Category Archives: Lord’s Avian Wonders

Cowbird Mothers: Worse than Infidels?

by

4

Dr. James J. S. Johnson

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (1st Timothy 5:8)

There she was, that shameful sneak!  An unmotherly and irresponsible female Brown-headed Cowbird! 

Cowbird egg deposited into “foster home” nest
(National Audubon Society photo credit)

Why do I say “sneak”?  Because the female Brown-headed Cowbird is the most prominent example of a “brood parasite” in North America.  Cowbird mothers refuse to raise their own young; they use deceit to “dump” their kids on other mothers (and fathers) to raise. Shame on them! In fact, about half of America’s Lower 48 states are year-round residence range for these brood-parasitic icterids.

RANGE of Brown-headed Cowbird, with green = year-round resident (Wikipedia image credit)

In other words, the mother cowbirds sneakily deposit their eggs into the nests of other bird mothers – so that the involuntary “foster mothers” are left with the responsibility of raising the cowbird hatchlings.  The ornithologists at Cornell University describe the cowbird mother’s habits:

The Brown-headed Cowbird is North America’s most common “brood parasite.” A female cowbird makes no nest of her own, but instead lays her eggs in the nests of other bird species, who then raise the young cowbirds. …

Brown-headed Cowbird lay eggs in the nests of more than 220 species of birds. Recent genetic analyses have shown that most individual females specialize on one particular host species. …

Cowbird eggs hatch faster than other species eggs, giving cowbird nestlings a head start in getting food from the parents. Young cowbirds also develop at a faster pace than their nest mates, and they sometimes toss out eggs and young nestlings or smother them in the bottom of the nest.  [Quoting “Brown-headed Cowbird: overview”, posted on Cornell Lab’s AllAboutBirds.org website]

1 Cowbird egg inserted into a Phoebe nest
(Wikipedia photo credit)

In other words, unlike the noble stepparent, who intentionally and unselfishly accepts the child-rearing responsibility for a (typically ungrateful) child who was procreated by someone else, avian “foster parents” who raise undocumented alien offspring (of Brown-headed Cowbirds) do so unawares.

Finch nest with 5 finch eggs + 1 cowbird “home invader” hatchling
(Everyday Cinematic Birds / YouTube photo credit)

Of course, not all nest-managing birds are fooled by brood parasite birds — regarding Australia’s Superb Fairywren, who uses a parental “password” to vet her nestlings for legitimacy, see “Pushy Parasites and Parental Passwords“, posted at http://www.icr.org/article/pushy-parasites-parental-passwords .

Also, the statistical prospects for cowbird babies is unimpressive: out of about 40 eggs laid/abandoned per year, by cowbird mothers, only about 2 or 3 survive to adult maturity. [See Donald Stokes & Lillian Stokes, “Brown-headed Cowbird”, A GUIDE TO BIRD BEHAVIOR, Volume II (Boston, MA: Little, Brown, & Company), page 213.)

Earlier this month, enjoying fair weather, I went birdwatching with my son, in some suburban parks of Dayton (Ohio). 

COX ARBORETUM park in Dayton, Ohio
(TripAdvisor photo credit)

One of the best birdwatching venues is Cox Arboretum MetroPark, a 174-acre botanical preserve with many forested hiking trails [see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cox_Arboretum_and_Gardens_MetroPark ].

The above-noted birdwatching experience was enhanced by my son’s smart-phone’s usage of an “app” called MERLIN (Merlin Bird ID, by Cornell Lab: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org  ) which identifies (by name) bird calls, plus provides a color photograph, when a bird’s calls are recognized by the app.  Most of the recognized birdsongs were from American Robins or various sparrows (e.g., Chipping Sparrow, English Sparrow, etc.), but more than once the songbird was a female Brown-headed Cowbird. 

Of course, male Brown-headed Cowbirds are easy to recognize, as shown below. 

Brown-headed Cowbird MALE
(Wikipedia photo credit)

However, female Brown-headed Cowbirds are much less conspicuous in plumage, because the soft-brown-hued females do not have shiny iridescent plumage that make males so easily recognizable. 

Brown-headed Cowbird FEMALE
(Wikipedia photo credit)

The Cornell Lab’s Merlin app also identifies birds visually – you just “zoom [in] until your bird fills the box” (on your smart-phone), then the Merlin app identifies the bird, plus it supplies some basic information about the bird that you are photographing on your smart-phone.  Nice! 

Brown-headed Cowbird: female (L) & male (R) Wikipedia photo credit

There’s even more features to the Merlin app – but this is enough to suggest its usage. In other words, the main point (of this blogpost) is simple enough:  get out there, and appreciate God’s Creatorship as you do some birding!

April’s Bird of the Month – Canary

by

3

Yellow-fronted Canary (Crithagra mozambica) ©Wiki

According to Birds and Bloom magazine site, there are Birds of the Month.

“You’ve probably heard of birth month gemstones and birth month flowers, but have you heard of birth month birds? It might come as a surprise to learn every month of the year has not only a representative jewel and flower, but also a bird. From owls to ravens, here are the birds that represent everyone’s birthdays.”

White-bellied Canary (Crithagra dorsostriata) ©WikiC

More from Birds and Bloom:

April: Canary

Perhaps it’s fitting that the bird for the month of Peeps candy is the canary. Some canaries live in the wild, but others, such as the domestic canary, are kept as pets. They’re not all yellow, either; some are red, while others are yellow and black. As part of the finch family, they are cheerful birds with a delightful song. To find them in the wild, you’d need to go to the Canary, Madeira or Azores Islands.

Like canaries? Discover more small yellow birds you should know.

https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birth-month-birds/

Forest Canary (Crithagra scotops) ©WikiC

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! (Psalms 8:3-9 KJV)

Black-throated Canary (Crithagra atrogularis) ©WikiC

Other birds that come from the Canary islands that aren’t Canaries but are yellow. They are all very cute and adorable, in my opinion.

Canary Island Chiffchaff

Southern Grosbeak-Canary (Crithagra buchanani) ©WikiC

Canary Islands Stonechat (Saxicola dacotiae) ©WikiC

Canary Islands Stonechat (Saxicola dacotiae) ©WikiC

Previous Articles that mention Canarys:

The Rescue of the Canary Bird

SAFETY MONITORING by Canaries, Crayfish, and Brook Trout

Finches at Feeder This Morning

Canaries are part of the Finch Family

Sunday Inspiration – Finches III

Sunday Inspiration – Thraupidae – Flowerpiercers, Sierra Finches, Plus

Gideon

MALLARDS ARE DABBLING PUDDLE DUCKS

by

0

Dr. James J. S. Johnson

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be, that goes forth out of My mouth; it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing to which I sent it.   (Isaiah 55:10-11)

MALLARDS in rain-filled drainage ditch
(Ian Sullens / U.S. Air Force photo credit)

Mallards like to float about in rainwater-runoff puddles and pools—in fact, a group of Mallards is sometimes called a “puddle” of Mallards.  Mostly unnoticed by humans (even though Mallards are the world’s most ubiquitous duck), these delightful ducks serenely enjoy their own small part of God’s great global water cycle. 

At my home, our front yard is bounded by roadside drainage ditches—so, when it rains a lot, those drainage ditches become brook-like pools of flooded rainwater. 

Just think, even mud puddles and rain runoff are parts of God’s global water cycle (Isaiah 55:101-11). Amazing! Imagine the uncountable details of biogeochemical dynamics that God keeps track of, worldwide and all-the-time, as He masterminds and maintains the orchestra of Earth’s water cycle. [Regarding Earth’s wondrous water cycle, see Job 26:8 & 36:27-28; Isaiah 55:10-11; Deuteronomy 8:7 & 32:2; Ecclesiastes 1:7, 11:3; Amos 5:8 & 9:6; Psalm 104:10-13; Jeremiah 10:13 & 14:22 & 51:16; Zechariah 10:1; Luke 12:54. See also “Water Drops and Human Value”, posted at http://www.icr.org/article/water-drops-and-human-value .]

Year after year after year, during the colder months (such as December), migratory Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) seasonally seek out southern ponds and lakes, for over-wintering, yet they also frequent shallow rainwater-filled drainage ditches and rain-pooled puddles. 

DABBLER DUCKS “UPENDING”
(Camo Trading photo credit)

As dabbling ducks (a/k/a “puddle ducks”), they often “upend” in water, thus grazing on water-covered plants that they easily reach by flipping upside-down at the pooled water’s surface. 

Dabbling ducks feed by straining food from the water’s surface or by submerging their heads while their tails remain out of the water. Male dabblers are usually brightly colored while females are drab. Plants make up most dabblers’ diets. Their method of taking flight is a sort of leap from the water’s surface. Look for them on rivers and close to shorelines.  The most widely known dabbler duck is the mallard. The male has a dark green head while the female is dusky brown. Another dabbler species is the American black duck. Both male and female American black ducks look similar to mallard hens, only darker. Other dabblers include the American wigeon, green-winged teal, northern pintail (the male has long black tail feathers), and northern shoveler (named for its large, spatula-like bill). [Quoting CHESAPEAKE BAY JOURNAL, 33(9):40 (December 2023), posted at www.BayJournal.com ]

Since dabblers don’t dive into deep water, they don’t need large paddle-like feet for underwater propulsion mobility.  So, it makes sense that God did not design dabbling ducks to have the larger paddle-shaped feet that diving ducks have.  Also, it makes sense that dabbling ducks have legs (and feet) positioned near the middle of their bellies, for balancing themselves as they tread water, upside-down in shallow puddle-water, while the dabblers are grasping water-covered (and water-softened) acorns, nuts, seeds, and underwater plants.  

God, in His providential care for the ducks He created, fitted His ducks with appropriate anatomies for the places they “fill” on Earth. Likewise, their behaviors fit their family life roles and territorial needs. 

MALLARD male (R) & female (L)
(Richard Bartz / Wikipedia photo credit)

Ornithologist Donald Stokes informs us that Mallards not only display sexual dimorphism (i.e., the 2 sexes have very different plumage, with the male being the distinctive “greenhead”), their vocalizations differ based upon sex:

When I first started studying Mallards I was surprised to find that the males and females make entirely different sounds.  The quacking sound, which I had assumed all Ducks make, can be made only by the female.  The male has two other calls of his own—a nasal rhaeb sound and a short Whistle-call.  . . .  An added advantage to knowing Mallard displays is that closely related species of Ducks such as Black Ducks, Gadwalls, Pintails, Widgeons and Teals have similar displays.  Therefore, once you learn some of the patterns of Mallard behavior you will have a good start on being able to understand the behavior of these other Ducks as well. The Black Duck is particularly close in this respect, having nearly the same display repertoire as the Mallard.  [Quoting Donald Stokes, GUIDE TO BIRD BEHAVIOR: VOLUME ONE (Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Company, 1979), pages 31-32]

Of course, hybrid ducks are common, proving that such hybridizing ducks really belong to the same created kind.  For example, ornithologist Eugene McCarthy has documented that the Common Pintail (Anas acuata) is known to hybridize with the Mallard, as well as with American Black Duck (Anas rubripes), various pochards, various widgeons, various teals, Gadwall (Anas strepera), Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata), and more.   [See Eugene M. McCarthy, HANDBOOK OF AVIAN HYBRIDS OF THE WORLD (Oxford, UK: Oxford Univ. Press, 2006), pages 71-73.]

MALLARD MALE close-up
(Chuck Homler / Wikipedia photo credit)

Interestingly, Mallards can be permanent (i.e., “year-round”) residents or migrants.

One of the reasons why mallard ducks are so plentiful is because they’re highly adaptable to climate, geography, temperature and diet. Particularly, they love shallow ponds, marshes and wetlands, as those calmer waters tend to produce the most aquatic bugs and plants—more so than fast moving rivers or deeper lakes. Mallards mate in pairs, and while some migrate to warmer temperatures, many are permanent residents in their nested homes throughout the United States. [Quoting Camo Trading, at www.camotrading.com/resources/the-upside-down-life-of-dabbling-ducks/ ]

MALLARD male & female, in shallow wetland pool
(TrekOhio.com photo credit)

In other words, God gave ducks what they need, anatomically and genetically (and even behaviorally)—for building families where they live—so that God’s ducks can be fruitful, multiply, and “fill” parts of Earth that God providentially prepared for their homes.

MALLARDS in flight (Fin & Field photo credit)

CARDINALS ARE RED BIRDS

by

3

Dr. James J. S. Johnson

And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.

EXODUS 28:5

Cardinal males are red birds, easy to see. Yet cardinal females have a softer-hued beauty of their own.

male Cardinal (Wikipedia / Rhododendrites photo credit)

Just as the Old Testament Tabernacle blended theological meaning with aesthetically attractive colors—as exemplified by Exodus 28:5 (quoted above), some birds are gold (e.g., Goldfinch, Yellow Warbler, Evening Grosbeak), or blue (e.g., Mountain Bluebird, Indigo Bunting), or purple (e.g., Purple Starling, Purple Honeycreeper), or scarlet (e.g., Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal), or white as fine linen (e.g., Snowy Egret, White Ibis, Trumpeter Swan). 

male Cardinal feeding female Cardinal (Wikipedia / Ken Thomas photo credit)

In fact, the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is often nicknamed the Redbird, because the male cardinal is almost all-covered in bright red plumage. Male cardinals, being bright red, are conspicuous—so conspicuous that they get noticed! Cardinals are so popular, in fact, that 7 states have officially adopted the Northern Cardinal as their official state bird:  Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. (That’s more states than any other bird represents!)

Recently (i.e., during December of A.D.2024), it has been my prized privilege to hear Northern Cardinals chirping happily in and around trees, where I live and also in places that I visit.  Perhaps the cardinals are extra talkative at this time of year. Or maybe I am paying better attention to the cardinals’ movements and vocalizations. Sometimes I see a cardinal flitting about, or hopping among leaf litter at the bottom of bushes, shrubs, or tree-trunks.  Sometimes I see cardinals perching on tree branches. Then, suddenly, a cardinal might fly off to a nearly spot on the ground–or to a branch of another tree. Also, cardinal chirping–which can be a somewhat squeaky whistle–is often easy to recognize.

CARDINAL IN WINTER SNOW (All About Birds / Brad Imhoff photo credit)

What wonderful birds! What beauty the Lord built into these winged wonders!

The Cardinal is a favorite bird of many people and it’s easy to see why. The brilliant scarlet plumage of the male and the subtle shades of the female, combined with their clear melodic song, make them enjoyable to watch in any season.  Male and female Cardinals sing equally well, a fact not generally known by those used to the widespread [yet erroneous] assumption that only male birds sing. Song is an important coordinating behavior in the life of a Cardinal. . . . In countersinging, one bird will sing one phrase several times and then the other [cardinal] will match it. Then the leader will sing a new phrase and the other will again match it. This type of countersinging that involves copying [musical] phrases functions to synchronize and unify members fo a pair; and when given between males, helps settle territorial disputes. [Quoting Donald Stokes & Lillian Stokes, “Northern Cardinal”, A GUIDE TO BIRD BEHAVIOR, volume II (Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Company), page 247]

CARDINAL with grasshopper (Wikipedia / Arthur Windsor image credit)

The Cardinal males are so brightly colored, with crimson-red wings and scarlet-red bellies, contrasting with black face-masks that showcase their red beaks. Female cardinals also have bright scarlet-red beaks, yet they are more camouflaged in their plumage hues—soft beige-cream bellies with russet-brown wings and head feathers, accented by reddish crests.

female Cardinal (Wikipedia / Rhododendrites photo credit)

Cardinals are year-round residents—they don’t migrate to avoid cold winters. Rather, cardinals tough out winter weather—hence many scenic photographs display bright-red cardinals perched in tree branches against backdrops of snow-drifts. What beautiful pairs they are, to see in December, braving cold winds and chilly rains or snowfall. 

NORTHERN CARDINAL RANGE MAP (Wikipedia image credit)

So, as you journey through winter months, remember that there are times when you should stop being so busy, just long enough to gaze upon busy cardinals that flit about, outside, sharing with us overlapping bits of space and winter weather. 

Thank You, God, for the cardinals.

Birds of the Bible – Introduced Here In 2008

by

2

ln honor of the Top 100 Bird Blogs and Websites For Ornithologists and Bird Lovers rating they gave us, [#20] here is a copy of that very first blog on Feb. 16, 2008.

American White Pelicans at Lake Hollingsworth

American White Pelicans at Lake Hollingsworth

Goal: To encourage your understanding and help you form a mental picture of the fowls or birds of the air found in scripture.

God has created the fowls and birds and they are mentioned throughout the Bible. When you read the name of a bird, does a mental picture come to view or do you just keep reading without a thought to what you just read? Sure, you know some of them, like the Eagle or a Sparrow, but how about a Bittern, Ossifrage, Hoopoe, or Lapwing? Not just their names are important, but how about the illustrations that use birds to teach lessons? God’s care, strength, provision and other lessons are taught with birds as the examples.

Wood Stork

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;” Job 12:7

So, let’s get started with:

The Birds of the Bible

“Then God said, ‘Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.’ So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” Gen 1: 20-23

Here we see that God created the birds on day five of creation and that “it was good.”

“Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.” Gen 2:19-20a

Adam was given the privilege of giving all the “critters” their names. Were there as many varieties of birds then as now? There have been changes within the species (kinds), but not evolution (changing from one kind to another kind).

Depending on which copy of the Bible you use, here are some of the names of birds mentioned in the Bible. These will be introduced in following blogs. Not necessarily in the following order.
; Chicken; Cormorant; Crane; Cuckoo; Dove; Eagle; Falcon; Glede; Hawk; Hen; Heron; Hoopoe; Kite; Lapwing; Night Hawk; Osprey; Ossifrage; Ostrich; Owl; Partridge; Peacock; Pelican; Pigeon; Quail; Raven; Sparrow; Stork; Swallow; Swan; Vulture

House Sparrows visiting National Aviary Parrot Show by Lee

House Sparrows visiting NA Parrot Show Outside

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26 NKJV)

Now it is 2022, and time to revisit these wonderful Birds of the Bible. Because of the Covid situation, we haven’t really been birdwatching much in almost two years. Yet, that doesn’t mean it’s time the “throw in the towel”, or the blog, in this case. So, we plan on writing more Birds of the Bible articles about the different Avian Wonders found in the Bible. Trying to bring in fresh material as we review the previous birds that we have written about. We will even ask some of our current writers like Dr. J. J. S. Johnson (Dr. Jim) and William Wise to join in.  Will also try to update the all the links to these articles.

STAY TUNED!

What An Honor – Top 100 Bird Blogs and Websites

Tickle Me Tuesday – Hummingbirds

by

4

Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) ©WikiC

Allen’s Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) ©WikiC

The first video is of the various places that Hummingbirds place their nest:

“Where the birds make their nests:…” (Psalms 104:17a KJV)

Here is another video that shows a mother tending to two youngsters. More enjoyable than funny. Just thought I would share it also.

Hummingbirds are favorites of mine. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get to visit our yard here, let alone make a nest.

“And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20 KJV)

See other Tickle Me Tuesdays

Tickle Me Tuesday Revived – Laughing Kookaburras

2015’s Tickle Me Tuesday’s

Sharing The Gospel

Artistic Birds – Lady Amherst’s Pheasant

by

2

Lady Amherst's Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae)

Lady Amherst’s Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae)

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,” Ecclesiastes 3:11-12 [NKJV]

The Lady Amherst’s Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae) is a bird of the  Galliformes Order and the family Phasianidae. The genus name is from Ancient Greek khrusolophos, “with golden crest”. The English name and amherstiae commemorates Sarah Amherst, wife of William Pitt Amherst, Governor General of Bengal, who was responsible for sending the first specimen of the bird to London in 1828.

7. Lady Amherst's Pheasant

7. Lady Amherst’s Pheasant

The species is native to southwestern China and far northern Myanmar, but has been introduced elsewhere. Previously, a self-supporting feral population was established in England, the stronghold of which was in West Bedfordshire. Lady Amherst first introduced the ornamental pheasant on her estates, near the Duke of Bedford’s Woburn Abbey, where the birds were also shot for game and interbred. However since late 2015 the species has been believed to be extirpated in Great Britain with no confirmed sightings since March 2015.

https://youtu.be/z9k-4UkY7qM&rel=0

The adult male is 100–120 cm (23 in.) in length, its tail accounting for 80 cm of the total length. It is unmistakable with its nuchal cape white black, with a red crest. The long grey tail and rump is red, blue, dark green, white and yellow plumage. The “cape” can be raised in display. This species is closely related to the golden pheasant (C. pictus), but has a yellow eye, blue-green bare skin around it. The bill is horn-coloured and they had blue-gray legs.

Lady Amherst's Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae) Female ©WikiC

Lady Amherst’s Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae) Female ©WikiC

The female is much less showy, with a duller mottled brown plumage all over, similar to that of the female common pheasant (P. colchicus) but with finer barring. She is very like the female golden pheasant, but has a darker head and cleaner underparts than the hen of that species.

Despite the male’s showy appearance, these birds are very difficult to see in their natural habitat, which is dense, dark forests with thick undergrowth. Consequently, little is known of their behaviour in the wild.

Lady Amherst’s Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae) Zoo Miami by Lee

They feed on the ground on grain, leaves and invertebrates, but roost in trees at night. Whilst they can fly, they prefer to run, but if startled they can suddenly burst upwards at great speed, with a distinctive wing sound. The male has a gruff call in the breeding season. [Wikipedia with editing]

Wow! What another beautiful artistic Avian Wonder from our Lord.

GALLIFORMES – Fowl, Quail, Guans, Currasows, Megapodes

Phasianidae – Pheasants & Allies

Artistic Work In Birds – Introduction

Wordless Birds

Our Missionaries – African Pied Wagtail

by

0

Brubru (Nilaus afer) ©Wiki My first guess

Years ago there were a few posts that featured some of the birds our missionaries see in their various locations. It was 2009 and 2010 actually. I even made a page to hold the different articles. What Our Missionaries See. It is located at the end of the Birds of the Bible list.

Recently, the thought of reviving that series has crossed my mind. Today, one of our Pastors, who moved on to a new position, has challenged me to ID a bird he keeps seeing in Uganda. Pastor Peter Brock is also a good friend who enjoys birdwatching. After three emails back and forth, and some photos, our mystery bird has been identified. At first I thought it was a Brubru, seen above.

Mystery Bird 1 by Pastor Pete

Mystery Bird 2 by Pastor Pete

He sent those two photos, then he got a better shot and sent this one.

Mystery Bird 3 by Pastor Pete

After this third photo, the search was back on to correct my first idea. How would you go about figuring out what bird he is seeing?

Back to Google, this was my search; “black and white bird with white brow in uganda” This search brought up some black and white birds, and the very first photo was:

African Pied Wagtail from Kenya http://www.ngkenya.com/fauna/birds.html

Aha!! That looks like his mystery bird. When I clicked that link, and looked down through those birds, the next link led me to a positive ID on this bird.

“Common bird of parks, lawns, pastures and farmland. Pumps long tail up and down as it forages along ground.” The link with that photo brought me to this beautiful African Pied Wagtail:

African Pied Wagtail from http://www.ngkenya.com

“Sharp black-and-white plumage and a long bobbing tail make this common bird farms and urban gardens easily recognizable.” [It is now that I figured it out.]

You can find out more about this beautiful avian wonder at African Pied Wagtail, Wikipedia, Kenya Natural History Guide, and HBAlive

We sense from Scripture, that challenging our minds is a good thing.

“And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.” (Ecclesiastes 1:13 NKJV)

I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation,…” (Ecclesiastes 7:25a NASB)

Pastor Peter Brock now works with Reaching and Teaching International Ministries .

 

 

Artistic Birds – Galliformes Order – Monal

by

0

1. Himalayan Monal

Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus)

In the Artistic Birds – Galliformes Order I, you were introduced to some of the birds the Bare-faced Curassow, Crested Guineafowl, Gambel’s Quail, and the beautifully designed Golden Pheasant.

The Himalayan Monal definitely can be described by this verse, relating to the design of the tabernacle.

“He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works.” (Exodus 35:35 NKJV) [emphasis added]

If you missed the introduction, we are referring to the Master Designer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) by Nikhil

“The Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus), also known as the Impeyan monal and Impeyan pheasant, is a bird in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. It is the national bird of Nepal, where it is known as the danphe, and state bird of Uttarakhand, India, where it is known as the monal. It was also the state bird of Himachal Pradesh until 2007. The scientific name commemorates Lady Mary Impey, the wife of the British chief justice of Bengal Sir Elijah Impey.

Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) ©WikiC

It is a relatively large-sized pheasant. The bird is about 70 centimetres long. The male weighs up to 2380 grams and the female 2150. The adult male has multi coloured plumage throughout, while the female, as in other pheasants, is more subdued in colour. Notable features in the male include a long, metallic green crest, coppery feathers on the back and neck, and a prominent white rump that is most visible when the bird is in flight. The tail feathers of the male are uniformly rufous, becoming darker towards the tips, whereas the lower tail coverts of females are white, barred with black and red.

Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) Female ©WikiC

The female has a prominent white patch on the throat and a white strip on the tail. The first-year male and the juvenile resemble the female, but the first-year male is larger and the juvenile is less distinctly marked.

Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) ©Arthur Grosset

The Himalayan monal’s native range extends from Afghanistan and Pakistan through the Himalayas in India, Nepal, southern Tibet, and Bhutan.[1] In Pakistan, it is most common in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and has also been recorded in Kaghan, Palas Valley, and Azad Kashmir.[3] It lives in upper temperate oak-conifer forests interspersed with open grassy slopes, cliffs and alpine meadows between 2400 and 4500 meters, where it is most common between 2700 and 3700 meters. It descends to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in the winter. It tolerates snow and digs through it to obtain plant roots and invertebrate prey.

GALLIFORMES – Fowl, Quail, Guans, Currasows, Megapodes

Phasianidae – Pheasants & Allies

Artistic Work In Birds – Introduction

Wordless Birds

Artistic Birds – Galliformes Order I

by

0

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) WikiC

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) WikiC

As mentioned, these “Artistic Birds” will be presented in “sort of” the Taxonomic Order. The first few orders do not have any particularly “artistic” birds. They were mostly created to blend in with their environment. Most likely for protection. These first Orders are:

But when we arrive at the Galliformes Order, the Creator’s Artistically Colorful Hand appears on many of these birds. There are five families in this Order.

[Clicking on these links have many photos of those in the families. Scientific and English links are identical.]

Megapodiidae ~~~ (English) – Megapodes – Not very colorful
(Scientific) –Cracidae ~~~ (English) – Chachalacas, Curassows & Guans – This group has fancy “hairdos” and throat pouches

Bare-faced Curassow (Crax fasciolata) Female ©WikiC

Bare-faced Curassow (Crax fasciolata) ©BirdPhotos

Bare-faced Curassow (Crax fasciolata) ©BirdPhotos

(Scientific) – Numididae ~~~ (English) – Guineafowl – Crested Guineafowl is the only one of note.

Crested Guineafowl (Guttera pucherani) ©WikiC

(Scientific) – Odontophoridae ~~~ (English) – New World Quail – Quails have artistic markings that help them blend in for protection. My favorite that shows an Artistic design is the Gambel’s Quail with this “painted” lines and that fancy feather.

Gambel's Quail (Callipepla gambelii) ©WikiC

Gambel’s Quail (Callipepla gambelii) ©WikiC

(Scientific) – Phasianidae ~~~ (English) – Pheasants, Fowl & Allies – This family is loaded with Artistic Birds, so, today here is just one of the beauties. More posts will present more of the Lord’s Hand at work in the design of these birds. What a Creator!

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) Male ©© NotMicroButSoft

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) Male ©© NotMicroButSoft

It is native to forests in mountainous areas of western China, but feral populations have been established in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.[3] In England they may be found in East Anglia in the dense forest landscape of the Breckland as well as Tresco on the Isles of Scilly.

Golden Pheasant Magnolia Plantation by Lee Charleston 2014

The adult male is 90–105 cm (35–41 in) in length, its tail accounting for two-thirds of the total length. It is unmistakable with its golden crest and rump and bright red body. The deep orange “cape” can be spread in display, appearing as an alternating black and orange fan that covers all of the face except its bright yellow eye with a pinpoint black pupil.

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) ©WikiC

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) ©WikiC

“to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship.” (Exodus 35:32-33 NKJV) [These were workers that were given special gifts to work on the tabernacle. Wonder if any of them had seen “artistic birds” to help them visualize what their works?]

Click this link to see a full photo of this bird. When it comes up, click it again. Wow!

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) Walking ©WikiC

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) Walking ©WikiC

GALLIFORMES – Fowl, Quail, Guans, Currasows, Megapodes

Artistic Work In Birds – Introduction

Artistic Birds – Frigatebirds

Wordless Birds

Artistic Birds – Frigatebirds

by

2

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) Male ©WikiC

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) Male ©WikiC

Bezalel was given much wisdom and understanding to help in the construction of the Tabernacle. He then was given the ability to train others to help. They were given abilities to help do the work also. Today, as Christians, we each are given talents and gifts to help in building the Church. Are we using those abilities?

“and He has filled him [Bezalel] with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship. “And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works.” (Exodus 35:31-35 NKJV)

When the Lord created the birds, He especially used His Ultimate Creative Ability. As mentioned in the Introduction to this new series, Artistic Work In Birds, we will looking for those birds which seem to have been painted/designed with great markings and other characteristics.

Frigatebirds

Frigatebirds (also listed as “frigate bird”, “frigate-bird”, “frigate”, “frigate-petrel”) are a family of seabirds called Fregatidae which are found across all tropical and subtropical oceans. The five extant species are classified in a single genus, Fregata. All have predominantly black plumage, long, deeply forked tails and long hooked bills. Females have white underbellies and males have a distinctive red gular pouch, which they inflate during the breeding season to attract females. Their wings are long and pointed and can span up to 2.3 metres (7.5 ft), the largest wing area to body weight ratio of any bird.

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor palmerstoni) Female by Ian

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor palmerstoni) Female by Ian

Able to soar for weeks on wind currents, frigatebirds spend most of the day in flight hunting for food, and roost on trees or cliffs at night. Their main prey are fish and squid, caught when chased to the water surface by large predators such as tuna.

Now that is design and engineering! The Great and Magnificent Frigatebirds have a distinctive red gular pouch, and it had a few paint strokes added to make it more attractive. [I guess]

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) Male Displaying ©WikiC

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) ©WikiC

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) ©WikiC

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) ©WikiC

Starting off with a simple bird, also, will be working way through the birds sort of in Taxonomic order.

Frigatebirds – Wikipedia

Artistic Work In Birds – Introduction

Wages or a Gift

Artistic Work In Birds – Introduction

by

2

MaCaw by Dan at Gatorland

MaCaw by Dan at Gatorland

While reading through the New King James Bible in Exodus, the word “Artistic” works and “Artist” designs appears thirteen times. In the King James Version, this word is translated “Cunning” or “Curious.” Other versions; NASB uses “skillful”and “inventive”; the ESV uses “skillfully or skilled” “artistic”; the AMP uses “skillfully or skilled” and “artistic designs.”

The verses are all referring to preparing the tabernacle. Many people gave supplies that were needed, but God gave those that were actually putting it together, special wisdom and gifts/talent to accomplish the different task.

“And God has put in Bezalel’s heart that he may teach, both he and Aholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with wisdom of heart and ability to do all manner of craftsmanship, of the engraver, of the skillful workman, of the embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet [stuff] and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of those who do or design any skilled work.” (Exodus 35:34-35 AMP)

As I read these passages:

Exodus 28:25, 31:4, 35:32, 35:33, 35:35, 36:8, 36:35, 39:3, 39:8, 39:27,

the birds and their fantastic designs came to mind. How many birds that I have seen personally, or photos of that look like they were artistically designed? Many of them fascinate me. It looks like the Lord, in His Creation of these avian wonders, used a paintbrush as the colors and designs were added to the birds. I am sure a few also come to your memory also.

My first thought was of the Blue Jays that come to our yard frequently.

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) by Daves BirdingPix

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) by Daves BirdingPix

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) ©Flickr Stan Lupo

That is just a start. I would consider the Blue Jay “artistically designed. Wouldn’t You? How about that MaCaw?

Stay Tuned as a search through the Birds of the World seeks to see “Artistically” designed birds.

Birds of the World

Wordless Birds