Nightingale - National Bird of Croatia And Iran

Nightingale is a songbird, better known for its mellifluous voice and timid nature. This elusive and romantic bird is believed to be the long distant migrant kin of Robin.The night songstress, as the bird is usually referred to, is small in size and brown colored, with red rufous tail.

Interesting & Amazing facts about Nightingale are:

1. This bird is not easy to find, because of its reticent nature, but it can be heard singing at all times of the day.
2. It is a small species of bird thought to be formally members of the thrush family.
3. The nightingale is often mistaken for the robin, as the nightingale is about the same size and the female robin is very similar in appearance to the nightingale.
4. It is a morning bird and can often be heard singing it's loud song at dawn.
5. Its strong and varied song, with high-pitched notes, has been regarded for centuries, throughout Europe and Asia, as the most beautiful of all bird songs.
6. The nightingale was named due to the fact that the nightingale is often heard singing during the night as well as during the day. 
7. Nightingales are omnivorous birds and feed on a mixture of fruits, seeds, insects and nuts. Nightingales have many predators in their natural environment mainly due to their small size.
8. Predators of the nightingale include mammals such as rats, foxes and cats and reptiles like large lizards and snakes. Nightingales are also hunted by large birds of prey.
9. Nightingales travel vast distances every year in order to migrate between the north and the south.
10. The name nightingale means night songstress. Only unpaired males sing regularly at night, and nocturnal song is likely to serve attracting a mate.
11. A male nightingale usually stops singing when his eggs are hatched, to avoid attracting unnecessary attention on his nest. However, he does give little chirps to keep his female counterpart aware of their safety or any approaching danger.
12. This bird could produce two notes. This extensive repertoire is usually fragmented into “whistle” songs and “non-whistle-songs”
13. Both sexes of this bird are similar.
14. They tend to prefer low-lying, dense woodland during the spring. In winter, they can be found in dry, bush savanna. They generally feed close to the ground on invertebrates and berries. When not mating, they are usually found alone.
15. The color of this bird’s egg is deep olive. It usually lays five to six eggs at a time.
16. The nest of a nightingale is as unique as the bird itself. It is usually cup shaped, deep, and neatly lined with fibrous roots, but the whole thing is so loosely constructed that even a very slight touch can disturb its beautiful arrangement.

White-cheeked Turaco - National Bird of Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire)

White-cheeked Turaco, Tauraco leucotis, is a bird of great character. All turacos are natives of Africa with the White-cheeked Turaco being found in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Interesting & Amazing facts about White-cheeked Turaco are:

1. The White-cheeked Turaco (Tauraco leucotis) is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family.
2. They have rounded blue-black crest with hairlike feathering which is elongated and slicked back.
3. A bright orange-red bill has a sharply down curved tip to the upper mandible.
4. The base of the bill is greyish-green, but is unseen because of forward-facing loral feathers.
5. Breeding behavior begins with increased vocalization and chasing from tree to tree.
6. White crescent that blazes down the neck be the feature for which it is known as white cheeked turaco.
7. Its call sounds somewhat like a wild monkey.
8. It is a turaco that is found in humid forests.
9. This bird eats a diet of mainly fruit and plants. Occasionally, they also eat insects.
10. The average white-cheeked turaco is approximately 43 centimetres (cm) long and weighs between 200 and 315 grams.
11. They are found in central and South Africa, in countries such as Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan.
12. It has gained popularity for its excited, dynamic behavior and attractive appearance, coupled with an affordable price for captive-bred specimens.
13. They have strong feet and can rotate their fourth toe either forward or backward to get a better grip on their perch.
14. Chicks of this bird have claws on their wings, a strange (for a bird) and evocative anatomical feature that almost seems to recall their ancient cousin, Archaeopteryx.
15. This handsome and energetic African bird is a popular pet.
16. They use their long tails for balance and their feet are very good at gripping. In fact, their fourth toe can rotate forward or backward in order to have a better grip on their perch.
17. When faced with danger, they sit very still and fly away at the last minute with power flaps, revealing the crimson color under their wings.
18. They are monogamous in breeding. During courtship, the male turaco will feed the female.
19. These turacos live in flocks of up to 12 individuals. They are shy and prefer to perch out of sight.

Clay Colored Thrush - National Bird of Costa Rica

The Clay-colored Thrush (Turdus grayi) is a common Middle American bird of the thrush family (Turdidae). It is the national bird of Costa Rica, where it is well known as the yigüirro. It was known as the Clay-colored Robin until 2010.

Interesting and Amazing facts about Clay-colored Thrush are:

1. In Panama, this species elects to breed in the dry season, despite limited food availability, presumably because the danger from predation is less.
2. It will follow army ants to feed on small prey disturbed by the ant columns.
3. With their springtime songs, Clay-colored Thrush are said to call in the rains at the start of Costa Rica's rainy season which begins in May.
4. A group of robins are collectively known as a "worm" of robins.
5. This species' range spans from southern Texas to northern Columbia, and is found along the Atlantic slope between these two areas.
6. They are very common in urban areas, including yards and gardens.
7. It is large thrush with olive-brown upperparts, buff throat has faint brown streaks, and pale brown underparts.
8. This bird’s bill is yellow-green with black-tipped and legs & feet are gray-black.
9. It is the national bird of Costa Rica.
10. Both sexes are similar.
11. Juvenile has light spots on upperwing coverts.
12. They laid two to four pale blue eggs dotted with brown, gray; in a cup nest made of mud, grass, and twigs, and built low in a tree or shrub.
13. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female.
14. They eat insects, caterpillars, and some berries and fruits; occasionally takes snails, small amphibians, and reptiles.
15. Calling song of this bird is a slow, long, and caroling of various musical phrases such as "cheerily-cheer-up-cheerio."

Andean Condor - National Bird of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador.

The Andean Condor belongs to a group of birds known as Vultures. They have a very long wing span. This type of bird has many myths surrounding it. In some cultures it is a well-respected bird. In others though this bird is a sign of evil and it should be avoided at all costs.

Interesting & Amazing Facts about Andean Condor are:

1. The male Andean Condor is one of the largest flying birds.
2. Andean Condors may kill some living prey, whereas the California Condor never kills living prey.
3. The Andean Condor is the only New World vulture to show differences between males and females. The male has a large comb and wattle that is absent in the females.
4. The scientific name comes from the Latin words vultur and vello, meaning to pluck or tear and refers to its feeding habits and gryphus means a griffon and refers to the hooked bill.
5. The common name refers to the bird’s range in the Andes Mountains.
6. This vulture is very large and the body is filled out with large black feathers.
7. They have gray and white on the tips of them.
8. The front of the body is also going to have light brown and white under the head. The head is very small and black with a yellow beak.
9. The Andean Condor lives in the Andes mountains. It is also found along the Pacific coast of South America.
10. They tend to nest very high on ledges that make it very hard for predators to reach them.
11. The coloring on the head of the Andean Condor can change based on the mood of the bird.
12. They are very intelligent and calculating.
13. They are scavengers so they won’t be finding food sources to kill. Instead, they take every opportunity that they can to consume the remains of what has died.
14. They are very selective when it comes to mating.
15. The parents do take care of their young very well.
16. This bird is National bird of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador.

Grand Cayman Parrot - National Bird of Cayman Islands

The Cuban Amazon Parrot or Caribbean Amazon Parrot originates from Cuba , hence its name. In Cuba, it is referred to as "Loro o Cotorra de Cuba." It also occurs on nearby islands - on the Bahamas (north of Cuba), where it is known as Bahama / Abaco Parrot; on Cayman Islands (south of Cuba), where it is known as Grand Cayman Parrot and Cayman Brac Parrot.

Interesting & Amazing facts about Grand Cayman Parrot are:

1. The Cuban Amazon is a medium-sized parrot 28–33 centimeters (11–13 in) long.
2. It is found in woodlands and dry forests of Cuba, the Bahamas and Cayman Islands in the Caribbean.
3. The Cuban Amazon feeds on a number of fruits and seeds including the fruits of palm trees and West Indian mahogany seeds.
4. Their breeding season is from March to September.
5. They lay two to six white eggs in a clutch.
6. Their eggs are incubated by the female for 26 to 28 days.
7. The male assumes responsibility for feeding the brooding female.
8. The hatchlings are blind with only little down. They are completely dependent on parental care. Their eyes open when they are about 2 - 3 weeks old.
9. The parents feed them regurgitated (predigested) food and brood them to keep them warm.
10. In the winter Cuban Amazons gather in flocks, and disperse into pairs during the breeding season.
11. The Cuban Amazon is mainly green with some blue feathers on its wings.
12. Their chin, throat and lower face are pinkish.
13. Its forehead and eye rings are white.
14. Its beak is horn-coloured.
15. Their feathers over the ears are blackish.
16. There is very little difference in the coloration and/or size between males and females.
17. The Cuban Amazon is considered one of the more difficult-to-breed Amazon Parrots due to the fact that captive males commonly display aggressive behavior towards their mates and chicks.
18. They are sometimes a nuisance to local farmers.
19. Caribbean Amazon Parrots are very noisy, especially when they occur in flocks.
20. Their calls are described as loud shrieks, whistles, screeches and some trumpet-like sounds. In flight, they utter harsh squawk-squawk sounds.
21. The Cuban Amazon is also known as Cuban Parrot or the Rose-throated Parrot or White–headed Amazon Parrot.
22. Other common names of the Cuban Amazon include Bahamas parrot, Carribean Amazon, White-headed Amazon/parrot.
23. The Cuban Amazon is currently considered to form superspecies with the Yellow-billed Amazon / Jamaican Amazon (Amazona collaria) and the Hispaniolan Parrot (Amazona ventralis), and all may be conspecific.
24. This species is listed with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (C.I.T.E.S.).
25. They are also listed as an endangered species on the United States Fish & Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Endangered Species List.

Egyptian Plover

order : Charadriiformes      Genus & Species : Glareolidae     Family : Pluvianus aegyptius

The Egyptian plover is the sole species in the genus Pluvianus. A spirited bird that adds a splash of color to villages and farmland, the Egyptian plover also fascinates with its clever use of sun, sand and water when rearing its young. Slightly hunched in appearance on the ground, the Egyptian plover reveals its stunning plumage and pointed wings in flight.They found across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia; found mostly north of the equator, but extends to Angola in the southern tropics; populations in Egypt have become extinct. 

Habitat : The plover inhabits the edges of several of the great rivers of Africa, including the Nile, Congo and Niger. But its habitat needs mean that it is found only on certain stretches. The plover favors sandbars, which break the surface where rivers run wide and shallow. It also favors slow-flowing waters moving through lowland scrub or lightly wooded savannah. After the breeding season, when many sandbars disappear under floodwater, the plover may be found in a broader range of wetland sites, including the gravel shores of freshwater lakes. It dislikes densely forested riverbanks, and is rarely seen on saltwater estuaries. The plover often frequents riverside villages, from which it may venture into nearby cultivated fields. 
Food & Feeding : With its quick-stepping gait, the Egyptian plover resembles a windup toy as it races across the ground in pursuit of insects. Short sprints are punctuated by halts and sudden changes of direction. Spiders, beetles and other scurrying invertebrates are captured in this way, and some flying insects are also caught after a chase. The bird also creeps up on flies resting on the ground until they are within striking distance of its bill. Most hunting takes place on exposed sand or gravel, either in rivers or along their banks. The plover also forages by wading into shallow water and pulling out any prey that it can reach without submerging its head. The Egyptian plover unearths worms, mollusks, subterranean insects and their larvae by probing with its bill in damp sand or by digging into the surface with both feet. It can even lift pieces of driftwood and overturn stones of almost its own weight. The plover drinks from streams and lakes. Occasionally, it seeks food away from water, moving to open ground. 
Behavior : The Egyptian plover is one of the tamest of birds, living happily alongside villagers and behaving with indifference toward fishermen. Whether its fearlessness lives up to its alternative name of crocodile-bird is open to debate. As long ago as the fifth century BC, the Greek historian Herodotus spoke of a small bird entering the open jaws of basking crocodiles to remove leeches from their mouths. Reports of this behavior have persisted ever since. As yet, there remains no proof of it, although the plover is remarkably bold in the presence of crocodiles and may run across their backs. This brave bird is equally undaunted by birds of prey. It chases and even attacks black kites, which are more than three times its size. Its pugnacious nature extends to its own species during the breeding season, but at other times of the year the plover is more social, forming flocks of up to 60. 
Breeding : No other bird has breeding habits quite like those of the Egyptian plover. It nests during the dry season, when river levels are low enough to expose banks of sand in midstream. On its chosen sandbar, it scrapes out a hollow in which to lay its eggs. At night, the clutch is incubated with body heat by one of the parents, but shortly after dawn the sitting bird rises, covers the eggs with sand, and leaves them unattended. By mid-morning, with the sun threatening to overheat the nest, the parents cool the sand with water ferried in their belly plumage, and continue to dampen the nest until late afternoon. The chicks can run an hour after hatching. When a predator approaches, they nestle down and stay still while their parents cover them with sand. 

Bill : The short bill is strong enough to probe among gravel and larger stones in search of food. 
Plumage : At close range, a green gloss can be seen on the black feathers of the head, back and breast band. The sexes are alike. 
Feet : The absence of a hind toe is an adaptation for life on the ground, enabling unimpeded movement when the bird runs across soft sand on its three forward pointing toes. 
In Flight : The wings are noticeably broad at the base, giving them an almost elliptical appearance, accentuated by the black-and-white pattern. 

Weight : 2.5–3 oz. 
Length : 7.5-8.4"
Wingspan : 19-20"
Sexual Maturity : 1 year
Breeding Season : Varis with location 

Outside the breeding season, the Egyptian plover may join flocks of the spur-winged lapwing, Vanellus spinosus, a member of the plover family.

Sacred Ibis

order : Ciconiiformes      Genus & Species : Threskiornithidae     Family : Threskiornis aethiopicus

The sacred ibis is a familiar sight across much of Africa. Its adaptability and varied diet ensure that it is common throughout its range. Long legs, a naked neck and a saberlike bill enable the sacred ibis to hunt in water and on land for many kinds of prey. They found in most of sub-Saharan Africa and in the marshes of southeastern Iraq; two subspecies also occur, one on Aldabra Island and the other in western Madagascar.

Habitat : Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, the sacred ibis breeds around wetlands but is otherwise found wherever there is suitable food, including cultivated fields, and even sewage plants or garbage dumps near human dwellings. The sacred ibis is migratory and often spends the dry season well over 100 miles from the lagoons and lake margins where it breeds.
Food & Hunting : The sacred ibis has a wide, varied diet consisting mainly of insects, but it also eats crabs, snails, worms, fish, frogs, lizards and small mammals. The sacred ibis takes eggs and nestlings from other bird species; it also eats carrion and is often the first to arrive after a grassland fire to feast on burnt animal carcasses. Feeding among slow-moving groups of anything between 3–300 birds, the sacred ibis picks food from the ground, probes soil and extracts insects from cracks in rocks or mud with its long, curved bill. As well as feeding on open land, the sacred ibis frequently forages in marshes and watering holes. Sometimes it scythes through the water like the closely related spoonbills, with its bill slightly open — ready to snap up anything it touches.
Behavior : A sociable bird, the sacred ibis usually travels and feeds in flocks of between 2–20 birds, although it may be found in larger concentrations feeding on abundant prey. Its breeding colonies can number up to 2,000 pairs, in trees often shared with other ibises, storks and herons. The sacred ibis feeds mainly in the early morning and at dusk. It rests in trees during the day, often with its beak agape to keep cool. When it is not foraging or resting, the bird is usually preening or bathing in shallow water, stretching out its neck while vigorously beating the water with its wings.
Breeding : Breeding usually starts during or just after the rainy season. Populations return to the same crowded colonies year after year, and pairs form quickly. Once a pair has chosen a site, usually in the branches of a thorny tree, the female builds the nest from sticks and grass that the male collects. She lays 2–5 eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs and also share the feeding duties once the eggs have hatched. The chicks thrust their heads into the adults’ open bills in order to stimulate adults to regurgitate food. The survival rate for sacred ibis chicks is low, and it is very rare that more than one chick leaves the nest alive. Those that survive continue to be fed by their parents until they are fully fledged.

Bill : The heavy, curved bill is the thickest of any ibis species. The‑nostrils are located at the base of the bill to prevent them from becoming blocked when the bird forages in mud.
Plumes : A bird below 2 years old has brownish tail plumes. Black, ornamental tail plumes develop with the onset of maturity, becoming especially fluffy among breeding adults.
Feet : The sacred ibis uses its feet for wading and perching. The long toes give the bird stability as it roosts and nests in trees.
Chick : Upon hatching, the chick has visible claws on its wings and a relatively straight bill. As it grows, feathers cover the wing claws, and the bill slow.

Weight : About 3 lbs.
Length : 26-35"
Wingspan : 3.4-4'
Breeding Season : Rainy season; also during dry season in marshes

The Ancient Egyptians considered the sacred ibis to be the earthly symbol of Thoth, the god of writing and wisdom. Accordingly, live ibises were kept in temples and later buried with pharaohs. The mummified bodies of 1.5 million sacred ibises were discovered in Ancient Egyptian catacombs.

Giant Ibis - National Bird of Cambodia

The giant ibis is critically endangered with just a tiny declining population as a result of habitat loss, hunting, disturbance and lowland deforestation. Nowadays, isolated breeding populations only persist in Cambodia’s Preah Vihear and Mondulkiri province where, with a bit of luck, giant ibis can be encountered at the dry forest’s many watering holes within the Eastern Plains Landscape.

Interesting & Amazing facts about Giant Ibis are:

1. This ibis has recently been declared Cambodia's national bird, and conservation efforts are crucial to its protection.
2. This is the only species in the monotypic genus Thaumatibis, and  a wading bird of the ibis family named Threskiornithidae.
3. This is a lowland bird that occurs in marshes, swamps, lakes, wide rivers, flooded plains and semi-open forests as well as pools, ponds and seasonal water-meadows in denser deciduous forest.
4. This huge ibis has a large repeated, loud, ringing call sounding like ‘a-leurk a-leurk’, mainly at dawn and dusk.
5. The adult is dark with a naked, grey head and upper neck.
6. There are dark bands across the back of the head and shoulder area and the pale silvery-grey wing tips also have black crossbars.
7. The beak is yellowish-brown, the legs are orange, and the eyes are dark red.
8. Juveniles have short black feathers on the back of the head down to the neck with shorter bills and brown eyes.
9. Earthworm taken from their mounds in wet grasslands appears to be an important food source for nesting ibises of this species.
10. The Giant Ibis is general territory and may remain with a family group throughout the year. However, in the dry season, when they are not nesting, groups of up to 7 individuals, sometimes likely unrelated, have been observed feeding together.
11. It eats aquatic invertebrates, eels, crustaceans and small amphibians and reptiles. Insects such as locusts and cicadas are eaten regularly when abundant and seeds occasionally supplement the diet.
12. The Giant Ibis has official protection from conservationists in both Laos and Cambodia. 

Bald Eagle Photo Album

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), is the only eagle unique to North America. Its scientific name signifies a sea (halo) eagle (aeetos) with a white (leukos) head. At one time, the word "bald" meant "white," not hairless. 

Here some Amazing photographs of Bald Eagle:

Mourning Dove - National Bird of British Virgin Islands

The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is a member of the dove family (Columbidae). The bird is also called the Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds.

Interesting & Amazing facts about Mourning Dove are:

1. It has a graceful, slender-tail, small-head.
2. They are light grey and brown and generally muted in color.
3. Males and females are similar in appearance.
4. They’re delicate brown to buffy-tan overall, with black spots on the wings and black-bordered white tips to the tail feathers.
5. They fly fast on powerful wing beats, sometimes making sudden ascents, descents, and dodges, their pointed tails stretching behind them.
6. During the breeding season, three Mourning Doves (two male and one female) flying in tight formation, one after another.
7. They feed busily on the ground, swallowing seeds and storing them in an enlargement of the esophagus called the crop.
8. They can drink brackish spring water (up to almost half the salinity of sea water) without becoming dehydrated the way humans would.
9. Their head rests between their shoulders at the time of sleep.
10. They lay two eggs and takes two weeks for incubation.
11. Males and females work together to feed their new babies something called “crop milk” or “pigeon milk” for the first few days of their life.
12. They are considered closely related to the late, lamented passenger pigeons.
13. They also have another name in French “Tourterelle triste” and in Spanish “Huilota”.
14. It is a national bird of British Virgin Islands.

Lilac-breasted Roller - National Bird of Botswana and Kenya

The Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) is a member of the roller family of birds. And, is a heavy billed, beautifully coloured bird with a green head, lilac throat and breast, a blue belly and even brighter blue wing feathers. Both sexes have the same colouration.

Interesting & Amazing facts about Lilac-breasted Roller are:

1. It is the national bird of Botswana and Kenya.
2. The species is found throughout Eastern and Southern Africa.
3. The birds live in open woodland and savannah country, bushy game lands, and areas with well-spaced trees.
4. All rollers, including the lilac breasted rollers, are highly territorial. They are also thought to be monogamous.
5. The species makes their nests in tree holes, as well as in termite mounds.
6. They may also make use of unoccupied or abandoned woodpecker or kingfisher's nest holes.
7. Both males and females incubate the 2 - 4 eggs which are laid.
8. It has large green head, the short neck with short greenish yellow legs and small feet.
9. They has whitish chin, shading to rich lilac of the breast and greenish blue underparts.
10. They have black bill and brown eyes.
11. It has large wings and strong flight.
12. The Lilac Breasted Roller feeds on grasshoppers, beetles, occasionally lizards, crabs, and small amphibians. They take prey from the ground.
13. Rollers get their name from their impressive courtship flight, a fast, shallow dive from considerable elevation with a rolling or fast rocking motion, accompanied by loud raucous calls.
14. They actually breed 'on the wing'. They live in pairs or small groups, but are often seen alone.
15. Their call is a loud harsh squawk, 'zaaak'.
16. They are partly migratory, but in some areas they are sedentary.
17. To feed they swoop down from an elevated perch next to their prey and eat it on the ground or return to a perch where they batter it before swallowing it whole.

Common Raven - National Bird of Bhutan

The Common Raven (Corvus corax), also known as the Northern Raven, is a large, all-black pas-serine bird. They are among the smartest of all birds, gaining a reputation for solving ever more complicated problems invented by ever more creative scientists. These big, sooty birds thrive among humans and in the back of beyond, stretching across the sky on easy, flowing wing beats and filling the empty spaces with an echoing croak.

Interesting & Amazing fact about Common Raven are:

1. It is the largest bird of the crow family.
2. They are capable of aerial stunts similar to those executed by the birds of prey. 
3. Like in many other birds, when a raven is on a branch, the feet's muscles and tendons constrict automatically the toes, so that the birds waste little energy on this. 
4. Ravens live from deserts to coniferous forests and coastal cliffs. In forests, they nest in stick-made nests on trees, on deserts in rock cavities.
5. Young birds are fond of playing games with sticks, repeatedly dropping them, and then diving to catch them in midair.
6. They are smart, which makes them dangerous predators. They sometimes work in pairs to raid seabird colonies, with one bird distracting an incubating adult and the other waiting to grab an egg or chick as soon as it’s uncovered.
7. Common Ravens can mimic the calls of other bird species. When raised in captivity, they can even imitate human words; one Common Raven raised from birth was taught to mimic the word “nevermore.”
8. Call of this bird can be express tenderness, happiness, surprise, emotion or rage.
9. These birds are considered as most intelligent birds, due to having high learning ability and use of logic for solving real life problems.
10. Raven put other animals to do task for them intelligently.
11. They feed on fruits, seeds, nuts, fish, carrion, small animals, food remains and garbage. They even dig on snow to inspect plastic bags with waste.
12. Ravens are known to steal the food of many birds and mammals, even from dogs. They can act in pairs: one individual captures dog's attention, while the other steals its food.
13. They coexist with humans for thousands of years due to their omnivorous diet.
14. Males bring some sticks to the nest, but most of the building is done by females. 

Bermuda Petrel - National Bird of Bermuda

The Bermuda Petrel, Commonly known in Bermuda as the Cahow, a name derived from its eerie cries. It is ground-nesting seabird and national bird of Bermuda. It is a symbol of hope for nature conservation because it is in endangered rating due to drastic declines in the population of this species. 

Interesting & Amazing Facts about Bermuda Petrel are:

1. A group of petrels are collectively known as a "gallon" and a "tank" of petrels.
2. This bird has gray-brown upperparts shading to black on rump and white underparts except for dusky sides of upper breast.
3. Tail has white band.
4. It has white face and forehead with Black-brown cap goes to eyes.
5. In flight shows black-gray upperwings, white underwings with black margins, tips.
6. Frightened sailors formerly named Bermuda the ‘Isles of Devils’ after hearing the bird’s haunting nocturnal mating calls.
7. Nothing is known of its range at sea, it may wander to the offshore waters of the southern Atlantic states.
8. The Bermuda Petrel is native to Bermuda.
9. It has similar in appearance to the Black-capped Petrel which occurs regularly in water off of North Carolina.
10. They take food with their bill from the water surface.
11. They do not follow boats.
12. Incubation ranges from 51 to 54 days and is carried out by both sexes.
13. It was thought extinct for 330 years. 

Keel Billed Toucan - National Bird of Belize

The Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus), also known as Sulfur-breasted Toucan or Rainbow-billed Toucan, is a colorful Latin American member of the toucan family. It is the national bird of Belize.

Interesting & Amazing Fact about Keel-Billed Toucan are:

1. The toucan's beak appears quite heavy, but is actually light. It is hollow, made of the protein keratin with thin rods of bone to support it – similar in consistency to a hard sponge.
2. Its tongue is like a feather that is used to catch food and flick it down its throat.
3. Although scientists have yet to discover the exact function of such a large bill, they believe it may play an important role in the courtship display and as a defensive weapon.
4. When toucans sleep, they turn their head so that their long bill rests on their back and their tail is folded over their head. The bird becomes a ball of feathers.
5. The keel-billed toucan is the national bird of Belize, or "bill bird" as it is known locally.
6. In its native region, toucans are associated with evil spirits and are thought to be the incarnation of a demon.
7. In certain religions of South and Central America, the father of a new child must not eat toucan flesh as it might bewitch the newborn and cause it to fade away.
8. The toucan can also be a tribal totem and the medicine man can use it as an incarnation to fly to the spirit world.
9. The toucan is a poor flyer, moving from tree to tree mostly by hopping.
10. Toucans have a loud frog like call that can be heard up to a half mile away in the jungle!
11. The keel billed toucan has a diet that primarily consists of large quantities of different varieties of fruit and berries.  And also feasts on bird eggs, insects, lizards, and tree frogs should the keel billed toucan feel puckish and in the absence of fruit.
12. A female keel billed toucan lays between 1 and 5 eggs in a hollow tree, which usually hatch within a few weeks.
13. Both the male and female keel billed toucan incubate the eggs and both keel billed toucan parents also feed and look after their keel billed toucan chicks until they are old enough and strong enough to fend for themselves.
14. Large birds of prey and humans are the keel billed toucan's main predators. However, many other animal species prey on the eggs of the keel billed toucan such as other birds, weasels, snakes and the occasional monkey.
15. They play with berries like snowball fight and also known as playful bird.

Victoria Crown Pigeon

order : Columbiformes      Genus & Species : Columbidae     Family : Goura victoria

The azure feathers of the Victoria crowned pigeon fan out along its head, making it one of the most spectacular tropical birds in the forest.Traveling in small flocks, the colorful Victoria crowned pigeon makes a dazzling sight as the birds search their forest habitat for food that has fallen from the trees.They found in north New Guinea from the Siriwo River to Astrolobe Bay; also in Yapen and Biak Islands in Geelvink Bay as well as Japan (Jobi) Island and Bink Island, where it may have been introduced. 

Habitat : The Victoria crowned pigeon lives in the lush rain forests, which are rich in fruit trees for the birds to feed on.The pigeon also occupies muddy lowland flats in swamps and sago palm forests, as well as drier forest in the tropics of New Guinea. Some populations have been found in the Jimi Valley, at elevations between 1,500–2,300'. This sedentary bird nests close to rivers and swamps where vegetation is dense, and in virgin forests, far away from the crush of human civilization.
Food & Feeding : Feeding mainly on fallen fruits, berries and seeds, the crowned pigeon often forages on the forest floor in groups of 2–10.The pigeon scoops up fruits and berries and will crack the seeds with its sharp, hooked beak. Unlike other birds, pigeons immerse their bill in water and are then able to swallow without raising their heads.
Behavior : Little is known of the habits of the three species of crowned pigeons, other than what has been observed in zoos and among collectors of the birds. The Victoria crowned pigeon travels in small groups that spend most of their day searching for fallen fruits and berries; the pigeon remains near its food source and perches on branches. After preening its feathers, the pigeon bathes in pools of water among the fallen leaves of the forest. Virtually defenseless against hunters and feather collectors, the pigeon flies noisily up into the trees when alarmed or disturbed.
Breeding : The loud, booming call of the male Victoria crowned pigeon resounds throughout the rain forest during the bird’s fall breeding season. He also displays his feathery, colorful crest to the female by nodding his lowered head. Continuing with the elaborate courtship ritual, the male makes his unique call as he fans his tail up and down vigorously. The female pigeon responds by spreading her wings and raising them up as she runs alongside the male with slightly bent legs, hissing along the way. Before mating, the male and female crowned pigeon will preen each other carefully while perched on the fork of a tree branch. The breeding pair builds its nest up to 50' above the ground, usually in a rain forest tree.The nest is a neat, solid, compact mass of tightly woven palm leaves, sticks and stems, in which the female lays one large white egg. Both parents will take turns incubating the single egg for approximately 30 days. Once the lone chick hatches, the parents feed it crop milk; this nutritious food is produced by both sexes in the crop, which is an extension of the esophagus. The thick milk has the same consistency as cottage cheese. Fed on this milk, the young crowned pigeon grows fast. In fact, by 4 weeks the chick is ready to fly from the nest. However, the young bird is still fed by the protective parents until it is about 13 weeks old. 

Bill : The pigeon uses its sharp, hooked bill to crack open seeds; the bird can also immerse its bill in water and swallow without raising its head.
Feet & Legs : Legs have a tough skin with a tiled effect. Three toes on the front and one in the back enable the bird to climb trees or grip perches.
Plumage : The pigeon’s colorful plumage is gray-blue with a purplish-red breast; the wing is blue with a purple edge.
Crest Feathers : The white-tipped crest feathers are long, with slightly separated barbs at the ends, giving them a lacy appearance. Feathers are composed of mostly dead cells, like the hair of humans.
In Flight : Though heavy, the crowned pigeon is a strong flier. It remains close to the ground, but will fly high up into the trees when alarmed.

Weight : Up to 6 lbs.
Length : 23-29"
Sexual Maturity : 17 months
Breeding Season : August– September

The Victoria crowned pigeon apparently has no natural predators in the forest other than man, who hunts the colorfully plumed pigeon for its beautiful feathers and meat, which is considered quite a delicacy by some cultures.