It happens in an instant. Deep in the humid air of the Amazon, surrounded by vines and insect noise, a shimmer of green slices through the shade. A Versicolored Emerald (Chrysuronia versicolor) hovers before a yellow blossom, motion suspended, wings invisible. For a second, everything aligns—light, color, movement—and then it’s gone, leaving only the echo… Continue reading Photographing the Versicolored Emerald in a Moment in the Tropical Light
Category: Bird Behaviour
How birds behave, strange features, fighting, eating….
Ferruginous Partridge in the Japanese Garden in Bukit Tinggi
A local guide growls at me, asking if I’ve already scattered anything edible. I don’t understand him at first. Yes, I say: but only mealworms. Then he scatters grain. Then we take a seat. Half of his group stands at the net further up. The other guests are very nice and readily tell me that… Continue reading Ferruginous Partridge in the Japanese Garden in Bukit Tinggi
Sandcolored Nightjar on perch in Amazon
The river is still half asleep when the first light glances off the broad, coppery surface of the Tapajós. The air smells of wet sand and driftwood. On a narrow, flooded island midstream, a Nightjar rests on a sun-bleached branch just above the waterline. It is a Sand-colored Nightjar (Hydropsalis intercedens) which formerly used to… Continue reading Sandcolored Nightjar on perch in Amazon
Black-bellied Gnateater male in thicket of FLONA Carajás
The afternoon light in the Carajás forest feels golden and slow, filtering through the canopy like dust through a lens. The forest hums softly—cicadas, the buzz of wings, a distant rustle of leaves. On a narrow perch beside the trail, a Black-bellied Gnateater (Conopophaga melanogaster) sits almost motionless. It’s small and round-bodied, with a dark… Continue reading Black-bellied Gnateater male in thicket of FLONA Carajás
Recommendations for a stay in the Stelvio National Park
On the edge of the majestic Alps, where rugged peaks rise into the sky and – supposedly – untouched landscapes stretch as far as the eye can see, lies the enchanting Zugspitz region. Embedded in this breathtaking expanse lies the Eibsee, a green-blue sparkling jewel in the middle of the mountain forest. In the early,… Continue reading Recommendations for a stay in the Stelvio National Park
Wedge-tailed Hillstar at the nest near Cochabamba
On our trip to Cochabamba we pass a road bridge that my companion, Francoise, knows well from recent years. At that time, a Wedge-tailed Hillstar (Oreotrochilus adela) had bred there. We found what we were looking for right at the first bridge near Copachunchu – just 92 km from Cochabamba. A pair of delicate wings… Continue reading Wedge-tailed Hillstar at the nest near Cochabamba
Eleonora’s Falcon: The Spring Return of a Master Predator
As spring breathes new life into the landscapes of the Mediterranean, it also marks the return of one of the region’s most remarkable avian inhabitants: Eleonora’s Falcon. Named after Eleonor of Arborea, a 14th-century Sardinian ruler known for her progressive conservation laws, this falcon is not only a symbol of natural beauty but also of… Continue reading Eleonora’s Falcon: The Spring Return of a Master Predator
Fiery-tailed-Awlbill in 1st sunlight
Early in the morning, when the first light breaks over the canopy, I catch sight of a Fiery-tailed Awlbill (Avocettula recurvirostris). The bird perches quietly on a slender branch, its long, slightly upturned bill catching the glow of the rising sun. For a moment, the metallic green plumage shimmers, and the fiery tones of the… Continue reading Fiery-tailed-Awlbill in 1st sunlight
Harlequin Antbird, a jungle jewel of the PN da Amazônia
The group is pushing through low vines already the whole morning, the air dense with the perfume of rotting leaves and flower sap. A distant rustle betrays something moving just off the trail. The leader stop. Wait. The silence thickens. Then—there it is. Indeed. Suddenly, a Harlequin Antbird (Rhegmatorhina berlepschi) clings to a hanging vine.… Continue reading Harlequin Antbird, a jungle jewel of the PN da Amazônia
Young Barn Swallow begging Sand Martin for food
Migration day at Gülper See. On this quiet afternoon, when the sun is no longer so high on the horizon on the southern shore of Gülper See, a young Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is waiting more and more aggressively on a wire in a cow pasture. Because this young bird is not satisfied with patience.… Continue reading Young Barn Swallow begging Sand Martin for food
Indian Pied Starlings in Bharatpur, Keoladeo
I’m on the path in Bharatpur, Keoladeo National Park. The morning air is damp and alive with calls, and among the bulbuls and mynas a sharp, whistling note cuts through. I look up, and there it is—a small group of Indian Pied Starlings (Gracupica contra) flashing their black-and-white plumage as they settle into the branches.… Continue reading Indian Pied Starlings in Bharatpur, Keoladeo
White-banded Mockingbird singing
I am standing in a patch of late-afternoon light, camera ready, when a flash of green lands just meters away. A Versicolored Emerald (Amazilia versicolor) perches boldly on a branch, turning ever so slightly as it preens, giving me perfect angles for a photo. Then, from somewhere deeper in the bushes, another sound rises—clear, deliberate,… Continue reading White-banded Mockingbird singing