|
Upper Beaver Meadows
Upper Beaver Meadows is a montane meadow and visitor attraction in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. The area is known as a good bird-watching spot and its trail leads to a number of other trails within the park. The trails may be used for hiking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing. Montane ecosystem The meadows of Upper Beaver Meadows rest at the upper limits of the montane ecosystem. Forests of pine and Douglas fir trees only inhabit the slopes of this valley because the soils of the valley bottom are too moist from the high water table to support tree growth. This creates a broad meadow that is kept open by grazing wildlife. The park has fenced in an area where a former aspen grove was mowed down by grazing elk. The aspen grove protected inside the fence has grown dense by sprouting shoots from older trees roots. Upper Beaver Meadows is described by Scott Roederer as "a pretty little valley of meadows and aspen bordered by ponderosa and spruce / fir forests." Beaver ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Longs Peak And Upper Beaver Meadows
Longs Drugs is an American chain owned by parent company CVS Health with approximately 70 drugstores throughout the state of Hawaii and formerly in the Continental US. Before being acquired by parent company in 2008, it was a chain of over 500 stores, located primarily on the West Coast of the United States. Besides Hawaii, it had stores located in California, Nevada, Arizona, Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Washington, and was headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. History The first store was founded in 1938 as Longs Self-Service Drugs, by brothers Thomas and Joseph Long (son-in-law of Marion Barton Skaggs, co-founder of Safeway Inc.), when they opened their first store on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, California. The first Longs in Hawaii opened on March 29, 1954, in Honolulu. By 1971, Longs reported sales of $169 million from its 54 stores. They were incorporated during the same year. They expanded to Alaska in 1977, Arizona and Oregon in 1978, and Nevada in 1979. By 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vesper Sparrow
The vesper sparrow (''Pooecetes gramineus'') is a medium-sized New World sparrow. It is the only member of the genus ''Pooecetes''. Taxonomy The Vesper Sparrow is believed to be most closely related to the Lark sparrow. It is the only species in the genus ''Pooecetes'', meaning grass dweller. Description Adults have light brown upper-parts and light under-parts, both with darker streaking. There are three features that are unique to the Vesper Sparrow. The first is the presence of a small, white ring surrounding the eyes. The second is the flash of white tail feathers that occurs during flight. The third is the presence of a chestnut patch on the shoulder. However, this is usually not visible to an observer. Another notable characteristic is that some Sparrows, especially west of the Cascades, tend to have a more pinkish hue. They also do not have a bold eyeline found in some sparrows. Measurements: * Length: 5.1-6.3 in (13-16 cm) * Weight: 0.7-1.0 oz (20-28 g) * Wing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hammond's Flycatcher
Hammond's flycatcher (''Empidonax hammondii'') is a flycatcher in the family Tyrannidae. This small insectivorous bird inhabits the coniferous and mixed forests of western North America. The name of this bird commemorates William Alexander Hammond who was the surgeon general of the US Army. Hammond collected bird specimens for Spencer Fullerton Baird. Description Adults are 12–14 cm long (4.7-5.5 in), span about 22 cm (8.7 in) across the wing and weigh 8-12 g (0.3-04 oz). They have grayish-olive upperparts, darker on the wings and tail, with whitish underparts; they have a conspicuous white eye ring, white wing bars, a small bill and a short tail. The breast is washed with grey and the sides of the belly with yellow. Female usually have a shorter, wider bill compare with male's. Immature are similar to adults, but have broader wing bars and are more buff. Many species of ''Empidonax'' flycatchers look closely alike. Hammond's flycatchers are mainly c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Downy Woodpecker
The downy woodpecker (''Dryobates pubescens'') is a species of woodpecker, the smallest in North America. Length ranges from . Downy woodpeckers primarily live in forested areas throughout the United States and Canada, with the exception of deserts in the southwest and the northern tundra. The bird nests in tree cavities and feeds primarily on insects, although it supplements its diet with seeds and berries. The downy woodpecker is very similar in appearance to the hairy woodpecker, although they are not closely related. Taxonomy The downy woodpecker was described and illustrated with a hand-coloured plate by the English naturalist Mark Catesby in his ''The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands'', which was published between 1729 and 1732. When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his ''Systema Naturae'' for the twelfth edition, he included the downy woodpecker, coined the binomial name ''Picus pubescens'' and cited Catesby's book. The specif ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sapsucker
The sapsuckers are species of North American woodpeckers in the genus ''Sphyrapicus''. Taxonomy and systematics The genus ''Sphyrapicus'' was introduced in 1858 by the American naturalist Spencer Baird with the yellow-bellied sapsucker (''Sphyrapicus varius'') as the type species. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek ''sphura'' meaning "hammer" and ''pikos'' meaning "woodpecker". The genus is sister to the genus ''Melanerpes''; both genera are members of the tribe Melanerpini in the woodpecker subfamily Picinae. There are four currently recognized species in the genus: Description The members of this genus are slender birds with stiff tails and relatively long wings. Their typical pattern in flight is undulating, alternating between quick bursts of wing beats and short dips with wings tucked against the body. Behavior As their name implies, sapsuckers feed primarily on the sap of trees, moving among different tree and shrub species on a seasonal basis. Insects, especiall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mountain Bluebird
The mountain bluebird (''Sialia currucoides'') is a small migratory thrush that is found in mountainous districts of western North America. It has a light underbelly and black eyes. Adult males have thin bills and are bright turquoise-blue and somewhat lighter underneath. Adult females have duller blue wings and tail, grey breast, grey crown, throat and back. In fresh fall plumage, the female's throat and breast are tinged with red-orange which is brownish near the flank, contrasting with white tail underparts. Their call is a thin 'few' while their song is a warbled high 'chur chur'. The mountain bluebird is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada. This bird is an omnivore and it can live 6 to 10 years in the wild. It eats spiders, grasshoppers, flies and other insects, and small fruits. The mountain bluebird is a relative of the eastern and western bluebirds. Taxonomy The mountain bluebird was formally described in 1798 by the German naturalist, Johann Matthäus Bechstein, and give ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
House Wren
The house wren (''Troglodytes aedon'') is a very small bird of the wren family, Troglodytidae. It occurs from Canada to southernmost South America, and is thus the most widely distributed native bird in the Americas. It occurs in most suburban areas in its range and it is the single most common wren. Its taxonomy is highly complex and some subspecies groups are often considered separate species. The name ''troglodytes'' means "hole dweller", and is a reference to bird's tendency to disappear into crevices when hunting insects or to seek shelter. Taxonomy The house wren was formally described in 1809 by the French ornithologist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot under the current binomial name ''Troglodytes aedon''. The specific epithet is from the Ancient Greek ''aēdōn'' meaning "nightingale". The type locality was designated as New York City by Harry Oberholser in 1934. There are 32 recognised subspecies. These are sometimes divided into three distinct groups and one or several dis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vireo
The vireos make up a family, Vireonidae, of small to medium-sized passerine birds found in the New World (Canada to Argentina, including Bermuda and the West Indies) and Southeast Asia. "Vireo" is a Latin word referring to a green migratory bird, perhaps the female golden oriole, possibly the European greenfinch. They are typically dull-plumaged and greenish in color, the smaller species resembling wood warblers apart from their heavier bills. They range in size from the Chocó vireo, dwarf vireo and lesser greenlet, all at around 10cm and 8g, to the peppershrikes and shrike-vireos at up to 17cm and 40g.Forshaw, Joseph & Parkes, Kenneth C. 1991. ''Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds,'' p. 209. Merehurst Press, London. Distribution and habitat Most species are found in Middle America and northern South America. Thirteen species of true vireos occur farther north, in the United States, Bermuda and Canada; of these all but Hutton's vireo are migratory. Members of the famil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black-billed Magpie
The black-billed magpie (''Pica hudsonia''), also known as the American magpie, is a bird in the corvid family found in the western half of North America. It is black and white, with black areas on the wings and tail showing iridescent hints of blue or blue-green. It is one of only four North American songbirds whose tail makes up half or more of the total body length (the others being the yellow-billed magpie, the scissor-tailed flycatcher, and the fork-tailed flycatcher). This species prefers generally open habitats with clumps of trees. It can therefore be found in farmlands and suburban areas, where it comes into regular contact with people. Where persecuted it becomes very wary, but otherwise it is fairly tolerant of human presence. Historically associated with bison herds, it now lands on the backs of cattle to glean ticks and insects from them. Large predators such as wolves are commonly followed by black-billed magpies, who scavenge from their kills. The species also w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Green-tailed Towhee
The green-tailed towhee (''Pipilo chlorurus'') is the smallest towhee, but is still one of the larger members of the American sparrow family Passerellidae. Its breeding range covers most of the interior Western United States, with a winter range in Mexico and the southern edge of the Southwestern United States. This bird can be recognized by the bright green stripes on the edge of its wings. It has a distinct white throat and a rufous cap. It measures long and weighs . It is fairly tame, but often stays hidden under a bush. It is fairly common in habitats with sagebrush and other such bushes. It is uncommonly seen because of its tendency to stay under cover. References Further reading Book * Thesis * Beedy EC. Ph.D. (1982). ''Bird Community Structure in Coniferous Forests of Yosemite National Park, California''. University of California, Davis, United States, California. * Kerley L. Ph.D. (1994). ''Bird responses to habitat fragmentation caused by sagebrush management in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Montane
Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial factor in shaping plant community, biodiversity, metabolic processes and ecosystem dynamics for montane ecosystems. Dense montane forests are common at moderate elevations, due to moderate temperatures and high rainfall. At higher elevations, the climate is harsher, with lower temperatures and higher winds, preventing the growth of trees and causing the plant community to transition to montane grasslands, shrublands or alpine tundra. Due to the unique climate conditions of montane ecosystems, they contain increased numbers of endemic species. Montane ecosystems also exhibit variation in ecosystem services, which include carbon storage and water supply. Life zones As elevation increases, the climate becomes cooler, due to a decrease in a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Williamson's Sapsucker
Williamson's sapsucker (''Sphyrapicus thyroideus'') is a medium-sized woodpecker belonging to the genus '' Sphyrapicus'' (sapsuckers). Habitat and range Breeding habitat is open forested areas with conifers, mainly ponderosa pine, douglas-fir, and grand fir. Subalpine fir and western larch may also be important components of good habitat for these birds. Partially migratory, they breed in western North America from northern Mexico as far north as British Columbia. They are permanent residents in some parts of their range; migrating birds form small flocks and may travel as far south as central Mexico. Description Adult males are iridescent black on their head, back, sides and tail. They have a white stripe behind the eye and a lower white stripe across each side of the head, a red chin and a bright yellow belly. They have black wings with large white patches. The female is completely different in appearance: mainly black, with a pale yellow breast, a brownish head with black stre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.jpg "Click for more on -> Sapsucker")
