#juvenile bald eagle

[michael-massa-micon]

Eagles at Noon - August 2023 Kathy and I were down by the shore in the campground doing something else when two eagles flew over us. One of them, the higher one in the first image, was a juvenile, but the second was an adult bald eagle. Images two, three, and four are great images of that adult eagle in flight. MWM

[clairity-org]

Juvenile Bald Eagle, Lake of the Clouds, Porcupine Mountains, MI by Sharon Mollerus

[snototter]

An immature bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perches in a fir tree in Cardinal Marsh, Iowa, USA

by Larry Reis

[annapolisrose]

Bald Eagle on the hydro tower above their nest enjoying a meal when a juvenile starts bothering them. The adult flies up into the air to chase the juvenile off, all the while with the meal still in their talons.

[rappin-drakken]

couldn't attach this to my original post but the people have spoken!

my friend identified this bird as a 1-2yo juvenile bald eagle :) spotted in Ohio when I was there for the eclipse

Shaky handheld footage, sorry lol

There was a bald eagle nearby so I think it tracks!

[supercantaloupe]

there were so many north american species (even ones local to the area)!! here are some of my favorites :)

[darkwood-sleddog]

Bird knowledgeable tumblrinas…what bird is this scream?

[jessicatredes]

first time back in like two months to the bird rehab i volunteer & we have some eagles 🦅

[uncharismatic-fauna]

The Beautiful Blue Catfish

Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) are members of the bullhead catfish family, native to the drainages of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio river basins and the Gulf of Mexico. Because of their popularity as game fish, this species has also been introduced to freshwater systems throughout North and South America, and is considered invasive in these areas.

Like many catfish, I. furcatus is a bottom dweller. They can often be found near complex structures such as rocky outcroppings, fallen trees, or sunken structures that provide both food and shelter. The blue catfish is an opportunistic predator, consuming any fish or aquatic invertebrates it can find, as well as eggs, small amphibians, and injured or recently deceased animals. Adult I. furcatus are seldom prey for other species due to their size, but hatchlings and juveniles are often food for cormorants, willets, osprey, pelicans, and bald eagles. To deter predators, this species has serrated barbs along their dorsal and pectoral fins, each laced with a particularly painful toxin.

Though they can be difficult prey for other animals, the blue catfish is a popular target for fishermen, and for good reason; they're the largest species of catfish in North America. Adults can easily reach a length of 65 in (170 cm) and a weight of 165 lb (75 kg). As indicated by their name, most individuals are grey or blue, with a lighter underbelly. This species also lacks scales, a common characteristic of catfish, and the face is framed by long whisker-like barbels that help it detect nearby food.

While generally solitary, blue catfish aren't territorial, and tend to ignore each other until the mating season. Reproduction begins in April and continues until June, during which time males attract a female by building a nest and releasing attractive pheromones. Once a female has selected a male, she lays between 4,000-8,000 eggs per kilogram of bodyweight in his nest (i.e. if the female weighs 2 kg, she may lay between 8,000-16,000 eggs). The male then disperses sperm over the eggs. Following fertilization, the male chases away the female and guards the nest for about a week, at which time the eggs hatch. The hatchlings, also known as fry, stay close together in schools for several weeks before growing large enough to disperse. It will take them a further 5 years for them to reach maturity; on average individuals live about 10 years, but can live as long as 25.

Conservation status: The blue catfish is considered Least Concern by the IUCN. Within its native range, populations face minor threats from dams and droughts. Where it has been introduced, the species is considered invasive due to its voracious appetite.

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Photos

Missouri Department of Conservation

NOAA

Earl Nottingham

[rhiannatruex]

Birds of 2023 (not comprehensive, only 30 would fit!)

Short Eared Owl

Eastern Screech Owl (red morph)

Stellar's Jay (interior)

Eastern Screech Owl

Great Horned Owlet

Spotted Towhee

Bobolink

American Avocet

Bald Eagle

Broad Tailed Hummingbird

House Wren

Purple Martin

Yellow Headed Blackbird

Wilson's Snipe

Mountain Bluebird

Brewer's Blackbird

Black Throated Blue Warbler

American Dipper

Lesser Yellowlegs

Yellow Eyed Junco

Western Meadowlark

Rufous Hummingbird (in captivity)

Mexican Jay (juvenile)

Black Throated Hummingbird (in captivity)

Curve Billed Thrasher

Costa's Hummingbird

Gambel's Quail

Pyrrhuxolia

Vermillion Flycatcher

Belted Kingfisher

I had 164 lifers this year, and I wish I could post them all!

[birbmania]

Juvenile bald eagle . . . Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Smyrna, Delaware . . . 12/15/23

[clairity-org]

Juvenile Bald Eagle, Lake of the Clouds, Porcupine Mountains, MI by Sharon Mollerus

[northernpintail]

Juvenile Bald Eagle flying over

[irradiatedsnakes]

just saw: a young red-shouldered hawk in a tree, screaming its head off at two juvenile bald eagles soaring overhead. a blue jay flew in, and started imitating the hawk back at it. the two had an angry conversation

[tamiisnthere]

Once I was wondering what kinds of birds fly around sync points, so I did some research and compared the bird models to the species that lived in the places where each AC game takes place.

I used iNaturalist and eBird, which helped me compare individual bird species by region and appearance. Photo sources are below in the image. I wanted to put more photos, but Tumblr allows a maximum of 30 images per post.

I have to say that I'm not a bird/animal expert, just an animal enthusiast. I know populations of individual species were very different in the past than they are today.

You are welcome to correct me if I get anything wrong and If you know of any other species that I'm missing, please let me know. 💗

Here is the first model of an eagle/a hawk:

I decided to take screenshots of each bird so I could compare them, but this model actually appeared from AC1 to Liberation.

So here are some screenshots (sorry for the crappy quality):

AC1:

Fun Fact: In AC1 after synchronization, the eagle/hawk disappears permanently. Thankfully I didn't sync all the towers in Kingdom.

AC2:

AC Brotherhood:

AC Revelations:

AC3:

AC Liberation:

AC Regions:

AC1 - Middle East

AC2 and Brotherhood - Italy

AC Revelations - Istanbul, Turkey

AC3 - New York, New York State, US and Boston, Massachusetts, US

AC Liberation - New Orleans, Louisana, US and Yucatán, Mexico

Suggestions for AC1 & Ezio Trilogy:

Common buzzard (Buteo buteo)

This species is most common bird of prey in Eurasia (or has the most observations). It has several morphs.

Long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

This species has the most observations in Turkey. It can easily be mistaken for a common buzzard.

Suggestions for AC3 & Liberation:

Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) - immature

This bird has the most observations in the southeastern part of the USA. The immature individual is more similar to the model because the adult has a more brown or reddish body.

Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

The most common bird of prey in North America, which is also divided into subspecies and morphs.

Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) - immature

Juvenile bald eagles have similar coloration to the model, as adult plumage coloration appears at less than four years of age.

There is another model of the eagle/hawk from AC4:

It's the same model, only the texture is now different.

AC4 Screenshots:

AC4 Regions:

Caribbean - Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas...

Florida, US

Suggestion:

Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

This species most closely resembles the model and also lives in the Caribbean Islands.

And now it's another retextured model from AC Rogue:

AC Rogue Screenshots:

AC Rogue Regions:

North Atlantic

Nova Scotia, Canada

Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

New York, New York State, US

Suggestion:

Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

It's obvious, isn't it? :) Also bald eagle appeared in AC3 Cinematic Trailer.

Next thing is that AC Rogue has actually two models of the eagle (couldn't find this model in files). The second eagle model appears only in the intro and outro of the game and it's more realistic and detailed.

Despite that, AC Rogue ended in Paris, where bald eagles do not occur there. It's possible Shay owns one that flies with him (my new headcanon!).

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the eagle model in the files in AC Unity as well, so I don't have a showcase.

So here are only screenshots:

It's a new model this time and it looks a little more realistic, but is still low-poly.

AC Unity Regions:

France - Paris, Versailles and Saint-Denis

Suggestion:

Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

This eagle most closely resembles the model, even though golden eagles are mostly common in mountainous areas. Also it appeared in one of AC Unity Cinematic Trailers.

AC Syndicate is one of the AC games that doesn't have bird of prey on the sync point. Instead they have the rooks (Corvus frugilegus) in London.

Again, I couldn't find the model in the files, but according to the screenshot, the model is more low-poly than the first model of the eagle/hawk.

Bonus: Playable Birds

Since AC Origins, the protagonists have bird companions, thanks to which we can find targets and explore area more easily.

Also the developers confirmed species of them:

Senu - Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata)

Ikaros - Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Sýnin - Common raven (Corvus corax)

Enkidu - Eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca)

[ghostoffuturespast]

8 March 2024 - Friday Field Notes

VIBs (Very Important Birds) - Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, Western Meadow Lark, taxidermied Great Horned Owl. It's that time of year again when strange things start appearing in my car...

Things on the prairie are very slowly starting to wake up. Got the chance to spend a good chunk of time out of the field this week and not at my desk. Which is my favorite part of the day job. Got to do a bird count earlier in the week and explored for three hours along the creek with a couple of coworkers yesterday to scout for spots to put game cameras. Saw four Northern Harrier Hawks, the Bald Eagles, heard all the Western Meadowlarks, Pronghorn, Prairie Dogs, spiders, one lone grasshopper, and spooked a Coyote out of the Coyote Willow. Also met a couple of new plants too.

I found many treasures; I know what a Willow Pinecone Gall Midge is now, American Licorice reminds me of little Korok maracas, Pronghorn bones, a lovely pink rock. Trying to see if I can actually nature journal more regularly this year too and I've got a couple pages in already!

I'm ready for spring. I've got too many wild gardening schemes.