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Posts Tagged "tail"

Long-tailed Manakin Aging

Posted on Jun 24, 2015

Long-tailed Manakin Aging

Sean was at the end of his trip in Costa Rica and wanted to do a series of the maturation of the Long-tailed Manakin (Chiroxiphia linearis) as they take over four years to reach full mature plumage. The full set will have to wait until next year when he captures more stages of the age maturation, but until then we can enjoy this second year male. It has a red cap, black face mask, and long tail feathers. It will soon get more of its adult body plumage, including the blue back patch. Photographed by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Costa...

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Wake Up!

Posted on Apr 12, 2015

Wake Up!

It’s time to wake up – spring is here! Get outside and enjoy it, whether you’ve been snoozing in a tree or sitting on the couch…

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Autumn Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

Posted on Nov 23, 2014

Autumn Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

This beautiful Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) posed wonderfully for me in the shade earlier today, taking a quick break from foraging in mounds of leaf litter. They are a shy species that can be found on the edges of forests and woodlands, even your yard, if there is enough space and habitat for them to find insects. As we near the winter their diet is going to shift to include various berries. I was surprised to find several of them this weekend, possibly having moved south and been more boldly active given all of the cold temperatures lately. They will enjoy this warm-up making bug...

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White-tailed Deer name origin

Posted on Nov 9, 2014

White-tailed Deer name origin

Let’s take a few moments to discuss the name origin of the White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and how it came to be known…well, OK then. Never mind. I think we cracked the case on that mystery. Maybe next time we can examine why the Yellow Warbler has such a colorful name. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator

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Hunting Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Posted on Oct 29, 2014

Hunting Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

This Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is on the hunt and you can tell this is the case by seeing where its head and eyes are pointed – straight down. It is also holding its wings and tail in positions for a lazy, floating flight. While it is not hovering it is using the wind to slowly comb over the landscape in search of small mammals. Even if you are far from the bird, like I was in this photo, you can often still see the distinctive “belly band” of dark splotches across the white undersides. We are about to hit the peak of their migration in the Northeast so be on the...

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