Thanks to the internet, researching posts for this website and the patience and skill of some incredible photographers, I have become enamored of birds–or at least images of them.  I’ve gone from being someone interested in only a few striking breeds that live near me, like the blue herons and egrets, to someone totally charmed by the incredibIe diversity, the colors, the beauty and the sometimes awesome or funny  behavior of our flying friends.  I hope this leaves you feeling the same .  Don’t miss the videos at the end.

If I know what kind of bird it is, I label it.  Same with the photographer.  I welcome added info as well as comments, as always.

Coloruja

Please see comments below by Eduardo Bernardi to explain this next image.  The “Coloruja” does look like a photoshopped version of the Red-breasted toucan.  Sorry, but I think he looks better without the huge beak–at least more amusing.

 

Red-breasted Toucan (Ramphastos dicolorus)

Turaco

Green-backed twin spot

Hoopoe

Meadowlark

Fairy wrens

By Katya Horner

American Kestrel

European kingfisher

Bee-eaters

Saffron Toucanet

By Katya Horner

Egret by Greg Magee

Cockatoo baby

Flameback by Ric Seet

Spider bird, or Piping Plover with babes

Mandarin ducks

Crested Satinbird

Kentish Plover, by Armando Caldas

Baby flamingo

Lilac-breasted Roller

Kori Bustard by Paolo Maffioletti

Southern Red Bishop

Swan with babes

Great Indian Hornbill

Baby egrets

Crested owl

Painted bunting

Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise

Pileated Woodpecker and her babes

Doves, maybe inca doves

Rainbow lorikeets

Snowy owl

 

Female Saddled Bill Stork

Vulturine Guinea Fowl, aka the model for Dracula

Here’s what some photographers go through to bring us these pictures.

This Tragopan Satyra really knows how to strut his stuff to entice a mate.  Stay past the first few seconds and you’ll be rewarded.

Transformer owl, what a hoot.  If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth dealing with the music and other distractions.

This extraordinary video capturing the mating ritual of the Japanese Red Crowned Dancing Cranes is thanks to Anna Osetroff Productions.  The full video is available here.

powered by Splicd.com 

Also many thanks once again to Sam Pryor  and Maryann Rizzo  both at Pinterest

and to Amazing things in the World, on facebook.  Also thanks to Iva for helping identify several of the birds.

If you are interested in more birds on this site, click  Birds 1  or  Birds 2.  You can also check out posts on specific birds:    Cuckoos and honey guides,   or Social Weavers, Hippie Birds, or Blue-Footed Booby or Bower Birds or finally Peculiar bird mating rituals.

See?  You can spend a whole day absorbed in the wonder of bird variety.

17 thoughts on “Birds, 3”

  1. Wow!! Those birds are all so beautiful.

    I think I know what some of them are… second bird is a turaco of some kind, fourth is a hoopoe, fifth is meadowlark, sixth picture is a collection of fairy wrens, ninth is a European kingfisher, tenth is a group of bee-eaters of some sort, 18th pic is of Mandarin ducks (i love mandarin ducks!), pic 29 is a painted bunting, 33rd pic is of doves (maybe inca doves), picture 34 are rainbow lorikeets, and the 35th pic is snowy owl (yawning! cute!)

    Thanks for all the beautiful and wonderful pictures! I really enjoy them!

  5. Where do you find such photos? These birds are amazing, I love the photo where the bird looks to have many legs. The photo you mentioned “spider bird”. The photographers must spend hours waiting for such opportunities.

  6. The “coloruja” bird is a mirrored image of a Ramphastos dicolorus – Green-billed toucan. It’s either photoshopped or a mirror’s been used.

  7. Thanks, Eduardo. I’m not sure what you mean by a mirrored image, but the Ramphastos dicolorus – Green-billed toucan looks just like this guy except without the huge beak. Is that what’s photoshopped out? I’ll put your bird next to the “coloruja” because I don’t know how to put an image in comments. 🙂

  8. I don’t think the toucan just put its beak behind a mirror and the photographer was lucky to get the shot. The picture seems to have been intentionally modified to look like an owl-type of “bird” that does not exist. The name coloruja is a wordplay with the words “coruja” (owl) and color (with US -spelling for colour). But indeed those colours are realistic, as often the exuberance of the feathers does change from one individual to another.

  11. Dusky, i look at your website all the time when I’m free for a minute or two at work, and just to clarify, the ‘coloruja’ is indeed a real bird, I came across one on my travels through Asia so dont change a thing! 🙂

  12. I love birds. I wish some of the pics weren’t coloured in odd colours . They’re not beautiful enough in their natural plumage? But,thanks for the shots of our feathered relations.

  13. Thank you so much for this wonderful email
    I just adore birds and could watch them all day.
    My knowledge is limited my sight makes up for it.

  15. Amazing pictures. I just love love & love all types of animals. Thank you for the great learning lessons with the birds. So so many birds around the world and so many pretty colours we never really get to see or really learn. It is amazing those cutie pie little babies grow up and turn into some of those wonderful big owls. Also, God bless you for sitting hours in yuk waters and other incredible areas to bring these gorgeous pictures to us. You have to really love your work to take these pictures for yourself first and then share with the world. I admire your self work & how you love your work.

  16. Karen,
    I’m glad you appreciate the pictures on my site, but I don’t take them. I just choose what touches me and share. When I know who took the image I give attribution, but unfortunately, for way too many I don’t know the photographer.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *