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Category : animals

Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus

The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known simply as the Peregrine, and historically as the “Duck Hawk” in North America, is a cosmopolitan bird of prey in the family Falconidae. The Peregrine Falcon has a body length of 38–50cm. As with other bird-eating raptors, the female is bigger than the male. The back and long, pointed wings of the adult are usually bluish black to slate grey with indistinct darker barring; the wingtips are black. The underparts are white to […]

Ferruginous Hawk, Buteo regalis

The Ferruginous hawk is represented in the raptor collection of Rancho Texas Park in Lanzarote. It is a large bird of prey endemic to the interior parts of North America. It usually migrates to Mexico. The Buteo regalis is the largest of the buteos and is often mistaken for an eagle. Main characteristics As with all birds of prey, the female is larger than the male. Size is the main difference between both sexes. Length ranges around 58cm with an […]

Green-winged Macaw, Ara chloroptera

The Green-winged Macaw is one of the largest of the macaw family. Its stunning, colourful plumage and distinctive call are the most prominent features of this species. Young macaws look similar to adult ones, except for their shorter tail. Green-winged Macaws generally live in pairs or small groups, mainly with other family members. Sometimes they involve with other macaws, especially on the clay banks where they come together regularly in order to eat mineral soil to neutralize toxins found in […]

Blue and Yellow Macaw, Ara ararauna

The Blue and Yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) is native to the forests and woodlands of tropical South America. Its range covers the Amazon Basin and includes south-western Ecuador, Panama, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Surinam, French Guyana, Brazil and Bolivia. The species used to be common in Trinidad, where it is now considered a threatened species. It might also occur in Paraguay and northern Argentina, but the existence has not been officially demonstrated so far. No subspecies are currently recognized. Main characteristics […]

White-tailed Hawk, Buteo albicaudatus

The White-tailed Hawk (Buteo albicaudatus) is a large bird of prey found across the Americas. The White-tailed Hawk can be found anywhere from southern Texas to central Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. For habitat it prefers open or semi-open regions with low vegetation up to 1000m, although it has been observed in habitats as high as 2400m. Main characteristics The White-tailed Hawk feeds on small mammals, reptiles and birds. Sometimes, when fields are burnt, it gets close to the borders in […]

Tawny Owl, Strix aluco

The Tawny Owl is a nocturnal bird of prey, which hunts mainly rodents. In many parts of America it is also called Barn Owl. It can have either brown or grey plumage colour, which enables it to camouflage with the surrounding trees. Its eyes are big and black. The Tawny Owl is territorial and hunts on rats, shrews, birds and batrachians. Main characteristics The Tawny Owl is native to Europe, Asia and North Africa; in central and northern America it […]

Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Cacatua leadbeateri

The Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Lophocroa leadbeateri, is a medium-sized cockatoo restricted to arid and semi-arid inland areas of Australia. The Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo requires semi-dry habitats and extensive woodlands, particularly favouring Eucalyptus. Major Mitchell’s are usually seen in pairs, or flocks with other cockatoos. Main characteristics The Major Mitchell’s length ranges from 33 to 40cm, with an average weight of 480 grams. With its soft-textured white and salmon-pink plumage and large, bright red and yellow crest, it is generally recognised […]

Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus

The Great Horned Owl is sometimes called “cat owl” because of its catlike ears, eyes and shape of head. Like other night-active birds of prey, they have a highly developed auditory system. The great horned owl is highly recognizable for the feather tufts on its head that resemble cat ears. The great horned owl has a large geographic range. It is found throughout the American continent; from Tierra del Fuego to the north of the United States. The species usually […]

Eurasian Eagle Owl, Bubo bubo

The Eurasian Eagle Owl is the biggest of all nocturnal birds of prey resident on the Iberian Peninsula, reaching 60-70cm in length and approx. 1,5-2,5kg in weight. Average wingspan is 180cm. The species presents clear sexual dimorphism, with the females being larger than the males. The size, ear tufts and orange eyes make the Eurasian Eagle Owl a distinctive species. Plumage in brown tones. The legs and feet are covered in feathers up to the talons, both the beak and […]

Snowy Owl, Nyctea scandiaca

The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are solitary, and nocturnal. They are classified in the order Strigiformes, in which there are approximately 167 species. The Little Owls, Strix and Scops Owls belong to the eagle owls. The barn owls belong to a different family, with approximately 14 species. There are anatomic differences between both families, but many common characteristics apply to both. Main characteristics The major part of the eagle owls have their eyes surrounded by […]