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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 |
Saturday 16 January 2016
ITALIAN SPARROW (Male) (Passer italiae) Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece
Thursday 14 January 2016
WHINCHAT (Male) (Saxicola rubetra) Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece
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Saturday 9 January 2016
EUROPEAN TURTLE DOVE (Streptopelia turtur) adult at Tavronitis River Mouth, Crete, Greece
Monday 4 January 2016
CRETAN WALL LIZARD (Podarcis cretensis) Moni Ioannou Erimitou Gkouvernetou, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE The Cretan Wall Lizard (Podarcis cretensis) is endemic to the Greek island of Crete and its satellite islets. It is one of 14 species of amphibian/reptile (three frogs, one toad, three geckos, one skink, two lizards and four snakes) found there. It is confined to the western half of the island but can be locally common. It is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is protected under Appendix II of Bern and Annex IV of the EU Habitats Directive. The prefer habitats include rocky outcrops, dry river beds and stone walls. A wide variety of arthropods, small invertebrates and snails are preyed upon. The Balkan Green Lizard (Lacerta trilineata) is the other species of lizard that occurs less commonly on the island. Text © www.rawbirds.com |
Friday 1 January 2016
LITTLE GREBE or DABCHICK (Tachybaptus ruficollis) Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece
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Tuesday 29 December 2015
CRESTED LARK (Galerida cristata) Kolimvari, Crete, Greece
The Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) is one of 82 species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is commonly found across most of the temperate regions of Europe and Asia but absent from north west Europe and northern Asia. It also occurs in northern Africa as far south as Niger. It is sedentary by nature and is only a rare vagrant outside the normal range.
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Saturday 26 December 2015
EUROPEAN SERIN (Serinus serinus) Moni Katholikou (Agiou Ioanni Erimiti), Akrotiri, Crete, Greece
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The European Serin (Serinus serinus) or simply called Serin, is a small seed eating passerine in the finch family Fringillidae. Its preferred habits include open deciduous woodland and parkland where the territory defending males sing from the treetops. It occurs throughout Europe as well around the Mediterranean Basin. The northern population is migratory and winters in the southern parts of its range. It is absent as a breeding species from Britain, Ireland, Iceland and Scandinavia. Text © www.rawbirds.com |
Sunday 20 December 2015
CHUKAR PARTRIDGE (Alectoris chukar subspecies A. c. cypriotes) Moni Katholikou (Agiou Ioanni Erimiti), Akrotiri, Crete, Greece
The Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) or more commonly called Chukar is in the pheasant family Phasianidae which is in the genus Alectoris. It has a widespread distribution which stretches in a wide band from south eastern Europe to eastern China. There are many subspecies recognised including Alectoris chukar cypriotes which occurs on the islands of Crete, Rhodes, Cyprus as well as in parts of Bulgaria and Syria.This gamebird has been widely introduced, for hunting purposes, in many countries including (western) USA and New Zealand where feral populations have become established.
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Monday 14 December 2015
GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) at North Harbour, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland
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Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls 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 |
Saturday 12 December 2015
EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola subspecies.S. r. hibernans) male at Ballyieragh South, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland
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The European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) is of the chat family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Saxicola. Preferred habitats include rough grassland, sand dunes and heathland where it is typically seen perched on brambles, gorse or shrubs within the breeding area. In the temperate part of its range, nesting
commences in late March and up to three broods are raised. It is a partial migrant. Populations from the colder regions move to spend the winter in southern Europe and northern Africa. Successive hard winters, as was the case in 2009/10 and 2010/11 caused severe losses in the mainly sedentary northwestern populations. There are two
subspecies generally recognised:
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds |
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