© GW - monacoeye • All rights reserved • Gambia, Mar 2013. 1. M. f. flavissima ?

Bird name: Western Yellow Wagtail
Latin: Motacilla flava
Other: Bergeronnette printanière (Fr)
Family: Motacillidae • Wagtails
Range: Temperate Europe and Asia, migrates to Africa, S Asia.
Similar: Grey Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail

The Yellow Wagtail varies in appearance depending on subspecies. Pictured here:

1. Above, possibly Motacilla flava flavissima, Yellow-crowned Wagtail - Gambia, March.

2. Directly below, probably Motacilla flava dombrowskii - Danube Delta, Romania, May.

3. Possibly, Motacilla flava flavissima, Yellow-crowned Wagtail - Gambia, February

4. Possibly Motacilla flava flava, Blue-headed Wagtail - Gambia, March

5. Motacilla flava cinereocapilla, Ashy-headed Wagtail - NW Italy, April

2. Small white supercilium, dark cap, yellow underside, M. f. dombrowskii, Romania, May.


3. Yellow supercilium, throat, belly; brown eyestripe, white chest, Gambia, Feb, 2013


4. White supercilium, striped face, yellow throat, chest and belly, Gambia, Mar, 2013


5. Below M. f. cinereocapilla – Ashy-headed Wagtail. Arma di Taggia, Italy, April
More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • Geneva, Feb 2013 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Great Cormorant
Latin: Phalacrocorax carbo
Other: Great Black Cormorant • Black Cormorant • Black Shag (NZ) • Grand Cormoran (Fr) • Cormoran Commun, Cormoranul mare (Ro)
Family: Phalacrocoracidae • Cormorants
Range: Widespread Europe, Asia and Australasia. Also W Africa.
Similar:

The European bird turns white around the head and chest during courtship, with a white patch near the thigh. Juveniles are brown with whitish stomachs. Adults have a yellow stripe below the eye spanning both halves of the back of the jaw, a white cheek, and irises are green.

Great Cormorants can form very large flocks and were seen below fishing with Pelicans in the sea near the mouth of the Danube.

They swim very low in the water, often with only necks and head sticking out, and famously dry their outstretched wings in the sun.

In Gambia, the lucidus White-Breasted Cormorant race is found. See comments for pic.

Below, Great Cormorant suns wings, Geneva, Feb 2013
More photos...

© monacoeye.com • Danube Delta • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Squacco Heron
Latin: Ardeola ralloides
Other: Crabier Chevelu (Fr)
Family: Ardeidae • Herons
Range: Europe, Middle East, Africa
Similar:

Squacco Herons line many of the canals in Danube Delta.

Adults have blue bills with black tips. Lores are sometimes bright green (see above) in courtship. Feet are yellow-orange and legs orange-pink becoming redder during courtship.

Plumage of juveniles (more photos) and winter adults is strongly streaked around the neck. Legs are greenish and beaks less blue.

Squacco Heron, Gambia, Feb 2013

More photos...

© monacoeye. All rights reserved. Pantanal, August

Bird name: Great Egret
Latin: Ardea alba
Other: Grande Aigrette (Fr) • Kotuku (NZ) • Great White Egret • Common Egret • Garça-branca-grande (Br)
Family: Ardeidae • Herons, Egrets
Range: Worldwide
Similar: Little Egret, Intermediate Egret, White Stork

The Great Egret is a prominent large heron with all-white plumage, large wingspan, yellow bill, dark feet. Neck retracted in flight. In breeding plumage (see below in Romania), bill can be black, lores green, tibia red.

Seen regularly by rivers, lakes etc. France, Brazil, Africa etc.

The subspecies Ardea alba alba (Europe) (see “more photos”), Ardea alba egretta (Americas), Ardea alba melanorhynchos (Africa) and Ardea alba modesta (Asia & Australasia) were split by the IOC and then relumped.

Great Egret standing on tree, Pantanal, August


Great Egret in flight showing streamers, Mostardas, RS, Brazil, November


Great Egret in breeding plumage, green lores, black bill, red tibia. Danube Delta, May.
More photos...

Copyright monacoeye • Danube Delta, May • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: White Stork
Latin: Ciconia ciconia
Other: Cigogne blanche (Fr), Weißstorch (De), cigüeña blanca (Es), cicogna bianca (It), cegonha-branca (Pt)
Family: Ciconiidae • Storks
Range: France, Germany, Spain, E Europe to Africa. Also Asia.
Similar:

The White Stork is a large stork, seen in rural wetlands in Romania and France. Large numbers seen south of Madrid, nest building on train stations, mobile phone masts, towers etc. March 2013.



Below, a White Stork in the nest at La Capelliere, Camargue, March.


Below, White Stork nesting on train station, S Madrid, Spain, Mar 2013

More photos...

© GW - monacoeye.com, all rights reserved. Camargue, France

Bird name: Common Shelduck
Latin: Tadorna tadorna
Other: Tadorne de Belon (Fr),
Family: Anatidae • Ducks, Shelducks
Range: Eurasia
Similar:

The Common Shelduck is fairly widespread in France year round. These were seen in the Camargue and in Nice. A large attractive duck.

Below, Common Shelducks fly past Flamingos in Camargue, France, January.


More photos...

Copyright: AS/monacoeye • Tanzania Oct 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Ruff
Latin: Philomachus pugnax
Other: Combatente (Pt) • Combattant varié (Fr) • Kampfläufer (De) • Combatiente (Es) • Combattente (It)
Family: Scolopacidae • Sandpipers
Range: Breeds in Eurasia, winters S&W Europe, Africa, S Asia, Australia
Similar:

I believe these are Ruff. Above in Tanzania, October, below (in more photos) in Danube Delta, May. The male in breeding plumage (not pictured here) is quite spectacular.

Orange legs protrude past tail in flight.More photos...

© monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Common Cuckoo
Latin: Cuculus canorus
Other: Cuckoo (UK) • Coucou gris (Fr) • Kuckuck (De) • cuco común (Es) • cuculo (It) • koekoek (Nl) • Gök (Sv) • cuco-canoro (Pt)
Family: Cuculidae - Cuckoos
Range: Widespread Europe summer migrant from Sub-saharan Africa; widespread Asia.
Similar: Hawk colouring

The brown cuckoos are female and the grey ones here are probably male, although there is both a brown and a grey female form.

The juvenile cuckoo, which we saw above 2000m in the Mercantour (photo further below), is identifiable by the small white patch on back of head, and some white streaks to upperside.

In the Danube Delta in May, you are never out of earshot of a cuckoo, and they are a fairly common sight, flying over the reedbeds and settling in trees.

Below, probably male cuckoo, Danube Delta.


More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: European Roller
Latin: Coracias garrulus
Other: Rollier d'Europe (Fr), Rolieiro-europeu (Pt), Carraca europea (Es), Blauracke (De), Ghiandaia marina (It), 蓝胸佛法僧 (Ch), Сизоворонка (Ru), Gökkuzgun (Tu), Kraska zwyczajna (Po)
Family: Coraciidae • Rollers
Range: Breeds SW SC Europe eg Romania; Iran, Iraq to Russia, NW China. Winters Africa, Senegal to S Africa.
Similar:

The European Roller is the only Roller to live in Europe. An attractive mid-sized bird in the same order as the kingfishers and hoopoes. Often seen perched on high snags or swooping for dragonflies, small frogs etc, in the Danube Delta.

Pale blue underside with dark blue primaries, rufous back, some white around bill.

Below, European Roller in flight, Danube Delta, May 2009
More photos...

Copyright: AS - monacoeye • Ngorongoro • Oct 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: European Bee Eater
Latin: Merops apiaster
Other: Guêpier d'Europe (Fr) • Gruccione (It) • Abejaruco europeo (Es)
Family: Meropidae • Bee Eaters
Range:
Similar:

Around the 8th of September each year, hundreds of European Bee-eaters fly along the mountains behind Monaco (below in “more photos”), parallel to the coast, in their annual southwestern migration, down to Spain and then on to Africa.

They seem to come through in groups of twenty to fifty birds, at roughly half-hour intervals, with a one-day peak of several hundred individuals.

These small colourful birds have a fluttering flight, which appears quite haphazard, yet they manage to progress in a generally westward direction, parallel to the coast. They can be heard approaching by their flutey, whistling song, which sounds a little like singing electrical wires, which they make as they fly.

André, has just sent in the photo (above) of a European Bee-Eater in the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, in October.More photos...

© monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Black Woodpecker
Latin: Dryocopus martius
Other: Fr: Pic noir • De: Schwarzspecht • Es: Pito negro • It: Picchio nero • Nl: zwarte specht • Sv: Spillkråka • Tr: Kara ağaçkakan • Pl: Dzięcioł czarny • Ru: Желна • Ko: 까막딱따구리 • Ja:クマゲラ • Zh: 黑啄木鳥
Family: Picidae • Woodpeckers
Range: Europe, Asia, from France to Japan
Similar: none

The Black Woodpecker is a striking large forest woodpecker found throughout the northern Palearctic (Europe and Asia). Related to some American woodpeckers, such as the Pileated Woodpecker. Pictured here in the Danube Delta.More photos...

© monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Great Spotted Woodpecker
Latin: Dendrocopos major
Other: Fr: Pic épeiche • De: Buntspecht • Es: pico picapinos • It: Picchio rosso maggiore • Nl: grote bonte specht • Sv: Större hackspett • Tr: Göknar ağaçkakanı • Pl: Dzięcioł duży • Ru: Большой пёстрый дятел • Ko: 오색딱따구리 • Ja:アカゲラ • Zh: 大斑啄木鸟
Family: Picidae • Woodpeckers
Range: Europe Asia to Japan, Korea
Similar: Syrian Woodpecker

See Syrian Woodpecker for differences. These are both females from lack of red patch on back of head.More photos...

© monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania, May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Syrian Woodpecker
Latin: Dendrocopos syriacus
Other: Tr: Alaca ağaçkakan • Ru: Сирийский дятел
Family: Picidae • Woodpeckers
Range: SE Europe to Iran
Similar: Great Spotted Woodpecker

This Syrian Woodpecker obliged by landing on an electricity pole in front of me as I was waiting for a boat trip.

The Syrian Woodpecker can be differentiated from the more widespread Great Spotted Woodpecker by a broken black line around the neck - on the Great Spotted Woodpecker this line is not interrupted.

The red patch on the back of the head identifies this woodpecker as a male.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Camargue, France • Jan 2012 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Common Reed Bunting
Latin: Emberiza schoeniclus
Other: Reed Bunting (UK) • Bruant des roseaux (Fr) • Rohrammer (De) • Escribano palustre (Es) • Migliarino di palude (It) • Rietgors (Nl) • Sävsparv (Sv) • Escrevedeira-dos-caniços (Pt) • 
Family: Emberizidae • Buntings
Range: Europe, N. Asia, to S Europe, N Africa
Similar: Various buntings, linnet etc

Above female or juvenile winter Common Reed Bunting, Camargue. The adult summer male has a black head, as below in Romania.

Below, male Reed Bunting, Danube Delta, Romania, May.
More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Romania • May 2009

Bird name: Hooded Crow
Latin: Corvus cornix
Other: Cornacchia grigia (It)
Family: Corvidae • Crows
Range:
Similar:

The Hooded Crow replaces the all-black Carrion Crow in Eastern Europe, Ireland and northern Scotland. These crows are often thought of as the same species but here treated separately.

The Hooded Crow is common in the Danube Delta in Romania (pictured here), and often seen in fields etc, like the Carrion Crow.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Gadwall
Latin: Anas strepera
Other: Canard Chipeau (Fr) • Schnatterente (De) • Anade friso (Es) • Canapiglia (It) • Krakeend (Nl) • Snatterand (Sv) • Frisada (Pt)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks
Range:
Similar: Mallard (female)

A couple of very nice shots of Gadwalls in Iceland near Reykjavik in May, sent in by Alexia.

Pictured above, a male Gadwall, fine lines on side and white speculum. In flight (see “more photos”) a chestnut patch is visible on the wing. The female, directly below, is similar to a female Mallard, but with more orange on the bill.

Below, a female Gadwall near Reykjavik, Iceland, in May.
More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Eurasian Oystercatcher
Latin: Haematopus ostralegus
Other: Oystercatcher (UK) • Huitrier Pie (Fr) • Austernfischer (De) • Ostrero común euroasiático (Es) • Beccaccia di mare (It) • Scholekster (Nl) • Strandskata (Sv) • Ostraceiro-europeu (Pt)
Family: Haematopodidae • Oystercatchers
Range: Eurasian and African coasts, central Asia
Similar:

A nice shot of a Eurasian Oystercatcher on the Reykjanes Peninsular in Iceland from Alexia. In more photos one flying by the Black Sea, on the Romania and Ukraine border.More photos...

© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Monaco • February

Bird name: Common Starling
Latin: Sturnus vulgaris
Other: European Starling, Starling (UK) • L'Étourneau sansonnet (Fr) • Star (De) • Estornino pinto (Es) • Storno (It) • Estorninho-comum (Pt)
Family: Sturnidae • Starlings
Range: Temperate Europe, W Asia, migrates south in the winter.
Similar: Blackbird, Spotless Starling (Spain, Portugal, Corsica)

Migrating Starlings are a common sight in cities in the winter, gathering in very large flocks and filling the trees of city squares. Large numbers arrive in Monaco in the winter, but authorities set up an anti-starling campaign over the last few years, with vans blasting hawk sounds, which seems to have had an effect.

Starlings are not just city birds, but also found in very large groups in the countryside and are a common garden bird. Like many other winter residents, near Monaco they favour olive trees and clear trees of all remaining olives in the winter months.

In the winter, birds are spotted: glossy dark with light tips to feathers. In the summer they lose this spotting. They have yellow bills, which darken in the winter, and so can be confused with blackbirds if only seen quickly.

A Common Starling in Reykjavik, May.
More photos...

Photo: monacoeye • Nice, Ventimiglia • Summer 2009

Bird name: Common Moorhen
Latin: Gallinula chloropus
Other: Gallinule Poule d'Eau (Fr) • Teichralle (De) • Polla Gris (Es), Polla de Agua • Galinha-d'água (Pt)
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Gallinules
Range: Eurasia, Africa, Indian Ocean islands, S, SE Asia to Philippines, N Mariana Is.

The Common Moorhen, has a distinctive red beak with yellow tip. Rails are aquatic birds but Moorhens' toes are not lobed, unlike Coots. One of the most commonly seen waterbirds - seen in Cote d’Azur, France, Danube Delta etc.

See Common Gallinule for the similar bird found in the Americas, recently split.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Whiskered Tern
Latin: Chlidonias hybridus
Other: Guifette Moustac (Fr) • Fumarel cariblanco (Es) • Mignattino piombato (It)
Family: Laridae • Terns
Range: Widespread Africa, Eurasia, Asia, Australasia.

The Whiskered Tern is the largest of the Marsh Terns. More often seen in ones and twos than in large groups. They were very common in some areas of the Danube Delta in May, which is when they return to Europe from Africa.

Whiskered Terns often hover over rivers and lakes with their head down looking for fish. The main confusion species where I saw them in the Danube Delta and Nice was the Common Tern, which is whiter below has a longer, pointier, redder bill with black tip and long tail feathers. The Whiskered Tern in breeding plumage is sooty below, with dark red bill and legs, and short tail.

More photos...

All photos copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common Tern
Latin: Sterna hirundo
Other: Sterne pierregarin (Fr) • Charrán común (Es) • Andorinha-do-mar-comum (Pt) • Sterna comune (It) • Fluss-Seeschwalbe (De) • Visdief (Nl) • Fisktärna (Sv)
Family: Laridae • Terns
Range: Widespread
Similar:

The Common Tern is a summer visitor to the Côte d’Azur from April and good numbers can be seen in the Var estuary, where it breeds. Nests are often simple affairs - a couple of branches and a dip in the ground. One parent stays with the eggs or chicks while the other brings back fish. Common Terns seem to like to stand on rocks that just protrude from the flowing river. The dry river bed stones camouflage the birds well.

The Common Tern can be identified, in summer plumage, by its bright red bill with black tip, forked tail and red legs. In the Mediterranean it is unlikely to be confused with another tern as the only others with similar bill colour are the much larger Roseate Tern and the darker smaller Whiskered Tern, both are also less common and behave differently.

In the Northern winter Common Terns migrate south and exchange their distinctive black-tipped red bill and black cap for a black bill and white forehead. They can be distinguished from other similar terns by the dark mark on the fold of wing, very dark red legs, and tail streamers shorter than wing when standing.

Many more Common Tern photos here.









More photos...

© monacoeye • all rights reserved • Danube Delta • May 2009

Bird name: Purple Heron
Latin: Ardea purpurea
Other: Héron pourpré (Fr) • Garza imperial (Es) • Airone rosso (It) • Garça-vermelha (Pt)
Family: Ardeidae • Herons
Range: Europe, tropical Africa, Asia
Similar:


These Purple Heron photos were taken in the Danube Delta in Romania - Purple Herons are found throughout southern Europe during the spring and summer. I have also seen them in river estuaries in Nice, the Camargue and Ventimiglia.

They are large birds, very similar to Grey Herons, but with deeper brown and rufous tones and stronger markings.

More photos...

Photos copyright: VM/monacoeye • Treviso, Italy • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Spotted Flycatcher
Latin: Muscicapa striata
Other: Gobe-Mouche Gris (Fr) • Pigliamosche (It)
Family: Muscicapidae • Old World Flycatchers

A nice picture of a Spotted Flycatcher above sent in by Valerie from her garden in Italy. Note the faintly streaked chest and head and slightly lighter supercilium. Otherwise not much in the way of prominent features.

While most birds cannot distinguish between their own eggs and others, the Spotted Flycatcher can discriminate well. This suggests it was once parasitised by the Cuckoo but successfully adapted its defence though egg recognition.

I saw half a dozen Spotted Flycatchers in the Danube Delta region, particularly near the coastal area - numbers have reportedly fallen off in the UK.More photos...

Photos: VM/monacoeye • Treviso, Italy • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common Redstart
Latin: Phoenicurus phoenicurus
Other: Redstart • Rouge-queue à front blanc (Fr) • Codirosso (It)
Family: Muscicapidae • Old World Flycatchers
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa

Above, lovely bright colours of the male Common Redstart in northern Italy, from Valerie.More photos...

Photo copyright: VM/monacoeye • Do not copy • Image: Treviso, Italy

Bird name: European Goldfinch
Latin: Carduelis carduelis
Other: Goldfinch • Chardonneret élégant (Fr) • Cardellino (It)
Family: Fringillidae • Finches
Range:
Similar:

Many thanks to Valerie for sending in the above photo of a Goldfinch in her garden in northern Italy.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Italy - Romania • May 2009

Bird name: Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Latin: Passer montanus
Other: Moineau friquet (Fr)
Family: Passeridae • Sparrows

The Tree Sparrow is far less common than the similar House Sparrow and can be easily differentiated by the small patch of black on its cheek and wholly rufous top of head. Also found throughout Europe and much of Asia.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • France • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common Magpie
Latin: Pica pica
Other: European Magpie • Pie bavarde (Fr)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Magpies
Range:
Similar:

The Magpie is the one bird that everyone (in Europe) can recognise immediately. It is found throughout Europe and much of Asia and northwest Africa. Common in most locations, throughout the year.

It is large, black and white, with some blue on wing. The only other magpie in Europe is the Azure-winged Magpie, found in Spain.More photos...

© monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Great White Pelican
Latin: Pelecanus onocrotalus
Other: Great White Pelican • Eastern White Pelican
Family: Pelecanidae - Pelicans
Range:
Similar:

Half of all White Pelicans breed in the Danube Delta, where they can be seen in great numbers, spiralling up on thermals, high in the sky, or swimming in the Black Sea and lakes in the Delta, often with cormorants.

The White Pelican has pink lores and dark irises, which distinguish it from the rarer Dalmatian Pelican. The White Pelican also has a thick black trailing stripe to on the wing. Pictured below in “more photos” is one unusual individual with both white and black feathers.

Also seen on MacCarthy Island in the Gambia, March 2013.




More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Danube Delta + • November 2009

Bird name: Mute Swan
Latin: Cygnus olor
Other: Cygne tuberculé • Cygne muet • Cigno reale (It) • Cigno bianco
Family: Anatidae • Swans
Range:
Similar:

Does everyone know the Mute Swan? It’s certainly what most people know as a swan in the UK and much of Europe, but its range only extends a little further into Asia. I wonder if it has been introduced around the world.

Anyway, it is familiar as the large white swan with orange bill and black knob. As can be seen below, the young are mottled brown with dark bill. Large numbers can be found in the Danube Delta in Romania, but they are also common in pairs on lakes and rivers in the UK, France, Italy etc.

More photos...

© monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Great Crested Grebe
Latin: Podiceps cristatus
Other: Grèbe huppé • Somormujo Lavanco
Family: Podicipedidae - Grebes
Range:
Similar:

This poor fellow was caught in a fishing net when we found him, and was exhausting himself thrashing around trying to escape. Fortunately we were able to release him with no apparent damage to himself - or ourselves from that sharp beak!

After a minute or two he seemed to regain his composure and swam off, away from the net this time. He looked as if he would be OK…



Below a shot of another individual, on Lake Como, in Italy, showing the familiar crest.

More photos...

© monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Red Necked Grebe
Latin: Podiceps grisegena
Other:
Family: Podicipedidae - Grebes
Range:
Similar:

A Red Necked Grebe with chick seen in the Danube Delta. This Grebe does not live in the western Mediterranean.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Europe • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Eurasian Coot
Latin: Fulica atra
Other: Coot • Foulque Macroule • Focha Común • Blässhuhn • Folaga • Galeirão-Comum
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Coots

The Coot is probably the bird you are most likely to see near a lake or slow waterway in Europe, after the Mallard.

Easy to identify from its bobbing head movement and white shield that extends from the bill, which on closer inspection can be slightly pinkish. Plumage generally appears black.

There are about 11 Coot species worldwide, mostly in South America. The Eurasian Coot is the only one you are likely to see in Europe, though the Red Knobbed Coot can be found in southwest Spain.

The Coots are parts of the Rail family, which includes the larger Moorhen, which has a red bill with yellow tip, and is often seen in the same riverside habitat.

Notice the long lobed toes, even on the Coot chick, seen in Geneva, in June. The photo of several hundred on a lake was taken in the Camargue in January.More photos...

© GW monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Pygmy Cormorant
Latin: Phalacrocorax pygmaeus
Other: Cormoranul mic (Romanian)
Family: Phalacrocoracidae • Cormorants
Range:
Similar:

The Pygmy Cormorant is the smallest of all 40 odd Cormorant species. It is about 50 cm long - in comparison the Great Cormorant is about 80 cm.

Its main breeding area is the Danube Delta and it is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN list due to loss of habitat.

There are currently an estimated 4000 breeding pairs in the Delta of a total of about 7000 in Europe.

The Pygmy Cormorant is mostly black with small white tufts during breeding season.

It can be distinguished from the Great Cormorant by size if both are seen together (pic below, Pygmy on right of tree). Its bill is much smaller, its tail is proportionally longer due its small body size, and it has no yellow markings on its face. It can also have a brownish neck and looks generally more like a duck or crow than the Great Cormorant does.


More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Eurasian Hoopoe
Latin: Upupa epops
Other: Huppe fasciée • Upupiformes
Family: Upupidae • Hoopoe

In the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy the Hoopoe gets its own order, Upupiformes. Otherwise it falls into Coraciiformes, the same general grouping as Rollers, Kingfishers and Bee-Eaters.

A great looking crested bird - I saw several in my stay in the Danube Delta and recently one in the local park.

More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • All rights reserved • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009

Bird name: Eurasian Golden Oriole
Latin: Oriolus oriolus
Other: Golden Oriole. Loriot d'Europe (Fr)
Family: Oriolidae • Orioles
Range:
Similar:

The only Golden Oriole I've ever seen, as he flitted across a canal in the Danube Delta for about 3 seconds.

Not a brilliant shot, I grant you, but I was pretty chuffed with this observation on my first day, after the tour guide, who had been visiting this area weekly for four years, admitted that to her great frustration, despite peering through binoculars for hours on end, she had never seen a single Golden Oriole!

Unfortunately for her she was at the back of the boat reading a paper when this one flew by the front end. No amount of squinting at my camera's small LCD was going to convince her that this was indeed a Golden Oriole she had just missed either.

The proof is nevertheless there, for all to see, in glorious black and yellow!

The Golden Oriole is Europe's only oriole.

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Red Backed Shrike
Latin: Lanius collurio
Other: Pie-grièche écorcheur
Family: Laniidae - Shrikes
Range:
Similar:

Female to the left and male, with black Zorro mask, to the right. The Red Backed Shrike was most common of the three shrikes I have seen so far.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Lesser Grey Shrike
Latin: Lanius minor
Other: Pie-grièche à poitrine rose (Fr) • Lesser Gray Shrike
Family: Laniidae - Shrikes
Range:
Similar:

This Lesser Grey Shrike was right at the top of the tallest tree in the marshes, in the Danube Delta.More photos...

© monacoeye.com • Danube Delta • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Black Crowned Night Heron
Latin: Nycticorax nycticorax
Other: Night Heron • Bihoreau Gris • Héron Bihoreau
Family: Ardeidae • Herons
Range:
Similar:

Some areas of the Danube Delta wetlands are home to great numbers of Black-crowned Night Herons.

In the breeding season, feet turn reddish, irises turn brighter red and the herons grow a couple of plumes. At other times feet are yellow and wings light grey.

The juvenile Night Heron has brown wings with white spots and a brownish neck with faint streaks.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Eurasian Hobby
Latin: Falco subbuteo
Other: Faucon hobereau
Family: Falconidae • Birds of Prey

The top shot illustrates the characteristic “red trousers” of the Hobby.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: White Tailed Eagle
Latin: Haliaeetus albicilla
Other: Sea Eagle • Erne • Ern • White-Tailed Sea-Eagle • Pygargue à Queue Blanche • Grand Aigle de Mer • Aigle Barbu
Family: Accipitridae • Eagles, Sea Eagles, Birds of Prey
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A superb bird, with a massive beak, the White-Tailed Eagle has a two metre wingspan and is the fourth largest eagle in the world. They can live to thirty years old.

The White Tailed Eagle is rare in Europe so the Danube Delta is a good place to see one. As this one approached on Caraorman Island he was mobbed by crows and then disappeared again.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Pallas’s Gull • Great Black Headed Gull
Latin: Larus ichthyaetus
Other: Pallas’s Gull • Great Black Headed Gull
Family: Laridae • Gulls

Probably the most unusual bird I saw on my trip, this Pallas’s Gull, or Great Black-headed Gull, flew past as we were exploring the canals near Sulina. I took it for a deformed Mediterranean Gull at the time ! Fortunately I bothered to snap a photo, or I would never have known…More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Sedge Warbler
Latin: Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Other: Phragmite des joncs (fr)
Family: Acrocephalidae • Reed Warblers

These Sedge Warblers were living in the reeds on Caraorman Island, a large sand bank, in the Danube Delta. From time to time they would jump up from the reeds fly around a bit and head back down.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Bearded Reedling
Latin: Panurus biarmicus
Other: Panure a moustaches (Fr) • Bearded Tit
Family: Panuridae • Sylviidae

At Lake Rosu there was a sizeable population of Bearded Reedlings inhabiting the lakeside reeds. The male adult (top) has a yellow beak, blue-grey head and large black vertical eyestripe (moustache).

Juveniles have black “lores” between eye and beak, the male juvenile having a yellow beak (middle photos), and the female juvenile a black beak (bottom photo).

Recent research has placed the Bearded Reedling outside the Tit family.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common Kingfisher
Latin: Alcedo atthis
Other: Martin Pêcheur d’Europe (Fr) • Eisvogel (De) • Martín pescador común (Es) • Martin pescatore comune (It) • Ijsvogel (Nl) • Kungsfiskare (Sv) • Guarda-rios-comum (Pt)
Family: Alcedinidae • Kingfishers
Range: Eurasia, North Africa
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One of the most beautiful European birds I have seen. On a first tourist trip from Tulcea, I was very pleased to pass several of these fantastic birds sitting on the branches of trees overhanging shaded waterways.

Also seen in various places on the Cote d’Azur, including once in Monaco.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Ferruginous Duck
Latin: Aythya nyroca
Other: Fuligule nyroca
Family: Anatidae • Ducks

The Ferruginous Duck seemed to be the most common duck in the Delta on my visit. The only other species I saw was the Mallard.More photos...

© monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Dalmatian Pelican
Latin: Pelecanus crispus
Other: Pélican frisé (Fr)
Family: Pelecanidae - Pelicans
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The Dalmatian Pelican, a key species for the Delta, is quite a rare bird, with IUCN conservation status classed as Vulnerable. There are reportedly about 1000 breeding pairs remaining, scattered across relatively few sites in south-eastern Europe.

Fortunately I saw about a dozen birds over three days in the Danube. Sometimes flying overhead, sometimes with White Pelicans standing on a spit, sometimes on lakes and waterways.

Whereas the Great White Pelican is seen in large flocks, the Dalmatian Pelican is usually seen in ones, twos and threes. It is distinguishable from the Great White Pelican by lack of pink colouring, especially lack of pink lores, grey, not dark, irises and lack of thick black wing stripe.

The birds I saw all had dirty white matted hair on the back of their necks - though one characteristic of the Dalmatian Pelican is much longer, curly, hair on the neck.

Dalmatian Pelican, Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • All rights reserved
More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Eurasian Spoonbill
Latin: Platalea leucorodia
Other: Spatule blanche
Family: Threskiornithidae • Spoonbills

The Spoonbill is a great bird, immediately recognisable by its rounded yellow-tipped bill. I didn’t see many in the Danube. Fortunately this one seemed happy to pose while I took a few photos on the bank of this canal.More photos...

© monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Glossy Ibis
Latin: Plegadis falcinellus
Other: Ibis falcinelle
Family: Threskiornithidae • Ibises
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I saw several Glossy Ibises on a recent trip to the Danube Delta, living on the banks of the canals.

More photos...