Egyptian bird. Egyptian Heron - a snow-white graceful bird
The illustrated list of birds was compiled from a short holiday trip to Sharm el-Sheikh (Sinai Peninsula). The departure was timed to New Year's holidays and were in Egypt from January 3 to January 9, 2014. We mostly stayed at the Radisson Blu Resort and nearby Nabqa Beach. On January 7, we went on a two-hour excursion to the ponds (septic tanks) of Sharm al-Sheikh, where we saw many new species of birds.
Latin and English names are given in accordance with the IOC World Bird List (Ver.3.05) and verified according to the AVIBASE website (http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org).
Russian names are mainly in accordance with Boehme, Flint "Five-language dictionary of animal names. Birds."
I have been continuously numbering the bird species I have encountered and photographed since 2010. These numbers are given in parentheses after the serial number of the list.
It so happened that I still have not included some birds already familiar to me in my general list, so when I meet them again, I also mention them under a new number. And “lifers” (species encountered for the first time) are highlighted in bold in the list.
I also listed the birds (without serial numbering) that I saw during the trip, but I was unable to take a photo of the bird.
1 (558) Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata)
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2 (559) Eurasian Teal, Anas crecca)
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3 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis)
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4 (560) Black-necked Grebe, Podiceps nigricollis)
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5 (561) Common flamingo (Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus)
On January 7, one bird first circled above us, then landed on a pond in the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh.
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6 White Stork (White Stork, Ciconia ciconia)
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7 Green Night Heron (Striated Heron, Butorides striata brevipes)
Every day (from 05 to 09 January) I met a night heron on the beach directly adjacent to the hotel territory. The heron was hunting on a small stone ridge, not far from the shore. I wasn't afraid of people at all. I met two herons at the same time.
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8 Western Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis)
On January 05 and 06 we saw one bird on the hotel grounds. The heron was hunting on the ground among the bushes for small reptiles (lizards?). I caught two reptiles right before our eyes.
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9 Gray Heron Ardea cinerea)
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10 (562) Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis schistacea)
Synonym: Egretta garzetta schistacea.
On January 05, I watched a heron hunting on the beach directly adjacent to the hotel territory. The heron did not pay attention to the people around her. It was a young individual of the white morph, which had not completely moulted, so there were still dark spots on the wings.
On January 7, two young birds flew along the seashore.
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11 Osprey Pandion haliaetus)
On January 6, one bird flew along the seashore.
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12 Black Kite, Milvus migrans)
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13 (563) Burial Ground (Eastern Imperial Eagle, Aquila heliaca)
On January 7, one young bird circled above us in the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh, descending very low.
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14 (564) Greater Spotted Eagle, Aquila clanga)
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15 Common Kestrel (Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus rupicolaeformis)
Every day (from 05 to 09 January) one bird was found on the territory of the hotel. While in flight I saw two birds at the same time.
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16 (580) Coot (Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra)
On January 7, there were many birds (up to 50) in the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh.
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Moorhen (Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus)
On January 7 I saw one bird in the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh. Since I was far away, I didn’t take pictures.
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17 Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus)
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18 Spur-winged Lapwing, Vanellus spinosus)
Synonym: Spur-winged Plover.
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19 Tules (Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatarola)
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20 Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus alexandrinus)
Every day (from 05 to 09 January) we met a group of birds on Nabka beach not far from the hotel. During bad weather, all the plovers and tules gathered in one place on the beach for the day, in an area that was not cleared of algae and debris.
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21 Greater Sand Plover, Charadrius leschenaultii columbinus)
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22 (565) Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula tundrae)
Every day (from 05 to 09 January) we saw several birds on Nabka beach near the hotel.
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23 Great Snail (Common Greenshank, Tringa nebularia)
Every day (from January 5 to January 9) we met a couple of snails on Nabka beach not far from the hotel.
On January 7, they were seen at the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh.
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24 (566) Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus)
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25 Carrier (Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos)
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26 Little Stint, Calidris minuta)
January 7 up to 11 birds in the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh. It’s interesting that I often saw pairs of Ringed Sparrow and Sparrow.
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27 (567) Dunlin (Dunlin, Calidris alpina)
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28 (568) Caspian Gull, Larus cachinnans)
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29 Chegrava (Caspian Tern, Hydroprogne caspia)
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30 (569) Red-capped Sandgrouse Pterocles coronatus vastitas)
On January 7, a flock of sandgrouse (about 40 birds) rose from a watering hole in the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh and flew over us screaming.
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31 (570) Desert Sandgrouse (Spotted Sandgrouse, Pterocles senegallus)
On January 7, a flock of sandgrouse (about 30 birds) rose from a watering hole in the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh and flew over us screaming.
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32 Rock pigeon Columba livia)
January 7, a huge flock of pigeons at the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh.
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33 Little Dove (Laughing Dove, Spilopelia senegalensis aegyptiaca)
Synonyms: Egyptian turtledove, Streptopelia senegalensis aegyptiaca.
Every day (from 05 to 09 January) there are many birds on the territory of the hotel. Birds were observed with nesting material.
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34 Hooded Crow Corvus cornix)
Every day (from January 05 to January 9) we saw one or two birds on the hotel grounds.
On January 7, they were seen at the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh.
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35 Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica)
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36 (571) Desert Cliff Swallow (Pale Crag Martin, Ptyonoprogne obsoleta obsoleta)
Synonym: Ptyonoprogne fuligula obsoleta.
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37 (572) Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita)
Every day (from 05 to 09 January) there are many birds on the territory of the hotel.
On January 7 we met at the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh.
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38 (573) Mediterranean Warbler (Sardinian Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala)
Only two short-term encounters (07 and 09 January) with this bird (male) on the hotel premises.
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39 (574) Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica)
Every day (from 05 to 09 January) several birds are on the territory of the hotel.
On January 7, there are many birds in the reeds at the settling tanks of Sharm al-Sheikh.)
I couldn’t find in the literature what subspecies of sparrow lives in Sharm al-Sheikh: P.d. niloticus or P.d. biblicus.
The Sinai Desert is said to separate these subspecies. Still, I guess it's P.d. niloticus.
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43 (577) Malabar finch (Indian Silverbill, Euodice malabarica)
Synonym: Lonchura malabarica.
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44 (578) White Wagtail, Motacilla alba alba)
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45 (579) Mountain Pipit, Anthus spinoletta)
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Search for lists of birds found in other countries by tag list.
Find my stories about the birds of Egypt by tag Egypt 2014.
The Complete Encyclopedia of Mythological Creatures. Story. Origin. Magical properties of Conway Dinna
Egyptian birds of Ba
Egyptian birds of Ba
Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and paintings depict Ba, a bird with a human head. It was believed that this image personifies one of the seven souls belonging to every person. These same images of half-birds, half-humans appear in later Greek and Roman works of art and have the same meaning.
In the myths of many world cultures, certain birds were considered the souls of the dead. Sometimes they are birds with human heads, sometimes not.
Bird Ba
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authorEgyptian gods Amon - patron of the city of Thebes, god of air and harvest, creator of the world; depicted as a man (sometimes with the head of a ram) with a scepter and a crown, with two high feathers and a solar disk. Originally the local god of Thebes, after the rise of Thebes under the Middle Ages
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Latin name- Bubulcus ibis
English name- Cattle egret, buff-backed heron
Bird class-Aves
Squad- storks (Ciconiiformes)
Family- herons (Ardeidae)
Genus- Egyptian herons (Bubulcus)
There are 2 subspecies of the Egyptian heron, differing in details of plumage color and size: B.i.ibis and B.i. coromandus. Subspecies B.i.ibis, described by C. Linnaeus in 1758 from specimens brought from Egypt (hence Russian name birds), lives in the western part of its range - in Europe, Western Asia and Africa, and, starting from the mid-twentieth century, on the American continent. The subspecies B.i.coromandus inhabits the eastern part of its range - India, Indochina, and the Pacific Islands (from Japan to Australia). The name Bubulcus was given to this heron later (1855) and reflects the peculiarities of its behavior - accompanying herds of ungulates, both wild and domestic. The Latin word "bubulcus" translates as "boete" or "shepherd".
Conservation status
In the International Red Book, the Egyptian heron is classified as a species of least concern. On the territory Russian Federation The Egyptian heron is considered a rare species and is listed in the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the Regional Red Books of Dagestan, Astrakhan and Sakhalin regions and Primorsky Krai. The species is included in Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention.Species and man
The Egyptian heron often settles near human habitation and is not afraid of his presence. Its presence next to large grazing animals is reflected in the name of the bird in many languages. For example, the English, German and Spanish names for the heron are literally translated as “cow bird”, “elephant bird”, “hornbill”. Economic activity humans, in particular deforestation, drainage of swamps, and the development of cattle breeding turned out to be favorable for the Egyptian heron. That is why it was able to expand its range so much, populating new climatic zones and even continents.Although the Egyptian heron is favored by farmers because it helps control insect pests agriculture, local residents often ruin its noisy colonies in populated areas. In a number of regions, changes in the hydrological regime after the construction of hydroelectric stations and irrigation systems also lead to negative consequences for Egyptian herons (for example, a sharp decrease in the level of Lake Sevan in Armenia by almost 20 m led to the drying out of the neighboring lake and the disappearance of many bird species, including and Egyptian herons). The use of pesticides in fields also leads to the death of the Egyptian heron. The Egyptian heron is often used by humans for biocontrol environment. Thus, studies in the Indian state of Kerala, where these birds often feed on garbage heaps, showed that each heron daily eats 100-150 g of carrion and housefly larvae, thereby significantly reducing their numbers. Distribution and habitats. The Egyptian heron is known for its rapid range expansion. During the twentieth century, it settled on almost all continents (except Antarctica). The origin of the species is associated with the regions of central Africa. In Europe, it initially nested only on the Iberian Peninsula and in the Volga delta; in Asia, its range extended from Palestine to Indochina; in addition, it inhabits all the large islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. On the territory of the former Soviet Union The Egyptian heron nests in the southern regions of Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. In the countries of the New World, the Egyptian heron began to appear at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. At first these were isolated flights, but gradually the herons began to nest. The Egyptian heron first appeared in the United States in 1953, and in the 1970s the population in the eastern part of the country alone numbered more than 400 thousand individuals. Egyptian herons began to populate Australia around 1948, and currently they are found in all coastal areas of Australia, and sometimes fly far inland. In Europe, Egyptian herons began to spread in the mid-twentieth century; they now regularly nest not only in Spain (the original breeding site), but also in France, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. Egyptian herons are less associated with bodies of water than other heron species. However, when choosing habitats, they prefer wetter biotopes close to freshwater bodies. The main natural biotopes of the Egyptian heron are meadows, savannas and other open spaces with herbaceous vegetation and freshwater bodies of water. These herons often stay near grazing animals, thus obtaining food for themselves. Human changes in natural landscapes (cutting down forests and replacing them with pastures, creating irrigation systems, etc.) led to the fact that Egyptian herons successfully mastered and populated these secondary landscapes. They only avoid continuous forests, high mountains, sea coasts and deserts.
Appearance
The Egyptian heron is a medium-sized stocky heron. It differs from other members of the family in its denser build, massive head, relatively short neck and short beak. The color of the beak is bright orange with a reddish tint, which immediately distinguishes the Egyptian heron from other related species. Body length ranges from 46 to 56 cm, weight 340-390 g, wingspan 88-06 cm; males are slightly larger than females. In autumn-winter and spring period The plumage of adult Egyptian herons is pure white. During the nesting period, most birds have areas of orange-yellow and buffy expanded feathers on the crown, neck, back and crop. They form a small crest on the head, more noticeable in males. After laying eggs, the plumage of Egyptian herons noticeably turns pale. During the nesting period, the birds' legs are colored yellow and orange, and after the nesting period they darken and acquire a brown tint.Lifestyle
The Egyptian heron is a social bird, feeding in groups and breeding together with other herons and copepods. Clear seasonal migrations are observed only in birds living in temperate latitudes. For example, Egyptian herons living in Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey and the Transcaucasus are typical migratory birds that winter in Iran, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula. Scientists have found that transatlantic flights in both directions are a common occurrence for African Egyptian herons; their intensity is directly dependent on the strength of the trade winds in different years. It is believed that it was the herons from northeast Africa that moved to the American continent, laying the foundation for a new population. Long-distance flights of Egyptian herons are also known in Australia (flights to New Zealand are about 2500 km). Due to its terrestrial lifestyle, the Egyptian heron has lost the ability, characteristic of its semi-aquatic relatives, to identify a target (prey) under water, which is distorted by the refraction of light in the water. Research has established that these herons can hunt in the dark.Distribution and habitats
Egyptian herons nest in colonies, often together with other species of herons, spoonbills, ibis and cormorants. The number of Egyptian heron nests in these colonies ranges from several tens to several thousand. Nests are most often made on deciduous trees, less often in reeds and bamboo thickets. The breeding season varies depending on the nesting site. In the tropics, herons nest year-round, with the peak of nesting activity falling during the wettest period. In temperate latitudes (Europe, North Africa), egg laying occurs from April to July, in North America– from April to May. In the east of Australia, most females incubate from October to March, and in the north of the continent there are 2 peaks of nesting activity - in November and January. The male chooses the place to build the nest - usually it is a convenient fork in a tree at a height of 8-10 m from the ground. There he lays the foundation of a nest from fairly large branches and begins to actively guard it. At the same time, the male behaves very noisily and aggressively, trying to attract females and drive away other males. All this is accompanied by special ritual movements. After the pair has formed, the birds complete the nest, with the male collecting dry twigs and the female laying them down. Construction lasts 4-5 days, the nest is loose, and by the end of incubation, eggs are visible from below through the branches. The diameter of the nest is 20-45 cm, height 7-12 cm. The clutch size varies in different regions, but on average it is 2-5 eggs. The eggs are regular ovoid in shape with well-defined blunt and sharp ends, which immediately distinguishes them from the eggs of other herons. Eggs have a rough shell white with a bluish or greenish tint. Both birds of the pair incubate the clutch for 21-26 days, starting with the first egg. The hatched chicks are covered with down, but are completely helpless. The ability to independently maintain body temperature appears only on days 9-12 of life. At the same time, they are very loud and aggressive, and can distinguish their parents from other birds within 3 days after hatching. At the age of 20 days, the chicks leave the nest and move nearby along branches and vines, clinging to them with their paws and beak. At the age of about 30 days, young Egyptian herons begin to fly, but for about 2 more weeks they stay with their parents, after which the brood finally disintegrates. Mortality among Egyptian heron chicks is relatively low because the parents actively protect the nest and offspring.
Lifespan
The lifespan of an Egyptian heron in nature is on average about 15 years.Life at the Moscow Zoo
There are currently 2 Egyptian herons living in our zoo. They are kept in the same enclosure with other herons in the Birds and Butterflies pavilion - outside in the summer, and in a warm room in the winter. The diet of the Egyptian heron at the zoo is fish (150 g daily) and frogs or mice, a total of about 300 g per day.The Egyptian heron is a medium-sized bird, somewhat smaller than the night heron, but larger than the yellow heron.
Appearance of an Egyptian heron
The bird has a thick, short beak, but not as elongated as that of most herons. The head is small, the neck is short, and the legs are long and thick.
The head, chest and back are decorated with long feathered feathers that fall out in the fall. The wingspan of the Egyptian heron is 23-25 cm.
The plumage of young Egyptian herons is pure white, the color of the beak is grayish-black with a yellow spot at the base. Legs are black. The mating plumage of males and females is white, with the exception of the upper part of the head, back and crop, which are, as it were, isolated from each other, painted in a wine-ocher color, covered with long, unpicked feather beds.
The beak of the Egyptian heron is lemon yellow, with a lighter shade at the corner of the mouth. Females differ from males by having shorter feathers on the head, back and chest. The winter plumage of herons is also snowy white, but there is a red spot on the head. During the winter, the legs acquire a dark, brown color.
In its distribution areas during the nesting period, the Egyptian heron can be unmistakably distinguished from other heron species due to the bright color of its beak, which is visible from afar. Unlike other members of the family, the Egyptian heron travels long distances through swamps and meadows in search of food.
These birds are found in large flocks of 300 individuals, and very rarely alone.
In flight, the Egyptian heron is similar to a night heron; its flight is light and smooth. The bird does not fly high. Very often they feed among buffalo herds, and love to rest on the backs of these large animals.
Egyptian herons are less timid than their relatives. The character of this bird is calm, it is silent, prefers to lead an arboreal lifestyle. At colonial nesting sites, the voices of adult herons can be heard - a dull sound, similar to crowing.
Egyptian herons are the most terrestrial species of the entire family.
Listen to the voice of the Egyptian heron
Range of Egyptian herons
This small bird occupies vast territories of the Iberian Peninsula, Africa, Madagascar, Arabia, Syria, northern Iran, the lowlands of Transcaucasia, India, China and Japan. It is found in valleys near the banks of large and medium-sized rivers, in swamps, rice fields and reservoirs. Egyptian herons winter in Africa.
Birds nest in small groups in copses and groves, in meadows and swamps, near the shores of lakes and rivers in open areas. During the breeding season, the Egyptian heron does not shy away from the proximity of people, and can nest right in populated areas.
Number of Egyptian herons
Since the Egyptian heron prefers to nest in large colonies, which in some places reach several hundred pairs, their numbers are numerous in certain areas. However, the narrow distribution area suggests that the total number of these birds in our country is extremely limited.
Reproduction of Egyptian herons
The Egyptian heron is a colonial bird that typically nests in trees. Without hesitation, she can lay eggs next to other herons or cormorants. Such “mixed” colonies are found in many bird distribution areas.
Nests are built high, about 8-10 meters above the ground. Laying sites are located close to the nests of the little egret and yellow heron, while other species in the colony nest slightly higher. Both parents take part in the construction process, with the male being the provider of material and the female being the designer.
The eyes of the Egyptian heron are positioned in such a way as to simultaneously focus on the object in front of it, primarily on the prey.
The nests built by herons have the shape of an inverted cone, from which branches diverge in a radial direction. The material from which the nesting site is constructed is thin dry branches that herons collect on the ground or pull out from empty neighbors’ nests. The nest turns out to be quite loose, so bird eggs are visible from the sides and bottom. Egyptian herons can occupy last year's buildings of relatives, making their contribution to appearance dwellings.
The initial dimensions of the nest may be quite small, but as the chicks grow, it is trampled, expanded, the walls become flat, and the tray becomes shallow.
The clutch of an Egyptian heron consists on average of 2-3 eggs of an elongated oval shape. The shell is pale blue.
Both parents also incubate the eggs for 3-3.5 weeks. While the chicks are growing up, the male is responsible for raising them, and at this time the father brings food to the nest. A little later, parents will be able to leave the kids themselves so that the two of them can bring more prey. Grown-up chicks do not yet know how to fly, but they willingly leave the nests, clinging with their feet, jumping from branch to branch.
Birds that can fly, together with adult individuals, form flocks, which are replenished with more and more herons every day. At first, the colonies wander through rice fields, through swampy areas, at night, returning to their nesting sites.