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Nightcap Range Important Bird Area
The Nightcap Range Important Bird Area is a 157 km2 fragmented tract of land containing several protected areas of rainforest in the Nightcap Range of north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Some 61% of the site is included in the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. Description The site consists of the Nightcap, Mount Jerusalem and Goonengerry National Parks, Snows Gully Nature Reserve and the Whian Whian State Conservation Area. The altitude ranges from 250–933 m above sea level. Where the soils have a rhyolitic base the vegetation is warm temperate rainforest, while areas of nutrient-rich basaltic soils support subtropical rainforest. The annual average rainfall, of 2351 mm at an altitude of 380 m, is the highest of any region in NSW, with average winter temperatures of 7-17 °C and summer temperatures of 17-27 °C. Birds The site has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ptiloris Paradiseus By Bowdler Sharpe
The genus ''Ptiloris'' consists of four allopatric species of birds in the family Paradisaeidae. These birds of paradise are commonly known as riflebirds, so named for the likeness of their black velvety plumage to the uniform of the Rifle Brigade. Alternatively, the bird's cry is similar to a rifle being fired and hitting its target but a call like this is not commonly reported (see Behaviour and Ecology). They are distributed in the rainforests of New Guinea and Eastern Australia. Taxonomy and systematics The genus ''Ptiloris'' was introduced in 1825 by the English naturalist William John Swainson for a single species, the paradise riflebird. This is now the type species. The genus name, ''Ptiloris'' ronounced TI-lo-ris means "feather nose" from the Greek (feather or down) and (nostril). It refers to the frontal feathers hiding the nostrils. The genus is part of the bird-of-paradise family, Paradisaeidae, in the order Passeriformes (songbirds). The four species are the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Basalt
Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90% of all volcanic rock on Earth is basalt. Rapid-cooling, fine-grained basalt is chemically equivalent to slow-cooling, coarse-grained gabbro. The eruption of basalt lava is observed by geologists at about 20 volcanoes per year. Basalt is also an important rock type on other planetary bodies in the Solar System. For example, the bulk of the plains of Venus, which cover ~80% of the surface, are basaltic; the lunar maria are plains of flood-basaltic lava flows; and basalt is a common rock on the surface of Mars. Molten basalt lava has a low viscosity due to its relatively low silica content (between 45% and 52%), resulting in rapidly moving lava flows that can spread over great areas before cooling and solidifying. Flood basalts are thick sequence ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Australian Logrunner
The Australian logrunner (''Orthonyx temminckii'') is a species of bird that is endemic to eastern Australia where it uses unique foraging techniques and adaptations to search for its food on the floors of temperate, subtropical, or tropical moist lowland forests in south-eastern Australia. Until 2002, it was widely considered to be conspecific with the New Guinea logrunner, but studies showed the two differ significantly, both genetically and vocally. It is known by a number of common names including spine-tailed logrunner, spine-tail, logrunner, scrub quail and chowcilla. Systematics The Australian logrunner is a Passeriform in the family Orthonychidae. It is one of only three species within the Orthonyx genus; the other two are the chowcilla (''Orthonyx spaldingii'') from northern Queensland and the New Guinean logrunner (''Orthonyx novaeguineae'') from Papua New Guinea. Description Logrunners as a group are characterised by their distinctive tail feathers where the ra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Regent Bowerbird
The regent bowerbird (''Sericulus chrysocephalus'') is a medium-sized, up to 25 cm long, sexually dimorphic bowerbird. The male bird is black with a golden orange-yellow crown, mantle and black-tipped wing feathers. It has yellow bill, black feet and yellow iris. The female is a brown bird with whitish or fawn markings, grey bill, black feet and crown. The name commemorates a prince regent of the United Kingdom. Diet The diet consists mainly of fruits, berries and insects. Behaviour All male bowerbirds build bowers, which can be simple ground clearings or elaborate structures, to attract female mates. Regent bowerbirds in particular are known to mix a muddy greyish blue or pea green "saliva paint" in their mouths which they use to decorate their bowers. The male builds an avenue-type bower consisting of two walls of sticks, decorated with shells, seeds, leaves and berries. Regents will sometimes use wads of greenish leaves as "paintbrushes" to help spread the substance, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Green Catbird
The green catbird (''Ailuroedus crassirostris'') is a species of bowerbird found in subtropical forests along the east coast of Australia, from southeastern Queensland to southern New South Wales. It is named after its distinctive call which sounds like a cat meowing, although it has also been mistaken for a crying child. The green catbird resembles the spotted catbird, which is found in wet tropical rainforests of Far North Queensland. Description Green catbirds are a medium-sized stocky bird with long, powerful legs and a long, stout bill. The back, wings and rump are brilliant emerald green, with very conspicuous pure white spots at the tips of the tertiaries and secondaries, which, on the tips of coverts, form two white wing-bars. The tail is brownish emerald with white tips. The head is greenish brown mottled black and finely flecked pale buff. The chest is greenish buff to dull emerald with distinctive short white streaks.Michael Morcombe (2003) Field Guide to Austra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paradise Riflebird
The paradise riflebird (''Ptiloris paradisea'') is a passerine bird of the family Paradisaeidae. It is one of four riflebird species in the genus ''Ptiloris''. It is found in subtropical, temperate rainforests in eastern Australia. The species is sexually dimorphic; the male is black with iridescent blue-green patches, while the female is gray-brown and white. The paradise riflebird is frugivorous and insectivorous. During breeding season, males are promiscuous and perform solitary displays for females, which involves moving rapidly from side to side with the head tilted back, showing off the neck plumage. Taxonomy The paradise riflebird was formally described in 1825 by the English naturalist William Swainson under the current binomial name ''Ptiloris paradiseus''. It is one of the four riflebird species that are now placed in the genus ''Ptiloris''. The common name "riflebird" comes from the likeness of their black velvety plumage to the uniform of the British Army Rifle Brig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pale-yellow Robin
The pale-yellow robin (''Tregellasia capito'') is a species of passerine bird in the family Petroicidae. It is endemic to eastern Australia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is a nondescript bird with grey head and olive upperparts, white throat and yellow underparts. The sexes are similar. Two subspecies are recognised: the smaller ''nana'' from North Queensland, and the larger and uncommon nominate race ''capito'' from southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. It is insectivorous. Taxonomy The pale-yellow robin was first described by ornithologist John Gould in 1854. For many years, it was classified with the other yellow robins in the genus ''Eopsaltria'', on the basis of plumage, nests, and behaviour. Others have placed it with the genus ''Poecilodryas'', due to the similarly plumaged fledglings. However, the closest relatives of both it and the related white-faced robin remain unclear, and are hence placed in their own s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Albert's Lyrebird
Albert's lyrebird (''Menura alberti'') is a timid, pheasant-sized songbird which is endemic to subtropical rainforests of Australia, in a small area on the state border between New South Wales and Queensland. The rarer of the two species of lyrebirds, Albert's lyrebird is named after Prince Albert, the prince consort of Queen Victoria, queen of the United Kingdom. It lacks the elegant lyre-shaped tail feathers of the superb lyrebird and is found in a much more restricted range. In the past, Albert's lyrebirds were shot to be eaten in pies, to supply tail-feathers to "globe-trotting curio-hunters" or by vandals. The total population of Albert's lyrebirds is estimated at only 3,500 breeding birds and it has one of the smallest distributional ranges of any bird on the continent.Gilmore, A. (2000). "Distributional ecology of the Albert's Lyrebird, Menura alberti, in north-east New South Wales." Astheimer, L.B. & M.F. Clarke, eds. ''The 2nd Southern Hemisphere Ornithological Congr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International. There are over 13,000 IBAs worldwide. These sites are small enough to be entirely conserved and differ in their character, habitat or ornithological importance from the surrounding habitat. In the United States the Program is administered by the National Audubon Society. Often IBAs form part of a country's existing protected area network, and so are protected under national legislation. Legal recognition and protection of IBAs that are not within existing protected areas varies within different countries. Some countries have a National IBA Conservation Strategy, whereas in others protection is completely lacking. History In 1985, following a specific request from the European Economic Community, Birdlife International ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding important sites for birds, maintaining and restoring key bird habitats, and empowering conservationists worldwide. It has a membership of more than 2.5 million people across 116 country partner organizations, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Wild Bird Society of Japan, the National Audubon Society and American Bird Conservancy. BirdLife International has identified 13,000 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas and is the official International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List authority for birds. As of 2015, BirdLife International has established that 1,375 bird species (13% of the total) are threatened with extinction ( critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable). BirdLife Internation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Subtropical
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° north and south. The horse latitudes lie within this range. Subtropical climates are often characterized by hot summers and mild winters with infrequent frost. Most subtropical climates fall into two basic types: humid subtropical (Koppen climate Cfa), where rainfall is often concentrated in the warmest months, for example Southeast China and the Southeastern United States, and dry summer or Mediterranean climate (Koppen climate Csa/Csb), where seasonal rainfall is concentrated in the cooler months, such as the Mediterranean Basin or Southern California. Subtropical climates can also occur at high elevations within the tropics, such as in the southern end of the Mexican Plateau and in Da Lat of the Vietnamese Central Highlands. The six climate clas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Temperate Rainforest
Temperate rainforests are coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain. Temperate rain forests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world: the Pacific temperate rain forests of North American Pacific Northwest as well as the Appalachian temperate rainforest of the Eastern U.S. Sun Belt; the Valdivian temperate rain forests of southwestern South America; the rain forests of New Zealand and southeastern Australia; northwest Europe (small pockets in Great Britain and larger areas in Ireland, southern Norway and northern Iberia); southern Japan; the Black Sea–Caspian Sea region from the southeasternmost coastal zone of the Bulgarian coast, through Turkey, to Georgia, and northern Iran. The moist conditions of temperate rain forests generally support an understory of mosses, ferns and some shrubs and berries. Temperate rain forests can be temperate coniferous forests or temperate broadleaf and mixed forests. Definition Fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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