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Parrotfinch
Parrotfinches are small, colourful passerine birds belonging to the genus ''Erythrura'' in the family Estrildidae, the estrildid finches. They occur from South-east Asia to New Guinea, and many Pacific Islands. They inhabit forest, bamboo thickets and grassland and some can be found in man-made habitats such as farmland, parks and gardens. Several species are commonly kept as cagebirds. They are 9 to 15 cm long. The plumage is usually mainly green. Most species have blue or red markings on the head and a red rump and tail. The tail is pointed and often fairly long. Seeds, especially those of grasses, comprise the bulk of the diet. Some parrotfinches also feed on fruit and small insects. Many species forage in flocks, keeping in contact with high-pitched calls. Three species, the green-faced, royal and pink-billed parrotfinches, are classed as vulnerable to extinction because of habitat loss and degradation. Taxonomy The genus ''Erythrura'' was introduced in 1837 by the En ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blue-faced Parrotfinch
The blue-faced parrotfinch (''Erythrura trichroa'') is a locally common species of estrildid finch found in north-eastern Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Federated States of Micronesia, France (introduced), New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km2. It is found in subtropical and tropical zones in both montane and lowland moist forest areas, where it is most often associated with forest edges and disturbed habitat. It feeds largely on seeds of grasses, including in Australia several exotic genera especially Brachiaria. The IUCN has classified the species as being of least concern. Origin and history Origin and phylogeny has been obtained by Antonio Arnaiz-Villena et al. Estrildinae may have originated in India and dispersed thereafter (towards Africa and Pacific Ocean habitats). In the past, due to less developed observation techniques, very few blue-faced parrotfinches were spotted. As ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pin-tailed Parrotfinch
The pin-tailed parrotfinch (''Erythrura prasina'') is a common species of estrildid finch found in Southeast Asia: Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Burma, Vietnam, Thailand and China. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km2. It is found in subtropical/tropical in both montane and lowland moist forest, and is also found in bamboo thickets and rice plantations. Flocks of this species can do great damage to rice crops, and in parts of its range it is classed as a pest. The IUCN has classified the species as being of least concern. It is a popular cage bird. On August 2, 2007, scientists on an expedition to the upper ranges of Mount Mantalingahan in southern Palawan province in the Philippines announced the discovery, with other animals, of the pin-tailed parrot finch, according to Dr. Lawrence Heaney, a biologist from the Chicago Field Museum. References External links Pin-tailed Parrotfinch Species Profile pin-tailed parrotfinch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-throated Parrotfinch
The red-throated parrotfinch (''Erythrura psittacea'') is a species of estrildid finch found in New Caledonia. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 20,000 to 50,000 km2. It is found in both subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and shrubland habitats. The IUCN has classified the species as being of least concern. Taxonomy The red-throated parrotfinch was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's ''Systema Naturae''. He placed it with the finches in the genus ''Fringilla'' and coined the binomial name ''Fringilla psittacea''. The specific epithet is Modern Latin for "parrot-like". Gmelin based his account on the "parrot finch" that had been described and illustrated in 1783 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his multi-volume work ''A General Synopsis of Birds''. Latham's had access to a specimen that had been shot by the German naturalist Johann Reinhold Fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Estrildid Finch
Estrildidae, or estrildid finches, is a family of small seed-eating passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They comprise species commonly known as munias, mannikins, firefinches, parrotfinches and waxbills. Despite the word "finch" being included in the common names of some species, they are not closely related to birds with this name in other families, such as the Fringillidae, Emberizidae or Passerellidae. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short, thick, but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but vary widely in plumage colours and patterns. All estrildids build large, domed nests and lay five to ten white eggs. Many species build roost nests. Some of the firefinches and pytilias are hosts to the brood-parasitic indigobirds and whydahs, respectively. Most are sensitive to cold and require warm, usually tropical, habitats, although a few, such as the eastern alpine mannikin, mountain firetail, red-bro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Green-faced Parrotfinch
The green-faced parrotfinch (''Erythrura viridifacies'') is a species of estrildid finch found in northern Philippines, on Luzon, Mindoro, Panay Island, Panay, Negros Island, Negros and Cebu islands. Its local name is ''mayang-kawayan'' in Tagalog language, Tagalog. Description The green-faced parrotfinch is approximately 12–13 cm long. This species green plumage except for its bright red uppertail-coverts and tail and darker fringes to the primaries. It has a long pointed tail. The female is slightly shorter and shows buff on the lower belly and vent. Both sexes have a large, dark bill. The green-faced parrotfinch makes a short, high-pitched ''tsit tsit'', chattering and grating notes. Habitat and Conservation Status It inhabits tropical moist montane forest, forest edge and even savannah, often above 1,000 m, but is occasionally found in the lowlands. It is usually found together with flowering or seeding bamboos, which are its food supply. The IUCN has assessed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic period (), and the Classical period (). Ancient Greek was the language of Homer and of fifth-century Athenian historians, playwrights, and philosophers. It has contributed many words to English vocabulary and has been a standard subject of study in educational institutions of the Western world since the Renaissance. This article primarily contains information about the Epic and Classical periods of the language. From the Hellenistic period (), Ancient Greek was followed by Koine Greek, which is regarded as a separate historical stage, although its earliest form closely resembles Attic Greek and its latest form approaches Medieval Greek. There were several regional dialects of Ancient Greek, of which Attic Greek developed into Koi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pink-billed Parrotfinch
The pink-billed parrotfinch (''Erythrura kleinschmidti'') is a species of estrildid finch found on the island of Viti Levu, Fiji. Commonly found at undisturbed mature forest in the centre and east of Viti Levu, e.g. Joske's Thumb near Suva. This species is found at mid-height along tree-trunks and branches, usually alone or in pairs but also joining mixed-species flocks, feeding primarily on insects, but also on flower buds and fruits. Taxonomy The parrotfinches are a genus of estrildid finches found in southeast Asia and Australasia. They are small birds with short rounded wings and tails. Most species have green bodies, and all but one have the red tail that gives the genus its scientific name ''Erythrura'',Clements (1993) p.397 which is derived from the Ancient Greek , 'red',Brookes (2006) p. 306 and , 'tail'.Brookes (2006) p. 1058 The pink-billed parrotfinch was initially described as ''Amblynura kleinschmidti'' by German naturalist Otto Finsch in 1878. The binomial name c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vulnerable Species
A vulnerable species is a species which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being threatened with extinction unless the circumstances that are threatening its survival and reproduction improve. Vulnerability is mainly caused by habitat loss or destruction of the species' home. Vulnerable habitat or species are monitored and can become increasingly threatened. Some species listed as "vulnerable" may be common in captivity, an example being the military macaw. There are currently 5196 animals and 6789 plants classified as Vulnerable, compared with 1998 levels of 2815 and 3222, respectively. Practices such as cryoconservation of animal genetic resources have been enforced in efforts to conserve vulnerable breeds of livestock specifically. Criteria The International Union for Conservation of Nature uses several criteria to enter species in this category. A taxon is Vulnerable when it is not critically endangered or Endangered but ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Habitat Loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby reducing biodiversity and species abundance. Habitat destruction is the leading cause of biodiversity loss. Fragmentation and loss of habitat have become one of the most important topics of research in ecology as they are major threats to the survival of endangered species. Activities such as harvesting natural resources, industrial production and urbanization are human contributions to habitat destruction. Pressure from agriculture is the principal human cause. Some others include mining, logging, trawling, and urban sprawl. Habitat destruction is currently considered the primary cause of species extinction worldwide. Environmental factors can contribute to habitat destruction more indirectly. Geological processes, climate change, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sister Taxon
In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree. Definition The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram: Taxon A and taxon B are sister groups to each other. Taxa A and B, together with any other extant or extinct descendants of their most recent common ancestor (MRCA), form a monophyletic group, the clade AB. Clade AB and taxon C are also sister groups. Taxa A, B, and C, together with all other descendants of their MRCA form the clade ABC. The whole clade ABC is itself a subtree of a larger tree which offers yet more sister group relationships, both among the leaves and among larger, more deeply rooted clades. The tree structure shown connects through its root to the rest of the universal tree of life. In cladistic standards, taxa A, B, and C may represent specimens, species, genera, or any other taxonomic units. If A and B are at the same t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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