wary-cassowary

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He looks like a porpoise

i learned about a stupid looking bird today and i cant stop laughing

its called a crested satinbird (cnemophilus macgregorii)

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devil in disguise?

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The angles….. just stunning

Tree Swallow

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Eurasian Jay

📸 @adam.cesnak

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This is so cool!!

I got curious, since I usually see the term Leucism applied to animals with white coloration. Turns out leucism is an umbrella term covering several types of pigment deficiencies.

So I think this cardinal can be indeed be called “leucistic”, then more specifically “amelanistic”—it’s lacking in black melanin pigments, while the red carotenoid-based pigments remain. (Although the eye is melanated).

I think this exact mutation is what causes the classic Lutino cockatiel.

If anyone has more info/knowledge, please share!

Also this tag made me lol

this northern cardinal has the bright red hues the males of the species are known for, but lacks the signature black ‘mask’. it’s likely that this bird’s unique appearance is due to leucism (a partial lack of melanin) or a similar genetic mutation. leucism is not inherently harmful to birds, but can impact their lives in many ways; melanin strengthens feathers, so some birds with leucism may have more brittle feathers. additionally, some birds may have trouble finding a mate or suffer from increased attention from predators (particularly all-white birds); however, as this cardinal’s differences are fairly minor, he likely goes about life as any other cardinal would.

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Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), family Casuariidae, order Casuariiformes, QLD, Australia

Photograph by Tony Fleming

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POV, you are riding on birb

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Pennant-winged Nightjar (Caprimulgus vexillarius), male, family Caprimulgidae, order Caprimulgiformes, South Africa

photographs by Manfred Suter

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“Gray like the color of gunsmoke, eyes that glow like living embers, wings sheathed in silence, and gripping feet tipped with daggers - these are the elements of a nightmare. And if ruffed grouse or snowshoe hares dream, the image of the great northern goshawk haunts their nights just as the living bird haunts them by day.”

- Northern Goshawk, Book of North American Birds

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I love this with my whole heart. I haven’t seen all these birds, but for the ones I have, the descriptions are spot-on. This is the kind of stuff that you can’t learn from field guides, it’s the hard-won reward of the one who spends long hours observing. There’s nothing like getting to know the personalities of birds- it really is like they’re your neighbors.

I have come into possession of an ornithology book from the 1930's and they had such a way of describing birds back then, modern publishers of birding booking should take note! Here are some of the bangers.

yes, this book refers to the anhinga as a water-turkey

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I tried my hand at bird photography today

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Hilariously funny that they let the guy known for wandering off without warning to look at birds was allowed to do this

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Cinnamon scratch

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wonderful chonk sculpture

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Model of a pigeon with mother-of-pearl inlaid feathers (Japan, Meiji period, 1880)

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That fuckin smile at the end

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there are some pigeons that roost in a traffic light by my house and it delights me every time i see them