How long do eels live

The pelvic bones are wide, allowing for attachment of muscles strong enough to move and hold the tail, which is important for climbing.

Another special anatomical trait of woodpeckers is the long, barbed tongue that searches crevices and cracks for food. The salivary glands produce a sticky, glue-like substance that coats the tongue and, along with the barbs, makes the tongue an efficient device for capturing insects.

Signs and sounds. As early as February or March a Downy Woodpecker pair indicate that they are occupying their nesting site by flying around it and by drumming short, fast tattoos with their bills on dry twigs or other resonant objects scattered about the territory. The drumming serves as a means of communication between the members of the pair as well. Downys also have a variety of calls. They utter a tick, tchick, tcherrick , and both the male and the female add a sharp whinnying call during the nesting season.

Hatchlings give a low, rhythmic pip note, which seems to indicate contentment. When a parent enters the nest cavity, the nestlings utter a rasping begging call, which becomes stronger and longer as the chicks mature. Its name comes from the partial webs between its toes. Males and females are identical in rather plain brown or grey plumage although females are slightly larger. The species can be difficult to distinguish from other small sandpipers.

Semipalmated Sandpipers moult, or shed, their body feathers twice a year. The change to the greyish-brown fall-winter plumage usually starts on the breeding grounds and is completed after arrival on the non-breeding area.

The moult that takes place on the non-breeding area prior to spring migration gives them a slightly brighter more brown breeding plumage. Adults moult their flight feathers wings and tail gradually—retaining the ability to fly at all times—and only once per year, usually in the non-breeding area. Some juveniles do not replace any flight feathers in their first winter, as these are quite new.

Others, however, moult some of the outermost primaries outer wing feathers , which are important for flight and wear most rapidly. The scientific name for the Ruffed Grouse is Bonasa umbellus.

Both terms are from the Latin: Bonasa means good when roasted and umbellus , a sunshade. This refers to the ruff or dark-coloured neck feathers that are particularly large in the male.

When he is in display before the female, these are erected and surround his head almost like an umbrella. By nodding his head and ruffs, and spreading his tail and strutting, the male identifies himself to the female and encourages her advances. The male Ruffed Grouse is about the size of a bantam chicken and weighs about g. The females are smaller.

Unlike the chicken, the grouse has a broad flat tail that is usually held down but that may be erected and spread into a half circle. The dappled and barred plumage ranges in colour from pale grey through sombre red to rich mahogany.

In the east, most grouse are predominantly grey, although some are red. Greys are in the majority in the central parts of the continent, and on the west coast most grouse are reddish brown.

The colours worn by the grouse are related to their habitat: the dark-coloured grouse inhabit dark forest, as on the coast; grey grouse live in lighter bush. This camouflage helps protect the grouse from their predators. Males are hard to tell from females at a distance, but they are larger with larger ruffs and a longer tail. In the male the broad band of dark colour in the tail is usually unbroken.

The Ruffed Grouse is only distantly related to the Gray Partridge, which is a bird of open areas, not woodlands. Everyone who has visited the coast is familiar with gulls, those graceful, long-winged birds that throng the beaches and harbours and boldly beg for scraps. The gulls are a family of birds that live mainly at sea, either along the shore, or out in the ocean itself. Worldwide, there are more than species of birds that live either partially or exclusively at sea, and these are generally known as "seabirds.

The table below lists the 14 families of marine birds and the approximate number of species in each the exact number of species is continually being revised as genetic research reveals that some very similar-looking birds are so different in their genetic makeup that they constitute different species. All species belonging to the albatross, auk, frigatebird, gannet, penguin, petrel, and storm-petrel families feed exclusively at sea.

In addition, many species of cormorants, grebes, gulls, jaegers, loons, pelicans and terns feed either entirely or mainly at sea. The Phalaropes are the only shorebirds that feed at sea. The number of species that breed in Canada are shown in parentheses.

Ducks and grebes that feed at sea are not included. Adult coho salmon have silvery sides and metallic blue backs with irregular black spots. Spawning males have bright red sides, and bright green backs and heads, with darker colouration on their bellies.

The fish have hooked jaws and sharp teeth. Young coho salmon are aggressive, territorial and often vibrantly coloured, with a large orange anal fin edged in black and white. Ptarmigans are hardy members of the grouse family that spend most of their lives on the ground at or above the treeline. Like other grouse, ptarmigans have chunky bodies, short tails and legs, and short, rounded wings.

Willow Ptarmigans weigh from to g, White-tailed Ptarmigans weigh about g, and Rock Ptarmigans are intermediate in size. All ptarmigans have feathered feet, unique among chickenlike birds, which improve their ability to walk in snow.

They also have white wings throughout the year. Inflatable red combs above their eyes, which are especially evident in territorial and courting males, are inconspicuous to barely visible in females. Ptarmigans have three seasonal plumages per year, instead of the two that are usual for most birds.

These plumages keep the birds, particularly the female, well camouflaged at all times. In winter, all ptarmigans of both sexes are basically white. Whereas White-tailed Ptarmigans have permanently white tail feathers, the tails of Willow and Rock Ptarmigans remain black throughout the year. In winter, male—and some female—Rock Ptarmigans sport a black stripe that extends through the eye to the bill as if they had put on charcoal goggles to prevent snow blindness , distinguishing them from male Willow Ptarmigans.

In ptarmigans, the moult, or shedding of old feathers, starts with the head and progresses towards the tail. As soon as the spring snowmelt begins, females moult into a barred breeding plumage of brown, gold, and black.

Female ptarmigans are difficult to tell apart in spring, but the overall tones of the White-tailed Ptarmigan females are cooler in comparison to those of the other two species.

Breeding males delay their moult. Skip to main content. At a Glance This animal -is considered an indicator species: the health of its populations is a good indicator of the health of an ecosystem or habitat -is a migratory fish with a complex life-cycle -lives in both salt and freshwater -may occupy the broadest range of habitats of any fish in the world -has populations which have declined by 99 per cent in some areas Tweet.

Common Raven vs American Crow Birds Atlantic Cod Atlantic Cod Youth Atlantic Cod 15 seconds Atlantic Cod 30 seconds Atlantic Cod The Atlantic Cod Gadus morhua is a medium to large saltwater fish: generally averaging two to three kilograms in weight and about 65 to centimetres in length, the largest cod on record weighed about kg and was more than cm long!

The Atlantic Cod may live as long as 25 years. Unique characteristics The Right Whale has a bit of an unusual name. Barn Swallow photo by J. Little Brown Bat. Common Tern. Youth Wolf youth. Classic Wolf 30 seconds. Classic Wolf 15 seconds. Classic Wolf long version. Classic Sugar Maple long version. Youth Sugar Maple Youth. Classic Sugar Maple 30 seconds. Youth Sugar Maple 15 seconds. Vintage The Bison. Vintage Whooping Crane.

Vintage Snowy Owl Original. Vintage Loon Original. Classic Sea Otter. Youth Sea Otter Youth. Classic Sea Otter 30 seconds.

Youth Sea Otter 15 seconds. Requestors should also respect the publicity rights of individuals photographed, and seek their consent if necessary. Glass eels are an intermediary stage of the American eel life cycle that occurs before eels gain pigment and become juveniles.

Photo by Virginia Institute of Marine Science. American eels spend most of their life in freshwater and brackish tributaries including streams, creeks, rivers, lakes and ponds. They migrate to the open ocean to spawn. American eels are a migratory fish that certain freshwater mussels rely on to reproduce. Active at night; during the day, eels usually hide under a rock or bury themselves in bottom sediments. The American eel is a smooth, snake-like fish with a greenish, yellowish-brown or blackish body.

European eels go through several easily recognizable life stages on their journey to adulthood. As larvae, eels are known as leptocephalus because of their thin heads and wider bodies that give them a leaf-like shape, but as they age, the animals become longer and thinner. Yellow eels travel continuously upstream toward cooler, less salty water until they become reproductively mature. European eels can be found from the northern reaches of Russia and Finland all the way down to the coasts of Morocco, Egypt, and even within the Black Sea.

This species is nocturnal and secretive, preferring to burrow into mud and under stones during the day. At night, European eels emerge to feed on a variety of food sources, depending on their life stage. Their diet can include everything from other fish to mollusks and crustaceans, to even insects, worms, and carrion. European eels are strong swimmers, but they have impressive climbing skills, too, allowing them to navigate obstacles such as dams in their upstream journeys.

There are even reports of European eels leaving the water altogether and entering fields, where the species feasts on slugs and worms. By some estimates, European eel numbers have declined to less than one percent of historic levels. As such, the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as critically endangered. There is, however, evidence to suggest that many different factors may have each taken a toll. Barriers to migratory routes, such as dams and hydroelectric turbines, are one likely cause.

One study found that Europe had a total of 24, hydropower plants in , with that number projected to keep going up. Studies have also pointed toward climate change, diseases and parasites, habitat loss, pollutants, and predation as threat factors. They are then ready for transportation to market. Eels that are to be smoked are usually transported alive to the processors. The young glass eels most commonly come from the wild, so they are more prone to carry parasites or diseases.

It is important to quarantine the glass eels before introducing them to tanks with other fish. The change from salt to fresh water also helps to eliminate many parasites naturally. However, here are some parasites and diseases that need further attention. Symptoms include swellings on the body, gills or fins.

There can also be white or brown fibrous patches on the skin, which can cause the eel to die when on the gill area. Treatments include salt water solutions or the removal of the infected eel so the fungus does not spread to other eels. Symptoms of a parasitic infection include an increase in mucus, frayed fins, lethargy, respiratory distress and white patches on skin.

The eel may display changes in behaviour such as attempting to rub off parasites on the surface of the enclosure. Treatments for parasites include formaldehyde or salt solutions. This is a bacterial disease that affects the fins. The symptoms are a rotting of the tail and fin areas. Treatment is with a salt solution. This bacterial disease causes symptoms of swelling, red spots and ulcerated lesions on skin.

Treatment is with antibiotics. Treatment is through vaccination of young fingerlings, salt water solutions and also by decreasing the temperature of the water. During times of stress, such as when being handled, graded or if the water becomes poor quality, eels can also become more susceptible to infections. Care must be taken to keep the stress levels to a minimum at all times in order to produce healthy fish. Prevention is always better than cure, so regular maintenance and cleaning of equipment are recommended, and also routine inspections of eel stock.

Eel farming has long been a worldwide industry. However, there is now concern over its sustainability , due the decreasing amount of elvers found in the wild. This is particularly significant for the European eel, whose numbers have dramatically declined in recent years. The reason for the decline is not yet known, although there are a few contributing factors. One reason could be from the over fishing of glass eels, meaning less eels reach maturity in rivers and streams, leading to the decline in the overall wild population.

Another factor could be the increasing amount of flood defence construction, that prevent the elvers from being able to progress up the rivers and streams as they could do with ease before. Again this would affect the numbers of the wild population.