Thanks for wandering through the #AlphabetOfBirds with me. I hope you’ll follow @birdscanada.bsky.social and visit their website for conservation news, great information and resources. Maybe you’ll find a new way that you can help make the world a place where all #birds thrive! (4/4)
Huge black and white woodpecker with red crest and moustache gripping the edge of a big cavity he has made in a tree. He is peering into the hole.
May is ending and so is my #AlphabetOfBirds birdathon for Birds Canada. Thanks to everyone who helped boost posts and/or donated. I exceeded my stretch goal! There is one more letter:
*Z* is for zygodactyl - foot anatomy of #birds including parrots & woodpeckers, like this pileated pecker (1/4)
Bright yellow bird with red streaks on its chest.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*Y* is for yellow warbler. These long-distance migrants breed all across Canada and the northern US. They are a very “common” warbler (1/5) #birds
Black bird with yellow head.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*X* is for Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus - the yellow-headed blackbird! Its scientific name literally means Yellowhead yellowhead (Xanthous + cephalus). This bird does what it says on the tin. Bonus points for frequent Jean-Claude Van Damme poses (1/4)
I just discovered @saskajanet.bsky.social
Janet Hill's Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds
Amazing! Bird word! Collection! Don't miss! Every letter!
Hummingbird hovering with beak inserted into a bright pink honeysuckle flower.
Young blue jay perched on the edge of a bird bath with wings fluttering, calling for food.
Huge pelican glides overhead against blue sky.
Blackbird with scarlet wing epaulets ruffled, is perched on a cattail.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*W* is for wings. Whether it’s the blur of a hummingbird, the flutter of a blue jay fledgling, the massive span of an American pelican or the flash of a red-winged blackbird, wings truly set (almost all) #birds apart from us earth-bound creatures (1/2)
Four huge black birds with featherless red heads and pale beaks are perched in a spruce tree on a ladder of horizonal cone-covered limbs. The one on the highest limb has its back to the viewer with wings spread wide as it warms in the morning sun.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*V* is for vulture. Turkey vulture. These intelligent birds have an amazing sense of smell that allows them to locate carrion (dead stuff) from high altitude. When they roost together like in this photo, they are called a “committee" (1/4) #birds
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues! This one is for the nerds 🤓
*U* is for uropygial gland. Have you ever seen a bird preening and noticed it touching its back near the base of its tail? It’s squeezing oil from its uropygial gland - also known as a preen gland or oil gland (1/3) #birds
Beautiful grey flycatcher with yellow belly perched on a fence wire with background of soft focus purple thistle flowers.
Handsome charcoal flycatcher with white belly perched on a twisted fence wire with soft focus green background.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*T* is for Tyrant flycatchers (family Tyrannidae), a group that contains hundreds of species. My local favourites are the Western kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) and Eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) #birds (1/5)
Brown and white sparrow with bright rufous facial markings, perched in bare twigs with green bokeh background.
Adorable sparrow with big dark eyes and orange beak perched on a deck railing.
Wide angle shot of a brown and white sparrow with yellow eyebrows is clinging to a stalk of clover, singing his hear out.
Brown and white sparrow with conspicuous rufous shoulder patch perched on a barbed wire fence with head thrown back, singing.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*S* is for Sparrow. Sparrows are such under-appreciated beauties. Here are four of my favourites: Lark sparrow, Harris's sparrow, Savannah sparrow and vesper sparrow (1/4) #birds
Close-up and and shoulders view of a handsome brown bird with brown speckled chest, golden eye and long slightly downward curving beak. At the corner of its beak on the upper edge are several distinct bristles pointing down.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*R* is for rictal bristles. Some birds like this brown thrasher have conspicuous bristles (modified feathers) along the upper edge of their beak. The function of rictal bristles is not clear. We still have lots to learn about #birds! (1/3)
Two pretty brown ducks on a sandy riverbank. One is lying down with bill tucked under wing while the second is standing up facing right with bill wide open as she quacks.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*Q* is for QUACK! Ducks make all kind of interesting calls and sounds - from the loud high bleat of a blue-winged teal to the whistling sound of a goldeneye's wings - but the quintessential 'quack' is the sound of the female mallard (1/3)
Head and shoulders portrait of a giant white bird with huge beak facing left with foamy water behind. This is a prehistoric beast.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*P* is for Pelican. In the spring they have caruncles on their bills. Apparently this is attractive to pelicans. These "horns" fall off after eggs are laid #birds (1/3)
A large black and white raptor with yellow eyes is mostly submerged in a river.
Raptor is starting to lift itself out of the water.
Totally out now and quickly manipulating a fish in its talons.
With fish firmly gripped, the osprey starts gaining height.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*O* is for Osprey. These large raptors are excellent anglers and I am always amazed that they can pull themselves out of the water and back into the air with their catch. Such lift! #birds (1/3)
So many different nest styles. What's your favourite? #AlphabetOfBirds @Saskajanet #BirdsCanada #Birds
A yellow bird peers over the edge of a tiny perfect nest. This yellow warbler nest was next to a sidewalk. I snapped the photo with a very long lens and moved on quickly.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*N* is for nest. Almost all #birds build them and the variety in construction is astounding. Of course we're curious about them but it's so important to be respectful of these special places. This yellow warbler nest is smaller than a teacup (1/3)
Two black and white birds with long, iridescent blue-green tails are standing on a granite boulder looking fabulous.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*M* is for magpie - especially black-billed magpie
(1/3) Flashy, loud, social, curious, smart... in other words, perfect corvids #birds
A large bird with a black head and white checkered back is gliding by in profile very low in the water.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*L* is for loon.
(1/4) The Common loon is an iconic bird of northern lakes and this gives me a chance to share one of the most amazing wildlife experiences I've ever had so read on... (1/5)
Tiny perfect falcon with yellow talons and huge eyes stares down from the bare branches of a tree.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*K* is for "Ki, kiii, kiIII, KI-KI-KI-KI-KI-KI-KI…kee!". The loud call of a merlin as it zooms by. Merlins are tiny, fierce falcons who are well-adapted to city life where they enjoy abundant house sparrows. Have you heard a merlin? (1/3)
Juvenile chipping sparrow with streaky breast, pink beak and the beginning of a jaunty crest is perched on a diagonal branch with green background.
Juvenile brown-headed cowbird is perched on a branch looking into the camera. They are quite round and dappled grey.
Juvenile red-winged blackbird is gripping a cattail with reeds in the background. He looks a bit angry.
Juvenile Cooper's hawk is looking contemplative. They have spotted breast and blue eyes. The background is leaf bokeh.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*J* is for juvenile. All juveniles are immature but not all immatures are juveniles 🤯. Juveniles are #birds in their first plumage of non-downy feathers, and immatures are any bird not yet in its adult plumage. Look at these lovely juveniles (IDs in the ALT)
Sleek bird with metallic blue head and back, black wings and white breast, is perched on a wire. Bird is in profile with head turned to face the viewer. Background is soft green.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*I* is for insectivores! Aerial insectivores are birds that feed exclusively on insects while flying. My favourite is the tree swallow - blue-helmeted superhero bird! (1/3) #birds 🌿
A silver raptor with black wing tips flies very low past wolf willows and other low prairie shrubs.
Dark, chocolate brown hawk with yellow legs is perched on a fence post with field of wheat behind.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*H* is for harrier! Male harriers are "grey ghosts" and females are dark brown. They forage on the wing, coursing low over the ground. I hope that you all have the chance to watch their courtship "sky dance" at least once. It's magic #birds 🌿
An elegant wader with long legs, mixed brown plumage and an extremely long, slightly upturned beak designed for probing in the mud. Bird is standing on gravel in profile facing to the left with light blue/grey water in the background.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*G* is for (marbled) godwit and also for the grasslands where they breed. Across North America, birds that depend on grasslands are in steeper decline than most other groups of birds #birds 🌿
Oooh I love this #AlphabetOfBirds challenge.
F for feet indeed!
🪶
Close up image of scary yellow talons with very long sharp black nails. This is a juvenile Cooper's hawk.
Huge black and white bird in flight headed directly away from the viewer with big orange webbed feet dangling. Pelican is preparing for landing.
Cheeky black and white bird with upturned beak perched on the edge of a bird bath. It has relatively enormous feet with very long toes.
Black chicken-shaped bird with bizarre yellow feet with fleshy lobes along each toe. She is holding one foot aloft in front of an equally weird looking chick with bald orange head and beak.
My Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues! Raising awareness about @birdscanada.bsky.social
*F* is for feet. Whether it's talons for ripping, paddles for paddling, grippers for climbing on tree trunks or whatever American coot feet are, bird feet are amazing examples of adaptation #birds 🌿
Stay tuned for the rest of the #AlphabetOfBirds and please consider a donation to my birdathon. It's for then birds!
www.canadahelps.org/me/6n3u2yyj
Dark brown raptor with massive sharp beak and bright yellow talons is perched on a bare branch against a clear blue sky.
My Birds Canada Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*E* is for eagle. Bald eagle. Let's appreciate Junior! It takes ~5 years to make a mature eagle. These #birds are an amazing example that conservation efforts work 🌿
www.canadahelps.org/me/6n3u2yyj
Stay tuned for the rest of the #AlphabetOfBirds and please consider a donation to my birdathon. It's for then birds!
www.canadahelps.org/me/6n3u2yyj
Fake book cover featuring a gadwall duck butts-up in a pond. The title reads, "A field guide to Duck Butts of Western Canada, Janet E. Hill, Ph.D.".
My Birds Canada Birdathon #AlphabetOfBirds continues!
*D* is for ducks, obv. *D* is also for dabblers and divers. Behaviour is a big clue in bird ID. Watch for "butts-up" dabblers like gadwall & mallard and "blooping" divers like bufflehead & goldeneye #birds 🌿
www.canadahelps.org/me/6n3u2yyj
Stay tuned for the rest of the #AlphabetOfBirds and please consider a donation to my birdathon. It's for then birds! www.canadahelps.org/me/6n3u2yyj
