Post your Bird Portraits

[K9Kirk]

A white pelican from somewhere up north.

796cv-studio25 by Kirk Behymer, on Flickr

 

[Cog2020]

Red-tailed shrike

DSC05483 by Cog2012, on Flickr

 

[Cog2020]

White wagtail

DSC05139 by Cog2012, on Flickr

 

[dpastern]

Swift Parrot. Critically endangered, numbers estimated to be ~500 left in the wild in Australia. Fastest parrot on the planet, has some features of broad tailed parrots and lorikeets. Feeds on certain Eucalyptus seed and lerps, usually high up in the trees. I was lucky enough to see them in 2024 as they migrated to SE Queensland for a few weeks. This is a very heavy crop, and the bird was quite a fair way away. 700mm focal length. So, IQ isn't great, but still stoked to see such a beautiful and ultra rare bird. Sadly, estimates are that they will highly likely become extinct by 2031. I hope not.

 

[dpastern]

Regent Honeyeater. Similar to the Swift parrot, taken from a long way away, high up in the trees. It also feeds on certain Eucalypts, and is also critically endangered, with number estimates been in the 250-300 range. They used to be endemic, but deforestation has heavily reduced their populations, despite a massive effort in captive breeding (and release to wild flocks) to bolster their natural numbers. I was again lucky to see these beauties in 2024, not far from where I spotted the Swift parrots. They have a beautiful call too, but sadly, many young males have lost their natural calls and are now imitating other species:

Regent Honeyeater (Anthochaera phrygia) :: xeno-canto

xeno-canto.org

 

[dpastern]

And 1 final critically endangered bird, the Far Eastern Curlew. I didn't realise this at the time of taking this image in March 2024. Identify confirmed by the QLD Waders Study Group (waders.org.au).

 

[Jos]

Golden pheasant

 

[Graham121]

Long Billed Corella, Vic, Au

 

[Gene Spearman]

Wood Stork on the South Carolina USA coast.

 

[K9Kirk]

A skimmer on the beach.

308cv-studio. by Kirk Behymer, on Flickr

 

[Cog2020]

Western reef heron

DSC_6550 by Cog2012, on Flickr

 

[Cog2020]

DSC_7189 by Cog2012, on Flickr

 

[Cog2020]

Striated heron

DSC_5006 by Cog2012, on Flickr

 

[sparker1]

Lincoln's Sparrow, Arizona

 

[Cog2020]

Pied wheatear

DSC_2422 by Cog2012, on Flickr

 

[Tom in Arizona]

Five eyes...

 

[OhLook]

Five eyes...

When does the next Wildlife Comedy Photography contest open? Keep an eye out for it (!).

 

[Kandor]

Snowy Egret

 

[jimmy_racoon]

White-breasted Nuthatch
Minnesota
autumn nuthatch by James Stewart, on Flickr

 

[jimmy_racoon]

Green-winged Teal
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
too cool by James Stewart, on Flickr