Heron (Boat-billed)

Like night-herons but unlike most other heron species, Boat-billed Herons have short, thick necks, very large eyes, massive but relatively short beaks, and they are nocturnal (thus the oversize eyes). Boat-bills are even more strictly nocturnal than night herons.

The Boat-billed Heron communications is different from regular herons by its vocal and mechanical sounds such as bill-pops that sound like handclaps. This is different from the visual gesturing that other herons do. Also, it mainly eats alone by flying from the common roost to individual feeding areas. Once in a while, it will feed in groups.

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Hornbill (Von der Decken's)

The Von der Decken's hornbill measures approximately 17-20 inches and has mainly white plumage on its body with black wings and a tail. The male has a red and ivory two-tone bill. The female has a black bill. Neither the male nor the female have a hollow outgrowth casque on their bill

During incubation, the female lays two or three white eggs in a tree hole, which is blocked off with a cement made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, just big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks.

When the chicks and the female are too big to fit in the nest, the mother breaks out and rebuilds the wall, then both parents feed the chicks.

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Stork (Marabou)

Marabou Stork with its balding, scabby head and pendulous pink air sac may appear to be one of the ugliest creatures in the world. A large male Marabou Stork, standing up to 4.5 feet tall and weighing nearly 20 lbs, is one of the largest flying birds in the world. Their wingspan approaches 6 feet.

The Marabou Stork is found throughout most of tropical Africa. They prefer dry open savannahs near large lakes or rivers.

Marabou Storks will eat just about any kind of animal, dead or alive. Marabous evolved their naked heads and necks as an adaptation for feeding on large animal carcasses without getting their head feathers soiled with blood and gore.

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Peafowl (White)

Besides the India Blue, whites are the most well-known peafowl type to non-enthusiasts. Contrary to popular belief, whites are not albinos, because their eyes are blue, not pink.

It is speculated there may be a few white peafowl bred naturally in India. White was one of the first variations to be discovered and made popular, and has been around for many years.

The Indian Peafowl is a resident breeder in eastern Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. The peacock is the national bird of India. The species is found in dry semi-desert grasslands, scrub and deciduous forests. It forages and nests on the ground but roosts on top of trees. It eats mainly seeds, but also some insects, fruits and reptiles.
  

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Peafowl (Indian Blue)

The name "Peacock" is the name of the male Peafowl the more colourful as to the female known as the peahen.

The India Blue peafowl are native to India, and are the peafowl from which the Black-shouldered and White peafowl have mutated.

During breeding season, the Blue peacock's displayed, rustling train is a fascinating sight. He spreads his train to attract the peahen, although she may sometimes not even notice.

In contrast to the beautiful colors of the Blue peacock, the Blue peahen lacks bright coloration, which helps conceal her from predators when she is allowed to incubate her own eggs.

 
1, 5, 6 Photographed at Discovery Cove, Orlando, FL
2, 3, 4 Photographed at Toronto Zoo, Toronto, ON

Partridge (Mountain Bamboo)

Mountain Bamboo Partridges of the Himalayas are small ground birds with a short black beak, short rounded wings, and a short tail.  They are approximately 14 inches tall.

When Mountain Bamboo Partridges are threatened, they prefer to run away.  If necessary, they fly with short, strong bursts, usually only for a few feet. They are rarely found far from water.  Their voice is a “loud ringing cackle” that repeats two notes over and over. 

 

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Red-crowned Parrot

It is also known as the Red-crowned Amazon, Green-cheeked Amazon, and Mexican Red-headed Parrot. The color of the crown and forehead is a deep scarlet. The cheeks are an iridescent light green and there is blue lilac color behind the eyes. [see Military Macaw for similar colour]

Some are talkers, but others are often better at mimicking sounds. Though not as good a talker as many other amazons, they make up for it by being very affectionate and playful.

The current native wild population of between 1,000 and 2,000 is decreasing. The main threats to its survival are the illegal export of trapped birds from Mexico to the USA, and the destruction of habitat.

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Bustard (Kori)

 The Kori Bustard is mostly grey in color, with a black crest on its head and yellow legs. Kori Bustards are often found with bee-eaters riding on their backs as they stride through the grass.

The bee-eaters make the most of their walking perch by hawking insects from the bustard's back that are disturbed by the bustard's wandering.

This is a large and heavy bird, and it avoids flying if possible. It spends most of its time on the ground, foraging for the seeds and lizards which make up most of its diet.

It has no preen gland , which is used by other birds to secrete waterproofing oil, nor does it have a hind toe, which is used for perching in trees. This demonstrates that the Kori bustard is well designed for ground dwelling.

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Hornbill (Greater Indian)

The Great Hornbill also known as Greater Indian Hornbill is long-lived, living for nearly 50 years in captivity. The most prominent feature of the hornbill is the bright yellow and black casque on top of its massive bill. The casque is hollow and serves no known purpose.

This fellow has a broken casque, close up below

Approximately 60 hornbills are currently held in the US, and lesser numbers in other countries. While housing them and accommodating their diet holds little challenge, breeding them is notoriously difficult with fewer than a dozen successful attempts.

In captivity hornbills eat fruits and meat and a healthy diet is made up in most part, by fruit and some source of protein. A few have been tamed in captivity but hornbill behaviour in captivity is described as high-strung. Captive specimens may bask in the sun with outstretched wings

 

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Flamingo (Chilean)

Chilean flamingos stand four to five feet tall and can weigh anywhere from 13-16 pounds. Flamingos will lock their “knees” (which are really their ankles) and stand on one leg.  Standing in this manner helps them to conserve heat. 

They typically will stand facing into the wind or rain so that the water does not get into their feathers.  They have an excellent sense of hearing, but a very poor sense of smell. 

Their beaks are straight at birth so that they can be fed by regurgitation from their parents.  After a few months the beak curves.  They grow in their adult plumage after about two years. 

photographed at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas and at Reid Zoo in Tucson, AZ)

Pochard (Red-crested)

male

A Pochard is a diving duck and found mainly in southern and eastern England. The adult male is unmistakable. It has a rounded orange head, red bill and black breast. They feed mainly by diving or dabbling. They eat aquatic plants, and typically upend for food more than most diving ducks.

female

Red-crested Pochard builds a nest by the lakeside among vegetation and lays 8-12 pale green eggs. These Pochards were found in the Reid Zoo in Tucson, swimming and sharing their waterways with Mallards.

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Pigeon (Blue crowned)

Native to New Guinea and are found from sea level up to 600 meters in elevation. The blue-crowned pigeon is the largest species of pigeon in the world and it is also one of the most beautiful.  These lovely blue-grey birds approach the size of a small turkey.

With alluring blue feathers and a deep purple patch across the shoulders, males and females look similar.  Males are often larger than females.  The finishing touches to this bird are the mask of dark blue feathers extending from the slender bill through the red eye, and the fan-like crest of lacy light blue feathers on top of the small head

Groups of two to ten birds forage on the forest floor and flush into the tree tops when alarmed.
 

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Dove (Bleeding Heart)

One look at the striking red patch on this dove's breast, that resembles a deep bleeding wound,  you can see how the species get its name.

This shy bird spends most of its time on the forest floor searching for seeds, berries, insects and other invertebrates. When disturbed, it usually flies only a short distance, lands, then finishes its escape on foot.

The bleeding heart dove builds its nest three or more feet off the ground. Both the male and female take turns sitting on the eggs.

They only live in the tropical rain forests in the Philippines and are held in captivity in various zoos around the world at present to prevent their extinction.

Photographed at the Reid Zoo in Tucson, AZ

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is a large white parrot. It has a dark grey-black bill, a distinctive sulphur-yellow crest and a yellow wash on the underside of the wings. Sexes are similar, although the female can be separated at close range by its red-brown eye (darker brown in the male). This is a noisy and conspicuous cockatoo, both at rest and in flight. Young Sulphur-crested Cockatoos resemble the adults.

One of Australia's most popular and iconic birds, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, has been known to live up to eighty years of age in captivity. (Tucson, AZ)

Heron (Black-crowned Night)

Black-crowned Night-Herons do not fit the typical body form of the heron family. They are relatively stocky with shorter bills, legs and necks than their more familiar cousins the egrets and "day" herons.

Their resting posture is normally somewhat hunched but when hunting they extend their necks and look more like other wading birds.

Adult Black-crowned Night-Herons have black caps and backs, pale grey wings, white under parts, red eyes and yellow legs. Two or three long white plumes, erected in greeting and courtship displays, extend from the back of the head.

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ
and in the wild in Etobicoke, ON
and at Black River, Jamaica