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
The Haliaeetus pelagicus (scientific name) or steller’s sea eagle is endemic to the coastal regions of North-Eastern Asia. While the male is 2.3 feet, the female is larger at 3.5 feet of body length. This bird is the heaviest eagle in the world and also one of the largest raptors in the world. The beak
The Psilopogon pyrolophus (scientific name) or fire-tufted barbet is found only in the tropical moist lowland and montane forests of Indonesia and Malaysia. 11.8 inches in length, the fire-tufted barbet has beautifully coloured plumage. The body is mostly green, but the head is purplish-black colour, with white-purple cheeks. The beak is white with a purple
The Lophophorus impejanus (scientific name) or Himalayan monal is found in oak-conifer forests from Eastern Afghanistan through the Himalayas in Pakistan into India, towards North-Eastern parts of India and Myanmar. 27.5 inches in length, this bird has rainbow-coloured plumage with a metallic green head-crest. The eyes are ringed with blue; the neck is metallic brown;
The Phaenicophaeus (scientific name) genus is comprised of the malkoha bird which is a New World bird found in the forests of Central and South America, and also South-East Asia and Africa. Approximately 15-17 inches in length, this bird has certain unique features, like a long tail, slender body, bare skin around the eyes, stout
The Ispidina picta (scientific name) or African pygmy kingfisher is found mainly in woodland and forest habitats of Africa, but from the South of the Sahara. 4.7 inches in length, this kingfisher is a burst of colours. The crown and wings are a beautiful midnight blue, with iridescent cobalt blue shading. The sides of the
The Hypargos margaritatus (scientific name) or pink-throated twinspot is found mostly in the dry savannah and moist tropical shrub lands of the Southern African coast, specifically Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa. 4.7 inches in length, this finch is colourful. The plumage from the crown to the tail, including the back and upper tail coverts is
The Promerops cafer (scientific name) or cape sugarbird is found in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. 13-17 inches in length, their overall body plumage is brownish-grey with spots on the chest. The beak is long and downward curved. The wing and tail feathers are darker brown-black in colour. The most noticeable
The Terathopius ecaudatus (scientific name) or bateleur is endemic to the open savannah of Sub-Saharan Africa and also South-West Arabia. 22-28 inches in length, this bird is extremely colourful with mainly black plumage, but also a chestnut-coloured mantle and tail, grey plumage on the shoulders and tawny-coloured wing coverts. The facial skin, beak and legs
The Steatornis caripensis (scientific name) or oilbird is a nocturnal bird found only in the forests of Northern South America. Also known as guacharo, it is 16-19 inches in length and most of its plumage is reddish brown with white spots on the wings and nape. The lower parts are cinnamon buff. The beak is
The Rupicola peruvianus (scientific name) or Andean cock-of-the-rock is endemic to the Andean cloud forests of South America. 13 inches in length, this medium-sized bird displays sexual dimorphism. While the female is dull brown, the male has a disc-like crest right above its beak, which many times hides the beak completely. The overall plumage is