#nigel voaden

[fascinator-birds]

Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

© Nigel Voaden

[squawkoverflow]

A new variant has been added!

Trocaz Pigeon (Columba trocaz) © Nigel Voaden

It hatches from endemic, green, large, native, noticeable, pink, purple, red, silvery, and yellow eggs.

squawkoverflow - the ultimate bird collecting game          🥚 hatch    ❤️ collect     🤝 connect

[herpsandbirds]

Violet-backed Starling (Cinnyricinclus leucogaster), male, family Sturnidae, order Passeriformes, found in southwestern Africa

photograph by Nigel Voaden

[alonglistofbirds]

[2950/11080] Diademed tanager - Stephanophorus diadematus

Order: Passeriformes Suborder: Passeri Superfamily: Emberizoidea Family: Thraupidae (tanagers)

Photo credit: Nigel Voaden via Macaulay Library

[battle-of-the-birds]

Remember to read about the contestants before voting!

Violet Backed Starling

With dazzling colors, the Violet Backed Starling is sure to catch your eye. They are found in Africa, preying on insects. It’s the only member of its genus, but despite that its considered Least Concern for their conservation status! Learn More!

Hoatzin

Hoatzin are birds native to Amazon and South America. They live above rivers, climbing along branches, as they aren’t very good fliers. Their main food is leaves, with specialized stomachs to digest them, similar to cows! They’re the only bird to do this. They are very stinky for this reason, since they need to ferment the leaves in order to gain nutrients and this causes a poo-like stink! Learn More!

(Violet Backed Starling photo by Nigel Voaden) (Hoatzin photo by Angus Pritchard)

[cypherdecypher]

Animal of the Day!

Victoria Crowned-pigeon (Goura victoria)

(Photo by Nigel Voaden)

Conservation Status- Near Threatened

Habitat- Northern New Guinea

Size (Weight/Length)- 2 kg; 70 cm

Diet- Fruits; Seeds; Insects

Cool Facts- If you thought all pigeons were drab and gray, I would like to introduce the Victoria crowned-pigeon. Living in small groups, these pigeons walk along the forest floor in search of fallen fruits and on alert for crocodiles and snakes. When startled, Victoria crowned-pigeons shoot straight up and find the nearest branch to cling onto. During the mating season, males square up and engage in occasional wing smacking and chest puffing to impress the ladies. Males then dance for females by bowing their head and wagging their tail up and down. Both parents will help to raise a single chick who eventually fledges after three months.

Rating- 12/10 (King of the pigeons.)

Requested by Anonymous

[lycomorpha]

It's Sunday, it's been a quite a weekend, and I don't know about you but I need an emergency moth.

This is a particularly delightful white ermine moth morph. And bonus lichen! I do like me some lichen.

(Image by Nigel Voaden via Flickr. I'm sharing here so I can add alt text, but there are many more beautiful moths including micros on their feed there so pls check it out!)

[proton-wobbler]

Hooded Yellowthroat (Nigel Voaden)

[archipithecus]

Phylogeny Guessing Game: Seabirds

Which of the two following birds are more closely related, and which one is the outgroup? Answers under the cut. (Disclaimer: I'm not a bird scientist, just a gal reading Wikipedia, so if the latest science disagrees with any of these, please let me know! Also I am linking to the Wikipedia pages for all of these birds, so you see the relationships as they currently stand for yourself)

Round 1:

A) Quail plover (Ortyxelos meiffrenii) (Nigel Voaden) B) European herring gull (Larus argentatus) (Andreas Trepte) C) Short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) (James Lloyd)

Round 2:

A) Parakeet auklet (Aethia psittacula) (Art Sowls) B) European herring gull (Larus argentatus) (Andreas Trepte) C) Great skua (Stercorarius skua) (Ómar Runólfsson)

Round 3:

A) Parakeet auklet (Aethia psittacula) (Art Sowls) B) Erect-crested penguin (Eudyptes sclateri) (C00ch) C) Short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) (James Lloyd)

Round 1: A and B, not C The quail plover (A) and the European herring gull (B) are both in the order Charadriiformes (and maybe both in the suborder Lari depending on who you ask?), while the short-tailed albatross (C) is in the order Procellariiformes.

Round 2: A and C, not B These are all in the suborder Lari, but the auks (Alcidae) like the parakeet auklet (A) and the skuas (Stercorariidae) like the great skua (C) are closer to each other than they are to gulls like the European herring gull (B) (in Laridae with terns, skimmers, and some other seabirds).

Round 3: B and C, not A The erect-crested penguin (B) and the short-tailed albatross (C) are both members of Austrodyptornithes, which is the penguins (Sphenisciformes) plus the tube-nosed seabirds (Procellariiformes) like albatrosses, while the parakeet auklet (A) as previously discussed is Charadriiform

thanks for playing my bird game!

[wankerwatch]

Commons Vote

On: Opposition day: Winter Fuel Payment

Ayes: 214 (51.6% Con, 32.4% LD, 4.2% SNP, 2.3% Ind, 2.3% DUP, 1.9% PC, 1.9% RUK, 1.9% Green, 0.5% APNI, 0.5% UUP, 0.5% TUV) Noes: 335 (99.7% Lab, 0.3% Ind) Absent: ~101

Day's business papers: 2024-09-10

Individual Votes:

Ayes

Conservative (110 votes)

Alan Mak Alberto Costa Alec Shelbrooke Alex Burghart Alicia Kearns Alison Griffiths Andrew Bowie Andrew Griffith Andrew Mitchell Andrew Murrison Andrew Snowden Aphra Brandreth Ashley Fox Ben Obese-Jecty Ben Spencer Bernard Jenkin Blake Stephenson Bob Blackman Bradley Thomas Caroline Dinenage Caroline Johnson Charlie Dewhirst Chris Philp Christopher Chope Claire Coutinho Damian Hinds Danny Kruger David Davis David Mundell David Reed David Simmonds Desmond Swayne Edward Argar Edward Leigh Gagan Mohindra Gareth Bacon Gavin Williamson Geoffrey Clifton-Brown George Freeman Graham Stuart Greg Smith Gregory Stafford Harriet Cross Harriett Baldwin Helen Grant Helen Whately Iain Duncan Smith Jack Rankin James Cartlidge James Cleverly James Wild Jeremy Hunt Jeremy Wright Jerome Mayhew Jesse Norman Joe Robertson John Cooper John Glen John Hayes John Lamont John Whittingdale Joy Morrissey Julia Lopez Julian Lewis Karen Bradley Katie Lam Kemi Badenoch Kevin Hollinrake Kieran Mullan Kit Malthouse Laura Trott Lewis Cocking Lincoln Jopp Luke Evans Mark Francois Mark Garnier Matt Vickers Mel Stride Mike Wood Mims Davies Neil Hudson Neil O'Brien Neil Shastri-Hurst Nick Timothy Nigel Huddleston Oliver Dowden Patrick Spencer Paul Holmes Peter Bedford Peter Fortune Priti Patel Rebecca Paul Rebecca Smith Richard Fuller Richard Holden Rishi Sunak Robbie Moore Robert Jenrick Roger Gale Saqib Bhatti Sarah Bool Shivani Raja Simon Hoare Steve Barclay Stuart Anderson Stuart Andrew Suella Braverman Tom Tugendhat Victoria Atkins Wendy Morton

Liberal Democrat (69 votes)

Adam Dance Al Pinkerton Alex Brewer Alison Bennett Alistair Carmichael Andrew George Angus MacDonald Anna Sabine Ben Maguire Bobby Dean Brian Mathew Calum Miller Cameron Thomas Caroline Voaden Charlie Maynard Charlotte Cane Chris Coghlan Christine Jardine Claire Young Clive Jones Daisy Cooper Danny Chambers David Chadwick Ed Davey Edward Morello Freddie van Mierlo Gideon Amos Helen Maguire Helen Morgan Ian Roome Ian Sollom James MacCleary Jamie Stone Jess Brown-Fuller John Milne Josh Babarinde Joshua Reynolds Layla Moran Lee Dillon Lisa Smart Liz Jarvis Luke Taylor Manuela Perteghella Marie Goldman Martin Wrigley Max Wilkinson Mike Martin Monica Harding Munira Wilson Olly Glover Paul Kohler Pippa Heylings Rachel Gilmour Richard Foord Roz Savage Sarah Dyke Sarah Gibson Sarah Green Sarah Olney Steff Aquarone Susan Murray Tessa Munt Tom Gordon Tom Morrison Victoria Collins Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Will Forster Zöe Franklin

Scottish National Party (9 votes)

Brendan O'Hara Chris Law Dave Doogan Graham Leadbitter Kirsty Blackman Pete Wishart Seamus Logan Stephen Flynn Stephen Gethins

Independent (5 votes)

Adnan Hussain Ayoub Khan Iqbal Mohamed Jeremy Corbyn Shockat Adam

Democratic Unionist Party (5 votes)

Carla Lockhart Gavin Robinson Gregory Campbell Jim Shannon Sammy Wilson

Plaid Cymru (4 votes)

Ann Davies Ben Lake Liz Saville Roberts Llinos Medi

Reform UK (4 votes)

James McMurdock Lee Anderson Richard Tice Rupert Lowe

Green Party (4 votes)

Adrian Ramsay Carla Denyer Ellie Chowns Siân Berry

Alliance (1 vote)

Sorcha Eastwood

Ulster Unionist Party (1 vote)

Robin Swann

Traditional Unionist Voice (1 vote)

Jim Allister

Noes

Labour (335 votes)

Abena Oppong-Asare Adam Jogee Adam Thompson Afzal Khan Al Carns Alan Campbell Alan Gemmell Alan Strickland Alex Baker Alex Ballinger Alex Barros-Curtis Alex Davies-Jones Alex Mayer Alex McIntyre Alex Norris Alex Sobel Alice Macdonald Alison Hume Alison Taylor Alistair Strathern Allison Gardner Amanda Hack Andrew Cooper Andrew Gwynne Andrew Lewin Andrew Pakes Andrew Ranger Andrew Western Andy MacNae Andy Slaughter Angela Eagle Angela Rayner Anna Dixon Anna Gelderd Anna Turley Anneliese Dodds Anneliese Midgley Antonia Bance Ashley Dalton Baggy Shanker Bambos Charalambous Barry Gardiner Becky Gittins Ben Coleman Ben Goldsborough Bill Esterson Blair McDougall Brian Leishman Bridget Phillipson Callum Anderson Calvin Bailey Carolyn Harris Catherine Atkinson Catherine Fookes Catherine McKinnell Catherine West Charlotte Nichols Chi Onwurah Chris Bloore Chris Bryant Chris Curtis Chris Elmore Chris Evans Chris Hinchliff Chris Kane Chris McDonald Chris Murray Chris Vince Chris Ward Claire Hazelgrove Claire Hughes Clive Betts Connor Naismith Connor Rand Damien Egan Dan Aldridge Dan Carden Dan Jarvis Dan Norris Dan Tomlinson Daniel Francis Danny Beales Darren Jones Darren Paffey Dave Robertson David Baines David Burton-Sampson David Pinto-Duschinsky David Smith David Taylor David Williams Debbie Abrahams Deirdre Costigan Derek Twigg Douglas Alexander Douglas McAllister Ed Miliband Elaine Stewart Ellie Reeves Emily Darlington Emily Thornberry Emma Foody Emma Hardy Emma Reynolds Fabian Hamilton Feryal Clark Florence Eshalomi Frank McNally Fred Thomas Gareth Snell Gareth Thomas Georgia Gould Gerald Jones Gill German Gordon McKee Graeme Downie Graham Stringer Gregor Poynton Gurinder Singh Josan Hamish Falconer Harpreet Uppal Heidi Alexander Helen Hayes Helena Dollimore Henry Tufnell Ian Murray Imogen Walker Irene Campbell Jack Abbott Jacob Collier Jade Botterill Jake Richards James Asser James Frith James Murray James Naish Janet Daby Jas Athwal Jayne Kirkham Jeevun Sandher Jeff Smith Jen Craft Jess Asato Jessica Morden Jessica Toale Jim Dickson Jim McMahon Jo Platt Jo Stevens Jo White Joani Reid Jodie Gosling Joe Morris Joe Powell Johanna Baxter John Grady John Slinger John Whitby Jon Pearce Jonathan Brash Jonathan Davies Jonathan Hinder Jonathan Reynolds Josh Dean Josh MacAlister Josh Newbury Josh Simons Julie Minns Juliet Campbell Justin Madders Kanishka Narayan Karin Smyth Karl Turner Kate Dearden Katie White Katrina Murray Keir Mather Kerry McCarthy Kevin Bonavia Kevin McKenna Kim Leadbeater Kirith Entwistle Kirsteen Sullivan Kirsty McNeill Laura Kyrke-Smith Lauren Edwards Lauren Sullivan Laurence Turner Lee Barron Lee Pitcher Lewis Atkinson Liam Byrne Liam Conlon Lilian Greenwood Lillian Jones Linsey Farnsworth Lisa Nandy Liz Kendall Liz Twist Lizzi Collinge Lloyd Hatton Lola McEvoy Louise Haigh Louise Jones Lucy Powell Lucy Rigby Luke Akehurst Luke Charters Luke Murphy Luke Myer Luke Pollard Margaret Mullane Marie Tidball Mark Ferguson Mark Hendrick Mark Sewards Mark Tami Markus Campbell-Savours Martin McCluskey Martin Rhodes Mary Creagh Mary Glindon Matt Rodda Matt Turmaine Matt Western Matthew Patrick Matthew Pennycook Maureen Burke Maya Ellis Meg Hillier Melanie Onn Melanie Ward Michael Payne Michael Shanks Michael Wheeler Michelle Scrogham Michelle Welsh Mike Amesbury Mike Kane Mike Reader Mike Tapp Natalie Fleet Natasha Irons Navendu Mishra Neil Coyle Nesil Caliskan Nia Griffith Nicholas Dakin Nick Smith Noah Law Oliver Ryan Olivia Bailey Olivia Blake Pam Cox Pamela Nash Pat McFadden Patricia Ferguson Patrick Hurley Paul Davies Paul Foster Paul Waugh Perran Moon Peter Dowd Peter Kyle Peter Lamb Peter Prinsley Peter Swallow Polly Billington Preet Kaur Gill Rachel Blake Rachel Hopkins Rachel Taylor Richard Baker Richard Quigley Rosie Wrighting Rupa Huq Rushanara Ali Ruth Cadbury Ruth Jones Sadik Al-Hassan Sally Jameson Sam Carling Sam Rushworth Samantha Dixon Samantha Niblett Sarah Champion Sarah Coombes Sarah Hall Sarah Owen Sarah Russell Sarah Sackman Satvir Kaur Scott Arthur Sean Woodcock Seema Malhotra Shabana Mahmood

Shaun Davies Simon Lightwood Siobhain McDonagh Sojan Joseph Sonia Kumar Stella Creasy Stephanie Peacock Stephen Kinnock Stephen Morgan Stephen Timms Steve Race Steve Reed Steve Witherden Steve Yemm Sureena Brackenridge Taiwo Owatemi Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Terry Jermy Tim Roca Toby Perkins Tom Collins Tom Hayes Tom Rutland Tony Vaughan Torcuil Crichton Torsten Bell Tracy Gilbert Tristan Osborne Tulip Siddiq Uma Kumaran Valerie Vaz Vicky Foxcroft Warinder Juss Wes Streeting Will Stone Yasmin Qureshi Yuan Yang Yvette Cooper Zubir Ahmed

Independent (1 vote)

Rebecca Long Bailey

[worldsandemanations]

Violet-backed Starling (Cinnyricinclus leucogaster), male, family Sturnidae, order Passeriformes, found in southwestern Africa photograph by Nigel Voaden

[flight-freeze-frame]

Trocaz Pigeon (Columba trocaz)

© Nigel Voaden

[squawkoverflow]

A new variant has been added!

Grey-collared Becard (Pachyramphus major) © Nigel Voaden

It hatches from black, female, male, pale, rusty, scarce, short, similar, striking, tropical, upper, white, and woodland eggs.

squawkoverflow - the ultimate bird collecting game          🥚 hatch    ❤️ collect     🤝 connect

[herpsandbirds]

Pennantwings.

I never even knew these birds existed until I saw them on THIS blog. I've been around awhile and love birding. However, I need to know more about these birds as they look like they should not even be able to fly!

Pennantwings:

I believe you're talking about Pennant-winged Nightjars. They are glorious birds!

Pennant-winged Nightjar (Caprimulgus vexillarius), male, family Caprimulgidae, order Caprimulgiformes, northern Zimbabwe

photographs by Richard Crawshaw

Pennant-winged Nightjars (Caprimulgus vexillarius), males, family Caprimulgidae, order Caprimulgiformes, Dem. Rep. of Congo

photographs by Nigel Voaden 

Insectivorous, but scarab beetles are their main prey.

Nocturnal, like other nightjars.

The pennant feathers grow on the wings of males, and they fall off after the breeding season.

They nest and tend to roost on bare ground.

[alonglistofbirds]

First 25% Summary - Part 4 (a bunch of Passeriformes)

Sylviidae: Balearic warbler - Daniel López-Velasco Icteridae: Chestnut-headed oropendola - Carlos Sanchez Estrildidae: African firefinch - Nigel Voaden Turdidae: Bassian thrush - Felix Watson Corvidae: Bornean green magpie - Rick Bowers Artamidae: Australian magpie - Luke Seitz Paridae: Coal tit - Lukasz Haluch Sittidae: Beautiful nuthatch - Arpit Bansal Tyrannidae: Ash-throated flycatcher - Ted Bradford Furnariidae: Brown-billed scythebill - Richard Edden Thamnophilidae: Bicolored antbird - Tyler Wenzel Cotingidae: Andean cock-of-the-rock - Ben Lucking

[battle-of-the-birds]

Remember to read about the contestants before voting!

Great Eared Nightjar

Often called a "little dragon", the Great Eared Nightjar is found in the forests of Southeast Asia. Not unlike the Tawny Frogmouth or Potoo, this fellow eats mainly bugs. However, they are often in motion when they are trying to catch their prey, which is a big difference from the Tawny Frogmouth and the Potoo. Learn More!

Sandhill Crane

These beautiful cranes are known for their courtship displays and their large flocks. Sandhill Cranes also mate for life, staying with their mate year round. They feast largely on seeds, but they will also eat invertebrates too, being omnivores. Learn More!

(Great Eared Nightjar photo by Nigel Voaden) (Sandhill Crane photo by Matt Mason)