Nature Hub

By – Vinuri Randula Silva  The Sri Lanka spur fowl (Galloperdix bicalcarata) is a member of the pheasant family which is endemic to the dense rainforests of Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, this bird is known as “Haban kukula” - හබන් කුකුලා in Sinhala.This spur fowl is one of three species of bird in the genus Galloperdix. It is a ground nesting bird, which lays 2-5 eggs in a scrape. It is a very secretive bird, and despite its size is difficult to see as it slips through dense undergrowth. Often the only indication of its presence is its distinctive ringing call, consisting of series of three-syllabled whistles.  Kitulgala and Sinharaja are sites where there is a chance of seeing this bird. Sri Lanka spur fowl is ~ 37 cm long bird. Both sexes have brown upper parts, wings and tail. The males exhibit vivid crimson red legs and bare facial skin and striking black and white dorsal plumage that extends to its head. The legs of both sexes have multiple metatarsal spurs, which give rise to the s

  From- Earth Unreal & Wikipedia, Edited by Vinuri Randula Silva, The  shoebill  ( Balaeniceps rex ) also known as  whale head ,  whale-headed stork , or  shoebill stork , is a very large  stork -like  bird . It derives its name from its enormous shoe-shaped  bill . It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified with the storks in the order  Ciconiiformes  based on this morphology. However, genetic evidence places it with pelicans and herons in the  Pelecaniformes . The adult is mainly grey while the juveniles are more  brown. It lives in tropical east  Africa  in large swamps from  South Sudan  to  Zambia The shoebill is a tall bird, with a typical height range of 110 to 140 cm (43 to 55 in) and some specimens reaching as much as 152 cm (60 in). Length from tail to beak can range from 100 to 140 cm (39 to 55 in) and wingspan is 230 to 260 cm (7 ft 7 in to 8 ft 6 in). Weight has reportedly ranged from 4 to 7 kg (8.8 to 15.4 lb) A male will weigh on

 From -Earth Unreal, Edited by- Vinuri Randula Silva, We are so used to seeing scenes depicting herbivores being hunted by carnivorous mammals. But have you ever witnessed an incident where the tables have turned? This is the incredible moment a Zebra is seen charging after a Cheetah in the Kenyan savannah and the scenes were captured by photographer Sebastian Lehrke in a series of stunning shots Read the story to find out what actually happened, with the rest of the photos (+ interesting facts about Zebras and Cheetahs):

  From - Smithsonian Magazine Brigit    Katz , Correspondent, Edited by Amal Udawatta,                The rare polka-dotted zebra is the first recorded case in Maasai Mara National Reserve.               (Facebook/@MaraConservancies)                                       Tira, as the foal has been named, appears to have a condition known as “pseudomelanism”—and it may threaten his survival With their striking black-and-white stripes, zebras boast one of the most iconic coats of the animal kingdom. But every now and then, a zebra is born that doesn’t fit the striped mold. At the  Masai Mara National Reserve   in Kenya, a tour guide and photographer named Antony Tira recently caught sight of an unusual foal, its deep black coat covered with white spots. “At first I thought it was a zebra that had been captured and painted or marked for purposes of migration,” Tira tells George Sayagie of the  Daily Nation , a Kenyan newspaper. “I was confused when I first saw it.” The baby zebra, whi

  From –Earth Unreal, Edited by Vinuri Randhula Silva, Top: Daniel Botelho / Barcroft Media Bottom: Amy Coghlan / Australian Museum The Ocean sunfish (Mola mola), also called common mola is one of the two heaviest known bony fish in the world, the other one being the southern sunfish (Mola alexandrini) within the same genus. The adults have a weight range of 247 to 2,000 kg (545 and 4,409 lb). This species appears as a fish head with a tail, and its body is flattened laterally. The females can produce up to 300 million eggs at a time, setting a record among any other known vertebrates. When newly hatched, sunfish larvae measure only 2.5 mm (0.098 in) long and weigh less than one gram. The surviving hatchlings can grow up to 60 million times their original weight before they reach adult size, possibly the most extreme size growth of any vertebrates. To imagine than they grow from this tiny larvae to this gigantic size is indeed phenomenal!   Top: Daniel Botelho / Barcroft Me

        From – Earth Unreal & Wikipedia       Edited by Vinuri Randhula Silva  The Red-fan parrot (Deroptyus accipitrinus),also known as the hawk-headed parrot, is a New World parrot native to the Amazon Rainforest. It can be found in Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Suriname, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana and some parts of northeast Peru. It is the only member of the genus  Deroptyus . trees and stumps. Two to three eggs are normally laid, hatching after approximately 26 days. The young start to  fledge  in the wild at approximately 10 weeks old. Only two nests have been examined in the wild, both had one chick. It is not considered threatened, but is listed on  CITES Appendix II  (as are most parrots not listed on Appendix I) The red-fan parrot was  formally described  in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist  Carl Linnaeus  in the  tenth edition  of his  Systema Naturae . He placed it with all the other parrots in the  genus   Psittacus  and coined the  binomial name   Psitt

 From - Earth Unreal, Edite by - Vinuri Randula  Silva, Stunning close-up of a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). The House centipede is a species of centipede that has up to 15 pairs of long legs, with its body measuring from 25 to 35 mm (0.98 to 1.38 in) in length. It is normally yellowish-grey with three dark dorsal stripes running down its length and also dark stripes on its legs. House centipedes are known for feeding on some of the household pests such as bed bugs, termites, cockroaches, silverfish, ants and flies. They don't bite but rather sting to deliver their venom through forcipules. When hunting, they depend mostly on their antennae which can detect both smells and tactile information. Their elongated delicate legs allow them to reach amazing speeds of up to 0.4 meters/s (1.3 ft/s). FastBlueSnail (Photographer's portfolio in comment)

  From -Earth Unreal & Wikipedia, Edited by -Vinuri Randula Silva, Caleana major , commonly known as the  large duck orchid , is a small  orchid  found in eastern and southern  Australia . This terrestrial plant features a remarkable flower, resembling a duck in flight. The flower is an attractant to insects, such as male  sawflies  which pollinate the flower in a process known as  pseudocopulation . In 1986 this orchid was featured on an Australian  postage stamp Caleana major  is a  tuberous ,  perennial   herb , usually growing to a height of 200–400 mm (8–20 in) with a single reddish, narrow lance-shaped leaf, 40–130 mm (2–5 in) long, 4–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide and often spotted, emerging at its base. Up to five shiny reddish brown flowers, 20–25 mm (0.8–1 in) long and 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide are borne on a thin, wiry flowering stem. (In rare cases, the flower can be greenish with dark spots.) The  sepals  and  petals  are 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and have pointed tips. Th