The final new bird species in our 2014 Bonanza is a small, colorful species found in parts of Southeast Asia, the Black-and-yellow Broadbill!
The Black-and-yellow Broadbill is one of 15 species of broadbill in the world. Broadbills are found in sub-Saharan Africa and across Asia. The Black-and-yellow Broadbill is a resident species across parts of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and Thailand.
Black-and-yellow Broadbill - Krung Ching - Thailand by Francesco Veronesi (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Black-and-yellow Broadbills make large pear-shaped purse-like nests that hang from tree limbs. The nests may be made from moss and leaf skeletons and be lined with roots and leaves. The clutch size is usually three eggs. The Black-and-yellow Broadbill joins Birdorable today as our 565th species, and our first broadbill. If you like this striking bird as much as we do, be sure to check out our selection of cute Birdorable Black-and-yellow Broadbill t-shirts and gifts. That wraps up our 2014 Birdorable Bonanza! Thanks for following our blog and stay tuned for more new birds to be added in the future!
The 6th bird in our 2014 Bonanza is a familiar species of gull. It's the Ring-billed Gull!
The Ring-billed Gull is a "white-headed" medium-sized species of gull found across much of North America. In fact, it may be North America's most common gull. They nest near bodies of fresh or marine water in colonial groups.
Ring-billed Gull by Amy Evenstad
Ring-billed Gulls are known for their skilled flying ability. They can be fast, graceful and agile on the wing. Ring-billed Gulls are even known to steal food from other birds -- in flight! They will practice this skill by playing with an object while in the air, dropping the object, and then swooping down to pick it up again. In non-breeding season, Ring-billed Gulls may roost and forage together in very large flocks, sometimes with other gulls. Ring-billeds seem to like their personal space: they will often stand evenly spaced, keeping at least 1 to 2 meters between each bird. The Ring-billed Gull joins Birdorable today, bringing our total number of bird species to 564. Our Bonanza concludes tomorrow with a striking bird of southeast Asia that also has "bill" in its name. Can you guess tomorrow's species?
Black-throated Finches are granivorous, meaning they eat seeds and grains. They are endemic to Australia, where they are found in the northeast of the country, in Queensland. Historically they were also found along the eastern coast down in New South Wales, but their numbers have been declining. The species overall has a conservation status of Least Concern, but the southern population is considered to be Vulnerable by Australian authorities. Black-throated Finches are relatively sedentary (non-migratory), though they may change location in response to food availability during times of drought. The population faces threats from several factors, including loss of habitat from human development and predation by non-native mammals.
Black-throated Finch by Tim Lenz (CC BY 2.0; modified)
The fourth bird in our 2014 Bonanza is a North American wader with a curved bill. It's the White-faced Ibis!
The White-faced Ibis is one of three ibis species found regularly in the United States. The White Ibis and Glossy Ibis are both restricted in range to the east and southeast of the U.S., plus northern parts of South America. The White-faced Ibis ranges in the central and western parts of North and Central America, ranging all the way to the Pacific Coast. There is a separate resident population in southeastern South America as well.
White-Faced Ibis - Explore #136 5-06-09 by Linda Tanner (CC BY 2.0)
White-faced Ibises breed and feed around marshy habitats. They forage by probing their curved bills into soft marshy substrate. They eat invertebrates like insects, snails, and worms. White-faced Ibises will also take prey items like frogs, crayfish, and small fish. The White-faced Ibis joins Birdorable today, bringing our total number of bird species to 562. We now have 21 wading birds and a total of six ibises. If you love ibises as much as we do, be sure to check out our cute Birdorable ibis t-shirts & gifts!. Our Bonanza continues tomorrow with a small bird from Down Under named for its dark bib. Can you guess tomorrow's species?
The third bird in our 2014 Bonanza is a unique species of parrot, the Cape Parrot!
The Cape Parrot is endemic to South Africa. It is typically found in high altitude forest habitat, though it may also visit lowland coastal areas for feeding. Its diet consists of primarily fruits, seeds, and nuts. The Cape Parrot is Critically Endangered, due to habitat loss, persecution, and other factors. The species is particularly susceptible to certain disease outbreaks which takes a toll on the population as well. We can't talk about the Cape Parrot without talking about the closely related Uncape Parrot. The taxonomy of these species and subspecies has been in dispute and the Cape Parrot has only recently been recognized as a separate species. The Uncape Parrot is comprised of two main subspecies, known by the common names Brown-necked Parrot and Grey-headed Parrot. These are not considered threatened or endangered at this time.
Brown-necked Parrot by Alan Manson (CC BY-SA 2.0; modified)
The Cape Parrot and the Uncape Parrot both join Birdorable today, bringing our total number of bird species to 561. Our total number of parrots now stands at a whopping 90 species! Our Bonanza continues tomorrow with a wading bird named for the color of its mug. Can you guess tomorrow's species?
The second bird in our 2014 Bonanza is a North American sparrow: the Song Sparrow!
In our clue yesterday, we indicated that the Song Sparrow is an LBJ with a lot of range. What did we mean? "LBJ" stands for "Little Brown Job", a phrase sometimes used to describe dull-colored small songbirds that may be difficult to identify. Song Sparrows are brown and streaky. They may be identified by the dark spot in the center of the breast, among other traits. When talking about range, we were referring to a few different things. Song Sparrows are found all over North America, so they have a large natural regional range. Song Sparrows are named for their song repertoire. In their voice they have a lot of range. Song Sparrows have over 20 recognized subspecies; up to 50 subspecies may exist. These differ in physical characteristics; the appearance of Song Sparrows has a lot of range.
Song Sparrow by Amy Evenstad
Song Sparrow joins Birdorable today as our 559th species, and our 10th species of sparrow. If you like Song Sparrows as much as we do, be sure to check out our selection of cute Birdorable Song Sparrow t-shirts and gifts. Our Bonanza continues tomorrow with a species that comes with its own opposite! Can you guess tomorrow's species?