I'm guessing they are the sole representatives of their family, a taxanomic classification below the order level. As such, they are also unique to their genus as well.
Good quiz! I'm following you to Central America in March--I'll be in Costa Rica, in part at the Rancho Naturalista site. I'll let you know if any of the criticism has any merit! Best, Jeff
Jeff, let me know how Rancho is looking. I can't say enough good things about my experience. Be sure to bring a flashlight and poke around for big bugs at night.
Or at least, they have been regarded as their own family in the past. A couple of them have since been 'demoted' - the bananaquit is a member of the tanagers (Thraupidae), while the sharpbill belongs with the cotingas (Cotingidae) or the tityra group (Tityridae). And there may be more than one species of ostrich.
Both hammerkop and hypocolius link to the hammerkop page, by the way.
I've seen Hamerkop, Osprey, Ostrich and Secretary-bird in South Africa and Osprey in the US. Actually I would rate Hamerkop and Secretary bird as two of the weirdest birds that I've seen. Hamerkop build MASSIVE nests that are often used by owls like the Spotted and Giant Eagle Owl. The weird thing about the nest besides the sheer size of it is the fact that the Hamerkop actually nests inside it, rather than on top. Hamerkop are actually pretty common in SA. http://www.sapref.com/hamerkops.htm
Nice list. I'd sure love to see them all. Here's another one that I crave: Ibisbill. And I'll echo the notion that Bananaquit no longer counts. It's nested well within the Tanagers. I wasn't aware of the Sharpbill change, but I've been saving a good read on all the latest suboscine changes for a rainy day.
The IOC suggested splitting Ostrich into Common and Somali species. I guess that would preclude them as well, though I don't know if all the lists have accepted that switch yet.
Bananaquit has been everywhere, I remember when it was a Warbler!
I've seen 4 of these birds. 3, though, if you remove Bananaquit.
SA really is a bird paradise, especially if you like raptors and owls. I was surprised when I came over to the US with how few raptors there are, when compared to SA. Actually I'd like to post a list of all the raptors I've seen in SA some time (which will make most people want to make a trip to SA), I just need to dig my bird book up. I'm hoping to make a trip out to SA in 2009, probably during their summer (Feb). I’m hoping to have time to swing by Kruger Park (one of my friends works there) and hopefully he can get me onto a Pel’s fishing owl. Capturing a photo of one of these rare and unusual owls would be AMAZING. A couple of months back he did a survey along one of the major rivers and they found several Pel’s! Making a trip out to Africa is like nothing else in the world and it will blow your mind. Can you imagine seeing 8-10 different eagles in one day? That is very likely in a wildlife park like Kruger!
Live in NJ, work the Corporate life by day, try to be an amateur naturalist the rest of the time. I currently volunteer as an Associate Naturalist for the NJ Audubon Society.
15 comments:
Good question and one that even I can answer. But I'll let someone else do the honors.
I'm guessing they are the sole representatives of their family, a taxanomic classification below the order level. As such, they are also unique to their genus as well.
Good quiz! I'm following you to Central America in March--I'll be in Costa Rica, in part at the Rancho Naturalista site. I'll let you know if any of the criticism has any merit! Best, Jeff
What Jeffery said.
What Jeffrey and n8 said
Too easy for you guys! I think these sole family representatives are amazing. It's a mini goal of mine to see all of these species.
Jeff, let me know how Rancho is looking. I can't say enough good things about my experience. Be sure to bring a flashlight and poke around for big bugs at night.
Or at least, they have been regarded as their own family in the past. A couple of them have since been 'demoted' - the bananaquit is a member of the tanagers (Thraupidae), while the sharpbill belongs with the cotingas (Cotingidae) or the tityra group (Tityridae). And there may be more than one species of ostrich.
Both hammerkop and hypocolius link to the hammerkop page, by the way.
Thanks Chris... I was going by Clements list which I guess hasn't been updated. The Bananaquit thing sounds familiar. I must have read that somewhere.
I'll fix that link...
I've seen Hamerkop, Osprey, Ostrich and Secretary-bird in South Africa and Osprey in the US. Actually I would rate Hamerkop and Secretary bird as two of the weirdest birds that I've seen. Hamerkop build MASSIVE nests that are often used by owls like the Spotted and Giant Eagle Owl. The weird thing about the nest besides the sheer size of it is the fact that the Hamerkop actually nests inside it, rather than on top. Hamerkop are actually pretty common in SA.
http://www.sapref.com/hamerkops.htm
Thanks for the info and link Owlman. You're making me want to go to South Africa. When are you taking me?
Nice list. I'd sure love to see them all. Here's another one that I crave: Ibisbill. And I'll echo the notion that Bananaquit no longer counts. It's nested well within the Tanagers. I wasn't aware of the Sharpbill change, but I've been saving a good read on all the latest suboscine changes for a rainy day.
~ Nick
I think you are all wrong!
The one major thing these birds have in common is that they are excessively cool creatures!
How did I forget Ibisbill? There's a NJ birder who has IBISBILL as his license plate.
I think you're right Jochen!
The IOC suggested splitting Ostrich into Common and Somali species. I guess that would preclude them as well, though I don't know if all the lists have accepted that switch yet.
Bananaquit has been everywhere, I remember when it was a Warbler!
I've seen 4 of these birds. 3, though, if you remove Bananaquit.
SA really is a bird paradise, especially if you like raptors and owls. I was surprised when I came over to the US with how few raptors there are, when compared to SA. Actually I'd like to post a list of all the raptors I've seen in SA some time (which will make most people want to make a trip to SA), I just need to dig my bird book up. I'm hoping to make a trip out to SA in 2009, probably during their summer (Feb). I’m hoping to have time to swing by Kruger Park (one of my friends works there) and hopefully he can get me onto a Pel’s fishing owl. Capturing a photo of one of these rare and unusual owls would be AMAZING. A couple of months back he did a survey along one of the major rivers and they found several Pel’s! Making a trip out to Africa is like nothing else in the world and it will blow your mind. Can you imagine seeing 8-10 different eagles in one day? That is very likely in a wildlife park like Kruger!
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