The Circle of Life

One spring day, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a large bird flying back and forth just outside the window. Most of my regulars are small chickadee’s and nuthatches, so her size alone caught my attention. Sure enough, upon investigation I discovered the beginnings of a nest, which at first was unimpressive (it kinda looked like a pile of junk). Quickly, though, it began to take form.

Within a day or two there were four little blue eggs in the center of the nest. Fourteen days later a little wrinkly pink body appeared. Then two, then three…

Momma Robin was an attentive parent, constantly flying to and fro to catch the squirmy meals for her babies.

And so they grew…

…and grew…

…and grew!

Until sadly, it was time to say goodbye. After the fledgelings left the nest that she had worked so very hard to build, she abandoned it. Perhaps it was due to my constant photo sessions, or she was simply done for the year. In any case, this was an experience I will never forget.

Evidence of Animal Friendships

More: Bambi & Thumper (photos by Tanja Askani)

*all photos were found via google image search

Unidentified Bird - Beautiful Song

Below is some video I took of a tropical bird singing a cheerful, melodious tune. Unfortunately I have no idea what species it is. It’s hard to see him, but perhaps by listening to him sing someone out there will recognize and be able to identify this beauty. From what I remember, his back was mostly “black”, while his tummy was a sort of reddish brown color. (The loud noise in the background is a close by waterfall.) Any guesses?

 

Animal Quiz Day

True or False:

1. Polar bears are left handed.
2. The smallest bird in the world is the Black Capped Chickadee.
3. Penguins can jump 6 feet in the air.
4. A Woodpecker can peck 40 times per second.
5. The strongest animal in the world is the rhinoceros beetle.
6. The slowest mammal on earth is the tree sloth.
7. A hippopotamus can stay under water for up to 10 minutes.
8. Sloths spend up to 80 percent of their lives sleeping.
9. Beavers can hold their breathe for up to 30 minutes under water.
10. Emus and kangaroos cannot walk backwards.

Good luck!

Agapornis Personata

Above: Our pet lovebird from when we lived in Mexico. Note the faint black mask typical of juvenile birds.

Scientific name: Agapornis personata
Family: Psittacidae
Order: Psittaciformes
Class: Aves

The Black-Masked Lovebird is native to northeastern Tanzania in Africa. They inhabit dry wooded areas usually near bodies of water. This bird weighs around 50 grams and measures only six inches in length, but despite it’s small size it is a member of the parrot family known as the “eye ring” species due to the white skin around each eye.  They are a long-lived species for their size, with an average lifespan of 20 years. It’s name describes the bird well: Agapornis: from the Greek word agape meaning “love”, and ornis meaning “bird”.  They were so named due to their extremely affectionate nature. It is a common sight, even in the wild, to see two Lovebirds snuggling with each other while perched on a branch. During the breeding season, the nests are made by the females and the three to six eggs are incubated for about twenty-three days. The mother continues to care for the hatchlings until they leave the nest at about six weeks of age. The father then takes over the feeding of the young birds for another two weeks or so until they reach adulthood.