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American white ibises are wading birds that belong to the family Threskiornithidae. These North American birds are found near the Atlantic coast. They prefer shallow water, coastal wetlands, and estuaries in Central America, Mexico, and South America. White ibises are distributed in various habitats like aquatic ponds and lakes. They are a colonial and monogamous species.White ibises are the most common and numerous wading birds found in North America. They have a completely white plumage, with the edges of their wings being black....

The aquatic coral snake (Micrurus surinamensis) is a bright red, yellow, and black reptile that can be found in the southern United States as well as parts of Central America. These New World coral snakes are venomous and lay eggs like most other snakes. The coloration is meant to make them look like harmless creatures so they can catch their prey off guard. They mostly eat frogs, fish, tadpoles, and insects....

The basilisk lizard is one of the most captivating creatures in the world. There are four basilisk lizard species, namely the green basilisk lizard (Basiliscus plumifrons), the common basilisk lizard (Basiliscus basiliscus), the striped basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus), and the western basilisk (Basiliscus galeritus). The green basilisk lizard, also known as the double-crested basilisk, is considered to be one of the most stunning lizards of all basilisks. Its most captivating feature is its huge dorsal crests running down its tail and back....

Black-crested bulbul is the local name for the bird based on its coloration and physical appearance. This bird belongs to the Pycnonotus flaviventris family and Rubigula genus, which contains virtually all bulbul species found in India and other parts of Asia. The bulbul race is said to have originated from passerine birds. The black-crested bulbul averages 7.48 in (19 cm) in length. This bulbul’s head is black, as the name implies, while the rest of its body is of various colors of yellow....

Amongst the most popular fishes, black sea bass (Centropristis striata) is a pretty opportunistic feeder and eats anything that crosses its way. Contrasting from the striped bass, black sea bass is a marine fish and is found primarily in the mid Atlantic Ocean along the coast of North America into the Gulf of Mexico. You can find them around the undersea layouts, looking for shelter near offshore rubble and reefs. Black sea bass taste can be described as mild, fresh, and delicate....

Would you like to learn more about cross-breed dogs? Keep on reading to know more about one of the most interesting mix-breed dogs that you can keep as pets: the Border Collie Labrador mix. These dogs are a result of cross-breeding the Border Collie, a herding dog, with the Labrador. The popular breed parents of this dog have given rise to a great breed that is calm and friendly with humans....

The amphibian that invades our ponds and lakes during the monsoon is none other than a frog. Breeding in large numbers, from larva to tadpole to quadrupedal beings, frogs can be good natural biological agents for pest control in certain areas. This fact file is dedicated to an amphibian named boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata). The boreal chorus frog is a member of the family Hylidae and is scientifically known as Pseudacris maculata....

Dugongs, or sea cows, are aquatic mammals which are mainly found in Northern Australia between Shark Bay in Western Australia and Moreton Bay located in Queensland. The second largest Dugong population can be found in the Arabian Gulf. They can travel for long distances for food but are not considered as migrators. They are cousins of manatees but have a paddle-shaped tail which differentiates them from manatees. Dugongs have a smooth skin and rely on seagrass beds in the shallow waters for survival....

Elaphrosaurus is an extinct genus of Ceratosaurian Theropod dinosaurs, that lived during the Late Jurassic period. It lived in the Upper Cretaceous of Africa that is now known as Tanzania. It was a lightly built, small to medium-sized dinosaur and had a slender body with a long neck. The fossil remains recovered of this dinosaur were a nearly complete skeleton, with only its skull missing. The genus name Elaphrosaurus comes from the Greek words ’elaphros’ and ‘sauros,’ which means light to bear, or light-footed, and lizard....

Finches are small species of birds found worldwide both in the wild and in captivity. They belong to the family Fringillidae. There are many groups of finches in the world like true finches and lesser finches. They are very relevant in history, popularized by Sir Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. Each species of finch has a distinct colored plumage.Finches have beautiful singing voices and some species like bullfinches have the ability to mimic....

Ever looked at the magnificent ostrich which is often known as the king of the land birds and wondered how a bird could be this huge? Well, till about 600 years ago the title of ‘king of the land birds’ was held by a massive bird of southern New Zealand, the South Island giant moa.The moa species of birds used to dominate the land of the Kiwis and were often hunted as a sport which happens to be the reason why the moas went extinct....

The grasshopper sparrow bird belongs to the Passerellidae family and it is a species of North American birds. It is a small and lightweight bird. However, it is considered big-headed compared to other bird species and has a streaked black and brown-colored back. It inhabits a range of habitats and it is widely spread across the North American states, as well as Canada and Mexico. Even though it has a conservation status of Least Concern, its population has been declining at a constant rate (it is approaching the endangered category gradually), with New York taking the worst hit of all in recent years....

The humpback mahseer (Tor remadevii) is a species of Indian freshwater fish that is endemic to a few rivers of South India. They are mostly found in the Cauvery River but they can also rarely be seen in the Bhavani River, the Pambar River, and the Kabini River. These fishes are also called the ‘Tiger of the Cauvery’. The average size of adult humpback mahseer is about 55-63 in (140-160 cm), and their average weight is about 132-198 lb (60-90 kg)....

The lesser coucal (Centropus bengalensis) is a kind of cuckoo with some interesting characteristics. It is found in the open country and marshlands of India, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Singapore, among others. This species of bird has several subspecies, of which the ones found in the islands of Indonesia and China are larger than the Centropus bengalensis. The greater coucal, of the same genus Centropus, is considered to be very similar to the lesser coucal, and which may cause problems with their identification in the wild....

Mergansers, also known as common mergansers or goosanders in Europe, Asia, and North America, are large aquatic sea ducks found in forested areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. Common mergansers are fish-eating birds that build their nest boxes in tree holes. Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist, published the first systematic account of common mergansers in the tenth edition of his ‘Systema Naturae’ in 1758.Mergus merganser is the current binomial name for this species....

Mountain viscachas are a kind of rodent native to South America. Their native range includes the Andes Mountains in Peru, central Chile, and Ecuador. They are most commonly seen in rocky habitats. The mountain viscacha consists of four species, namely, the northern viscacha, southern viscacha, Wolffsohn’s viscacha, and Ecuadorean mountain viscacha. While not a lot of information exists about Wolffsohn’s viscacha, the Ecuadorean mountain viscacha has been quite recently discovered and needs further research....

The Red-Breasted Nuthatches are known as the birds of North America. If forage is not available in the north, a flock of Nuthatches migrates to the south of North America for the season. This movement is known as an irruption. They can climb down the tree trunks, which allow them to find food often missed by other birds. They quickly scan the tree trunks and branches. The Sitta canadensis are known for their territorial nature during the breeding months....

Look carefully towards the ocean and you will see a bird swoop deep right into the waters, pulling a good snack out for itself. That’s the shearwater species for you!Shearwater birds are globally distributed, soaring high above the cold blue waters. These birds would then fly close, too close to the surface of the water, with the wings almost ‘shearing’ the beautiful aqua waves, thus giving it its name. There are three different genera of shearwater, and about 30 different species fall in these three genera....

This southern three-banded animal is a rare mammal. The three-banded armadillo ball is a defense mechanism employed by the creature. When the animal feels threatened, it rolls into a ball. This helps the mammal to protect its vulnerable body parts. It utilizes its body armor in defense. Three-banded armadillos are not migrants. Three-banded armadillos have an altricial and terrestrial lifestyle. A group of three-banded armadillos is called a fez. These animals search through insect colonies or under the bark of trees to find their food....

Sumatran tigers are a Critically Endangered tiger species with 400 or so tigers left in the wild on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Sumatran tigers live in the dense tropical rainforests of Sumatra. They are the smallest of the tiger subspecies and are recognized by their larger mane and a darker coat of orange fur. Sumatran tiger adaptations have helped them in becoming the apex predator of Sumatra as they have had to hunt and survive on the island after they were left stranded by rising sea levels....