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Sat, Sep 06 2008, 12:47:24

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Subject: Re: Photos Author: k [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 08:55:57 07/30/06 Sun In reply to: michelle in ok 's message, "Re: Photos" on 21:00:41 07/29/06 Sat Thanks for those thoughts Michelle. My favorite photo is that of the Crested Argus (Rheinartia Chick) especially the open wing. We can learn alot about the ecology of a species by studying the shape of its open wing. So little is known about the Crested Argus - Ive studied in the habitat of the Malaysian species and visited many captive Annametic Crested Argus but have not had an opportunity to climb up to the altitudes where the Annametic species lives. Regardles- there is very little known about either species. The open wing of the chick tells us that they are capable of making sustained flights even at this very young age. The wing shape is remarkeably like that of the Sage Grouse adult but the wing is more square akin to that of a hawk-eagle ( Spizaetus) suggesting that their ability to vault upwards and outwards is as great as their capacity to dive and twist at great heights and with great speed. The Sage grouse wing is designed for prolonged flight over snow and against wind. So in this instance we have a terrestrial bird that lives at high altitudes near the cloud forest but a bit higher - the birds wings and the few observations Ive made of the Malaysaian species suggest that the Crested Argus makes use of its wings daily to cross deep chasms and ravines in order that it avoid losing altitude. It is an ecological specialist that forages at specific altitudes. Dropping down into the jungles below might be fatal in that it is poorly equipped for those habitats prefered by its cousins the Great Argus and Green Peafowl. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]