It’s Sunday and that means it’s a Day for Themed Bird Photos from John Avise. John’s notes and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.
Other Body Parts
Some of my posts on recent Sundays have spotlighted species whose common names refer to colorful areas on the bird’s crown, or on the throat and chin. This week’s post involves a menagerie of avian species whose common names reference various other body parts. The etiologies of most of these names are obvious, whereas a few names (notably the Sharp-shinned Hawk) are more obscure. Except where otherwise indicated, all photos were taken in Southern California.
Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla:
Blue-winged Teal, Anas discors (Florida):
Band-tailed Pigeon, Columba fasciata:
American Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides dorsalis (Alaska):\
Black-bellied Plover, Pluvialis squatarola:
Broad-winged Hawk juvenile, Buteo platypterus:
Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis (Michigan):
Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Picooides scalaris (Arizona):
Red-shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus:
Black-vented Shearwater, Puffinus opisthomelas:
Sharp-shinned Hawk, Accipiter striatus:
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Poecile rufescens (Oregon):
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus (Michigan):
Yellow-headed Blackbird, Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus:
The eagle owl (Uhu) “Flaco”, who was freed from his cage at the Central Park Zoo by vandals about 2 weeks ago, is getting more comfortable in freedom in Central Park. He has not lost his hunting instinct and is now feeding on the local rat population, among other things.
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/central-park-zoo-shares-flaco-the-owl-update/4109780/
Cool! Thanks for the update. Maybe they’ll let him be…I hope so, anyway (assuming “Flaco” can overwinter, which seems possible since he’s doing it now).
The Uhu lives in its natural habitat of Europe and Asia in a variety of areas, from steppes and mountains to the Taiga of Siberia. I assume that Central Park, with its abundant shelters and generous food supply, should be a little paradise for him, allowing him to survive cold waves and blizzards. 🙂
Now I know the hawk that has been hunting at our bird feeders. A sharp-shinned hawk! Your photo is a dead ringer for the hawk I see. I thought it was a juvenile of some other species.
Thanks John, for yet another wonderful Bird-Sunday RWP.
Years ago at a friend’s on eastern LI we found a dead Sharp-shinned Hawk, which enabled us to look at the bird’s leg/shin. It is sharp because in cross section it is not round like most legs but sort of triangular, so when you look at the leg directly it forms a sharp edge. Who knew? Such a small mark for an ID but apparently a distinct one.
Thank you Lorna. I’ve always wondered about that bird’s name.
Beautiful work!! Thank you!
Yes thank you for these beautiful photos! Some of these are among my favorite species. Black-bellied plovers are just breathtaking.