© Alexia W - monacoeye.com, all rights reserved. Geneva

Bird name: Mandarin Duck
Latin: Aix galericulata
Other:
Family: Anatidae • Ducks
Range: East Asia
Similar:

Record shot of an introduced Mandarin Duck in Lake Geneva. Stunning bird.

© GW - monacoeye.com, all rights reserved. Camargue, France • Mar 2009

Bird name: African Sacred Ibis
Latin: Threskiornis aethiopicus
Other: Ibis sacré (Fr)
Family: Threskiornithidae • Ibises
Range: Sub-saharan Africa, Iraq, Egypt, France
Similar:

The Sacred Ibis was introduced in France in the 1970’s. There is an established and free-flying group, seen here in the Camargue, with Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets.

I also saw Sacred Ibis at Kotu Sewage Ponds, in the Gambia.

Below, African Sacred Ibis, Gambia, Feb 2013
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Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Chiriqui, Panama 2010

Bird name: Tropical Mockingbird
Latin: Mimus gilvus
Other: Sinsonte, cenzontle tropical (Es) • Sabiá-da-praia (Br)
Family: Mimidae • Mockingbirds
Range: S Mexico to El Salvador, N, E South America

The Tropical Mockingbird which is endemic west of El Salvador and east of Colombia, was apparently introduced to Panama - I saw them at the Ammo Dump and in Chiriqui.

Light grey underneath with dark eye stripe and light iris.More photos...

© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Nice

Bird name: Java Sparrow
Latin: Lonchura oryzivora
Other:
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches
Range: Java, cage bird worldwide
Similar:

This Java Sparrow had escaped and found a home in the Parc Phoenix in Nice, picking up tiny crumbs of food given to the ducks. In native Java it is endangered as it is considered a pest to rice cultivation. But the Java Sparrow has been bred extensively as a cage bird in China and Japan, the USA (now banned in some places) and Europe.More photos...

Copyright: AS/AW/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Domestic Chicken
Latin: Gallus gallus domesticus
Other: Rooster, Cockerel (En) • Gallo doméstico, Pollo (Es) • Poule, Coq, Poulet domestique (Fr) • Polllo (It) • Haushuhn (De)
Family: Phasianidae • Pheasants
Range: Thailand or SE Asia originally, but introduced and bred worldwide.

A few photos of chickens from around the world. The chicken was probably domesticated from the Red Junglefowl, a type of pheasant, well over 10,000 years ago in the region of Thailand, and is now bred worldwide. The Red Junglefowl still carries the same species name Gallus gallus.

Below a Brahma Cockerel.

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Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Nice, 2010

Bird name: Bar Headed Goose
Latin: Anser indicus
Other: Oie à tête barrée (Fr) • Oca indiana (It)
Family: Anatidae • Geese
Range: Central Asian plateau, but feral birds in Europe

This Bar-headed Goose were seen at the Parc Phoenix in Nice. Although they keep a “collection” of ducks and geese, this may have been feral, as I have also seen one on the river in nearby Ventimiglia.More photos...

Copyright: TH/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Alpes Maritimes, June 2010

Bird name: Common Pheasant
Latin: Phasianus colchicus
Other: Faisán común (Es) • Faisan de Colchide (Fr) • Fagiano comune (It) • Fasan (De)
Family: Phasianidae • Pheasants
Range: Russia, China originally, naturalised France, UK, Germany, Balkans etc

Originally introduced as a game bird but now naturalised in central Europe and bred worldwide - there is a big mix of Common Pheasant breeds. Bottom photo shows two males squabbling.

The Common Pheasant is indeed not that uncommon around here, especially on some small islands off the Cote d’Azur, but often quite shy and will hop away from a path as one appears. Usually seen making its way through fairly dense undergrowth, sometimes vineyards. Male, unmistakeable gorgeous plumage and long tail, and red facial skin and wattles. The females lack the red face and are less colourful but also have long tails.

Many thanks to Tania for the photos.

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Copyright: TH/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Indian Peafowl
Latin: Phasianus colchicus
Other: Peacock (En) • Pavo real (Es) • Paon bleu (Fr) • Pavone comune (It) • Blaue Pfau (De)
Family: Phasianidae • Pheasants
Range: India originally, but introduced and bred worldwide.

What most of us know as a Peacock (stricly speaking the male) is an Indian Peafowl, originally from India and Sri Lanka but kept worldwide in parks and zoos. Peahens lack the spectacular colours and display. These were seen in Perth. The White Peacock is the same species and not an albino but leucistic and created through selective breeding.

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© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Nice

Bird name: Indian Silverbill
Latin: Euodice malabarica
Other: Lonchura malabarica • White Throated Munia
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches
Range: India, Sri Lanka, Asia, SC Asia + S France etc.
Similar:

Another introduced species, the small Indian Silverbill is common in Nice, and nests among the reeds. Quite easy to see, as it is not shy. Probably originally from escaped cagebirds.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Zanzibar • Oct 2009

Bird name: House Crow
Latin: Corvus splendens
Other: Colombo Crow • Huiskraai (NL)
Family: Corvidae • Crows
Range:
Similar:

The House Crow is originally from Asia, widespread from Iran to Thailand, but was introduced to Zanzibar, in the 19th century.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Nice, France • August, 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Ruddy Duck
Latin: Oxyura jamaicensis
Other: Erismature rousse
Family: Anatidae • Ducks

The Ruddy Duck is not originally European but American. Having been introduced in Britain it is now colonising the continent and threatening the endangered White-headed Duck, with which it is hybridizing. Apparently the Ruddy males are "sexually aggressive".

However moves are afoot to "remove", or extirpate, the Ruddy Duck from the ecosystem, in order to save the White Headed Duck, which can be found in southern Spain and a few other small colonies in southern Europe.

In Britain the Ruddy Duck has been labelled a pest by the RSPB and the hunting ban has been lifted on it. This refugee was seen in Nice, presumably working his way down to Grenada to check out the White Headed señoritas!More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye.com • St Jean Cap Ferrat • May 2009 • Do not copy

Bird name: Fischer’s Lovebird
Latin: Agapornis fischeri
Other: Inséparable de Fischer
Family: Psittacidae • Parrots • Lovebirds

There is a large colony of Fischer’s Lovebirds in St Jean and Villefranche. I was told that the original birds escaped from the zoo ten years ago - they seem well established.

They like to sit in the palm trees in groups of half a dozen birds and may also nest in the street lights. They live up to their name by cuddling affectionately with each other.

This small parrot is originally native to Lake Victoria and Tanzania. More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Ventimiglia • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Bank Myna
Latin: Acridotheres ginginianus
Family: Sturnidae • Starlings

Although Collins has the Common Myna as an established escape in Europe, this one seen in Ventimiglia at the weekend seems to be a Bank Myna, from the eye and bill colour … Originally from Northern India and Pakistan.More photos...

Bird name: Domestic Canary
Latin: Serinus canaria domestica
Other: Serin des Canaries • Canari
Family: Fringillidae • Finches
Range:
Similar:

Photo: monacoeye • Monaco • April 2009

This Domestic Canary was a surprise visitor to a friend’s terrace on Easter Monday ! He was very tame and even flew in and landed on the bookshelves at one point.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Camargue, France • Mar 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: House Sparrow
Latin: Passer domesticus
Other: Moineau domestique
Family: Passeridae • Sparrows

Photo: monacoeye • Camargue • Mar 2009

A ringed female House Sparrow above. Detail of male below. Widespread in Europe and even quite visible in Americas.More photos...