Aviculture
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Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea
The species is always associated with running water when breeding, although they may use man-made structures near streams for the nest. Outside the breeding season, they may also be seen around lakes, coasts and other watery habitats. Like other wagtails, they frequently wag their tail and fly low with undulations and they have a sharp call that is often given in flight.
This slim wagtail has a narrow white supercilium and a broken eye ring. The upperparts are grey and the yellow vent contrasting with whitish underparts makes it distinctive. The breeding male has a black throat that is edged by whitish moustachial stripes. They forage singly or in pairs on meadows or on shallow water marshes. They also use rocks in water and will often perch on trees. They have a clear sharp call note and the song consists of trills.
The breeding season is April to July and the nest is placed near fast running streams or rivers on an embankment between stones and roots. The male in display, makes short flights up into the air and descends slowly with fluttering flight accompanied by a rapid series of chipping high notes. In Europe the nests are often made in holes in manmade structures. The clutch consists of 3–6 speckled eggs and multiple broods may be raised with declining numbers in the clutch in subsequent broods. The usual clutch size is five in Ireland and the breeding success is about 80% with predation of eggs or chicks being the main cause of breeding failure. The Canary Islands population typically have smaller clutches and the breeding season is not as short and well marked as in populations at higher latitudes. The incubation period is about two weeks with chicks fledging within a fortnight. They live for a maximum of 8 years in the wild.
In some parts of the its range the white-throated dipper nests in the same habitats as the grey wagtail and there are some records of interspecific feeding of dipper chicks by adult wagtails.
Population:
UK breeding:
38,000 pairs
In the famous Cafè Cicogne, in Marrakech, morocco, if lucky, it is possible to assist to several hatching couple of storks. Obviously, before hatching they must... Erm.. Be ready... And in the same way obviously we were there to steal the scene. What I like the most of this shot? The eye of the female... And now I'm wondering: who delivers the baby storks?
Wikipedia: The blue-tailed bee-eater (Merops philippinus) is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. It is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia where many populations are strongly migratory, and seen seasonally in many parts but breeding colonially in small areas across their range, mostly in river valleys, where the nest by tunneling into loamy sand banks. They are seen mostly in open habitats close to water.
Conservation status: Least Concern
Great Egret
From Birds and Blooms -
Already a striking bird with its clean white feathers and long graceful neck, the great egret becomes even more amazing during breeding season. The patches on their faces become a brilliant lime green, while their back feathers grow into lovely waving plumes. These same plumes, called aigrettes, caused a dramatic decline in this species at the end of the 19th century when they became popular adornments for ladies’ hats. Eventually, the backlash against the hunting of birds for their feathers led to the foundation of the National Audubon Society and the first National Wildlife Refuge in the United States.
Breeding males are unmistakable: brilliant red with black wings and tail. Females and nonbreeding males are dull yellow-olive with dark wings (blacker on males, grayer on females). Compare with female Summer Tanager, which has a longer bill and less contrast between wing and body color. Breeds in mature deciduous forests, usually staying high in the canopy. Migrants are also usually found in mature woodlands. Winters in northern South America. Occasionally visits feeders in the spring, especially after periods of rain or cold weather. Listen for burry song, like an American Robin with a sore throat. (eBird)
Presqu'ile Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. May 2022.
The yellow-throated warbler (Setophaga dominica) is a small migratory songbird species breeding in temperate North America. It belongs to the New World warbler family (Parulidae). Yellow-throated Warblers are small, well-proportioned birds with sharp and pointed bills. Compared to other warblers, they are a bit more heavy-bodied with a longer and thicker bill. From below, note the blunt, only slightly notched tail. Yellow-throated Warblers are gray and white with a splash of yellow on the throat and black streaks down the sides. The yellow throat is offset by a black triangle below the eye and a white eyebrow. From above they have a gray back and 2 white wingbars. From below look for the white belly and white tail. Females and first-year males look similar, but are slightly paler.
Spring is two months away, but this Great Egret has already donned breeding plumage. That's a nutria to the right of the egret, left in the photo. Riverstone Wetlands, Sugar Land, Texas.
Breeding males have obvious white blaze on forehead and broad green slash behind eye. Females are plainer brown with rusty sides. Females are very difficult to distinguish from female Eurasian Wigeon; note colder grayish-brown head on American that contrasts with warmer orangey sides. Also look for brighter white, not gray, underwings in flight, but this can be difficult to judge, especially at a distance. Widespread and common in North America, occasionally wintering as far south as northern South America. Typically in flocks on lakes and wetlands, often grazing in nearby fields. Regular vagrant to Europe. (eBird)
Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada. May 2022.
Eagle-Eye Tours Ultimate British Columbia.
Chestnut-sided Warbler
This was one of my goals. To find and shoot a nice male in breeding plumage. He was the third goal of an epic day at Delaware State Forest, Pike County PA.
A pair of American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) in pre-copulatory or breeding display on Chaplin Lake east of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada.
The male has a longer, straighter based bill while the bill of the female is shorter and more up-turned.
The male is in the background while the female is crouched in the foreground. The male swishes its bill in the water as part of his courtship display.
20 May, 2013.
Slide # GWB_20130520_7537.CR2
Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.
© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
Nikon Z 9, Sigma 60-600mm Sports lens, 260mm, f/6.3, 1/800, ISO 500. Breeding male waterbird. View Large.
Long Tail Ducks are often overlooked, but honestly I love the transition into breeding colours - that rust / brown in the wings, I really like that detail and frankly the rain doesn't hurt either!
Breeding male Bobolink rests for a minute before taking off to catch another bug and then back down. Bucks Co. PA.
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Uferschnepfe (Limosa limosa) - im Prachtkleid des FrĂĽhjahres
Black-tailed godwit - in breeding plumage
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Uferschnepfe (Limosa limosa) - Black-tailed godwit
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uferschnepfe
Die Uferschnepfe (Limosa limosa) ist eine Vogelart aus der Familie der Schnepfenvögel (Scolopacidae). Uferschnepfen sind Langstreckenzieher und brüten vorwiegend auf Feuchtwiesen.
Die Art steht sowohl in Deutschland als auch international auf der Roten Liste der bedrohten Tiere.
Beschreibung
MaĂźe und Gewicht:
Die Uferschnepfe ist ein großer, eleganter Watvogel. Sie hat eine Körperlänge von 35 bis 45 Zentimetern und erreicht eine Flügelspannweite bis zu 75 Zentimetern. Männchen wiegen 160 bis 440 Gramm, Weibchen 244 bis 500 Gramm. Männchen sind meist etwas kleiner als Weibchen und haben einen etwas kürzeren Schnabel.
Aussehen:
Im Prachtkleid sind Hals, Brust und Kopf orange bis tief rostrot gefärbt, häufig mit weißen oder schwarzen Tupfen durchzogen. Unterbauch und Unterschwanz sind weiß, dabei sind Brust und Bauch von schwarzen Querbändern überzogen. Deren Ausdehnung ist sehr variabel - es gibt sowohl Vögel mit beinahe fehlender schwarzer Querbänderung als auch Individuen mit schwarzen Steifen von der Brust bis auf den Unterschwanz. Auf Mantel und Rücken mausern Uferschnepfen im Brutkleid eine variable Anzahl von orangeroten, grau und schwarz gestreiften Brutfedern, was manchmal den Eindruck eines unfertigen Prachtkleids erweckt. Der Oberkopf ist schwarz gestrichelt. Der lange, gerade Schnabel ist im Sommer von der Basis bis etwa zur Hälfte orange gefärbt, der Rest ist schwarz. Weibchen sind zumeist etwas weniger intensiv und unauffälliger gefärbt als Männchen. Ganzjährig haben Uferschnepfen einen weißen Schwanz mit schwarzer Endbinde.
Im Winter sind Männchen und Weibchen identisch gefärbt. Mantel und Flügel sind dann hellgrau, Brust und Bauch schlicht weiß-grau. Der Schnabel ist im Schlichtkleid rosa mit schwarzer Spitze.
Juvenile Vögel sehen aus wie die Adulten im Schlichtkleid, nur ist die Oberseite dunkel grau-braun, mit blass rot- und gelbbraunen Federsäumen. Hals und Brust sind blass hellbraun. Im ersten Sommer und Herbst hat der Schnabel häufig auch noch nicht seine volle Länge erreicht und ist meist vollständig dunkelgrau.
Das Flugbild der Uferschnepfe ist durch den weißen Schwanz mit schwarzer Endbinde, die weißen Streifen auf den grauen Unterflügeln und den langen geraden Schnabel charakterisiert. Kopf und Schnabel überragen den Körper nach vorn ebensoweit wie Beine und Schwanz nach hinten.
Der Ruf klingt in etwa wie „wed“, „geg“ oder „grutto“. Daher hat die Art auch ihren niederländischen Namen „Grutto“. In Deutschland wird sie aus dem gleichen Grund in manchen Regionen landläufig „Greta“ genannt.
Black-tailed godwit
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-tailed_godwit
The black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa) is a large, long-legged, long-billed shorebird first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is a member of the godwit genus, Limosa. There are three subspecies, all with orange head, neck and chest in breeding plumage and dull grey-brown winter coloration, and distinctive black and white wingbar at all times.
Its breeding range stretches from Iceland through Europe and areas of central Asia. Black-tailed godwits spend (the northern hemisphere) winter in areas as diverse as the Indian Subcontinent, Australia, New Zealand, western Europe and west Africa. The species breeds in fens, lake edges, damp meadows, moorlands and bogs and uses estuaries, swamps and floods in (the northern hemisphere) winter; it is more likely to be found inland and on freshwater than the similar bar-tailed godwit. The world population is estimated to be 634,000 to 805,000 birds and is classified as Near Threatened. The black-tailed godwit is the national bird of the Netherlands.
Great Egret (wild) and American Alligators (captive), Alligator Breeding Marsh and Wading Bird Rookery, Gatorland, Orlando, Florida
This breeding male Chestnut-sided Warbler decides to sing a bit between turns of looking for insects. 2016 was my first year at Magee Marsh and I was able to make it back the next two years running, but I never got over the thrill of seeing these beautiful birds. I can't imagine what Magee will look like this year with COVID-19 but I bet there won't be tons of folks going.
Taken 15 May 2016 at Magee Marsh, Ohio.
Male Anhinga with breeding plumage taking flight at Babcock Wildlife Management Area near Punta Gorda, Florida
The largest/heaviest flying bird native to Africa, the Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) is a ground dwelling bird and an opportunistic omnivore. The males can get up to 42 lbs and stand nearly 5 feet tall; they may be twice as heavy as the females.
This is a male in breeding display striding about with his neck puffed out, his tail fanned and wings planed and pointed downward. If he was looking to court a lady, we saw none in the vicinity - perhaps he was just practicing his routine.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya
Conservation Status: Near Threatened
Breeding adult Double-crested Cormorant displaying it's tufts to attract the females at Peace Valley Park, New Britain PA.
At this time of the year, about a month or two before breeding starts most birds start to look their best. Dull fringes to the feathers that moulted in after last year's breeding season have worn off and their true colours appear. It's also convenient that these paler/duller fringes add to feather volume thus keeping them warmer in winter. Blackbirds become so shiny and almost scaly with the dark feather centres contrasting with the shiny edges