The Coua cristata (scientific name) or crested coua is found only in the forests, savannahs and brushlands of Madagascar. 17 inches in length, the crested coua has a white belly and underparts, with a rufous-coloured breast. The head, neck and throat are grey-blue in colour, while the upper body plumage and wings are darker blue-grey […]
The Branta canadensis (scientific name) or Canada goose is endemic to the arctic and temperate areas of North America. Migratory in nature, it has been known to migrate to Northern Europe. 30-43 inches in length, this bird has a black head and neck, and a black long slender neck, which are separated by a white
The Buceros rhinoceros (scientific name) or rhinoceros hornbill is found in the rainforests of Indonesia and Southern Thailand. 36-48 inches in length, this bird’s overall plumage is dark soot-black, with the exception of the tail feathers which are white, with black barring. The bill is thick and mostly white in colour. However, what makes it
The Mutant ‘feather-duster’ budgie is a common pet parakeet which has a cosmopolitan distribution. The mutant budgie is not a species but a mutation of the budgerigar. First seen in 1966, there have been many more reports of such mutations. The mutant budgie is characterized with feathers that begin to curl since they never stop
The Pamphastos sulphuratus (scientific name) or keel-billed toucan is found in tropical and sub-tropical lowland forests of Southern Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia. 17 to 22 inches in length, this bird has black plumage overall excepting its head, chin, and throat which are pale-yellow. The beak is extremely colourful with green at the base, and maroon
The Platalea ajaja (scientific name) or roseate spoonbill is found in South America, specifically the coastal regions of Caribbean, Gulf Coast and Mexico. 28-34 inches in length, this bird is very often mistaken for the flamingo, because of its pink plumage. The head is golden-green and the neck, back and chest are very pale-pink. There
The Casuarius casuarius (scientific name) or Southern cassowary is a flightless bird found in tropical rainforests of Indonesia, New Guinea and North-Eastern Australia. With a height of 75 inches, this large bird has bristly stiff black plumage, a bare blue face and neck, and large grey legs with three-toed feet, useful to attack if threatened.
The Pelargopsis capensis (scientific name) or stork-billed kingfisher is found in the tropical parts of South-East Asia, from India to Indonesia. 14-15 inches in length, this bird is larger than its cousins. It has a greyish head, stork-like thick red beak and red legs. The small portion of the neck, throat, chest and underparts are
The Hydrophasianus chirurgus (scientific name) or pheasant-tailed jacana is a wading bird found in India, Indonesia and South-East Asia. But it has also been spotted in Taiwan and as a vagrant in Australia. 15-23 inches in length, this bird has very distinct plumage. The forehead, face, throat and outer wings are white. The back of
The Melanochlora sultanea (scientific name) or sultan tit has 4 sub-species which are spread out geographically in South-East Asia, from Central Nepal Eastwards to Bhutan, and South through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam and South to Malaysia and Singapore. 6.3 inches in length, the sultan tit has a bright yellow crown and forehead, lower chest
The Sitta azurea (scientific name) or blue nuthatch is found in the tropical moist lowland and montane forests in the Malay Peninsula and the Java and Sumatra Islands of Indonesia. 5.3 inches in length, the blue nuthatch has very vivid colouration in shades of blue and purple. The head is black, which fades to dark
The Pityriasis gymnocephala (scientific name) or Bornean bristle-head is found only in the rainforests of Borneo. 9.8 inches in length, this bird has blakish-grey plumage overall, excepting on the head, neck, throat and legs. The head, throat and neck are red in colour, while the crown is featherless and yellow-coloured. The beak and the ear
The Lophura diardi (scientific name) or siamese fireback is found in the evergreen forests of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. A large bird, with a length of 31.4 inches, the siamese fireback has grey plumage overall with ornamental black crestfeathers, a slate grey neck and a blackish tail which is long and downward curved. The
The Eurostopodus diabolicus (scientific name) or satanic nightjar is found only in the forests of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. 10.6 inches in length, this bird has greyish-brown plumage on the upperparts, with specks of brown, buff and tawny colours making it almost impossible to spot in its natural habitat. The underparts are buff with cinnamon-brown barring.
The Leucopsar rothschildi (scientific name) or Bali mynah is found only on the island of Bali, Indonesia. With a length of approximately 9.8 inches, the Bali mynah is completely white with a long drooping crest, except for the black on the tail and wing tips. The legs are grey and the beak yellow. What makes