Category Amazing Birds

          Splendid colours, unusual plumage and other distinct body features make some birds unique. The Eurasian hoopoe is such a bird. Its appearance is so striking, especially when its crest is up. When the bird files, it shows off its broad, tropical butterfly-like wings. These birds are good at camouflaging too.

          The Eurasian hoopoe is about 25 to 32 centimetres long. Its wingspan comes to about 50centimetres. A medium-sized bird weighs between 46 and 90 grams. The bird feeds mostly on insects. However, small reptiles, frogs and plant matter such as seeds and berries become part of its diet as well.

         The bird is abundantly found in Europe, Asia, North Africa and northern Sub-Saharan Africa. They move from one place to another seasonally, in response to rain, in some regions such as Sri Lanka and India.

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          Pigeons are very sociable birds. They are one of the oldest domesticated birds in the world. Is to not an exquisite sight to watch hundreds of pigeons landing down together or taking off to the sky in unison? The largest of pigeon species is the Victoria crowned pigeon.

          The Victoria crowned pigeon can grow to the size of a large chicken. Unlike the domesticated encountered in cities or villages. They are found only in New Guinea and a few surrounding islands in dense jungles. It has a blue lace-like crest with white tips and it makes deep whooping sounds. Its name is derived from Queen Victoria, the British monarch who lived in the 10th century. The length of the bird typically is about 73 to 75 centimetres. However, some specimens have been recorded to cross 80 centimetres in length. The bird weighs around 3.5 kg. Due to deforestation, the species is facing the threat of extinction.

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          Toucans are beautiful birds that have large, colourful bills and vibrant feathers. There are over forty different varieties of toucans. Too toucans are the largest of the species. They measure up to 64 centimetres in length.

          A toco toucan has a black body and a white throat. However the most striking feature of the bird is its colourful beak. The bird feeds on insects, frogs, small reptiles, small birds and their eggs and nestlings. Its long bill enables it to reach for things that otherwise are out of reach.

          Toco toucans are commonly found in South America. They inhabit a range of habitats including tropical forests, savannahs and shrub lands.

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          Have you heard of the Inca Civilization that flourished in Peru between the 15th and the 16th centuries? There is a bird that takes its name from this civilization – Inca tern.

          They are named so as their habitat was under the Inca Empire’s rule years ago. Sometimes the bird is found in the southwest coast of Ecuador too.

          The most distinguishing characteristic of the Inca tern is its beautiful white moustache. Both male and female birds have this feature. They prefer to breed on rocky cliffs. They build their nests in a hollow or burrow in the ground. Sometimes, the bird uses the old nest of Humboldt penguins for laying eggs. Typically, an Inca tern lays one two eggs.

          The Inca tern feeds on small fish. It has the ability to spot its prey from the air. It can swoop down into the water and grab its prey with its pointed beak, all in a matter of seconds. The bird is also known for its distinctive call, which resembles the mew of a cat.

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          The wild is vibrant with colourful birds. Their splendorous hues, add vitality to the green canvas of nature. The Luzon bleeding-heart is an amazing bird that astonishes us with its brilliant colours.

          The bird has a bold-like mark on its breast extending down the belly. The colouration creates the illusion of blood oozing down from its breast.

          At the first glance, the bird looks slate grey in colour. However, it can appear to be purple, royal blue or bottle green because of the iridescence of the feathers. The colour will vary further depending on the lighting conditions.

          The Luzon bleeding-heart is a shy and secretive bird. It is very quiet and keeps to the ground. It does not leave the ground except for nesting.

          Endemic to the southern parts of the large island of Luzon, the bird is found, sometimes, in the neighbouring small Polillo Islands in Philippines too.

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          The national bird of Malaysia is a fellow with a helmet – the rhinoceros hornbill. Its helmet is not used to protect it from head injuries, but rather to make its horns heard around the forest.

          The rhinoceros hornbill is a large forest hornbill and it gets its name from the casque, a helmet like structure on its bill that resembles a rhino’s horn. The casque is hollow and acts as a resonating chamber, amplifying the bird’s call.

          Rhinoceros hornbills have a single partner throughout their life. Looks like they believe in marriage! They nest in huge trees with cavities and are found in mountain forests uptio1400 metres above the sea level. They are found in Borneo, Sumatra, Java, the Malay Peninsula, Singapore and southern Thailand.

Picture Credit : Google