birds in my life

Mallard ..... The Ancestor.......

2009-01-26T21:23:00.000-08:00

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is the ancestor of almost all of the varieties of domestic ducks. Domestic ducks belong to the subfamily Anatinae of the waterfowl family Anatidae. The wild Mallard and Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) are believed to be the ancestors of all domestic ducks.

Description :

The Mallard is 56–65 cm long, has a wingspan of 81–98 cm, and weighs 0.9–1.2kg. The breeding male is unmistakable, with a green head, black rear end and a yellowish orange(can also contain some red) bill tipped with black (as opposed to the dark brown bill in females). The female Mallard is light brown, like most female dabbling ducks. However, both the female and male Mallards have distinct purple speculum edged with white, prominent in flight or at rest (though temporarily shedded during the annual summer molt). In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage the drake becomes drab, looking more like the female, but still distinguishable by its yellow bill and reddish breast.

The Mallard is a rare example of both Allen's Rule and Bergmann's Rule in birds. Bergmann's Rule, which states that polar forms tend to be larger than related ones from warmer climates, has numerous examples in birds. Allen's Rule says that appendages like ears tend to be smaller in polar forms to minimize heat loss, and larger in tropical and desert equivalents to facilitate heat diffusion, and that the polar taxa are stockier overall. Examples of this rule in birds are rare, as they lack external ears. However, the bill of ducks is very well supplied with blood vessels and is vulnerable to cold.

The size of the Mallard varies clinally, and birds from Greenland, although larger than birds further south, have smaller bills and are stockier. It is sometimes separated as subspecies Greenland Mallard (A. p. conboschas).

In captivity, domestic ducks come in wild-type plumages, white, and other colours. Most of these colour variants are also known in domestic mallards not bred as livestock, but kept as pets, aviary birds, etc., where they are rare but increasing in availability.

A noisy species, the male has a nasal call, the female the "quack" stereotypically associated with ducks.

Mandarin Duck

2009-01-26T21:10:00.000-08:00

Scientific name: Aix galericulata

Mandarin Ducks, which are referred to by the Chinese as Yuan-yang (simplified Chinese: 鸳鸯; traditional Chinese: 鴛鴦; pinyin: yuān yāng), are frequently featured in Oriental art and are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity.

A Chinese proverb for loving couples uses the Mandarin Duck as a metaphor: "Two mandarin ducks playing in water" (simplified Chinese: 鸳鸯戏水; traditional Chinese: 鴛鴦戲水; pinyin: yuān yāng xì shuǐ). The Mandarin Duck symbol is also used in Chinese weddings, because in traditional Chinese lore they symbolize wedded bliss and fidelity.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

The average length for the Mandarin Duck is between 43-51cm, wings folded 22.1-22.6cm. They have a tail length of 10.2-10.4cm and an average bill length of 27.9mm. In full plumage, the male Mandarin is the most beautiful of all ducks. The males have an iridescent crown extending to a long crest and chestnut cheeks. The breast is maroon with black and white vertical stripes; the abdomen and underside are white with gold and black flanks. The back and tail are olive brown, the upper tail coverts are blue/green, and the scapulars are iridescent blue. The outer tertials are orange and gold on the inner web and form a sail shape and the upper wing surface is mostly olive brown. This sail shape feature along with the white-eye stripe that extends from the bill and tapers toward the back of the head distinguishes the male from all others. Their bill is red and they have whitish legs with yellow feet.

The females, however, are less colorful. Their color vary from gray and white, to brown and greenish brown. The crown and sides of the head and neck are gray with a white-eye ring and streak that tapers off towards the neck. The throat and fore neck are white and the breast and sides of body are buff and gray. The back is gray brown and there are a series of white spots on the under parts. The wings are similar to the males but without the sail feathers. The bill is grayish black and the legs and feet are reddish yellow. The female bears a strong resemblance to the female Wood Duck but can be distinguished by the narrow eye stripe; the Wood Ducks is shorter and more blunt. Differences between the sexes are obvious, the males have a crested head and chestnut/orange wing and sail feathers that are raised vertically above their back. The females are duller in color and lack the crested head. The juveniles resemble the females but the males have a pinkish bill. During molting periods when the Mandarin sheds its feathers, the males resemble females but can be distinguished by the red bill.

DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

The Mandarin Duck originated in China but can be found almost anywhere there is a suitable habitat. They are believed to be semi-migratory and semi-colonial. They are scattered throughout Southeast Russia, Northeast China, Japan, Southern England and Siberia. Mandarins were introduced to the west for breeding purposes by aviculturalists and can be found in zoos around the world. The fall migration ranges from China, Japan, Manchuria, North Korea, to the central and southern islands east of the Sea of Japan. Mandarins prefer to live in woodlands next to water that has many trees with holes for nesting. They favor mountain areas with streams, marshland and forests.

BEHAVIOUR:

The calls of the Mandarin sound similar to ge,ge, wooing and bifu. The Mandarin Duck hunts by head-dipping in shallow waters. In the wild, Mandarins will forage for their food. Feeding occurs during both day and night, but during the daytime they spend much of their time in shady areas.

Males display an aggressive courtship flight for females. They are also one of the few who guard hens and ducklings until the ducklings are able to fly. Mandarins are highly social but males have been observed spontaneously fighting with one another. The male produces a nasal; whistling note during display, whereas the female makes a high pitched courtship call that sounds like "keet". The male also makes a high-pitched staccato bark, a barely audible whistle and heard least often, is the grunting sound, similar to that of a wild pig.

Courtship begins in the fall and involves very elaborate, complex behavior such as shaking movements, display drinking and preening. Females take the initiative in choosing their mates by inciting behavior toward the preferred male. She will initiate copulatory behavior by performing head pumping movements then extending prone on the water. The male performs bill dipping movements before mounting and then swims away from the female while orienting the back of his head in her direction.

If the same partners are still alive through two breeding seasons, they typically re-form old bonds rather than establish new ones. Because of their devotion to one another, they are regarded in China and Japan as a symbol of love, happiness and marital fidelity. In early summer their molting period begins and ends around late September. During the molting period they typically seek protection of forested lands or areas well hidden by heavy branches. The females molting period is determined by her condition at the time. If she is nesting the molt is delayed. Fortunately the males loss of color acts as a camouflage and protects them from predators.

DIET:

The Mandarins diet consists of seeds, acorns, grain, aquatic plants, insects, land snails and fish. The diet is seasonal, in the fall acorns and grains are favored while in the spring insects, snails, fish and vegetation are preferred. During the summer months dew worms, grasshoppers, small fish, frogs, mollusks and small snakes are preferred.

REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

Nesting is done in tree holes typically situated over water. The nest hole is lined with down with an average clutch size of 8-10 eggs. The eggs are 56mm X 42mm with color variations of glossy buff to ivory. The mother sheds her own feathers to cover her eggs so she can feed or rest. She is very protective of both her ducklings and her eggs. The mother will decoy predators away from the nest. The male plays no part in the incubation process, which lasts about thirty days.

When the ducklings hatch they instinctively follow their mother and tumble to the ground from the nest-hole in their tree. Amazingly, the chicks land unhurt. Newly hatched ducklings are difficult to observe because the females are very protective of her brood. When the ducklings are feeding the mother stands guard a short distance away. If she senses danger she will lead the ducklings to shelter; diving underwater and swimming until they reach shelter in the long grass of the riverbank or lake. If a predator is present, the mother will feign injury in an effort to distract the predator and lead it away from her brood. The ducklings are usually able to fly in time for fall migration. Despite the protectiveness of their parents, half or more of the ducklings do not survive the first two weeks of life.

CONSERVATION STATUS:

The Mandarin Duck is not listed in CITES as an endangered species, but can be considered as near threatened or of special concern. They are listed as Class II key state protection animals of China. Worldwide population status is unknown. The current Asian population may be under 20,000. In various parts of southern England small, well-established feral populations exist, thriving in Virginia Water on the Berkshire/Surrey border. In Russia, feral numbers are unknown, but there are one hundred fifty reserves throughout the country that provide homes for Mandarin Ducks, as well as other endangered or threatened species in the hopes of the population increasing. Feral populations also exist in Scotland and parts of northern Europe.

The decline of the Mandarin Duck can be blamed mostly on humans; mainly loggers, hunters and poachers. The destruction of their habitats by loggers and clearing of the forests has had a severe impact on the wild populations. Many hunters are unable to recognize them in flight and mistake them for other legally hunted ducks and most likely, due to the males extreme beauty, poachers prize them. Because of their bad taste, these ducks are not hunted by humans for food.

The predators that threaten the Mandarin vary in their geological ranges. Known predators include mink, raccoon dog, otters, polecats, eagle owls and grass snakes.

ada yang inget gak....

2008-12-04T21:01:00.000-08:00

ada yang inget gak albumnya Steve Vai yang Passion and Warfare....kasetku ilang euy....sialan....
Ada yang punya albumnya gak....minta dong........yang album itu aja deh....

nostalgia ah.....

2008-12-04T20:53:00.000-08:00

dulu waktu masih kecil band ini sangat influence banget deh.....nge-fans abis lah...itu sebelum aku ketemu sama Green Tinted Sixties Mind - nya Mr.BIG...sama Dream Theater album Images and world....
Tadi pagi dengerin lagu-lagunya lagi...memory dahulu kala...nyari poster nya dapat yang asik kayak gini...hehehehe....

update

2008-12-04T20:52:00.000-08:00

kata temenku.....Kang Ijo dalam blog nya....ndobos pol....nulis gini aja udah update blog kok....
hehehehe....lagi males nulis....

merdeka.....

2008-12-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

darah dan tulangku tetap Indonesia kawan......
meskipun tanah dan udara yang kuhirup bukan Indonesia.....
sekali Indonesia tetap Indonesia.....
Surodiro Jayaningrat Lebur Dening Pangastuti.....

Beijing, 03-12-2008

sebuah puisi

2008-12-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

cuman hasil editan....

Gak tahu kenapa saya menuliskannya disini.....

2008-11-29T03:57:00.000-08:00

Sebuah karya Soe Hok Gie....

“Saya tak tahu mengapa, Saya merasa agak melankolik malam ini.
Saya melihat lampu-lampu kerucut dan arus lalu lintas jakarta dengan warna-warna baru.
Seolah-olah semuanya diterjemahkan dalam satu kombinasi wajah kemanusiaan.
Semuanya terasa mesra tapi kosong.
Seolah-olah saya merasa diri saya yang lepas dan bayangan-bayangan yang ada menjadi puitis sekali di jalan-jalan.
Perasaan sayang yang amat kuat menguasai saya.
Saya ingin memberikan sesuatu rasa cinta pada manusia, pada anjing-anjing di jalanan, pada semua-muanya.”

Kalo yang ini saya sendiri....

"Saya hanya mampu merasakannya kawan.
Deret kotak bercahaya dijalanan itu membuatku menyadari.
Hidup bagaikan cahaya.
Kadang redup mesra,kadang keras menghentak.
Malam ini aku mampu merasakannya kawan.
Wajah manusia itu amat kuat menghentak.
Duka itu datang bagaikan anjing jalanan yang berebut makanan dari tuannya....
Mungkin aku hanya anjing yang tak bertuan..."

Aku......

2008-11-29T03:46:00.000-08:00

Kalau sampai waktuku
ku mau tak seorang kan merayu
Tidak juga kau
Tak perlu sedu sedan itu
Aku ini binatang jalang
Dari kumpulannya terbuang
Biar peluru menembus kulitku
Aku tetap meradang menerjang
Luka dan bisa kubawa berlari
Berlari
Hingga hilang pedih peri
Dan aku akan tidak lebih perduli
Aku mau hidup seribu tahun lagi

Khairil Anwar, Djakarta, Maret 1943

our brotherhood....

2008-11-29T03:41:00.000-08:00

these will be last forever guys...i promise.....

lonely again

2008-11-29T03:29:00.000-08:00

these evening, when sun goes down....
your arm come again....
one by one, people left me behind....
these days I feel lonely....
lonely again....
i just want you my angel....
i just want you....
to be with me again....
i miss you my angel....

2008-11-29, beijing

Red Flag......

2008-11-24T18:25:00.000-08:00

In the corner of the field, there is a small field that is maintained by strict with several china army.... they keep the red flag with the soul ....

Chinese girl......

2008-11-24T18:15:00.000-08:00

Salah satu cewek China yang sedang bergaya di Tian'anmen square.....liat sendiri jaketnya yang tebal kan..berarti memang sangat dingin bos disini.....

left behind

2008-11-18T18:02:00.000-08:00

gak tau gw suka ama gambar ini....refleksi diri sekaligus sebuah jejak kecil yang tertinggal dibelakang kita......

Karena banyak orang China melakukannya...

2008-11-18T17:51:00.000-08:00

Pas kemarin aku jalan-jalan disekitar bar dan restaurant deket ama Tian'anmen square liat tanda lalu lintas itu tu diatas.....
Gak tau kenapa...tapi yang jelas orang China suka melakukannya...mabuk dan menyetir....bukan kombinasi yang baik.....ingat itu kawan....
Profesorku salah satunya...doyan mabuk dia...kalo udah liat tanda ini dia ketawa sambil bilang ..."Don't do it...OK!".....jawab ku "siap bos......."

lagi seneng.....salah satu impian terkabul....

2008-11-17T04:18:00.000-08:00

Mammmmmm.....I'm in China.....now....akhirnya salah satu impianku untuk menginjakkan kaki di Tian'an Men square terlaksana juga....seneng banget bos.............

Dedicated buat temen-temenku pecinta Mao Zedong

2008-11-17T04:13:00.000-08:00

Ini dia gerbang Forbiden City....semuanya warnanya merah bos.....taukan kenapa....hehehehe....palu arit bos.....
Ada gambar Chairman Mao Zedong segede gambreng yang dipajang disitu...semua orang disini sangat menghormatinya bos....sangat memujanya malah mungkin...yah kayak Pak Karno lah mungkin di negeri kita.....

Temenku namanya Feng

2008-11-17T04:08:00.000-08:00

Ini dia temenku yang namanya Feng....orang pertama yang kukenal baik setelah Zeng....orang yang menyenangkan....gini-gini dia udah 29 tahun dan sekarang lagi nganbil gelar master nya di CAAS....udah punya bini bos....
Kita lagi foto berdua pas di Tian'an Men Square....dengan latar belakang gerbangnya Forbiden City....ada fotonya Chairman Mao segede gambreng disitu.....

Mammmmm.......I'm in China...now.......

2008-11-17T03:55:00.000-08:00

Lagi jalan-jalan ke Tian'an Men Square ni ama temen-temen....lumayan cuman bayar bis 2,5 yuan dari kampus dah nyampe ke sana....jalan muterin forbiden city dengan Summer Palace nya ....
Banyak banget orang bos.....gak heran disebut negara dengan 1 milyar penduduknya....tapi temen-temen ku ini orang yang menyenangkan kok....
Yang atas tu gambar gedung namanya qianmen....gak tau untuk apa gedung itu....disebaliknya adalah tempat Chairman Mao disemayamkan....baru setelah itu lapangan Tian'an Men....
Foto yang bawah tu adalah salah satu sudut dari Summer Palace....atau sering orang sebut sebagai forbiden city....tempat yang indah...istananya dikelilingi ama sungai yang lebar....jadi susah untuk menyerang masuk kesitu.....

Tanjung Burung

2008-11-07T03:07:00.000-08:00

Kemarin lupa untuk posting gambar ini.....Gambar saat sedang penelitian Afian Influenza di daerah Tanjung Burung, Tangerang.....
Daerahnya merupakan delta dari Sungai Cisadane....penuh sampah dari masyarakat Jakarta, tapi dengan sedikit penempatan gambar dan permainan bukaan lensa, masih bisa dapat gambar kayak gini......

day by day no.1

2008-11-06T22:02:00.000-08:00

5 Nov 2008, 21.30 waktu setempat

Indahnya kamarku…hangatnya kamarku….

Sampai hari ini kamar ini adalah tempat yang paling nyaman....hangat....ada selimut....kalo diluar sana jam segini (9 malam), wuih frozen lah pokoknya....

Lihat....nyaman kan.....

Disini kayak ”in the middle of nowhere” deh pokoknya…..kemana-mana bahasa dan tulisannya gak ada yang kumengerti sama sekali….nekatlah pokoknya….

javan plover -- burung kok bikin pusing

2008-07-07T22:04:00.000-07:00

Pernah liat burung yang satu ini ??? gampang dilihat tapi susah di identifikasi..... (hayo siapa yang setuju angkat tangan.....)

Namanya JavanPlover atau Charadrius javanicus....

Katanya sih sekarang udah jadi salah satu burung endemik jawa, tapi who knows ??? kenapa gw bilang gitu ??? oke kita liat bentar di buku deh.....

Di buku DaftarBurung Indonesia No. 2, pada halaman 121 ada sebuah tulisan yang berjudul "Sekilas refleksi bagi prioritas penelitian ornitologi di Indonesia" ditulis oleh Neville Kemp, Nigel Collar, Adam A. Supriatna dan Colin Trainor, disitu tertulis sesuatu yang menarik tentang burung ini, berikut kutipannya

"Setiap spesies burung dengan status terancam dan mendekati terancam harus menjadi target studi ekologi yang rinci, agar kita bisa memahami bagaimana mengelola populasinya.....Beberapa species diantaranya...Cerek Jawa (Charadrius javanicus).......Ada juga kebutuhan baru untuk pendalaman status taksonomi berbagai ragam spesies burung di Indonesia..."

Dari kutipan diatas sedikit banyak menimbulkan pertanyaan, ada apa dengan burung ini ???

Setelah saya lihat di bukunya Om Josep del Hoyo dan kawan-kawan...

Dulu ternyata burung ini pertama kali di pertelakan oleh Om Chasen tahun 1938...dan ternyata sampai saat ini status taksonomi nya masih sangat tidak jelas. Beberapa peneliti meletakkan burung ini sebagai full spesies (maksudnya tidak sebagai subspesies) dan beberapa peneliti lain mengasosiasikannya dengan burung yang lain, sering dianggap sebagai ras dari Charadrius alexandrinus dan juga kadang dihubungkan dengan C. rufficapillus atau dengan C. peronii. Meskipun bila dibandingkan dengan peronii burung ini memiliki sedikit perbedaan,tapi informasi tentangnya sangat sedikit diketahui.

Burung ini masih bisa dilihat dibanyak tempat di daerah pinggir pantai di seluruh jawa, Madura, Karimunjawa, dan kemungkinan di pulau-pulau kecil disekitar jawa....

Saya secara pribadi sudah melihatnya di beberapa pantai Jawa Barat, Jawa tengah, Kepulauan Karimunjawa......

Selamat mengamati deh bagi siapa aja yang tertarik dengan burung pantai satu ini.....

Burung biasa aja yg bikin banyak pertanyaan.....

2008-07-03T01:35:00.001-07:00

Passer montanus atau sering disebut burung gereja.....temen-temen semua pasti udah familier dengan burung ini....gak mungkin gak ada yang belum pernah liat burung ini. Dari pinggir hutan samapai ke tengah kota semua juga pasti liat.....

Tapi temen-temen pernah gak menyadari sesuatu....bahwa burung ini sebenarnya bukan burung asli Indonesia....alias pendatang di Indonesia tapi kemudian populasinya meledak besar-besaran....bahkan mengalahkan burung sparow lain yang udah ada di Indonesia lho......

Kalo menurut data dia sebenernya berasal dari daratan Eropa....makanya di bukunya Om Ben King dan kawan-kawan judulnya a Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia, dia masih diberi nama Eurasian Tree-sparrow.....tapi anehnya di Eropa sendiri dia cuman disebut Tree-sparrow aja......

Saya belum sempat nyari sejarah taksonominya...entar deh lain waktu saya cariin.....

Tapi pertanyaan yang paling mendasar adalah

Mengapa burung ini bisa meledak populasinya di alam di daerah belahan bumi sebelah sini yang notabene jauh dari Eropa sono?????

kapan ya bisa menjawab????

Dicrurus bracteatus carbonarius

2008-07-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

Merupakan salah satu subspecies yang ada didaerah vogelkop alias daerah kepala burung alias Western Papuan Island......termasuk Kepulauan Raja Ampat.....

Pertama kali di identifikasi da diberi nama oleh Pak Bonaparte pada tahun 1851 dengan nama Dicrurus carbonarius setelah itu banyak diubah oleh banyak taksonomis didunia yaitu :

Dicrurus assimilis Gray, 1858
Chibia propingna Tristram, 1889
Chibia carbonaria dejecta Hartert, 1898
Dicrurus bracteatus stellatus Neumann, 1922
Dicrurus bracteatus ultramontanus Stresemann, 1923

Kemudian oleh pak J.L. Peters diubah lagi menjadi Dicrurus hottentottus carbonarius , bagi orang-orang yang mau mempelajarinya liat aja di bukunya pak Peters ini yaitu di : Peters, J. L., 1962. Checklist of birds of the world. Vol. 15. Reprinted. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. p. 149.

Nah sama pak Howard dan Pak Moore ternyata diubah lagi menjadi
Dicrurus bracteatus carbonarius ( Bonaparte, 1851)

Hehehehe....itulah ilmu taksonomi.....kemungkinan hasil dari pakHoward dan pak Moore tidak kecil kemungkinanya untuk akan diubah lagi.....

Pungutan Liar yang gak tau kemana juntrungannya

2008-07-02T23:17:00.000-07:00

Lucu dan bikin ketawa hari ini.....
Sudah harus janjian dengan orang jam 8:30 di jakarta, jadinya berangkat dari cibinong jam 6 pagi...gila...ngantuk banget bos.........eh...malah yang ngajak janjian datangnya jam 9:30.....dah gitu balik kantor dimarahin si Bos......
Masalah pasport biru....yang bikin heran adalah kita yang bikin harus bayar 250 ribu rupiah , gak tau tu buat apa aja.....bukankah kalo pasport biru harusnya gratis?????
kapan ya negeri ini bebas dari pungli-pungli seperti ini....
Kemarin pas ngurus SKJ alias Surat Keterangan Jalan ke Kabupaten Raja Ampat Papua buat temen-temen dari perancis...kita diharuskan bayar masing-masing orang (@) 150 rb rupiah.
Memang sih saya dah gak heran, karena sebelumnya pas ngurus yang ke Maros Sulawesi Selatan kita harus bayar @ 50 rb, tapi yang ini bener2 keterlaluan....saya tanya "kenapa mahal amat bu?????" beliau petugas aparat kepolisian yang agungitu menjawab dengan entengnya "karena ini ke Papua pak".........kontan saya heran apa dipikirnya Papua itu bukan Indonesia kali ya.........aneh......