Glimpses of Our Natural World
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Glimpses of Our Natural World

David Sparks

Birds

Glimpses of Our Natural World

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“Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature.” David Sibley. From the preface of The Sibley Guide to Birds (2000)


Birds are Beautiful - Color (and plumage patterns)

20071104-DSC_4790-Edit-2.jpg  OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA 20170528-_D503536-Edit.jpg 20110425-_D3S9428-Edit.jpg 20110420-_D3S5945-Edit.jpg 20170929-_D528369-Edit.jpg 20120727-_D7C6039-Edit-3.jpg 20160621-_D508919-Edit.jpg 20170405-_D523526-Edit.jpg  OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA 20110219-D300S-528-Edit-2-Edit.jpg 20160525-_D507155-Edit-Edit.jpg 20150120-_D4S9843-Edit-2.jpg 20160113-_D4S4667-Edit-2.jpg 20140401-_DSC7995-Edit.jpg 20110916-_D3S2413-Edit.jpg 20110216-D300S-1021-Edit-2.jpg 20150120-_D4S9510-Edit-Edit-2.jpg

The images of the Mandarin Duck, the Wood Duck and most of the other images shown above were selected because color was a major contributor to my perception of their beauty. The last six focus on the functional significance of other aspects of the plumage. Carotenoid pigments that absorb certain wavelengths of light while reflecting others are responsible for the intense red and bright yellows in the plumage of Scarlet Tanager, Vermilion Flycatcher, Wilson’s and Yellow Warbler and many other birds. The blues of the Azure Kingfisher and Blue Grosbeak are not produced by pigments but result from the reflection of short wavelengths of light by tiny particles in the feather. Similarly, the iridescent colors of the White-faced Ibis and the gorget of Broad-tailed Hummingbird are due to the differential reflection of wavelengths. The pink color of Flamingos and Roseate Spoonbill is diet-dependent. The dark feathers of the wingtips of the White Pelican and White Ibis contain the melanin pigment which makes them more resistant to the abrasion they encounter. Cryptic coloration helps birds avoid predators. The White-tailed Ptarmigan in winter plumage is difficult to see against a background of snow and the Common Nighthawk blends seamlessly into the tree branch upon which it is perched. Other plumages are classified as disruptive. The black dots and white blobs of the D’Arnaud’s Barget and intricate patterns of brown stripes and bars of Wilson’s Snipe provide excellent camouflage in the habitats they occupy.


Birds are Beautiful - Shape (wings)
(click on image for larger view; mouse over image to see species, location, date)

View fullsize  Black-browed Albatross, Antarctica, March 2008
View fullsize  Northern Gannet,  Newfoundland, August 2010
View fullsize  Bald Eagle, Haines (AK), Nov. 2017
View fullsize  Peregrine Falcon, Viera Wetlands (FL), Dec. 2014
View fullsize  Great Blue Heron, Ft. Pickens (FL), Dec. 2011
View fullsize  Great Egrets, Venice Rookery (FL), Feb. 2012
View fullsize  Royal Tern, Ft. Pickens (FL), August 2014
View fullsize  Loggerhead Shrike, Anahuac NWR (TX), Dec. 2012
View fullsize  American Oystercatcher, Bolivar Peninsula (TX), Sept. 2016
View fullsize  Western Meadowlark, Roxborough Park Rd (CO), April 2018

Active soaring birds such as the Black-browed Albatross and the Norther Gannet have wings that are long and narrow and optimized for dynamic soaring (using different wind speeds at different heights above the waves to provide lift). Bald Eagles have long but relatively broad wings. The feathers at the end of the wing can be spread-out to produce slots between the primaries that provide extra lift when flying with the additional weight of prey. The short, tapered wings of Peregrine Falcons with stiff, unslotted feathers provides high speed maneuverability during flight. The flight of the Great Blue Heron and Great Egret is characterized by long, slow wing flaps. Herons and egrets have wings which are long and relatively slender, a shape good for long flights but not for quick maneuvering. The wings of the Caspian Tern are long relative to its body size (high aspect-ratio) and thin in width. This wing design provides high maneuverability. The wings of Loggerhead Shrike and American Oystercatcher are short and rounded with a low aspect ratio - features that allow fast and explosive flights. Their ellipitical wings allow tight maneuvering in confined spaces. The wings of Western Meadowlark are well suited for the flight pattern of the bird: alternating periods of rapid wing beats and gliding with the wings held stiff.


Birds are Beautiful - Shape (feet)
(click on image for larger view; mouse over image to see species, location, date)

View fullsize  Tufted Puffin, St. Paul Island (AK), June 2014
View fullsize  American Coot, Viera Wetlands (FL), Jan. 2013
View fullsize  Downy Woodpecker, El Paso County (CO), August 2015
View fullsize  Purple Gallinule, Orlando Wetlands (FL), Feb. 2015
View fullsize  Snowy Egret, Opal Beach (FL), July 2010
View fullsize  Osprey, Lake Blue Cypress (FL), March 2012

Birds’ feet have also adapted to their particular habitat. Tufted Puffins and waterbirds, including ducks and geese, have webbing between their toes so that the feet can be used to paddle. The Downy Woodpecker and most other woodpeckers have two toes pointed forward and two toes pointed backward, an arrangement that helps support the bird as it climbs up and down a tree or other perch. American Coots spend as much time walking on mud as they do swimming and have lobes, rather than webbing, on the toes. The extremely long toes of Purple Gallinules spreads their weight enough to allow them to walk on floating vegetation such as lily pads. They also use the toes to manipulate vegetation and search for prey on the undersides of the plants. The long toes of the Snowy Egret and other wading birds spreads the bird’s weight over a large surface area and, thereby, facilitates walking on the soft surfaces where they do most of their feeding. The sharp, highly curved claws of Osprey and other birds of prey are used for grasping and transporting prey.


Birds are Beautiful - Shape (beaks)
(click on image for larger view; mouse over image to see species, location, date)

View fullsize  Black-beaked Grosbeak, Patagonia (AZ), April 2011
View fullsize  House Finch, Patagonia (AZ), April 2011
View fullsize  Wilson’s Warbler, Patagonia (AZ), April 2011
View fullsize  Curve-billed Thrasher, El Paso County (CO), May 2018
View fullsize  Northern Shoveler, Central Florida, Jan. 2015
View fullsize  Red-breasted Merganser, Pensacola (FL), Jan. 2009
View fullsize  Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture, Tanzania, Feb. 2011
View fullsize  Crested Caracara, Viera Wetlands (FL), March 2012
View fullsize  Common Nighthawk, Anahuac NWR (TX), August 2016
View fullsize  Giant Petrel, Saint Andrews Bay, South Georgia, Nov. 2018
View fullsize  Tricolored Heron, Jefferson Island (LA), May 2016
View fullsize  Black-necked Stilt, Bolivar Peninsula (TX), August 2014
View fullsize  Marbled Godwit, Bolivar Peninsula (TX), Oct. 2014
View fullsize  Long-billed Curlew, Bolivar Peninsula (TX), Nov. 2013
View fullsize  Western Grebe, Barr Lake State Park (CO), June 2016
View fullsize  Anhinga, Wakodahatchee Wetlands (FL), Feb. 2015

The bill or beaks of birds have also adapted to the many different environments in which birds live. The Black-headed Grosbeak and the House Finch have short, thick conical bills used for cracking seeds. The thin, slender, pointed beaks of Wilson’s Warblers are used to pick insects off leaves, twigs, and bark. The Curve-billed Thrasher forages on the ground beneath shrubs and cacti using the bill to spread plant litter while searching for seeds and insects. Ducks and geese have long and flat beaks that are used for straining water and mud for aquatic plants. The water filters through small comb like structures lining the edges of the bill which can be seen in the image of the Northern Shoveler. The sharp serrated tooth-like structures on the edge of the bill of Red-breasted Mergansers enable the bird to maintain a grip on struggling fish. The sharply hooked bills of hawks, falcons, accipiters and vultures illustrated in the images of Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture and Crested Caracara are effective in tearing apart the flesh of animals they consume. Common Nighthawks have a bristle-fringed bill that sweeps in insects during flight. Except during the breeding season Giant Petrels spend virtually all their time at sea. Cellular dehydration from drinking seawater while at sea does not occur because specialised glands filter salt ions from seabirds’ bloodstream and excrete it as a highly concentrated saline solution that drips out of the external tubular nostril on top of the upper mandible. Tricolored and other herons and egrets have long bills which they use to make sudden, long jabs into the water for fish, frogs, crayfish, and snakes. Black-necked Stilts have a long, thin, straight black bill which they use when probing in mud and sand for prey. The Marbled Godwit has a long, up-turned bill used to probe with rapid head jabs in the mud. Long-billed Curlews use their long, downcurved bills to reach deep into the water for mollusks and small crabs and to probe in the mud for worms and insects. Western Grebes and Anhinga use their sharp, slender beaks to spear prey while diving in open water.


Birds are Beautiful - Actions
(click on image for larger view; mouse over image to see species, location, date)

    I have not tried to categorize the actions. The images are sorted by groups of species (wading birds, shorebirds, raptors, etc.). The captions contain bird identification, location, and year and sometimes a brief description of the action.

View fullsize  Reddish Egret, Dauphin Island (AL), May 2014
View fullsize  Reddish Egret, Opal Beach (FL), July 2011
View fullsize  Reddish Egret, Opal Beach (FL), July 2010
View fullsize  Reddish Egret, Opal Beach (FL), July 2010
View fullsize  Reddish Egret, Sanibel Island (FL), Feb. 2012
View fullsize  Roseate Spoonbill taking a bath, Jefferson Island (LA), April 2014
View fullsize  American Bittern, Viera Wetlands (FL), Feb.  2010
View fullsize  Least Bittern, Anahuac NWR (TX), May 2011
View fullsize  Egrets, Gulls, White Pelicans, Merritt Island NWR (FL), Jan. 2014
View fullsize  Great Blue Heron, White Pelicans, Wheeler NWR (AL). Oct.  2016
View fullsize  Cattle Egret gathering nesting material, Jefferson Island (LA), May 2016
View fullsize  Cattle Egret, Jefferson Island (LA), May 2016
View fullsize  Snowy Egret, Opal Beach (FL), July 2010
View fullsize  Snowy Egret, Jefferson Island (LA), May 2016
View fullsize  Great Egret, Smith Oaks Rookery (TX), Feb. 2016
View fullsize  Great Egret, Smith Oaks Rookery (TX), April 2011
View fullsize  Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Ding Darling NWR (FL), Feb. 2013
View fullsize  Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Jefferson Island (LA), Aug. 2014
View fullsize  White Ibis, Jefferson Island (LA), May 2016
View fullsize  Little Blue Herons, Jefferson Island (LA), May 2016
View fullsize  Black-bellied Whistling Duck, New Orleans (LA), March 2012
View fullsize  Northern Pintail, Bosque del Apache NWR (NM), Dec. 2016
View fullsize  Northern Pintail, Bosque del Apache NWR (NM), Dec. 2016
View fullsize  Snow Goose, Bosque del Apache NWR (NM), Dec. 2016
View fullsize  Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes, Bosque del Apache NWR (NM), Dec. 2011
View fullsize  Bald Eagle, Haines Alaska, Nov. 2017
View fullsize  Bald Eagle, Haines Alaska, Nov. 2017
View fullsize  Osprey, Sanibel Island (FL), Feb. 2013
View fullsize  Osprey, Lake Blue Cypress (FL), March 2013
View fullsize  Northern Harrier, Bolivar Peninsula (TX), Nov. 2015
View fullsize  Northern Harrier, Bolivar Peninsula (TX), Nov. 2015
View fullsize  Sandhill Crane, near Green Cay (FL), March 2015
View fullsize  Sandhill Crane, Bosque del Apache NWR (NM), Dec. 2011
View fullsize  Sandhill Crane, Bosque del Apache NWR (NM), Dec. 2016
View fullsize  Clapper Rail, Bolivar Peninsula (TX), Oct. 2014
View fullsize  Snowy Plover, Ft. Pickens (FL), June 2010
View fullsize  Blackish Oystercatcher, Falkland Islands, March 2008
View fullsize  Wilson’s Snipe, Bolivar Peninsula (TX), Nov. 2014
View fullsize  Wilson’s Phalarope, St. Marks NWR (FL), May 2010
View fullsize  Marbled Godwit, Rollover Pass (TX), Jan. 2016
View fullsize  Willet, Bolivar Peninsula (TX), Nov. 2016
View fullsize  Wilson’s Phalarope, Blanca Wetlands NWR (CO), Aug. 2016
View fullsize  Wilson’s Phalarope, Blanca Wetlands NWR (CO), Aug. 2016
View fullsize  Arctic Tern fishing with glacier in the background, Iceland, June 2009
View fullsize  Arctic Tern, Iceland, June 2009
View fullsize  Black Skimmer, Ft. Pickens (FL), July 2014
View fullsize  Black Skimmer, Ft. Pickens (FL), May 2012
View fullsize  Sandwich Tern, Ft. Pickens (FL), May 2016
View fullsize  Least Tern, Ft. Pickens (FL) June 2010
View fullsize  Yellow-billed Cuckoo, High Island Smith Oaks (TX), April 2013
View fullsize  Little Bee-eater, Manyara National Park, Tanzania, Feb. 2011
View fullsize  Western Meadowlark, Rhame Prairie area (ND), June 2017
View fullsize  Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Anahuac NWR (TX), Nov. 2014
View fullsize  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, St. Marks NWR (FL), Jan. 2010
View fullsize  Western Kingbird, El Paso County (CO), July 2015
View fullsize  Horned Puffin, St. Paul Island (AK), June 2014
View fullsize  Tufted Puffin, St. Paul Island (AK), July 2014
View fullsize  Arctic Skua, Iceland, June 2009
View fullsize  King Penguins, Gold Harbour, South Georgia, Feb. 2008

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