Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Brachyramphus ("short bill") marmoratus ("marbled")

Two non-breeding Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) seen on Half Moon Bay Pelagic Trip - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 220g  /  Length: 25cm  /  Wingspan: 40cm
NO UK STATUS/ IUCN Red List: Endangered

The Marbled Murrelet is a peculiarity in several ways; it was one of the last North American breeding birds to have its breeding habitat discovered, and it turns out this was due to it being them, unusually for seabirds, being in trees, and specifically in the moss at the top of old growth trees, the characteristics of which don't appear to apear until trees are at least 175yrs old. It's nesting habitat wasn't actually locations until 1974. It is also somewhat unusual in that in contrast to many auk species, its non-breeding plumage is the more dramatic black and white, in contrast with brown breeding plumage.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Alcidae
Genus: Brachyramphus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in Alaska and small areas of all West Coast states, found offshore in the North Pacific
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Seen on the Half Moon Bay Pelagic Trip

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)

OTHER NAMES: Pharoah's Chicken

Latin Etymology: Neophron (after a mythic trickster turned into a vulture) percnopterus ("dark winged")

Adult Egyptian Vulture (subspecies N. p. percnopterus) at Monfrague National Park, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: Neophron percnopterus percnopterus

Weight: 1.5-2.4kg  /  Length: 52-56cm  /  Wingspan: 150-180cm

NO UK STATUS /  IUCN Red List: Endangered

An example of drastic species decline; a bird book I have from the year I was born describes it as "the smallest and commonest of Europe's vultures" - now it is considered endangered by the IUCN after massive population declines across it's range.  Despite this, it still does have a huge range including a patchy distribution across the Mediterranean, a significant chunk of Central Asia, most of India and coast to Coast distribution across North Africa.  It's also probably one of the most distinctive looking vulture species: largely white plumage when landed with a bright yellow face, with the large black sections of the wings visible in flight and a distinctive arrow shaped tail.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Neophron
Subspecies: N. p. percnopterus, N. p. majorensis, N. p. ginginianus  

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Alimoche Común - ("Common Vulture")

Scarce and Local Resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Several seen at Monfrague (2 individuals in flight, one on the nest)

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Oxyura ("sharp tail") leucocephala ("white headed")

                                  Adult male White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala) at Laguna Navaseca, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 510-900g  /  Length: 43-48cm  /  Wingspan: 60-70cm

ABSENT FROM UK / IUCN Red List: Endangered

The White-headed Duck is one of the rarest Ducks of Europe, a victim of over hunting and loss of habitat.  It is found in the Iberian peninsula, North Africa and Central Asia.  In terms of British Ornithology though, it has another major significance, despite not being recorded as a vagrant here - it is the reason the feral population of Ruddy Duck is being eradicated. The two species are close relations, originally from North America (the Ruddy Duck) and Eurasia (the White-headed Duck) respectively, and it is claimed that interbreeding between the two species threatens the continued existence of the White-headed Duck.  I've also seen claims to the contrary, but haven't seen specific data on the subject either way.  Nonetheless, the White-headed Duck in Spain does seem to be showing some signs of recovery, though I suspect that is more immediately due to protection from hunting.  Note that the dark markings on the beak in this photo are mud from diving, the beak is normally entirely blue.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Oxyura
Subspecies: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Malvasía 

Rare but locally abundant resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Abundant at Laguna Navaseca (dozens of Summer plumage birds)

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Red-Crowned Crane (Grus japonensis)

OTHER NAMES: Japanese Crane, Manchurian Crane

Latin Etymology: Grus ("crane") japonensis ("Japanese")

Ten adult Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) at Akan Crane Centre, Hokkaido, Japan - December 2014

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 7.5kg  /  Length: 100-150cm  /  Height: 150-158cm  /  Wingspan: 220-250cm

ABSENT FROM UK / IUCN Red List: Endangered

The Red-Crowned or Japanese Crane is without a doubt the most iconic bird of Japan.  There are actually six species of regularly occurring crane in Japan, but the Red-Crowned Crane is the largest and the only species to be resident in the country.  This was a close thing - at one point it was considered extinct in Japan, and it wasn't until a small group was found and started being fed and protected that their numbers rebounded.  They can now be seen in various places across Eastern Hokkaido, but the greatest congregation of feeding sites is in the Kushiro Marsh area.  I saw these at the Akan International Crane Center, which apparently has the closest views of the major feeding sites, though my first sighting was actually of a small flock from the main road near the airport!

Related Species:
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Gruidae
Genus: Grus
Subspecies: None (monotypic)

 - Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese: タンチョウ  /  Tanchō ("Red-cap")   ///  Ainu: Sarurunkamui ("God-spirit of the Marshes")

Rare (but locally numerous in Winter) resident of Hokkaido, vagrant elsewhere

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Numerous at Akan Crane Centre (around 40-50 individuals) plus three seen en-route near Kushiro Airport.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Chinese Pond Turtle (Mauremys reevesii)

OTHER NAMES: Reeves' Turtle, Japanese Coin Turtle, Golden Turtle

Latin Etymology: Mauremys (?) reevesii ("Reeves'")

Adult Chinese Pond Turtle (Mauremys reevesii, subspecies unknwon) at Maruyama, Kyoto, Japan, Malaysia - July 2013

Featured Subspecies: Unknown
Weight: 200-500g  /  Length: 12-30cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Endangered

This turtle species was seen in various bodies of water in Kyoto, where it seemed little bothered by human passers by.  Despite this it is considered endangered on a global level due to the fact that it is over hunted in China for food and pets.  In Japan it is an invasive species with a population derived from former pets, and is found in many locations.  Given it is apparently infamous for it's ability to reproduce with turtle species that are only distantly related it is a threat to local species.  Though it is rated as endangered overall, this is largely as a result of the Chinese population being under threat due to it being eaten - populations elsewhere are considered stable.

Related Species:
Order: Chelonii
Family: Geoemydidae
Genus: Mauremys
SUBSPECIES: M. r. reevesii, M. r. megalocephala

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN -  Japanese - クサガメ  /  Kusagame  ("Grasses Turtle")

A fairly common feral species.

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: Several in Kyoto in Maruyama.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Enhydra ("in water") lutris ("otter")

Sea Otter (subspecies E. l. nereis) at Monterey, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: Enhydra lutris nereis
Weight: 22-45kg  /  Length: 1.2-1.5cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Endangered

Sea Otters are considered the smallest of all marine mammals, and live almost their entire lives in the water. Unlike most marine mammals however, this is allowed by the densest fur of any living animal which keep it warm. They feed on molluscs, which they bash open using a rock that they store in the pockets under their forearms. Heavily persecuted by the fur trade, sea otter numbers have partially begun to re-establish from their lowest point, but seem to have plateaued at lower levels than before.

Related Species:
Order: Carnivora 
Family: Mustelidae 
Genus: Enhydra
SUBSPECIES: E. l. lutris, E. l. kenyoni, E. l. nereis

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found on the coast of Southern California, Washington and Southern Alaska
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Monterey

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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