Wetlands and birds: Important ecosystems for life on Earth
A wetland is any land area that is seasonally or permanently saturated with water, as well as beaches and shallow coastal areas. Medicinal plants, dyes, fruits, rice, reeds and herbaceous plants are just a few examples of the products generated by these ecosystems. For these and many reasons, the conservation of wetlands is necessary.
A wetland is any land area that is seasonally or permanently saturated with water, as well as beaches and shallow coastal areas. Medicinal plants, dyes, fruits, rice, reeds and herbaceous plants are just a few examples of the products generated by these ecosystems. For these and many reasons, the conservation of wetlands is necessary. In this gallery, we show you the various species of birds that inhabit these ecosystems.
Wetlands are an important habitat for global biological diversity, since 40% of the planet's plant and animal species live in wetlands, and more than 100,000 freshwater species have been documented to date. Every year 200 new species of freshwater fish are discovered. Wetlands increase the resilience of communities against the impact of climate change, constitute barriers against sea level rise, storm surges, reduce the impact of floods, droughts and cyclones.
The neo-tropical giant kingfisher, collared kingfisher or simply kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) is a species of bird distributed from southern Texas to Tierra del Fuego, in Chile. It lives on the banks of streams, rivers, lakes, lagoons, estuaries, wetlands, in suburban and urban areas. It is observed solitary or in pairs. To feed, it dives from the branch of a tree, and when the turbidity of the water does not allow it to catch fish, it feeds on insects, amphibians, reptiles or mammals. It has the habit of hitting the prey against the surface where it perches (branch, stone, etc.). The nest is built in ravines of earth or sand, where they lay 3 to 5 white eggs. Both sexes incubate, the chicks leave the nest after approximately 35 days.
The American white ibis (Eudocimus albus) is a species of bird that is distributed along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern North America, the entire area of Central America (including the Caribbean) and northern South America. It is found in a wide variety of habitats, although it prefers shallow coastal marshes, wetlands, and mangroves. It is also commonly found in muddy areas and floodplains. Populations that are far from the coast, particularly in southern Florida, often reside in other forms of wetlands, such as estuaries, ponds, and flooded fields. Due to its high dependence on water levels and ecosystem conditions, its main threats are pollution (especially water) and climate change.
The yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea) is a species of pelecaniformes bird of the Ardeidae family typical of America. It is the only surviving species of the genus Nyctanassa. The Bermuda heron (Nyctanassa carcinocatactes) is an extinct species. They were previously classified in the genus Nycticorax. They are birds that are characterized by their greater nocturnal activity than the rest of herons. They feed on small, fundamentally aquatic animals that they capture in shallow water and wetland areas.
The great egret also known as the white heron (Ardea alba) is a species of bird in the Ardeidae family. It is an aquatic bird with white plumage, large and slender, which can reach a meter in height. It flies with its long neck retracted, but usually walks with it stretched out. It has a yellow bill and black legs with black toes (its bill may darken and the undersides of its legs lighten during the breeding season). The species is partially migratory. It is one of the most widely distributed herons in the world, since it occupies all the continents except Antarctica. In Mexico, this heron has been observed in all the states of the country. It inhabits all types of wetlands in temperate and tropical regions. Among the risk factors for this species is the reduction of habitat due to urban development. In some parts of the southern United States, their number has decreased due to habitat loss, especially due to the degradation of wetlands, increased salinity due to overexploitation of aquifers and the invasion of exotic plants. Even so, it adapts well to humanized habitat and can be easily seen near wetlands and water bodies in urban and suburban areas.
Also known as the "American nun" (Himantopus mexicanus), it is a species of Charadriiformes bird of the Recurvirostridae family native to America. It inhabits from the southern United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, to the north of South America and the Galapagos Islands. It is a characteristic wader bird, elegant, with very long legs, an upright posture and a well-proportioned beak. In flight, it reveals its long, pointed wings, which are black on both sides. It is adapted to wade through water, pecking at the surface, moving bill from side to side, or probing mud for food. The diet consists of aquatic insects and other small invertebrates. Usually forms groups, sometimes joining mixed flocks of other wading bird species. Needing shallow, fresh or salty waters, it is usually found on the margins of the water and in marshes. These habitats dry out quickly, and are often only temporarily suitable for nesting, so they sometimes move nomadically, seeking new locations.
The Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a species of pelecaniforme bird in the Threskiornithidae family that inhabits humid areas located between the southern United States and South America. Like other Platalea, they have a flattened, spoon-shaped beak, which they move from side to side to filter their food from the mud on the banks of the rivers, lakes and estuaries where they live. It differs from other species of spoonbills by the strong reddish or pink coloration of some feathers in adults, especially on the wings. The roseate spoonbill is a large bird measuring about 71 cm. Bill long, flat, expanding and rounded at the tip. Bill and bare skin of the head, yellowish green. Almost entirely pinkish plumage, shoulder bar, as well as pinkish red rump. The immatures are white with pink tints. Like flamingos, the color of its plumage comes from the rich sources of carotenoid pigments found in the invertebrates it consumes. It feeds on crustaceans, insects and larvae, mollusca, amphibians, fish, aquatic plants and seeds.
The tricolored heron or Louisiana egret (Egretta tricolor) is a species of pelecaniformes bird in the Ardeidae family. It is found in rivers and wetlands in the southern states of the United States and throughout Central America, as far as Brazil and Peru.
The osprey (Pandion haliaetus), is a medium-sized bird of prey that appears on all continents, except Antarctica, although in South America it is only migratory, not nesting. It differs in several aspects from other diurnal birds of prey. The toes are of equal length, their tarsi are reticulated and their claws are rounded. Ospreys and owls are the only birds of prey whose outer toes are reversible, allowing them to grasp prey with two toes in front and two toes behind. This is particularly useful when catching slippery fish. It is a bird particularly well adapted to its diet of fish. You can close the nostrils to prevent water from entering during dives. Spots prey from the air, often hovering before diving feet first to catch the fish. When it returns to the air, it faces the fish's head, to reduce the friction of the air. The scales on the legs and nails are so effective that the eagle is sometimes unable to release a fish that is too heavy. This can cause the bird to fall into the water, where it either swims to shore, or dies of hypothermia or drowning.
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