#Grasslands

[life-on-our-planet]

A leucistic moose filmed by municipal councilmember Hans Nilsson in the Värmland region of Sweden (2017) National Geographic

[lovehina019]

[nerve00000]

August 2015

[eskiworks]

Art Fight revenge for Hioshiru!

Posted using PostyBirb

[tofreezetime]

a quiet place

without time

[expressions-of-nature]

Yareta or llareta is a velvety, chartreuse cushion plant in the family Apiaceae which is native to South America. It grows in the Puna grasslands of the Andes in Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile and western Argentina at altitudes between 3,200 and 5,250 metres.

Photos by Andres Puiggros V.

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Access Denied: The Inaccessible Island Rail

The Inaccessible Island rail (Laterallus rogersi) is a rarely seen member of the rail family, Rallidae. Part of the reason for its obscurity is the place in which it resides: Inaccessible Island, part of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago in the southern Atlantic Ocean. These islands are extremely remote, and until 2019 it was unclear how L. rogersi even came to be there. We now know that the species colonized the island some 1.5 million years ago, originally coming in from South America and subsequently losing its ability to fly.

In addition to its unique evolutionary history, the Inaccessible Island rail's greatest claim is that it is the smallest flightless bird in the world. Individuals weigh between 35 to 49 g (1.2–1.7 oz) and can be 13 to 15.5 cm (5.1–6.1 in) long from beak to tail. Members of both sexes are dark brown with red eyes; some may have white striping along the underbelly or wings. Females tend to be slightly smaller and lighter in color than males.

The Inaccesible Island rail can be found on all habitats on the island in which it inhabits; these include low mountains and fern brush though the species is most abundant in the grasslands that grow close to the rocky shore. Within these habitats, L. rogersi is largely diurnal. They freely forage for invertebrates, including earthworms, beetles, and moths, as well as seeds and berries; as they have no natural predators they have few defenses against potential threats, although they can run extremely fast when alarmed.

Adults are highly territorial, and when two rivals of either sex encounter each other they will display by lowering their heads, circling each other, and calling loudly until one of them concedes. Males and females mate for life, and build nests in the tall grass. The breeding season is between October and January, in late summer, and females lay a clutch of 2 eggs. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs until they hatch. Chicks can be vulnerable to predation by the migratory brown skua, so parents guard the nest fiercely. The time it takes for chicks to fully mature is unknown, as is the average lifespan in the wild.

Conservation status: The Inaccessible Island rail is considered Vulnerable by the IUCN. The island's population is believed to stand at about 5,600 adult birds. While the island's ecology is currently stable, researchers believe the species would be seriously imperaled if invasive species such as house mice, feral cats and brown rats were introduced. Access to the island is currently restricted, and the island has been declared a nature reserve by the Tristan da Cunha Island Council.

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Photos

Peter G. Ryan

[lowcountry-gothic]

Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) at Tipton Prairie, Greene County, Iowa.

[spinus-pinus]

Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna

5/10/2022 Kissimmee Prairie Preserve, Florida

[sumansunil17]

•Indian Striped Hyena•

Scavenger from grasslands of Deccan Plateau, India

[life-on-our-planet]

The honey possum, also called a noolbenger, is the only flightless animal that feeds exclusively on nectar and pollen. As such it’s an important pollinator in the grasslands of southern Australia. Grassland Films

[lovehina019]

[maggie8539]

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Thursday 29 August 2024

Next to the footpath on the Caledonian Canal, Inverness, were large patches of the wildflower Campanula rotundifolia (harebell, Scottish bluebell, lady’s thimble, witch’s bells) thriving in the dry, nutrient-poor grassland.

Jill Raggett

[grace-sketches]

Recently went on vacation with my family and visited Hearst Castle, Pinnacles National park, Yosemite and a bunch of other parks in that area. The rolling yellow hills dotted with oak trees were very beautiful so naturally I was inspired to paint something and then ruin it by slapping a knight in the middle of it.

[barnlarn]

Misty Mornings

A few pics I've taken over the years in some of the places I've lived. Dawn is pretty no matter where you are.