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92 Members61,347 Pageviews168 Watchers
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New Zealand ultradama (Ultradama megaloceros)
AlexSone
73
4
Literature
African Paralagus
<b>African Paralagus</b> (Paralagus zinjii)<b>Order:</b> Lagomorpha<b>Family:</b> Leporidae<b>Habitat:</b> Tropical forests of Zinj The lagomorphs – rabbits, rabbits and the related to them pikas – are a successful group of mammals, which live all over the world, with the exception of Antarctica, including because of human activity. Despite this, the lagomorphs are quite conservative, changed relatively little over many millions of years of evolution - they early mastered the ecological niche of the small running herbivore, and their body and legs structures adapted to running by jumping – something that turned out to be very successful for millions of years.In the Neocene, this situation has changed somewhat: hare descendants appeared on Earth, which occupy ecological niches of large herbivores – the graceful harelopes, as well as their giant relatives, such as the obda and the lagomoropus. The African paralagus is another large species of the lagomorphs.Outwardly, this species resembles some ancestral form of the harelopes, but is their rather distant relative instead. This is a large mammal, about 1 m in height in the shoulders, weighing up to 50 kg. It is covered with a monochromatic reddish-brown fur on the body, which is lighter, more faded in color, on the legs, head and neck. Males are slightly larger than females. The ears of the animal resemble those of the hares’ - they are long and mobile, with white tips, clearly visible in the shade of the forest.Unlike the harelopes, the paralagus has only two middle toes on the front legs with hooves (in fact, these are thick shortened claws, like a modern camel’s) and they are connected together by elastic ligaments. The movable inner fingers have real claws, which are of a quite significant size - when walking, this mammal bends them back so that they do not touch the ground and remain relatively sharp. However, these claws are used not as weapons, but to bend branches with foliage to the mouth of the mammal. This species can stand on its hind legs, as does its distant relative that lives in the Neocene Azores. The hind legs are three-toed, with hoof-like claws and pads on the feet.The paralagus feeds on a variety of plant foods – mainly on foliage, but it can also eat bark and moss from trees, woody mushrooms and epiphytes, and even animal food like insects, bird eggs and chicks. Larger predatory animals often attack it, so the paralagus is a rather alert and cautious mammal, usually active in the morning and evening, at dusk, and it lives in dense forests. In sparse forests and in open places, this mammal appears rarely, only at the watering holes. Usually this species drinks water from forest puddles and streams. The sense of smell and hearing are good, the vision is sharp.There is no pronounced mating period in the paralagus - in females of this species, sexual maturity occurs at the age of one year, in males at a year and a half. Females leave odorous marks, males fight for the right to mate, sometimes quite seriously, causing wounds with the claws of the front legs. Unlike their hare ancestors, adults of this species usually live in pairs, and their offspring are raised together. Sometimes 2-3 pairs of paralagus form a small herd, but this is not very common. In females of this species, 1-2 cubs are born, but already quite large (about 3 kg at birth) and developed - they can walk in a few hours, and after a few days, they run on a par with adult animals. The female can bear offspring up to three times in 2 years.This mammal can live up to 13-15 years, but their average life expectancy is not more than 8 years.
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Yaraha (Dolichofelis yaraha)
AlexSone
45
2
Literature
Steppe Carrot
Steppe carrot (Daucus neocenis)Order: ApialesFamily: ApiaceaeHabitat: Steppes and Prairies of North America... Like most domesticated animals, domesticated plants did not survive humans, and disappeared without a trace, leaving almost no offspring. As for those descendants that remained, then they only faintly resemble their native ancestors, which applies to plants, and not only to animals. One of these descendants is the steppe carrot, a descendant of the "common carrot."It is a medium-sized plant, about 50 cm tall. Its flowers are wide white “umbrellas”, pollinated mainly by different flies and mosquitoes, (and smelling not very good). Its’ dark seeds are located in boxes; when the seeds ripen, the boxes burst and shoot the seeds around the area.The leaves are green, reminiscent - remotely – of feathers. The roots resemble the ancestral species, but are much more skinny and bitter. However, different animals willingly eat this plant.Steppe wild carrots live for about two years.
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Literature
Hypochaeris europaeus
Hypochaeris europaeusOrder: AsteralesFamily: AsteraceaeHabitat: Southern EuropeThe world of flora is no less, if not more, confusing, than the world of fauna. Throughout the Cenozoic, next to the famous dandelions, lived and their close relatives, so-called cat’s-ear flowers, which environmentally replaced dandelions in South America, and coexisted with them in Eurasia and North Africa, managing to get along with them without much rivalry. In the Neocene, this situation has changed somewhat - the cat’s-ear flower genus still dominates in South America, the dandelions dominate in the North America, but in Europe and North Africa, some species of cat’s-ear flowers have transformed from grassy plants to trees, unlike the dandelions. The main species among them is Hypochaeris europeaeus.It is quite a large plant – as tall as some species of the Cenozoic oaks. It grows on the slopes of the mountains of southern Europe, and does not form large copses – it prefers to grow on its’ own. The trunk is relatively short; the branches form a wide, sloppy crown. The foliage resembles the leaves of the ancestral species, but with a wider and rugged edge to produce more shade: Hypochaeris europaeus is quite a light loving plant, and does not tolerate competitors around its roots, trying to eradicate them by casting shadows around itself.The flowers of this species are yellow in color; they are pollinated mainly by local species of bees, bumblebees and similar insects. Seeds are formed on the site of the former flowers, and resemble the seeds of the ancestral species - they are partly carried by the wind, and partly - in the intestines of different birds, which willingly eat the seeds, (usually they are different species of finches, distant relatives of the desert finch, who lives in the Mediterranean salt desert). The outer shell of the seeds is digested, and the seeds come out together with defecation, and grow in new places, (or they are brought there by the wind). At this time they are very vulnerable and can easily die, but if they grow to at least two meters high, the individuals of this species can live up to 100 years, or even a little more.
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Literature
Steppe Rose
Steppe Rose (Rosa aridaphila)Order: RosalesFamily: RosaceaeHabitat: North American Prairie... Contrary to popular belief, the family of Rosaceae (i.e. roses and relatives) is not restricted to the wild rose flower and its domestic descendants; among them - are different kinds of flowers-driads, and one of them, Malikaat, has become, in the Neocene, one of the main herbaceous plants of tundra, a kind of "satellite" of local herbivores, (like the scythehorn). Another member of the Rosaceae family is a "real" rose, an American descendant of the Holocene wild rose.Externally, the steppe rose resembles its ancestor in general terms, but it is much more large, somewhere 3.5-4 m in height. A separate steppe rose is more of a bush with several trunks than a tree, and - with proportionally long and prickly branches. Even in itself, it looks impressive, but the steppe roses are more likely to grow together, in small groves. Their leaves are oval, with a jagged edge, and they grow alternately on branches. Their flowers are typical of roses, dark pink, (sometimes there is a color morph, where the flowers, on the contrary, are bright white), which are pollinated by different insects, primarily by the local species of bees and bumblebees.Steppe roses have branches that are strong, long, and spiky. Most large herbivorous animals do not like to eat these bushes, (and from caterpillars, snails and the similar invertebrates the steppe rose is protected by local small songbirds, which often nest there, away from their own predators), but when the steppe rose’s berries mature, they willingly come to her thickets and eat them. Seeds of the steppe rose only benefit from this - they only grow better from this transaction, and so the steppe rose often grows along animal trails, (but not as intensely as the aforementioned Malikaat).If the steppe rose is not eaten in youth, when it is still small and not very prickly, it will be able to live a few decades.
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Literature
The mud mushroom
Mud mushroom (Lycoperdon africanus)Order: AgaricalesFamily: AgaricaceaeHabitat: African riverbanks, lakesWhen the beginning of the Neocene began a new ice age, planet Earth had a hard time, and especially for the residents of climatic zones away from the equator, which were more prone to icy cold. Winds, snow and glaciers came from the North Pole quite far to the south, driving there the former northerners. Therefore, in the Asian and African tropics, and then savannas, there appeared European species of animals, plants, and even of mushrooms. Many of them died out, unable to adapt to the change of places, but some survived, and even left descendants behind. Thus, in North Africa, (but not to the north of the Nile) there is a descendant of some European puffball mushrooms.Externally, this fungus - or rather, its fruit bodies - somehow resembles an ancestor: it is a kind of rounded ball of bright yellow color with red spots, somewhat resembling a fly agaric. However, unlike the latter, this fungus is not poisonous, on the contrary - its spores grow better, passing through the stomach of various herbivorous animals. As a result of which, the mud mushroom has developed certain substances in its biochemistry, which makes it more attractive to the smell and taste of its main distributors - wild African pigs, such as the runner warthogs, and the other species.But in nature, nothing happens for nothing - the increased "popularity" of this fungus in the runner warthogs and similar species has been affected by the worse perception/digesting in other herbivores, such as different species of African harelopes, which, after eating this fungus may begin to have health problems, (which makes them more vulnerable to predators). True, some "wrong" animals, like huge flathorns, eat these mushrooms without much damage to their health, but that is only in the view of their mighty immune systems. It is too early to say that mud mushrooms (named this way because they prefer to grow and breed in the mud of the banks of African rivers, lakes, and other freshwater bodies) begin to form a kind of symbiosis with African species of swine, but something similar in their evolution begins to occur.Mud mushroom can live several decades in the form of fungus, and even if it is almost all destroyed, it will be able to recover in a few months.In addition, to the north of the Nile, in the area attached to the Mediterranean basin, and just south - where groves of tree-like cacti, baobab opuntiums, grow, grows a relative, the sand mushroom, Lycoperdon aridophilus. Externally, its’ fruit bodies resemble the fruit bodies of a mud mushroom, only a different color: not yellow with red spots, but white with pale green spots. However, this fungus just does not like the abundance of moisture, unlike its yellow-red relative, and does not need contact with herbivorous animals for its spores to grow better - it prefers to spread underground without forming fruiting bodies. Therefore, its’ fruit bodies are just weakly poisonous, and in great quality can even kill an animal the size of a small harelope. This fungus species itself parasites on the root system of the baobab opuntia, without causing them much harm - it lives for as long as the host tree does, and dies with it.
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Literature
Far Eastern Magpie
Far Eastern Magpie (Pica asiaticus)Order: PasseriformesFamily: CorvidaeHabitat: Far EastMagpies in Eurasia have established themselves for a long and a successful period. They are less sociable birds than some of their relatives, such as the jackdaws and rooks, crows and ravens, but they are able to act together, and solve complex problems, and in general - to be enduring birds. They were able to survive the anthropomorphic pressure of the Holocene, and the climatic cataclysms of the Neocene, and even - after the re-formation of Beringea in the North Pacific - to expand their range in North America ... but mostly they are still birds of the Old, not the New, World.The Far Eastern Magpie is one of the more unusual birds. It is not as large as some of the predatory Neocene corvids are, but it is still quite large: the male, on average, is 70 cm long, and the female - about 50 cm long (the weight is corresponding - the male is about one and a half kg, and the female - about 1 kg). It resembles the other magpie species, but its’ legs are proportionally longer and stronger - like the carnivorous corvids, for example, it also spends a lot of time on the ground. It is colored as the other magpies are - in black and white - but more brightly, with a fiery metallic hue, (especially the males, the females are more dim).The Far Eastern magpie is an omnivorous bird, eats both plant food and animal, but it prefers more plant matter. It flies well, but gets tired quite quickly, and prefers to hide from enemies - birds of prey and mammals - in the forest bushes on the ground. Unlike various other magpie species, it is a tropical bird, and is not found north of China.The Far Eastern magpie is a polygamous species, as one male usually fertilizes 2-4 females that live on its territory, but does not care about the hatchlings. The females raise them themselves, laying usually 4-6 eggs, (sometimes less or more). The chicks hatch after 3 weeks, unlike most songbirds, they get on their feet and grow fluff (and then feathers) very quickly, and after 12 weeks, they are already independent.If the Far Eastern magpie does not die in the first 2-3 years, it will be able to live more than 10 years.
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Literature
Iberian magpie
Iberian Magpie (Neopica europensis)Order: PasseriformesFamily: CorvidaeHabitat: Southwestern EuropeLike crows, jackdaws and rooks, magpies were some of the most resilient and hardy birds of the Holocene, able to live with and without humans. This helped them to survive the end of the Holocene/the beginning of the Neocene, when people died out due to different climatic cataclysms. Magpies remained, and gave birth to new species, which, however, outwardly often resemble the old species, for the changes have occurred, rather, at the level of behavior.One of such Neocene magpies is the Iberian magpie, a descendant of the common magpie of the Holocene, (Pica pica). Externally, as well as in size, it resembles its’ ancestor, only its’ color is darker - not black and white, but gray-black with ripples. The tail is long, the legs are also - this bird prefers to live in sparse, rather than in dense, forests, (which in the south-west of Europe are not very numerous to begin with); the Iberian magpie spends as much time on the ground or among the bushes as it is in the trees.On the ground, it moves in big jumps, and it flies well, but not for long - usually only to the nearest tree or bush. The call is typically a chirping. This species is active mainly in the twilight, morning and evening, less often at night, (especially in the full moon); during the day, it prefers to hide in the thickets or on the tree. Food are mainly insects and other invertebrates, rarely small vertebrates, seeds and fruits of trees and bushes. The magpie itself serves as food for the various birds of prey and animals, as well as for the large snakes can ruin its nests.The nest of the Iberian magpie is a pile of branches, with a hole on one side and the nesting cavity on the inside. In the brood usually 4 to 6 chicks, which become independent after 8-9 weeks. Eggs are usually light in color, with darker specks. The mating period starts at the end of winter - males build a nest, (or repair the old one), and call females by chirping. The latter arrive, and if the nest suits them - remain. The Iberian Magpie is a monogamous species, but pairs form only for one season.The Iberian magpie lives for an average of 7-10 years.
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Literature
Swift scops owl
Swift scops owl (Otus apodiforme)Order: StrigiformesFamily: StrigdaeHabitat: Caucasian MountainsThe beginning of time between the Holocene and the Neocene was marked by climatic cataclysms and mass extinctions of many species of animals and birds, especially larger ones. Smaller species survived, and took over new niches, formed new species, sometimes quite unusual, like the swift scops owl, a descendant of the common scops owl of the Holocene, (Otus scops).Despite its name, the swift scops owl is quite a large owl, the size of a hooded crow of the Holocene. Its’ appearance is similar to that of its’ ancestor, including the facial disc typical of all owls, as well as feather tufts, typical for owls of the Otus genus. The plumage coloration is also quite owl-like – it is rippling gray or red, (different color morphs of this species exist), but here the body proportions of this bird resemble the more different swifts or swallows, than of the other owls - short legs with tenacious, strong feet (and sharp claws), and long, narrow wings that make this owl a very effective flyer, because it is a migratory species.As soon as autumn comes in the Caucasian mountains, these owls leave the mountains and fly south to North Africa, where they winter. They usually fly at night, during the day - much less often, to avoid meetings with other birds, such as the Tthanatos, which may well eat this owl instead. In its’ own turn, this owl hunts large insects, less often other invertebrates, also small birds and other tree vertebrates. This species usually hunts in twilight, morning and evening, but if the night is clear and lunar, then it will hunt then as well. The swift scops owl hides and sleeps during the day.When spring comes, these owls fly from Africa back to the Caucasus, where in the mountain forests they form new pairs. Males find suitable hollows or abandoned nests of other birds, and with shrill cries, they call out to females. They inspect them, the males too, and if they like everything, they stay.The swift scops owls are not very territorial birds, but they protect their nests from each other, as well announce their territorial rights to each at dusk and at night with quite loud cries, but fights between these owls are rare.There are usually 4-5 white eggs in the clutch. Both parents are incubate, one by one. When the owlets hatch, their parents quickly start to leave them alone, and after two weeks the hatchlings’ fluff changes to feathers, by a month and a half they can fly, and in the fall they fly south as well as their parents do, and the adult couples also usually fall apart at that time.The lifespan of this owl is no more than 10-12 years, but usually these birds die much earlier, during winters or during migrations.
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Literature
Steppe Pseudo-Lark
Steppe Pseudo-lark (Anthus nigridens)Order: PasseriformesFamily: MotacillidaeHabitat: Steppes and Prairie of North AmericaThe prairie and other open spaces in the Neocene North America are either snowy plains in winter, or quite dense thickets (and sometimes even entire groves) in the warmer months. With the disappearance of people and civilization, nature, including herbaceous plants, recovered and regained its old places. Trees in such places are a minority, most of the flora in these places are shrubs, but more often, there are herbaceous plants as well. In the Old World, such ecosystems are plentiful, but there, in the Neocene, appeared various megafauna as well - artiodactyls, descendants of the hyraxes, lagomorphs, rodents of the Holocene, which eat this flora. In North America, there are fewer such animals (especially at the level of species), and here formed a different, its own, ecosystem with its own species. Among them is the steppe pseudo-larkExternally, this distant relative of the wagtail, etc. resembles a sparrow, but it is more slender, with a longer and thinner beak, because it eats mainly insects, (rarely - berries and seeds too). The male is dark gray, almost black, only the tail feathers have white ends to give signals in flight. The female is colored similarly, but is much paler, and somehow resembles the same wagtail, but unlike them, it does not wag or shake its’ tail, (and neither does the male). This bird’s general behavior is also secretive, as the females and males prefer to sit in shrubs or grass thickets, but the steppe pseudo-lark’s song song is loud, and so, this bird is much easier to hear than to see.In winter, the North American expanses are not easy to live in, so this bird often migrates south to Central America. This species is monogamous, but in winter, couples, (and families), fall apart, and in the spring, the males return, and begin to call the females anew; this species, however, is not territorial, and couples nest not very far from each other.The nest is made of twigs and plant fibers and cobwebs, above the ground in the bushes or on a low tree. Eggs in a clutch number 3-4, they are whitish, but covered with darker spots. Both parents incubate, for about 2 weeks. The chicks are born blind, but after 2 weeks, they are already able to leave the nest, and by the end of the summer, they can already migrate with their parents.The main enemies of the steppe pseudo-lark are different birds of prey. Life expectancy is no more than 8 years, but most die much earlier, especially during migrations and winters.
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Literature
Opuntia swallow
Opuntia Swallow (Neohirunda Africana)Order: PasseriformesFamily: HirundinidaeHabitat: Baobab opuntias of AfricaThe so-called barn swallow of the Holocene, although it disappeared in the Neocene, managed to give birth to many child species. Some of them live in North America - for example, the so-called red-winged swallow - and others in Africa. One of these species is the so-called cactus swallow, because it lives mainly among the tree-like cacti - the baobab opuntias.Externally, this species of swallows is similar to the ancestor’s appearance - pointy wings, short beak, dark blue back and fawn or pale rusty belly and throat. This bird is a good and a manoeuvrable flyer, and can overtake in the air almost any other bird and bat.Like the other swallows, it feeds on insects that usually fly, but unlike other swallows, it catches insects from the trunks of baobab opuntias as well: it has a shorter tail than the ancestral species did, and the tail isn’t ‘forked’ either, but is more square ins shape, which allows the opuntia swallows to move along the trunks of the tree-shaped cacti without problems. There they are also drink - in the holes made by beaks of more powerful parrots of the wood of the trunks of baobab opuntias. The juice of these cacti does not quite replace the water, in addition, these cacti have their own parasites – the zulal beetles, but the opuntia swallows can simply leave the groves of these plants and fly to the rivers, lakes and other reservoirs to drink there instead. There, however, their main enemies – the local birds of prey - attack them but the swallow of this species can usually fly away from enemies.The nests of these swallows are made from shore mud, and the swallows attach them to the branches of baobab opuntias, and line with grass and their own feathers. In a clutch, there are from 4 to 8 eggs, white or pinkish, with brown specks. Both birds incubate them for 2-3 weeks, and the chicks leave the nest after the same amount of time. After a couple of weeks, the chicks leave their parents, and the families break up. However, these birds do not have a mating period, and the memory of this species of swallows is good, and usually the partners soon reunite with each other.This species of swallow lives until about 16-20 years of age, but often dies earlier.
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Literature
Watchbird
Watchbird (Leistes neglecta)Order: PasseriformesFamily: IcteridaeHabitat: South America's open spacesIn the Neocene, South America returned to the state it was in before the Pliocene era: it is an island continent, separate from all others. In the result of this new isolation, its’ wildlife also became starkly different from the ecosystems of the other continents; for example, its pampas are ruled not by animals, but by birds – flightless herons who hunt different animals, sometimes of a large size, (and even very much so), like the giant paca, but more often not very big ones, like the pampas deer. The flightless herons themselves should beware of even larger birds, such as the acatou, which is one of the largest birds in the world of the Neocene... but still, most South American birds are not so impressive in appearance. The watchbird is one of these birds.Externally, this bird is quite unweaving: about 20 cm in length, robust body build, covered with feathers with black-yellow stripes, (males are brighter and more contrasting than females). Only tail feathers are white, with them these birds transmit signals. The legs are long, but the wings are short and stiff - this bird is a bad flyer (by bird standards), and its prey - different small invertebrates – is usually hunted on the ground, rather than in the air. Therefore, the watchbird follows herds of different animals of the South American pampas and catch all the small animals that will crawl out, run out, or fly out from under big hooves and paws. Sometimes this species even rides on the other animals’ backs to catch its’ prey from above, not from below. In exchange for this service, this bird alerts its partners when a predator approaches them from the sky or from the grassy thickets, (that is why the name).The mating period of this bird begins at the end of the drought, when the males begin to notify the females of their species with songs about the fact that they are ready for mating. The females evaluate the males by the volume, duration and strength of the song, and choose the best males with the best songs, (by their standards). These birds weave their nests from grass and attach them to the branches of local trees, high above the ground and away from predators, the small mammals and snakes that hunt these birds. The clutch is usually 4 eggs, pale blue with brown spots. Only the female incubates, for about 2 weeks, and the male feeds her. The chicks stay in the nest for a week and a half or two, after which they leave it forever, and the same amount of time they spend with their parents, and then they begin to live an independent life - these birds form pairs only for one season, and each year they start all over again.The watchbird can live for about 10-11 years, but usually dies much earlier.
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Literature
Steppe Crail
Steppe Crail (Rallogeranus aridophilus)Order: GruiformesFamily: NeogruidaeHabitat: Central AsiaWhen the Neocene began "for real", many species of animals, birds and fish - especially larger ones - had already died out, leaving no direct descendants. Among them were the true cranes from the Gruidae family. Their remaining econiche were taken over by the other birds - usually unrelated to them, (storks, herons, ibis, etc.), but also other crane-like birds - descendants of the rail birds, (Rallidae). The most famous of these are crails, birds living in Asia and North America. The steppe crail is one of these birds.The steppe crail is not a very large bird: about a meter in length, and it weighs about 3.5 kg. It has a relatively large wingspan - about 1.8 m and its’ plumage is colored in a mottled, dark gray color. On its’ head is a crest of darker, bright black feathers, on the cheeks are red-white spots, on the neck is a skin resonator, with which the steppe crails can shout out to each other at a distance of several km: its’ voice is a thin and piercing whistle.Oddly enough, but when it comes to nesting, the steppe crail prefers to nest not on the ground, but on the steppe trees, or among tall shrubs, to be more safe from predators, even if it’s relatively so. Therefore, this bird is more territorial and aggressive than other species of this family are, and it drives away from its nesting territory not only its relatives, but also other large birds, and even large animals; it even charges at the giant saigachenia, though in the latter case - usually to no avail.The mating season of the steppe crail occurs in the spring: adult males renew their nests and call out to the females, and the younger bachelors try to take the nests away from them. Then these birds fight quite intensely, kicking and pecking each other, but their beaks are proportionally shorter than those of their relatives, because this species of bird feeds mainly on land than in the water or near water – it eats small animals, insects, but especially this bird loves cereals, especially in autumn, when the grown-up chicks have already left the nest, and families of these birds roam the steppe.The eggs in a clutch usually number 2, more rarely - 1 or 3. Both parents incubate for 5 weeks; a nest is a platform on a tree or among tall shrubs. The running monitors, (and their relatives), and large snakes can eat chicks, while adult birds are attacked by giant carnivorous corvids and similar birds; at about 10 weeks old, the chicks of the steppe crail can fly, and at 18 weeks of age they become independent. Sexual maturity occurs at 2-3 years of age, (in females earlier than in males).A steppe crail can live several decades, but more often it dies much earlier from predators and winter starvation.
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Literature
Lesser crail
Lesser Crail (Rallogeranus minor)Order: GruiformesFamily: NeogruidaeHabitat: North AmericaWhen the Neocene started "for real", many species of animals, birds and fish - especially larger ones - had already died out, leaving no direct descendants. Among them were real cranes from the Gruidae family. Their remaining econiche were taken over by the other birds - usually unrelated to them, (storks, herons, ibis, etc.), but also other crane-like birds - descendants of rails, (Rallidae). The most famous of these are the crails, birds living in Asia and North America. The lesser crane is one of these birds.The lesser crane is not a very impressive bird: about 90 cm tall and with shorter and thicker legs, neck and beak than other species in its’ family possess. It is covered with a green and rusty brown (striped) plumage with a lighter colored beak. This coloration, and the difference in size of a lesser crail is because it does not swamps, but prefers dry places - the undergrowth of deciduous forests, scrubland, prairie, less often - foothills of the mountains, (especially the Appalachians). This species lacks the throat sack present in the other species of crails; instead, this species has a fiery red crest, which they can lift and lower, giving each other alarms, warnings, threats, courtship signals, etc.Like the other crails, the lesser crail feeds on animal food - usually insects and other invertebrates, less often – on small vertebrates. This bird does not eat carrion, and it serves as prey for larger animals and birds. In the clutch - this bird usually nests in a secluded place on the ground – there are 2-3 speckled eggs and both parents incubate them for 2-3 weeks. The chicks are born covered with fluff and with their eyes open, and after 2-3 days they and their parents leave their nest forever; the lesser crail in general forms permanent couples - often until the death of one of the spouses - but here this species lacks a regular nest, instead every year mated couples of this species either build new nests, or find abandoned empty ones, either of the other lesser crails or of any other terrestrial birds. By winter, the chicks of the lesser crail become independent, but the sexual maturing of this species comes only in 2-3 years of age.The lesser crail can live a few decades, but more often it dies much earlier from predators and winter starvation.
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Literature
Mottled basket-mouth bird
Mottled basket-mouth (Xiao asiaticus)Order: ApodiformesFamily: CalathostomornitidaeHabitat: Far EastIn the Neocene, new families of birds inhabited the skies of Earth; among them are the so-called basket-mouth birds, one of the more unusual descendants of swifts. They are called so, because around their beaks grows a ring of elastic feathers with sparsely distributed grooves, which help the basket-mouth birds to catch several insects in a single swoop.Most of the basket-mouth birds are not very large, and the mottled basket-mouth is one of the larger ones. It reaches up to 20 cm in length, has a wingspan of up to 30 cm, and weighs up to 37 grams. Compared to other members of its’ family, it is a stronger and stockier bird, with proportionally longer wings. Its plumage is brown on top and gray or brownish from below, covered with white spots. There are white rings around the eyes. The beak is light, even pinkish.The mottled basket-mouth birds hunts just as its’ relatives do, by grabbing insects while swooping with an open beak and outspread ‘basket’ feathers. However, it is a larger bird, therefore it eats larger insects, and also sometimes it attacks "from an ambush": it sits on a tree and waits until a large insect flies past it, and then the mottled basket-mouth will fly off its branch and swallow the prey. It also can - unlike most of its’ relatives - catch insects, (more rarely - other invertebrates too), which do not fly, but crawl, past it on a tree.This lifestyle has left some other differences on the mottled basket-mouth – it is not the same hardy flier as the other members of its’ family are, and although it can sleep on the wing, it also sleeps while sitting on a tree. Like the other Apodiformes birds, it can hardly move on the ground, but on branches, (sometimes trunks) of trees it moves freely; its legs are short but strong, and its’ claws are short but sharp.The mottled basket-mouth bird does not make nests; it glues its eggs - 1-2 - to the branch of the tree, less often - in an abandoned hollow. The eggs are white or pinkish, very noticeable, so the parents always sit on them and feed in turn. On the contrary, the chicks are covered with cryptically colored down, and can remain on their own for quite a long time, allowing the food for them to be taken by both parents. The chicks grow fast, and by autumn, they already fly no worse than their parents do, and fly with them to the south, (this species of basket-mouth bird lives in northern Asia, where in winter it is cold and snowy). There the families break up – this species has a kind of monogamous relationship, but does not form permanent pairs - and in the spring, these birds return to the north, and it all starts again.The lifespan of a mottled basket-mouth does not exceed 7-8 years.
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On the next week Paul Volkov would have an vacation. He asked me to place here a question for the Neocene project's fans: Which chapter in Russian do you want to see translated in English? The list is here: www.sivatherium.narod.ru/englv…
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Comments
Neocene?
Can someone explain? I mean I'm guessing its a future time period, but how far into the future?
Can someone explain? I mean I'm guessing its a future time period, but how far into the future?
i will put 2 species of giant bats from the genus Dragochiroterus, and the family Dragochiropteridae, and the order Dragochiroptera, the first is the Lion Dragonbat (Dragochiropterus leo), lived at Neocene Africa, and the last or second is the Pig-Hunter Dragonbat (Gargantochiropterus giranturus) which lives in the genus Gargantochuropterus
I had some ideas: a descendant of the birds of the genus Psarocolius with habits similar to those of the modern hornbill and two groups descending from parrots of the genus Forpus,
one with characteristics similar to macaws and the other with characteristics of parrots of the genus Amazona.
one with characteristics similar to macaws and the other with characteristics of parrots of the genus Amazona.
Can you contact to Paul Volkov on sivatherium@yandex.ru to discuss for your ideas with him? He is'nt registered on DA.