Sexual dimorphism: The Andean Condor

The Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) is the largest flying land bird in the world, with a wingspan approx. 3m long. There are a few other members of the class Aves that rival the size and wingspan of the Andean Condor, such as the ostrich and the albatross; however, the ostrich is a non-flying bird the albatross is considered a marine bird. 

They soar through the high grass lands of the Andes, searching for carrion using their keen eyesight and highly developed sense of smell.

The high grasslands is termed 'páramo' in spanish. It is the páramo that is diminishing because of cattle fields, agriculture, and infrastructure.

When they do encounter a meal, they settle down and gorge themselves, as they are unable to carry anything along with them to save for later (partly due to decay of raw meat and their feet are unable to grasp anything: see fig. 3)

Tearing flesh with their strong toes and sharp beaks

Fig. 3 Their back toe is so stubbed that it does not have the capability to grasp anything, whereas raptors (hawks, owls etc.) that hunt have a longer opposable toe to grab their prey.   

The Andean condor is a sexually dimorphic species, in which the male and the female look different. The difference can be slight (for example, difference in size) or drastic (where you might think the males and females are two different species). In this case, the you can tell they are of the same species, but can tell them apart quite easily. 

The male condor is slightly bigger and has a flappy pinkish head, like a turkey. The flappy mohawk is called a comb and is unique to each condor. They have dark-honey coloured eyes which contrast with those of the female.

 

The female has a darker head with no comb and bright red eyes.

Typically in birds, sexual dimorphism has to do with mating, ie. choosing the male condor with the best looking comb, but there could also be other reasons for the difference, one that comes to mind is: increase fitness for the division of labour of the sexes (maybe the red eyes of the female helps her survival or the rearing her young somehow).

The relationships between the condor sexes is funny. It isn't the case where the biggest condor (the males) dominates. Dominance seems to depend on the couple. Here at the hacienda where I volunteer, there are three cages with a couple in each that we observe everyday. During feeding time, the males in the first two cages seem to have full reign of the meat, leaving the scraps for the females once they're done with it; conversely, in the third cage, the female takes first shift with the meat, usually fending off the male successfully. 

In this picture, the male seems to have gotten himself a piece from under her nose, but she immediately takes it back.

     Anyways, that is all for now on the Andean Condor, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

-Barnacle Babe reporting from Ecuador.

Living off the dead or unsuspecting: a botanical example

From a human perspective, we all are familiar with the term parasite. We think of tape worms, leeches, head lice, for example... all the wonderful things that literally suck the life from its host.

And when we think of decaying matter, it may bring to mind a log in the bush that eventually gets mechanically chipped away by woodpeckers, ants, termites, and then chemically eaten by the bacterial and fungal mats that take over and eventually convert every last little bit of organic material into a form of usable energy.

In both of these examples, we don't think of unassuming, innocently green, immobile plants playing a part in any of these unattractive lifestyles. We think of them photosynthesizing, using the sun's energy to make sugars, providing us with food and oxygen in our atmosphere, lending us shade, or stable structures for us to hang our hammocks from. Yet, here I have some botanical examples that assume these unusual roles to sustain life.

Delving into the terminology, us biologist have two groups that describe lifestyle: autotrophic and heterotrophic. Autotrophs are organisms that make their own energy, such as plants that photosynthesize. Heterotrophs are organisms that get their energy from other organisms. Under the umbrella of heterotrophic, we can narrow it down to saprophytic or parasitic.

Western Coralroot, Corallorhiza maculata  ssp. mertensiana is one of our native orchids. It lacks the green colour that is caused by chlorophyll, the pigment used in photosynthesis. It's a saprophyte, so it derives its nutrients from decaying organic material. This specimen was found on Lasqueti island and has gone to seed, so it was difficult identifying it as an orchid. Specimens can be purplish like this one,

Or light pink/tan, like this one.

Pinesap, Hypopitys monotropa, is another saprophyte, typically found growing in coniferous forests. Its common name is said to be derived from its resemblance to the colour of pine sap. 

Notice the leaves are scale-like and lacking green pigment, indicating a shift from autotrophism to hetertrophism. These plants are closely related to the plants below. 

Indian Pipe, Monotropa uniflora, is a very unusual parasitic plant that has its roots connected via fungi to the roots of coniferous trees, and obtains its nutrients from the photosynthesizing conifer. When I first encountered these specimens, I was very confused as to what group they belonged to: plant or fungi.

My question was answered upon closer inspection. As I peeled away the white flower petals, I observed characteristic flower parts: the many stamen (male parts) with yellow pollen as its tips that surrounded the large carpel (female part) in the center.

Vancouver Groundcone, Boschiniakia hookeri, are parasitic on salal (also seen in this picture) roots. Unlike the Indian Pipe, they are directly connected to the salal roots, leaving out the fungal middle man. The roots of the Vancouver Groundcone are fleshy and were sometimes eaten by Natives in the region. A single Groundcone has been reported to produce over 30 million seeds. I recall when I first saw one before it had gone to seed (as this one has), and it looked like a strange, purple, upright coniferous pine cone. 

All these specimens were found on my father's land on Lasqueti Island. It is wonderful to know that these unusual plants are flourishing there.

Hope you enjoyed and please ask any questions you may have.

-Barnacle Babe

Trophic focusing in Bute Inlet

It has been absolutely wonderful to be out in the wild for the past month! The wilderness around Sonora Island really has a feel...a wild feel...I think its the huge glaciated mountains, strong currents, and the plethora of animal voices. I've been lucky enough to get out on the water and take advantage of the scenery and its has been breathtaking. While posing as a fisherfolk (getting my fishing licence, pretending to be interested in downriggers, rods and reels etc.), I've been getting all hot and bothered by the bio-action taking place before my eyes -dolphins leaping, birds flapping, fish jumping. What I've come up with to tie it all together is this:

Trophic focusing is defined as an area in which 2 or more levels of the oceanic food web (to generalize -level 1: phytoplankton*, level 2: zooplankton** and juvenile fish, level 3: larger fish and birds, level 4: marine mammals, large birds and humans) are congregated in one area.

*Phytoplankton are photosynthetic organisms that cannot swim against any current. These are considered autotrophic, which means that these guys can "make" their own food.
** Zooplankton are animal-like and feed on phytoplankton and other zooplankton and they also cannot swim against a current. They are considered heterotrophic, which means they get their food from other organisms.

So, unfortunately I cannot start at the bottom because phytoplankton are typically microscopic, but I can start at juvenile fish.

Juvenile fish are pretty hard to identify at this stage (I'm guessing Herring babies), but here they are, viewed in the millions from the side of the boat in Bute Inlet. At this time of the year in temperate waters, primary productivity is soaring (lots of phytoplankton for fish to eat because the sun shining!)

Pacific Herring Clupea pallasi where jumping like crazy! Looked and sounded as if it was raining.  These are important bait fish for salmon and others.

One action shot!

These Herring brought the Gulls.

And the Pacific White-sided Dolphins Lagenorhynchus obliquidens.

There must have been thousands in the inlet that day, all feeding on the Herring.

They would come right up to the boat, play in the wake and splash around.

And Finally, the Humans. With all their fishing technology and brains looking for the salmon. 

Thanks for reading!

-Barnacle Babe

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)

Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna 

These Hummingbirds are very common in our parts, as they are the only hummingbird that overwinters here. They start reproducing very early in the year, some as early as January or February, and tend to have their babies leave their nest around now (March-April).

The male Anna's Hummingbird perched on a branch in Beacon Hill Park, Victoria. I tend to hear them before I spot them - they have a high pitched squeaking sound that is unmistakable. 

The pink iridescence of the male Anna's Hummingbird feathers is very distinctive and if you spot this colour, you'll be sure it's an Anna's. It can be hard to see if the light isn't reflecting just right (the feathers appear black with different angles) and with a female it is harder, as she will only have a 1-4 pink feathers below her bill. This one was caught on Royal Roads University campus while doing a bird banding workshop.

This is a momma (notice how drab she is) feeding her teenager. I spotted these two in Oakbay, Victoria. The teenager  's bill still needs to do some growing to measure up to an adults size, and sometimes the growth rings found on the bill is useful to age a bird.  

Springing into Action

So here we go. I've been thinking about doing this for so long now but have always put it off because of school responsibilities. Now, there is nothing stopping me! No guilt, no procrastinating, no pencil pushing.

This is my attempt to put my education to action. To share with friends and family the knowledge I've acquired throughout school and discuss the wonders of the world that surrounds us. My aim is to keep it short and sweet. Probably most of these posts will concern birds and plants, but I will try and include as much as the other taxa as possible: fungi, macroalgae (seaweeds), invertebrates (insects, crustaceans, anemones, jellies etc.), fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. I will try my best to include Latin names as well as common names, where they were founds, what are some key characteristics, and where they fit into the tree of life (who they are related to). Ill try my damnedest to be accurate and reliable... but I could be wrong and any help would be much appreciated.

Also, I will be having lots of fun trying out my new camera and taking on a role of wildlife photographer, so all the pictures posted will be my own that I have snapped with my own finger. I hope people will enjoy!

Anyways, I'm pretty excited. Hopefully this will inspire others to get out there and get observing! 

-Barnacle Babe

ps. anyone who sees anything, takes a picture of something of interest, send it to me!