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
Category: Bird Behaviour
How birds behave, strange features, fighting, eating….
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
Extensive preening of a Versicolored Emerald
This morning, in front of the shaded veranda of a small pousada just outside Manaus, the rainforest decided to offer me a front-row seat to a private grooming session. Perched barely three meters away on a low branch was a Versicolored Emerald (Chrysuronia versicolor), resting as if the world had slowed just for him. His… Continue reading Extensive preening of a Versicolored Emerald
Singing Alta Floresta Antpitta near ranger station at Urua in PN da Amazônia
We’re barely 500 meters from the ranger station in Uruá in the Amazon; every step on the dry leaves of my boots is unavoidably audible. And yet, our senses are on edge, our ears pricked. Then I hear it too—a deep, haunting whistle. Pause. Repeated. We all freeze as if on cue. It’s the Alta… Continue reading Singing Alta Floresta Antpitta near ranger station at Urua in PN da Amazônia
Courtship in the Mangroves: Rufous Crab Hawks near Salinópolis
Low tide. The sun is barely rising over the mangroves near Salinópolis, painting the mudflats gold. The air is fresh from the rain yesterday. Wind has ceased after the windy weather the day before. That lifts up bird activity. A Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) as well as a young Rufescent Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma fasciatum)… Continue reading Courtship in the Mangroves: Rufous Crab Hawks near Salinópolis
Pied Avocets, conspicuous coastal birds
When you stroll along coastal mudflats or estuaries, one bird that will likely catch your eye is the striking Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta). With their distinctive black and white plumage and graceful, upturned bills, these birds are not only a delight to observe but also an important species in coastal ecosystems. Let’s delve into what… Continue reading Pied Avocets, conspicuous coastal birds
Squamate Antbird in Cananeia, São Paulo
Early morning in December 2001, as the mist still clung to the coastal thickets of Cananeia, São Paulo, I caught a glimpse of movement—a flash of rust, black, and slate. Raising my binoculars, I focused in and confirmed what I’d hoped for: Squamate Antbird (Myrmoderus squamosus). It’s not a species one stumbles upon casually, especially… Continue reading Squamate Antbird in Cananeia, São Paulo
Bathing Eurasian Jays in Brandenburg
After a long, hot summer day in the already drought-poor southern Brandenburg, the air still shimmers slightly over the field. The chattering calls of Eurasian Jays (Garrulus glandarius) can be heard in the trees all along. But nothing can be seen. Suddenly, one of the jays lands at the edge of a shallow spring draining… Continue reading Bathing Eurasian Jays in Brandenburg