What is the difference between the Common Moorhen and the Dusky Moorhen?
The Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) and the Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa) are both medium-sized wetland birds from the Rail family.
The Common Moorhen has yellow legs. The Dusky Moorhen has orange-yellow legs.
Continue reading “What is the difference between the Common Moorhen and the Dusky Moorhen?”
The Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa) is a medium-sized bird in the Rail family.
The Dusky Moorhen is dark grey-black with brown shades, with white under its tail.It has a red frontal shield above its yellow-tipped red beak. It has orange-yellow legs, with no webbing between its four toes. It has orange-brown eyes.
The Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) is also known s the Waterhen, the Swamp Chicken, and the Common Moorhen. It is a medium-sized bird in the Rail family.
The Common Moorhen has dark black-grey feathers, except for a white undertail. It has a white line on its side, called a flank line. It has a red frontal shield above its yellow-tipped red beak. It has yellow legs that have no webbing between its four toes. It has orange-brown eyes.
The Southern Black Flycatcher (Melaenornis pammelaina) is a small African bird.
The Southern Black Flycatcher is all black, with a black beak and black legs. Its eyes are brown. Its tail is square-cut at the end.
The Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) is a common Australian bird.
The Crested Pigeon is grey with tints of brown. Its wings are brown-grey with black stripes. Its primary feathers are brown, purple, blue, and green. Its crest is black. Its black tail is long with a white tip. It has a grey beak, down-turned at the tip, with pink-grey legs, and brown-orange eyes. It has a bright orange eye-ring.
What’s the difference between the Chilean Flamingo, Greater Flamingo, and Lessor Flamingo?
The Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis), Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus), and Lessor Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) are large wetland birds with S-shaped necks.
The Chilean Flamingo is from South America, and the Greater and Lesser Flamingo are from east and southern Africa. The Greater and Lesser Flamingo colonies often mix together.
The Chilean Flamingo has a pink body with darker pink wing feathers. The Greater Flamingo has a white or pale-pink body with black flight feathers. The Lesser Flamingo has a rose-pink to white body with black flight feathers.
Continue reading “Chilean Flamingo, Greater Flamingo, and Lesser Flamingo: what’s the difference?”
The Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) is a large bird from east and southern Africa.
The Lesser Flamingo has a rose-pink to white body with black flight feathers. It has dark-red legs. Its downward-curved beak is all black. Its neck is long and S-shaped.
The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus) is a large bird from east and southern Africa.
The Greater Flamingo has a white or pale-pink body with black flight feathers. It has pale-pink legs with pink knees and joints. Its downward-curved beak is pale-pink with a black tip. Its neck is long and S-shaped.
The Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) is a large bird from South America.
The Chilean Flamingo has a pink body with darker pink wing feathers. It has greyish legs with pink knees and joints. Its downward-curved beak is cream and black. Its neck is long and S-shaped.
What is a Dabbling Duck?
Dabbling Ducks, or Dabblers, are ducks that tip up – head down bottom up – in order to feed, foragagin through shallow water and mud in search of plants and insects.
What is the difference between a Eurasian Coot and a Red-Knobbed Coot?
The Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) has a wider distribution, because it is native to Europe, Asia, Australia, and northern Africa.
The Red-Knobbed Coot (Fulica cristata) is native to Africa and southern Spain.
The Eurasian Coot does not have red knobs on its head. The Red-Knobbed Coot has two small red knobs on its head.
Continue reading “What is the difference between a Eurasian Coot and a Red-Knobbed Coot?”
The Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), also known as the Common Coot, is a bird in the Rail and Crake family. It is found in Europe, Asia, Australia, and northern Africa. The Australian subspecies is known as the Australian Coot.
The Eurasian Coot is a medium-sized roundish-bodied black bird with a white frontal shield on its head, above its creamy-grey beak. Its head is darker black. Its eyes are round and red. It has grey, partially-webbed feet, which enables it to swim and to walk on swampy land near water. Its tail is very short.
The European Roller (Coracias garrulus) is a medium-sized bird from the Middle East, Central Asia, and Morocco. It is also called the Blue Roller.
The Eurasian Roller is mainly blue with an orange-brown back. It has a thick short black beak, dark eyes, and pale-yellow legs.
The Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) – or budgie – is a small Australian bird. It is also called the Common Parakeet or Shell Parakeet.
The Budgerigar in the wild is green (on the body) and yellow (on the head) with black scalloped markings on the neck, back, and wings. In captivity, there are many colours, such as blue, white, yellow, and grey. It has cheek spots that are usually blue or grey, with three black spots across each side of its throat. Its beak is pearl or clear, with a pearl-white cere, and is down facing. Its legs are blue-grey. It has a long, blue tail.
The Lappet-Faced Vulture (Torgos torgos tracheliotus) is a massive African vulture. It is also called the Nubian Vulture. It is a raptor and accipiter (like hawks, eagles, kites, and buzzards).
The Lappet-Faced Vulture is black-brown with white streaked underparts. Its head and its back of head are bare, with no feathers, and are bright pink and wrinkled. The wrinkles are called fleshy lappets. It has a large ivory or brown beak, with a grey cere. It has dark-brown eyes. Its legs and feet are blue-grey with white thigh feathers called boots.
The African Black Duck (Anas sparsa) is a bird from Africa. It is also called the Black River Duck. It is in the mallard group of ducks.
The African Black Duck is black with white bars on its back. It has a dark beak. It has orange legs and orange feet.
The Australorp is an Australian breed of chicken. It is also called the Australian Black Orpington.
The Australorp has various colours, such as black (with an iridescent green sheen), blue, or white. Black is the most common colour.
The Grosbeak Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons) is also called the Thick-Billed Weaver. It is a small African bird.
The Grosbeak Weaver is dark chocolate brown with a chestnut frill around its neck and a small white wing spot. It has two distinct creamy-yellow spots on each side of its beak on its forehead. It has brown eyes, a grey beak, and grey legs.
The Black Crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) is a waterbird from sub-Saharan Africa.
The Black Crake is a medium-sized bird with black feathers, with an olive-brown tone on its wings. It has a striking yellow beak, red eyes, red legs, and red feet with long toes. It has a short tail.
The Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) is also known as the Bank’s Black Cockatoo. It is a large bird, a parrot, native to Australia.
The Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo has all black feathers with a pair of bright red bars on its tail. It has a large crest on its head. It has brown eyes with a black eye-ring. Its beak and legs are dark-grey. It has three toes: two toes facing forward and one toe facing backward. It can stand on one foot and hold food in the other foot. Research has found that it is predominantly left-footed (as are most parrots).