Archives: Bird Species

Guam Rail walking on the ground

The Guam Rail is a small, ground-dwelling bird, inhabiting forests, mixed woodland and scrub, fern thickets, and grasslands. They move quickly through thickets and grasses. It is most active at dawn and dusk. In the late 1980s, the presence of an invasive species, the brown tree-snake threatened the survival of bird species on the island…

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Gray crowned crane

Native to East Africa, the Gray Crowned-Crane is featured on Uganda’s coat of arms and flag and is the country’s national bird; this bird also is a sacred symbol for Kenya, Namibia, Zambia and South Africa. The Gray Crowned-Crane is unique among the cranes in being one of only two species capable of perching in…

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A Black Crake walking on the ground

The Black Crake is a water bird found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. With its bright yellow bill, red legs, and sleek black body, this bird is among the most common and least secretive of Africa’s rail species. They are well-suited for life in a wetland habitat: their long toes help them move easily along floating vegetation,…

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Male Lesser Bird-Of-Paradise perched on a branch

The spectacular Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise is found in lowland forest, hill forest and lower montane forest, secondary growth, forest edges and patches, and even gardens in New Guinea. Eating primarily fruits and arthropods, the species is an important dispereser of mahogany and nutmeg seeds. The male Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise’s tail has two long tail wires and cinnamon-colored…

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Malayan Flying Foxes hanging upside down from a branch

Malayan Flying Foxes are the largest member of Pteropus! With their striking red or russet heads that turn deep orange during breeding season, these bats are a true wonder of nature. They have large, well-developed eyes for flight navigation and form feeding groups of up to 50 and roosting colonies of up to 20,000 individuals….

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Willy walking through straw and pebbles that mimic his natural habitat

Southern Three-banded Armadillos are one of the mammal species living at the National Aviary. They are among the smaller of the armadillo species, and are native to grassy areas and forests throughout Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Armadillos have very acute senses of hearing and smell, which helps them to find termites and ants and…

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In The News

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What to Do If You Find a Baby Bird in Your Yard—and the Mistake You Should Never Make (ft. Insights from Bob Mulvihill) | Yahoo News

Picture this: you step outside your front door to enjoy another summer's day, when, suddenly, you hear a faint peeping coming from somewhere in your bushes nearby. You crouch down to take a closer look and discover a small, flightless little bird on the ground, seemingly alone and away from its nest.

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Future looks brighter for some endangered birds | Kingsport Times News

Everyone, including birders, enjoys reading some good news. There have been some recent success stories involving some of the world’s most endangered birds, including hopeful stories about the Hawaiian stilt and Guam kingfisher.

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How 4 chicks at the National Aviary are helping bring nearly extinct birds back to the wild | CBS News

A fourth Guam kingfisher has hatched at the National Aviary this year, bringing the species one step closer to someday returning to its native habitat, where it's been extinct for 40 years.

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The Flower Colors Hummingbirds Can’t Resist, According to Ornithologists (ft. Insights from Bob Mulvihill) | Real Simple

If you’re hoping to welcome more hummingbird families to your yard this season, the flowers you plant can make a huge difference.

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