The white-necked rockfowl is a medium-sized bird in the family
Picathartidae, mainly found in fragmented groups in rocky forested areas
at higher altitudes in West Africa from Guinea to Ghana. The rockfowl
typically chooses to live near streams and inselbergs. It has greyish-
black upperparts and white underparts. Its unusually long, dark brown
tail is used for balance. The head is nearly featherless, with the
exposed skin being bright yellow except for two large, circular black
patches located just behind the eyes. These rockfowl feed primarily on
insects, though parents feed small frogs to their young. Rockfowl move
through the forest primarily through a series of hops and bounds or
short flights in low vegetation. This species rarely flies for long
distances. This species is classified as Vulnerable as it is threatened
by habitat destruction; conservation efforts are underway in parts of
its range. Some of the indigenous peoples of Sierra Leone considered the
species to be a protector of the home of their ancestral spirits. This
rockfowl is considered one of Africa’s most desirable birds by birders
and is a symbol of ecotourism across its range.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-necked_rockfowl>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1658:
Anglo-Spanish War: English colonial forces repelled a Spanish
attack in the largest battle ever fought on Jamaica.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rio_Nuevo_(1658)>
1910:
The United States Congress passed the Mann Act, which
prohibited interstate transport of females for "immoral purposes".
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mann_Act>
1944:
World War II: United States Navy and Royal Navy ships bombarded
Cherbourg, France, to support U.S. Army units engaged in the Battle of
Cherbourg.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardment_of_Cherbourg>
1975:
Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi unilaterally had a state of
emergency declared across the nation that last nearly two years.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emergency_(India)>
2009:
Singer Michael Jackson died after suffering cardiac arrest at
his Los Angeles home, which authorities later declared a homicide caused
by the combination of drugs in his body.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Michael_Jackson>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
flense:
To strip the blubber or skin from, as from a whale, seal, etc.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/flense>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
If you turn the other cheek, you will get a harder blow on it
than you got on the first one. This does not always happen, but it is to
be expected, and you ought not to complain if it does happen.
--George Orwell
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_Orwell>