MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos) female, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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 The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a dabbling duck of the family Anatidae which is in the genus Anas.

WHINCHAT [Male] (Saxicola rubetra) Pelekaniotikos River, Koundoura, Crete, Greece

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The Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) is a small migratory passerine in the family Muscicapidae and is closely related to the Old World flycatchers. It is a summer breeding resident in Europe and in parts of Western Asia which winters in sub Saharan Africa. Small numbers also winter in north western Africa. The autumn migration south commences from late August. By early April the following year the first of the returning migrants begin to reappear in southern Europe. 

LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta) Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece

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The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is a small member of the heron family Ardeidae which also includes Bitterns and Herons. It is found in the temperate parts of Eurasia and Africa as well as in Australia and New Zealand. Over the last 60 years or so this species has greatly expanded its range including recolonising its former breeding areas in Northern Europe. It first bred in the Caribbean in the mid 1990’s and is increasingly being recorded along the North American eastern seaboard.

Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) with CORKWING WRASSE (Symphodus melops) at Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece

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The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is of the family Ardeidae and is in the genus Ardea.  It is resident in the temperate regions of Eurasia as well as eastern and sub Saharan Africa. The more northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter. Wetlands are its main habitat and commonly occurs along estuaries, streams, rivers and lakes. Aquatic as well as terrestrial creatures are preyed upon. Prey items include amphibians, insects, reptiles, small mammals and birds which are swallowed whole.

This species nests in tall trees in colonies which are known as heronries. Upto five eggs are laid and are incubated for 25 days. Fledging takes place after 60 days.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) distribution map

 

 Breeding     Resident     Winter     Vagrant      Introduced resident 

 

SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons 

 

LITTLE STINT (Calidris minuta) Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece

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The Little Stint (Calidris minuta) is a small Eurasian species of shorebird (or wader) in the family Scolopacidae which breeds in the tundra areas of the Arctic. It is a long distance passage migrant that spends the winter in sub Saharan Africa and southern Asia. In addition, there are scattered wintering populations around the Mediterranean Basin as well as on the Atlantic coasts of France, Portugal and Spain. It is generally encountered in north west Europe during autumn migration and to a lesser extent during the spring passage.  
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LITTLE CRAKE (Male) (Porzana parva) Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece

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The Little Crake (Porzana parva) is a small migratory waterbird in the family Rallidae which includes rails and crakes. This reed bed species is a summer breeding resident mainly in eastern Europe and parts of western Asia. It returns to Europe from its wintering areas in Africa in late March. During the breeding season this secretive species is more often heard than seen. In late August, the start of the migration south begins.
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ITALIAN SPARROW (Male) (Passer italiae) Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece

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The Italian Sparrow (Passer italiae) or Cisalpine Sparrow is a small perching bird in the family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer. It is very closely related to and is intermediate in appearance between House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis). Some authorities treat it as a subspecies of House Sparrow but recent DNA research strongly supports its status as a full species. The Italian Sparrow occurs in Italy and small populations are also found in the adjoining countries of Austria, France, Slovenia and Switzerland. It is also resident on the Greek island of Crete and other Mediterranean islands including Corsica and Malta. 


Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

WHINCHAT (Male) (Saxicola rubetra) Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece

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The Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) is a small migratory passerine in the family Muscicapidae and is closely related to the Old World flycatchers. It is a summer breeding resident in Europe and in parts of Western Asia which winters in sub Saharan Africa. Small numbers also winter in north western Africa. The autumn migration south commences from late August. By early April the following year the first of the returning migrants begin to reappear in southern Europe.  

LITTLE GREBE or DABCHICK (Tachybaptus ruficollis) Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece

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The Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) or more commonly known as Dabchick, is a small waterbird in the family Podicipedidae which is in the genus Tachybaptus. Nine subspecies are generally recognised whose range extends in a band over most of Europe across southern and eastern Asia. It also occurs in northern and sub Saharan Africa. Worldwide there were 23 species of grebe but Alaotra Grebe (Tachybaptus rufolavatus), which was last seen in 1985 at Lake Alaotra in Madagascar, is now considered to be extinct. 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

EURASIAN PENDULINE TIT (Male) (Remiz pendulinus) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

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The Eurasian Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus) is found in southern and central Europe as well as central and south western Asia. The northern population is migratory and in late autumn, retreats south to spend the winter in the warmer part of its range. It is generally found near fresh water with marginal trees and shrubs. It weaves an elaborate enclosed suspended nest with an angled downward facing tunnel entrance. Food items include a wide variety of small invertebrates and seeds. Text © www.rawbirds.com 

PURPLE HERON (Ardea purpurea) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

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There are 65 species of heron (which includes Bitterns and Egrets). The Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) is resident in Africa and southern Asia. It is also a summer breeding resident in eastern and and western Asia as well as central and southern Europe. The northern populations are migratory and with the onset of colder weather in late autumn, they migrate south to Africa and to southern Asia to spend the winter there. This secretive species can at times be difficult to locate. Its preferred habitats are reed beds or ditches and unlike most other species of heron, it is generally no found out in the open. Text © www.rawbirds.com

BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

 

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  The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is of the family Hirundinae which is in the genus Hirundo . It is a summer resident which breeds in the Northern Hemisphere. There are small sedentary populations in some of the tropical parts of this range but during the summer it is mainly absent from the Indian sub-continent and South East Asia. This common and widespread insectivorous species feeds exclusively on small flies and midges. 

In late autumn with the onset of colder weather, when its prey items begin to diminish, it migrates south to its wintering areas. The North American population winters in Central and South America. The Eurasian population winters in sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian sub-continent, South East Asia and parts of Northern Australia. In early spring the return migration north begins. At least races are recognised.  

There are 74 species of hirundines which includes Swallows and Martins. In additional, the only known record of the Red Sea Cliff Swallow (Hirundo perdita) was of one found dead at Sanganeb Lighthouse, Sudan in May 1984.

  Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

WHISKERED TERN (Chlidonias hybrida) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

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The Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) is a species of marsh tern. There are three races recognised; Chlidonias hybrida hybrida breeds in Eurasia - Chlidonias hybrida delalandii is found in eastern and southern Africa - Chlidonias hybrida javanicus occurs on the Java Peninsula south to Australia  The northern  population is migratory and winters in West Africa, the Middle East, East Africa, the Indian sub-continent and South East Asia. This fresh water species has a scattered distribution through out its range and is in decline due to the drainage of wetlands. Text © www.rawbirds.com

WHISKERED TERN (Chlidonias hybrida) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

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The Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) is a species of marsh tern. There are three races recognised; Chlidonias hybrida hybrida breeds in Eurasia - Chlidonias hybrida delalandii is found in eastern and southern Africa - Chlidonias hybrida javanicus occurs on the Java Peninsula south to Australia  The northern population is migratory and winters in West Africa, the Middle East, East Africa, the Indian sub-continent and South East Asia. This fresh water species has a scattered distribution through out its range and is in decline due to the drainage of wetlands. Text © www.rawbirds.com

RED FOOTED FALCON (Male) (Falco vespertinus) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

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The Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) breeds in eastern Europe and west, central and north-central Asia, with its main range from Belarus south to Hungary, northern Serbia and Montenegro, Romania, Moldova and east Bulgaria, eastward through Ukraine and north-west and south Russia and north Kazakhstan to extreme north-west China and the upper Lena river (Russia). It winters in southern Africa, from South Africa northwards to southern Kenya (Ferguson-Lees et al. 2001).  Text © iucnredlist.org (see full species status at  http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22696432/00)

LONG EARED OWL (Roosting) (Asio otus) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

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The Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) is a widespread northern hemisphere species which occurs in North America, Europe and Asia. There are four subspecies generally recognised:  Asio otus tuftsi is found in western Canada south to northern Mexico - Asio otus wilsonianus breeds in central and eastern Canada south to eastern USA - Asio otus otus occurs in Asia, Europe and North Africa - Asio otus canariensis is endemic to the Canary Islands. The northern part of the population is migratory and disperses south before the onset of winter. Breeding habitat includes both deciduous woodland and conifer plantations with access to open country side for hunting. Prey items include a wide variety of small vertebrates, mainly mice, voles, shrews, rats and to a lesser extent reptiles and birds.  Text © www.rawbirds.com

RED FOOTED FALCON (Male) (Falco vespertinus) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

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The Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) breeds in eastern Europe and west, central and north-central Asia, with its main range from Belarus south to Hungary, northern Serbia and Montenegro, Romania, Moldova and east Bulgaria, eastward through Ukraine and north-west and south Russia and north Kazakhstan to extreme north-west China and the upper Lena river (Russia). It winters in southern Africa, from South Africa northwards to southern Kenya (Ferguson-Lees et al. 2001).  Text © iucnredlist.org (see full species status at  http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22696432/00)

BLACK REDSTART [Juvenile] (Phoenicurus ochruros) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

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The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small perching bird in the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae) which is the genus Phoenicurus. It is a locally common resident in central and southern Europe and northern Africa. It also occurs in western and central Asia. In the warmer parts of its range it is sedentary. The northern populations migrate in the autumn to spend the winter in southern and western Europe, northern Africa and the Indian sub continent. 

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RED FOOTED FALCON (Female) (Falco vespertinus) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

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The Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) breeds in eastern Europe and west, central and north-central Asia, with its main range from Belarus south to Hungary, northern Serbia and Montenegro, Romania, Moldova and east Bulgaria, eastward through Ukraine and north-west and south Russia and north Kazakhstan to extreme north-west China and the upper Lena river (Russia). It winters in southern Africa, from South Africa northwards to southern Kenya (Ferguson-Lees et al. 2001).  Text © iucnredlist.org (see full species status at  http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22696432/00)

SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides) Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta, Hortobágy, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar megye, Hungary

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The Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) is resident south of the Sahara Desert in western, eastern and south eastern Africa, including Madagascar. There is also a small population in Morocco and in Algeria on the North West African coast. This small heron also occurs as a summer resident in central and southern Europe as well as in western central Asia. In the autumn, it migrates back to Africa to spend the winter months there. Its diet includes frogs, lizards, small fish and a wide variety of invertebrates. Text © www.rawbirds.com