Griffon Vulture (grifo)

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Scientific name: Gyps fulvus

Monfrague National Park (Spain)

Grifo – Parque Nacional de Monfrague (Espanha)

The Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.

The Griffon Vulture is 93–110 cm (37–43 in) long with a 230–280 cm (91–111 in) wingspan; it weighs between 6 and 13 kg (13.2 and 29 lb). Hatched naked, it is a typical Old World vulture in appearance, with a very white bald head, very broad wings and short tail feathers. It has a white neck ruff and yellow bill. The buff body and wing coverts contrast with the dark flight feathers.

Like other vultures, it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals which it finds by soaring over open areas, often moving in flocks. It grunts and hisses at roosts or when feeding on carrion.

Little is known about the average life-span of these birds. It is approximated at 50 to 70 years in the wild, but the oldest death recorded in captivity is 118 years old.[2]

It breeds on crags in mountains in southern Europe, north Africa, and Asia, laying one egg. Griffon Vultures may form loose colonies. The population is mostly resident.

Lesser Flamingo (flamingo-pequeno)

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Scientific name: Phoenicopterus minor

Gaia Biological Park (Portugal)

Flamingo-pequeno – Parque Biológico de Gaia

The Lesser Flamingo (Phoenicopterus minor) is a species in the flamingo family of birds that resides in Africa (principally in the Great Rift Valley) and in southern Asia. Birds are occasionally reported from further north, but these are generally considered to be escapees.

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O flamingo-pequeno (Phoeniconaias minor) é uma ave da família Phoenicopteridae. É um pouco menor que o flamingo-comum, distinguindo-se pelas tonalidades mais intensas da plumagem e pelo bico escuro. Este flamingo distribui-se pela África tropical, sendo muito raro na Europa. Existem algumas observações em Portugal, mas não se sabe se as aves em causa eram genuinamente selvagens.

Parque da Cidade (Oporto) em actualização

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The Parque da Cidade (City Park) is the city’s biggest (and most recent) green area and the biggest urban park in the country with 83 ha. It’s location by the ocean makes it perfect for surfers, morning joggers and weekend picnic fans. It’s the only public park in the country that is connected to the sea, and it’s beach is mostly packed on weekends with surfers.

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O Parque da Cidade é o maior parque urbano do país, com uma superfície de 83 hectares de áreas verdes naturalizadas que se estendem até ao Oceano Atlântico, conferindo-lhe este facto, uma particularidade rara a nível mundial. É um local privilegiado para os adeptos do jogging, para fazer um pic-nic ou simplesmente para passear.

One of the 4 lakes in the park


Mute Swan (Cisne-mudo)

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Scientific name: Cignus Olor

Parque da Cidade (Oporto – Portugal)

Cisne-mudo – Parque da Cidade

The Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is a species of swan, and thus a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa. It is also an introduced species in North America, Australasia and southern Africa. The name ‘mute’ derives from it being less vocal than other swan species.Measuring 125 to 170 centimetres in length, this large swan is wholly white in plumage with an orange bill bordered with black. It is recognisable by its pronounced knob atop the bill

Iberian Wall Lizard (lagartixa-ibérica)

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Scientific name: Podarcis hispanica

Parque da Cidade (Oporto – Portugal)

Lagartixa ibérica – Parque da Cidade

The Iberian Wall Lizard (Podarcis hispanica) is a small wall lizard species of the genus Podarcis averaging 50–70 mm adult snout-vent length (SVL). It is found in the Iberian peninsula, in northwestern Africa and in coastal districts in Languedoc-Roussillon in France.

In Spanish, they are commonly called lagartija and sargantana.

Lagoas de Bertiandos e S.Pedro d’Arcos (Ponte-de-Lima)

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“Bertiandos and São Pedro de Arcos Lagoons Protected Landscape” is a protected landscape in Portugal. It is one of the 30 areas which are officially under protection in the country, under the Rede Natura 2000 classification.

It is a wetlands Nature Reserve with around 350 hectares, divided between Bertiandos, São Pedro de Arcos, Estorãos, Moreira do Lima, Sá and Fontão parishes of Ponte de Lima, northern Portugal.

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A Paisagem Protegida das Lagoas de Bertiandos e S. Pedro d’Arcos encontra-se classificada como paisagem protegida, fazendo parte da Reserva Ecológica Nacional, incluída na Rede Natura 2000.

A reserva tem cerca de 350 hectares que se estendem pelas freguesias de Bertiandos, São Pedro de Arcos, Estorãos, Moreira do Lima, Sá e Fontão.

The “S.Pedro de Arcos lagoon” is a rare example of continental wetlands, developed in a natural depression land zone, which permanent/semi-pernament flooding. It’s feeded in one hand, through the channels that receive the water proceeding from hydrographic basin and from the traditional watering of the “Estorãos river” and, in the other hand, through the floods by the water table rising.

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A Lagoa de São Pedro d’Arcos é um raro exemplo de zonas húmidas continentais que se desenvolve numa zona de depressão natural do terreno com inundação permanente/semi-permanente. É alimentada por um lado, através dos canais que recebem a água proveniente da bacia hidrográfica e do regadio tradicional o Rio Estorãos e, por outro lado, através das cheias pela subida do lençol freático.


Lagoas de Bertiandos e São Pedro D’Arcos

Location: Ponte de Lima (PORTUGAL)

Fauna:

Mammals – Eurasian River Otter, Squirrel, Roe deer, Beech marten, Wild boar, Common genet, Fox, Rabbit, Shrew, Mice, Vole, etc.

Birds – Grey heron, Common kingfisher, Wild duck, Woodpecker, Owl, Skylark, Stonechat and Meadow pipit, etc.

Reptiles – Salamander, Marbled newt, Ocellated lizard, Small lizard, Montpellier snake, Grass snake, etc.

Amphibians – Frog, Toad, etc.

Fish: Barbel, Trout, Eel, etc.

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Mamíferos – Lontra, Esquilo, Cervo, Fuinha, Javali, Gineta, Raposa, Coelho, Musaranho, Rato, etc.

Aves – Garça, Guarda-rios, Pato-real, Pica-pau, Mocho, Cotovia, Cartaxo-comum, Petinha-dos-prados, etc.

Reptéis – Salamandra, Lagartixa, Sardão, Cobra-de-água, Cobra-rateira, Tritão-marmoreado, etc.

Anfíbios – Rã, Sapo, etc.

Fish: Barbel, Trout, Eel, etc.

+ Info

http://www.lagoas.cm-pontedelima.pt/ver.php?cod=0X

Mandarin Duck (Pato-mandarim)

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Scientific name: Aix galericulata

Parque da Cidade (Oporto – Portugal)

Pato-mandarim  – Parque da Cidade

The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata), or just Mandarin, is a medium-sized perching duck, closely related to the North American Wood Duck. It is 41–49 cm long with a 65–75 cm wingspan.

The adult male is a striking and unmistakable bird. It has a red bill, large white crescent above the eye and reddish face and “whiskers”. The breast is purple with two vertical white bars, and the flanks ruddy, with two orange “sails” at the back. The female is similar to female Wood Duck, with a white eye-ring and stripe running back from the eye, but is paler below, has a small white flank stripe, and a pale tip to its bill.

Unlike other species of ducks, most Mandarin drakes reunite with the hens they mated with along with their offsprings after the eggs have hatched and even share scout duties in watching the ducklings closely. However, even with both parents securing the ducklings, most of them do not survive to adulthood.

The species was once widespread in eastern Asia, but large-scale exports and the destruction of its forest habitat have reduced populations in eastern Russia and in China to below 1,000 pairs in each country; Japan, however, is thought to still hold some 5,000 pairs