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Consolation species

10,000 Birds

That trip was to take my wife and I to Turkey, Jordan, and southern Spain, with stopovers near Paris. I was soooo excited about getting to know the Middle East, as well as some of its exotic species. The Streak-backed Oriole shown at the head of this post is far from an uncommon species in Paso Ancho.

Species 157
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Cavity Nesting Birds of North America and Their Babies!

10,000 Birds

Bufflehead ( Bucephala albeola ) Female at Cavity Entrance photos by Larry Jordan “Some 85 species of North American birds excavate nesting holes, use cavities resulting from decay (natural cavities), or use holes created by other species in dead or deteriorating trees. Notice the chick in the upper left corner.

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I and the Bird: What is a Vulture?

10,000 Birds

The smellier the better, particularly as, unusually for birds, many species can boast a robust sense of smell. In any case, our hang-ups with vultures clearly stem from our own issues rather than any inherently bizarre trait of the species themselves. Vultures famously feed on carrion. Dead things. Here’s the kicker though.

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The Unique Black-necked Stilt

10,000 Birds

Black-necked Stilt ( Himantopus mexicanus ) photos by Larry Jordan Click on photos for full sized images. The male of the species has the upper portion of the head, back of neck, back and wings all glossy black. References: 1 Birds of North America Online a. He also has longer legs than the female.

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Bubble-gum Pink Legs

10,000 Birds

Larry Jordan wrote a profile of The Unique Black-Necked Stilt for 10,000 Birds in 2011; he points out that they have the second longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any bird, exceeded only by the Flamingo (another Pink Bird). BNA says that both species share a passion for brine flies, and tend to share habitat.

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Cinnamon Teal at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge

10,000 Birds

Cinnamon Teal ( Anas cyanoptera ) pair by Larry Jordan (click on photos for full sized images) Winter is the time to visit the National Wildlife Refuges in California. ” The Cinnamon Teal ( Anas cyanoptera ) is one of the least abundant dabbling ducks in North America. References: 1 Birds of North America Online , 2 U.S.

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I and the Bird: What is an Ibis?

10,000 Birds

The group has a worldwide distribution; 28 species living and two additional extinct. Both extinct species were island-dwelling and flightless, suggesting a propensity of the group to disperse over long distances , a characteristic that any birder in late summer is familiar with. Scarlet Ibis , photo by Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela.

Birds 206