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© Marcelo De Podestá
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© Marcelo De Podestá
Facebook Page: Marcelo De Podestá Photography
Portfolio: Marcelo De Podestá Photography
© Marcelo De Podestá
Facebook Page: Marcelo De Podestá Photography
Portfolio: Marcelo De Podestá Photography
© Marcelo De Podesta | All rights reserved
Facebook Page: Marcelo De Podestá Photography
Portfolio: Marcelo De Podestá Photography
Kudu are highly alert and notoriously hard to approach. When they detect danger – often using their large, radar-like ears – they give a hoarse alarm bark, then flee with a distinctive, rocking-horse running motion, the male laying back his horns to avoid overhead obstructions.
The lesser flamingo (Phoenicoparrus minor) is a species of flamingo occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, with another population in India. Birds are occasionally reported from further north, but these are generally considered vagrants. It was moved from the genus Phoeniconaias to Phoenicoparrus in 2014.
Sometimes you’ll see me in someone’s home but I’d rather be out where I can roam. I normally eat lots of fruit and seeds they fill up all my hungry needs. I can screech real loud ’cause I feel very proud I’m a tropical bird that can really be heard.
Whether they are raiding the bird feeder, transplanting tulip bulbs, making themselves at home in the attic or delighting you with their antics, gray squirrels inspire joy and angst. One of the main attractions of backyard gardens, they are the second most watched wildlife in North America, after birds, and there's no denying their appeal with their long, fluffy tail, soft brown eyes and amazing acrobatic skills.
Green bee-eater hunts and eats different types of flying insects such as honey bees, grasshoppers, fruit flies, ants and wasps. Name "bee-eater" refers to the favorite type of food of this species - bees. Fruit and berries are occasionally on the menu.
Green bee-eater knows how to "disarm" dangerous prey. It removes stinger and eliminates venom by hitting and rubbing a bee against the branch.
Drawn from his refuge in some lonely elm
That age or injury has hollow'd deep,
Where, on his bed of wool and matted leaves,
He has outslept the winter, ventures forth
To frisk a while, and bask in the warm sun.
The animal kingdom is filled with almost an infinite variety of creatures. Scientists discover new species and subspecies every year. Each one is a wonder unto itself and one could labor for years to uncover its secrets. It is an unfortunate fact that the closest that most of us get to wildlife is through bars at the zoo. Our urban lifestyle has the effect of cutting us off from the glorious world of the animal kingdom. Every animal has a lesson to teach us that we are not hearing. We may think that we have evolved away from contact with animal kingdom, the question is, at what cost?
The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the second-largest living bird by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. The emu's range covers most of mainland Australia, but the Tasmanian, Kangaroo Island and King Island subspecies became extinct after the European settlement of Australia in 1788.
Chiaroscuro (English: /kiˌɑːrəˈskjʊəroʊ/; Italian: [ˌkjaroˈskuːro]; Italian for light-dark), in art, is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achieve a sense of volume in modelling three-dimensional objects and figures. Similar effects in cinema and photography also are called chiaroscuro.
Drawn from his refuge in some lonely elm
That age or injury has hollow'd deep,
Where, on his bed of wool and matted leaves,
He has outslept the winter, ventures forth
To frisk a while, and bask in the warm sun.
He bows, ruffling his feathers
Dapper little gentleman
Poised in dress, to impress
Suited up in his best tuxedo
I send him a wink of approval
He twits back, tilting his head
His iridescent trail woos in style,
A life of its own in its opaline shades
Golden, blue, brown and green,
Colors of the earth, gloriously resplendent,
A gathered spectacle in his plumage.
The word ‘flamingo’ comes from the Spanish word ‘flamenco’ meaning fire, which refers to the bright pink or orange colour of the feathers.Flamingos are pink on the inside, too. These flamboyant birds are adapted to collect and metabolise carotenoid pigments – the chemicals found in algae, crustaceans and microscopic plant materials that form tones of orange, red, yellow and pink. Though the pink coloration is most obvious in a flamingo’s plumage, the carotenoids spread a lot further. Flamingo skin is pink and flamingo blood is pink.
The Eastern Gray Squirrel has predominantly gray fur, but it can have a brownish color. It has a usual white underside as compared to the typical brownish-orange underside of the fox squirrel. It has a large bushy tail. Like all squirrels, the eastern gray shows four toes on the front feet and five on the hind feet. The hind foot-pad is often not visible in the track. When bounding or moving at speed, the front foot tracks will be behind the hind foot tracks.
The lesser kudu is native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, but it is extinct in Djibouti. It may have been present in Saudi Arabia and Yemen as recently as 1967, though its presence in the Arabian Peninsula is still controversial. The total population of the lesser kudu has been estimated to be nearly 118,000, with a decreasing trend in populations. One-third of the populations survive in protected areas. Presently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature rates the lesser kudu as "near threatened".
As ostriches are the largest birds in the world they have the largest eyes of any bird in the world. Measuring at 5 centimetres in diameter from front to back, the ostrich eye is five times bigger than the human eye and any other land animal. Interestingly enough ostriches can see colour.
Drawn from his refuge in some lonely elm
That age or injury has hollow'd deep,
Where, on his bed of wool and matted leaves,
He has outslept the winter, ventures forth
To frisk a while, and bask in the warm sun.
Bushtits are sprightly, social songbirds that twitter as they fly weakly between shrubs and thickets in western North America. Almost always found in lively flocks, they move constantly, often hanging upside down to pick at insects or spiders on the undersides of leaves. Flocks of Bushtits mix with similar small songbirds like warblers, chickadees, and kinglets while foraging. Bushtits weave a very unusual hanging nest, shaped like a soft pouch or sock, from moss, spider webs, and grasses.
The purple sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) is a small sunbird. Like other sunbirds they feed mainly on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. They have a fast and direct flight and can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird but often perch at the base of flowers. The males appear all black except in some lighting when the purple iridescence becomes visible. Females are olive above and yellowish below
The green bee-eater (Merops orientalis), also known as little green bee-eater, is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family. It is resident but prone to seasonal movements and is found widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and the Gambia to Ethiopia, the Nile valley, western Arabia and Asia through India to Vietnam
The word "flamingo" comes from the Spanish and Latin word "flamenco" which means fire, and refers to the bright color of the birds' feathers. Not all flamingos are brightly colored, however, and some of the birds are mostly gray or white. The strength of a flamingo's coloration comes from its diet. Younger birds also have less coloration.
The animal kingdom is filled with almost an infinite variety of creatures. Scientists discover new species and subspecies every year. Each one is a wonder unto itself and one could labor for years to uncover its secrets. It is an unfortunate fact that the closest that most of us get to wildlife is through bars at the zoo. Our urban lifestyle has the effect of cutting us off from the glorious world of the animal kingdom. Every animal has a lesson to teach us that we are not hearing. We may think that we have evolved away from contact with animal kingdom, the question is, at what cost?
The Chinkara gazelle species native to Indian Subcontinent and is the smallest asiatic antelope. Chinkara is popularly known as India Gazelle live in arid plains and hills, deserts, dry scrub and light forests.
Spoonbills are a genus, Platalea, of large, long-legged wading birds. The spoonbills have a global distribution, being found on every continent except Antarctica. The genus name Platalea derives from Ancient Greek and means "broad", referring to the distinctive shape of the bill. Six species are recognised, which although usually placed in a single genus have sometimes been split into three genera.
All spoonbills have large, flat, spatulate bills and feed by wading through shallow water, sweeping the partly opened bill from side to side. The moment any small aquatic creature touches the inside of the bill—an insect, crustacean, or tiny fish—it is snapped shut. Spoonbills generally prefer fresh water to salt but are found in both environments. They need to feed many hours each day.
The genus Platalea was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. The genus name is Latin for "spoonbill" and is derived from the Ancient Greek platea meaning "broad", referring to the distinctive shape of the bill. The type species was designated as the Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) by George Robert Gray in 1840
The Green Bee-Eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae, containing three genera and twenty-seven species. Most species are found in Africa and Asia, with a few in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea
The sun is nearly gone
I bid him my best, farewell
Grateful for a fleeting moment
Held gently, by wings of purity
The beauty of a Black Phoebe.
Peafowl is a common name for three species of birds in the genera Pavo and Afropavo of the Phasianidae family, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl as peahens
The Scarlet Ibis is a species of ibis in the bird family Threskiornithidae. It inhabits tropical South America and islands of the Caribbean. In form it resembles most of the other twenty-seven extant species of ibis, but its remarkably brilliant scarlet coloration makes it unmistakable. Ibises have curved slender bills that they use to probe into shallow water, mud or grass when foraging. As with flamingos, the brilliant red colour of the scarlet ibis comes from carotene found in the crustaceans on which it feeds. The scarlet ibis is a gregarious bird, living, travelling, and breeding in flocks.
Kudu, also known as the Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), is a magnificent antelope species found in various parts of sub-Saharan Africa. It is a large and majestic animal, renowned for its unique and striking appearance.
Physical Characteristics:
The Kudu is one of the largest antelope species, with males, known as bulls, weighing up to 600 kg (1,300 lbs) and standing around 1.5 to 1.7 meters (5 to 5.5 feet) tall at the shoulder. Females, known as cows, are smaller and lighter.
Both males and females have long, spiral-shaped horns. The horns can grow up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) in length in males, while in females, they are shorter and slimmer.
Appearance:
Kudus have a beautiful coat with distinctive white stripes along their sides. These stripes are believed to act as a form of camouflage in their woodland habitats, helping them blend in among dappled sunlight and shadow.
The coat coloration varies, but they are generally reddish-brown with a tinge of blue-grey in some areas. The undersides are usually pale.
Habitat and Behavior:
Kudus are found in a range of habitats, including woodlands, savannas, and dense bush areas. They are adaptable animals but prefer regions with enough vegetation for cover.
These antelopes are mainly browsers, feeding on leaves, fruits, and shoots. They have the ability to reach high branches to access food that other herbivores might not reach.
Kudus are predominantly nocturnal, which means they are most active during the night, helping them avoid predators and the heat of the day.
Males are typically solitary or found in small bachelor groups, while females form small herds, often accompanied by one dominant male.
Conservation Status:
The Kudu population is generally considered stable, but some local populations face threats due to habitat loss and hunting for their meat, hides, and horns.
Conservation efforts focus on preserving their natural habitats, implementing anti-poaching measures, and promoting responsible tourism to protect this iconic African species.
Kudus are not only remarkable creatures for their physical beauty but also for their role in maintaining the ecological balance of their habitats. As such, efforts to safeguard their existence are crucial for the overall health of Africa's biodiversity.
Trackless and bare are the sands of the desert
No verdure adorns them, no green tree is there;
Parched by the winds and the hot, scorching sun rays,
Strewn with white bones lying bleaching and bare,
Patiently, slowly, across the vast ocean
Plod the strong camels, so faithful and true; Ships of the desert, with merchandise laden,
The rheas (/ˈriːə/) are large ratites (flightless birds without a keel on their sternum bone) in the order Rheiformes, native to South America, distantly related to the ostrich and emu.
The sunbirds are small, slender passerines from the Old World.They are found through most of Africa to the Middle East, South Asia, South-east Asia and southern China, to Indonesia, New Guinea and northern Australia. Species diversity is highest in equatorial regions.There are 132 species in 15 genera.Like the unrelated New World hummingbirds, to which sunbirds are often compared, sunbirds have long and slender, highly curved bills, tube-shaped tongues, and feed primarily on nectar and small insects.Sunbirds have lifespan up to 16 years.They ranges in size from the 5-gram black-bellied sunbird to the spectacled spiderhunter, at about 45 grams.Many species are brightly colored and have a metallic sheen. Males are usually more brightly colored than females.Their flight is fast and direct, thanks to their short wings.Sunbirds have lifespan up to 16 years.They ranges in size from the 5-gram black-bellied sunbird to the spectacled spiderhunter, at about 45 grams.Many species are brightly colored and have a metallic sheen. Males are usually more brightly colored than females.Their flight is fast and direct, thanks to their short wings.
© MD ROKIBUL HASAN
Please seek permission before use.
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Bird# 55
Bird Description: flic.kr/p/2htvvAN
The sun is nearly gone
I bid him my best, farewell
Grateful for a fleeting moment
Held gently, by wings of purity
The beauty of a Black Phoebe.
This is our world too we have a right to Live !!
Lesser kudu are forest antelopes found in East Africa. The females and juveniles have a reddish-brown coat, while the males become yellowish grey or darker after the age of 2 years. Males have a prominent black crest of hair on the neck. One long white stripe runs along the back, with 11-14 white stripes branching towards the sides. A black stripe runs from each eye to the nose and a white one from each eye to the center of the dark face. There is also a chevron between the eyes. The area around the lips is white, the throat has white patches, and two white spots appear on each side of the lower jaw. The underparts are completely white, while the slender legs are tawny and have black and white patches. Horns are present only on males and are dark brown and tipped with white in color
The ability of the camel to survive in desert conditions without water for long periods of time is rivalled by none. The many physiological adaptations the dromedary have even earned it the title "ship of the desert". Dromedaries can glean much of their needed water from desert vegetation, and can survive after losing over 40 percent of their body weight in water. When water is available, whether fresh or brackish (salty), camels drink well - up to 57 litres at a time.
Painted Stork has a heavy yellow beak with a down-curved tip that gives it a resemblance to an ibis. The head of the adult is bare and orange or reddish in colour. The long tertials are tipped in bright pink and at rest they extend over the back and rump. There is a distinctive black breast band with white scaly markings. The band continues into the underwing coverts and the white tips of the black coverts give it the appearance of white stripes running across the underwing lining.