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Saturday, February 28, 2015

10 Stunning Red-colored Birds

Of all colors, red is one of the most vibrant and easily seen shades, and nature presents us with many beautiful red birds. Here is a list of 10 of the world's reddest and most colorful birds.

Scarlet Ibis

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The Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) is one of the most brilliantly colored wading birds in the world. It inhabits the wetlands of tropical South America and islands of the Caribbean. The species is easily recognized by the adults' bright scarlet plumage, pink skin on face, pink bill and red legs. Adults measure between 55–63 centimeters (22–25 in) long and weigh around 1.4 kilograms (3.1 lb). The males are slightly larger than females.

Northern Cardinal

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The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a large crested finch widespread in North America. This redbird or common cardinal is found in woodlands, swamps and gardens. It is a medium-sized songbird that measures around 20–23.5 cm (7.9–9.3 in) in body length and a wingspan of 25–31 cm (9.8–12.2 in). Adults weigh between 33.6–65 g (1.19–2.29 oz), 21 cm (8.3 in). Males have vivid red body and black face, while females are duller overall.

Crimson Finch

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The Common Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton) (also known as the Blood Finch) is a common passerine bird found in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia. This stunning red bird preferred habitats include grassy plains, moist savannahs, along rivers and swamps. On average, the species measures around 12cm.

Males have crimson plumage on the face, flanks, breast, rump, and tail. Adult males have dark gray crowns, red beaks, brownish-red wings, and brown bellies. The females have the same color pattern but they are paler overall.

Summer Tanager

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The Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) is a medium-sized American songbird. The species is found in the northeast and midwestern United States during summer and migrate to tropical regions of Mexico and Central America in the winter. These stunning red birds prefer treetops and tall forests.

Adults measure 17 cm (6.7 in) in length and 29 g (1.0 oz) in weight. Males have stout pointed bills and are rose red without specialized markings or patterns. Females have light-orange underparts and olive on top, with olive-brown wings and tail.

Red Munia

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The Red Munia (Amandava amandava) also known as strawberry finch or red avadavat, is a small, sparrow-sized bird. These birds measures around 9-10cm (3-4 inches). They are found in the open fields and grasslands of tropical Asia. These birds measures around 9-10 cm (3-4 inches).

Red Munia is easily identified by the rounded black tail and the bill that is seasonally red. During breeding season, the males appear red on most of the upper parts. Top of head and back are deep mahogany brown. The beak is red and the eyes are black with a white stripe just below each eye. There are white spots throughout their plumage and the legs are pink.

Red-billed Firefinch

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The Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala) is a small passerine bird widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The species is known for its scarlet plumage, pink bill and brown wings. Even the legs and feet are red. One distinct feature is its brilliantly yellow eye ring. Females have uniformly brown upperparts and buff underparts. The Red-billed Firefinch is 10 cm in length.

Hepatic Tanager

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The Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava) are one of only five Tanager species that occur naturally in North America. In the United States, they are found in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Their range stretches south to Mexico. This medium-sized American songbird is found in open pine and pine-oak forests. It measures about 6.75 inches in length (including the relatively short tail).

Adult males plumage is brick red to red-orange with the brightest color on the forehead and throat. They have dark cheeks with dark eye streaks and grayish flanks. Heavy, dark bill is slightly hooked.

Females have olive-yellow to orange-yellow forehead, throat, and underparts. Grayish ear coverts and flanks. Crown, nape, wings, and back grayish olive.

ʻIʻiwi

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The ʻIʻiwi (Vestiaria coccinea), pronounced ee-EE-vee, is one of the most spectacular of Hawaiian honeycreepers. Also known as Scarlet Hawaiian Honeycreeper, the species inhabit the islands of Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi, with smaller colonies on Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. A medium-sized bird that measures 15 cm in length and weighs around 16 - 20 g.

The adult ʻIʻiwi is mostly scarlet, with black wings and tail, a yellow eye ring, and a long, curved, salmon-colored bill. Males are larger than females but otherwise similar in appearance.

Scarlet Macaw

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The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) is a large South American parrot. It is found in forests, jungles and broken woodland. It is the national bird of Honduras.

The vibrant red plumage with blue wings and yellow accents is unmistakable, and both male and female birds have similar coloration and markings.

Red-headed Woodpecker

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For some birds, while their plumage may not be entirely red, specific red markings are their most noticeable feature. The Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) is a prime example of this. This red beauty is a small or medium-sized woodpecker found in North America.

It measures from 19 to 25 cm (7.5 to 9.8 in) in length, with a wingspan of 42.5 cm (16.7 in). It weighs from 56 to 97 g (2.0 to 3.4 oz).

Adults have dark red head, chest and upper throat. Black and white back, wings and abdomen. Bill, legs and feet are black.

Monday, February 23, 2015

10 Eye-Catching Yellow Colored Birds

These yellow colored birds are sights to behold. Check out where they are found to see with your very own eyes their splendor colors.

American Goldfinch

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The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is a small North American finch measuring around 11–14 cm (4.3–5.5 in) in length, with a wingspan of 19–22 cm (7.5–8.7 in). It weighs between 11–20 g (0.39–0.71 oz). Common throughout much of United States and southern Canada and is found in Weedy fields, open floodplains, and other overgrown areas.

The brightly colored breeding male American Goldfinch is especially recognizable - entirely bright lemon yellow body with white undertail coverts. Pink, conical bill. Jet black cap, black wings with yellow lesser coverts and narrow white tips to greater coverts. During the breeding season, the female is olive-green, tinged with yellow on the upperparts and head, and fading to a pale yellow underside.

American Yellow Warbler

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The American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) is a small, rounded head songbird measuring between 10–18 cm (3.9–7.1 in) long, with a wingspan from 16 to 22 cm (6.3 to 8.7 in). It weighs between 7 to 25 g (0.25–0.88 oz). Preferred habitats include orchards, thickets, edges of marshes and swamps, farmlands, and suburban gardens.

The stout-bodied males are a bright, egg-yolk yellow with reddish streaks on their breasts and bellies. They have yellow-green upperparts. Their heads and faces are unmarked, accentuating the large black eye. Females are also yellow, but paler in color than males, and they lack red streaks.

Cape Weaver

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The Cape Weaver (Ploceus capensis) is a is a large colonial bird species endemic to South Africa. The species preferred habitats include grassland, agricultural farms, often near rivers and gardens. It feeds on a wide variety of seeds, grain and insects.

The breeding male has an orange face, with whitish eyes, and conical black bill. Crown and nape are yellow, with shade of green. Breeding plumage is dull yellow-green upperparts and yellow Underparts. Wings are blackish with yellow-green edges. Tail is dark greenish with yellow-green edges too.

The adult female and the non-breeding male have an olive-yellow head and breast, greyish green upperparts, and yellowish-white Underparts.

Black-crested Bulbul

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The Black-crested Bulbul (Pycnonotus flaviventris) is a small passerine birds. It is found from India, Sri Lanka and some part of southeast Asia. Inhabiting forest and dense scrub, the species feed mostly on fruit and insects.

The eye-catching bird measures around 19 cm long including its relatively long tail. As the name suggests, it has black head with a striking yellow eye. Its body has olive upperparts and yellow or olive-yellow underparts. Both sexes are similar in plumage with juveniles with slightly duller coloring.

Yellow Golden Pheasant

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The Yellow Golden Pheasant is a popular color mutation of the Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) occurring in captivity. The Yellow Golden, also knows as Chiqi's Gold, is the most striking of the mutations. The obvious difference is the color, with yellow replacing the red. The male carries the dark green mantle from the original form. The blue of the wings has been replaced with brown while the crest and ruff are similar to that of normal golden. The tail is pale brown spotted with light yellow. Both males and females have yellow legs and yellow bills.

Silver-eared Mesia

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The Silver-eared Mesia (Leiothrix argentauris) is a small bird native to Malaysia and widespread in other South East Asia countries. The species preferred the sub-montane forest areas. This bird, which resembles a large Babbler is generally about 15.5–17 cm (22–29 g) in length.

A too colorful a bird to describe, the upperparts carry a variety of colors while the underparts is yellow. It has black head with a large glistening silver ear-coverts.The throat and the patch behind the head is orange. A prominent feature is its orange-yellow flight feathers with a red base.

Golden Palm Weaver

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The Golden Palm Weaver (Ploceus bojeri) is an eye-catching yellow colored bird found in the extreme south of Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania.The species feeds mainly on seeds, and at times grubs.

The Golden Palm Weaver has a beautiful golden yellow color from head to chest and underparts. The wings and back are slightly darker and duller. The bill and eye are dark. Legs are pink. Breeding males plumage, the face and throat turn orange.

Cream-Colored Woodpecker

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The Cream-colored Woodpecker (Celeus flavus) is a species of woodpecker native to South America. The bird's preferred habitats include swamp forests, mangroves and cacao plantations. This African bird feeds mainly on ants and termites. measures around 24-26 cm in and weighs from 95-130 grams.

It measures around 24-26 cm in and weighs from 95-130 grams. The male is colored creamy yellow, except for the wingtips and tail, which are much darker. Underparts are pale creamy-yellow. Some brown feathers can be present on head and back. It has a large crest that is always raised. The red-brown eyes have dark rings around them.

Golden Conure

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The Golden Parakeet (Guaruba guarouba), also known as Queen of Bavaria Conure or Golden Conure, is a medium-sized parrot found in the drier, upland rainforests in Amazonian Brazil. Its range is estimated to be limited to about 174,000 km2. Considered the most beautiful of the Conures, it measures 35.5 cm (14 in) in length and weighs 249 gm (8.8 oz).

The Golden Parakeet is mainly golden yellow in plumage with only the lower portion of the wings being green. It has an all-yellow relatively short tail. The eye is brown surrounded by pale-pink bare eye rings. It has a large horn-colored (gray) beak. Males and females have identical external appearance. Juvenile has dull brownish-olive, streaked green above.

Mexican Yellow Grosbeak

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The Mexican Yellow Grosbeak (Pheucticus chrysopeplus) or simply yellow grosbeak, is a medium-sized seed-eating finch found in western Mexico and Guatemala. It occurs mostly in trees in forest, woodland, and edges. The species is around 21.5–24 cm (8.5–9.5 in) long and weighing on average 62 g (2.2 oz).

A large bird with a huge, deep bill, overall plumage is solid lemon-yellow with black streaks on back. It has black wings and tail tinted with white patches. Males and Females are very similar in color, but females are much larger.

Related post: 10 Fascinating Blue Colored Birds