It’s Sunday, and that means bird photos from John Avise. Today’s batch is from the sub-Antarctic, and there are some lovely birds here. John’s notes and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.
Falklands and South Georgia
If you ever decide to visit Antarctica, I strongly encourage you to consider booking a voyage that includes the Falklands and South Georgia in its itinerary (in addition to the Antarctic Peninsula). This is especially true if you are a bird lover, because many avian species can be found on these sub-Antarctic islands that do not occur in Antarctica per se. This week’s batch of pictures shows several such bird species that I photographed while ashore on our ship’s several landings in the Falkland Islands or South Georgia. Most of these birds were new for my “Life List”.
Black-chinned Siskin, Spinus barbatus:
Crested Duck, Lophonetta specularioides:
Crested Duck headshot:
Blackish Cinclodes, Cinclodes antarcticus:
Long-tailed Meadowlark, Leistes loyca:
Magellanic Oystercatcher, Haematopus leucopodus:
Cobb’s Wren, Troglodytes cobbi:
Magellanic Snipe, Gallinago magellanica:
Ruddy-headed Goose, Chloephaga rubidiceps:
Ruddy-headed Goose in flight:
South Georgia Pipit, Anthus antarcticus:
Dark-faced Ground Tyrant, Muscissaxicola maciovianus:
Upland Goose, Chloephaga picta (female):
Upland Goose male with goslings:
15) Upland Goose pair (note the striking sexual dichromatism):
Yellow-billed Teal, Anas flavirostris (pair):
Striated Caracara, Phalcoboenus australis:
Striated Caracara headshot:
What makes the Oystercatcher and Snipe Magellanic?
They are birds of the Magellanic region, i.e., the region of the Magellanic Straight, which is a natural marine connection between the South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. As Wikipedia says: “The Strait of Magellan (Spanish: Estrecho de Magallanes), also called the Straits of Magellan, is a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland South America to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south. The strait is considered the most important natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It was discovered and first traversed by Europeans by the Spanish expedition of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1520, after whom it is named. Prior to this, the strait had been navigated by canoe-faring indigenous peoples including the Kawésqar.”
Thanks!
These are wonderful photos and information.
I was wondering if you saw the Snipes doing that walk down there.
Thanks so much for sharing these photos.
No, I merely caught a brief glimpse of this secretive species, and was delighted just to get even a mediocre photograph of it.
They are indeed wonderful photos; many thanks.
To my totally untutored eye, the Magellanic Oystercatcher and Snipe look just like the ones we know up here in the UK. How different are they genetically? Are they capable of interbreeding? If so, what makes them different species?
Sorry to ask such naive questions on a lovely sunny Easter Sunday evening.
I don’t know if these birds have been examined genetically– that would require a serious dig into the scientific literature. Ditto regarding their possible capacity for successful interbreeding.
WORMS AND IVERMECTIN: those are larvae, not worms. No legs or wings, just crunchy light bodies. I once was served them at work as chocolates and they tasted like hazelnut-flavored Rice Crispies. I laughed at the guy who fooled me but the other gals in the office were not amused.As for Big Pharma tweaking old cheap generic drugs to make more money off their new formula, Galderma Labs sells ivermectin 1% cream for $350 (the normal Medicare price) for a small tube because it controls rosacea (it is an anti-inflammatory and works fine). Ivermectin is out of patent, generic, cheap as aspirin, but Galderma is ripping everyone off and making literally thousands of percent profit on its cream. Maybe getting it from a vet and diluting its would work too?
Dark-faced Ground Tyrant. OMG! Best bird name EVER.
Thanks for all the wonderful pics.
It is! And such an upright stance…
Always a great pleasure to see pictures from John Avise!
Beautiful photos, John, thanks!
You never disappoint, John. Thank you. These birds are gorgeous! Never heard of the Blackish Cinclodes before.
I am dazzled by the Long-Tailed Meadowlark. Would never have guessed they sport other colors besides the familiar yellow. Wonderful collection. Thank you.
The Upland goose’s dichromatism appears to indicate polygamy, but they are considered monogamic.
Can you explain more ?