Animal Profiles (Part 1)

• Here is an Animal profile of all the animals I have either captured or still intend to capture. Each animal's profile will contain; Name, Scientific Name, Size, Habitat, Description/Info, Behavioiur, Diet, Conservation Status and Reproductive Biology.

Blackbird

Scientific Name: Turdus merula

Size: 24-25cm (10”)

Habitat: Common in woods and gardens/city parks, across Europe and Asia (British Residents)

Description/Info: Black plumage (feathers) and yellow bill identify adult male. First year males have more brown in plumage and brownish bill. Female is more variable, with brown plumage and mottled breast and bill brown (or orange in older birds).

Behaviour: Bold and tame, feeding on ground where walks, hops, or runs; large roosts after breeding season. Flocks in winter.

Diet: Insects, Earthworms, Berries, Seeds, Fruits

Conservation status: Not threatened

Reproductive biology: Breeds April-August. Incubated for 11-14 days. Lays 3-4 eggs.


Red Fox

Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes

Size: shoulder height 35-40cm, weight (Male 6.7kg, Female 5.4kg)

Habitat: Countryside, Cities (Europe and America)

Description/Info: Adaptable, Most popular mammal in UK Survey, territories 50 sq km

Behaviour: Territorial, nocturnal, Stores surplus food for the winter when times are hard, monogamous (breeding system in which only male and female mate only with one another)

Diet: Rodents (mice, rats), insects, fruits, eggs, birds and other small animals, scavenging in household waste

Conservation status: Not threatened (applies more since recent ban on Fox hunting)

Reproductive Biology: Litter size can range from 3-7

House Sparrow

Scientific Name: Passer Domesticus

Size: (14-16cm) and (20-40g)

Habitat: Towns, cities, parks, (anywhere associated with humans living), in roofs and wholes in buildings. (British Residents)

Description/Info: Males have a grey crown and black bibs. The bigger the bibs, the higher you are in the hierarchy of your colony. There are ranks within the colony. They include the sergeant, . Females are in plan drab brown, and juveniles are similar to females but paler.

Behaviour: Lives in small colonies. In the colonies there are ranks. The bigger the bib (male), the higher you are in the hierarchy.

Diet: Insects, and household scraps, seeds

Conservation Status: Declining

Reproductive biology: Nests in holes in buildings, roofs and trees. 5 clutches of 2 to 5 eggs per year.