Tag Northern Hemisphere

Reverse migration of birds 

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Many species of birds are migratory. Their seasonal migration is when they move from one location to another, mostly in groups called flocks, to go to a warmer location in winter or to look for food or a breeding site.  

Reverse migration is when they travel back home after winter at the arrival of spring. Ducks and geese, for example, migrate in winter and return home in early spring. They sense when the time is right to move. Scientists don’t yet understand everything about bird migration, especially the timing.

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Puss Moth

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The Puss Moth (Cerura vinula) is an insect in the Notodontidae family of moths.

The Puss Moth is creamy-white to yellowish-grey with light-brown lines and markings. The female has blackish lines and markings. It has a wide whitish-grey head, thorax, and abdomen that are very fluffy, like a hairy cat. 

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What is the difference between the Australian Magpie and the Eurasian Magpie?

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What is the difference between the Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) and the Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)?

The Australian Magpie is a bird in the Artamidae family of butcherbirds, whereas the Eurasian or European Magpie is a bird in the Corvidae family of crows. The Australian Magpie is an artamid and the Eurasian Magpie is a corvid. They are both passerine songbirds.

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Tippler Pigeon

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The Tippler Pigeon (Columba livia) is a medium-sized game bird in the Columbidae family of doves and pigeons. It evolved from the Rock Pigeon.

The Tippler Pigeon has a variety of colours, with flecked markings and dark tail feathers and wing feathers. It is slender and not as plump as the Rock Pigeon. Its eyes are orange or red. Its beak is grey-black with a white cere. Its feet are pinkish-red. 

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Auk Eggs

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What does the egg of the Lesser Auk (Alca torda) look like? 

The Lesser Auk is also known as the Razorbill. It is a marine bird, or sea bird, in the Alcidae family. It lives in the Northern Hemisphere along rocky reefs and coastal cliffs. Approximately 60% to 70% of the Lesser Auk population breeds in Iceland.

The female Lesser Auk lays one egg per year on a bare ledge on a coastal cliff, between late May and early June. 

The egg is oval and elongated in shape. 

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Grey Plover

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The Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) is a medium-sized bird. It is also known as the Black-Bellied Plover. 

The Grey Plover is grey with blackish-brown markings, and white patches on its back and wings. Its face and neck are blackish with a white border. It has a blackish chest and belly and a whitish back. Its tail is white with black barring. Its beak and legs are black. When it moults (loses its feathers), it is plain grey-brown above with a greyish-flecked chest and white belly. 

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Red Fox

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The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a common and widespread mammal.

The Red Fox has reddish fur with yellow tints. Its winter fur is dense, long, soft, and silky. It sides are lighter than its back and its chin, lower lips, throat and front of the chest are white. The tip of its fluffy tail is white. It has a long body, long narrow head, and short legs. Its front paws have five toes and its back paws have four toes. Each toe has a strong claw. It has oval-shaped pupils with excellent vision.

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European Robin

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The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula caucasicus) is also called Robin Redbreast or Red Robin. It is a small passerine (perching) bird in the chat family. 

The European Robin is grey-brown with a distinctive orange-red breast and face, with a white belly. Its head, tail, and wings are olive-brown. Its legs and feet are brown. Its beak and eyes are black. The male and female are similar in appearance.

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Mute Swan

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The Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is a Eurasian waterfowl that lives across Europe into southern Russia and China. It is called mute because it is not as vocal as other species of swans.

The Mute Swan is white with an orange or orange-yellow beak that is bordered with black. It has black legs.

Birds do not have teeth, but the swan has serrated edges that look like teeth. They are plates called lamellae. The lamellae are useful for sifting water for plants and algae, and also frogs, worms, snails and small fish.

It grows to 125-170 centimetres (49-67 inches) tall. It is the second largest waterfowl (the Trumpeter Swan is the largest), and it is one of the heaviest flying birds.

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What’s the Difference between Pelicans: Dalmatian, Australian, Great White, and Pink-Backed?

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Pelicans are large white, water birds with long beaks and a large throat pouch.

The Dalmation Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) lives in the Northern Hemisphere, from south-eastern Europe to India and China. It has dirty-grey feathers, with curly feathers on its neck, a pale pink beak with a pale-yellow pouch, pale blue eyes with a white eye-ring, and grey legs. It is the largest pelican. It is 1.6-1.8 metres (4.6-5.7 feet) long with a wingspan of 2.7-3.2 metres (8.9-10.5 feet).

The Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) lives in the Southern Hemisphere, in Australian and some surrounding islands, such as Fiji. It has neat features with distinctly black back feathers, a pink beak with a pink pouch, and black eyes with a yellow eye-ring. It is 1.6-1.9 metres (5.2-6.2 feet) long with a wingspan of 2.5-3.4 metres (8.2-11.2 feet).

Dalmatian and Australian Pelican

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Barn Swallow

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The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most common and abundant swallow in the world. It is a small migratory songbird (a passerine). It often heralds the spring weather.

The Barn Swallow, or Eurasian Swallow (Hirundo rustica rustica) is found in the Northern Hemisphere, in Europe and Asia. It is dark iridescent blue with a rufous (reddish-brown) forehead, chin and throat, white underbelly, and black wings and tail. It has a deeply forked tail with large white spots.

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