Southern Caracara (Caracara plancus)

The Southern Caracara, also known as the Carancha, inhabits the open spaces of South America. It is one of the largest birds in the falcon family, second only to the Gyrfalcon in size and weight. The body length ranges from 55-65 cm, and it can weigh up to 1.5 kg.

🍽️ Its diet is varied, from insects and worms to small mammals, frogs, and lizards. It often feeds on carrion and steals prey from other birds.

🌎 The behavior of the Caracara is quite unusual compared to other falcons. You can often see this bird walking on the ground in search of food, using its long legs to move around.

🤝 In addition to preferring to walk rather than fly, these birds also form close bonds with their own kind. In their free time, they prefer not to soar in the air—this is not for the Caracara.

💡 Fun Fact: Caracaras are known to use tools, such as using rocks to break open eggs, a rare behavior among birds!

Corncrake (Crex crex) – a medium-sized bird from the rail family, known for its distinctive, crex-crex call, which gives it its Latin name. These birds are vocal from May to mid-summer, but remain silent for the rest of the year, especially during winter migration.

Corncrakes are reluctant to fly (usually only in extreme danger), covering just a few meters before landing again. However, their clumsiness in the air is compensated by their swift running and agility on the ground. They are excellent runners, confuse tracks, and hide skillfully, making it difficult for hunters to find their resting spots.

They feed on insects, spiders, mollusks, and occasionally small frogs, mammals, as well as seeds and green parts of various grasses and cereals, including crops.

Fun Fact: Corncrakes are known for their secretive nature and are often heard but rarely seen. Their population has declined significantly due to habitat loss, making them a species of conservation concern.

African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus)

This unique canine resembles a hyena only by its black facial mask. It has a lean, light body, strong high legs, and large, oval-shaped ears that give its head a distinctive silhouette.

Body length is about a meter, shoulder height up to 78 cm, and weight varies between 18-36 kg, depending on whether the animal is fed or hungry. African wild dogs can eat up to 9 kg of meat in one sitting!

Once widespread in African savannas south of the Sahara, their range is now fragmented, mainly in national parks and untouched landscapes in Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

Fun Fact: African wild dogs are one of the most successful hunters, with a success rate of over 80%! 🐾

Glossy Ibis (Platalea leucorodia) - A Marsh Bird with a Unique Spoon-Shaped Bill!

The Glossy Ibis is a wading bird from the ibis family, reaching up to 1 meter in length, weighing 1.2-2 kg, with a wingspan of 115-135 cm. It's entirely white, with black bills and legs. During breeding season, they develop a crest on the back of their heads and a rusty patch at the base of their necks. Their most distinctive feature is their spoon-shaped bill, which they use to filter mud for food.

Did you know? The Glossy Ibis is known for its unique feeding technique. It sweeps its bill side-to-side in shallow water to catch small fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic creatures.

They nest in Southern Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. In Europe, they winter in Central and Eastern Africa, while Asian populations migrate to India and China.

Glossy Ibis inhabit shallow waters, slow-moving rivers with muddy bottoms, and both freshwater and saline lakes. 🌊🐟

Marsh Cat (Reed Cat or Swamp Lynx) Felis chaus

The marsh cat is larger than any domestic cat (except for the Maine Coon): body length 60–90 cm and weight 8-12 kg.

It has a relatively short body, long legs, and a short tail (21–30 cm), with small tufts on its ears. Its color is yellow-brown, uniform, with a lighter underside. The marsh cat resembles a lynx.

Fun Fact: Marsh cats are excellent swimmers and are known to dive into water to catch prey or escape threats!

These elusive felines thrive in dense reeds, trostnik, and thorny bushes along low-lying riverbanks, lakes, and seas. They feed on birds, rodents, and hares. Once believed to harm hunting estates, they are now recognized for their ecological role.

🐾 Did you know? Marsh cats have a unique vocalization that sounds like a mix between a meow and a bark! 🐾

Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) - a songbird from the finch family, it appears in our view in winter as the most active bird of this time of year.

The bullfinch is slightly larger than a sparrow: body length 15–19 cm, wingspan 24–30 cm, weight 24–36 g. At first glance, its red cheeks, lower neck, belly, and sides stand out - the tone and intensity of the lower body's coloration depend on the subspecies and individual characteristics. The bird has a black cap that appears with age.

Bullfinches have a fast, undulating flight, and they move on the ground in jumps. The song of the bullfinch is a sad whistle "few" or "few". It is quite pleasant - a set of soft whistles, buzzing and creaking sounds.

Fun Fact: Bullfinches are known for their unique feeding behavior. They often feed on tree buds, especially in winter, which has earned them the nickname "bud eater". This behavior is quite unusual among songbirds and makes them a fascinating subject for birdwatchers.

Four-winged cuckoo Tapera naevia inhabits South America - from Mexico and Trinidad south to Bolivia and Argentina.

This bird holds a significant place in Brazilian folklore and is linked to the legend of Saci, a one-legged mulatto boy with holes in his hands, an incorrigible prankster who smokes a pipe.

One of Saci's magical abilities is the power to transform into the elusive bird, Matita-pere, whose melancholic song seems to come from nowhere...

Fun Fact: The four-winged cuckoo is known for its unique call, which resembles the sound of a squeaky wheelbarrow! 🎶🐦

European Bison (Bison bonasus) - the last representative of wild cattle in Europe.

All modern European bison descend from just 12 individuals that existed in the early 20th century in zoos and reserves. This raises an interesting question: what is the role of zoos in conservation?

The debate continues in scientific literature: are the European bison and the American bison separate species, or are they subspecies of one species?

Interestingly, while European bison and American bison share similarities in their paternal Y-chromosome, their maternal mitochondrial DNA tells a different story. The American bison is more closely related to the yak (Bos grunniens), while the European bison is closer to the aurochs (Bos primigenius).

Today's European bison are smaller than their ancestors and even smaller than one of the American bison subspecies, the wood bison. Adult male European bison from the Bialowieza Forest subspecies weigh between 400 and 900 kg.

Blue Andigen (Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan) - Andigena hypoglauc

This vibrant bird inhabits central and southern Colombia, Peru, and eastern Ecuador.

Size: Small, weighing about 350-400g, with a 10cm beak and a total body length of up to 50cm.

Lifestyle: They live alone, in pairs, or in small family groups of up to 6 individuals, in the upper levels of the forest, only descending to the ground to search for food.

Diet: Primarily fruits and berries. Interestingly, they can hang upside down for a short time to reach their food!

Fun Fact: Toucans have a unique adaptation called "thermal windows" in their beaks, which help regulate their body temperature. 🌡️🐦

Angolan Talapoin Monkey (Miopithecus talapoin) - the smallest primate of the Old World. Body length: 32-45 cm, tail: 35-50 cm, weight: 0.8-1.9 kg.

Found in the southern part of the Congo River basin in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They inhabit forests, mangrove swamps, forest edges, and are often found near human settlements. Always settle near water sources.

These are diurnal animals, forming large groups of 70 to 100 individuals. A group may have several dominant males. There are more females than males in a group. They do not exhibit territorial behavior. Their diet includes insects, leaves, seeds, fruits, shoots, eggs, and small vertebrates.

Fun Fact: Talapoin monkeys have a unique way of cooling down—they sit on their tails and expose their large, blood-rich ischial callosities to the air, acting like natural radiators! 🐒💦

Wren (Eurasian Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes)

Meet the adorable wren, a tiny bird that looks like a soft, fluffy ball with a short tail sticking up! This little bird is incredibly active and has an unusually loud voice. Males mark their large territories by perching on high spots and singing their unique, hurried songs filled with loud, fast trills.

The scientific name Troglodytes troglodytes comes from the ancient Greek word τρωγλοδύτης, meaning "cave dweller." Today, we use this term to describe troglodytes—prehistoric people who lived in caves. The wren earned this name because it nests in thick-walled, spherical structures that resemble caves from the outside.

The wren is one of Europe's smallest birds, with a body length of just 9-11 cm, a wingspan of 15-17 cm, and a weight of 8-12 g.

Wrens are found not only in Eurasia and Northern Africa but also in North America.

A fascinating video about a hungry raccoon and a clever box turtle!

The box turtle, Terrapene, is a land-dwelling turtle found in the USA and Mexico, inhabiting various environments like semi-deserts, forests, thickets, and meadows. It typically lives near large bodies of water.

Its most remarkable feature is the structure of its plastron, which gives it its name: it has a movable hinge. Using this hinge, the turtle protects itself from predators by covering its head and front legs with the front part of the plastron, while pulling the rest towards the carapace, thus shielding its tail and back legs.

The result? A virtually impenetrable box with no openings! This unique defense mechanism makes the box turtle one of nature's most cleverly armored creatures. 🐢💪

Fun fact: Box turtles can live for over 100 years in the wild, making them one of the longest-living reptiles! 🎉

Borneo's Unique Giant-Furred Gliding Squirrel 🐿️

The Kiabu Squirrel (Rheithrosciurus macrotis) is an endemic species found only on the island of Borneo. This squirrel is quite unique, with a huge tail that's about 130% of its body length—a record among mammals!

Scientists are still unsure why this squirrel has such an enormous tail. Perhaps it helps with balance, communication, or even temperature regulation. Whatever the reason, it makes this little creature truly one of a kind!

Apologies for the video quality—this was the best I could find! 🎥

Javan (Silvery) Gibbon (Hylobates moloch) - an endemic species of the Indonesian island of Java.

The population of this species has significantly declined in the 20th century due to massive deforestation. Although hunting has been officially banned since 1924, poaching continues to this day.

These animals are captured for private collections and to make traditional Asian medicines.

Their current habitat covers only 4% of their original range.

Silvery gibbons are very picky eaters. They consume only ripe fruits, fresh young leaves, buds, and flowers. Occasionally, their vegetarian diet is supplemented with insects and their larvae.

Silvery gibbons lead a diurnal arboreal lifestyle. They spend almost all their time in the upper canopy of the forest, descending to the ground only in exceptional cases.

Fun Fact: Gibbons are known for their extraordinary singing abilities.

They produce a wide range of sounds, including songs that can last up to 15 minutes, used to defend their territory and attract mates. 🎶🌿

Amazon Umbrella Bird (Cephalopterus ornatus)

The Amazon Umbrella Bird, also known as the Amazon Cock-of-the-rock, is the largest passerine bird in South America, reaching up to 55 cm in length and weighing up to 570 g.

This bird is notable for its distinctive crest of feathers that curve forward, forming a unique umbrella-like structure over its beak. Additionally, a large fleshy pouch hangs from its throat, partially or fully covered in feathers, which amplifies its vocalizations.

The Umbrella Bird primarily feeds on fruits and berries, as well as spiders, insects, and their larvae.

Fun Fact: The Amazon Umbrella Bird is known for its unique courtship displays, where males gather in leks to perform elaborate dances and vocalizations to attract females. 🌈🎶