Abi Crane
@GruiformAbi
Palaeo PhD student at the University of Southampton INSPIRE DTP. Talk to me about (avian) dinosaurs. 🦕🦖🦆🏳️🌈 she/her
A successful hike in search of the elusive New Zealand rock wren (Xenicus gilviventris)- in summer they can be found hopping between boulders in alpine scree fields but where and how they live in winter remains a mystery
Great weekend at the Lyme Regis fossil festival representing palaeobiology at @unisouthampton- featuring bird evolution, baby seagulls and (unexpectedly) a visit from a bottlenose dolphin!
A week whale watching in the Azores tally: ~20 sperm whales ~10 blue whales 4 orca 2 fin whales 2 sei whales 1 humpback whale + plenty of bottlenose and common dolphins Couldn’t have asked for more!
Azores chaffinch (Fringilla moreletti), endemic to the Azores islands- a charming little bird which looks much like a muted version of a common chaffinch with a larger and more robust bill
Caught a bird ringing demonstration at RSPB Minsmere over Easter- they let me hold a chiffchaff and I got my closest ever view of a nightingale!
Lunchtime on Southampton common with one of my favourite UK birds 🔥
Our latest publication in avian medullary bone! 👇 linkedin.com/posts/muvisxra…
🚨 My first PhD paper is out! 🚨 In it we characterise the 3D structure of medullary bone, a type of bone tissue found only in female birds and (possibly) non-bird dinosaurs. Read about it here: sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
We are delighted to announce that Aardvark OQ’s recent arrival has now been named by our Animal Care Team – say hello to Roo! With mum, OQ’s help, her little aardvark is growing stronger every day!
1/30 Guess who got a special delivery today? RLK KA85 meets his SST chick for the first time at 12:25 today. Chick weighed 405g this morning. The Dad LYO at the foster nest has fed SST well, and now have their own chick today. Thank you Rangers & Dad LYO AllAboutBirds.org/Albatross
In Southampton Old Cemetery today: a kestrel enjoys his lunch before getting mobbed by crows
Cuddles with the Colchester Zoo aardvarks: January 2019/January 2024
It’s called Boxing Day because it’s the day to put your tortoise in a box (in the fridge) to hibernate
My family left me in charge of decorating this year’s Christmas cake…
‘There are no dangerous animals in the forests of New Zealand’ I thought, incorrectly
Three penguin species in one day- little blue, yellow-eyed and fiordland crested. Stewart Island is a special place!
A lucky spot in Christchurch yesterday- a kōtuku! These great egrets (Ardea alba) are abundant in other parts of the world but extremely rare in New Zealand, with a total population of less than 200 birds in the whole country
Kererū are the ultimate pigeon- massive body, tiny head, rainbow feathers and (apparently) a habit of eating so much ripe fruit that they get drunk and fall out of trees
Got to spend an amazing weekend at the predator-free sanctuaries of Kāpiti island and Zealandia! The forest birds of New Zealand are unmatched
