Hawk — The term hawk can be used in several ways: In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, the Sharp-shinned Hawk and others. These are mainly woodland birds with long tails …

Gull — Gulls (often informally called seagulls) are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns (family Sternidae) and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders. Until the twenty-first century most gulls were placed in the genus Larus, but this arrangement is now known to be polyphyletic, leading to the …

Falcon — A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Adult falcons have thin tapered wings, which enable them to fly at high speed and to change direction rapidly. Fledgling falcons, in their first year of flying, have longer flight feathers which makes their …

Emu — The Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia. The Emu is common over most of mainland Australia, although it avoids heavily …

Crow — The crow is a large, mostly black bird of the family Corvidae and the genus Corvus common name for about 27 large passerine birds of the genus which also includes the ravens and jackdaws. Their family also includes the jays, magpies, choughs, and nutcrackers. Crows are found on every continent except South America and Antarctica. They are among …

Catbird — Several perching birds in unrelated families are called “catbirds” because of their calls. Catbirds proper in the bowerbird family (Ptilonorhynchidae). The catbirds are a group of passerine birds in the family Mimidae which also includes mockingbirds and thrashers. These birds produce a wide variety of sounds including cat-like barks. They are generally found in brushy habitats. Catbird is …

Blue Jay — The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a passerine bird and member of the crow family Corvidae native to North America. It is adaptable, aggressive and omnivorous. The Blue Jay measures about 30 cm from bill to tail and weighs 70–100 g (2.47-3.53 ounces), with a wingspan of 34–43 cm (13–17 in). Its plumage is lavender-blue to mid-blue …

Python — The Pythonidae are a family of non-venomous snakes found in Africa, Asia and Australia. Among its members are some of the largest snakes in the world. Currently, 8 genera and 26 species are recognized. Adults range in size from 0.5 to 10 meters (1.5 to 33 feet) in length. One species, Python reticulatus, the reticulated python, holds the …

Massasauga — Sistrurus catenatus is a venomous pitviper species found primarily in the United States. Three subspecies are recognized, including the typical form described here. Sistrurus catenatus is not a large snake, with adults ranging from 45 to 75 cm in length. Its color pattern consists of a grey or tan groundcolor with a row of large rounded brown/black blotches …

Mamba — Mambas, of the genus Dendroaspis, are fast-moving tree-dwelling snakes of Africa. (“Dendroaspis” is literally “tree snake”.) They belong to the family of Elapidae which includes cobras, coral snakes, kraits and, debatably, sea snakes, all of which can be extremely deadly. The black mamba is the largest venomous snake in Africa, with an extremely potent neurotoxic venom that attacks …