Station 25 Sunbittern
What is this? The sunbittern is an inconspicuous looking bird at first, but when it spreads its wings, it amazes you with beautiful markings. These animals are native to river and lake shores in the tropics of Central and South America. Visually, they are remotely reminiscent of a heron or crane, but they are not related to them. These cute birds feed exclusively on animal food, which they hunt slowly striding in shallow water or on the forest floor. It is not uncommon for them to remain frozen, completely motionless, and then to shoot forward in a flash with their pointed beaks.
Sunbittern use various vocalisations, as threatening gestures or also for courtship. If the nest is threatened by enemies after the hatching of the young birds, sunbitterns also like to use a ruse: They trick the enemy into a wing injury to lure them away from the nest. The attacker sees easy prey in the supposedly injured animal and follows it. If the situation becomes too risky or if the distance to the nest is large enough, the sunbittern simply flies away from its pursuer. Clever!
Station 25 Slunatec
Co je toto zač? Slunatec je na pohled nenápadný pták, ale když roztáhne křídla, ohromí nás svým krásným zbarvením. Tito živočichové žijí na březích řek a jezer v tropických oblastech Střední a Jižní Ameriky. Vizuálně se podobají volavkám a jeřábům, ale nejsou jim příbuzní. Tito roztomilí ptáci se živí výhradně živočišnou potravou, kterou loví pomalu kráčeje v mělké vodě nebo po zemi v lese. Nezřídka se stává, že zůstanou stát jako zmrazení, zcela nehybní, a pak se bleskově vrhnou vpřed špičatým zobákem.
Slunatci používají různé hlasové projevy, ať už jako výhružná gesta nebo například při námluvách. Pokud je hnízdo po vylíhnutí mláďat ohroženo nepřáteli, slunatci také rádi používají lest: Simulují zranění křídel, aby odlákali nepřítele od hnízda. Útočník vidí v domněle zraněném zvířeti snadnou kořist a vydá se za ním. Pokud se situace stane příliš riskantní nebo je vzdálenost k hnízdu dostatečně velká, slunatec jednoduše před pronásledovatelem uletí. Chytré!
Station 25 Sunbittern
What is this? The sunbittern is an inconspicuous looking bird at first, but when it spreads its wings, it amazes you with beautiful markings. These animals are native to river and lake shores in the tropics of Central and South America. Visually, they are remotely reminiscent of a heron or crane, but they are not related to them. These cute birds feed exclusively on animal food, which they hunt slowly striding in shallow water or on the forest floor. It is not uncommon for them to remain frozen, completely motionless, and then to shoot forward in a flash with their pointed beaks.
Sunbittern use various vocalisations, as threatening gestures or also for courtship. If the nest is threatened by enemies after the hatching of the young birds, sunbitterns also like to use a ruse: They trick the enemy into a wing injury to lure them away from the nest. The attacker sees easy prey in the supposedly injured animal and follows it. If the situation becomes too risky or if the distance to the nest is large enough, the sunbittern simply flies away from its pursuer. Clever!