Post a Bird Thread!

[Somamech]

I'll get the ball rolling with a grand specimen I witnessed during a recent hike to Mt Buffalo in the State of Victoria, Australia.  The Lyre Birds are very hard to see in Nature according to what I have read due to their elusive nature, along with what is obviously an undeniable fact that their nature has witnessed carnage.

With all that said they are very pretty to see in the wild.  I saw one run full steam ahead on a track I was hiking along away from me then to only spread it's tail feather's in full fan to slow down enough in an instant to head off into the forest.  Wonderful sight. 

Here are some video's and information on the little feathered critter:

The Lyre Bird:

A lyrebird is either of two species of ground-dwelling Australian birds, that form the genus, Menura, and the family Menuridae. They are most notable for their superb ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment. As well as their extraordinary mimicking ability, lyrebirds are notable because of the striking beauty of the male bird's huge tail when it is fanned out in display; and also because of their courtship display. Lyrebirds have unique plumes of neutral-coloured tailfeathers and are among Australia's best-known native birds.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyrebird


Vidoes of their Amazing Vocal Skill's which make that Guy from the Police Academy Movie's seem like an Amateur 

Amazing! Bird sounds from the lyre bird - David Attenborough - BBC wildlife





Amazing Lyre bird sounds




Superb Lyrebird imitating construction work - Adelaide Zoo This video has to be about my fave as birdy talks human and say's " How Ya Doin" LOL

[Norval]

My favorite "bird", , ,, ,


, , ,, It's such a shame yah cant see which finger Im holding up, , ,


Sorry, , I just couldn't help myself, , , , 

[zorgon]

So why is that finger called "Flippin da bird" anyway?


Black swan feeding Koi fish

[Somamech]

My favorite "bird", , ,, ,


, , ,, It's such a shame yah cant see which finger Im holding up, , ,


Sorry, , I just couldn't help myself, , , , 

I saw you other hand winding that bird up Norv

[Somamech]

Those Swans feeding Koi are amazing 

[space otter]

ah soma.. you is for the birds, huh...

I hafta say my fascination is with the barred owl.. it started back in 1999 when I was searching for the location to put my labyrinth
I dowsed and meditated and finally made a decision and I ask to see an owl in the daylight as a sign I was correct..the very next morning in the daylight ..there sat a huge bird on one of the fence posts...I stood and stared in awe at the size of it...and wondered what kind of bird it was..I thought an owl  from the lack of neck visible and it lifted off the post and flew across my line of vision so I had a good view..
it was my daylight owl..WOW
being me I had to do more research.. it was a barred owl and the more I learn the more I am enamored of this magnificent creature
now listen to the last three calls on the info below..and if you did not know your critters..what would you think those sounds were???
bigfoot maybe...lol









Uploaded on Apr 24, 2007
Incredible barred owl hooting, spring courtship vocalizations "Who-cooks-for-you" calls. Filmed in the boreal forest, northern Alberta, Canada. www.andrewmanske.com Barred owl hooting. Owl hoots and vocals calls; Florida, Georgia, Louisiana Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, South Carolina, Virginia, New York



................................

http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Strix&species=varia



Barred Owl - Strix varia

Also known as Hoot Owl


species-Strix-varia-1 species-
Strix-varia-2 species-Strix-varia-3 species-Strix-varia-4 species-Strix-varia-5 species-Strix-varia-6

More Barred Owl (Strix varia) Photos >>



Calls ...sorry I can't move the sound to here you'll have to go to the link to hear them

http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Strix&species=varia


Strix varia Typical call East Texas, USA.  © Kevin Rawson
Shortened typical call, male Oregon, USA.  © Kristian Skybak
Alarm call Oregon, USA.  © Kristian Skybak
Series calls  © J. W. Tetlow
Juvenile Oregon, USA.  © Kristian Skybak
More Strix varia Sounds >> 

Introduction: The Barred Owl is a medium-sized grey-brown owl with a large, rounded head with no ear-tufts, and streaked with white horizontal barring on the chest and vertical barring on the belly. In Latin, varia is a form of the word varius, meaning diverse. It has also been known as Northern Barred Owl, Swamp Owl, Striped Owl, Hoot Owl, Eight Hooter, Round-headed Owl, Le Chat-huant du Nord (French for "The Hooting Cat of the North"), Wood Owl, and Rain Owl. It is also mistakenly known as a Bard Owl.

[For help with terms used in the description, see parts of an owl. For general characteristics common to most owl species, see owl physiology.]

Description: The facial disc is pale greyish-brown with darker concentric lines. The rim is not very prominent. Eyes are dark brown to blackish-brown. The cere is pale horn, the bill pale yellowish with a slight greenish tint. The sides of the head and neck are barred light and dark. The upperparts are brown to greyish-brown, scalloped with whitish bars on the crown, back and mantle. Wing-coverts are spotted whitish. Flight feathers are barred whitish-buff and brown. The tail is brown or greyish-brown with 4-5 whitish bars.
Underparts are pale greyish-brown to dirty whitish. The upper breast and foreneck are densely barred light and dark. The rest of the underparts are boldly streaked dark to rufous-brown.
Tarsi are feathered, and toes are almost totally feathered, the bare parts being yellowish-grey. Claws are dark horn with blackish tips.

Size: Length 40-63 cm. Wingspan 96-125cm. Tail length 312-380mm. Weight 500-1050g. Females are normally larger and heavier than males.

Habits: A nocturnal bird. Hides in dense foliage during the day, usually high up. May also roost on a branch close to a broad tree-trunk, or in a natural tree hole. May be very aggressive when defending a nest.

Voice: The Barred Owl is a highly vocal Owl giving a loud and resounding "hoo, hoo, too-HOO; hoo, hoo, too-HOO, ooo" which is often phrased as "Who, cooks, for-you? Who, cooks, for-you, all?" - The last syllable drops off noticeably. Like some other Owl species, they will call in the daytime as well as at night. The calls are often heard in a series of eight, then silence, when the Owl listens for a reply from other Owls. Other calls include "hoo-hoo, hoo-WAAAHH" and "hoo-WAAAHHH" used in courtship. Mates will duet, but the male's voice is deeper and mellower. Many other vocalisations are made which range from a short yelp or bark to a frenzied and raucous monkey-like squall.

Hunting & Food: A very opportunistic hunter, a Barred Owl can sometimes be seen hunting before dark. This typically occurs during the nesting season or on dark and cloudy days. A Barred Owl will use a perch, from where it dives upon its prey - meadow voles are its main prey, followed by shrews and deer mice. Other mammals include rats, squirrels, young rabbits, bats, moles, opossums, mink, and weasels. Birds are taken occasionally, including woodpeckers, grouse, quail, jays, blackbirds, and pigeons. They also eats small fish, turtles, frogs, snakes, lizards, crayfish, scorpions, beetles, crickets, and grasshoppers. Birds are taken as they settle into nocturnal roosts, because they cannot catch birds on the wing. They will also swoop down to the water's edge to catch frogs, other amphibians, and occasionally fish. Barred Owls are attracted to campfires and lights where they forage for large insects. Prey is usually devoured on the spot. Larger prey is carried to a feeding perch and torn apart before eating.

Breeding: Barred Owls call year-round but courtship activities begin in February with breeding occurring between March and August. Males hoot and females give contact calls. As the nesting season approaches, males chase after females giving a variety of hooting and screeching calls. Males display by swaying back and forth, and raising their wings, while sidling along a branch. Courtship feeding and mutual preening also occur. Barred Owls nest in cavities and will also use abandoned Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Squirrel, or Crow nests. Eggs number 2-4 and are white, and almost perfectly round, with a slightly rough texture. They are likely laid every 2 to 3 days and incubation begins with the first egg laid. Incubation period is 28-33 days. The Male brings food to the female while she is on the nest. The Barred Owl is single-brooded but has a long breeding season, which allows for laying of replacement clutches if the first clutch or brood is lost. When the young leave the nest, at about 4 weeks, they are not able to fly, but crawl out of the nest using their beak and talons to sit on branches. They  fledge at 35 to 40 days. Once they lose their down, there is no difference between adult and juvenile plumage.
Parents care for the young for at least 4 months, much longer than most other Owls. Young tend to disperse very short distances, usually less than 10km, before settling. Pairs mate for life and territories and nest sites are maintained for many years.

Mortality: Barred Owls have been known to live up to 32 years in captivity and 10 years or more in the wild. Most deaths are likely to be related to man (shootings, roadkills etc). Great Horned Owls are their only natural enemy.

Habitat: Barred Owls prefer deep moist forests, wooded swamps, and woodlands near waterways. Territories are 85-365 hectares.

Distribution: The Barred Owl is widespread in North America, they occur across most of the eastern half of the continent from Florida northward to southern Canada; they are also spreading westward in the north of their range. Their spread westward is causing concern as they may compete with the endangered Spotted Owl Strix occidentalis. Northern populations may be partially migratory depending on food resources.

Distribution of Barred Owl - Strix varia
Distribution of the Barred Owl Strix varia

Status: Not threatened.

Original Description: Barton, Benjamin Smith. 1799. Fragment of the Natural History of Pennsylvania, p. 11.

Subspecies: S. v. varia, S. v. georgica, S. v. helveola, S. v. sartorii



probably too much info.. as usual..sigh

[Somamech]

Hey Otter thanks for link to the Sounds

Not only for birds Otter..all critters.  Simple Science really, no critter's no hoomans LOL

[zorgon]

Not only for birds Otter..all critters.  Simple Science really, no critter's no hoomans LOL

I had started one for critters 

HERE
http://www.thelivingmoon.com/forum/index.php?topic=7685.0

[space otter]

hey Soma

I was thinking of you yesterday.. did ya hear me laugh....

as I walk to the mail box I am always looking up.. at the trees and roofs..
and as I looked at our roof  I thought there were rabbit tracks in the snow up there

yeah that's what I said.. rabbit tracks on the roof in the snow..

I got the binoculars and not the camera..sorry

but yep that's what they were..
from the peak  down and to the overhang and then back up

must have been some bird that caught the rabbit and couldn't hold on to him
I walked around the house looking to see if that silly rabbit jumped..
but couldn't find anything

so I think the bird got him after all

just thought you would enjoy hearing about it