Archive for September, 2009

Spotted on our property Monte Horizonte today.

The Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra, is a small European passerine bird. Formerly considered a member of the thrush family (Turdidae), it is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher (Muscicapidae). It, and similar thrush-like Muscicapidae species, are often called chats.

Whinchat, Paapje, Braunkelchen, Cartaxo-nortenho, Tarabilla Norteña

Its scientific name means "reddish rock-dweller", in reference to its habitat and overall coloration. Saxicola derives from Latin saxum ("rock") + incola ("inhabitant", "one who dwells in a certain place"). rubetra is Latin for "colored reddish" or "reddish-hued".
 
Adult femaleThe Whinchat is similar in size to its relative the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula). Both sexes have brownish upperparts, a yellowish rump, a buff throat and breast, a whitish belly, a blackish tail with white bases to the outher rectrices. The male in breeding plumage has blackish head sides almost encircled by a strong white supercilium and malar stripe and white wing patches.

The female is duller overall, in particular having pale brown head sides and a buff supercilium, malar stripe and wing patches. Males in nonbreeding plumage and immatures are similar.

The male has a whistling, crackly but soft song, consisting mainly of the tell-tale phrase fü-chack-chack. Its call is the chack noise typical for chats, or a soft whistle. On the wintering grounds, it often calls but rarely sings.

S. rubetra is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in open rough pasture or similar uncultivated grass- or shrubland in Europe east to the Ural Mountains approximately. Bracken (Pteridium) stands on rock-strewn ground are also a favorite habitat of this species. It nests in tussocks. The birds like to perch on elevated spots such as telephone wires, from where they make sallies to catch flying insects.

They winter in northern[verification needed] sub-Saharan Africa; they arrive in Western Africa at the start of the dry season. Molt of the remiges does not usually take place in winter quarters, but young birds may replace their first set of remiges before their first migration back to the breeding grounds.

Afrikaans: Europese Bontrokkie
Asturian: Bichu Gorbizu, Birchu Berizu
Breton: Ar strakig ruz, Bistrakig-rous
Catalan: Bitxac rogenc, Vitrac barba-roig
Catalan (Balears): Vitrac barba-roig
Czech: Brambornícek hnedý
Welsh: Clap yr eithin, Clef yr eithin, Clochdar eithin, Clochdar yr eithin, Clochder yr eithin, Crec yr eithin
Danish: Bynkefugl
German: Braunkehlchen
English: European Whinchat, Marsh Bushchat, Whinchat
Esperanto: brungor^gulo, Brungor?ulo
Spanish: Tarabilla Norteña
Estonian: Kadakatäks
Basque: Bitxac rogenc , Pitxartxar nabar, Pitxartxar nabarra
Finnish: Pensastasku
Faroese: Reyðstólpa
French: Tarier des prés, Tarier d’Europe, Traquet des prés, Traquet tarier
Irish: Caislín Aitinn
Gaelic: Gocan, Gocan Conaisg
Galician: Bitxac rogenc , Chasco norteño
Manx: Eean yn aittin
Hungarian: Rozsdás csaláncsúcs, Rozsdás csuk
Icelandic: Vallskvetta
Italian: Stiaccino
Japanese: mamijironobitaki, Mamijiro-nobitaki
Cornish: Chekker eythyn
Latin: Saxicola rubertra, Saxicola rubetra, Saxicola rubetra spatzi
Dutch: Paap, Paapje
Norwegian: Buskskvett
Polish: Pleszka, poklaskwa
Portuguese: cartaxo nortenho, Cartaxo-nortenho
Romansh: Puppenbrin
Russian: Lugovoy Chekan
Sardinian: Sartiarellu
Scots: Gocan
Northern Sami: Miesttarásttis
Slovenian: repaljšcica, repaljš?ica
Albanian: Ceku vetullbardhë
Serbian: obicna travarka
Swedish: Buskskvätta
Swahili: Mhozo Mchirizi-mweupe

Spotted on our property Monte Horizonte today.

The Wrynecks (genus Jynx) are a small but distinctive group of small Old World woodpeckers.

Wryneck, Draaihals, Wendehals, Torcicolo, Torcecuello Euroasiático

Like the true woodpeckers, wrynecks have large heads, long tongues which they use to extract their insect prey and zygodactyl feet, with two toes pointing forward, and two backwards. However, they lack the stiff tail feathers that the true woodpeckers use when climbing trees, so they are more likely than their relatives to perch on a branch rather than an upright trunk.

Their bills are shorter and less dagger-like than in the true woodpeckers, but their chief prey is ants and other insects, which they find in decaying wood or almost bare soil. They re-use woodpecker holes for nesting, rather than making their own holes. The eggs are white, as with many hole nesters.

The two species have cryptic plumage, with intricate patterning of greys and browns. The voice is a nasal woodpecker-like call.
 
Eurasian WryneckThese birds get their English name from their ability to turn their heads almost 180 degrees. When disturbed at the nest, they use this snake-like head twisting and hissing as a threat display. This odd behaviour led to their use in witchcraft, hence to put a "jinx" on someone.

In the aftermath of German reunification in 1990, East German officials who flipped their political orientation 180 degrees to repudiate Communism were mocked as "wrynecks" (Wendehals in German) in reference to the birds’ extraordinary neck flexibility.

There are two species:

Eurasian Wryneck, Jynx torquilla
Rufous-necked Wryneck, or Red-breasted Wryneck, Jynx ruficollis 

Asturian: Ayayay
Azerbaijani: Adi burunboyuq, Adi ilanboyun
Breton: Ar penngamm-Eurazia
Catalan: Blauet, Colltort, Formiguer
Catalan (Balears): Formiguer
Valencian: Blauet
Czech: Krutihlav obecný
Welsh: Gwas y gog, Gwddfgam, Gwddfro, Pengam
Danish: Vendehals
German: Wendehals
English: Eurasian Wryneck, European Wryneck, Northern Wryneck, Wryneck
Esperanto: koltordulo
Spanish: Torcecuello, Torcecuello de África Tropical, Torcecuello Euroasiático, Tprcecuello
Estonian: Väänkael
Basque: Colltort, Lepitzuli, Lepitzulia
Finnish: Käenpiika
Faroese: Snúðurkriki
French: Torcol fourmilier
Friulian: Cocâl
Frisian: Draainekke
Irish: Cam-Mhuin
Gaelic: Geocair
Galician: Colltort, Peto formigueiro, Picapeixe, Rei-pescador
Croatian: Vijoglav, Vijoglav mravar
Hungarian: Nyaktekercs
Armenian: Vizgtsuk
Icelandic: Gauktíta
Italian: Torcicollo, Torcicollo eurasiatico
Japanese: arisui, ari-sui
Cornish: Pynnyk
Latin: Jynx torquilla
Latvian: Grozgalvis
Maltese: Bulebbiet
Dutch: Draaihals
Norwegian: Sågauk, Vendehals
Polish: Dudek, kretoglów
Portuguese: Torcicolo
Romansh: Volvachau
Russian: Vertisheyka
Sardinian: Pappaformiga
Scots: Geocair
Northern Sami: Cáihnecizáš
Slovak: krutihlav hnedý
Slovenian: vijeglavka
Albanian: Qafëdredhësi
Serbian: vijoglava
Swedish: Göktyta
Swahili: Kiseleagofu wa Ulaya
Turkish: Boyun Çeviren, Boyunçeviren
Venetian: Oselo de la Madona, Pionbin

Spotted on Monte Horizonte today.                      European Goldfinch song

The Goldfinch or European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) is a small passerine bird in the finch family.

It breeds across Europe, North Africa, and western and central Asia, in open, partially wooded lowlands. It is resident in the milder west of its range, but migrates from colder regions. It will also make local movements, even in the west, to escape bad weather. It has been introduced to many areas of the world.

European Goldfinch, Putter, Stieglitz, Pintassilgo, Jilguero Europeo

The average Goldfinch is 12-13 cm long with a wingspan of 21-25 cm and a weight of 14 to 19 grams. The sexes are broadly similar, with a red face, black and white head, warm brown upperparts, white underparts with buff flanks and breast patches, and black and yellow wings. On closer inspection male Goldfinches can often be distinguished by a larger, darker red mask that extends just behind the eye. In females, the red face does not reach the eye. The ivory-coloured bill is long and pointed, and the tail is forked. Goldfinches in breeding condition have a white bill, with a greyish or blackish mark at the tip for the rest of the year. Juveniles have a plain head and a greyer back but are unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe. Birds in central Asia (caniceps group) have a plain grey head behind the red face, lacking the black and white head pattern of European and western Asian birds.

The species is divided into two major groups, each comprising several races. The two groups intergrade at their boundary, so the caniceps group is not recognised as a distinct species despite its readily distinguishable plumage.

Feeding on thistles – note thistledown in billThe food is small seeds such as thistles (the Latin name is from carduus, thistle) and teasels, but insects are also taken when feeding young. It also regularly visits bird feeders in winter. They nest in the outer twigs of tall leafy trees, or even in bamboo, laying four to six eggs which hatch in 11-14 days.

In the winter they group together to form flocks of up to about 40 birds, occasionally more.

The song is a pleasant silvery twittering. The call is a melodic tickeLIT, and the song is a pleasant tinkling medley of trills and twitters, but always including the trisyllabic call phrase or a teLLIT-teLLIT-teLLIT.

In earlier times, the Goldfinch was kept as a cagebird for its song. Escapes from captivity and deliberate releases have colonised southeastern Australia and New Zealand.

 
On a birdfeederGoldfinches are attracted to back gardens in Europe and North America by birdfeeders containing niger (commercially described as nyjer) seed. This seed of an annual from South Asia is small, and high in oils. Special polycarbonate feeders with small oval slits at which the Goldfinches feed are sometimes used.

Other synonyms

Asturian: Xilgueru
Breton: Ar pabor, Kanaber, Kanaper, Pabor
Catalan: Cadernera, Pinsà mec
Catalan (Balears): Cadernera
Valencian: Pinsà mec
Czech: Stehlík obecný
Welsh: Eurbinc, Gwas y Seibi, Jac nico, Jack Nico, Nico, Nicol, Peneuryn, Pobliw, Teiliwr Llundain, Telor Llundain
Danish: Stillids, Stillits
German: Distelfink, Grauköpfiger Distelfink, Stieglitz
Emiliano-romagnolo: Muntana
English: Brittish Goldfinch, Eastern Goldfinch, Eurasian Goldfinch, European Goldfinch, Goldfinch, Gray-crowned Goldfinch, Grey-crowned Goldfinch
Esperanto: kardelo
Spanish: Cardelino, Jilguero, Jilguero Europeo, Verderón
Spanish (Argentine): Cardelino, Jilguero europeo
Spanish (Uruguay): Cardelino
Estonian: Ohakalind
Basque: Cadernera, Karnaba
Finnish: Tikli
Faroese: Fagurígða
French: Chardonneret, Chardonneret élégant
Frisian: Putter
Irish: Gealún fothanán, Glasair choille, Lasair Choille, Lasair coille
Gaelic: Deargan Fraoich, Lasair Choille
Galician: Cadernera, Xílgaro
Manx: Kiark my Leydee, Lossey ny Keylley
Hungarian: Tengelic, Tengelice
Icelandic: Þistilfinka
Italian: Cardellino, Cardellino eurasiatico, Cardellino europeo, Montà
Brescian: Montà
Japanese: goshikihiwa, Goshiki-hiwa
Cornish: Owrdynk
Latin: Carduelis carduelis, Carduelis carduelis carduelis
Limburgish: Keep
Lithuanian: Dagilis
Maltese: Gardell
Dutch: Putter
Norwegian: Stillits
Portuguese: Pintassilgo, pintassilgo-europeu
Portuguese (Brazil): Pintassilgo-europeu
Romansh: Chardelin
Sardinian: Alaldoro, Cadrallìa, Cardulina, Gardanera, Gardeglia, Malasinnora, Manigalinu, Zingrulina
Scots: Lasair choille
Slovenian: lišcek, liš?ek
Albanian: Gardalina, Gardalinë
Swedish: Steglits

Spotted on our property Monte Horizonte today.

The Pied Flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca, is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family, one of the four species of Western Palearctic black-and-white flycatchers. It breeds in most of Europe and western Asia. It is migratory, wintering mainly in western Africa.

Pied Flycatcher, Bonte Vliegenvanger, Trauerschnäpper, Papa-moscas-preto, Papamoscas Cerrojillo

This is a 12-13.5 cm long bird. The breeding male is mainly black above and white below, with a large white wing patch, white tail sides and a small forehead patch. The Iberian subspecies iberiae (known as Iberian Pied Flycatcher) has a larger forehead patch and a pale rump. Non-breeding males, females and juveniles have the black replaced by a pale brown, and may be very difficult to distinguish from other Ficedula flycatchers, particularly the Collared Flycatcher, with which this species hybridizes to a limited extent.

The bill is black, and has the broad but pointed shape typical of aerial insectivores. As well as taking insects in flight, this species hunts caterpillars amongst the oak foliage, and will take berries. It is therefore a much earlier spring migrant than the more aerial Spotted Flycatcher, and its loud rhythmic and melodious song is characteristic of oak woods in spring.

They are birds of deciduous woodlands, parks and gardens, with a preference for oak trees. They build an open nest in a tree hole, and will readily adapt to an open-fronted nest box. 4-10 eggs are laid.

The very similar Atlas Flycatcher (Ficedula speculigera), of the mountains of north west Africa was formerly classed as subspecies of the Pied Flycatcher.

Other synonyms

Asturian: Mosqueru Pintu
Breton: Ar flouperig brizh, Kelienaerig
Catalan: Mastegatatxes, Mosquiter de Schwarz, Papamosques negre
Catalan (Balears): Papamosques negre
Valencian: Mosquiter de Schwarz
Czech: Lejsek cernohlavý
Welsh: Clochder y mynydd, Gwybedog brith, Gwybedwr du a gwen
Danish: Broget fluesnapper
German: Trauerschnaepper, Trauerschnäpper
English: European Pied Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Western Pied Flycatcher
Spanish: Papamoscas Cerrojillo, Papamoscas collarino
Estonian: Metstikk, Must-kärbsenäpp
Basque: Euli-txori beltz, Mastegatatxes
Finnish: Kirjosieppo
Faroese: Flekkunápur
French: Gobemouche noir
Frisian: Bûnte Miggesnapper
Irish: Cuilire Alabhreac, Cuilire Alabhreach
Gaelic: Breacan Sgiobalt
Galician: Mastegatatxes
Manx: Skybbyltagh
Croatian: Crnoglava Muharica
Hungarian: Kormos légykapó
Armenian: Khaytabghet Chanchvors
Icelandic: Flekkugrípur
Italian: Balia nera
Japanese: segurohitaki, Seguro-hitaki
Cornish: Gwybessor gwyn ha du
Latin: Ficedula atricapilla, Ficedula hypoleuca
Dutch: Bonte Vliegenvanger
Norwegian: Sv.hv.fluesnapper, Svarthvit fluesnapper
Polish: mucholówka zalobna, Mucho?ówka ?a?obna
Portuguese: papa moscas preto, Papa-moscas-preto
Romansh: sgnappamustgas nair
Scots: Breacan glas
Northern Sami: Girjelivkkár
Slovenian: crnoglavi muhar, ?rnoglavi muhar
Albanian: Mizakapësi i zi
Serbian: Crnoglava šarena muharica, šarena muharica
Swedish: Svartvit flugsnappare
Turkish: Kara sinekkapan

Spotted on Monte Horizonte today.                      Gray Heron song

The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions. It has become common in summer even inside the Arctic circle along the Norwegian coast.

Gray Heron, Blauwe reiger, Graureiher, Garça-real, Garza Real

It is a large bird, standing 90-100 cm tall, with a 175-195 cm wingspan and a weight of 1-2 kg. Its plumage is largely grey above, and off-white below. Adults have a white head with a broad black supercilium and slender crest, while immatures have a dull grey head. It has a powerful, pinkish-yellow bill, which is brighter in breeding adults. It has a slow flight, with its long neck retracted (S-shaped). This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes and spoonbills, which extend their necks. The call is a loud croaking "fraaank". The Australian White-faced Heron is often incorrectly called Grey Heron.

It is closely related and similar to the American Great Blue Heron, which differs in slightly larger size, and chestnut-brown flanks and thighs.

It feeds in shallow water, catching fish, frogs, and insects with its long bill. Herons will also take small mammals, reptiles and occasionally walbler nestlings, plovers, young and adult snipes, takes ducklings and tern chicks and other small birds. It will often wait motionless for prey, or slowly stalk its victim.

In the Netherlands, the Grey Heron has become a very common species in recent decades by moving into urban environments in great numbers. There, the herons hunt as they usually would but also make use of food discarded by humans, will visit feeding times in zoos to birds such as penguins and pelicans and some individuals even make use of people feeding them at their homes.

This species breeds in colonies in trees close to lakes, the seashore or other wetlands, although it will also nest in reedbeds. It builds a bulky stick nest.

Other synonyms

Afrikaans: Bloureier
Araucanian: Xürla
Mapundungun: Xürla
Tibetan: Kam ka
Breton: Ar gerc'heiz louet, Gerc'heiz, Kerc'heiz, Marc'harid-gouzoug-hir
Bosnian: Caplja
Catalan: Agró blau, Bernat pescaire, Garsa
Catalan (Balears): Agró blau
Valencian: Agró blau, Garsa
Czech: Volavka popelavá
Welsh: Crêyr glas, Crëyr glas, Crychydd, Garan
Danish: Fiskehejre
German: Fischreiher, Graureiher
Emiliano-romagnolo: Sghéirz
English: Common Heron, European Blue Heron, European Common Heron, European Heron, Gray Heron, Grey Heron, Heron, Mauritanian Heron
Esperanto: Griza ardeo
Spanish: Garza Gris, Garza Real
Estonian: Hallhaigur
Basque: Bernat pescaire, Lertxun, Lertxun hauskara
Finnish: Harmaahaikara
Faroese: Hakaspjað, Hegri, Pinnur í reyv
French: Héron cendré, Héron huppé, Héron pâle
Frisian: Ielreager
Irish: Corr éisc, Corr Réisc
Gaelic: Corra Riathach, Corra-Ghritheach
Galician: Bernat pescaire, Garza real
Guarani: Hoko, Kuarahy mimby, Mbaguar?
Manx: Coar ny hastan, Coayr, Coayr Glass, Coayr ny Hastan
Croatian: Siva CapljaHungarian: Szürke gém
Indonesian: Cangak Abu, Cangkak abu
Icelandic: Gráhegri
Italian: Airon, Airóne, Airone cenerino, Airòun, Aurana
Modenese: Airòun
Napulitano: Airóne, Aurana
Paduan: Airon
Japanese: aosagi, Ao-sagi
Kwangali: Samunkoma
Latin: Ardea cinerea, Ardea cinerea cinerea
Ligurian: Perdigiorni
Lithuanian: Govaras, Kumpakaklis, Pilkasis garnys, Pilkasis starkus
Malagasy: Langoromavo, Vano, Vanokasira
Malay: Pucung Seriap, Seriap
Maltese: Russett griz, Russett Gri?
Dutch: Blauwe Reiger
Flemish: Reiger
Norwegian: Fiskeheire, Gråhegre, Heire
Occitan: Bernat pescaire
Polish: czapla siwa
Portuguese: garça real, garça-cinza, Garça-real, Garca-real-europeia, garça-real-européia
Portuguese (Brazil): garça-cinza, Garca-real-europeia, Garça-real-européia
Quechua: Wajjchilla
Romansh: Irun grisch
Sardinian: Garza, Menga, Mengoni, Perdigiorronadas
Scots: Corra ghritheach, Corra riathach
Northern Sami: Háigir
Slovak: Volavka popolavá
Slovenian: siva caplja, siva ?aplja, sivacaplja
Albanian: Çapka e përhime, Çapka e përhimë
Sotho, Southern: Kokolofitoe
Swedish: Grå häger, Gråhäger, Häger
Swahili: Koikoi Kijivu, Kongoti, Korongo
Venetian: Sgarza
Xhosa: Isikhwalimanzi

Spotted on our property Monte Horizonte today.

The Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata, is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It breeds in most of Europe and western Asia, and is migratory, wintering in Africa and south western Asia. It is declining in parts of its range.

Spotted Flycatcher, Grauwe Vliegenvanger, Grauschnäpper, Papa-moscas-cinzento, Papamoscas Gris

This is an undistinguished looking bird with long wings and tail. The adults have grey-brown upperparts and whitish underparts, with some streaking on the breast. The legs are short and black, and the bill is black and has the broad but pointed shape typical of aerial insectivores. Juveniles are browner than adults and show the spots on the upperparts which give this species its name.

Spotted Flycatchers hunt from conspicuous perches, making sallies after passing flying insects, and often returning to the same perch. Their upright posture is characteristic.

They are birds of deciduous woodlands, parks and gardens, with a preference for open areas amongst trees. They build an open nest in a suitable recess, often against a wall, and will readily adapt to an open-fronted nest box. 4-6 eggs are laid.

Interestingly, most European birds cannot discriminate between their own eggs and those of other species. The exception to this are the hosts of the Common Cuckoo, which have had to evolve this skill as a protection against that nest parasite. Spotted Flycatcher shows excellent egg recognition, and it is likely that it was once a host of the Cuckoo, but became so good at recognising the intruder’s eggs that it ceased to be victimised. A contrast to this is the Dunnock, which appears to be a recent Cuckoo host, since it does not show any egg discrimination.

The flycatcher’s call is a thin, drawn out soft and high pitched tssssseeeeeppppp, slightly descending in pitch.

Other synonyms:

Afrikaans: Europese Vlieevanger, Europese Vlieëvanger
Asturian: Mosqueru
Breton: Ar flouper kelien
Catalan: Papamosques, Papamosques gris
Catalan (Balears): Papamosques
Czech: Lejsek šedý
Welsh: Cylionydd, Gwybedog, Gwybedog ddu a gwyn, Gwybedog mannog, Gwybedwr brith, Gwybedwr mannog, Pryfetwr brith
Danish: Grå fluesnapper
German: Grauer Fliegenschnäpper, Grauschnaepper, Grauschnäpper
English: Brown-streaked Flycatcher, European Spotted Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher
Spanish: Papamoscas Gris, Papamoscas pardo
Estonian: Hall-kärbsenäpp
Basque: Euli-txori gris, Euli-txori grisa, Papamosques gris
Finnish: Harmaasieppo
Faroese: Gránápur
French: Gobemouche gris
Frisian: Feale Miggesnapper
Irish: Cuilire Liath, Cuilsealgaire
Gaelic: Breacan Glas
Galician: Papamoscas cincento, Papamosques gris
Manx: Skybbyltagh breck
Croatian: Muharica, Siva muharica
Hungarian: Szürke légykapó
Armenian: Mokhraguyn Chanchvors
Icelandic: Grágrípur
Italian: Pigliamosche, Pigliamosche comune, Pigliamosche europeo
Japanese: Muna-fu hitaki, munafuhitaki
Cornish: Gwybessor bryth
Latin: Muscicapa striata
Dutch: Grauwe Vliegenvanger, Vliegenvanger
Norwegian: Grå fluesnapper, Gråfluesnapper
Polish: Mucholówka szara
Portuguese: papa moscas cinzento, Papa-moscas-cinzento
Romansh: Sgnappamustgas grisch
Russian: Seraya Mukholovka>
Scots: Breac glas sgiobalta
Northern Sami: Ráneslivkkár
Slovak: muchár sivý, Muchárik sivý
Slovenian: sivi muhar
Albanian: Mizakapësi i përhimë
Sotho, Southern: Kapantsi-tubatubi
Swedish: Grå flugsnappare, Grå flugsnäppare
Swahili: Shore Kidari-michirizi
Turkish: Benekli sinekkapan, Çizgili Sinekkapan, Lekeli Sinek-Yutan

Not in the Alentejo but interesting anyway:

The Red-Billed Chough species falls under the crow family. It is easily recognized by its features that include a longish curved beak and red coloring, red legs and pitch-black plumages that glisten in the sun. They are known to mate for life and also remain at their breeding site. Nests can be found on cliff faces and caves. But concern has grown over an area in Portugal where there once was an abundance of Red-Billed Choughs, and nests were an ordinary site. The surrounding area of Chaos has not recorded a sighting of a Red-Billed Chough in a long time, and steps are being taken to correct the loss of these birds to the area.

The herding of goats in the Chaos countryside was once a very active form of agriculture, but as the agricultural lands began to be abandoned, the vegetation and brush started growing at such a rate that the Red-Billed Choughs could no longer forage underneath the bushes as they used to, and the insects that used to breed in the goat excrement and provide these birds with extra nutrition are also no longer found here since the goats were removed. Efforts are therefore being made to revive the industry of goat herding to enable the Red-Billed Choughs to once again populate the area.

The project has enlisted the assistance of two candidates who herd the newly acquired goats, as well as monitoring the birds, natural herbs and orchids which are found in the area. To raise funds, the project has brought in a tourist angle, allowing visitors to Portugal to be goat herders for a day explore the beautiful landscape and receive a guided tour of the natural wonders and sites in the Chaos countryside. In addition, organic cheese production is a product that potential goat herders can invest in, especially as the project is incorporating tourism into their attempt to save the Red-Billed Chough population. It is hoped that the project will jumpstart the industry of goat herding and in doing so, provide the Red-Billed Chough with a habitat again. These endangered birds can be saved, with dedication from the project, assistance of the community and support from visitors and tourists. Tourists will be able to explore a new world while playing a vital role in saving the Red-Billed Chough in Portugal.