Purple Gallinule: A spectacular marsh bird

Purple Gallinule is a spectacular marsh bird which may possibly also referred to as locally as the Yellow-legged Gallinule, is known for generating its nest as the  floating structure in the marsh. The Purple Gallinule is truly a medium-sized rail, measuring 26–37 cm (10–15 in) in length, spanning 50–61 cm (20–24 in) across the wings and weighing 141–305 g (5.0–10.8 oz). This stunning marsh bird is often referred as the American Purple Gallinule and it has blue and green feathers, lengthy yellow legs, really lengthy toes and a red bill with a yellow tip. The purple gallinule has its original habitat in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, and Oklahoma. It winters on the Gulf Coast. It is also located in the Central and South America and in some parts of the West Indies.

Purple Gallinule walks on the water plants like Swamp Hen – Image by Shell Game

Purple Gallinule is an omnivorous which eats a wide range of seeds, leaves and fruits. They also eat insects, frogs, small fish, snails and some other earthworms with relish. It swims on the surface of water like a duck and walks on floating plants like a chicken and these birds often use their feet to hold meals whilst they are consuming. These gallinules will fly brief distances with dangling legs.

Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) – Image by Lip Kee on flickr

Purple Gallinule, the gorgeous marsh bird has one more well-known species which occurs about the Mediterranean area and is extensively distributed in Africa, southern Asia, and Australia. This purple gallinule is recognized as Porphyrio porphyrio, often known as purple swamphen and it is about 45 cm extended.

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Higher Bird of Paradise

The birds of paradise are without having any exaggeration jewels of our mother planet. They are greatest identified for their remarkable plumage and feathers. There are much more than 15 sub species of the birds of paradise in the globe most of which are endemic to New Guinea and its satellites.

Higher Bird of Paradise ( Image: Woon Yen Ng )

The largest specie from the birds of paradise is typically known as “Higher Bird of Paradise.” The scientific name of the Higher Bird-of-paradise is Paradisaea apoda and this bird is inhabitant of the lowlands and hill forests of New Guinea and Indonesia.

Higher bird of Paradise

The male Greater Bird of Paradise is measured up to 43 cm excluding the extended twin tail wires even though the female is comparatively smaller sized, at only 35 cm. The male has a variable greenish face and a yellow glossed with silver crown, head and nape. The rest of the body plumage is maroon-brown. The flank plumes, employed in displays, are yellow at the base, turning white and streaked with maroon. The female has unbarred maroon brown plumage. In each sexes the iris is yellow and the bills blue.

Even though the Higher Bird of Paradise may have a restricted range, it is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

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Andean Cock of the rock: The National bird of Peru

Let’s tell you about the amazing national bird of Peru! This fabulous bird lives in the longest mountain range of South America which is identified as Andes. The Andes Mountain Range of South America is the globe highest mountain range outdoors Asia. The bird is nicely known for its huge round crest and fantastic orange plumage. This bird is recognized as Andean Cock-of-the-rock which is scientifically named as Rupicola peruvianus.

Andean Cock of the Rock. Image By Bill Bouton

Andean Cocks of the rock have black wings with a row of pale grey feathers inside. The Andean Cock-of-the-rock can acquire the approximate length of 32 cm (12½ in) and weight of 235 grams (eight.7 oz).  The female Andean Cock of the Rock is comparatively darker in its color than the male with a shorter crest. The bill is yellowish in the male, and dark with a modest yellow tip in the female. The diet of Andean Cock of the rock primarily consists mostly of fruit and insects, though modest vertebrates such as frogs or lizards have also been recorded. The most exquisite function of the Andean Cocks of the Rock is their show of fluttering dance throughout courtship. They build their nests with mud and stick mostly on the rocks and the female lays only two eggs during the year. The female Andean Cock of the rock incubates the egg for 28 days.

Andean female Cock of the rock ( Image: Brad Schram )

Andean Cock of the rock, the national bird of Peru is primarily threatened with the predators like wild beasts and prey birds. Andean Cock of the rock is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

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Chakor, National Bird of Pakistan

“Chand ko kya maloom chahata hai usko chakor

How could the Moon discern the enchanting Chakor?

woh bechara door se dekhe kare na koi shor.”

Glaring he keeps on, understanding all chirp is futile

These are the words of a classical Indian song in which the poet has simulated himself as Chakor and the moon as his beloved, expressing the grief for his malcontent enjoy. Chakor (Alectoris Chukar) is a symbol of passionate but unreciprocated enjoy in Indian sub continent.  It is identified to bewitch by the moon and for its constant gaze at moon.

Chakor (Alectoris Chukar), The National Bird of Pakistan

Chakor or Chukar is a chunky 32-35 cm extended bird of remarkable colour scheme like brown back, grey breast, and sandy color belly. Although the face is white and legs are red. Its tail consists of 14 feathers.

Chakor belongs to the pheasant loved ones Phasianidae and is native of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Turkey and Kashmir variety. It is also connected to its western tantamount, the Red-legged Partridge, Alectoris Rufa. Normally their territories are rocky open hillsides and primarily they are identified at an altitude of 2000 to 4000 m. But in Pakistan they are also observed at 600m. They do not reside in humid and rainy places. Generally Chakor travels in groups of five to 30 and the groups are called coveys. They like wide range of seeds and insects as food and occasionally they also swallow the dust particles. The seeds of Eragrostis in Kashmir are their preferred diet program.

In the breeding season the female lays eight to 20 eggs in total and 1 egg per day throughout the captivity period. Their nest is a scantily lined ground scrape protected by shrubs and tiny brambles. Generally their nests exist on hilly slopes with rocky offshoots, above streams. Nesting Chakor might be observed inside three km of water. It is specially recognized for its surgical upward flights and rapid vanishing in the hills and trees. Due to their remote existence they are not threatened due to hunting but inappropriate weather patterns can be dangerous for their population.

Chakor has been declared as national bird of Pakistan.

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Mountain Quail: An sophisticated ground living bird

Mountain Quail is an sophisticated ground living bird which is scientifically recognized as Oreortyx pictu. Mountain Quail is found at an elevation of 3000m above sea level in the Rocky Mountains of Mexico and the United States of America. Though, Mountain Quail is a non migratory bird nevertheless, now it has also been introduced in Canada. The typical length of Mountain Quail is 26-28 cm and they are distinguished for their top knot. The female Mountain Quail has also the identical top knot but shorter a single than the male. The Mountain Quail feeds itself with the plant seeds and grains.

Mountain Quail: An image by Ashok Khosla on flickr

The female Mountain Quail lays 9-10 eggs in her nest which she usually builds close to the water physique and it is close to the vegetation. In the incubation of the eggs the female Mountain Quail executes itself the complete method of hatching. Mountain Quail primarily move about by walking, and can move surprisingly speedily by way of brush and undergrowth. In the late summer, fall and winter, the adults and immature young congregate into household groups of up to 20 birds.

A Mountain Quail couple in nature ( Image : Rae C )

Mountain Quail is an elegant ground living bird which overall keeps a shy attitude and its habits can be secretive. Any flight is usually short and explosive, with a lot of rapid wing beats followed by a slow glide to the ground

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Green Pheasant: The National bird of Japan

The Green Pheasant which is also known as the Japanese Pheasant is a native pheasant of Japan which is scientifically identified as Phasianus versicolor. This is also the national bird of Japan and its population extends roughly from northeast to southwest along the northeastern coast of the Eurasia mainland, washing upon the northwestern shores of the Pacific Ocean. Primarily, the Green Pheasants favor to inhabit in the grassy and bushy areas and light forest areas near cultivated lands and meadows of the Japanese Archipelago.

Green or Japanese Pheasants. Image © Daniel Ruyle

The species of the Green Pheasant is also introduced in North America and Hawaii where it is domesticated as a game bird. According to the biologists the Green Pheasant or the Japanese Pheasant is a sub species of the Widespread Pheasant. The female of the Green Pheasant is smaller sized in size than her mate which lays ten-12 eggs which are olive brown in colour. The Green Pheasant make their nests in type of a heap of leaves and grass on the ground, with a quite slight depression.

The diet regime of Green Pheasant, the national bird of Japan includes beans, peas, acorns, berries, and occasionally it has even been observed to consume the ivy leaf, as well as the berry. The young chicks of the Green Pheasant are fed with ant eggs, maggots, grits, and similar meals.

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Ribbon-tailed Astrapia: Magnificent bird of paradise

Ribbon-tailed Astrapia is a medium sized black colored magnificent bird of paradise which is one particular of the most amazing birds of its kind. Ribbon-tailed Astrapia is identified in a extremely small mountain variety of Papua New Guinea which is the most current bird of paradise to be discovered.

Ribbon-tailed Astrapia: Image by Maholyoak

The population of Ribbon-tailed Astrapia exists mainly in the highland forests at an altitude between 2,400 and three,400 m, often down to 1,800 m and also in degraded forest. Ribbon-tailed Astrapia is fundamentally an ornamental bird which is also known as Shaw Mayer’s Astrapia and scientifically known as Astrapia mayeri. Ribbon-tailed Astrapia has an exquisite and long white feathered tail which can be of one meter in length. The male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia has an olive green and bronze plumage with an approximate physique length of 30 cm. The female Ribbon-tailed Astrapia has brownish black head and the rest of the physique is significantly less colorful than the male. The female Ribbon-tailed Astrapia also lacks the long tail. Typically, there is a dark green tuft lying at the prime of the beak.

Ribbon-tailed Astrapia. A Jon Irvine image

The habitat destruction and hunting are the largest threats to the population of Ribbon-tailed Astrapia. Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, magnificent bird of paradise is hunted for attaining its magnificent tail plumes. Presently, Ribbon-tailed Astrapia is is listed as Close to Threatened on the IUCN Red list of threatened Species.

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Copper-rumped Hummingbird: A small but graceful bird

Copper-rumped Hummingbird is a small but very graceful bird who lives in the forests of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. Copper-rumped Hummingbirds are usually located near gardens and the floral cultivation since they rely upon the nectar taken from the flowers and the insects revolving around the flowers.

Copper-rumped Hummingbird – Image © Dave Irving ( flickr )

The Copper-rumped Hummingbird is a eight.6 cm long graceful bird which weighs four.7 g. The bill of this small hummingbird is pretty extended, straight and largely black with some pink on the decrease mandible. The adult Copper-rumped Hummingbird has copper-green upper parts, becoming copper-bronze on the rump. The head and underparts of Copper-rumped Hummingbird are bright green, the thighs are white and the tail and legs are black. The sexes are similar.

A beautiful capture of the Copper-rumped Hummingbird – Image © Dave Irving ( flickr )

The female Copper-rumped Hummingbird lays its eggs in a tiny cup shaped nest on a low branch, or often wires or clotheslines. The incubation period is about 16–17 days, along with fledging another 19-23, and there may possibly be up to 3 broods in a season. The Copper-rumped Hummingbird which is a modest but extremely graceful bird is the predominant species of hummingbird in the Trinidad and Tobago.

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