"(along the coast), and cranes (including Gavdos and Gavdopoula). The Cretan mountains and gorges are refuges for the endangered lammergeier vulture. Bird species include: the golden eagle, Bonelli's eagle, the bearded vulture or lammergeier, the griffon vulture, Eleanora's falcon, peregrine falcon, lanner falcon, European kestrel, tawny owl, little owl, hooded crow, alpine chough, red-billed chough, and the hoopoe. Tortoises can be seen throughout the island. Snakes can be found hiding under rocks. Toads and frogs reveal themselves when it rains. Reptiles include the aegean wall lizard, balkan green lizard, ""Chamaeleo chamaeleon"", ocellated skink, snake-eyed skink, moorish gecko, turkish gecko, Kotschy's"
"lines. It was formerly persecuted in significant numbers because people feared (without justification) that it regularly carried off children and domestic animals; the bird was also hunted as a trophy. Despite the declines, the species clearly occupies a large range and, as such, it is listed as Near threatened on the IUCN Red List since the 24th of July 2014 . Probably fewer than 10,000 pairs exist in the wild worldwide. This species was first described by Linnaeus in his ""Systema naturae"" in 1758 as ""Vultur barbatus"". The present scientific name means ""bearded vulture-eagle"". The name ""Lammergeyer"" originates from German"
"geier refers to a form of eagle or falcon, rather than a vulture, a matter that was commented upon in the article by Harriet C. Stanton, ""Poets and Birds: a Criticism"", The Atlantic monthly. / Volume 52, Issue 311, September 1883. Even some encyclopedia writers adopted the view that the lammergeier ""is more closely allied with the eagles than with the vultures"", as in the 11th Edition of Encyclopædia Britannica. Taxonomic confusion may have resulted from the physical appearance of the lammergeier. Because the head of the lammergeier, unlike most other vultures, is feathered rather than naked, it bears a"
"for 'vulture', or a bird not unlike one; Aelian describes the ""aegypius"" as ""halfway between a vulture (""gyps"") and an eagle"". Some authorities think this a good description of a lammergeier; others do not. Aegypius is the eponym of the species, whatever it was. The English name 'black vulture' refers to the plumage colour, while 'monk vulture', a direct translation of its German name , refers to the bald head and ruff of neck feathers like a monk's cowl. 'Cinereous vulture' (Latin ""cineraceus"", ash-coloured; pale, whitish grey), was a deliberate attempt to rename it with a new name distinct from"
"whose range includes the whole of Europe and the western part of Asia. Geier refers both to birds from the subfamily Old World vulture (Aegypiinae) and the family New World vulture (Cathartidae). In English usage, the word geier has been associated with both the gyrfalcon and the lammergeier although neither is synonymous with “geier”. For example, ""gyrfalcon"" is thought to come from French ""gerfaucon"", which is written in mediaeval Latin as ""gyrofalco"", but the first part of the word also is said to come from Old High German ""gîr"" (now ""geier""), as in ""vulture"". The modifier, ""gyr"", “gier” or ""geier"""
"some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus ""Lalage"": Lalage (bird) Lalage is a genus of passerine birds belonging to the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae. There are about 18 species which occur in southern Asia and Australasia with a number of species on Pacific islands. They feed mainly on insects and fruit. They build a neat cup-shaped nest high in a tree. They are fairly small birds, about 15 to 20 cm long. They are mainly black, grey and white in colour. Most species are fairly common but the Samoan triller is considered to be"
"Lalage (bird) Lalage is a genus of passerine birds belonging to the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae. There are about 18 species which occur in southern Asia and Australasia with a number of species on Pacific islands. They feed mainly on insects and fruit. They build a neat cup-shaped nest high in a tree. They are fairly small birds, about 15 to 20 cm long. They are mainly black, grey and white in colour. Most species are fairly common but the Samoan triller is considered to be near threatened and the Norfolk Island subspecies of the long-tailed triller has become extinct. Formerly,"
"Bearded vulture The bearded vulture (""Gypaetus barbatus""), also known as the Lämmergeier or ossifrage, is a bird of prey and the only member of the genus ""Gypaetus"". Traditionally considered an Old World vulture, it actually forms a minor lineage of Accipitridae together with the Egyptian vulture (""Neophron percnopterus""), its closest living relative. It is not much more closely related to the Old World vultures proper than to, for example, hawks, and differs from the former by its feathered neck. Although dissimilar, the Egyptian and bearded vulture each have a lozenge-shaped tail—unusual among birds of prey. The bearded vulture is the"
"Lanner falcon The lanner falcon (""Falco biarmicus"") is a medium-sized bird of prey that breeds in Africa, southeast Europe and just into Asia. It prefers open habitat and is mainly resident, but some birds disperse more widely after the breeding season. A large falcon, it preys on birds and bats. The lanner falcon was described by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1825 under the current binomial name ""Falco biarmicus"". The type locality is Caffraria and the Cape of Good Hope. ""Falco"" is Late Latin for a ""falcon"", from ""falx"", ""falcis"" ""sickle"". The Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus had used"
"Loggerhead shrike The loggerhead shrike (""Lanius ludovicianus"") is a passerine bird in the family Laniidae. It is the only member of the shrike family endemic to North America; the related northern shrike (""L. borealis"") occurs north of its range but also in the eastern Palearctic. It is nicknamed the butcherbird after its carnivorous tendencies, as it consumes prey such as amphibians, insects, lizards, small mammals and small birds, and some prey end up displayed and stored at a site, for example in a tree. Due to its small size and weak talons, this predatory bird relies on impaling its prey"
"Elwetritsch The Elwetritsch (a.k.a. Elwedritsch, Ilwedritsch and so on), plural Elwetritsche or Elwetritschen, in Latin ""Bestia palatinensis"" (a non-scientific designation) is a birdlike mythical creature which is reported to be found in southwest Germany, especially in the Palatinate. The Elwetritsch can be seen as a local equivalent to mythical creatures of other regions (e.g., the Bavarian Wolpertinger or the Thuringian Rasselbock). The Elwedritschen had been forgotten for a while, until a gentleman named Espenschied ""rediscovered"" them. He began to organize ""hunting parties"" which were harmless pranks. One of the Bavarian Kings was once served roasted, small birds for dinner, which"
"caricature of a slumping and sad-sack buzzard rather than a lammergeier or gyrfalcon with ""the bearing of an eagle."" The ornithological and etymological confusions posed by the name or word ""geier"" have led to some interesting and sometimes comical confusions in literary uses of the term, as well. The most notorious historical personage bearing the name Geier was Florian Geier, commonly known as Florian Geyer, a Franconian nobleman who sided with the peasants in the German Peasants' War in the early 16th century and led the ill-fated Black Company of song and fable. See Friedrich Engels, The Peasant War in"
"Tiger shrike The tiger shrike or thick-billed shrike (""Lanius tigrinus"") is a small passerine bird which belongs to the genus ""Lanius"" in the shrike family, Laniidae. It is found in wooded habitats across eastern Asia. It is a shy, often solitary bird which is less conspicuous than most other shrikes. Like other shrikes it is predatory, feeding on small animals. Its nest is built in a tree and three to six eggs are laid. It derives its name from the tiger-like pattern of its upperparts which are reddish-brown with dark bars. Adult males have white underparts and a grey head"
"did not refer to a falcon or an eagle. These biblical references to ""gyrfalcon"" (or sometimes ""gierfalcon"") probably were a misinterpretation of a Hebrew term more properly translated either as Egyptian vulture or lammergeier, the latter also known as the ""lamb-vulture"" or the ""bone-breaker vulture"", or historically as the ""bone crusher"" or ossifrage). This etymological confusion has produced taxonomic confusion, as well. Some authorities actually proclaimed uncertainty whether the geier is a vulture or an eagle, and older dictionaries used the terms “geier”, “gyrfalcon” and “lammergeier”, almost interchangeably, e.g. Webster's 1913 Dictionary. Poets and others often assumed that the term"
"with a black mask. Females and young birds are duller and browner and young birds lack the grey and black on the head. The tiger shrike was first described in 1822 by the Belgian naturalist Pierre Auguste Joseph Drapiez in the ""Dictionnaire classique d'histoire naturelle"". He placed it in the genus ""Lanius"", a group of about 26 species living in open areas across Eurasia, Africa and North America. The name of the genus means ""butcher"" in Latin, referring to the birds' habit of impaling and storing prey. Within the genus, analysis of calls suggests that the tiger shrike is most"
"Geier (surname) Geier is a German word for a vulture. Geier is also a notable surname and less frequently is seen as a place name. The disputed etymological origins of the word ""geier"" have confounded ornithological usage of the term in poetry, literature, biblical scholarship, and English-language dictionary and encyclopedia entries, while spawning several literary and philological misunderstandings and controversies. The surname Geier also has different and somewhat inconsistent origins, traditions and meanings, and the heraldry associated with the surname likewise is confused. The modern German term ""geier"" is generally recognized as referring to two distinct families of carrion-eating bird"
"another two weeks. Usually one clutch of eggs is laid in a year but a second clutch is laid if the first one is destroyed. Strong winds and predation by common magpies result in the loss of many eggs. Tiger shrike The tiger shrike or thick-billed shrike (""Lanius tigrinus"") is a small passerine bird which belongs to the genus ""Lanius"" in the shrike family, Laniidae. It is found in wooded habitats across eastern Asia. It is a shy, often solitary bird which is less conspicuous than most other shrikes. Like other shrikes it is predatory, feeding on small animals. Its"
"Australian magpie The Australian magpie (""Gymnorhina tibicen"") is a medium-sized black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. Although once considered to be three separate species, it is now considered to be one, with nine recognised subspecies. A member of the Artamidae, the Australian magpie is placed in its own genus ""Gymnorhina"" and is most closely related to the black butcherbird (""Melloria quoyi""). It is not, however, closely related to the European magpie, which is a corvid. The adult Australian magpie is a fairly robust bird ranging from in length, with distinctive black and white plumage,"
"Butcherbird Butcherbirds are magpie-like birds, most found in the genus ""Cracticus,"" but the black butcherbird is placed in the monotypic genus ""Melloria"". They are native to Australasia. Together with three species of currawong and two species of peltops, butcherbirds and the Australian magpie form the subfamily Cracticinae in the family Artamidae. Butcherbirds are large songbirds, being between in length. Their colour ranges from black-and-white to mostly black with added grey plumage, depending on the species. They have a large, straight bill with a distinctive hook at the end which is used to skewer prey. They have high-pitched complex songs, which"
"Budgerigar The budgerigar (; ""Melopsittacus undulatus"") is a long-tailed, seed-eating parrot usually nicknamed the budgie, or in American English, the parakeet. Budgies are the only species in the genus ""Melopsittacus"". Naturally, the species is green and yellow with black, scalloped markings on the nape, back, and wings. Budgies are bred in captivity with colouring of blues, whites, yellows, greys, and even with small crests. Juveniles and chicks are monomorphic, while adults are told apart by their cere colouring, and their behaviour. The origin of the budgie's name is unclear. First recorded in 1805, budgerigars are popular pets around the world"
"and 337 hens were recorded; in 2013 the total population was 329. Only one plumage colouring is recognised, gold-laced black. Hen birds are black with some gold markings on the wings and breast; cocks have gold neck-hackles and maroon markings on the wings. The black colour variety is extinct, black-silver coloured birds are extremely rare. Like the Bergische Schlotterkamm, the Bergische Kräher shows typical broad lacing ("""") of the breast feathers. Cocks weigh and hens The comb is single, the earlobes are white, and the legs are slate-blue. The Bergische Kräher is a dual-purpose breed, with good meat qualities. Hens"
"the lake, there is a small island which over the last years and decades became a breeding zone for rare birds, e.g. the black-crowned Night Heron. The island is still freely accessible. Sarchinger Weiher Sarchinger Weiher is a lake in Landkreis Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. At an elevation of 330 metres, its surface area is 0.28 square kilometers. The lake is a flooded gravel-pit. In the surrounding area, there are several small lakes created by gravel quarrying. The north-western, north-eastern, and south-western banks were filled up with sand to create a beach and make the water shallow for children. On these"
"in the 1970s failed due to environmental impacts and local opposition. The lake is a resting area for numerous bird species such as the black-throated loon and the western yellow wagtail, as well as a breeding ground for the little grebe, the Alpine swift, and the Eurasian crag martin. In 1986 it was declared a nature reserve; since 2008 it is a Special Protection Area according to the European Birds Directive. Stappitzer See Stappitzer See is an Alpine lake in the Hohe Tauern mountain range near Mallnitz in Carinthia, Austria. It is located in the peripheral zone of the Hohe"
"Bird of the Year"". The Australian magpie won the contest with 19,926 votes (13.3%), narrowly ahead of the Australian white ibis. Australian magpie The Australian magpie (""Gymnorhina tibicen"") is a medium-sized black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. Although once considered to be three separate species, it is now considered to be one, with nine recognised subspecies. A member of the Artamidae, the Australian magpie is placed in its own genus ""Gymnorhina"" and is most closely related to the black butcherbird (""Melloria quoyi""). It is not, however, closely related to the European magpie, which is"
"of unbaptised children were doomed to wander in nightjar form until Judgement Day. European nightjar The European nightjar (""Caprimulgus europaeus""), Eurasian nightjar or just nightjar, is a crepuscular and nocturnal bird in the nightjar family that breeds across most of Europe and temperate Asia. The Latin generic name refers to the old myth that the nocturnal nightjar suckled goats, causing them to cease to give milk. The six subspecies differ clinally, the birds becoming smaller and paler towards the east of the range. All populations are migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. Their densely patterned grey and brown plumage makes individuals"
"is not universally accepted due to its great age. The genus ""Lanius"" contains the following species: Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus ""Lanius"": Lanius Lanius, the typical shrikes, are a genus of passerine birds in the shrike family. The majority of the family's species are placed in this genus. The genus name, ""Lanius"", is derived from the Latin word for ""butcher"", and some shrikes are also known as ""butcher birds"" because of their feeding habits. The common English name ""shrike"" is from Old English ""scríc"", ""shriek"", referring to the shrill call."
"MacGregor's honeyeater The MacGregor's honeyeater (""Macgregoria pulchra"") also known as Macgregor's giant honeyeater, Macgregor's bird of paradise, and ochre-winged honeyeater, is a large (up to 40 cm long) black crow-like bird with a large orange-yellow eye-wattles and black-tipped ochre primary wing feathers. The sexes are similar, with the male is slightly larger than female. It is the only member of the genus Macgregoria. A monogamous species, it inhabits subalpine forests of New Guinea. The diet consists mainly of fruits. This puzzling and little-known species has traditionally been considered a bird-of-paradise, but is actually a honeyeater. Recent genetic evidence on the"
"could in earlier times refer to any native ""Lanius"". It literally means ""killer of nine [prey animals]"" and refers to the food caches. A falconer's name for the great grey shrike was ""mattages(s)(e)"", which is related to ""mat'agasse"" from the western Alps. These terms may mean ""magpie killer"", due to their use for luring carnivorous birds to hunters – but perhaps more likely ""killer magpie"", considering that the bird was believed to be a peculiar sort of magpie by Johann Leonhard Frisch and others, and that another vernacular English name was ""murdering pie"". ""Shrike"", meanwhile, is of Germanic origin also"
"European nightjar The European nightjar (""Caprimulgus europaeus""), Eurasian nightjar or just nightjar, is a crepuscular and nocturnal bird in the nightjar family that breeds across most of Europe and temperate Asia. The Latin generic name refers to the old myth that the nocturnal nightjar suckled goats, causing them to cease to give milk. The six subspecies differ clinally, the birds becoming smaller and paler towards the east of the range. All populations are migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. Their densely patterned grey and brown plumage makes individuals difficult to see in the daytime when they rest on the ground or"
"Shrike Shrikes () are carnivorous passerine birds of the family Laniidae. The family is composed of 31 species in four genera. They are fairly closely related to the bush-shrike family Malaconotidae. The family name, and that of the largest genus, ""Lanius"", is derived from the Latin word for ""butcher"", and some shrikes are also known as butcherbirds because of their feeding habits. The common English name shrike is from Old English , alluding to the shrike's shriek-like call. Most shrike species have a Eurasian and African distribution, with just two breeding in North America (the loggerhead and great grey shrikes)."
"subspecies of the pale-winged trumpeter, actually is closer to the grey-winged trumpeter. The grey-winged trumpeter is a dumpy, guineafowl-like bird with a long neck and legs, and short yellow chicken-like bill. It is long and in weight. The soft plumage is mainly black, but the feathers of the inner wing are grey. These are gregarious forest birds which nest in hollow trees, laying 3-4 white eggs that are incubated by all members of a group of five or more birds. When not breeding, the flocks may number 50 or more. Their food is insects and fruit, picked off the ground."
"Lanius Lanius, the typical shrikes, are a genus of passerine birds in the shrike family. The majority of the family's species are placed in this genus. The genus name, ""Lanius"", is derived from the Latin word for ""butcher"", and some shrikes are also known as ""butcher birds"" because of their feeding habits. The common English name ""shrike"" is from Old English ""scríc"", ""shriek"", referring to the shrill call. African species are known as fiscals. That name comes from the Afrikaans word ""fiskaal"" (""public official"", especially a hangman), because they hang their prey on thorns for storage. Most ""Lanius"" species occur"
"wild when they'd naturally disperse from their parents. Since 2004, over 90 young have been released annually and between 2% and 6.5% of young released have successfully migrated and returned to breed in the subsequent year. Loggerhead shrike The loggerhead shrike (""Lanius ludovicianus"") is a passerine bird in the family Laniidae. It is the only member of the shrike family endemic to North America; the related northern shrike (""L. borealis"") occurs north of its range but also in the eastern Palearctic. It is nicknamed the butcherbird after its carnivorous tendencies, as it consumes prey such as amphibians, insects, lizards, small"