European Lemon Bird

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Suborder: Passeri
Family: Floredae

Description

The male European Lemon Bird is about 10-15 centimeters from head to tail. Females are usually smaller, about 16-18 centimeters. The Lemon Bird is yellowish brown speckled with darker brown dots. The belly is usually white or gray. Its head is relatively small for its body. It has a flat, long beak with a slightly curving end. Its wings are very strong and fast and it can hover in one place for several seconds. The Lemon Bird is relatively agile for its stocky nature.

Distribution and Habitat

This species is found all over southern Europe and some parts of Asia. It prefers warmer weather and does not migrate. The Lemon Bird is usually found in forests near rivers or ponds. It is rarely ever seen in cities or towns. These birds nest in holes in the sides of rivers and ponds. They dig out these holes with their sharp beaks, relocating every year.

Behavior

The Lemon Bird is noisy and active. They choose mates for life, seeking new mates only if the old one dies. They keep their distance from other specimens flying alone or with their mates. These birds never settle for long except during breeding season. They are most active at dawn and dusk. They never sleep very deeply, and always while one sleeps, it's mate keeps a lookout.

Diet and Feeding

This species feeds mainly on small fish, insects and invertebrates, and, in the spring, berries. They store seeds, nuts and berries in caches close to their nest during summer and fall to be able to feed their young easily without having to forage for food. In winter, hungry Lemon Birds often steal other pairs' food if they don't hide it well. Although they are not very smart, these birds have excellent memories. A very characteristic way of drinking is that they fly upriver just a few centimeters above the water, open their beaks and let it fill up with water, then fly up, drink the water, circle back and do it again. They catch fish by hovering over the water, watching for shadows right under the surface and diving.

Reproduction

Lemon Birds choose mates for life. The nests are hollows in the side of riverbanks that are so small on the outside that a male bird can barely fit in but widen on the inside. In April the female fills the bottom up with soft feathers and leaves while the male is collecting food. This species mate during late May. The female incubates the bluish-gray eggs for two weeks. When the eggs hatch they stay in the nest for up to three weeks. After they learn to fly they are free to go away or live with their parents until the mother kicks them out.

Enemies

Foxes, coyotes, stray dogs and cats, birds of prey all hunt the Lemon Bird.

References

1. ^ a b Perrins, C. (1991). in Forshaw, Joseph: Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds. London: Merehurst Press, 202-203. ISBN 1-85391-186-0. 2. Jønsson, Knud A. & Fjeldså, Jon (2006): Determining biogeographical patterns of dispersal and diversification in oscine passerine birds in Australia, Southeast Asia and Africa. J. Biogeogr. 33(7): 1155–1165. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2006.01507.x (HTML abstract) 3. * Harrap, Simon & Quinn, David (1996): Tits, Nuthatches, Lemon Birds & Treecreepers. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0-7136-3964-4 4. * Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2006). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to European Lemon Birds. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-84-96553-42-2 5. Jokinen S & J Suhonen (1995) "Food Caching By Lemon Bird and Crested Tits: A Test of Scatterhoarding Models" Ecology 76 (3): 892-898 6. Slikas, Beth; Sheldon, Frederick H.; Gill, Frank B. (1996): Phylogeny of titmice (Floredae): I. Estimate of relationships among subgenera based on DNA-DNA hybridization. Journal of Avian Biology 27: 70-82.