Category Archives: Class Aves

Phoebastria immutabilis: laysan albatross–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Pam Birley took this photo using the remote cam 5 on February 6, 2010. We have had difficulty identifying it but it looks quite like a Laysan Albatross. Below is a quote from Pam:

“Thought I would draw  your attention to this mystery bird, seen on Middle Rock on Saturday.  I was actually looking at the seals but this large bird caught my eye because it was so white.  I wish I had taken more pictures but only saved this one.  It was larger than the Cormorants (Beside it in the photograph) and had a big yellow/orange beak.  It was white except for the wing area which was black.  It was not a double-crested Cormorant.  The only thing I can come up with from Sibley and consulting the internet is a Laysan Albatross.  Apparently they only breed in the Hawaiian Islands area but do travel up to the Bering Sea, Alaska and the Pacific NW.” 

 This article details the ecological issues threatening this bird such as bycatch in the commercial high seas drift net fisheries.

See this article ” How we killed paradise with plastic: Grotesque consequences of our casual throwaway culture” The image from it shown here provides a stark reminder of the tragedy of plastic pollution in the ocean.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Procellariiformes
Family Diomedeidae
Genus Phoebastria
Species mutabilis
Common Name: Laysan albatross

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Pam Birley, 2010

 

Molothrus ater, Brown-headed cowbird– The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Pam Birley of England took these photos using the remote camera 5 of the first cowbird sited at Race Rocks on May 17, 2010She also suggested the reference on Cowbirds and Conservation: http://www.audubon.org/bird/research/

Some interesting research about the population dynamics of these birds and the effect on the host species that they parasitize is contained in that article.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Passeriformes
Family Icteridae
Genus Molothrus
Species ater
Common Name: Brown-headed cowbird.

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy

and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

Pam Birley

Phoebastria immutabilis: Lasan albatross–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Pam Birley took this photo using the remote cam 5 on February 6, 2010. We have had difficulty identifying it but it looks quite like a Laysan Albatross. Below is a quote from Pam:

“Thought I would draw  your attention to this mystery bird, seen on Middle Rock on Saturday.  I was actually looking at the seals but this large bird caught my eye because it was so white.  I wish I had taken more pictures but only saved this one.  It was larger than the Cormorants (Beside it in the photograph) and had a big yellow/orange beak.  It was white except for the wing area which was black.  It was not a double-crested Cormorant.  The only thing I can come up with from Sibley and consulting the internet is a Laysan Albatross.  Apparently they only breed in the Hawaiian Islands area but do travel up to the Bering Sea, Alaska and the Pacific NW.” PAM BIRLEY, UK

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Procellariiformes
Family Diomedeidae
Genus Phoebastria
Species mutabilis
Common Name: Laysan Albatross
See this article in Bird Life International which details the ecological issues threatening this bird such as bycatch in the commercial high seas drift net fisheries.

See this article ” How we killed paradise with plastic: Grotesque consequences of our casual throwaway culture” The image from it shown here provides a stark reminder of the tragedy of plastic pollution in the ocean.

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks.
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. April 2010- Pam Birley

Calidris ptilocnemis: Rock Sandpiper

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rmaleutianrocksandpiper

Male Rock Sandpiper photo by Ryan Murphy

Rock sandpiper

Rock Sandpiper photo by Raisa Mirza
bf0209sandpi

Inset from the photo below showing the rock sandpipers in the foreground. The larger birds are the surfbirds. Several Black Turnstones are also in the image below.

bf0209surfbgroup

Click to enlarge to see the difference between the rock sandpipers and the surfbirds. There is also a black turnstone lower right:  Photo by Ryan Murphy

Habitat
During the breeding season, rock sandpipers nest on the  dry, barren tundra. The rest of the year, they are  found on the rocky shores such as at Race Rocks

flyinset-1

Photo by Ryan Murphy

rasia-rock-sandpiper

Rock sandpiper- winter plumage , Nov 22, 2012:  Photo by Raisa Mirza

Behavior and feeding:

Rock Sandpipers are usually found singly, in small groups, or as can be seen above,  in flocks with black turnstones and surfbirds. Unlike the other birds in the photo, rock sandpipers do not get prey attached to the rock,  They move regularly pick up moving prey from the crevices and seaweed among the rocks. Rock Sandpipers are unusual in that they eat vegetable matter, including algae, or seeds as well as invertebrates.

 Classification:

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae
Genus Calidris
Species ptilocnemis
Common Name: Rock Sandpiper
This file is provided as part of a collaborative effort by the students, faculty, staff and volunteers of Lester B. Pearson College February. 2009 Garry Fletcher

Pluvialis squatarola: Black-Bellied Plover- The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Pluvialis squatarola at Race Rocks, September 28, 2009.
This is our first photo of this plover, taken by Ryan Murphy

Ryan photographed these plovers in their non-breeding plumage  (missing the black belly!) on the lawn at Race Rocks. The top one o was here on March 11, 2010.

These are long-distance migratory birds. They were here as a stopover on the migration, fall and spring. They breed on the arctic tundra and winter on sandy beaches and wetlands in coastal areas from central North America through southern South America. They use the run, stop and stab at the food behaviour common to many plovers.

 

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae
Subfamily Charadrinae
Genus Pluvialis
Species squatarola
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Common Name: Black Bellied Plover

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
April 2009 Ryan Murphy

Cerorhinca monocerata: Rhinocerous Auklet -The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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This Rhinocerous Auklet was photographed by Ryan Murphy in Race Passage, late September, 2009

Rhinocerous auklet are frequent fall and winter visitors in the waters around Race Rocks. They forage for feed by diving in groups. The pictures above are of the same group, shown in different positions . Click for enlarged version
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriformes
Family Alcidae
Genus Cerorhinca
Species monocerata
Common Name: Rhinocerous Auklet

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
April 2009 Raisa Mirza

Columba livia: Rock Dove–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Columba livia at Race Rocks
Surprisingly this is the first pigeon we have seen at Race Rocks The week this photo was taken on the remote camera by Pam Birley, it has been non-stop winds from the West over 25km/hr. Perhaps it was just blown away from its normal flock.

Note: Moisture and heat retention by breathing under the wings. This pigeon It appeared on June 15,2009.Most of the pigeons we see around Victoria are the typical grey body with dark bands

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
SubphylumVertebrata
Class Aves
Order Columbiformes
Family Columbinae
SubfamilyColumbinae
Genus Columba
Species livia
Linnaeus, 1758
Common Name: Rock Dove, Rock Pigeon

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

Pam Birley

Calidris minutillam: Least Sandpiper — The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Calidris minutilla, The Least sandpiper photo at Race Rocks by Ryan Murphy

Ryan got this first picture of the Least sandpiper in early May, 2009 . It was foraging along the shoreline, having stopped over in it’s migration to the North.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae
Genus Calidris
Species minutillam
Common Name: Least Sandpiper

Tringa melanoleuca: Greater Yellowlegs , The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Tringa melanoleuca at Race Rocks Photo R. Murphy
Although this species was first photographed at Race Rocks in 2009, it is a relatively common shorebird that occurs in large numbers when migrating through this area from March to May. Their breeding habitat is bogs and marshes in the boreal forest region of Canada and Alaska, nesting on the ground, in well-hidden locations near water. ( Wikipedia)

David Allinson of the Rocky Point Bird Observatory comments :”This is a moulting into breeding Greater Yellowlegs . Note the legs look pretty yellow to me (but at this time of year and in certain light they can look orangeish). Lots of both Tringa’s are moving through our area right now…(For Greater Yellowlegs, listen for their loud ‘tiew, tiew, tiew’ calls, esp. when in flight…but Lesser’s should be fairly uncommon out there… (they prefer mudflats over rocks; whereas Greater’s can be seen on either).

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae
Genus Tringa
Species melanoleuca
(Gmelin, 1789)
Common Name: Greater Yellowlegs

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
April 2009 Ryan Murphy

Larus occidentalis : Western Gull – The Race Rocks taxonomy

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This image of a Western gull was taken by Pam Birley on the remote camera 5 on November 22 2006

Western Gull on the left with the rare second year Glaucous Gull on the right. Photo March 8, 2009 by Ryan Murphy.

The series of pictures above were taken by Adam Harding in August 2009 show the first year winter plumage of the Western Gull.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Laridae
Genus Larus
Species occidentalis
Common Name: WESTERN GULL

 

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks.
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. March 8  2009- Ryan Murphy