Pastor roseus, the adult of this species is highly
distinctive, with its pink body, pale orange legs and bill, and glossy
black head, wings and tail. Males in the breeding season have elongated
head feathers which form a wispy crest that is fluffed and more
prominent when the bird gets excited; the crest is shorter in winter and
the black areas have paler feather edges, which get worn away as well
as the black becoming more glossy in the breeding season. Winter plumage
in males is rather dull. Females have a short crest and are duller
overall, especially without the sharp separation between pink and black.
The juvenile can be distinguished from common starling (Sturnus
vulgaris) by its obviously paler plumage and short yellow bill. Young
birds molt into a subdued version of the adult plumage, lacking the
crest, in autumn and acquire the adult plumage when they are nearly one
year old in females, and nearly two years in males. The latter in their
second year wear a plumage similar to adult females but with longer
crests and noticeably pale feather edges.
The lazuli bunting (Passerina amoena) is a North American songbird named for the gemstone lapis lazuli.
The lazuli bunting (Passerina amoena) is aNorth American songbird named for the gemstone lapis lazuli. The
male is easily recognized by its bright blue head and back (lighter
than the closely related indigo bunting), its conspicuous white
wingbars, and its light rusty breast and white belly. The color pattern
may suggest theeastern and western bluebirds, but the smaller size
(13–14 cm or 5–5.5 inches long), wingbars, and short and conical bunting
bill quickly distinguish it. The female is brown, grayer above and
warmer underneath, told from the female indigo bunting by two thin and
pale wingbars and other plumage details. The song is a high, rapid, strident warble, similar to that of the indigo bunting but longer and with less repetition.
Lazuli buntings breed mostly west of the100th meridian from southern Canada to northern Texas, central New Mexico andArizona, and southern California. On the Pacific coast their breeding range extends south to extreme northwestern Baja California. They migrate to southeastern Arizona and Mexico. Their habitat is brushy areas and sometimes weedy pastures, generally well-watered, and sometimes in towns. These birds eat mostly seeds and insects. They may feed conspicuously on the ground or in bushes, but singing males are often very elusive in treetops. This bird makes a loose cup nest of grasses and rootlets placed in a bush. It lays three or four pale blue eggs. In the eastern and southern part of its range, it often hybridizes with the indigo bunting.
Lazuli buntings breed mostly west of the100th meridian from southern Canada to northern Texas, central New Mexico andArizona, and southern California. On the Pacific coast their breeding range extends south to extreme northwestern Baja California. They migrate to southeastern Arizona and Mexico. Their habitat is brushy areas and sometimes weedy pastures, generally well-watered, and sometimes in towns. These birds eat mostly seeds and insects. They may feed conspicuously on the ground or in bushes, but singing males are often very elusive in treetops. This bird makes a loose cup nest of grasses and rootlets placed in a bush. It lays three or four pale blue eggs. In the eastern and southern part of its range, it often hybridizes with the indigo bunting.
Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher
The scissor-tailed flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus), also known as the Texas bird-of-paradise and swallow-tailed flycatcher, is a long-tailed bird of the genus Tyrannus, whose members are collectively referred to as kingbirds. The kingbirds are a group of large insectivorous (insect-eating) birds in the tyrant flycatcher (Tyrannidae) family. The scissor-tailed flycatcher is found in North and Central America. Check out Detail at Wikipedia
The Cuban Trogon
The Cuban trogon or tocororo (Priotelus temnurus) is a
species of bird in the Trogonidae family. It is endemic to the
Caribbean island of Cuba, where it is also the national bird. Its
natural habitats are dry forests, moist forests, and heavily degraded
former forest. The Cuban trogon has multiple names it can go by. In
English speaking countries it is commonly known as the Cuban trogon,
while in Spanish speaking countries it is referred to as the tocororo or
tocoloro.
Shikra Female Accipiter Badius
A small bird of prey (raptor) closely related to the
goshawks and sparrowhawks, it is widely distributed in Asia. A closely
related bird in Africa goes by the name little banded goshawk and other
relatives include Chinese goshawk and Eurasian sparrowhawk. Males have a
pale grey color with a red eyes, females are browner and have yellow
eyes. They feed on rodents, lizards, small birds and even small snakes.
They were once used for falconry in India.Source: Able Lawrence
Blue Dacnis
The blue dacnis or turquoise honeycreeper (Dacnis cayana) is a small passerine bird. This member of the tanager family is found from Nicaragua to Panama, on Trinidad, and in South America south to Bolivia and northern Argentina. It is widespread and often common, especially in parts of its South American range.
Male Blue Dacnis |
Female Blue Dacnis |
The Masked Tityra
The attractive masked tityra (Tityra semifasciata) is a medium-sized passerine bird. It has traditionally been placed in the cotinga or the tyrant flycatcher family, but evidence strongly suggests that it is better placed in Tityridae,[2] where now placed by SACC. The bird can be found in forest and woodland from Mexico, through Central America, to northwestern and central South America.
Photo Credit to Stephen Ingraham |
Golden-Crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet-- Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve,Depew NY. This
preserve is one of my favorite places to get away and is only about 10
minutes from home . It is nestled in the middle of suburbia outside
Buffalo NY.There are numerous ponds which attract a great selection of
duck/shorebird species and is home to 3 owl species. Also a great place
to bird during the spring and fall migrations where you never know what
will show up. This GC Kinglet was taken this past weekend where 2hrs
were spent in a little grove of conifers following these little
hyperactive gems waiting for them to come down to eye level . Almost 200
frames were shot and I managed about 6 great photos. Source: Tim Mclntyre Birdnerd
Townsend's Warbler
Townsend's warbler (Setophaga townsendi) is a small songbird of the New World warblerfamily. These
birds have a yellow face with a black stripe across their cheeks
extending into an ear patch, a thin pointed bill, two white wing bars,
olive upperparts with black streaks on their backs and flanks, and a
white belly. Adult males have a black cap, black throat and yellow lower
breast; females have a dark cap and a yellow throat. Immature birds are
similar to females with a dark green cap and cheeks.
Their breeding habitats are coniferous forests with large trees on the northwestern coast ofNorth America. Their nests are shallow cups built with grass and lined with moss. These nests are usually placed atop a branch in a conifer. The female lays 4 to 5 brown-speckled white eggs. This bird is closely related to the hermit warbler, and the two species interbreed where their ranges overlap.
Their breeding habitats are coniferous forests with large trees on the northwestern coast ofNorth America. Their nests are shallow cups built with grass and lined with moss. These nests are usually placed atop a branch in a conifer. The female lays 4 to 5 brown-speckled white eggs. This bird is closely related to the hermit warbler, and the two species interbreed where their ranges overlap.
Booted Racket-Tail
The booted racket-tail (Ocreatus underwoodii) is a
species of hummingbird. It is found in the Andean cordillera of Bolivia,
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. A population also occurs on the
Venezuelan coast. This is the only species in the monotypic genus
Ocreatus. The upperparts are a golden green colour
and the rump has a white bar. The throat and breast are a brilliant
emerald green. The legs are feathered down to the feet with horny white
short feathers. The tail is brownish black and deeply forked. The tail
feathers on either side increase in length from the centre and the
outermost ones are exceptionally long and have bare shafts tipped by
oval plumes, which gives the species its common name. Source: Anuntual Galben
Gray Jay Bird
The gray jay, also
grey jay, Canada jay or whiskey jack, is a member of the crow and jay
family found in the boreal forests across North America north to the
tree-line and in subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains south to New
Mexico and Arizona.Source: Bird Photography
Frigate-Bird
The frigatebirds are a family of seabirds. They have
long wings, tails, and bills and the males have a red gular pouch that
is inflated during the breeding season to attract a mate. Their plumage
is predominantly black. Source: Bird Photography
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