The Pelecanus erythrorhynchos (scientific name) or American white pelican is a migratory aquatic bird, which breeds in North America, but migrates South to Central and South America in winters. 50-70 inches in length, this bird has pure silver-white plumage overall, excepting the lower wing feathers, which are grey-black and visible in flight. The beak, bare […]
The Sula Leucogaster (scientific name) or brown booby is a sea bird which spends winters at sea and breeds on the islands and coasts in the area of the Atlantic and Pacific Islands. 30 inches in length, this bird has blackish-brown plumage on the head, neck, throat, chest, wings and tail. The belly and underparts
The Ensifera ensifera (scientific name) or sword-billed hummingbird is found in areas which are 2500 metre above the sea level, in South America, specifically Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. While its average body-length is 5.5 inches, its bill is generally longer than its body. The head and wings are black-grey, while the upperparts are
The Rynchops niger (scientific name) or black skimmer is endemic to the Americas, breeding in North and South America. 16-20 inches in length, this bird has a black crown, nape and upper body. The forehead and lower parts are white. The wings are black with white tips and the tail and rump are grey. The
The Ramphastos toco (scientific name) or toco toucan is found in open areas throughout Central and eastern South America.6-9 inches in length, this bird is extremely popular in zoos. The overall plumage including the head, upper and under parts is all black, excepting a white bib-like shape below the beak till the throat and white
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