Species Profiles

Description

With a snout-vent length between 6.7 and 8.4 cm and a wingspan between 35 and 43 cm, the greater mouse-eared bat is the largest European species of Myotis. An adult weighs between 28 and 40 g. The greater mouse-eared bat has a very short and broad snout, the ears are long and wide. The short fur of adults is blackish-brown at the hair roots and light brownish-grey on the upperpart. The belly is white-grey, the neck sometimes slightly yellowish. Juveniles are more grey than brownish. The snout, ears and wings are grey-brown. In contrast to the adult greater mouse-eared bat, the lesser mouse-eared bat is dark grey in colour, and its body measurements are usually smaller than those of the greater mouse-eared bat. The number of ear folds (7-8 in the greater mouse-eared bat, 5-6 in the lesser mouse-eared) is also a distinguishing feature.

Habitat

The habitat of the greater mouse-eared bat is mainly open terrain, such as meadows, fields and open woodland, but also human settlements. Summer habitats are in roof trusses and church towers, also in bridges. The animals hang freely here. 

When foraging, they like to fly between trees at low (1-2 m above the ground) and medium altitudes, listening to the rustling sounds of prey running on the ground (passive detection). The sense of smell probably also plays a greater role in finding prey, with echolocation taking a back seat. The animals are also capable of so-called shaking flight for a short period of time. 4 to 17 km can lie between the roost and the hunting habitat. The main food is ground-dwelling arthropods, especially large ground beetles (Carabus), arachnids (Arachnida) and centipedes (Chilopoda).

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Großes_Mausohr). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 18 August 2021

Description

The harvest mouse is one of the smallest rodents. It reaches a snout-vent length of 55 to 75 mm, the tail measures about 50 to 75 mm. Its weight is 5 to 7 g. Its upperparts are reddish brown, in some areas also dark brown. The underpart is sharply set off from the back and is white. The unusually long tail is used as a prehensile tail and is bicoloured. The ears barely protrude from the fur. The eyes are very small and dark brown. The skull is also very small; harvest mice can squeeze through holes of one cm in diameter.

Habitat

Their habitat is areas of high vegetation, for example tall grasses, reeds and cane thickets and bamboo thickets, but also grain fields. Occasionally they are also found in hedgerows or rice fields.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwergmaus). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 25 August 2021

Description

The total length of this small, slender lizard species is a maximum of 18 cm, the snout-vent length is about 6.5 cm. In appearance, the species resembles the European wall lizard (Podarcis muralis). The collar closes smoothly to the back. The dorsal scales are relatively large, roundish to hexagonal, flat and not keeled. On the middle of the back they are arranged in distinct transverse rows, on the flanks more irregularly. The head, back and upper side of the tail are light brownish, gray-greenish to whitish-gray. In oblique light, the species may have a greenish iridescence. Beginning at the nostril, a broad, dark to reddish-brown longitudinal band extends over the temporal region and the upper half of the flanks, the upper edge of which is distinctly serrated. This band also extends over the sides of the tail, where it forms characteristic rhomboids strung together. Occasionally the pale dorsum is patternless, but usually it is covered with numerous small dark spots. Relatively often there is a narrow brown line on the middle of the back, but it may be incompletely developed. The throat region is whitish-gray, the ventral side straw to greenish-yellow colored. The underpart is unspotted, only on the outer row of the ventral shields there may be black or even rust-colored spots. Juveniles closely resemble adults in coloration and markings, but have conspicuously chip-green or greenish-gray tails.

Habitat

The Horvath's rock lizard is a mountain species found from 250 m above sea level upwards. The highest occurrence is at 2000 m altitude on Visoka Ponca (Slovenia). Preference is given to damp, cool altitudes of 800-1200 m, especially stony terrain, cliffs, karst rocks, stone bridges and road embankments. They usually stay directly on rock faces, near crevices, or in scree that is sometimes overgrown with moss, grasses, and small ferns. The animals also stay on ungrouted retaining walls and in their crevice system. At lower altitudes, the species is often associated with the European wall lizard. There the well climbing species prefers smooth and steep rock surfaces, on which it still finds sufficient hold as the lighter species in contrast to the heavier European wall lizard.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroatische_Gebirgseidechse). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 26 May 2021

Description

House mice living in the wild reach a snout-vent length of 7 to 11 cm, a tail length of 7 to 10 cm and a weight of about 20 to 25 g. The white mice kept in laboratories and the fancy mice available in the pet shop can become much heavier, 45 to 60 grams are not uncommon. The body is mouse-grey to brown-grey on top, the underpart is somewhat lighter. The tail has clearly visible scale rings and is sparsely hairy.

Adult house mice have longer tails than voles. A vole's tail is shorter than half its torso (from nose to base of tail), a house mouse's tail is longer than half its rump. The incisors of the upper jaw are slightly notched.

There is a similarity to the wood mouse, which also often stays indoors. In wood mice, however, the light underpart is more clearly separated from the darker fur on the upperparts than in house mice. Unlike the house mouse, the wood mouse does not have a notch on the back of the upper incisors.

Habitat

When the house mouse is not living near humans, it mainly inhabits steppes, desert areas and cultivated land. There it digs burrows and builds nests in which it stores its food. 

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hausmaus). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 25 August 2021

Description

It is a broad-headed, quite large newt. It reaches similar body lengths to the Northern crested newt (Triturus cristatus) - on average about 12 to 13 cm; in females at most over 20 cm. During the mating season, the males develop a dorsal crest that is not as high or as strongly serrated as in the Northern crested newt or the Danube crested newt. The dorsal crest is separated from the caudal margin by an incision - as in all crested newts (but compare: common newt). The upperpart appears light brownish-grey to dark brown, with dark round spots and is relatively smooth-skinned. Females in terrestrial display and juveniles often have a yellowish longitudinal line on the back. The throat is white spotted, the belly yellow or orange with dark, particularly "washed out" looking, not sharply defined spots. In contrast to the other crested newt species, the flanks are barely spotted with white. Especially the washed-out spotting and the lack of white dotting on the sides are considered the most important external identification features.

Habitat

During the mating season in spring and sometimes also during the summer, the animals stay in perennial, herbaceous pools and ponds. Crested newts in general are more seasonally bound to the water body than other newts.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpen-Kammmolch). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 29 June 2021

Description

With a size of up to 4.7 cm, it is only slightly larger than its sister species, the common pipistrelle. Its wingspan is around 22 cm and it weighs 5-10 grams.

When the wings are open, it is easy to see that there is a 1-2 mm wide, light-coloured fringe between the last phalanx and the foot on both sides, which gave the Kuhl's pipistrelle its name.

Habitat

It inhabits forests and grasslands of temperate climates, but also rural gardens and urban areas.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weißrandfledermaus). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 13 August 2021

Description

The Leisler's bat is a medium-sized bat with a snout-vent length of 48 to 72 mm and a tail of 35 to 48 mm in length. The wingspan is 26 to 34 cm with an underarm length of 39 to 47 mm. Compared to the common noctule (Nyctalus noctula), it is clearly smaller, although particularly large females come close to especially small representatives of the common noctule with a minimum forearm length of 48 mm. Body weight is between 8 and 20 g and females are usually slightly larger than males.

In its physique and appearance, the Leisler's bat largely corresponds to the common noctule and differs from the latter, apart from its body size, mainly by its distinctly bicoloured dorsal fur. This consists of bicoloured hairs, which are dark to blackish brown at the base and distinctly lighter at the tips. The yellow-brown belly of the animal is slightly lighter than the back. In May and August there is a seasonal change of coat, which is associated with a slight change in coat colour. In summer the dorsal coat tends to be dark reddish brown to mahogany, the reddish tinge disappears in winter and the coat becomes dark grey to dark brown, and the ventral side is also slightly greyer than in summer. Juveniles are dark grey in their first year of life.

The wings are comparatively long and narrow, as in other noctule bats. The patagium is densely furred along the back and arms. The tail protrudes about one to two mm from the uropatagium. The ears are broad and triangular at the base, the ear tips are rounded. They have a size of 11.2 to 16.5 mm. At the outer edge the auricle has four to five transverse folds. The tragus is short and mushroom-shaped and thus corresponds to that of other noctule bats. Compared to the common noctule, the snout is conspicuously pointed with a slanted mouth.

Habitat

The species prefers open forests as habitat and is considered a typical forest bat. It uses deciduous forests as well as mixed and various coniferous forests as habitat. The habitats differ regionally in their forest composition; in Austria, for example, the bat prefers mainly mixed oak forests, while in other areas it is found in forests with a high proportion of beech, spruce and fir. The possible habitats are also diverse in terms of management form and range from structurally rich plenter forests to simple old-growth forests. The Leisler's bat needs tree hollows both as a nursery roost and as a winter habitat and therefore occurs most frequently in forest stands with a high proportion of older trees; alternatively, artificial roosts such as bat boxes or bird nesting boxes can also increase its attractiveness.

Hunting areas are pastures close to forests, water areas and rivers. Occasionally, the Leisler's bat is also found in towns and even in larger cities. In cities, its roosts are mostly in parks and only rarely in buildings.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleiner_Abendsegler). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 13 August 2021

Description

The lesser mouse-eared bat is very similar to the somewhat larger greater mouse-eared bat. It reaches a snout-vent length of 62 to 71 (rarely from 54, or up to 76) mm and a weight of 15 to 28 g. The wingspan is 380 to 400 mm and the condylobasal length 17.2 to 18.5 mm. The wingspan is 380 to 400 mm, the condylobasal length 17.2 to 18.5 mm. The tail is 53 to 59 (maximum 60) mm long, the ears 19.8 to 23.5 (maximum 26) mm and the forearm 52.5 to 59 (maximum 62.5) mm. The ears are narrow and shorter than those of the greater mouse-eared bat. The anterior edge of the ears is not so strongly curved backwards and the ears taper more pointedly. The tragus is narrower at the base, lanceolate and becomes almost half as long as the ear. The outer edge of the ear has 5 to 6 transverse folds. The snout is narrower and more pointed compared to the greater long-eared bat, making it appear longer. The coat is short and the base of the fur is dark grey. The upperpart is grey with a brownish tinge, while the underpart is greyish white. Ears, snout and patagium are light grey-brown. The tragus is pale yellowish white. The patagium of the arms attaches to the base of the toes. The spur is about half as long as the uropatagium and has a narrow skin margin.

Habitat

The lesser mouse-eared bat is found in warmth-favoured areas in loose stands of trees and bushes, parks, karst areas, but also in towns and villages. The species has been recorded up to altitudes of 1000 m.

They hunt in the dark or late twilight. Their flight is steady and slow, they are more agile in confined spaces than the greater mouse-eared bat. Food is probably also taken from the ground. Prey are beetles and moths.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleines_Mausohr). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 18 August 2021

Description

The lesser whitethroat is 11.5 to 13.5 cm in length and weighs 12 to 16 grams. The upperparts are grey-brown, the crown and the relatively short tail are greyer, the underparts are white. The flanks are slightly tinged with light brown. The throat is whitish, the head is grey and the legs dark. The iris is dark, the lower eyelid is light. The grey, demarcated ear covers are the most reliable identification mark. Males and females have the same colouration. A lesser whitethroat can live up to eleven years.

Habitat

The lesser whitethroat lives in gardens, parks, mountains and open woodland areas.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klappergrasmücke). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 22 November 2021

Description

Mallards are up to 58 centimeters long, their wingspan is up to 95 centimeters. In the period between July and August, the male wears his basic plumage and looks very much like the female. The male's beak is still distinctly yellow, sometimes with a greenish tinge, while the female's beak is orange in base colour and sometimes completely covered with dark gray to brown, sometimes only in the middle. The female has a mottled brown-gray colouration, making them well camouflaged on land. The only noticeable feature is the blue wing patch, which matches that of the male. In flight, the white edging of the blue wing patch is visible in both sexes. The plumage of the drake is gray with brown breast, brownish back, and black uppertail and undertail coverts. The head is metallic green with a white throat ring underneath, and the beak is greenish yellow. On the trailing edge of the wings is a metallic blue band fringed with white, the wing patch. The black feathers at the tip of the tail are curled up into drake feathers.

The mallard is very adaptable and can be found almost everywhere where there are bodies of water. Mallards swim on lakes, in ponds, inland waters, mountain lakes and also stay in small forest and meadow ditches.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockente). On wikipedia the text is available under a  „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“licence. Status: 17 December 2021

Description

The marsh warbler is about 13 cm long and has a wingspan of 17 to 21 cm. The weight is about 11 to 14 grams. The upperparts are greyish brown, the underparts are yellowish white. The small bird has a whitish throat and a pointed beak. Males and females have the same colouring. The marsh warbler moves skilfully in dense vegetation and imitates the calls and songs of other bird species, which it mixes with typical reed warbler phrases. It can often be heard in late twilight and at night.

The marsh warbler lives in dense reeds, bushes and crop fields near water bodies.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumpfrohrsänger). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 22 November 2021

Description

American mink have an elongated body with relatively short limbs and tail. The face is flat and pointed, the toes are partly webbed as an adaptation to the semiaquatic lifestyle. An anal gland secretes a musky secretion, the smell of which is sometimes described as more penetrating than that of skunks. The soft, dense fur is water-repellent, its basic colouration is brown. The chin is coloured white, sometimes white patches are visible on the throat and belly. Through breeding, many colour variations are now available. The animals reach a head trunk length of 30 to 43 cm, a tail length of 13 to 23 cm and a weight of 0.7 to 2.3 kg, whereby the males become considerably heavier than the females. American minks can thus grow much heavier than their European cousins.

Originally, the species was restricted to North America. It occurred in Alaska, nearly all of Canada (except the extreme north), and the core United States (the 48 contiguous states) except the southwestern portions. Since the 1950s, escaped or released animals from mink farms have also spread into Europe, largely displacing the native European mink.

American mink are water-bound. They can be found along rivers and lakes as well as in swamps and marshes. However, they need shore areas densely covered with vegetation. They also inhabit estuaries and coastal islands.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerikanischer_Nerz). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 02 September 2021

Description

The montane water vole was formerly considered a subspecies of the European water vole. The European water vole, which is widespread in Eurasia and lives amphibiously, is larger and has shaggy fur; the montane water vole is a smaller, burrowing species with softer fur, isolated in certain European mountains. The upper incisors of the mountain vole protrude forward and are adapted to the burrowing lifestyle.

Habitat

The main distribution area of the montane water vole is the highlands. There they make extensive burrows, usually no deeper than one metre, in meadows and pastures, more rarely in forests. They are predominantly herbivorous, feeding on plant cover in summer and on roots, root bulbs and tubers in winter.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gebirgsschermaus). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 20 August 2021

Description

European moufflons have a body length of up to 120 cm, a shoulder height of 90 cm, a weight of 25 to 40 kg for sheep, 35 to 55 kg for rams. The European moufflon has a smooth coat, the rams are chestnut brown in summer, usually with a whitish saddleback, the sheeps are brownish. In winter both sexes are darker. The rams have snail-shaped horns up to 80 cm long.

In Central Europe, European moufflons live in deciduous and mixed forest areas both in the lowlands and in the low mountain ranges, also preferring dry and stony soils.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europäischer_Mufflon). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 19 October 2021

Description

It achieves a maximum body size of around 5 to 6 cm and a wingspan of up to 25 cm with a weight of 6 to 10 g. Its appearance makes it easy to confuse with the other pipistrelle bats. A good distinguishing feature from the common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle is the 5th finger, which is usually longer in the Nathusius's pipistrelle.

Habitat

The Nathusius's pipistrelle summer habitats are crevice roosts such as trunk cracks, tree hollows and rock crevices, but they can also be found on buildings, e.g. behind wooden panelling. In winter, the species often occupies wood piles or tree hollows.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rauhautfledermaus). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 13 August 2021

Description

The northern bat is a medium-sized bat species. 

As in the serotine bat, the long and silky upper fur is dark to blackish brown at the base, but the tips of the hairs in adult northern bats are coloured ochre to leathery or golden from the crown to the base of the tail, contrasting with the ground colour. This effect occurs especially in the shoulder area towards the middle of the back. The nape of the neck is darker and the underpart is very light yellow-brown in colour, the transition from the dark upperpart to the light underpart being very sharply defined, especially on the sides of the neck. The snout, the cheeks, the ears and the patagium are black. The young are darker coloured and have no golden, but at most silvery fur tips, the belly is grey in them.

The ears are small compared to other bats and reach a length of 11.5 to 17.3 mm. Compared to the serotine bat, however, they are proportionally larger.

The wings are medium in width and length with a rounded wing tip, the fifth finger being almost 10 mm longer than the forearm. The tip of the tail is exposed at 3 to 4 mm with the last caudal vertebra.

In Europe, the northern bat is comparatively easy to distinguish from other bat species. Compared to the closely related serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus), it is clearly smaller. It differs from other similar species, especially the leather-winged bat (Vespertilio murinus) and the Savi's pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii), mainly by the colour of its fur as well as features of the skeleton, especially the skull, and the shape of the penis bone.

Habitat

Northern bats prefer loose scrub and coniferous forests at altitudes of 200 to over 2,000 m, especially in Europe. They are also bound to more humid habitats and the vicinity of water bodies. In addition, they are bound to human settlements, as especially the nursery roosts are very often found in roofs of heated houses. Although most winter habitat finds are made in remote caves and cellars, it can be assumed that a large proportion of bats may hibernate in inaccessible places in wall coverings and roofs.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordfledermaus). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 09 August 2021

Description

The Northern crested newt is a rather large, powerful newt with a broad head. The males reach a length of ten to a maximum of 18 cm, the females from eleven to a maximum of 20 cm. The upperparts are grey-black in colour, with indistinct darker spots or patches; the skin appears slightly warty-grained. The flanks are intensely whitish granulated at the transition to the ventral side. The belly is yellow or orange with black spots. This pattern of spots even makes it possible to distinguish the animals individually in field biology studies. During the mating season, males develop a high, strongly serrated skin crest on the back and tail, which is interrupted at the root of the tail (in contrast to the common newt). Males also have a characteristic pearly-silvery band ("milk stripe") on the sides of the tail and a more bulging, black cloaca. The females have only a low caudal fin fringe. Their orange belly colouring continues over the cloaca on the lower edge of the tail. After spending time in the water, the aquatic display, especially the conspicuous skin fringes of the males, is largely regressed in late summer, giving way to a more inconspicuous terrestrial display.

Habitat

Spawning waters are mostly perennial, i.e. permanently water-bearing small ponds and pools in rather loamy, rarely sandy soils, which are exposed to sunlight for at least several hours a day. They often have both an open water zone and a richly weedy reed and submerged vegetation and are eutrophic (but not excessively eutrophic!). As this structure is also preferred by other amphibians, water bodies where the Northern crested newt occurs are often characterised by particularly species-rich amphibian communities (associations of different species).

In the vicinity of the water bodies, suitable terrestrial habitats must be available in good spatial interlocking, for example grassland interspersed with field copses, fens, deciduous forests and fringe biotopes such as riparian strips, hedges and similar. Sometimes very valuable habitat structures develop in abandoned soil mining pits. The animals like to seek shelter under stones and lying deadwood and spend the day resting there.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nördlicher_Kammmolch). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 29 June 2021

Description

The Northern mole reaches a snout-vent length of 11.3 to 15.9 cm, the tail becomes 2.5 to 4.0 cm long. The weight varies from 72 to 128 g. The Northern mole is well adapted to the underground burrowing way of life. The body shows a cylindrical shape, the neck is short and the conically shaped head ends in a pointed snout. The short tail retracts at the base, usually held upright. The broad forelimbs are short, broad and laterally oriented. All five fingers bear extraordinary claws. The hands are turned outwards, forming an effective digging tool. In contrast, the hindlimbs, which grow to 1.7 to 2.8 cm in length, appear rather graceful, the claws on each of the five toes appear much less developed.

Externally visible ears are not present. The eyes lie in a palpebral fissure. Their size is greatly reduced, but they have not completely lost their function. The soft fur, which does not have a stripe and thus does not offer any resistance during locomotion in the corridors and tunnels, is usually dark grey to black in colour with a slightly lighter tone on the underparts. However, colour anomalies occur in individual animals, ranging from white-grey silver to piebald, cream and yellow to orange and coffee brown. The limbs are hairless, as is the tail. 

Habitat

They inhabit a variety of different habitats, but all have in common a thick soil layer, deep enough to create burrows and tunnels, with an abundant food supply. In general, the presence of the Northern mole is positively linked to the regional abundance of earthworms. As a result, it avoids acidic soils; the threshold value is reached at a pH value of 4.5 or higher, as the density of earthworms decreases rapidly here. It also avoids heavily industrialised regions with sometimes considerable pollution combined with a decline in soil quality. The altitudinal distribution covers the areas from sea level up to around 2700 m altitude. Originally, the Northern mole colonised deciduous forest landscapes, but today it can also be found on pastures, fallow land, in parks and in gardens. It also spreads into urban areas, whereby green spaces with a minimum area of about 10 ha are required for a permanent settlement, while the density of urban settlement around plays only a rather minor role. Accordingly, however, too small green islands with poor vegetation prevent a settlement of the mole, since on the one hand the density of prey is too low, and on the other hand parts of the urban infrastructure such as roads and kerbs often represent insurmountable barriers.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europäischer_Maulwurf). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 09 August 2021

Description

The nutria reaches a body length of up to 65 cm and weighs 8-10 kg as an adult. Its round, scale-covered, barely hairy tail has a length of about 30-45 cm. The animals are thus smaller than adult beavers (maximum snout-vent length about 100 cm, tail length about 35 cm, weight 25-30 kg). On their hind feet they have webbings between the first four toes, the fifth toe is exposed. The orange colouring of the chisel teeth, which is caused by iron deposits, is also conspicuous in adult animals.

The coat colour is reddish brown, slightly greyish on the belly. Animals that have escaped from fur farms also show a number of colour variations. They have light grey, dark grey, black, brown, reddish, yellowish or almost white fur.

Habitat

The original habitat of the nutria, which lives in rivers, lakes, ponds and swamps, is subtropical and temperate South America. In Austria, the population is limited to isolated, usually short-lived populations that regularly do not survive harsh winters. The species is not permanently established there.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutria). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 25 August 2021

Description

The snout-vent length of the males is 4.5 to 5.5 cm - so they are only slightly larger than a European tree frog - the females are 5.5 to 6.5 cm long. The upperparts are predominantly grass-green in colour and speckled with rather regular black or brown spots. In addition, there is the typical water frog mid-dorsal line and reddish glandular ridges on the dorsal sides. Individuals with black-brownish colour pattern parts are also quite common, especially in female specimens. The iris is intensely yellow in males at mating time, as yellow body colours dominate at this time elsewhere; their vocal sacs are white. The lower legs are remarkably short in relation to the trunk; the metatarsal tubercle is large and semicircular.

Habitat

The pool frog is not as strictly bound to water bodies as its relatives, the common water frog and theEuropean green frog. Typical habitats in northern Germany are e.g. bog biotopes within wooded areas. Adults and juveniles often move far away from the water bodies. Preference is given to smaller, vegetated ponds, pools and ditches as well as marshes and bogs in their vicinity. The species is rarely found in large lakes and rivers. A closer connection seems to exist regionally - especially in the north of the distribution area - to boggy, mesotrophic habitats. Due to these requirements, the species is absent from certain habitats that are strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleiner_Wasserfrosch). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 29 June 2021

Description

Its body length is between 41 and 71 cm, not including the bushy tail, which is between 19.2 and 40.5 cm long, but usually not much longer than 25 cm. The characteristic facial markings of the raccoon with the black coloured face mask around the eyes, which contrasts sharply with the surrounding white fur, are similar to those of the raccoon dog. The slightly rounded ears are also framed by white fur. On the rest of the body, the long and water-repellent outer fur is coloured in various shades of grey and, to a lesser extent, brown. Raccoons with very dark coloured fur are mainly found in the German population, as there were individual animals with such fur markings in the founder population.

Unusual for a predator are also the five free-standing fingers, although the mobility of the front paws is not comparable to that of primate hands due to the non-opposable thumb. 

Apart from urbanised animals, water-rich mixed and deciduous forests with a high proportion of oak trees are the preferred habitat of raccoons. Here they find enough food and shelter. In case of danger, they take refuge in a tree; they therefore avoid open areas. Raccoons are good swimmers and prefer to live near rivers or other bodies of water, where they find most of their animal food.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipediaa (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waschbär). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 13 September 2021

Description

The red deer is one of the larger deer species, although there are sometimes considerable differences in body size between the subspecies. As a rule, the snou-vent lenght of males is 180 to 205 cm, that of females 165 to 180 cm, plus a tail 14 to 16 cm long in each case. Accordingly, the shoulder height is 105 to 130 and 95 to 115 cm respectively. The weight also varies considerably. The red deer has a broad chest, a relatively long, slender neck and a head that narrows towards the front. The tail is 10 to 27 cm long and narrows towards the tip. The red deer has medium-sized eyes (lights), pointed ears (eaves) half the length of the head and high slender feet (legs).

The colouring of the coat varies depending on the season, sex and age. Apart from the hairs on the mouth, all hairs are changed twice a year.

In Central Europe, the summer coat begins to grow in May to June. It has a reddish-brown hazel tone, characteristic of the red deer. In September to October, the majority of red deer change to a grey-yellow to grey-brown winter coat. In older deer, this change of coat can also begin as early as August. Compared to the summer coat, the winter coat is shaggier and has denser woolly hair under the awns. The calves' coat is reddish-brown with dense rows of white spots. These so-called calf spots are covered by regrowing hair during the summer months.

Many red deer have an dorsal stripe from the nape of the neck to the base of the tail. It is characteristic for all red deer that the back of the thigh is clearly different from the rest of the coat colour. The colouring of this so-called mirror is greyish white to yellowish white. The mirror is framed by blackish hairs and thus clearly set off from the rest of the back. 

Red deer prefer habitats with a close network of structure-rich forests, thickets and large open clearings. However, they can also survive well in primeval forest-like closed and scarce food forest areas or almost treeless countryside, such as in Scotland. Since the red deer occurs both in the cold high altitudes of the Alps, in the wet river floodplains of south-eastern Europe and in the hot and dry lowlands of Spain, it can be considered an adaptable species as far as its habitat requirements are concerned. 

In Central Europe, the red deer's free choice of habitat is severely restricted due to dense human settlement. Since the red deer avoids humans, it is mainly found in forest biotopes here and concentrates there on the forest areas where it is least exposed to contact with humans. Known old long-distance crossings of red deer between red deer areas are not given any special protection. From a biological point of view, today's Central European red deer areas are island-like refuges. The exchange between the different red deer areas, which is necessary for the genetic diversity of the red deer population, is not guaranteed either by law or by spatial planning. There are also no migrations between winter and summer ranges, which were originally characteristic for this deer and played a major role for its food acquisition. In individual hunting grounds, this can lead to a high density of deer with corresponding damage to the forest. 

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothirsch). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 23 September 2021

Description

With a length of 16-18 cm, the red-backed shrike is the smallest Central European shrike species. Males and females differ clearly in colouration.

The wing length averages 93 (91-95) mm, in the male it is between 88 and 100 mm, in the female between 82 and 98 mm. The length of the tail is between 71 and 90 mm in the male, and between 68 and 85 mm in the female. The average weight of the male is about 28 grams. In females it can increase to 32.8 grams during the breeding season and is about 28.5 grams outside the breeding season. Before migration, fat deposits can be formed and the weight increased to a maximum of 37 grams. However, this does not seem to be the rule.

Male

The male has a rusty brown to chestnut brown back and shoulder plumage, as indicated by the name " red-backed shrike". The top of the head and the nape of the neck stand out clearly with their light blue-grey. Like other Lanius species, red-backed shrikes have a narrow, black facial mask in which the dark eye, seen from a distance, often disappears almost completely. The mask is sometimes bordered from the grey top of the head by an indistinct, blurred white supercilium, which is often slightly more pronounced behind the eye. The wing coverts are reddish brown with distinctly lighter and redder margins; the primaries are chestnut brown with lighter margins and the seccondaries unmargined dark brown. In rare cases there is a white patch. This is formed by a more or less pronounced white pattern at the base of the primaries The rump is - partly up to the lower back - grey. The tail shows a contrasting black and white, spoon-shaped pattern: the middle tail feathers are mostly black, followed by feathers with a lot of white in the upper area, which increases towards the outer tail feathers. The control feathers are narrowly white fringed at the tips. The underparts are mostly whitish to cream, often the flanks and breast are slightly tinged with salmon to pink.

Female

In contrast to the male, the female does not have a grey upper head. The female's entire upperparts are a solid reddish brown, usually slightly less vivid than the male. The facial mask is more indistinct, usually dark brown to blackish, the eye stands out more clearly from it. The light supercilium is more prominent. The tail is mostly brown with white edges. The underparts are cream to beige in colour and show dark scales on the chest and flanks, some only hinting at them and some with strong scales ("sparrowhawk"). This is sometimes also very pale on the back. With age, the scales may fade, and the female's colouring becomes more and more similar to that of the male.

The red-backed shrike inhabits well-managed, sunny terrain with open areas of low or sparse vegetation (e.g. shrubberies, meadows, dry grasslands) alternating with scattered hedgerows or copses with less than 50 percent cover. It needs one to three metre high shrubs as roosts for hunting and territorial observation and as nest sites. Briars such as sloes, hawthorns or hedge roses are preferred, but they do not have to be present in large numbers under otherwise favourable conditions.

Accordingly, the red-backed shrike likes to colonise grassland and pastureland rich in hedges, wet fallows, partially drained moors with dam cultures, orchards as well as clearings, windthrow and clear-cut areas or young plantations within forests. In natural regions, forest edges or clearings, especially moist sites, e.g. fringes of alder swamps or willow forests, are of particular importance.

These habitat requirements are predestined for the red-backed shrike in extensively used cultural landscapes - i.e. small-scale habitats divided by hedges and copses and characterised by extensive pasture farming.

Today, the red-backed shrike can often only be found in suitable marginal areas of the cultivated landscape, for example on fallow, scrubby areas, on clear-cut areas and young plantations, even within closed forests, at landfills, gravel pits or motorway embankments and railway embankments.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuntöter). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 01 December 2021

Description

In German-speaking countries, sand lizards reach total lengths of about 24 cm. Particularly large animals here have snout-vent lengths of about 9.5 cm and tail lengths of about 14 cm. The largest known snout-vent length of 11.5 cm comes from a sand lizard from the Caucasus. In general, females have longer trunks, while males have longer heads and slightly longer tails. Compared to the common lizard and the European wall lizard, the animal appears plumper and much stronger. The sides of the snout are steep and high, ending blunted forward. The top of the head is flattened and separated from the sides by a ridge extending from the eyes to the nostrils. The back of the head is slightly broader than the neck and therefore set off from it. The tail is much higher than broad at its root and gradually tapers; the tip is not extended very long. (A regrown, regenerated tail is usually much shorter and less marked).

Coloration and markings are highly variable depending on the individual, sex, age stage, and season (males!). Often a "ladder-like" pattern of markings consisting of light lateral lines (parietal bands) and dark brown "transverse sprouts" (dorsal spots) with brown interspaces runs down the middle of the back and tail. In the middle as well as laterally over the dorsal spots mostly whitish, interrupted longitudinal lines (occipital line as well as parietal lines) run. The ground color of the upper head, tail and limbs is also brownish and the spots of the flanks are also white-cored. During the mating season (until June/July), the males show green colored head, rump and belly; especially in southwestern Germany, there are also animals that appear almost entirely green. Red-backed specimens are another distinctive feature. The underparts are yellowish and spotless in females, green with black spots in males. Juveniles have brownish coloration, often with conspicuous eye spots on the back and sides.

Habitat

Sand lizards are anthropogenically oriented species with respect to their habitat structures. They inhabit lean biotopes such as dry forest edges, railroad embankments, heathlands, dunes, quarries, gravel pits, wildlife gardens, and similar habitats with an alternation of open, loosely vegetated sections and more densely vegetated areas. In cooler areas, occurrences are limited to sites favored for warmth. Elements such as dead wood and old grass are also important.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zauneidechse). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 26 May 2021

Description

The serotine bats are characterised by a black-brown to black face, dark ears and patagium. The dorsal fur colouration varies from light smoky brown to dark blackish brown. The belly fur is slightly lighter and often yellowish brown.

With a snout-vent length between 6 and 8 cm, broad-winged bats belong to the larger European bat species. They have a wingspan of 32 to 38 cm and weigh between 14 and 35 g. They are called broad-winged bats because of their broad wings.

This species owes its name to its broad rounded wings, which make its flight silhouette characteristic and enable it to be distinguished from other species such as the noctule bats.

Habitat

Serotine bat groups have up to several dozen roosts. These are changed frequently, with the optimal temperature of the roost playing a major role. Other factors are disturbance and probably droppings and parasites.

The serotine bat prefers warm crevices on and in buildings as summer habitats. These roosts may be located behind façade cladding, gutters, attics or similar.

Adult males are often found alone or in small groups in roosts. Females are usually found in the company of other females in groups of up to a few dozen. The young are usually born and nursed in the company of other females in so-called nursery roosts. When changing roosts, the bat offspring cling to their mothers. In the known large bat hibernacula (e.g. cellars, bunkers or attics), where for example Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii) or noctule bats (Nyctalus) hibernate, only single or few serotine bats are found. Little is known about the winter habitats of broad-winged bats. There are indications that some summer habitats are also used for hibernation.

The serotine bat is a dispersing species. It does not undertake long migrations.

They start hunting at dusk 20-30 minutes after sunset when they leave their roosts. The bats can cover a distance of up to 8 km to their hunting grounds on individual routes. They fly slowly (15 km/h) and at a height of 3-5 m. They often hunt in groups. They often hunt in groups, the hunting grounds include gardens, forest edges, street lamps, meadows, large individual trees or even bodies of water.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitflügelfledermaus). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status 09 August 2021

Description

Smooth snakes are delicate, slender snakes; they reach a body length of 60 to 75, occasionally 80 cm (in isolated cases specimens of about 90 cm total length have been observed). There is no significant difference in size between the sexes. The tail accounts for 12 to 25 % of the total length. It tapers evenly and ends pointedly. Body weights of average animals range from 50 to 80 g; weights over 100 g are rarely reported. Higher weights are attained by large pregnant females. The body is cylindrical (roundish in cross-section), with the anterior and posterior sections having smaller diameters than the middle. The transition from the narrower neck to the broader head is smooth. The top of the head is flattened, and the sides and tip of the snout are rounded. The eyes are relatively small with round pupils (an important distinguishing feature from the European adder); the iris is brownish. A longitudinal furrow runs between the eye and the nostril. There are 12 to 16 teeth in the upper jaw, which increase slightly in length toward the throat, while the same number of lower teeth are all similar in length.

Regarding the head and body scaling, the following characteristics are to be mentioned: There are seven upper lip shields (supralabialia) and eight to nine lower lip shields (sublabialia) on each side. The rostral shield is large and reaches between the nostrils. In contrast to the Girondian smooth snake, it is wedge-shaped between the internasalia, which gives them a butterfly shape. The nostrils are located centrally in the nasals. The largest shields of the upper head are the two elongate parietalia. The body scales are smooth without keels. Directly behind the head they are rather roundish and small, tailward they become elongated and end pointed. On the tail they have a pentagonal to hexagonal shape, on the sides of the body they are broader than on the back. In the middle of the body, the transverse rows consist of 19 scales each. Ventral bars are present between 150 and 190, tail shield pairs between 40 and 70. The anal shield is usually divided.

The basic coloration of the upperpart is gray, gray-brown, brownish or reddish-brown. Males are dominated by brown to reddish tones, while females are often more gray. However, coloration is not a completely clear differentiator between the sexes (only the protrusion of the hemipenes of males can serve this purpose). On the sides of the head there is a characteristic dark brown stripe, which runs from the nostril over the eye to the corner of the mouth. Often it continues to the side of the neck, from where it changes into small single spots. On the top of the head a heart- or horseshoe-shaped dark spot is noticeable (the "coronet"), which often continues in two longitudinal stripes on the back, to finally dissolve mostly in two (rarely four) rows of spots. Towards the tail these spots become more and more indistinct. Occasionally, the spots may merge into transverse stripes. However, for all the variability of the dorsal spot pattern, the smooth snake does not exhibit a zigzag band like European adders have. However, movements of the snake can create such an impression.

Habitat

The smooth snake is a drought- and heat-loving species that colonizes a fairly wide range of habitat types, depending on the region. While in northern Germany, the Netherlands and southern England, for example, sandy heaths, rough grasslands and dry upland moorland and forest edges are important habitats, in the central European low mountain ranges it is mainly warmth-favored slopes with rough and dry grasslands, scree slopes, dry stone walls and abandoned vineyards. In higher low mountain ranges, in eastern Bavaria or in southern Sweden, sunny forest edges in the vicinity of extensively cultivated meadows, shrub heaths, hedgerows, woodland slopes, rock heaths, semi-shrubby rough grasslands and embankments form the biotope spectrum of the smooth snake. In the alpine region, a variety of open to semi-open habitats in warmth-favorable locations are colonized. In addition, anthropogenic special sites such as railroad embankments and quarries are found everywhere. Occasionally, smooth snakes can also be found at near-natural settlement edges of villages and cities.

Common to all habitats is a mosaic-like, small-scale alternation of open, low-vegetated and partly wood-dominated sites and a high density of small structures and shelters. In the same habitat, there are usually also many lizards (especially sand lizards, regionally also common lizards or common wall lizards) and slow worms. Occasionally, the European adder also occurs syntopically.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia ( (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlingnatter). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 26 May 2021

Description

In its body structure, the squirrel is adapted to a tree-dwelling and climbing lifestyle. It weights about 200-400 g. The snout-vent length is 20-25 cm. The two-lined, bushy tail is 15-20 cm long. It serves as a balancing aid when climbing and as a control tail when jumping. When running, the tail is always held in the air. The sexes cannot be distinguished by size and fur colour.

Squirrels are sole-walkers. They have four long, very mobile fingers with long curved claws on the front paws; the vestigial thumbs have a tiny nail attached. The hind legs are disproportionately long and very strong. The long, curved claws provide the squirrels with a good grip even when climbing quickly head over heels on smooth trunks.

The colour of the upperparts varies from light red to brown-black; the underpart is white or cream, neatly separated from the dorsal coat. The winter coat is much denser than the summer coat. In winter, the coat colour often becomes darker and can also take on grey tones. In the winter coat, squirrels have reddish-brown ear tufts up to 3.5 cm long. In the summer coat, these ear tufts are small or absent. In winter, the otherwise bare soles of the feet are also furred.

Habitat

The typical habitats are predominantly boreal coniferous forests. Only in the European part of the range are squirrels also native to deciduous and mixed forests. As a synanthropic species, they can be frequently found in parks and gardens.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasisches_Eichhörnchen). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 19 August 2021

Description

Stoats have the elongated, slender body typical of many martens, with rather short legs and a short tail. In the summer coat they show the typical colouration of many weasels with brown upperparts and white underpart. In the winter coat it is completely white, with the exception of a black tail tip, which makes it clearly distinguishable from the common weasel. However, this change of coat does not take place in all parts of the range. In warmer areas, stoats are brown and white all year round, but in the far north they never lose their white winter coat. The animals reach a snout-vent length of 17 to 33 cm, the tail is four to twelve cm long and their weight is 40 to 360 g. 

Stoats inhabit a range of landscape types, although near-water habitats seem to be preferred. There is no apparent biotope attachment, instead there is a close association with the occurrence of Eurasian water voles, field voles and common voles. Structurally rich landscapes, e.g. with meadows, hedges and copses or residential gardens, are typical. Closed forests, however, are avoided. Stoats can be found at altitudes of up to 3400 m.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermelin). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 02 September 2021

Description

The striped field mouse belongs to the smaller species of the genus Apodemus, the tail is relatively short and the ears are smaller than in other representatives of the genus. The snout-vent length is 75-115 mm, the tail length 60-92 mm, the length of the hind foot 16-21 mm and the ear length 10-13 mm. The animals weigh 14-35 g. The coat is warm reddish brown on top, only greyish brown in young animals. A narrow black stripe (dorsal stripe) runs down the middle of the back, extending from the nape of the neck to the rear of the back. The underpart is greyish white. 

Habitat

The striped field mouse inhabits richly covered and predominantly moist habitats such as forest edges, bushes, wet meadows and reed banks, but also - and apparently increasingly - gardens and parks. It mainly inhabits lowlands, but occurs in Macedonia up to 1750 m altitude. In summer, the species also inhabits grain fields, in winter it is often found in barns and similar buildings.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandmaus). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 25 August 2021

Description

The tree sparrow is up to 14 cm tall and weights 20 to 24 grams. The wing length is between 6.8 and 7.4 cm in males and between 6.6 and 7.1 cm in females. The male tail measures 4.8 to 5.8 cm, while the female tail measures between 5 and 5.6 cm. 

The tree sparrow is somewhat more cleanly marked than the house sparrow and is overall somewhat smaller and slimmer than the latter. The top of the head and the nape of the neck are brown, the throat bears a small black throat patch. The cheeks are white with a black spot in the ear area. The pale collar is almost closed at the nape. The top of the body is brownish with darker longitudinal stripes, which are particularly noticeable on the back and shoulders. The rump is yellowish brown, the belly and breast are brownish grey. The wings have two white bands.

Juveniles resemble adults but are more greyish brown on the top of the head. The upperpart is paler with longitudinal grey stripes, the cheek and throat patches are still sooty grey. They undergo a full moult about five to eight weeks after fledging and show their first adult plumage after an average of 77 days. The nestlings are initially naked. They have pink skin, and the throat and tongue are also pink. The beak bulges are pale yellow.

The habitat is sparsely wooded regions, forest edges, field margins, hedgerows, avenues, gardens and the fringes of settlements. In western Europe in particular, the tree sparrow is less of a synanthropic bird than the house sparrow. However, it is increasingly penetrating towns and villages and occupying the niche of the increasingly rare house sparrow.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feldsperling). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 20 October 2021

Description

The white polecat looks very similar to the European or forest polecat, but has a lighter-coloured coat and grows slightly larger. Like all polecats, it has an elongated, slender body with short limbs. The coat has a low, yellow undercoat and some black kemps. The belly and legs are black, and it also has a black face mask.

The white polecat is mainly found in Eastern Europe and parts of Asia. Its western limit of distribution is in the eastern parts of Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria. It inhabits open areas such as steppes and semi-deserts, but also lives in fields and wasteland. It does not occur at all in forests and towns.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppeniltis). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 02 September 2021

Description

The white wagtail is a slender, rather high-legged songbird with a long tail that is constantly in bobbing motion. The tail accounts for about 9 cm of the 16.5-19 cm body length. The weight is about 25 g. The beak, like the legs and feet, is black, and in basic plumage it has a horn-coloured base.

nuptial plumage

In nuptial plumage, the male's forehead is white except for the middle part of the crown, as is a section behind the eye and the sides of the head and neck. The back of the head and neck are shiny black, as are the chin, throat and forechest, and are usually cleanly contrasted with the white parts of the face and the grey back. The rump is slate to black-grey as are the uppertail coverts, of which the lateral ones on the outer vane are fringed with white. The grey of the shoulder feathers blends into the pure white of the underparts on the breast sides and flanks. The undertail coverts are also white. The tail is glossy black and, as the two outer pairs of feathers are black only at the base and inner vane, shows broad white outer edges, which are particularly noticeable when the bird flies up. In addition, the middle pair of tail feathers is narrowly fringed with white. The wing feathers are blackish brown with white to light grey fringes. The primaries are finely fringed with white, as are the primary coverts and the wing feathers. On the secondaries the outer edges become broader towards the tertials and take up a large part of the outer vane on the latter. Here they are dirty white to light grey. The greater coverts are similarly fringed, the inner ones bearing an extended white, stepped tip. The middle coverts show a broad lace fringe. The underwing coverts are dirty white.

The nuptial dress of the female is similar to that of the male, but the white parts of the face are usually not so distinct from the black and are partly greyish mottled. The black colouring of the nape blends into the grey of the back and is not sharply defined as in the male. In addition, the wing plumage is usually not as contrastingly brightly fringed as in the male. In some females the head markings may be as or similar to those of the male.

basic plumage

The basic plumage of adult birds lack the black areas on the head. They are limited to a crescent-shaped band on the breast and a partly distinct cheek patch. The forehead is dirty white to grey. The head, neck, ear coverts and cheeks are grey. The facial area may have a yellowish tinge. The rest of the plumage corresponds to the nuptial plumage. The male differs from the female only in the darker crown interspersed with black feathers.

juvenile plumage

In juvenile plumage the upperparts are predominantly grey, the back a little lighter, the top of the head and the nape of the neck a little brownish. On top behind the eye there is an over-eye stripe, which like the sides of the neck, the chin and the throat are dirty white. The ear coverts are dark dirty yellow. A crescent-shaped chest band as well as a chin stripe emanating from it are brown-black to yellow-brown. The sides of the breast are grey, the underparts white. Wing and tail plumage resemble adult plumage, but fade quickly and then show little contrast between centres and fringes.

The white wagtail inhabits semi-open and open landscapes and is found practically everywhere except in closed forest areas and densely built-up urban centres. Important here are unvegetated or short-grassed ground areas, which are needed for foraging, and the same surrounding, higher structures such as buildings or groups of trees, which have suitable niches for nesting. Preference is given to sites near water bodies - the primary habitat probably consists of muddy, sandy, gravelly or stony banks, as they occur especially in large riverine landscapes. Today, the cultural landscape offers corresponding areas on a large scale, such as pastures, fields, farm roads, asphalted areas, construction and gravel pits or open fallow and ruderal areas. The white wagtail is therefore particularly common in the vicinity of farming villages, where there is also an abundant supply of nesting opportunities. In the mountains, the species can still be found a good distance above the tree line at altitudes of up to 3000 metres.

Outside the breeding season, white wagtails can be found mainly at water bodies of all kinds, but also on ploughed fields. Communal roosting sites are usually on water surfaces in reeds or willow scrub, but also in other sheltered places. Especially birds wintering in more northerly latitudes like to seek out brightly lit places in urban and residential areas at night, which have a warmer microclimate. 

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachstelze). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 19 October 2021

Description

Habitat

European wildcats live mainly in forests. Large populations occur in deciduous or mixed forests that are not disturbed by humans. They also live along coasts, at the edge of marshes, in riparian forests and in the Mediterranean maquis. They avoid areas with intensive agricultural use, pure coniferous forests, very high mountains, coastal regions without cover or areas that are more than 50 % snow-covered in winter, where the average snow depth is more than 20 cm or where the snow cover remains for a period of 100 days or longer.

In Austria, wildcats were formerly widespread in the Alpine foothills of northern, eastern and southern Austria. In the second half of the 19th century, populations were severely decimated and since then only a few specimens have been recorded. They were considered extinct, extirpated or lost in Austria, and only a few years ago there was no evidence of a resident reproducing population in Austria. However, in recent years there have been increasing reports of sightings south of the Danube and evidence of an occurrence in the Thayatal National Park was found.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europäische_Wildkatze). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 25 August 2021

Description

Basically, the wolf resembles a large domestic dog, with a longer rump and a higher but narrower thorax compared to similarly built domestic dogs. Wolves are comparatively slender with long legs. The head is relatively large with a broad forehead, long snout and short, upright carried ears, densely furred on the inside, pointing forward. The eyes are set obliquely and are also oriented forward. The bushy tail is about one third of the snout-vent length.

Body sizes and weights of wolves vary greatly due to their extensive range. Wolves reach snout-vent lengths of mostly 1.0 to 1.6 m and tail lengths of mostly 35 to 56 cm. The weight, which is also very variable within subspecies, is usually in the range of 13 to 78 kg; weights over 60 kg are rare. The shoulder height measures 66 to 91 cm.

Colouration is very variable, there are white, cream, yellowish, reddish, brown, grey and black wolves. In the temperate zones of Europe and Asia, greyish-yellow or brown-grey wolves predominate. Dark fur usually predominates on the back and tail. The belly, legs and snout are usually much lighter in colour. 

Habitat

Wolves inhabit a variety of habitats. Their high adaptability allows them to live in the Arctic tundra as well as in the deserts of North America and Central Asia. Most wolves inhabit grasslands and forests; they also inhabit wetlands, scrublands, cultivated land, rocky regions and mountains up to 2400 m altitude. Wolves became known primarily as forest animals because humans drove them out of more open landscapes early on in large parts of their range.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 31 August 2021

Description

Woodpigeons are large, robustly built pigeons with relatively long tails and rather small heads. With a body length of 38-43 cm and a wingspan of 68-77 cm, they are the largest pigeons in Central Europe. Sexual dimorphism is weak in terms of size and weight, males are slightly larger and heavier than females. 

In adult woodpigeons, the anterior dorsum and shoulder area are slate gray to grayish brown, the rest of the rump is blue-gray on top. The crop area and breast are diffusely grayish wine-red, becoming lighter toward the belly and very light gray in front of the undertail coverts. The head is blue-gray. On the sides of the neck and nape there is a green metallic shimmering band from top to bottom, then a white patch on the sides of the neck only, and then again on the sides of the neck and nape a shiny purple band. The inner secondary coverts, the large primary coverts, and the alula are slate gray. The outer vanes of the outer secondary coverts are predominantly white and the outermost secondary coverts are completely white; this creates a striking white band on the upper wing. The primaries are blackish gray, the outer vanes of the 1st to 9th primaries have a narrow, sharply defined white fringe, this fringe is only diffusely defined on the 10th (outermost) primaries. The secondaries are predominantly ash-gray. The rectrix are broad blue-gray at the base above, followed by a diffuse light gray subterminal band and a broad black terminal band.

The beak is pink to red at the base, orange to yellowish at the end with a horn-coloured tip. The fleshy membrane over the nostrils is white. The legs and toes are light to dark red. The iris is light yellow.

The sexes are very similar externally. Females show less red on the chest and the white spots on the sides of the neck are slightly smaller. 

Woodpigeons inhabit wooded landscapes of all kinds; if necessary, single trees or bushes are sufficient for a settlement. If these are also missing, the animals breed e.g. in dunes, on beach meadows or in grain fields also on the ground. Breeding in populated areas has been known in Europe since at least 1821; today, woodpigeons breed in avenues, parks and cemeteries, often even in the centers of cities. The breeding sites should not be too far away from suitable feeding habitats; in Europe today, these are mainly agriculturally used areas such as grassland and fields, but also forests and green areas used for breeding. Depending on what is available, foraging flights may be limited to the nest vicinity, but may also occur regularly over distances of 10 to 15 kilometers.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringeltaube). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“licence. Status: 17 December 2021

Description

The size of males and females ranges from 35 to 56 mm; however, snout-vent lengths of more than 45 mm are rarely observed in Central Europe. The upper parts are clay to grayish brown, with narrow darker glandular complexes and washed-out light spots sometimes visible in the nape area. The underparts, including the inner sides of the limbs and the fingers and toes, are intensely colored light yellow to orange and interspersed with lead-gray to black spots or areas. Mostly the yellow part is more than half of the surface (occasionally also animals with almost completely yellow belly side occur; but also completely black ones were observed). Because the pattern of the underparts are different in each animal, this allows an individual differentiation - for example in the context of zoological investigations. Yellow-bellied toads have a stocky body, which is not quite as flattened as in the related fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina), and a rounded snout. The pupil is heart-shaped, and the tympanic membrane is not externally visible. The upperpart has numerous tubercles with raised black horn spines.

Habitat

The yellow-bellied toad is one of the amphibians with a close aquatic relationship. Originally, the species was a typical inhabitant of stream and river floodplains. Here, it colonized the temporary small water bodies that were constantly being created depending on the dynamics of the floodplain. Also in its civilized replacement biotopes it prefers temporarily water-bearing small and very small bodies of water on clayey ground, such as tractor tracks, puddles and small water ditches. Usually these are low in vegetation and free of competing species and predators. Rapid warming of the waters ensures rapid development of spawn and larvae. Today, this pioneer species is mainly found in quarries, clay or gravel pits, and military training areas.

The high mobility of the juveniles favors the spontaneous colonization of newly developing habitats. On land, the animals seek hiding places under stones, dead wood and in gap and crevice systems of rocks. Predominantly crepuscular and nocturnal, they hunt insects (beetles, ants, bipeds, etc.). Their predators include backswimmers, water boatman, large dragonfly larvae, newts and sticklebacks (for the tadpoles), and birds such as magpies and also blackbirds (for the juveniles and adults).

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelbbauchunke). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 25 June 2021