Germain’s Peacock-pheasant is without doubt one of the star sights of Cat Tien NP.
Specifically, it is because it readily involves the Cat Tien hides and might be seen nicely there regardless of the eBird comment that the species is “usually shy and reclusive and really tough to see nicely.”
The title commemorates Louis Rodolphe Germain (1827–1917), a French Military veterinarian who when based mostly in Indochina despatched a specimen to a museum in Paris.
The Inexperienced-legged Partridge is each an outdated breed of rooster indigenous to Poland (predominant Wikipedia entry) and an Indochinese partridge species (alternate Wikipedia entry, and the fowl proven beneath).
Much like the peacock-pheasant, it’s “very tough to see basically; most certainly encountered at staked-out blinds” (eBird). Although eBird appears to be considerably disillusioned by the species, noting that it’s a “cryptically-colored ground-dweller with out the brilliant colours and daring head patterns boasted by lots of its kinfolk”
One of many nest predators of this partridge – the Northern Treeshrew – is proven on the finish of this put up.
The bulbuls round Cat Tien are primarily the Stripe-throated Bulbul …
… and the Streak-eared Bulbul.
Siberian Blue Robins are pretty straightforward to see in Shanghai throughout migration – however it’s good to satisfy them of their winter quarters as nicely.
For causes no one appears to know, the Widespread Emerald Dove is the state fowl of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu (supply). Fairly ineffective info, I do know.
And now for one thing fully totally different – some fowl photographs. Of Indochinese Blue Flycatcher …
… and Black-winged Cuckooshrike.
eBird calls the Gray-faced Tit-babbler a boring brown babbler.
So, possibly William Vallandigham Kelley (1861-1932) wouldn’t be too happy that they named the fowl Mixornis kelleyi. However by then (in 1932), possibly all the great birds similar to Germain’s Peacock-pheasant already had names …
Kelley was a Chicago producer and a sponsor of the Area Museum of Pure Historical past’s 1928 expedition to Japanese Asia. If you wish to go to him, you are able to do so on the Lake Forest Cemetery in Illinois.
I’m certain I’ve written the identical factor earlier than, however apparently the one who gave the title to the Bronzed Drongo didn’t have any clue about what bronze colour seems like.
Sadly, I didn’t see a Bronzed Drongo nesting – it makes for slightly cute photographs, as this instance exhibits.
Apparently, the physique of the Slaty-legged Crake is laterally compressed to allow them to go quietly via thick vegetation (supply).
The species performed a cameo function in an version of the Philippine Journal of Veterinary Drugs when a brand new species of trematode parasite was found from it.
The Chestnut-headed Bee-eater has its followers at eBird, which calls it a “stunning, dainty bee-eater”.
The scientific title Merops leschenaulti commemorates Jean Baptiste Louis Claude Théodore Leschenault de la Tour (1773-1826), a French botanist and ornithologist who presumably all through his life cursed his lengthy title each time he needed to fill out official kinds.
The Wikipedia entry on him is slightly important of his work ethic. As chief botanist on Nicolas Baudin’s expedition to Australia between 1800 and 1803, he collected many new specimens “although Baudin’s journal means that he didn’t work notably exhausting; apparently the poorly educated gardener’s boy Antoine Guichenot collected extra plant specimens than Leschenault did, and gave them extra helpful labels.”
It’s a jungle on the market – no one is aware of that higher than the Crimson Jungle Fowl.
Certainly, essentially the most dominant cocks and hens produced many of the adults of succeeding generations. In a single research, the genetically efficient breeding dimension of the inhabitants was solely about 13% of the full variety of adults (supply).
Each sexes of Crimson Junglefowl are promiscuous. Males purpose to draw females and repel different males, whereas females purpose to mate solely with their most well-liked males (supply).
Crimson Junglefowl are the ancestors of domesticated rooster – how this occurred is described right here.
Apparently, there’s a shut hyperlink between rice cultivation and the domestication of chickens – fairly in all probability this solely occurred after people started cultivating rice inside vary of the wild crimson jungle fowl.
One factor that occurred as soon as the Crimson Junglefowl acquired domesticated is that its mind dimension shrunk – apparently mind dimension discount is a typical trait in domesticated species (supply).
At the least within the chickens, the shrinkage could also be a results of people choosing these people for domestication which have the bottom degree of worry of people – which occur to be those with the smallest brains (supply).
Lastly, 3 of the about 235 woodpecker species on the planet. Beginning with the Laced Woodpecker.
Subsequent, the Widespread Flameback.
greenmatters.com claims that woodpeckers would possibly characterize religious safety, which makes me slightly a bit weary of them as I’m not too keen on spirituality.
If you happen to want extra of this mumbo-jumbo, go to an internet site named whatismyspiritanimal.com and study issues like “Native Individuals inform us that Woodpecker represents journeying into the astral aircraft”.
In desires, woodpeckers supply quite a lot of flexibility, so you’ll be able to just about interpret an look in any manner you need: “Woodpeckers in desires can point out something from thriller and magic to knowledge and alternative” (supply). That ought to make woodpeckers slightly in style with dreamers and individuals who interpret desires.
Lastly, the Lesser Yellownape.
Did you ever construct a home after which had any individual else transfer in in opposition to your will? I hope not … However as cavities are in nice demand for nesting by different cavity nesters, woodpeckers face competitors for the nesting websites they excavate from the second the outlet turns into usable (supply).
In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the witch Circe turns a really attractive man named Picus right into a woodpecker when he refuses to be disloyal to his spouse and turns Circe away. Hell hath no fury …
In October 2022, a marketing campaign named “Woodpecker” was began in China’s Shandong province. The marketing campaign requested locals to seek out incorrect English translations in public services and inform the authorities about them. The highest 10 “woodpeckers” obtained presents (supply).
Different animals seen at Cat Tien included a treeshrew – the Gollum of the mammal world – …
… and the critically endangered Black-shanked Douc Langur.
All photographs taken at Cat Tien in late March 2024.
