tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37611031146166727182024-03-12T18:56:03.152-06:00Your Bird of the WeekBasic bird facts for the unobservant massesAmy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-27137788098091477912009-04-16T19:33:00.014-06:002009-04-17T13:41:01.090-06:00Throwing Pooh for LoveI got your attention with that header, didn't I? Yep, it's a little something called marketing writing.<br /><br />Just about two weeks ago, I got up early and drove to Layton in order to see newly arrived sandhill cranes on a <a href="http://yourbotw.blogspot.com/2009/04/its-business-time.html">field trip</a> with the Wild Bird Center. These beautiful birds winter in southern states (like retired RVers) and return to Utah to mate every spring (I have no idea whether retired RVers do this as well, but, if the trailer is a rockin'...).<br /><br />Ick, let's get that image out of our minds. Instead, let's talk about <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >Your (graceful yet goofy) Bird of the Week, the Sandhill Crane.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SeftaNQR-yI/AAAAAAAAASU/GBCUxWATI5c/s1600-h/crane.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SeftaNQR-yI/AAAAAAAAASU/GBCUxWATI5c/s400/crane.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325486118879230754" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The sandhill crane is a large bird, standing as tall as your average 4th grader (about 3 to 5 feet). It sports a slate gray body, black legs, red forehead, and white cheeks.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The sandhill crane has some serious booty, with large, tufted feathers on its rump known as a "bustle."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact: </span>The sandhill crane often colors its gray feathers during mating season, preening iron-rich, red mud through its feathers for a stained, rusty appearance. (It brings to mind a bad dye job on...hate to say it...retired RVers.)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The sandhill crane can be found in high altitude marshy areas and meadows, especially where cows graze.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The sandhill crane is the oldest known bird species still in existence. A fossil in Nebraska from about 10 million years ago is structurally identical to the cranes we know and love today. Maybe that's why cranes look like pterodactyls in the air.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The sandhill crane isn't just old as a species, individual birds also live a very long time--up to 20 years in the wild.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Sticking around that long may be one of the reasons that these birds mate for life. Once paired, a sandhill crane couple rarely leave each other, migrating back and forth from wintering grounds to mating grounds.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Despite the fact that they've often "been there, done that," cranes still perform mating rituals to woo each other in the spring. They have loud, chortling <a href="http://www.savingcranes.org/images/stories/audio/Sandhill_Crane_Unison_Call.wav">unison calls</a>. And, then there is their famous mating dance, which is what I was hoping to see in Layton. I didn't, but there are plenty of good videos out there.<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://flash.revver.com/player/1.0/player.swf?mediaId=734925&affiliate=25773" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="allowFullScreen=true" allowfullscreen="true" height="392" width="480"></embed><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> A lesser known mating ritual is the one I referred to in the title of this post. In meadows where there are lots of cow pies, sandhill cranes will often pick one up and fling it in the air, scattering dried pooh and dung beetles around the meadow. A crane will then select a particularly juicy beetle and offer it to its mate. Ahhh.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> All of this must get pretty complicated, because the sandhill crane won't typically mate until it is at least 2 years old (sometimes not until it's 6 or 7).<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> If all goes well, that romantic dancing and pooh-flinging will ultimately result in one or two chicks. They are pretty damned adorable (looking like downy dinosaurs) and need a lot of care from their parents for the first year or so. In fact, the whole family stays together through winter migration.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SejYiqjSkrI/AAAAAAAAASc/h8jFY2Q8opM/s1600-h/crane+babies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 341px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SejYiqjSkrI/AAAAAAAAASc/h8jFY2Q8opM/s400/crane+babies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325744649415070386" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">This has been Your Bird of the Week.</span></span><br /><br />P.S. I recently purchased a scope from Bill Fenimore at the <a href="http://wildbird.com/stores/lay/home">Wild Bird Center</a>! And, I might experiement with a little digiscoping in the coming months. Who knows, maybe some day I can stop stealing photos off the Internet!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo credits: <a href="http://www.savingcranes.org/">International Crane Foundation</a></span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-57415473800630675612009-04-04T20:49:00.026-06:002009-04-07T20:16:52.061-06:00It's Business TimeHumans are complicated. At least the sexual part of us is. We have morals and phobias and self-esteem issues. Missed cues and misinterpreted words. Needy kids and late-night television. It's kind of amazing we actually manage to do it once in a while.<br /><br />That's why I like seeing birds in spring. There's no guessing in the avian world. Take a look around, and you realize that all of them have sex on the brain. Tim and I drove by a pond of American avocets the other day, and I turned to him and said: "Somebody's lookin' to get some." Once I clarified that I was referring to the birds, I explained that avocets are black and white most of the year but get a bright red streak down their necks during mating season. They look like hot and bothered teenagers after a makeout session.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/Sdgv5Utt4dI/AAAAAAAAAR8/i1pJJfdukOU/s1600-h/avocet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/Sdgv5Utt4dI/AAAAAAAAAR8/i1pJJfdukOU/s400/avocet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321055621597749714" border="0" /></a><br />As part of my springtime voyeurism, I went on a short field trip this weekend with Bill Fenimore of the Wild Bird Center in hopes of seeing the lovely sandhill crane do its famous mating dance. It didn't feel like spring, considering we were all shivering under three layers of clothing, but the birds at the Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve didn't seem to know the difference. Yellow-headed and red-winged blackbirds were calling, American avocets were blushing, a meadowlark was singing, northern flickers were flashing, and the sandhill cranes were croaking.<br /><br />Yes, I said croaking. But it's a very sexy croak. I'll let Bill Fenimore tell you a bit more about the trip:<br /><br /><object width="500" height="384"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/63140769842"><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/63140769842" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="384"></embed></object><br /><br />While we didn't see the sandhill crane's actual mating dance, as Bill mentioned, we got some very good looks at the cranes--in the sky and on land. They really are cool, kooky birds, which is why an honest-to-goodness Your Bird of the Week featuring the sandhill is on its way.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SdgxGp1DHxI/AAAAAAAAASE/TgpyqjEp4rU/s1600-h/cranes+dancing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 277px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SdgxGp1DHxI/AAAAAAAAASE/TgpyqjEp4rU/s400/cranes+dancing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321056950115573522" border="0" /></a><br />Until then, thanks to Bill, Phil Douglass of the Utah Division of Wildlife (your gloves saved me!), and my fellow birders who braved the elements.Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-78919133431561018912009-03-11T20:57:00.005-06:002009-04-07T20:20:46.099-06:00Flicker Got Your Tongue?We're right in the middle of a Wii boxing tournament at work right now. (Go Cameron and Doug!) After seeing a pretty vicious bird picture on Twitter, though, I decided that people are going about their boxing strategy all wrong. Sure, punching your opponent in the solar plexus works. But you could really do some damage if you could manage somehow to grab...his tongue?<br /><br />Check out this National Geographic <a href="http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/enlarge/birds-rondeau-park.html">action shot</a> of two members of the woodpecker family squaring off, and you'll see what I mean. The Northern flicker (on the left) isn't afraid of playing dirty. I just hope the red-headed woodpecker (on the right) didn't damage his tongue too much. He needs it to lick bugs out from under dead bark.<br /><br />Don't feel too bad for him, though. The redhead is known as a big bully in the woodpecker family, and he often catches grasshoppers and wedges them <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">alive</span> into wood crevices for a "fresh" snack later.<br /><br />And you thought Wii boxing was brutal.Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-15891028382607941222009-03-04T19:26:00.027-07:002009-04-07T20:21:17.163-06:00Wish They All Could Be California Gulls<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Originally sent 03/10/08</span><br /></div> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />We're hitting that time at work again, when it seems like everyone is getting sick. Flu, colds, strep, icky viruses--you want it, we've got it. It made me think of a Your Bird of the Week post that went out to just a few readers (over e-mail) at this time last year. Now that I have more than 3 people reading this stuff, I figured I may as well use it again...</span><br /><br /><br />First, my apologies to everyone who waited with bated breath for Your Bird of the Week. My time unfortunately was consumed when I was forced to run a department devastated by a mysterious, tuberculosis-like illness. Like all biblical plagues, it struck down the vile and sinful masses and spared the few among us who are good, innocent, and virtuous.<br /><br />What does this have to do with the Bird of the Week, you ask? Well, my workplace plague had me thinking of a similar incident that struck Utah not so long ago. However, the unfortunate victims of that plague were saved not by Nyquil and daytime television; no, they were saved—in every sense of the word—by birds.<br /><br />Ladies and gentleman, I am pleased to introduce <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Your Bir</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">d of the Week, th</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">e California Gull.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/Sa9Am5y9UgI/AAAAAAAAARc/76qmlGTzDgU/s1600-h/california+gulls.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/Sa9Am5y9UgI/AAAAAAAAARc/76qmlGTzDgU/s400/california+gulls.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309533522786865666" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Utah’s official state bird is the California gull. Although it’s a little lame to give the special title of “Utah’s bird” to a species with another state in its name, we must give our most esteemed legislators the benefit of the doubt (if only in this instance).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Why? Well, early Mormon settlers in Utah in 1848 were horrified to discover a plague of their very own. Millions upon millions of "crickets" (actually a member of the katydid family) had descended upon their crops.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/Sa9DnHMWxxI/AAAAAAAAAR0/S7jAbWu9dn8/s1600-h/mormon+cricket.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/Sa9DnHMWxxI/AAAAAAAAAR0/S7jAbWu9dn8/s400/mormon+cricket.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309536824917935890" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">This lovely member of the katydid family is now known as the Mormon Cricket.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The cricket swarms weren't just really gross, they also were eating everything in sight and threatening the newly established Mormon population with starvation.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Fact (and maybe a little lore):</span> The settlers surely would have been defeated, if not for an unlikely hero—the California gull. I’ll let Orson Whitney’s firsthand account (taken from the State of Utah site) give you the gory details:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;" >“When it seemed that nothing could stay the devastation, great flocks of gulls appeared, filling the air with their white wings and plaintive cries, and settled down upon the half-ruined fields...All day long they gorged themselves, and when full, disgorged and feasted again, the white gulls upon the black crickets, like hosts of heaven and hell contending, until the pests were vanquished and the people were saved.”</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Host of heaven or not, the California gull today can be found at dumps, Wal-Mart parking lots, and sewer ponds throughout our great state, saving Utahns from all matters of detritus and bugs. Yep, they’re noisy and sometimes annoying, but they continue in their dirty service.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">Fact:</span> A “Sea Gull Monument,” featuring two bronze, sculptured gulls, was unveiled in 1913 and still stands in Salt Lake City's Temple Square today.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/Sa9DR5_BHRI/AAAAAAAAARs/LyDJ46FZPf4/s1600-h/seagull+monument.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 270px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/Sa9DR5_BHRI/AAAAAAAAARs/LyDJ46FZPf4/s320/seagull+monument.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309536460595076370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Gulls are notorious for having many different "looks" depending on their age and region. And, I ain’t going through all of them. But fully grown California gulls are medium-sized with a yellow bill that has a black ring near the tip and a red spot on the lower mandible. Their head and underparts are white and their back is dark gray. Their legs are a yellow-green.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> California gulls nest in a scrape in the sand or dirt, sometimes lining the nest with vegetation, feathers, and bones. Both the male and female take turns incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Fact:</span> Although we have a valid reason for picking the California gull as the Utah State Bird, I have yet to hear an explanation for our most esteemed legislators picking the <span style="font-style: italic;">Colorado</span> Blue Spruce as the state tree. Quick—send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:%20dbuttars@utahsenate.org">Sen. Chris Buttars</a> today! I'm sure he'll have an open mind on <span style="font-style: italic;">this </span>subject.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">This has been Your Bird of the Week.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />All photos: Wikimedia Commons</span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-37370795881567463082009-03-02T10:20:00.004-07:002009-04-07T20:22:46.512-06:00Birding: An IntroductionSorry, I know I've been playing a lot of videos lately, but I couldn't resist this one. Just know that a new post is coming soon!<br /><br />In recent weeks, Conan O'Brien has been wrapping up his late night show with some of his "best-of" moments. One of the segments he played was this one, in which he was introduced to birding in Central Park. Sigh, I love me some geeky comedians. What will I do when I have to choose between Dave and Conan? (Not that I usually stay up late enough to pick either, but still.)<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/49ac1548fca14ddb/499ce951f866a81f/bc3ba372/-cpid/446c2eb532b48ecd" id="W4727a250e66f972349ac1548fca14ddb" width="384" height="283"><param name="movie" value="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/49ac1548fca14ddb/499ce951f866a81f/bc3ba372/-cpid/446c2eb532b48ecd"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></object>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-77490662572957304022009-02-27T15:17:00.004-07:002009-04-07T20:22:29.238-06:00Here Fishy, FishyWow, I'm getting a lot of cool videos by following people on Twitter. This one shows a kingfisher grabbing a minnow from a stream. You remember the kingfisher, right? I think our discussion about it included something about Brad Pitt in a River Runs Through It? Not following me? Oh well, it's a very cool bird that dives headfirst into lakes and streams to catch fish. One of my favorite birds, actually. And this video shows it from the perspective of the minnow. Enjoy!<br /><br /><object width="464" height="376"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.break.com/NjY3Mzgz"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://embed.break.com/NjY3Mzgz" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" width="464" height="376"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://www.break.com/index/bird-strikes-fish-in-water.html">Bird Strikes Fish In Water</a> - Watch more <a href="http://www.break.com/">Funny Videos</a><br /></span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-18603245940247481132009-02-25T14:43:00.004-07:002009-04-07T20:23:01.196-06:00Spring cleaning<object width="425" height="344">This video from <a href="http://jeffreyagordon.com/">Jeffrey Gordon</a> was just posted on <a href="http://www.birdchick.com/blog.html">Birdchick</a> today. It's a brown-headed nuthatch cleaning up its home for the breeding season. I've got to say, a nuthatch can make just about anything look adorable, including spring cleaning. (Except for the carrying stuff out in your mouth part.) As Jeffrey pointed out, we should all be grateful for hands and mops.<br /><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4ZMxehHud-M&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4ZMxehHud-M&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-35923756592830787072009-02-22T19:09:00.028-07:002009-04-07T20:23:34.959-06:00The envelope please...While watching the Oscars tonight (with the requisite glass of champagne in hand), I decided it was time to hear from some of the "stars" of the birding world. Tipsy blogging...hmm, sounds like a good combination to me!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">And the award for best supporti</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">ng bird goes to: The Cattle Egret<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SaIj7D4zS-I/AAAAAAAAAQU/84Ac9_PTTdY/s1600-h/cattle+egret.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SaIj7D4zS-I/AAAAAAAAAQU/84Ac9_PTTdY/s400/cattle+egret.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305842808558668770" border="0" /></a>"Oh, wow, I cannot believe this! I would like to thank the many water buffalo and cattle who allowed me to eat flies off their backs. What an honor! I'm glad I could keep you, the real stars of the story, tick-free. Sure, I'm sort of pretty. But I realize that I'm sort of a "poopy pastures" bird, while my cousin, the great egret, enjoys ocean views. No problem. This supporting award is everything I could hope for."<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">And the award for best costume goes to: The Pain</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">ted Bu</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">nting</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SaIkNPiG4AI/AAAAAAAAAQc/kzhWIh-EeGA/s1600-h/painted+bunting.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SaIkNPiG4AI/AAAAAAAAAQc/kzhWIh-EeGA/s400/painted+bunting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305843120922353666" border="0" /></a>"I've always felt I was the most brilliantly colored bird in North America, but it's an honor to be recognized by this little awards show. Really! And, I'm glad the academy could look past the fact that I'm highly territorial, often fighting other males to the death. They realize that it takes work to look this beautiful. To all my fans--you sad, little brown birds--please know how much I love you. Really! Oh, and XOXO to my agent. Really!"<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">And the award for best score goes to: The Wood T</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">hrush</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SaIkYWjDsyI/AAAAAAAAAQk/jHgMGSaZ7Tg/s1600-h/wood+thrush.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SaIkYWjDsyI/AAAAAAAAAQk/jHgMGSaZ7Tg/s400/wood+thrush.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305843311783949090" border="0" /></a>"Who could imagine that a little, brown bird from the backwoods could make it big like this?! Thank you so much. I have a bit of an advantage here, of course, with a song box that allows me to sing two notes at a time. Now, I hate to get political, but I ask you join me in fighting against the horrific nest parasitism of cowbirds. We must take a stand before they kill the wood thrush's <a href="http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/audio/Wood_Thrush1.html">beautiful song</a>. Wait! Please don't play me off! Ooh, um, I want to thank my parents, my siblings, everyone who supported me in the meadow where I grew up...oh dear, I know I'm forgetting people! This has gone on far too long, hasn't it?" [awkwardly walks off stage]<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">And the award for best foreign language bird g</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">oes to: The Green Woodpecker</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SaIksmEj_II/AAAAAAAAAQs/2f0wO1eEDPU/s1600-h/green+woodpecker.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SaIksmEj_II/AAAAAAAAAQs/2f0wO1eEDPU/s400/green+woodpecker.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305843659548392578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Subtitles: "Merci, merci. I appreciate this opportunity to inform American citizens there are so many beautiful birds with lovely songs throughout the world. Sigh, none of you can understand me anyway, you uni-lingual buffoons. Your country could only hope to attain France's culture and beauty. You gorge on trash at McDonald's parking lots while I dine on delectable French ants. I cannot believe the cattle egret chose to move here. What? Another Die Hard sequel? Send the script to my vacation home in Orange County."</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">And, finally, the award for best bird goes to: The Yellow-headed Blackbird</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SaIk9_ufV8I/AAAAAAAAAQ0/FBVV0T_hbdU/s1600-h/Yellowheadblackbird.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 184px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SaIk9_ufV8I/AAAAAAAAAQ0/FBVV0T_hbdU/s400/Yellowheadblackbird.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305843958492911554" border="0" /></a>"This award has been a long time in coming, believe me. First, let me thank my sponsor, the Your Bird of the Week blog. You've always supported me, even in the face of bigger and more pretentious birds. I'd also like to thank my eight wives and 30 children (at least this season), who are back in the marsh watching this. Make daddy proud and harass a few marsh wrens before you go to bed. I'll be home in Utah to celebrate with you soon!"<br /><br /><br />Well, I'm not Hugh Jackman, but I felt like a bit of a celebrity myself last week on the <a href="http://www.birdchick.com/blog.html">Birdchick</a> blog. So, as your Birding Oscars host, I want to thank my husband, Tim, for his willingness to pretend to be interested with this geeky avian stuff. Now, we're off to the after-parties. Good night everyone! Kiss, kiss.<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Was your favorite bird totally robbed? Nominate it in comments.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Photo credits</span><br />Cattle egret: Honolulu Star Bulletin<br />All other photos: Wikimedia Commons</span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-17345820569553788992009-02-18T12:34:00.005-07:002009-04-07T20:23:59.063-06:00Welcome Birdchick Readers!I was excited and surprised to see my What Kind of Bird Are You quiz on <a href="http://www.birdchick.com/blog.html">Birdchick</a> this morning. It's pretty cool that someone as awesome as Birdchick thought my quiz was fun. Anyway, welcome to my little blog. It's mostly basic facts for my non-birding friends, but we have a good time!Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-18320259230202767262009-02-17T20:47:00.018-07:002009-04-07T20:24:15.563-06:00Little Dipper<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>For those of you who have sat in meetings with me, watching as I nervously break one pen lid (and necklace) after another, I bring you a bird that seems to share my issue with holding still. It's actually a bird with talents that would wow even you non-birding folks, but for some reason it was named for its odd habit of bobbing up and down.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Well, a coworker was lucky enough to see one of these avian nervous Nellies recently, and I decided it was time to give it its due on this blog. Ladies and gentleman, I present to you <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Your BOTW, the American dipper.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The American dipper is a chunky, dark gray songbird with short wings and tail and a large head. It has white eyelids t<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SZuJQPA8kOI/AAAAAAAAAQE/GWoFykGxxQM/s1600-h/Cinclus_mexicanus_FWS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SZuJQPA8kOI/AAAAAAAAAQE/GWoFykGxxQM/s320/Cinclus_mexicanus_FWS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303983898160304354" border="0" /></a>hat are quite obvious when it blinks.<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The American dipper is named for its habit of dipping—basically bending its legs and bouncing its body up and down. Now whether this is a nervous tic like my pen tapping or necklace twisting, scientists really aren’t sure. But dippers do tend to dip more when disturbed, approached by humans, or even aroused.<br /></p><span style=""></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact: </span>Don’t be fooled by its anxious habits or monastic garb. The American dipper has extreme skills for a little songbird. It makes its life in rushing mountain streams, literally riding the rapids and walking along icy streambeds to find food.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact: </span>Dippers can dive and swim under water by flapping their wings. They can even walk along the bottoms of streams using their long toes to grasp rocks.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> I probably don’t have to tell you that mountain streams are cold (refreshingly cold, if you believe Coors commercials). But the American dipper is well-equipped to handle icy waters even in the winter with its thick coat of feathers (including a layer of down, much like that on ducks) and its ability to decrease blood flow to vital organs. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The American dipper has nasal flaps to help prevent water from entering its nostrils, large glands that produce its very own waterproofing oil, and strong eye muscles that help it see underwater. This is a great video to show you what the dipper does underwater. (It's professionally produced by National Geographic.) Twenty or 30 seconds should give you a good idea.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6ERPmoYsoMg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6ERPmoYsoMg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Just what is the American dipper seeking at the bottom of those icy streams? Mostly insects and insect larvae, and occasionally tiny fish and fish eggs.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">F</o:p><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">act:</span> Streams plays a major role even in the dipper’s sexual and nesting habits. They copulate on rocks in the middle of streams. And, according to <a href="http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/229/articles/introduction">The Birds of North America Online</a>, one dipper couple was even observed having aerial sex a few meters above the stream, tumbling into the water, and continuing to copulate as they floated downstream. Is that an extreme bird or what?!<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> American dippers build nests of moss and grass right alongside streams, but they need places that aren’t threatened by flooding, are inaccessible to predation, and have some sort of horizontal support. The undersides of bridges are a popular spot.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Both parents usually feed the nestlings after they hatch. Within 16 days, nestlings can dive, swim, and pull themselves out of the water. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Perhaps in an attempt to utilize limited resources, parents will sometimes split up, each taking half of the nestlings to establish their own territory. No weekend visitations, here. Once territories are established, the once happy family will rarely cross any unmarked borders.</p> <p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span><span style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> I’ve gone on too long about the American dipper (because it's so cool). But, if you’ve read all the way to the end, congratulations!</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;">This has been Your BOTW!</span></p><o:p></o:p>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-90356381901703022652009-02-03T09:54:00.021-07:002009-04-07T20:24:29.503-06:00What Happens on the Way to Wendover...Tim and I drove to Wendover this weekend to bet on the big game. And, as usual, I lost all my money. I did win one decent bet, though, when I took a tip from a drunk guy in the sports book and placed $20 on the Cardinals scoring more than 20 points. Thanks, drunk dude, whoever you are. The $18.75 I made on that bet helped me play slots for about five minutes.<br /><br />I am considerably unlucky when it comes to gambling, but I counted myself a lucky birder on the drive to Wendover when I saw a very cool bird at 80 mph. (I was the one going 80 mph, just so we’re clear.) The bird was heading east along the side of the freeway as we were traveling west. It was a hawk, and I’m usually not so great at identifying those. But this hawk was different. Even while passing it at 80 mph, the way it was flying—and where it was flying—were pretty big clues. And then, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw its very distinctive rear end and knew—it was <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Your BOTW, the Northern harrier.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The Northern harrier is a medium-sized hawk with long wings and a long tail and a bright, white rump. (So bright and white, you could see it in a rearview mirror on the freeway.) Now, we need to get into coloring at this point, but that brings me to one of the reasons harriers are unique…<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The Northern harrier is one of the few hawks in which the sexes look very different. They share similar body shapes and that distinct white rump, but the male has a light gray back and hood while the female is a dark, mottled brown. The female is also considerably bigger. This great photo I found on Flickr shows just how different they look. The male, which is sometimes referred to as the "gray ghost," is in the front. (We passed a male, if you were wondering. You totally weren’t though, huh?)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SYh-Qd4bTYI/AAAAAAAAAP8/fxrwC8_USGM/s1600-h/harrier+pair.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SYh-Qd4bTYI/AAAAAAAAAP8/fxrwC8_USGM/s400/harrier+pair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298623782965693826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo credit: <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/18731552@N00/2248310785">Bob Lewis</a></span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> If you get a chance to see a Northern harrier for longer than three seconds, you’ll notice it has stiff feathers around its face known as facial disks (making its head look much like an owl). These facial disks help it listen for prey in fields and undergrowth. (Most hawks just hunt by sight.)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Now, if a bird uses hearing to help locate prey, you know it’s not going to be 100 or 200 feet in the air while it’s hunting. (This was my first clue in identifying my Wendover bird.) The Northern harrier flies extremely low to the ground, often over fields and marshes, in a very distinct, slow glide, occasionally wheeling sharply. It will even hover before pouncing on prey. This video captures its beautiful flight very well, so please forgive the music. (Most videos out on YouTube and elsewhere could barely keep up with these birds. Please be patient if this takes a while to load.)<br /><br /><embed src="http://birdcinema.com:8082/flvplayernew/FlowPlayerLP.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fbirdcinema%2Ecom%3A8082%2Fflvplayernew%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwildlifecinema%2Ecom%2Fflvplayernew%2Flogo%2Epng%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CuseSmoothing%3Atrue%2CcontrolsOverVideo%3A%27no%27%2CemailPostUrl%3Afalse%2ChideControls%3Afalse%2CinitialScale%3A%27fit%27%2Cloop%3Afalse%2CbufferLength%3A10%2CautoBuffering%3Atrue%2CautoPlay%3Afalse%2CvideoFile%3A%27http://birdcinema.com:8082/flvideo/4319.flv%27%2CstreamingServer%3A%27lighttpd%27%7D" scale="noscale" bgcolor="111111" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="480" height="380"></embed><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The Northern harrier mostly hunts rodents, like field mice and voles, but it is also known to take small songbirds and waterfowl.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> A duck is a lot bigger than a field mouse, obviously, so harriers sometimes deal with the size issue by drowning a duck before taking it.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The Northern harrier is often a polygynous breeder, with up to five or six females breeding with a single male. (Another fact that makes harriers unique among hawks.)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The male Northern harrier will attempt to take care of his entire harem throughout the egg laying and incubation process, bringing food to all of the females and their young after hatching. Fortunately for him, female Northern harriers in a single harem will generally nest close to each other.<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">Fact:</span> The male Northern harrier attracts his mate or mates by performing an elaborate sky-dancing display. He will also often give the female a gift of food right before copulation.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The Northern harrier nests on the ground in tall, dense clumps of vegetation. It will defend its nest if you get too close by giving a high-pitched kek and/or diving at your head.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> According to the Nevada Gaming Commission, the average slot machine payout last year was 94%. According to my calculations, the average payout for any slot machine I play is about 3%. According to common sense, the fact that I continue to gamble despite those odds is sort of stupid. According to my calendar, I plan to return to Wendover in early July.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">This has been Your BOTW. </span></span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-17972725545839535152009-01-18T21:01:00.005-07:002009-04-07T20:24:50.683-06:00From the Goose's MouthThe airplane that went down last week in the Hudson River has placed the lovely <a href="http://yourbotw.blogspot.com/2008/07/wild-goose-chase.html">Canada goose</a> in the national spotlight. And, as usual, it's not for good reasons. Usually it's about the species' skyrocketing population or their tendency to poop all over golf courses. Now, they're known for taking down airplanes, too.<br /><br />While I can admit the Canada goose has some issues, I feel like it has been unfairly maligned in the press. That's why I was pleased to see that at least one news program gave it the chance to tell its side of the story. Please watch with an open mind.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4973fb05bfa10e9a/4741e3c5156499a7/ef78a086/-cpid/b04d5ddb1c60fa12" id="W4727a250e66f97234973fb05bfa10e9a" width="384" height="283"><param name="movie" value="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4973fb05bfa10e9a/4741e3c5156499a7/ef78a086/-cpid/b04d5ddb1c60fa12"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></object>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-22697422771996032432009-01-12T19:34:00.003-07:002009-04-07T20:25:11.231-06:00Backstreet BirdSo, Your BOTW doesn't usually focus on pet birds. (Mostly because I don't know anything about them.) But Kelly, an oh-so-faithful reader, sent me a video clip I cannot resist. I've got a lot of friends who LOVE Backstreet Boys, and, apparently, so does this cockatoo named Snowy. This bird has way better rhythm than I do. (Not that that's hard.) Still, aren't birds cool?<br /><br />Thanks, Kelly for the great video! And, Ashley, if this doesn't make you like birds, I don't know what will. Be sure to watch for a minute or two to really let Snowy and the Backstreet Boys get going.<br /><br /><embed src="http://www.blogger.com/img/videoplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fvp.video.google.com%2Fvideodownload%3Fversion%3D0%26secureurl%3DqgAAAO3T1daHheEeH3ZcEQIwEb_hlzeZUiYP86eaFF3roDtVl7CqHWOF3PpvzidijffzoeEForemeoAoySih9Gbx98cRzBn9ll6qrDtSE3jp6kK2_pn30G-dxsgDi0-llK2dSXbr3vYePkjdhbhxZeEpZj1_skuHHqLlP0g_uPw8ncsbMtC-RmZh7hvMJmKS0X4Iuycyegmp1zM5iV8JtdAp0kZJjTSBhrQnd7nt_O-zlzFA%26sigh%3DULi4bJhi4WLFzKZxK4VmOlUwDLs%26begin%3D0%26len%3D86400000%26docid%3D0&nogvlm=1&thumbnailUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2FThumbnailServer2%3Fapp%3Dblogger%26contentid%3D2404ba03b1e16740%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw320%26sigh%3DvqKKzBA8n3J_FBIOoDS5lrpEmJ4&messagesUrl=video.google.com%2FFlashUiStrings.xlb%3Fframe%3Dflashstrings%26hl%3Den" type="application/x-shockwa" width="391" height="342"></embed>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-49703933598367778652009-01-09T16:12:00.005-07:002009-04-07T20:25:41.561-06:00Dinky?I really don't have much to say about this <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090109/ap_on_re_us/rare_bird;_ylt=ArJz0FwMDrSLIJDSOwkXQcSs0NUE"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">bird news article</span></a>, other than that, as a writer, I had to crack up at the headline. Some copy editor must really hate these "rare bird" new stories. What a bunch of geeks we are, clamoring to see some "dinky" bird.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090109/ap_on_re_us/rare_bird;_ylt=ArJz0FwMDrSLIJDSOwkXQcSs0NUE"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Rare 'dinky' bird migrates to US for first time</span></a></div>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-65728938519170111852008-12-31T16:43:00.029-07:002009-04-07T20:26:04.624-06:00A Feather in Your CapI am very proud to note that I exceeded the 1,000 mark this week for total site visits to Your Bird of the Week. Pretty great, huh? Yet, I felt a twinge of guilt as I looked at that number, because it certainly was not due to any consistent effort on my part. No, it was mainly due to random Google searches. Would you believe someone actually googled, "<a href="http://yourbotw.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-kind-of-bird-are-you.html">What Kind of Bird Are You Quiz</a>"? I mean, I believe that. But, would you?<br /><br />Sigh! I got busy at work a couple months ago and suddenly lost my will to blog. But in 2009, I have made a resolution to be better at Your BOTW. How hard is it? I used to do this daily! In an e-mail! I can keep this up weekly, right?<br /><br />With this new, bold resolution, I feel like we should start with a bird that can only be described as cheerful during the most trying of circumstances. A bird that is a frequent winter visitor to bird feeders, and a favorite of bird geeks everywhere. It reminds me of a chubby little kid, all puffed up with a black cap to keep it warm. In fact, if I wanted to keep a bird as a pet, I think it would be this, <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Your BOTW (and the firs</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">t bird of 2009), the black-capped chickadee.<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SWLaOkUrViI/AAAAAAAAAOg/SFpzKd3ynBQ/s1600-h/black-capped+chickadee.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SWLaOkUrViI/AAAAAAAAAOg/SFpzKd3ynBQ/s320/black-capped+chickadee.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288028856289809954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The black-capped chickadee is a little bird, just about 6 inches tall, with white cheeks, a black bib, and (what else?) a black cap. Its back, wings, and tail are a dark gray, and the upper wing feathers are edged in white. As I mentioned: totally adorable.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Fact:</span> Do you know what else is cute? Its little, cheerful voice. In fact, it's how the chickadee gets its name. Its call is a sharp "chick-a-dee-dee-dee. It also has a song of two or three high notes that sort of sounds like "Fee-bee. Fee-bee." You'll hear both on this little spectograph. <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br /><embed src="http://birdcinema.com:8082/flvplayernew/FlowPlayerLP.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fbirdcinema%2Ecom%3A8082%2Fflvplayernew%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwildlifecinema%2Ecom%2Fflvplayernew%2Flogo%2Epng%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CuseSmoothing%3Atrue%2CcontrolsOverVideo%3A%27no%27%2CemailPostUrl%3Afalse%2ChideControls%3Afalse%2CinitialScale%3A%27fit%27%2Cloop%3Afalse%2CbufferLength%3A10%2CautoBuffering%3Atrue%2CautoPlay%3Afalse%2CvideoFile%3A%27http://birdcinema.com:8082/flvideo/4957.flv%27%2CstreamingServer%3A%27lighttpd%27%7D" scale="noscale" bgcolor="111111" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="480" height="380"></embed><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The black-capped chickadee eats caterpillars and bugs during the spring and summer and mostly seeds during the winter. The seeds it very often gets from bird feeders. In fact, nearly every video I could find of a black-capped chickadee was taken during the winter. You have to admit, they do look awfully cheerful for what is likely a rough time of year.<br /><br /><embed src="http://birdcinema.com:8082/flvplayernew/FlowPlayerLP.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fbirdcinema%2Ecom%3A8082%2Fflvplayernew%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwildlifecinema%2Ecom%2Fflvplayernew%2Flogo%2Epng%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CuseSmoothing%3Atrue%2CcontrolsOverVideo%3A%27no%27%2CemailPostUrl%3Afalse%2ChideControls%3Afalse%2CinitialScale%3A%27fit%27%2Cloop%3Afalse%2CbufferLength%3A10%2CautoBuffering%3Atrue%2CautoPlay%3Afalse%2CvideoFile%3A%27http://birdcinema.com:8082/flvideo/4214.flv%27%2CstreamingServer%3A%27lighttpd%27%7D" scale="noscale" bgcolor="111111" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="480" height="380"></embed><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The chickadee gleans its insect meals by hopping around trees, even hanging upside down to do it. Once it gets a bug or seed, it will hold the food against a tree branch to peck at it.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> One reason the chickadee may be so happy in winter is that it hides seeds and other food in individual nooks and crannies, and it can remember literally thousands of its hiding places. With their similar love of food storage, the Mormons should consider making the chickadee an official LDS bird.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The black-capped chickadee is also energy-conscious. It can actually lower its own body temperature on cold winter nights, entering regulated hypothermia to conserve huge amounts of energy.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> As you probably noticed in the feeder video, chickadees gather in flocks in the winter. These flocks have strict social hierarchies. There are the cool kids who get to eat first and the weirdos who get to eat last. Some birds actually flit from flock to flock, and have established (and very different) places in each flock's hierarchy. (This is just a guess, but I doubt the cool kids leave their flock very often.)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Chickadee sex is a pretty tame affair. They are generally monogamous. They often pick out a nest site together (usually in a tree cavity or nest box), and the female gets busy building the nest. The female is the sole egg incubator, but the male will feed her and the nestlings after they hatch.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Even chickadee fights are sort of sweet. One aggressive display they make is called "ballet." As far as I understand it, two birds will face off on a tree limb and hop and pivot around each other. The winner ends up facing his opponent, while the loser usually ends up facing away? Yeah, birds are weird.<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">This has been Your BOTW.</span></span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-73718630718488672512008-12-26T10:30:00.004-07:002009-04-07T20:26:26.263-06:00O' Christmas Tree IIHmm, looks like I'm not the only geeky bird decorator out there. Great minds think alike, I guess!<br /><br /><a href="http://birdingcouple.blogspot.com/2008/12/happy-holidays.html">The Birdcouple</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.picusblog.com/2008/12/birders-christmas-ornaments.html">Picus</a><br /><a href="http://www.birdchick.com/2008/12/christmas-tree-bird-count.html#comments"><br />Birdchick</a>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-78952054083352099502008-12-21T17:57:00.026-07:002009-04-07T20:26:39.805-06:00O' Christmas Tree<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU71Bvj3WuI/AAAAAAAAAN4/xp0TBJmoOiU/s1600-h/DSCN0381.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU71Bvj3WuI/AAAAAAAAAN4/xp0TBJmoOiU/s320/DSCN0381.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282428823247739618" border="0" /></a>As a certifiable bird geek, I have allowed my avian obsession to creep into my holiday decorating. My husband, who is most definitely NOT a bird geek, has been pretty good about it all, even supporting my decision to have a "bird" Christmas tree. Bird ornaments actually are pretty easy to come by. Birds were popular tree decorations in Victorian times, and they've become pretty hip again in your average craft store and local Target. This year, I added ornamental berries to my tree. In my weird little way, I thought it helped "explain" why the birds were all over the tree. During winter, of course many species would flock to a tree that was bearing fruit, right? Right? (Tim is rolling his eyes now.)<br /><br />I'm bizarrely proud of the ornaments I've managed to collect over the past few years, and I wanted to show them off a bit. I've got both identifiable species and decorative birds that are meant to be nothing but pretty.<br /><br /><br /><br />Here are a few of my favorite ornaments:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stellar's Jay.</span> It's immediately recognizable to fellow bird geeks. And, it reminds me of my family's trip to Oregon a few years ago.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7x8nhfM_I/AAAAAAAAANI/ncTMyX4QM5o/s1600-h/DSCN0384.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7x8nhfM_I/AAAAAAAAANI/ncTMyX4QM5o/s320/DSCN0384.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282425436656055282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nesters.</span> I've got a few "couple" birds on my tree, but these two are my favorite. They look so domestic. (No actual species here as far as I can tell.) My faithful BOTW readers know by now that birds rarely nest in such monogamous bliss.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7xxNvsjYI/AAAAAAAAANA/3Zr87yhLG48/s1600-h/DSCN0388.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7xxNvsjYI/AAAAAAAAANA/3Zr87yhLG48/s320/DSCN0388.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282425240757767554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pheasant.</span> My mother- and father-in-law gave me this particular ornament. I put him low on the tree, as he is a ground-dwelling bird. Love him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7yVQhKB8I/AAAAAAAAANQ/9YOxViOy38A/s1600-h/DSCN0386.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7yVQhKB8I/AAAAAAAAANQ/9YOxViOy38A/s320/DSCN0386.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282425859977381826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bald Eagle.</span> I didn't add our nation's proud avian symbol until just this season. Most of the ornaments I found were too, um, Palinish Republican. (Does that make sense?) This ornament was just right. He reminds me of <a href="http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Sam_the_Eagle">Sam the Eagle </a>on the Muppet Show. They both look grumpy, slightly cross-eyed, and adorable.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7ymzo84qI/AAAAAAAAANY/Z2cgb-3BkHY/s1600-h/DSCN0382.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7ymzo84qI/AAAAAAAAANY/Z2cgb-3BkHY/s320/DSCN0382.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282426161463091874" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Owl</span>. I have a few different owls on my tree, but I love this guy the most. He gets the highest spot on the tree, both for his size and his general awesomeness as a member of the owl family. Incidentally, if I were actually hanging him where he would naturally be, he'd be roosting next to the trunk. I have no idea what his friend is...I may ask my 4-year-old nephew, Ethan, to help name him. (He recently drew a picture of a bird species of his own imagination; Ethan called it a "one-eyed long neck." I can't wait to see one in the field.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7y8yIthkI/AAAAAAAAANg/ICxCmFAQiHk/s1600-h/DSCN0383.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7y8yIthkI/AAAAAAAAANg/ICxCmFAQiHk/s320/DSCN0383.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282426539016554050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Birding Santa.</span> My sister managed to find me last year a "Birding Santa." He looks all outdoorsy and carries both a cardinal nest and a cardinal perching on a bird cage. Perfect for sitting under a geeky tree like mine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7zz8xJ_4I/AAAAAAAAANo/cEF6oVt1i3Y/s1600-h/DSCN0389.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7zz8xJ_4I/AAAAAAAAANo/cEF6oVt1i3Y/s320/DSCN0389.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282427486763351938" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Merry Christmas everyone!</span></span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-71601294095099848152008-12-21T15:06:00.005-07:002009-04-07T20:26:59.746-06:00Home for ChristmasI first saw this video on the Birdchick blog. Kind of funny...and sort of creepy. But it was made by the BBC in the UK to help get attention for a good cause: providing wintertime food, water, and shelter for wildlife in your own backyard. I don't think they're talking about bears and moose. More like birds and squirrels.<br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yt-K5w1PFMo&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7BluMyO_I/AAAAAAAAAMQ/XQYe4YZQMSI/s1600-h/Cooper%27s_Hawk_at_Feeder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 195px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SU7BluMyO_I/AAAAAAAAAMQ/XQYe4YZQMSI/s200/Cooper%27s_Hawk_at_Feeder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282372266753145842" border="0" /></a><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yt-K5w1PFMo&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></object>My father-in-law, Dave, provides food and fresh water every single day to the birds in his yard. I know I'm anthropomorphizing here (like that's anything new), but the little sparrows seriously look so happy to find water that isn't completely iced over! Those birds, in turn, provide a source of winter food for local Cooper's hawks, which know the Haran fence is a good place to hang out and catch a meal. Ah, the circle of life!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo credit: http://crhabitat.blogspot.com/</span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-48429594574445027932008-11-25T19:44:00.009-07:002009-04-07T20:27:14.976-06:00Gobble It UpAs you all sit down to your Thanksgiving meal this week, give a thought to the bird sitting in the middle of the table. That delicious Butterball is a descendant of the North American wild turkey, which once wandered throughout the United States and was an important food source for Native Americans.<br /><br />We white people came along and ruined most of that, of course. (It's what we do best; just ask the passenger pigeon.) But through conservation and repopulation efforts, wild turkeys are once again roaming through most of the states, including Utah. So, let's learn a little bit about the other white meat, shall we?<br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);font-size:130%;" >Your BOTW is the wild turkey.</span></strong><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272808821392558722" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 225px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SSzHr7-mSoI/AAAAAAAAAK4/UNGXcIVi6MY/s320/Wild_turkey.jpg" border="0" /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> The wild turkey is a large, dark bird with powerful legs, a long neck, and a fan-shaped tail. Its body feathers are an irridescent brown, and here in the West the tip of its tail is white. It also sports bumpy facial skin and a bare head and neck (which is often blue in the male).<br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> The male wild turkey often sports a beard, a long trail of feathers extending from its chest (see picture). Some females also have a small beard but face unfair pressure to get it waxed.<br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><strong>Fact:</strong></span> If you forget what a wild turkey looks like, put your hand down on paper and trace around it with a crayon. Add a beak to the thumb and make the other four fingers multi-colored. This should really help you identify a wild turkey in the field.<br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> The wild turkey is big, with males weighing in around 18 pounds and females more than 10 pounds.<br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><strong>Fact:</strong></span> The wild turkey typically flock together in small groups. Here in Utah, they live in areas with ponderosa pine and aspen trees or pinyon pine, often near grassy meadows. At night, they usually roost together in trees for safety.<br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> The wild turkey eats pine nuts, acorns, seeds, and greens. It also eats some bugs during breeding season.<br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> While the wild turkey typically walks to get around, it can run and fly quite quickly. While it can only fly in short bursts less than a mile or so, the wild turkey has been observed flying as fast as 60 mph.<br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> Even more suprising, the wild turkey can swim. I like to imagine one showing up at a bird triathlon. All the skinny shorebirds and raptors snort at the bald fatty. Then he stuns them all with his speed and swimming skills. Is there a children's book in this somewhere?<br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> Let's talk about the stuff that won't make it in my Newberry award-winning book, shall we? It's turkey sex time. To begin, the male attracts one or several females by gobbling and "strutting."<br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><strong>Fact:</strong></span> Strutting just means the male puffs up his chest, fans out his beautiful tail feathers, and prances around the females to show how truly bad he is. This video shows two males strutting. You'll also hear a great gobble toward the end. (That screeching in the background is apparently a raptor of some sort.)<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DoFt60IHKpw&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DoFt60IHKpw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> If the strutting works, the male copulates with one or more females, who then lay eggs and raise the chicks alone.<br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> The Birds of North America Online made reference to those males who aren't picked by females. Apparently, some of them have been observed "pseudocopulating" with cow pies. This is the kind of stuff that attracts Germans to my blog, huh?<br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> I think we've learned enough at this point to properly appreciate our Thanksgiving meal. So, now I will leave you with the wise words of Benjamin Franklin, who wrote to his daughter that he thought the turkey more apt a national emblem than the eagle. It's stuff like this that makes me love Franklin:<br /><br /><div align="left"><blockquote><div align="left"><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:85%;" >"For my own part I wish the Eagle had not been chosen the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead tree near the river, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labor of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to his nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the Eagle pursues him and takes it from him...For the truth the Turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a bird of courage, and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his farm yard with a red coat on."</span></div></blockquote></div><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><strong><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;">This has been Your BOTW.</span></span></strong></span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-49563965839756656432008-11-12T11:14:00.006-07:002009-04-07T20:27:39.288-06:00That's a Purdy PictureAs a bird lover and habitual reader of the New York Times online, I can't believe I missed the paper's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/science/07bird.html?pagewanted=1">article</a> last month on the history of birds in art. They also included a cool, little <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/10/06/science/100708-Birds_index.html">slide show</a> of some art and photographs from recent books on the subject.<br /><br />Thanks to the <a href="http://birdsredesign.wordpress.com/">Round Robin</a> blog for pointing it out.Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-19509218327500522132008-11-07T08:10:00.009-07:002009-04-07T20:27:57.835-06:00Red & BlackFor all of you Ute fans out there--congratulations! Last night's <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/collegesports/ci_10919609">win over TCU</a> was even exciting for me. (And I don't really care that much about the U or college football.) Why don't we celebrate with a brief look at a bird that would have fit right in at the stadium last night?<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Your BOTW is the vermil</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SRRmACw3KYI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/E-m1kxRvqmk/s1600-h/Vermilion_Flycatcher.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SRRmACw3KYI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/E-m1kxRvqmk/s320/Vermilion_Flycatcher.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265946015230798210" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">ion flycatcher.</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Fact:</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"> </span>The male vermilion flycatcher has a dazzling red head and underparts, set off by blackish wings, tail, and nape. The female is totally inconspicuous. Gray with more gray, and just a hint of salmon under the tail. (When the only color you're wearing is salmon? Yeah, you've got a problem.)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Fact:</span> The vermilion flycatcher is quite small, just 5 to 6 inches tall.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Fact:</span> As you might imagine, the vermilion flycatcher catches flies. Like most flycatchers, it sits on an open perch, locates a bug, and then shoots out to grab it. (See video for an example. Most of the action takes place right at the beginning, so if the video has already rolled, start it over.)<br /><br /><embed src="http://birdcinema.com:8082/flvplayernew/FlowPlayerLP.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fbirdcinema%2Ecom%3A8082%2Fflvplayernew%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwildlifecinema%2Ecom%2Fflvplayernew%2Flogo%2Epng%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CuseSmoothing%3Atrue%2CcontrolsOverVideo%3A%27no%27%2CemailPostUrl%3Afalse%2ChideControls%3Afalse%2CinitialScale%3A%27fit%27%2Cloop%3Afalse%2CbufferLength%3A10%2CautoBuffering%3Atrue%2CautoPlay%3Atrue%2CvideoFile%3A%27http://birdcinema.com:8082/flvideo/661.flv%27%2CstreamingServer%3A%27lighttpd%27%7D" scale="noscale" bgcolor="111111" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="480" height="380"></embed><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Fact:</span> </span>Large insects, like grasshoppers, are brought back to the perch and beat against a branch to kill them.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Fact:</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"> </span>Bugs are a flycatcher's only currency, so it makes sense that when the male vermilion flycatcher really wants to impress a lady, he presents her with a showy butterfly or other colorful insect. "A moth?! For me? Oh, you shouldn't have!"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Fact:</span> </span>"It's really nice, but can you at least put it down first?" According to The Birds of North America Online, males vermilion flycatchers have been observed still holding the colorful butterfly as they copulate with the female.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Fact:</span> The male vermilion flycatchers is also known for its spectacular courtship flight. Its flies 10 to 30 feet above the trees, singing all the way.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Fact:</span> Vermilion flycatchers live mainly in the south and southwest, so you likely won't see one around the University of Utah campus. But, if you're a true Ute fan, you'll look for one on your next trip to St. George.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >This has been Your BOTW.</span><br /><br />On an unrelated note, I was a little chagrined recently when I learned from SiteMeter that at least two people (one from Germany) had found my blog by googling "goose penis." Am I running a trashy blog without even realizing it?<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Photo credit:</span> <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/20087733@N00/118680869">Charles & Clint</a></span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-43830440178164545712008-10-30T19:46:00.018-06:002009-04-07T20:28:12.907-06:00The Bird of Doom!<div>Imagine walking alone across a meadow at dusk. The light is getting increasingly dim, and you still have a few lonely miles until you reach home.<br /><br />Then you hear it. A <a href="http://www.owlpages.com/sounds/Tyto-alba-3.mp3">sharp, hissing screech</a> that abruptly ends just as goosebumps rise on your arms. Suddenly, a pale, ghostlike figure swoops into view. You find yourself mesmerized by its dark, soulless eyes...<br /><br /><br />OK, maybe I shouldn't leave my corporate writing gig for horror novels just yet. But I did my best to describe <strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >your very special Halloween BOTW, the barn owl.</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> Th<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SQshz1HuowI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/5bpsDvVL7EA/s1600-h/barn+owl"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 286px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SQshz1HuowI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/5bpsDvVL7EA/s320/barn+owl" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263337763829097218" border="0" /></a>e barn owl is a medium-sized owl, standing around 14 inches tall with a wingspan of more than three feet. It has white undersides and a caramel colored back. Its white, heart-shaped face is marked by opaque eyes. Look at the picture: it's just plain creepy looking!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Fact:</span> The female barn owl is significantly larger and more colorful than the male barn owl. She has many more spots all over her breast.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Fact:</span> These black spots may serve as a stimulus for the male. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which gives me the majority of my awesome facts, studies have shown that a male barn owl will feed his nestlings less when his female mate has her breast spots artificially removed.<br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Fact:</span></strong> The barn owl flies with deep, somewhat slow wing beats. Its flight is noiseless, which helps it hear its prey. This video gives you a decent idea.<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9VGLE4C6w0k&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Fact:</span> The only thing creepier than the barn owl's empty eyes is its screech. It sounds like a woman possessed by an evil, hissing spirit. <a href="http://www.owlpages.com/sounds/Tyto-alba-3.mp3">Click here</a> to listen to it again!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Fact: </span>The barn owl hunts at night, and, as you might imagine, it can see very well in the dark. However, its ability to hunt by sound alone is the best of <span style="font-style: italic;">any</span> animal ever tested. It has caught mice in the lab in complete darkness, and it finds rodents in the wild underneath snow and heavy vegetation.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Fact:</span> If you haven't caught on yet, barn owls eat mostly rodents.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Fact:</span> The barn owl is one of the most widely distributed birds on the planet. It is found on all continents except Antarctica. It's most common in areas with marshes, meadows, and fields, where rodents are typically found.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Fact:</span> The barn owl has long had a sinister reputation in mythology and folklore. William Wordsworth called it the "Bird of Doom."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Fact:</span> California Newuk Native Americans believed that virtuous people who died became great horned owls, while wicked souls were doomed to become barn owls.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Fact:</span> One English folk cure called for barn owl eggs to cure alcoholism. Children who were fed raw owl eggs were thought to have a lifelong protection against drunkenness.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">This has been your very special Halloween BOTW! </span> </span><br /><br /></div>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-33171744097723389002008-10-24T08:16:00.008-06:002009-04-07T20:28:37.454-06:00Are We There Yet?The bar-tailed godwit is making news this week for the longest, non-stop migration ever measured. We're talking 9 days, more than 7,000 miles, without taking a break for food or water. They gorge on worms and clams in Alaska and then take off for a huge flight to the coast of New Zealand, losing half of their body weight during the migration. They get sleep, of a sort, by shutting off one half of their brain during flight.<br /><br />Below is one very short TV story. If you want to be a star BOTW student, though, you should listen to <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95997182">this NPR interview </a>with the biologist who led the study.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/27328568#27328568" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="339"></iframe><br /><br /><br />Birds are awesome!Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-56187734135511361332008-10-16T08:55:00.024-06:002009-04-07T20:28:50.622-06:00Rats With WingsHave you ever been at a birthday party filled with hyper, giddy children, and then focused on one hyper, giddy child in particular, and thought to yourself: “You’d be sort of cute if there weren’t so many of you”?<br /><br />No?<br /><br />Well, then, you may not understand my feelings about <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Your Bird of the Week, the Rock Pigeon. </span></span><br /><br />The rock pigeon is that feral urban bird you see mobbing lonely old people in parks across North America. If you’re like me, you’ve probably quoted Woody Allen at some point in your life, referring to pigeons as “rats with wings.” But I wonder if we saw these birds alone, rather than perched in huddled masses on freeway overpasses, if we’d feel a little differently about them. Take the time to focus on just one and you might realize, they really are kinda pretty.<br /><br />I thought about that during my whirlwind trip to New York City this past week, where I saw plenty o’ pigeons. And, I f<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SPeWLK-M7bI/AAAAAAAAAJw/-68arNCkXAA/s1600-h/pigeon.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257836208646319538" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V8-gYIZKNLM/SPeWLK-M7bI/AAAAAAAAAJw/-68arNCkXAA/s320/pigeon.jpg" border="0" /></a>igured it was time for us to learn more about them.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> This is usually where I describe the bird’s distinguishing characteristics. Rock pigeons are pretty cool, though, because they don’t all look the same. Some are bluish gray, some are bluish black, a few are rusty red, and a tiny fraction are a grizzled white. Want to know more? Check out this <a href="http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pigeonwatch/GettingStarted/pigeonwatch-morphs">chart</a> on color morphs at <a href="http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pigeonwatch">PigeonWatch</a>!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Whatever their color, you can generally count on a dark gray bill, a white rump, a rounded tail, and broad wings with somewhat pointed tips. Most rock pigeons also sport beautiful, iridescent neck feathers.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The rock pigeon is actually not native to the United States. It was introduced to this continent in the early 1600s by European settlers. Today, rock pigeons are considered “feral,” which basically means that they have reverted to their natural, wild state.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The overpasses and building ledges that feral rock pigeons generally use for roosting sites mimic the rocky cliffs used by wild pigeons in their native habitat.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The rock pigeon is found in cities and towns throughout the United States. And if you need me to tell you where to find them, well, you’re grossly unobservant.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> (Sigh.) Fine, take the southbound 3300 South off-ramp on I-15 in Salt Lake City. At the light, look up.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Wild pigeons eat things like seeds and fruits. Feral pigeons in cities largely subsist on the crap that humans eat—popcorn, bread, peanuts, French fries, and Twinkie crumbs.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Ah, rock pigeons are romantics. They mate for life.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> The rock pigeon bonds with his mate through an extensive display that starts with bowing and cooing, in which the male stands tall, inflates his crop (or throat area), fans his tail, struts in a circle, and bows his head and neck while cooing. You can see why the female might be impressed.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> What comes after bowing and cooing? Why nibbling of course. First the male nibbles the female. Once an appropriate amount of time has passed and she doesn’t feel too trampy about it, the female will nibble the male.<br /><br />This may not be the best video ever made of pigeon courting, but I thought it was pretty funny with the Al Green backup. You can just watch for a minute and get the picture.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Kl1n-PM0NZg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Kl1n-PM0NZg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> I’ve been accused of getting a little too obsessed with the bird sex on this site, so we’ll pass by that part of the story today. (It wasn’t all that kinky anyway.)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> </span>Once the not-so-kinky mating has happened, pigeons must have a nest for their eggs. To build one, the female picks out an appropriate site and makes a specific nesting call. The male will then search for a single twig, stem, or pine needle and bring it back to the female, who will place it around her breast or flanks. This is repeated again and again and again for four or five days until a decent nest is built.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> </span>Rock pigeons are equal opportunity incubators. Dad sits on the eggs from mid-morning to late afternoon. Mom sits from late afternoon to mid-morning. They take a similar schedule for raising/feeding the chicks after they’ve hatched.<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fact:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></span>Though they are modern parents, rock pigeons do not put a high price on sanitary conditions at home. Because they do not remove the feces of their nestlings, the nest turns into a sturdy, potlike mound that gets larger month by month. Unhatched eggs and mummies of dead nestlings may also get cemented into the nest, but the parents will usually use it the next go round.<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fact:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Rock pigeons may seem pretty comfy in the local park, but they do have a few predators to worry about. Cooper's hawks, peregrine falcons, merlins, and cats will all make a nice meal of them. And, apparently, there is at least one pelican in the world willing to eat pigeons as well (not even sure if it's a rock pigeon, but still). Note: this video is pretty gross. You'll see why pelicans should stick with fish.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PO5ifLzLYiU&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PO5ifLzLYiU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fact:</span> Rock pigeons are known for their “homing” skills, basically being able to navigate home from a distant place. This is sort of an odd skill for these birds to have, as they don’t really migrate. But, wild rock pigeons would frequently travel from their nest sites on cliffs to distant fields to eat. They would then use the sun and the earth’s magnetic fields to get back home. The birds we usually see in the U.S. don’t necessarily need those skills anymore, but they’ve got ‘em!<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">This has been Your Bird of the Week…er, month…sorry. </span></span><br /><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761103114616672718.post-22251926105028366262008-09-28T19:05:00.003-06:002009-04-07T20:29:08.614-06:00The Dangerous World of Puppetry<div align="left">ATLANTA, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- A hawk mistook a bird puppet for the real thing, swooping into an Atlanta parking lot and attacking two puppeteers, the victims say.<br /><br />Jeff Domke and Alan Louis, who work for the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, said they were outside the building taking pictures of a puppet designed to look like a brown thrasher when the red-tailed hawk struck, WSB-TV in Atlanta reported Monday.<br /><br />Domke said the feathered predator hit his hand and head before figuring out the thrasher was a fake.<br /><br />"I suppose the hawk paid us a compliment on Jeff's design," Louis told the station.<br /><br />Such hawks can reach speeds up to 120 mph in a dive, ornithologists say. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="center">---------------------</div><div align="left"> </div>Amy H. (bird geek)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14599955011167915553noreply@blogger.com1