bird
zooillogix | February 13, 2009Concerned that their male red bird of paradise, Paprika, might turn off female companions by repeating human words he learned from visitors, animal keeper Patti Cooper took matters into her own hands. First she crafted a sexy female red bird of paradise puppet, dubbed "Spice Girl." Then she convinced Paprika to call Spice Girl on a 900 number. Now Paprika is engaged in the right behaviors and the Bronx Zoo is making $2.99 for the first minute and $16.99 for each additional minute.
No but for real, the bird got it on with a puppet... and is now displaying the proper courtship behaviors.…
edyong | February 13, 2009In the summer of 2007, thirty-four travellers left home with backpacks in tow to see the world. But these weren't human students, out to get drunk and pretentious find themselves in foreign lands - they were small songbirds, migrating to tropical climates for the winter.
Their backpacks were light-measuring devices called "geolocators", each about the size of a small coin. By measuring rising and falling light levels, these miniature contraptions revealed the timings of sunrise and sunset wherever the birds happened to be flying. Those, in turn, revealed where they were in the world, and…
grrlscientist | October 26, 2008tags: spider eats bird, golden orb spider, chestnut-breasted Mannikin, birds, avian, WTF, wow
Golden Orb Spider eats a chestnut-breasted Mannikin in Australian garden.
Image and story: Daily Mail.
This picture and story is so creepy that it makes my skin crawl to see this at the top of my blog. But it's also very strange -- the stuff of nightmares!! -- so I had to share it with you. If you are an arachnophobe, as I am, this will defintely give you nightmares. But if you are insatiably curious about the natural world, as I am, follow the link for the story and for more gruesome images --…
bleimanb | June 11, 2008A new study of barn swallows has shed fascinating light on the link between appearance and the levels of sexual hormones in their bodies. Scientists have long noted that male swallows with deeper red throats attract more females and have higher levels of testosterone. Conventional wisdom assumed that swallows born with more testosterone had deeper throats and thus attracted more females. Turns out, however, that this is only partially true.
Who's the private dick who's the sex machine with all the chicks?....Artificially painted barn swallow! Awwwwwww yeah.
University of Colorado, Boulder…
grrlscientist | June 11, 2008tags: Rock Wren, Salpinctes obsoletus, birds, nature, Image of the Day
My good friend, Dave Rintoul, has just returned from a much-deserved vacation camping in the Chiricahuas and Gila Wilderness area and sent a couple images to share with you.
Rock Wren, Salpinctes obsoletus, in Chaco Canyon.
Image: Dave Rintoul, June 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | June 10, 2008tags: Canyon Towhee, Pipilo fuscus, birds, Image of the Day
My good friend, Dave Rintoul, has just returned from a much-deserved vacation camping in the Chiricahuas and Gila Wilderness area and sent a couple images to share with you.
Canyon Towhee, Pipilo fuscus, in Chaco Canyon.
Image: Dave Rintoul, June 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | June 9, 2008tags: Black-Throated Sparrow, Amphispiza bilineata, birds, Image of the Day
My good friend, Dave Rintoul, has just returned from a much-deserved vacation camping in the Chiricahuas and Gila Wilderness area and sent a couple images to share with you.
Black-throated Sparrow, Amphispiza bilineata, in Chaco Canyon.
Image: Dave Rintoul, June 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 31, 2008tags: Long-toed Lapwing, Long-toed plover, Vanellus crassirostris, birds, Image of the Day
Fourth in a series of non-passerine images by this photographer.
Long-toed Lapwing, also known as the Long-toed plover, Vanellus crassirostris, which is endemic to southeastern Africa.
Image: John Del Rio [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 29, 2008tags: Hamerkop, Scopus umbretta, birds, Image of the Day
Second in a series of non-passerine images by this photographer.
Hamerkop, Scopus umbretta, also known as the Hammerhead Stork or the Anvilhead.
Image: John Del Rio. [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 20, 2008tags: peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus, birds, urban birds, image of the day
Male peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus, named Eric
who lives and breeds in a city in North America.
who replaced "Erik", the former resident on his current territory in a
city in North America.
Image: John P. Baumlin [larger view].
This image is being shared with you by bird artist, John P. Baumlin, who writes;
I've been following your blog for some time and have been enjoying the bird images you posted along the way and thought you might like to see this one.
It is a male Peregrine, one of a pair that are…
grrlscientist | May 17, 2008tags: mountain bluebird, Sialia currucoides, birds, Washington state, Image of the Day
Male mountain bluebird, Sialia currucoides.
This bird surprised birders in Washington state by visiting Bainbridge Island one weekend in April 2008.
Image: Eva Gerdts, 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 16, 2008tags: Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula, birds, Kansas, image of the day
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula, with insect egg or pupa in beak
Image: Dave Rintoul, KSU [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 15, 2008tags: Yellow-rumped warbler, Dendroica coronata, birds, Kansas, image of the day
Yellow-rumped warbler, Dendroica coronata, After Hatch Year male.
Image: Dave Rintoul, KSU [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 14, 2008tags: Prothonotary warbler, Protonotaria citrea, birds, Kansas, image of the day
Male prothonotary warbler, Protonotaria citrea in breeding plumage.
I went out this morning specifically to see if I could get a good image of a prothonotary warbler and I managed to get one.
Image: Dave Rintoul, KSU [OMG view].
grrlscientist | May 13, 2008tags: Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii, birds, Kansas, image of the day
"Not skulking"
Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii.
Image: Dave Rintoul, KSU [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 12, 2008tags: Male Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis, birds, Kansas, image of the day
"Blue enough for ya?"
Male Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis.
Image: Dave Rintoul, KSU [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 11, 2008tags: Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura, birds, Kansas, image of the day
"Cool morning yoga pose"
Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura.
Image: Dave Rintoul, KSU [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 8, 2008tags: White-Cheeked Turaco, Tauraco leucotis, birds, Image of the Day
Fourth in a series of non-passerine images by this photographer.
White-Cheeked Turaco, Tauraco leucotis.
Image: John Del Rio [larger view].
The turacos are classified into the bird family Musophagidae, which translates as "banana-eaters". Musophagidae also include the plantain-eaters and go-away-birds. Musophagidae are medium-sized arboreal birds that are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. They live in forests, woodland and savanna. They have weak flight but run quickly through the tree canopy. Musophagidae are primarily…
grrlscientist | May 7, 2008tags: Red-crested Turaco, Tauraco erythrolophus, birds, Image of the Day
Third in a series of non-passerine images by this photographer.
Red-crested Turaco, Tauraco erythrolophus.
Image: John Del Rio [larger view].
The turacos are classified into the bird family Musophagidae, which translates as "banana-eaters". Musophagidae also include the plantain-eaters and go-away-birds. Musophagidae are medium-sized arboreal birds that are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. They live in forests, woodland and savanna. They have weak flight but run quickly through the tree canopy. Musophagidae are…
grrlscientist | May 6, 2008tags: White-Cheeked Turaco, Tauraco leucotis, birds, Image of the Day
Second in a series of non-passerine images by this photographer.
A portrait of a White-Cheeked Turaco, Tauraco leucotis.
Image: John Del Rio [larger view].
The turacos are classified into the bird family Musophagidae, which translates as "banana-eaters". Musophagidae also include the plantain-eaters and go-away-birds. Musophagidae are medium-sized arboreal birds that are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. They live in forests, woodland and savanna. They have weak flight but run quickly through the tree canopy. Musophagidae…