"streams in the Harz. The dipper (""Cinclus cinclus""), which is found everywhere on Harz streams, occurs almost exclusively in the highlands. Its habitat is very fast-flowing, clear mountain streams with wooded banks. It can dive and run under water along the stream bed. It turns stones over in its search for food. The grey wagtail (""Motacilla cinerea"") also uses the rich food supplies of the mountain brooks. In 2000, the lynx was successfully reintroduced by the Harz National Park, and it has since fitted well into the ecology of the region. Through specific conservation measures in past years, the retreat"
"Diving bird Diving birds are birds which plunge into water to catch fish or other food. They may enter the water from flight, as does the brown pelican (""Pelecanus occidentalis""), or they may dive from the surface of the water. More than likely they evolved from birds already adapted for swimming that were equipped with such adaptations as lobed or webbed feet for propulsion. Some diving birds - for example, the extinct Hesperornithes of the Cretaceous Period - propelled themselves with their feet. They were large, streamlined, flightless birds with teeth for grasping slippery prey. Today, cormorants (family Phalacrocoracidae), loons"
"Dipping down from flight is most commonly used by the gadfly petrels and the storm petrels. There have been records of wedge-tailed shearwaters snatching flying fish from the air, but as a rule this technique is rare. Some diving birds may aid diving by beginning with a plunge from the air, but for the most part petrels are active divers and use their wings to move around under the water. The depths achieved by various species were determined in the 1990s and came as a surprise to scientists; short-tailed shearwaters have been recorded diving to and the Light-mantled sooty albatross"
"in the river channel during the day. ""C. plumbea"" is reported to feed on a variety of terrestrial and aquatic insects. It inhabits streams with moderate current and a depth of up to 1 m, occurring within such streams in areas over sand substrates but lacking vegetation. ""C. sandrae"" was found in riffles in a relatively fast-flowing forest stream, approximately 3–4 m wide and 0.4–0.8 m deep with a small waterfall. ""C. candiru"", commonly known as the Candiru-açu, is perhaps the most formidable species, being a hunter and scavenger of dead and dying fish, which it devours from the inside-out"
"Common merganser The common merganser (North American) or goosander (Eurasian) (""Mergus merganser"") is a large duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America. The common merganser eats fish and nests in holes in trees. The first formal description of the common merganser was by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ""Systema Naturae"". He introduced the current binomial name ""Mergus merganser"". The genus name is a Latin word used by Pliny and other Roman authors to refer to an unspecified waterbird, and ""merganser"" is derived"
"bill in mud or shallow water, also picking up food by sight. They mainly eat insects and aquatic animals. They nod their heads as they swim. Allen's gallinules are very secretive in the breeding season, particularly in the dense swamps they favour, and are mostly heard rather than seen. They are then rather noisy birds, with a sharp nasal ""pruk"" call. They can be easier to see on migration or when wintering. Allen's gallinule The Allen's gallinule (""Porphyrio alleni""), formerly known as the lesser gallinule is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae. Its former binomial name is ""Porphyrula alleni""."
"The thick-billed murre's flight is strong and direct, and they have fast wing beats due to the short wings. Like the other auks, these birds forage for food by using their wings to 'swim' underwater. They are accomplished divers, reaching depths of up to 150 m and diving for up to four minutes at a time; usually however birds make either shallow short dives or dive down to 21–40 m for longer periods. While hunting, the diving trajectory resembles a flattened 'U'. Birds will make long trips to get to favorite feeding grounds; while they usually forage several dozen km"
"water, they submerge their heads and necks to reach aquatic plants, sometimes tipping forward like a dabbling duck. Flocks of these birds often feed on leftover cultivated grains in fields, especially during migration or in winter. They also eat some insects, molluscs and crustaceans. By the early 20th century, over-hunting and loss of habitat in the late 19th and early 20th centuries had resulted in a serious decline in the numbers of this bird in its native range. With improved game laws and habitat restoration and preservation programs, their populations have recovered in most of their range, although some local"
"(Gaviidae), and grebes (Podicipedidae) are the major groups of foot propelled diving birds. Other diving birds are wing - propelled, most notably the penguins (Sphenisciformes), dippers (""Cinclus"") and auks (Alcidae). Diving bird Diving birds are birds which plunge into water to catch fish or other food. They may enter the water from flight, as does the brown pelican (""Pelecanus occidentalis""), or they may dive from the surface of the water. More than likely they evolved from birds already adapted for swimming that were equipped with such adaptations as lobed or webbed feet for propulsion. Some diving birds - for example,"
"has been observed also in Southern Romania, southeast Europe. They are omnivores like most gulls, and they will scavenge as well as seeking suitable small prey. In the spring, on rivers such as the Bow River large groups will float with the current, sipping the emerging insect hatch. The behaviour includes floating through a particular stretch and returning repeatedly to the same section. The birds breed in colonies near prairie lakes with the nest constructed on the ground, or sometimes floating. The two or three eggs are incubated for about three weeks. The bird was named after the Arctic explorer"
"a light frame, and a coat of feathers, which is maintained fastidiously. The peregrine falcon holds the record for being fastest in the air, diving at speeds of over 300 km/h. Conversely, the barn owl owes its predatory success to flying slowly, while the kestrel spots its quarry by hovering. However, the true specialists in this regard are the hummingbirds, whose wings beat at the rate of 25 times a second. The habits of migratory birds are explored. After stocking up with food during the brief summer of the north, such species will set off on huge journeys southwards. Some,"
"Brown dipper The brown dipper (""Cinclus pallasii""), alternatively known by the common names Pallas's dipper, Asian dipper or the Asiatic dipper, is an aquatic songbird found in the mountains of southern and central Asia. At and , it is the largest of the dippers. This species, which is not often seen, is found at medium to low elevations where mountain streams flow. The brown dipper can either feed by diving into streams to eat larger benthic organisms, or wade in shallower parts of streams and pick smaller organisms of the bottom. The adults will dive for food from December through"
"of its small population sizes in certain areas, including central Oklahoma. However, freckled madtom distributions may have extended slightly as water quality in certain regions has improved. The freckled madtom is known to inhabit fast-moving and permanently moving streams that are medium to large in size. The streams usually contain rocky bottoms. Further, this species is sometimes found in the vicinity of undercut banks near masses of sticks and roots. The freckled madtom is primarily an invertivore (feeding on invertebrates). It uses ambush tactics in benthic regions largely at night to feed. It notably consumes insect larvae, including mayfly, black"
"fliers, they are particularly clumsy in takeoffs and landings; they use strong winds and high perches to assist their takeoffs. Brown booby The brown booby (""Sula leucogaster"") is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae, of which it is perhaps the most common and widespread species. It has a pantropical range, which overlaps with that of other booby species. The gregarious brown booby commutes and forages at low height over inshore waters. Flocks plunge-dive to take small fish, especially when these are driven near the surface by their predators. They only nest on the ground, and roost on solid"
"they are in a display flight at the colony. In old literature they were referred to as boatswain (bo'sun'/bosun) birds due their loud whistling calls. Tropicbirds frequently catch their prey by hovering and then plunge-diving, typically only into the surface-layer of the waters. They eat mostly fish, especially flying fish, and occasionally squid. Tropicbirds tend to avoid multi-species feeding flocks, unlike the frigatebirds, which have similar diets. Tropicbirds are usually solitary or in pairs away from breeding colonies. There they engage in spectacular courtship displays. For several minutes, groups of 2–20 birds simultaneously and repeatedly fly around one another in"
"a variety of small live prey including the eggs of other water birds. Its main food in most waters however comprises various waterweeds such as species of Potamogeton for which it commonly dives. This is a noisy bird during mating, but its vocalisations are quite different from the Eurasian coot. It gives a fast ""kerrre"" like the little crake, a harsh ""ka-haa"" and a grunting hoot ""oot oot"" that suggests that the name ""coot"" might be onomatopoeia, but inspection of the etymology of ""coot"" fairly decisively negates any such suggestion. Red-knobbed coot The red-knobbed coot or crested coot, (""Fulica cristata""),"
"the colonial nature of these birds nests must be continually guarded during the breeding season. If left unattended other pairs of birds seeking nest sites will seize the platform. These two species, like most grebes, eat a diet consisting mostly of fish. They are also known to forage on crustaceans, insects, worms and salamanders. Foraging techniques are composed of a number of foot-propelled dives. Current research is associating the use of springing dives by the Clark’s grebe, in which the bird essentially leaps from the water before submerging, allowing it to reach deeper below the surface, with possibly proving niche"
"has a flight speed of . Groups of birds are often seen flying together in a line just above the sea surface. However, a high wing loading of 2 g/cm means that this species is not very agile and take-off is difficult. Common murres become flightless for 45–60 days while moulting their primary feathers. The common murre is a pursuit-diver that forages for food by swimming underwater using its wings for propulsion. Dives usually last less than one minute, but the bird swims underwater for distances of over on a regular basis. Diving depths up to have been recorded and"
"birds can be found in woodland, foraging among the branches and flitting between the trees, calling constantly to each other with a soft ""pee-u"". A lively and agile bird, its flight is strong but jerky, each flight covering only a short distance. It feeds in the open during the day and moves deeper into the forest at night. It likes to bathe in pools and also makes use of water trapped in hollows in trees for this purpose. Mutual preening sometimes takes place, with two birds almost leaning on one another as they preen around the head, face and chin."
"found in dark undergrowth and dense riverine forest. The species is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, crabs, frogs, earthworms and berries. They are usually seen singly or in pairs. This is a bold species and is often found close to human habitation. The male sings its varied and melodious whistling song from trees during summer. They may sing for a long time around dawn but at other times of the day they often utter sharp single or two note whistles. They were once popular as cage birds, with the ability to learn entire tunes. They bathe frequently in"
"more limited in their foraging range than other guilds, especially during the breeding season when hungry chicks need regular feeding. Gannets, boobies, tropicbirds, some terns and brown pelicans all engage in plunge diving, taking fast moving prey by diving into the water from flight. Plunge diving allows birds to use the energy from the momentum of the dive to combat natural buoyancy (caused by air trapped in plumage), and thus uses less energy than the dedicated pursuit divers, allowing them to utilise more widely distributed food resources, for example, in impoverished tropical seas. In general, this is the most specialised"
"the habit of pattering on the water surface as it picks planktonic food items from the ocean surface. Their unique fluttering and hovering flight is achieved often with their wings held high. Even in calm weather, they can make use of the slight breeze produced by the waves and in effect soar while using their feet to stabilize themselves. Like the European storm petrel, it is highly gregarious, and will also follow ships and fishing boats. A soft peeping noise is often heard while the birds are feeding. They feed predominantly on planktonic invertebrates close to the surface, rarely plunging"
"equipped with an extra eyelid called a ""nictitating membrane"" that allows it to see underwater, and scales that close its nostrils when submerged. Dippers also produce more oil than most birds, which may help keep them warmer when seeking food underwater. In most of its habits, it closely resembles its European counterpart, the white-throated dipper, ""Cinclus cinclus"", which is also sometimes known as a Water Ouzel. It feeds on aquatic insects and their larvae, including dragonfly nymphs, small crayfish, and caddisfly larvae. It may also take tiny fish or tadpoles. The song consists of high whistles or trills ""peee peee"
"molluscs and cephalopods. It will dive both in shallow, still water and in rapidly moving currents. Typical dive times are around 40 seconds, with a recovery period of 10–15 seconds between dives although this is dependent on depth. The birds feed in deep and shallow waters (although shallow habitats are more productive) with flock densities in proportion to the prey abundance. Hunting is typically performed as individuals (potentially to avoid kleptoparasitism), although larger groups can be observed when schools of small fish are close to the surface. Risk of predation by sharks and the abundance of food comprise a trade-off"
"incorporate insects into their diet. Like other towhees, they scratch at the ground in a manner similar to quail, and will sometimes dig up and eat grubs. They can be attracted to feeders by providing cracked corn on the ground. Abert's towhee The Abert's towhee (""Melozone aberti"") is a bird of the family Passerellidae, native to a small range in southwestern North America, generally the lower Colorado River and Gila River watersheds, nearly endemic to Arizona, but also present in small parts of California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Sonora in Mexico. The name of this bird commemorates the American"
"ring ouzel. The genus name ""cinclus"" derives from the Greek word ""kinklos"" used to describe a small tail-wagging bird that lived near water. Dipper Dippers are members of the genus Cinclus in the bird family Cinclidae, named for their bobbing or dipping movements. They are unique among passerines for their ability to dive and swim underwater. Dippers are small, chunky, stout, short-tailed, short-winged, strong-legged birds. The different species are generally dark brown (sometimes nearly black), or brown and white in colour, apart from the rufous-throated dipper, which is brown with a reddish-brown throat patch. Sizes range from 14–22 cm in"
"slowly low over the water with legs dangling and head looking down, then dipping feet down and hovering momentarily when prey is sighted. The prey is then snatched with the bill and swallowed in flight. This method of hunting can be very successful, with one birds catching prey on 27 of 33 attempts during one 45-minute session. It is also opportunistic, and feeds on swarming termites when they conduct their nuptial flights, snatching as many as 47 alates (flying termites) in five minutes. This species has been recorded foraging for insects flushed by grazing cattle and buffalo, in a manner"
"326 (in Russian with English summary).</ref> Following typhoons, brown dippers in upland Taiwanese streams are displaced by flooding into relatively poorer quality streams that likely play an important refuge. Brown dipper The brown dipper (""Cinclus pallasii""), alternatively known by the common names Pallas's dipper, Asian dipper or the Asiatic dipper, is an aquatic songbird found in the mountains of southern and central Asia. At and , it is the largest of the dippers. This species, which is not often seen, is found at medium to low elevations where mountain streams flow. The brown dipper can either feed by diving into"
"adults include the peregrine falcon (""Falco peregrinus""), snowy owl (""Bubo scandiacus""), bald eagle (""Haliaeetus leucocephalus""), golden eagle (""Aquila chrysaetos""), red-tailed hawk (""Buteo jamaicensis""), great horned owl (""Bubo virginianus""), Eurasian eagle owl (""Bubo bubo""), and Cooper's hawk (""Accipiter cooperii""). These diving birds forage underwater. They prefer water depths of . In freshwater habitats, they eat primarily insects, and in saltwater, they feed predominantly on crustaceans and mollusks. Aquatic plants and fish eggs can often become locally important food items, as well. Because of their striking plumage, highly active nature, and proximity to humans on waterfront properties, buffleheads are one of the"
"are green. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails. These birds probe with their bill in mud or shallow water, also picking up food by sight. They mainly eat insects and small fish and seeds. They forage on the ground. Watercock are quite secretive, but are sometimes seen out in the open. They are noisy birds, especially at dawn and dusk, with a loud, gulping call. Watercock The watercock (""Gallicrex cinerea"") is a waterbird in the rail and crake family, Rallidae. It is the only member of the genus Gallicrex. Traditionally held to be closely related to moorhens"
"of hunting is to walk in shallow water looking for prey. Prey is located differently depending on circumstances; if the water is clear, it may hunt by sight, but if the water is very muddy, it probes its open bill into water or mud and shuts it. It may shuffle one foot at a time on the bottom or suddenly open its wings to flush prey out of hiding. Prey caught in mud is shaken before swallowing to clean it, or if available, taken to clearer water to do so. The species also feeds while in flight. A bird flies"
"impression of swearing. The young immediately disgorge some of their food, which the gull promptly eats. Spotted shags are able to feed up to 16 km offshore. Their main diet consists of small fish and marine invertebrates, but they barely affect the New Zealand fish stock. The birds catch fish by diving from the sea surface and propelling themselves underwater with their webbed feet. They dive for an average of about 30 seconds, usually resting on the surface for 10 to 15 seconds between dives. The longest dive ever recorded was 70 seconds. Spotted shags often carry some small stones"
"waters. They never enter exclusively fresh water. Many red-legged cormorants forage at low tide, presumably to minimize their travel time to and from the surface and to maximize time searching for food. They can dive below the surface in pursuit of prey. Their diet mainly consists of fish, specifically including eels and anchovies, and planktonic crustaceans. The red-legged cormorants calls are unlike most seabirds; they consist of high-pitched chirps and chirrups more like a songbird. The cormorant is considered to be Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Due to the birds' habit of nesting on cliffs"