Jersey protected species

Barn Owl (倉鴞)
Jersey (2015)
18th February, 2015. Jersey

Jersey is very proud of its rare and varied wildlife and certain species are protected by the Island's Biodiversity Strategy. First published in the year 2000 by the States of Jersey Eco-Active department, the strategy was established after Jersey signed the International Convention on Biological Diversity at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.

Now focussing on as many as 67 species of animals and plants in Jersey, the department aims to produce local action plans to protect those that are threatened.

Atlantic Puffin (北極海鸚)
Jersey (2015)
18th February, 2015. Jersey

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal (北美紅雀)
USA (2014)
23rd October, 2014. New York

Northern Cardinal is one of three birds in the genus Cardinalis and is included in the family Cardinalidae, which is made up of passerine birds found in North and South America.

The northern cardinal was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th-century work, Systema Naturae. It was initially included in the genus Loxia, which now contains only crossbills. In 1838, it was placed in the genus Cardinalis and given the scientific name Cardinalis virginianus, which means "Virginia cardinal". In 1918, the scientific name was changed to Richmondena cardinalis to honor Charles Wallace Richmond, an American ornithologist. In 1983, the scientific name was changed again to Cardinalis cardinalis and the common name was changed to "northern cardinal", to avoid confusion with the seven other species also termed cardinals.

The common name, as well as the scientific name, of the northern cardinal refers to the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, who wear distinctive red robes and caps. The term "northern" in the common name refers to its range, as it is the northernmost cardinal species.

Common Waxbill

Common Waxbill (橫斑梅花雀)
Cape Verde (2005)
14th January, 2015. Santa Marina

Common waxbill also known as the St Helena waxbill, is a small passerine bird belonging to the estrildid finch family. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa but has been introduced to many other regions of the world and now has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km2. It is popular and easy to keep in captivity.

It is a small bird, 11 to 13 centimetres in length with a wingspan of 12 to 14 centimetres and a weight of 7 to 10 grams. It has a slender body with short rounded wings and a long graduated tail. The bright red bill of the adult is the colour of sealing wax giving the bird its name. The plumage is mostly grey-brown, finely barred with dark brown. There is a red stripe through the eye and the cheeks and throat are whitish. There is often a pinkish flush to the underparts and a reddish stripe along the centre of the belly depending on the subspecies. The rump is brown and the tail and vent are dark. Females are similar to the males but are paler with less red on the belly. Juveniles are duller with little or no red on the belly, fainter dark barring and a black bill.

Spanish Eagle

Spanish Eagle (西班牙帝鵰)
Spain (2014)
20th December, 2014. Granada

Spanish imperial eagle is a threatened species of eagle that only occurs in central and south-west Spain, adjacent areas of Portugal and possibly northern Morocco, although the latter is disputed. Formerly, the Iberian imperial eagle was considered to be a subspecies of the eastern imperial eagle, but is now widely recognised as a separate species due to differences in morphology, ecology, and molecular characteristics.

The Spanish imperial eagle averages smaller, 2.5–3.5 kilograms (5.5–7.7 lb), 78–82 centimetres (31–32 in) in length and 180–210 centimetres (71–83 in) in wingspan, and darker than its eastern cousin, and is a resident species (eastern imperial is partially migratory). It feeds mainly on rabbits, but can prey on many other animals, such as partridges, rodents, hares, pigeons, crows, ducks and even small dogs. The species is classified as Vulnerable by IUCN Threats include loss of habitat, human encroachment, collisions with pylons, and illegal poisoning. There has also been a decline in the rabbit populations, as a result of myxomatosis and other viral illnesses. The current population is estimated at less than 500.

In 2010, there were 279 in Spain and 3 pairs in Portugal, which is an increase of 16 pairs since 2009. Despite showing signs of recovery, it is still a globally threatened species. A small population is protected in Doñana National Park, Spain but its stronghold is the dehesa woodlands of central and south-west Spain, such as in Extremadura or Seville and Huelva Sierra Norte.

In February 2009, one male of the extremely small Portuguese population was shot.

The binomial commemorates Prince Adalbert of Bavaria.

Nature reserves of Cape Verde

10/- : Cape Verde Shearwater (佛得角圓尾鸌) ; 30/- : Brown Booby (白腹鰹鳥)
40/- : Magnificent Frigatebird (麗色軍艦鳥) ; 41/- : Red-billed Tropicbird (紅嘴熱帶鳥)
Cape Verde (1993)
14th January, 2015. Santa Maria

The wildlife of Cape Verde is spread over its archipelago of ten islands and three islets, which all have parks under their jurisdiction by decree promulgated by the Cape Verde government. Located off the west coast of Africa, the total land area of the island nation is 4,564 square kilometres (1,762 sq mi). The wildlife consists of many tropical dry forest and shrub land, endemic flora and fauna, and rare breeding seabirds and plants, which are unique to this group of islands.

Some of the wildlife species of Cape Verde are considered as endemic, evolving over millions of years of isolation; the grey-headed kingfisher survived here on insects in the absence of water in the lands of the islands.

Cape Verde has many species of endemic birds, which are observed by keen ornithologists and bird watchers on the islands. 130 migrant birds are reported to visit the islands, out of which over 40 nest there. The seabirds which breed on the island are: Fea's petrel, frigatebird and red-tailed tropicbird. Four species of birds, (Alexander's swift, the Raso lark, the Cape Verde swamp-warbler and the Iago sparrow) are also endemic here, while the Cape Verde shearwater is a breeding endemic. The endemic and endangered Bourne's heron is sometimes considered a full species. Also common are the greater flamingo and the Egyptian vulture.