grains. In the spring, they mostly eat insects, snails, fish and aquatic plants. In the summer, they eat dew worms, small fish, frogs, mollusks, and small snakes. They feed mainly near dawn or dusk, perching in trees or on the ground during the day. The imperial duck breed in densely wooded areas near shallow lakes, marshes or ponds. They will usually form pairs until the female lays eggs at the start of the nesting season, which is around the beginning of spring. At this time she is left by the male who joins up with other males to await the moulting period. During the brief time before this, however, the males are still sexually potent and some of them will remain on standby to sire replacement clutches and to defend the brooding female and his eggs during incubation. However, he'll not help with the incubation. They nest in cavities in trees close to water. A single clutch of nine to twelve eggs is laid in the beginning of the spring. She will incubate them for 30 days. Shortly after the ducklings hatch, their mother flies to the ground and coaxes the ducklings to leap from the nest. After all of the ducklings are out of the tree, they will follow their mother to a nearby body of water. The ducklings fledge in 46 days after hatching, but stay with the female until she has completed moulting. They reach sexual maturity with 2 years, which is when the males started to develop the adult plumage. They have a lifespan of 23 years, but males die early, mainly during the nesting season due to their plumage attracting predators.
JOrnitho: Would be possible for the bustards to survive in Western and Central Europe? Or even for an African species to reach here after the extinction of the man?
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Yes, they could survive. It would be interesting to make a large flightless ostrich-like bird from them.
Àâòîð: JOrnitho ïèøåò: Would be possible for the bustards to survive I think, no. Europe is too populated for their survival, and natural habitats are mostly destroyed (steppe areas). As for Africa, we discussed it in the Russian section of the forum some time ago. They are too vunerable in conditions of human activity, and again, the destruction of habitats threatens them.
Áèîëîã: Àâòîð I think, no. Bad. But we can figure out something else!
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: But we can figure out something else! Maybe a descendant of a plover, wader or lapwing could evolve to partially fill their niche. There is some species that can also eat seeds, like the bustards of the Neocene. Beyond it, there is the possibility of rallids, ducks, geese or galliformes doing the same.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Yes, especially the lapwings seem likely. They really could fill the bustards' niche.
Àâòîð: JOrnitho ïèøåò: Maybe a descendant of a plover, wader or lapwing could evolve to partially fill their niche. I agree. We have a crabstork (chapter "Generous ocean"), a charadriiform bird of Pseudogruidae family. So, a related species of more robust constitution can exist somewhere far from the ocean shore.
Áèîëîã: Àâòîð Good! So we can use this.
JOrnitho: Àâòîð ïèøåò: a related species of more robust constitution can exist somewhere far from the ocean shore. Nice! I'll start to work on it. By the way, I also made a description for a species related to the false tapirs that I posted in the African conversation. This one lives in Europe. Giant false tapir (Pachyrhinoparatapirus giganteus) Order: Hyracoidea Family: Paratapiroideae Habitat: Woodlands and deciduous forests of Central and Eastern Europe, reaching the Three-Rivers Land The human actions during the Holocene caused the decline of many species. However some species survived. The hyraxes (Hyracoidea) were among the animals that were able to survive. In the Neocene several new families descending from them appeared. One of these groups was the Paratapiroideae, a sister family to the Flathorns (Platyceratheriidae). Alongside the genus Paratapirus, the Pachyrhinoparatapirus is also part of this Family. The Giant false tapir is its only representative. This animal inhabits the woodlands and deciduous forests of Central and Eastern Europe, reaching the Three-Rivers Land. The giant false tapir has 200 cm of length and 120 cm of shoulder height. Their tail is stubby and very short, with only 5 cm of length. Differently from the genus Paratapirus, this animal is more similar to a small and slender rhinoceros than a tapir. The males have a thick cranial protuberance over their snouts, which is used to fight among themselves for the females. Such characteristics make them similar to the Flathorns, but it's a case of convergent evolution. The males also use their long and tusk-like incisors during these fights. They have dark brown fur, with occasional pale hairs flecked in amongst it. The fur becomes noticeably paler on the underside, around the anal region, and on the cheeks. Due to the cold climate of the region, these animals developed a long and wooly fur. These animals are herbivores. Leaves from an assortment of plant types provide the greater part of their eating regimen, yet they likewise eat twigs, bark, blossoms, hedges, grasses, and fruits. Fruits tend to be favorable when in season, but it depends on its availability. It also seeks out natural salt licks to satisfy its need for essential minerals. The giant false tapir may be active at all hours, but is primarily nocturnal. It forages for leaves, fruits and seeds by using well-worn paths. These animals usually stay close to water and enjoy swimming and wading. During hot summer days, individuals will rest in a watering hole for hours with only their heads above water. When in danger, these animals will seek water. These animals communicate with one another through shrill whistles and squeaks. They live in small matriarchal herds, formed by an older female her daughters and their offspring. Usually these herds don't surpass seven individuals. During periods with abundance of food, different herds can mix for a time. Young males form bachelor herds, but adult ones have a solitary lifestyle and only join herds during mating season. During this period, the males will fight fiercely against each other, both by pushing each other with their cranial protuberances and using their incisors to inflict deep wounds. After mating, the male will only stay in the herd for some days. The female becomes fertile during the autumn and early winter. The gestation period is about 400 days, after which one offspring is born. Twins are rare, but can happen occasionally. The babies have reddish-brown hair with white stripes. This pattern creates a camouflage which affords them excellent protection against predators. This pattern eventually fades into the adult coloration. For the first week of their lives, infant giant false tapirs are hidden in secluded locations while their mothers forage for food and return periodically to nurse them. At these moments, one of their younger aunts will guard them. Later, the young follow the herd on feeding expeditions. The herd take part in raising the cub, as they move and sleep together as a unit. At three weeks of age, the young are able to swim. Weaning occurs after one year, and sexual maturity is usually reached six to 12 months later. Males are expelled from the herd two months after weaning. Their lifespan is 35 years.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good one again!
JOrnitho: I finished the description of the false bustards Eurasian false bustard (Charadrotis eurasiaticus) Order: Charadriiformes Family: Pseudogruidae Order: Steppes and prairies of Europe and Central Asia, migrating to savannas of Africa and Zinj Land during the winter The human actions in the Holocene caused many impacts in the ecosystems. Because of these actions, many species went extinct in the Neocene. However some species survived and give raise to descendants, one of these descendants is the Eurasian false bustard. As its name already says, these birds are not bustards, in fact these birds descended from the plovers (Charadrius), but through evolutionary convergence acquired characteristics similar to that of birds of the Family Otididae, this new species is very similar to a modern bustard. They are part of the Family Pseudogruidae, being closely related to the large-billed crabstork. This bird lives in the steppes and prairies of Europe and Central Asia. With the exception of one species, all false bustards are migratory, being able to fly long distances. The Eurasian false bustard flies to savannas of Africa and Zinj Land during the winter. These birds are larger than their relatives of the Genus Pseudogrus. They have 97 cm of height, with a length of 110 cm and a wingspan of 200 cm. They have a small head set on a long neck, and a bulky body with large legs. Their plumage is brown above and white below, with black stripes down the sides of their long neck. In flight, the long wings show large areas of black and brown on the flight feathers and a white patch on the darker primaries. The long legs are yellowish in color and the bill is yellow with a black tip. They eat insects and other small invertebrates, small reptiles, frogs and rodents. Occasionally the Eurasian false bustard will also eat shoots and seeds. To kill the vertebrates, they stomp on them until they are rendered stunned or unconscious enough to swallow. During the spring and summer, these birds are solitary, with only mated pairs being seen together. During migration, they form small familiar flocks formed by the parents and their chicks. The breeding season occurs in the spring. The normal clutch is 2 to 3 stone colored eggs laid inside a scrape on bare ground. The eggs are incubated by both adults for 25 to 27 days. One of the parents will stand guard nearby while the other incubates the eggs. The nidifugous chicks are cryptically colored and follow the parents soon after hatching. The young chicks freeze and crouch when alarmed and the cryptic plumage makes them hard to detect. The parents will aggressively attack any predator that approaches the nest. Juveniles are independent by their first winter, but normally stay with their parents until the next breeding season. The lifespan of this species is 24 years. Other species in the Genus Charadrotis: Indian false bustard (Charadrotis nigrocephalus) Living in the plains of the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent, this species has 72 cm of height, with a length of 83 cm and a wingspan of 165 cm. Their plumage is similar with the Eurasian species, with the exception of their head that is black. It’s a non-migratory species. Siberian false bustard (Charadrotis siberiana) Living in the regions of tundra in Siberia, this species has 65 cm of height, with a length of 78 cm and a wingspan of 157 cm. They have brown upperparts with dark grey marks on a tawny buff background; the underparts are black. The head is boldly patterned with black, white and buff. The neck, long and thin, is buffy brown with a thin black line down the front that joins the black breast. The tail is dark brown. During the winter, this species migrates to the grasslands of Meganesia. Tundra false bustard (Charadrotis leucoventris) Living in the regions of tundra in North America, this is the only member of the genus Charadrotis that reached the Americas. Their closest relative is the Siberian false bustard. This species has a height of 69 cm, with a length of 80 cm and a wingspan of 163 cm. Their plumage is similar to that of the Siberian species, with the exception that their underparts are white rather than black. During winter, this species migrates to the savannas and grasslands of South America. Before reaching here, they make brief stops at the Great Plains.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good ones! Thank you.
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