Comments for Earth Life

Comment on Greater Coucal or the Crow Pheasant by Mike

Mike — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 05:22:24 +0000

Hi, just wondering on how aggressive these birds are to each other. I just had 2 outside my window here in Thailand, and it looked like one was killing the other. There is a sunken 1m wide concrete water ring, filled with dead leaves and general garden waste. Bird 1 was on top dragging bird 2 about and I think pecking it, although I am not really sure what was going on there. When I opened my window to let my presence known the bird one flew off, leaving the 2nd gasping for air, it was panting heavily and looked completely exhausted. It let me approach it until touching range, where I placed a bowl of water and a ripe mango for it, just in case it felt the need. I backed off and stayed close as the neighbours cats have killed everything else that lives in that area. After about 10 mins it started to move again, so I feel exhaustion was what it was suffering from. I do not think it was any mating ritual and the only other 2 choices I can see would be attack or an attempt to rescue, something loud dragged me out of an after nap, so maybe the bird hit a window or something and its mate was trying to assist. Really not sure, if it was a mate I would have expected it to have stayed close to make sure I was no threat too. Any insight as to what happened would be appreciated. I spend a lot of time trying to stop the damn cats from killing everything, so hope the birds are not turning on each other too!

Comment on Falkland Steamer Ducks by Skip

Skip — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 22:56:52 +0000

Just a quick note that the Flying Steamer Duck occurs along side the Falkland Steamer Duck, so the range does in fact overlap, and distinguishing the two in the field is very difficult there. Taxonomy is still in flux, however. Cheers.

Comment on Cultural Significance Of The Kiwi Bird by SPURWING PLOVER

SPURWING PLOVER — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 05:53:10 +0000

Kiwis a re not threated by Climate Change but removing introduced Predators should be a #1 Priority

Comment on Why Do Peacocks Spread Their Feathers? by Bonita

Bonita — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 01:02:18 +0000

My mother just photographed 2 peacocks that showed up in the backyard for the first (1st) time in the ten (10) years of living in this home.
Thank you for your contributions!

Comment on Pekin Ducks by Anna Coles

Anna Coles — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 15:02:38 +0000

Hi Gordon,
What a fantastic website! Thank you so much in enabling me to compare and contrast 3 white ducks that have been turning up in what we call the ‘lower lake’, in countryside near Blaengarw village, in Bridgend, South Wales.

I wish you all the best in your endeavours to build the website – websites that support ‘Nature’ are so terrific and time-consuming and necessary!!! You have worked out that there’s a biodiversity crisis in tandem wiith the ‘climate crisis’ – and you are doing your best to do some ‘mitigation’ of what has been a human’ caused crisis in the first place!!!

So, thank you ever so much for the ‘look’!
Take good care of yourself,
Warmest regards
Anna Coles xxx

Comment on Brachiopoda by Gordon Ramel

Gordon Ramel — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 09:09:06 +0000

In reply to Dr. Deanna Noyes.

Thank you Dr. Deanna Noyes, I appreciate the feedback. Could you please quote the paragraph that needs correcting or even send with corrections as Gordon is not available at the moment. Thank you!

Comment on Brachiopoda by Dr. Deanna Noyes

Dr. Deanna Noyes — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 15:29:44 +0000

Great job: concise description.
Error in the shell description- you cales both halves of the shell “ventral” instead of dorsal and ventral.
It’s OK if you already are familiar with the phylum.
Thank you for what was obviously a work of love for these beautiful animals.

Comment on Purple Honeycreepers by Gregg L. Friedman MD

Gregg L. Friedman MD — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 01:18:01 +0000

Interesting article on the purple honeycreeper . It is a beautiful bird. Thanks for publishing this information. 5 Stars. By Gregg L. Friedman MD

Comment on The Diplura (Two-Pronged Bristle Tails) by Mairif

Mairif — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 21:34:42 +0000

I need some guides for identification of diplura group

Comment on Icterids by Daisy

Daisy — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 18:14:32 +0000

Hi Gordon, thanks for the very detailed information! I am writing a scientific report on the Icterids, and I am wondering what is the reason for all of them living in open habitat or degraded forests? Is this a result of foraging behaviour or unique adaptation to urbanisation? What is your opinion on this? As I can’t find many sources explaining this…