the encyclopedia of birds e

Razorbill 739
BEHAVIOR
BREEDING
The ease and speed with which
razorbills swim resembles that
of penguins. But, unlike penguins,
the razorbill can fly. Launching
from its perilous nesting ledge, the bird flaps its wings slowly in a glide
to sea level. Then, rapidly beating its pointed wings, the razorbill flies
over the cool waters with tail and feet stretched behind for added
lift. When returning to land, the razorbill often flies over the landing
site a few times for inspection before touchdown. It sweeps upward
slightly to decelerate and spreads its wings, tail and feet in an awk-
ward-looking braking posture.
On land, razorbills spend their time at the nest or at areas
nearby called clubs. They are highly social when breeding; birds from
two or three nesting groups may associate at the gathering area.
CONSERVATION

MeetinG place
Razorbills are very
sociable when breeding.
Inaccessibility prevents an accurate tally of the number of
razorbills, though estimates reach as high as 2.5 million. The
birds benefit from their remoteness, but oil spills and fishing
nets have caused recent declines. Listed as threatened by the
state of Maine, they are also protected on the Gannet Islands
ecological preserve, the largest colony in eastern North America.

no BaBySitter

The parents trust that the boulder will hide their
chick until they return with food.
FOOD & FEEDING
SEA HUNT
A floating raft…
Turbulent waters make floating
together difficult. The razorbills, at
sea for the winter, search for food
through the dark waves.
1
An expert dive…
One bird spots a potential snack
and descends with a powerful dive,
coordinating wings, feet and tail
for expert maneuvering.
2
In hot pursuit…
The razorbill “flies” through the
water with rapid wingbeats and,
reaching a depth of 15', closes
the gap between bird and prey.
3
A selfish snack
Without a chick to feed, the
razorbill keeps the treat. It
swallows the fish whole, while
keeping an eye out for more.
4
P
rofiLe

740 Razorbill
CREATURE COMPARISONS
viTAl
STATiSTicS
R
azoRBill
With speed and skill, the razorbill cuts through the air or water with a sleek
body designed for flying, swimming and even diving to depths of over 300'.
WeiGHt
lenGtH
WinGSpan
Sexual
Maturity
BreedinG
SeaSon
nuMBer
of eGGS
incuBation
period
fledGinG
period
BreedinG
interval
typical
diet
lifeSpan
28 oz.
14–17"
24–27"
4–5 years

April–June
1
35–37 days
16–28 days
1 year
Fish and
aquatic
vertebrates
20 years
Bill
The white groove
across the bill
is a distinguishing
feature. The broad,
curved bill, with its
knifelike upper beak,
can catch and hold up to
20 sand eels (a favorite
pr
ey) at
a time.
Feet
The razorbill’s webbed
toes are ideal for maneuver-
ing in water. In flight, the bird
holds its feet back parallel
to the body for
extra lift; when
landing, it
extends them

as brakes.
On land, the
bird usually
shuffles along
The common murre, or guillemot (Uria aalge), is one of the largest members
of the alcid family, weighing up to 32 oz. and measuring 16" tall. Very similar
to the razorbill in appearance, the murre has a thinner, longer bill
and shorter tail. Coloring also distinguishes the birds in the
water or at their cliff-side nests. Murres are blackish-brown,
whereas razorbills are a darker black. With ranges similar to
the razorbill, the murre selects narrow rock ledges and lays
slightly oblong eggs, which are shaped to roll in circles, so as
not to roll off the small ledge. The razorbill picks wider ledges at
the same cliffs and lays oval eggs that roll straighter.
Razorbill
Common
murre
Winter plumage
The razorbill molts after breeding to
prepare for a winter of cold-water
swimming. New feathers are short, stiff and
dense. Its throat and area behind the eye
are white but turn black in breeding season.
RElATEd SPEciES
•
Razorbills and murres,
members of the
Alcidae
family, join terns and gulls
in the order

Charadriiformes.

A relative of the puffin,
the razorbill is closely
related to the extinct
flightless great auk.
Because of its dense feath-
ers and great skill
in the water, the razor-
bill is often compared to
the flightless penguins
(Sphenisciformes)
of the
Antarctic, but they are
in different orders.
Red Crossbill 741
Red CRossBill
• ORDER •
Passeriformes
• GENUS & SPECIES •
Loxia curvirostra
• FAMILY •
Fringillidae
KEY FEATURES
•
Its extraordinary bill
is-superbly adapted to
removing seeds from
pine cones

•
Risks breeding in the
depths of winter so that
its young will hatch in
a period of plenty

•
Leads a nomadic
life, roaming over large
areas of forest
•
Occasionally leaves
northern forests in
flocks to find food
whERE in ThE
woRld?
Found mainly in a
broad band across
northern parts of
Eurasia and North
America, with smaller,
scattered populations
in southern Europe,
northwestern Africa
and central Asia
L
ifecycLe
742 Red Crossbill



nordic invader
After mass migra-
tions from the forests of
S
candina
via
in
search of
food, large colonies of red
crossbills have expanded
the species’ range in
southern Europe.
The red crossbill pays a heavy price for its
reliance on a single source of food: in the
years when the pine cone crop fails, it must
fly great distances or face starvation.
HABITAT
BEHAVIOR
?
•
Scientists in Russia have
calculated that a brood
of red crossbills is fed an
average of 90,000 seeds by
its parents before fledging.
•
In autumn 1990, about
600,000 red crossbills
appeared in eastern Britain,
having fled Scandinavia and

Russia in search of food.
FOOD & FEEDING
The largest red crossbill
populations are in conifer-
ous forests that extend from
Scandinavia east to Siberia and
in northern North America.
Known as boreal forest, this
densely wooded area is snow-
bound for half of the year, but
it has a vast number of cone-
bearing spruce and fir trees.
Farther south, the red cross-
bill is found in coniferous for-
ests on the slopes of the Alps,
Pyrenees, High Atlas and Rocky
mountains and the Himalayas.
The nutritional quality of
tree cones varies from
year to year and area
to area. This, combined
with the fact that cones
ripen at different times
in different places, means
that no single stretch
of forest can support
red crossbills all year.
Therefore, the bird must
be constantly on the
move. It travels in small

flocks of up to 20, stopping wherever food is plentiful and then
moving on when the supply is exhausted.
Every few years, when the cone crop fails, the red crossbill forms
huge flocks that migrate southward in search of alternative food
sources. Very large numbers of birds may die in these lean years.
The red crossbill can appear parrotlike because it uses both its feet
and its bill for climbing and feeding. Using this method to cling onto
branches, the red crossbill can clamber foot-over-bill through the
foliage and reach even the outermost cones.
While feeding, the red crossbill tends to hold cones steady with
its feet while stripping them of seeds. Sometimes, it uses its bill to
snip a cone from a stem before moving it to a new perch. The bird
is often seen in small groups drinking from standing water on the
forest floor: a diet of hard, dry seeds forces it to visit pools and
streams several times a day to quench its thirst.
TWEEZERS IN THE TREE
A welcome site…
After flying for miles, the red
crossbill selects an area where the
trees are laden with cones.
1
Branching out…
Clambering along a bough, the bird
size up a plump cone, looking for
the best angle of attack.
2
Red Crossbill 743
BREEDING
FOOD & FEEDING
CONSERvATION

Red crossbill numbers vary
greatly from year to year
depending on food availability,
but these fluctuations have little
or no long-term effect on the
species’ survival. In fact, as large
areas in Britain, France, Belgium,
Denmark and Germany have
been turned over to conifer
plantations over the course
of the last 30 years, the red
crossbill has extended its range.

pine percH
The red crossbill travels and
feeds in small flocks.
Unlike most small birds of the
Northern Hemisphere, the red
crossbill’s breeding season starts early
in the year. This is because the cone
seeds that it eats are most plentiful
in midwinter. The female incubates
her eggs for about two weeks, often
in freezing temperatures. Despite her
efforts and the nest’s lining of animal
hair and grass, entire clutches may be
destroyed by frost.
The young hatch just as pine cones
are ripe and plentiful. They leave
the nest after three to four weeks,

but until their bills are fully formed,
they are wholly dependent on their
parents, both of which feed them a regular supply of
regurgitaged conifer seed.

toolS of tHe trade
It takes six weeks for
chicks’ bills to develop.
Bill work…
The crossbill forces open the
cone’s scales by jabbing its sharp
bill into the cracks between them.
3
Seedy diner
The crossbill extracts the seed by
using its upper and lower
mandibles in copperation.
4
P
rofile
744 Red Crossbill
Weight
Length
Wingspan
sexuaL
Maturity
Breeding
season
nuMBer of
eggs

incuBation
period
fLedging
period
Breeding
intervaL
typicaL
diet
Lifespan
1.2–1.75 oz.
6.5
"
11–12.5
"
6–12 months
Almost year-
round, peaking
January–May
2–5, usually
3–4
14–15 days
20–25 days
Usually 1 year
Seeds of
coniferous
trees
At least 7 years
vital
statistics
CREATURE COMPARISONS 

The red crossbill has much in common with two other species of finch found in coniferous forests: the
pine grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) and the parrot crossbill (Loxia pytyopsittacus). All three species are
strongly built for birds of their size, with a bull neck and stocky body. The males all have bold reddish
plumage, contrasting with the drab females
and gray-brown juveniles.The parrot
crossbill is-a specialized feeder with
a bill design like the red crossbill’s.
The-pine grosbeak, which eats-shoots,
leaves and berries, has a conventionally
shaped but equally powerful bill.
R
ed

cRossbill
The red crossbill’s strange-looking bill is a vital tool that allows the bird
to take advantage of the one abundant food supply in its harsh habitat.
RElatED sPEciEs
•
The 4 species of
crossbill are the only
members of the genus
Loxia, which belongs
to the finch family,
Fringillidae. This family
is divided into two
subfamilies. Fringillinae
contains the chaffinch,
brambling and Canary
Islands chaffinch. There
are 120 or so species

in the Carduelinae
subfamily. All belong to
the order Passeriformes,
or perching birds.
Pine
grosbeak
Female
The female has duller and less
conspicuous plumage than the male,
making her hard to spot on the nest.
Juvenile
Dark-brown plumage with
pale-cream streaks from head
to tail break up the young bird’s
outline and confuse predators,
such as squirrels.
Bill
Instead of
meeting neatly
at the tip, the
mandibles cross over.
This unusual design is an
adaptation for removing the
seeds from tree cones. It acts
both
as a
lever-to pry cone
scales open and as a-tweezer to
remove seeds. The bill “crossover”
— left over right or vice versa —

is usually dictated by the genetics
of each local population.
Parrot
crossbill
Red
crossbill
Tail
The extra-long outer
tail feathers create
a fork that can
be seen clearly
in flight and when
the
bird
is-perched.
male
Adults have red
plumage, brightest
on the crown,
throat and rump.
Some are more
orange, yellowish or
pinkish-gray.
Red Junglefowl 745
Red Junglefowl
• ORDER •
Galliformes
• GENUS & SPECIES •
Gallus gallus
• FAMILY •

Phasianidae
KEY FEATURES
•
The ancestor of domestic chickens, this colorful
pheasant is a wild and wary bird
•
Lives under the rules of a group hierarchy
established by ritual challenges and fighting
•
Cross-breeding with domestic poultry is causing
concern for the genetic purity of the species
whERE in ThE woRld?
Northeastern Pakistan
and India east to
southeastern China;
south through the Malay
Peninsula to islands of
Sumatra, Java and Bali
L
ifecycLe
746 Red Junglefowl
For a shy bird, the red junglefowl has a loud
claim to fame — as ancestor of the chicken,
it is considered to be the most important
species of bird in human history.
HABITAT
?
•
The red junglefowl
is fond of taking dust

baths; it rubs itself
in dry, sandy soil to
remove parasites from
its skin and feathers.
•
The domestic
chicken — descendant
of the red junglefowl —
is the most abundant
bird in the world, with
a population exceeding
a staggering eight
billion. This outnumbers
humans by about two
billion.
BREEDING
CONSERvATION
The red junglefowl has
been hunted for centuries,
but continues to exist in
good numbers throughout
most of its range and is not
considered threatened. As
a pure species, however,
it may not be as common
because it is almost
impossible to determine
how many free-living birds
are genuine junglefowl
rather than look-alikes that

have resulted from matings
with poultry. Destruction of
forests in many parts of its
range is a further concern.
The red junglefowl is a bird of
tropical and subtropical forests
and woodlands, but prefers
open woodland to dense jungle.
It’s most at home at the edges
of bamboo groves and in mixed
woods with patches of cultivated
land, especially wheat fields and
rice paddies, where it can find
plenty of food.
Usually found at altitudes
below 3,000
'
, it lives up to
6,600
'
in the Himalayas.
During the breeding season, a male junglefowl assembles a harem
of four or five hens, which he fiercely protects from rivals. He
courts a female by dancing around her, hackles raised and fanning
the wing nearest to her. After mating, the female builds a nest in
some undergrowth from a scrape in the ground lined with dry
leaves and grasses. She incubates her eggs for 18–20 days.
The
chicks run about
within hours of hatching; at

about a week old they are
able to flutter up to a safe
roosting perch. At first their
mother passes food to them
with her bill; although they can
soon feed themselves, they
don’t become independent
until nearly 2 months old.

HidinG place
A wary bird, the junglefowl
never strays far from cover.

 oatH of Silence
To avoid predators, hens
never cluck while nesting.
RULING THE ROOST
Rule…
A male red junglefowl crows loudly
to proclaim his territory and assert
ownership of a harem of hens.
1
Raid…
A bachelor male attempts to
take over the harem. The rivals
square up to each other.
2
Ruckus…
Equal in size and splendor, neither
cock is prepared to back down. They

clash in a spur-slashing trial of strength.
3
Run for it
The harem owner has won. With
his dominance confirmed, he
chases off the beaten bachelor.
4
Red Junglefowl 747
FOOD & FEEDING
The red junglefowl has a
complex social life. Although
usually seen in small family
parties, flocks of up to 50
birds may assemble outside
the breeding season. Mature
males split away from these
flocks to form loose bachelor
groups while they molt their
breeding plumage.
Life in both groups is
governed by a hierarchy known
as the pecking order, in which
each bird has its place according
to its strength and character.
Dominant birds are able to claim the best feeding and roosting sites. Various
challenges, from ritual posturing to fierce combat, are used to determine rank,
but comparative peace reigns once the pecking order is established. Although
bold among its own kind, the junglefowl is ready to run for cover at the slightest
disturbance. It can fly to escape predators, such as leopard cats, but it is usually
reluctant to take to the skies.


t
op of tHe tree
High social rank goes to the most
impressive male.
The red junglefowl is not a fussy eater, consuming
whatever it finds on its feeding forays. Seeds and grain
form the bulk of its diet, but it also takes fruit, shoots,
insects and other small creatures, such as spiders, worms,
snails and occasionally reptiles. The junglefowl does most
of its feeding in the early morning and late afternoon,
when it also visits streams and ponds to drink.
Foraging in the same way as a chicken, the junglefowl
scratches at the ground with its feet, scraping aside leaves
and other debris to uncover edible morsels, such as
seeds, fallen fruit and nuts. To get to succulent roots and
tubers, it digs in the soil, and it takes berries, shoots and
buds directly from plants.
The junglefowl must
also consume large
quantities of small
stones to help its
digestive system grind
down tough seed cases.
BEHAvIOR

taBle for one
Up at dawn, the red jun-
glefowl normally forages
alone, although flocks

occasionally gather to
feed at prime sites.
P
rofile
748 Red Junglefowl
Hen
The hen’s
plumage is duller
and more speckled than
that of the male to
help camouflage
her while she is
incubating eggs or
brooding chicks.
Plumage
The male erects the long
feathers, or hackles, on his
neck in courtship displays
to attract potential mates.
After the breeding season,
the‑male molts his breeding
plumage. The golden
hackles are replaced by
short, black feathers, and
the impressive tail
plumes fall off.
vital 
statistics
RElatED sPEciEs
•

The red junglefowl is 1
of 48 species of pheasant
in the family Phasianidae,
which includes 3
other junglefowls: the
Ceylon junglefowl,
Gallus lafayetii, the‑gray
junglefowl, G.‑sonneratii,
and the green junglefowl,
G.‑varius (below).
CREATURE COMPARISONS 
Some 150 breeds of poultry — from 8
"
-long bantams to giant 15-lb.
Brahma cockerels — have been developed since
the red junglefowl was domesticated in 3200
BC. Various types have been used for
religious purposes, cock-fighting, meat, eggs
and exhibition. Breed names include Scots
dumpy, Sicilian buttercup, and marsh daisy. A
popular show variety is the black-red modern game bantam, which
despite its name, has existed for over 100 years. Smaller than the red
junglefowl, it has long legs, a slender body and no comb or wattles.
Male 24–51 oz.;
female 17–37 oz.
Male 26–30";
female 17–18"

Male 26–32";
female 14–25"

1 year


Dry season

4–9, but
usually 5 or 6
18–20 days
Flies at 6–7
days; on its own
at 45–60 days

Seeds, grain,
shoots, roots,
fruit and
insects
3 years
Red Junglefowl
Adorned with rich colors and fanciful feathers, the male red junglefowl
uses his magnificent plumage to entice females during breeding season.
legs
The junglefowl scratches the ground with its
long, clawed toes when searching for food. A sharp
spur on the back of each male’s leg is used in fights.
Black‑red
modern
game
bantam
Head

The male has fleshy wattles on the
sides of his bill and a prominent
comb on his crown. Females are
attracted to males with the biggest
combs, which shrink in size after
the breeding season.
Weight
Length
Wingspan
sexuaL
Maturity
Breeding
season
nuMBer
of eggs
incuBation
period
fLedging
period
typicaL
diet
Lifespan
Red junglefowl
Red Kite 749
Red kite
• ORDER •
Falconiformes
• GENUS & SPECIES •
Milvus milvus
• FAMILY •

Accipitridae
KEY FEATURES
•
Graceful aerobatics
and a buoyant flight
are its trademark
•
Constantly adjusts
the angle of its wings
and deeply forked tail
when airborne
•
Consumes carrion in
large quantities, often
feeding at dumps
•
An opportunist
that frequently steals
food from other large
birds or takes over
their old nests
whERE in
ThE woRld?
Scarce, with a scattered
range across Europe;
about 90% of the birds
breed in Germany,
France and Spain,
a small but growing
number in Britain, a

few in Morocco and on
the Cape Verde Islands
L
ifecycLe
750 Red Kite
The red kite, a bird of lightly
wooded terrain, breeds and
roosts in stands of trees and
hunts over open areas. In the
south of its range, it’s found
mainly in forested valleys and
areas of traditional, mixed
farming. In the north, it occurs
on nonintensive farmland
with small fields and hedges,
interspersed with woods, rough
pasture and moorland.
The kite’s home range varies
in area. In central Wales, some
stay within 1–2 miles of their
roosts and nests; others travel up
to 9 miles or more for food.
In winter, the red kite uses
a wider variety of habitats,
including treeless agricultural
land, scrub and wetlands. It often visits garbage dumps at this
time of year. Demonstrating its opportunistic nature, the red kite
also feeds at the roadside, on wildlife fatalities, as well as outside
slaughterhouses. In medieval times, red kites occurred in large
numbers in many of the cities of western Europe — until improved

human cleanliness reduced the amount of food available.
Circle…
A red kite circles high overhead,
scanning the ground below as it
maneuvers with great skill.
1
Able to soar and hang in the air without
visible effort, the red kite looks for food
from its aerial “perch.” It feeds mainly on
carrion or takes small prey by surprise.
HABITAT
?
•
Kites flown by humans get
their name from the bird.
•
The isolated subspecies
of red kite on the Cape Verde
Islands is smaller and darker
than red kites elsewhere.
•
A pair of red kites often
weaves pieces of plastic, rags
or paper into their nest.
•
Until the 16th century,
red kites were a common
sight in London.
FOOD & HUNTING
jUNK FOOD

Disturbed
In many places, kites are very
shy and quickly take to the air
at the first signs of disturbance.
4
Scavenge
Joining others at a dump, it
eagerly feeds on any scraps of
animal matter that it can find.
3
Glide…
Once the kite spots a source of
food, it begins to lose altitude by
gliding slowly in wide circles.
2

HuMan nature
Kites use man-made
habitats, like farmland.
The kite has a varied diet, which depends upon the food available
at a particular time of year. In the breeding season, it takes a
greater proportion of live prey: mammals up to the size of a
hare and birds, including small species and the young of larger
ones, such as crows. Garbage and carrion, especially dead sheep,
become more important in winter. The red kite also steals food
from herons and other predatory birds.
To locate food, the kite circles high above the ground or glides
at treetop level, diving to catch live prey by surprise. It can catch
birds and insects in the air, but only rarely engages in a chase, as it
lacks the speed of falcons or hawks.

Red Kite 751
BEHAvIOR
BREEDING

Bite-Sized
The female passes morsels
of meat to her brood.

HiGH aS a kite
The red kite’s awe-inspiring
and agile flight is, in fact,
quite leisurely.

loner
The red kite’s cries
are often described as
sounding plaintive,
even distressed.
In March and April, at the start
of the breeding season, pairs
perform display flights over
their territory, circling at great
height or chasing each other.
Rival males may challenge each
other by seizing the opponent’s
talons or cartwheeling down
with their talons interlocked.
Pairs may build a nest or
add to one that they’ve built
during previous seasons. They

may also take over the old nest
of a buzzard or raven. After
mating, the female usually lays
two eggs, incubating them for
about a month. The female broods the newly hatched chicks for
two weeks, while her mate brings food. Later, when the chicks
can feed themselves, the female also hunts for her
offspring. Chicks fledge at about seven weeks old.
For much of the time, the red kite is solitary.
Juveniles, in particular, may wander for one or
more years, until they’re able to breed. Kites
sometimes gather to feed at garbage dumps or
rest in communal roosts, especially in winter.
Most red kite populations breeding in northern
and central Europe migrate south or southwest to
spend the winter in regions fringing the northern
Mediterranean. Birds from the southern part of the
range remain in the same areas all year, and there is now
an increasing tendency for northern birds to do likewise.
Red kites may migrate in small groups, although usually they
migrate singly among flocks of other birds of prey.
Unlike many birds of prey, home ranges of red
kites often overlap. Neighboring pairs show little
hostility to one another, defending only a
restricted area around nest sites. The kite
uses high-pitched, mewing calls to warn
intruders, indicate alarm or simply to stay
in contact with others — and is more vocal
in breeding seasons.
CONSERvATION

The long-term decline of
the once-common red kite,
which accelerated during
the 19th century, resulted
mainly from persecution by
farmers and gamekeepers.
It feeds largely on carrion,
but is often blamed for the
death of sheep and lambs.
Now, with the cooperation
of farmers and with legal
protection, it’s recovering
in western Europe. A major
conservation program also
involves releasing juveniles
from the healthy Spanish
population into Britain.
P
rofiLe
752 Red Kite
viTAl
STATiSTicS
RElATEd SPEciES
•
The 237 species in the
large family Accipitridae
include almost all birds
of prey. Of these, 33 spe-
cies are members of the
kite subgroup and include

the American swallow-
tailed kite (Elanoides
forficatus), the snail kite
(Rostrhamus sociabilis),
which feeds on aquatic
snails, and the brahminy
kite (Haliastur indus),
a scavenger living near
human habitation in India
and Southeast Asia.
The red kite’s closest relative, the black kite (Milvus
migrans), is more abundant and widespread
— found throughout the Old World. It has adapted to
life alongside humans and is a common scavenger on city streets
from Africa to eastern Asia. As well as human refuse and carrion,
it eats large amounts of fish — unlike its red relative
— and is often found near freshwater. The ranges of
both birds overlap in parts of Europe, but the red kite
is easily distinguished from the black kite by its deeply forked tail
and the light patches near its wingtips.
R
ed
k
ite
The red kite is a multipurpose bird of prey, adapted to catch live prey
as well as to make a living scavenging on scraps and carrion.
tail
The kite frequently
twists and fans its long
and deeply forked tail,

moving it from
side to side
like a rudder.
plumage
A warm, chestnut-colored plumage is covered with
dark markings. Its head is pale gray or whitish.
The tail is bright orange-brown
above and pale gray with faint
markings below; when
viewed from this angle
it appears almost
translucent.
WeiGHt



lenGtH

WinGSpan

Sexual
Maturity

BreedinG
SeaSon

nuMBer
of
eGGS

incuBation
period

fledGinG
period

BreedinG
interval

typical
diet



lifeSpan
Male 1.5–
2 lbs.; female
2–2.5 lbs.

About 2
'

5–6
'

2–4 years


Late March
–July

2–4


31–32 days


50–60 days


1 year


Carrion,
mammals,
birds, reptiles,
invertebrates

Up to 26 years
Red kite
Black kite
Wings
Long wings are adapted to
lengthy periods in the air
and provide a high degree
of maneuverability.
Feet & legs
The kite’s feet are spindly for a bird of prey its size.
Its talons are only slightly curved, while its legs are
feathered only about halfway down — it has no need

for protective leg feathers or powerful feet since it
feeds on small mammals and carrion.
CREATURE COMPARISONS
Juvenile plumage
The juvenile has a darker
head and paler, duller body
plumage; its tail is less forked,
with a pale patch at the base.
Red-and-Yellow Barbet 753
• GENUS & SPECIES •
Trachyphonus erythrocephalus
• FAMILY •
Capitonidae
• ORDER •
Piciformes
Red-and-yellow BaRBet
KEY FEATURES
•
Alternating calls of pairs are so synchronized,
sounds seem to be from one barbet
•
Parents and immature helpers excavate the
nest, share incubation and feed the nestlings
•
Nests near termite mounds, but rarely eats the
insects; in turn, termites don’t bite the barbet
whERE in ThE woRld?
Found in eastern and
southeastern Africa,
from Sudan, Ethiopia

and Somalia, south to
Uganda, Kenya and
central Tanzania
L
ifecycLe
754 Red-and-Yellow Barbet
HABITAT
BEHAvIOR
Remaining in family parties that do not migrate, the red-and-yellow
barbet moves only in search of food. Boldly territorial, it may
also be quite tame in areas where humans feed it. The alternat-
ing calls of the male and female produce a well-known duet,
though the source of the sound often seems to be a single bird.
The loud medley sounds much like the barbet’s English name,
“red ‘n’ yellow,” over and over. Used as territori-
al and breeding calls, the different song notes rhythmical-
ly synchronize, and the duet sometimes becomes a cho-
rus of the combined efforts of the entire family party.
Red-and-yellow barbets cooperate with fam-
ily members to excavate and incubate a nest,
forming a united front to staunchly defend
their territory against uninvited company.

SittinG pretty
The colorful barbet has a
good view of its territory.
?
•
The species name
erythrocephalus

comes
from the Greek words
erythro and cephalos
meaning “red head.”
•
A dueting pair occupies
the topmost position in
a tree or bush and forces
away other singers that
attempt to move upward
or
in between
them.
The red-and-yellow barbet prefers semiarid brush country and
thornbush areas throughout its east African range. Anthills, termite
mounds and stream beds from Ethiopia to Tanzania attract this
African species; it is more likely to be seen on the ground than
its forest barbet cousins, which rarely descend from treetops. The
red-and-yellow barbet excavates its nest holes in mud or
sandbanks, rotting trees or termite mounds. Nests near ant and
termite colonies are protected by the biting insects, which do not
attack the barbet. Reciprocally, the red-and-yellow barbet rarely
eats its tiny neighbors.
Attracting
Sensing the commotion, a
snake, attracted to one of the
other barbets, is preparing to
strike, but…
3
Mobbing

…the barbet sounds an alarm
call, rapidly bringing other
birds together to mob the
hastily retreating snake.
4
Squabbling
Almost half as big and not as
aggressive, a willow warbler
is no match for the territorial
red-and-yellow barbet.
2
Feeding…
Nesting near a termite mound,
a family party of barbets
forages together for berries,
locusts and beetles.
1
STICKING TOGETHER
Red-and-Yellow Barbet 755
FOOD & FEEDING
BREEDING
The omnivorous red-and-yellow barbet forages on open ground
and in bushes in search of fruits, berries and buds. The most
insectivorous of all barbets, it also hunts for locusts, beetles and
small birds. It depends more on insects than other barbets because
of its terrestrial, rather than tree-dwelling, adaptations. Insect wings
and legs are regurgitated as
pellets, similar to those of owls;
however, the skins and seeds
of grapes, berries and other

fruits are passed in the feces.
Fairly common and
widespread, the red-
and-yellow barbet is
not endangered and
is quite tame around
humans that feed it.
Some people take
advantage of the
barbet’s friendly
nature, and
capture or kill the
bird when it ventures
near. Tribes, such as
the Masai, use the
barbets’ feathers for
ornamentation.

no BotHer
Termites don’t bite
barbets, which
often build
their nests
near termite
mounds.
CONSERvATION

SearcHinG for SWeetS
The barbet looks for ber-
ries while foraging on the

ground.
Nests are commonly made
near large ant or termite
mounds. While termites are
aggressive territorial defend-
ers against other potential
predators, these insects do
not attack the nesting birds;
the reason is unknown. Both
the mature adults and juvenile
helpers, which have not yet
reached sexual maturity, exca-
vate the 16'' nesting tunnel.
During courtship the male
chases the female, strutting and
posturing around her with his
bristled crown feathers raised.
Both parents and helpers
incubate 4–5 eggs and feed
the nestlings insects. The barbet breaks up large insects into pieces
against a rock or crevice in a tree, which may be used again and
again. With wings and legs removed, the insects are carried directly
to the young, rather than being regurgitated and fed to the them
as is the case with many birds.

courtSHip croWn
The male’s colorful crown
feathers are raised during
courtship postures.
P

rofiLe
756 Red-and-Yellow Barbet
RElATEd SPEciES
The order
Piciformes

contains six families and
includes jacamars,
puffbirds and toucans,
which are all found only
in Latin America. The
barbets, honeyguides and
woodpeckers are also
found in Africa. Almost
half of the 81 species
of barbet live in Africa.
The genus
Trachyphonus
includes the red-and-
yellow barbet and
D'Arnaud's barbet,
Trachyphonus darnaudii
.
CREATURE COMPARISONS
A close relative, the pied barbet (Tricholaema leucomelaina) is
distinguished by a black-and-white striped head, red
forehead and black neck, though it appears mainly
black and white. At 7" it is smaller than the
red-and-yellow barbet. At home in acacia woodlands
from Zambezi south to the Cape Town area, it is occasionally found

in pairs, but more often lives alone, searching for fruits, nectars and
insects. Unlike its noisy cousin, the pied barbet rarely socializes.
With no “helpers,” pied barbet parents excavate, incubate and feed
their nestlings alone.
Bill
Used for feeding as well
as driving off trespassers,
the long, thick and
pointed bill is surrounded
by barblike bristles
(hence the name barbet).
The bristles, acting much
like whiskers, serve as
touch receptors and filter
dust from the air.
tail
Although not rigid, the long
tail feathers can still be used
for support while the barbet
is perched.
Feet
The toes are zygodactylic: the second and third
point forward; the first and fourth point backward.
male
Bright red and red-orange
colors with a whiter belly and
a black chin stripe distinguish
males from females.
Red-and-yellow barbet
Pied barbet

R
ed
-
and
-
yellow
B
aRBet
Though it sings duets from the treetops, the red-and-yellow barbet is
more likely to be seen feeding, nesting and quarreling on the ground.
viTAl
STATiSTicS
WeiGHt

lenGtH
WinGSpan
Sexual
Maturity

MatinG
SeaSon

nuMBer of
eGGS

incuBation
period

fledGinG
period

BreedinG
interval
typical
diet
lifeSpan
2.5 oz.

9"

4"
1 year

Varies
depending on
region

2–6

2 weeks
3–5 weeks


1 year


Fruits, berries
and insects
such as locusts
and beetles

Unknown
Red-Billed Quelea 757
Red-Billed Quelea
• ORDER •
Passeriformes
• GENUS & SPECIES •
Quelea quelea
• FAMILY •
Ploceidae
KEY FEATURES
•
African relative of the sparrow, the quelea feeds
and breeds in vast colonies over a million strong
•
Descending on cultivated crops to feed, these
huge flocks can devastate farmland
•
Although vigorously persecuted as a pest, it has
survived everything that people can throw at it
whERE in ThE woRld?
Ranges across open
grassland south of the
Sahara, through East Africa
and into southern Africa;
absent from North Africa
and equatorial forests
L
ifecycLe
758 Red-Billed Quelea
There is almost no such thing as a single

red-billed quelea. The flock travels, feeds,
roosts and breeds together in one of nature’s
most remarkable examples of community.
HABITAT
BEHAvIOR
?
•
One tree occupied
by breeding queleas had
6,000 nests.
•
The total population
of the red-billed quelea is
estimated at one billion.
•
A feeding quelea’s crop
can become so distended,
its contents can be identified
through the stretched skin.
•
One quelea flock had
more than 80 million birds.
BREEDING
The quelea ranges in vast
flocks over the grasslands and
savannahs of sub-Saharan
Africa. It’s at home anywhere
there are seeds to eat and
trees to provide roosts. It can
be found over a vast area of the continent. Although these condi-

tions exclude the dense, equatorial forest belt and semidesert, such
as found on the Horn of Africa, the quelea is flexible enough to
thrive in humid swampland and dry, acacia-dotted savannah.
With large habitat areas being turned over to agriculture, the
quelea is being forced to spend more time on arable land.
The red-billed quelea breeds in dense colonies. Thousands of pairs
rear their young in trees thick with nests. With the onset of the breed-
ing season, the male, in his bright mating plumage, begins building a
roughly spherical nest. When half-constructed, he stops work and
starts advertising his skills and charms. If a female likes the look of him
and his nest, they mate, and he completes the structure.
Both
parents feed the brood insects and succulent larvae — a
diet that ensures a rich supply of protein and vitamins for the fast-
developing young. At 2 weeks old, the young are fledged and ready
to leave the nest; two weeks after that they are independent.

BirdS of a featHer…
Sometimes called the
“avian locust,” the quelea
flocks over arable land
and watering holes.


one in a Million
A tightly packed flock is a
good defense against hawks
and other aerial predators.
Compulsively social, the quelea
lives in flocks that can have

tens of millions of individuals
and darken the sky like a pall
of smoke. Wheeling and swirl-
ing, the flock-moves together
in perfect synchrony like a
shoal of fish, billowing across
the landscape with a roar of
wingbeats. A flock feeding on
the ground becomes a sea of
tiny, feathered bodies.
Early in the morning, the
flock sets out to find food,
settling down to feed before
it gets too hot. After a midday
break in the shade, the birds
feed again, and then retreat to
roost in trees at dusk. A flock
may travel 36 miles or more
in a day, moving to new sites
several times if food is not
plentiful. The quelea does not
always live in vast numbers
everywhere. Where food is
scarce, flocks are much smaller.
Red-Billed Quelea 759
Gathering for dinner…
A vast flock of red-billed queleas
sweeps across the land. A tasty
crop of ripe grain attracts them.
1

FOOD & FEEDING
A FINE FEAST
Washing it down
Returning to their roost, the birds
stop off for water, some swooping
down to collect it on the wing.
4
Clean sweep…
Within a few hours, the crop is
ravaged and worthless to the
farmer. The flock swirls away.
3
Places please…
Each of the million or more birds
has a hearty appetite. It hops from
stem to stem, stripping the seedheads.
2
For thousands of years, these seed-eating birds have exploited the
wild grasslands in much the same way as herds of grazing mammals.
They descend on a verdant area in huge numbers, eat their fill and
then move on. Today, much wild grassland has been cultivated for
cereal crops, irresistible pickings for a quelea flock.
The quelea’s stout bill is perfect for cracking husks. Worked by
strong muscles, its mandible can easily crush tough grass seeds and
make light work of softer, cultivated grasses. A visit from a flock of
queleas can spell disaster for an African cereal farmer.
CONSERVATION
Humans have attacked
queleas with guns, poisons
and even flamethrowers

without significant results.
However, widespread use
of pesticides may be
causing real damage.

SHoW HouSe
Nest-building is vital to the
quelea’s mating display.
760 Red-Billed Quelea
viTAl
STATiSTicS
RElATEd SPEciES
•
The red-billed quelea
is 1 of 94 species of true
weaver bird, and 1 of 3 in
its genus. True weavers,
along with other types of
weaver, whydahs, snow
finches and sparrows,
form 143 species in the
Ploceidae family, including
the village weaver, Ploceus
cucullatus (below).
One of the quelea’s more colorful relatives is the golden palm
weaver (Ploceus bojeri), an elegant, sparrow-sized bird that is
common on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline. Here it
feeds in small parties among the palm trees
and shrubs near the shore, flitting
through the foliage in search of

berries and other fruit. Like the
red-billed quelea, and-most other weavers, the male
builds an elaborate, suspended nest from woven grasses
and attracts a mate, using a spectacular display of plumage.
WeiGHt
lenGtH
Sexual
Maturity
BreedinG
SeaSon
nuMBer
of eGGS
incuBation
period
fledGinG
period
BreedinG
interval
typical
diet
lifeSpan
0.7 oz.
4.5–5
"
1 year
Start of
tropical rainy
season
2–4
12 days

14 days
1 year
Seeds and
grain
About 3 years
Bill
Conical and chunky, a “nutcracker” bill allows
the quelea to break into the toughest seeds
and get at their protein-rich kernels.
Wings
Despite its short wings, the
quelea can fly surprisingly
long distances when it has to
migrate in search of food.
Breeding plumage
For much of the year, the male (shown) has
a dull-brown plumage, but, when the time
comes to mate, he acquires a dashing
black face mask and a red flush on his
crown and breast. The female’s bill turns
from red to yellow-brown at the
height of the breeding season.
Foot
Long, mobile
toes with claws allow the quelea
to cling to swaying grass stems as
it strips them of their seeds.
Golden
palm weaver
CREATURE COMPARISONS

Red-billed
quelea
P
rofiLe
R
ed
-
Billed
Q
uelea
The red-billed quelea looks innocent enough on its own, but in a flock
a million strong, it is one of the most feared creatures in Africa.
Red-Breasted Goose 761
• ORDER •
Anseriformes
• GENUS & SPECIES •
Branta ruficollis
• FAMILY •
Anatidae
Red-BReasted goose
KEY FEATURES
•
Nests near larger birds of prey to protect its
eggs from foxes and other predators
•
Breeds on narrow stretch of land in the far
reaches of harsh Siberia
•
Thick-necked and short-billed, the red-breasted
goose is smaller than most other geese

whERE in ThE woRld?
Found mainly on Siberia’s
Gyda and Taymyr
peninsulas; winters around
the Black Sea, especially in
Romania, with scattered
numbers in Greece and Iran
L
ifecycLe
762 Red-Breasted Goose
The red-breasted goose occupies a narrow
breeding ground on the tundra of Siberia,
where it relies on birds of prey to help it
guard against predators.
BREEDING
Buzzard bombardier…
A nervous mother guards her
precious nest as the rough-legged
buzzard attacks an invading Arctic
fox that is on the prowl.
2
Safety in numbers…
The red-breasted goose builds its
nest close to larger birds of prey,
such as the rough-legged buzzard
(Buteo lagopus).
1
HABITAT
CONSERvATION
There has been an alarming decline in the number of red-

breasted geese during the last few decades, from an estimated
50,000 birds in the mid-1950s to a recent decline to 20,000.
The decline of this species is related to the decline in birds
of prey, especially the peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinas, due
to the excessive use of pesticides in recent decades. The red-
breasted goose nests very close to the nests of these birds as
a defense mechanism against foxes. The decline in peregrine
populations has led to a similar decline in goose numbers.
The red-breasted goose remains vulnerable to illegal hunting,
changes in land use and pollution; also, their breeding areas
continue to be disrupted by oil and gas exploration.
The restricted breeding grounds of the red-breasted goose
consist mostly of moss- and lichen-covered tundra and brush
tundra, mainly on the Gyda Peninsula and the western part of the
Taymyr Peninsula in Siberia. During the nesting season, the birds
seem to prefer the driest and highest areas of tundra and brush,
staying close to the water. In
the winter, they often occupy
low-lying regions around lakes
or reservoirs where herbs and
grasses are easy to find.

pretty paddlerS
A graceful swimmer, the
red-breasted goose winters
on lakes or reservoirs.
Essentially a vegetarian, the red-breasted goose’s diet consists of
the leaves, stems and green parts of grasses and aquatic plants.
During its summer breeding season, the red-breasted goose
enjoys cotton grass, which sprouts at about the time they begin

nesting. They also eat sprouting wheat and wild garlic tubers. In
their winter quarters, they fly to watering holes to drink and
obtain sand for their gizzards; the
sand acts as a grinding mecha-
nism to aid digestion. The geese
return to steppelike areas to eat
grasses and herbs.

foraGinG flock
A flock of red-breasted
geese forages for grass.
RED-BREASTED RESOURCEFULNESS
FOOD & FEEDING
Red-breasted geese breed during the summer months, usually
during the first half of June. During this relatively mild season,
snow on the tundra is starting to melt, and new grasses for
nestlings to feed on are beginning to sprout. Courting behavior
is highly ritualized, involving mutual head-dipping alternated with
a very erect posture as the male and female face each other. The
birds build a shallow nest of vegetation, lined with down, on steep
river banks, low rocky crags or gullies, with cover such as dwarf
birch, willow or tall dead grass. The nests are built near those of
birds of prey, such as peregrine falcons. As the much larger and
stronger birds protect their own nests, the falcons also help the
defenseless geese protect their broods.
The normal clutch size is typically 6–7 eggs. Incubation is
performed by the female alone, but the male remains nearby
throughout the 23–25-day incubation period. Chicks typically
begin hatching by the end of July and are flying by the end of
August, suggesting a short fledging period.