#the scrublands

[life-on-our-planet]

African wild dogs, or painted wolves, are the bulkiest of the African canids. Their fur is also unique in that they have no undercoat, and gradually shed their fur as they age, until adults are almost completely bare. ©Love Nature

[uncharismatic-fauna]

The Palestine Sunbird Persists

The Palestine sunbird, also known as the orange-tufted sunbird (Cinnyris osea) is the national bird of Palestine, and often seen as a symbol of resistance and hope. This species occurs in dry climates, particularly desert, scrubland, and savannahs, but can also be found in orchards and gardens where flowers are abundant. In addition to the Levant, C. osea occurs throughout the southwest cost of Saudia Arabia and the coasts of Yemen and Oman in the south.

C. osea is a small bird, 8 to 12 cm (3.1-4.7 in) long with a wingspan of only 14 to 16 cm (5.5-6.2 in). Males weigh on average 7.6 g (0.26 oz) and females are slightly smaller, at about 6.8 g (0.24 oz). Males are quite easy to identify due to their striking plumage; their feathers are iridescent, appearing dark until they shimmer glossy blue or green, with orange tufts at the side of the breast. In contrast females are fairly drab; grey-brown with a lighter underside. The beaks of the Palestine sunbird are also noted for their distinctively long and curved, which they have developed to efficiently feed on nectar.

Although not directly part of the hummingbird family, the Palestine sunbird shares many similarities with the group. Its diet consists of nectar, and is supplemented with insects. Their tongues are long, and brush-like, and the shape of their beak allows them to reach down to the base of the flower. For flowers that are , they will use their sharp beaks to pierce the side and access the nectar directly. All this is done at very high speeds, but unlike hummingbirds the Palestine sunbird cannot hover in place, and must land in order to feed. Because of their primary reliance on nectar, the orange-tufted sunbird is an important pollinator in its native region. Adults are rarely predated upon, but eggs and young are often targets for lizards, snakes, and birds of prey.

Reproduction begins in June, and continues through October. Males establish and defend territories, and court females by singing to attract a potential mate, then chasing her until she perches to signal her acceptance. Following the pairing, the two construct a purse-like nest, sometimes with a porch-like structure, that hangs from a branch. In this nest, 1-2 eggs are laid, and are incubated primarily by the female, while the male provides her food. The eggs take 13 to 14 days to hatch, and chicks are taken care of by both parents for an additional 14 to 21 days. Individuals can live up to 5 years in the wild.

Conservation status: The Palestine sunbird has a large range and population, and is thus considered Least Concern by the IUCN. Its primary threat is habitat loss due to agriculture and urban development.

If you send me proof that you’ve made a donation to UNRWA or another organization benefiting Palestinians, I’ll make art of any animal of your choosing.

Remember, the donation can be in any amount– every dollar counts!

Photos

Jorrit Vlot

Dula Alhashimi

Rana Hijawi

[mothmiso]

Damaraland (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) by Kandukuru Nagarjun

[wxnter-rain]

He is, in fact, not listening 🌙

[bigpappahope]

Scrub jays are always goofing around

[organisedbirds]

getting luke arnold to say the name "flint" in an entirely different piece of media is an insane move

[lukaskyle]

Luke Arnold as Martin Scarsden SCRUBLANDS | 1.01

[etoilesombre]

Look at himmmmmmm (Luke Arnold in Scrublands)

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Short glimpse of Luke Arnold in Scrublands: Silver from Stan Australia promo

[eternal--returned]

Vincent van Gogh ֍ Forest with scrubland (1887)

In Paris, Van Gogh experimented with the dotting technique of the pointillists. This forest scene is a good example of this. He covered the entire canvas with small strokes of paint. In this way, he created a play of light and shadow on the ground between the trees. The stripe of yellow in the middle suggests sunlight in a clearing further away. Together with the tree trunk on the right, this gives depth to the scene.

Van Gogh drew strength from nature: 'Sometimes it is precisely those places where one no longer feels anything of what is called the civilized world . . . it is sometimes precisely those places that one needs to calm down.'

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Scrubland by Anthony Avon

[eomer]

Broadacres sunset

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Believe in the Pink Fairy Armadillo

The pink fairy armadillo, also known as the pichiciego (Chlamyphorus truncatus) is a species of armadillo found only in central Argentina. They reside primarily in sandy flats, scrublands, and grasslands. They are extremely sensitive to environmental changes, and require certain species of shrub as well as copious amounts of compact sand for a suitable habitat.

Pichicegos spend the majority of their time underground, only emerging at night to forage. They feed mainly on ants, and supplement their diet with other insects, especially beetles, larvae worms, as well as various plants and roots. C. truncatus is also sometimes referred to as the 'sand swimmer' due to its ability to burrow quickly through sandy soil.

The pink fairy armadillo is named for its distinctive pink 'shell', composed of 24 leathery segments that are attached to the back via a thin membrane. The rest of the body is covered in fine white hair. These two features help individuals maintain a constant internal temperature despite the extremely hot days and frigid nights of the Argentinian desert. In addition to its unique looks, the pichicego is also notable for being the smallest known armadillo species. Adults can be anywhere from 90–115 mm (3.5–4.5 in) long, and typically weigh about 120 g (4.2 oz).

Very little is known about the mating and reproductive habits of pink fairy armadillos. Based on what is known about similar armadillo species, it is likely that females only have a small litter of 1-3 pups, and they will nurse them for some period of time. However, outside of mating, adults are known to be highly solitary-- though not aggressively territorial.

Conservation status: The pink fairy armadillo is currently listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN, as very little is known about this creature's population size or spread. However, in 2006 it was listed as Near Threatened, and due to its sensitivity to changes in habitat quality or structure it is likely threatened by climate change, habitat destruction, and agricultural activities.

Photos

Mariella Superina

Ivan Gutierrez Lemaitre

Mariella Superina

[mothmiso]

Turkmenistan (2) (3) (4) by Jeanne Menjoulet

Via Flickr:

(3) (4) Cité de Merv - Cité antique rasée par les Mongols. Ancient city razed by the Mongols.     

[newsatsix1986]

Today is a Newsreader birthday!

We are celebrating the birthday of Mr Robert Taylor, the talented bloke who has brought our Geoff Walters to life.

Hasn’t Geoff challenged us viewers? With both seasons of the show, Geoff’s personal, health and career struggles has been met with increasing levels of empathy and understanding by audiences, and that is credit to Robert’s performance. He invites audiences into the mind of a man whose body and stamina is no longer keeping up with what he wants to do, and has to grapple with a world that is changing at a faster pace than ever before. News cycles never end, and there’s always chaos brewing under the surface, be it at work or at home.

I’ll never forget the heartbreaking desperation Robert brought to the story between Geoff and Kay, and especially that scene in Greed And Fear where Geoff is confronted with the reality that he could lose his little girl. It was incredible throughout S2 seeing Robert evolve Geoff into that true family man, who ultimately ended up putting his family first by the end of the season. What a remarkable character arc.

I have also been very impressed with Robert’s performance in the Stan miniseries Scrublands. Harley Reagan, his character, was a complex bloke; a distant father but trying to be a more active grandfather, whose hold on land ownership in the town came back to haunt him in the final episode, ultimately answering the “why” behind the town’s mass shooting at the church. A brilliant actor, who we have been so fortunate to have on our show.

Happy birthday Robert, from Newsreader fans everywhere! 💖🌟

[bigpappahope]