Bird of the Week

Bird 64 – Budgerigar

The time has come to take on a bird that nearly everyone has had some interaction with. The world’s most popular pet (bird), the Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus)

On top of being the world’s most popular pet (bird), they’re also the world’s smallest parrot, that of the order Psittaciformes.

These pint-sized parrots live mostly in the dry interior of Australia, where they gather in large flocks.

If the flocks get big enough they can become murmurations. A murmuration is a kind of flocking behaviour, where birds form together to fly in a coordinated and mesmerising way, swooping and rolling in the sky. The behaviour is more generally associated with Starlings, but budgies can murmur too.

Now, like many people I owned some budgies over the years. The best ones I ever had though were the three I shared with a friend when we were housemates. Their names: Giorgio Armani, Coco Chanel and Lord Lamington. We wanted Coco and Giorgio to be friends, but they hated each other. Well really, Coco just didn’t like other birds, she was always super territorial. And Lamington, oh Lamington was the happiest budgie you ever met. She jumped about the cage all day getting up in the other budgies’ faces. We always felt the other two … tolerated Lamington.

What a time.

Oh also, all wild budgies are green. Only domestic ones have been bred into other colours.

But I think most importantly, the budgie is best known for being smuggled, by such distinguished people as our former Prime Minister.

Drink it in people, you know you love it!

17/02/2019

Bird 63 – Tufted Coquette

I want to lift the veil on what goes on behind the scenes at Bird of the Week. You see, I keep a list of potential birds to feature, and from that list I loosely plan out which birds to do about five or so weeks in advance. But every so often I stumble across a bird so worthy of a week that I have to drop everything. This week is one such week.

Behold, the Tufted Coquette (Lophornis ornatus)

This bird has it all. I hardly know where to start. It is a hummingbird (Order Apodiformes), and as it’s been a long time since we’ve featured a hummer (see Bird of the Week 09), let me lay down some facts to get ya’ll up to speed on these amazing flappers:

Because of their unique wings, which can generate lift on both the forward and back stroke, hummers are the only birds able to hover, fly backwards or upside down.
Their metabolism is so high they have to constantly eat or die of starvation. It’s so bad that to sleep they have to go into a coma-like state called a torpor to conserve energy.
At top speed a hummer can flap its wings 100 times per second, and their hearts can beat 20 times per second.
Hummers can’t walk. The bones in their legs are fused together; all they can do is perch and shuffle awkwardly.
Hummers also have super memories. They can remember the location of every flower in their territory and how long it’s been since they last visited it. It’s a kind of episodic memory that until recently was believed only humans possessed.

And that’s just what every hummer can do. The Tufted, though, the Tufted!… The names says it all, check out those tufts.

That is a bird with literal flares. And a crest!

Tufted Coquette photo - Margaret Sloan photos at pbase.com

And its a coquette to boot. Look at that little bird, such a tease. I see you there, acting all coy, hiding behind your flowers, flitting around like the dirty flirt you are. You’re so fabulous, and don’t you know it.

Truly this bird was already amazing and just took it to the next level. The other hummers are like, this guy is a bit over the top. But you know what, this hummer is embracing the joy and colour of life, it’s putting on one hell of a show and it just wants to make you happy. And you’ve done it, little friend.

Keep being you.

10/02/2019

Bird 62 – Long-tailed Duck

Now we all know there are Fancy Pigeons. But my dear friends, did you also know there are fancy ducks. There are many, many, many fancy ducks, and today I would like to introduce you to one.

The Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemails)

In maybe an unsurprising move, this duck is renown for it’s long tail.

They’re not your normal pond duck, in fact they live mainly on the sea in the high north. A place where having a long tail is indisputably advantageous for reasons that are too obvious and numerous to point out. Appropriately enough, their Latin name means, to resound of winter, which is pretty cool. (No pun intended.)

They like to splash around in the water, generally having a good time, and who can blame them. I know what you all come here for: splashing action, and I’ve got the goods.

Really, this is a duck who’s beauty and grace speaks for itself.

BBC Radio 4 - Tweet of the Day, Long-tailed Duck

Until next week, this has been Bird of the Week.

03/02/2019

Bird 61 – Kereru

Here’s a question, what’s the best bird to feature for the Australia Day long weekend?

Is it the New Zealand Bird of the Year for 2018? I think it is.

Now, obviously this isn’t a competition we at Bird of the Week acknowledge or endorse, #Californiaquail4ever.

Having said that, if New Zealand wants to crown a pigeon as the winner of their maverick competition then you know they’ve got my full support (see Bird of the Week 06, 24, 32, 34, 40, 41, 48 and 51). So let’s get into it.

The Kereru (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae), naturally belongs to the same order as all other pigeons, the Columbiformes.

And, like all pigeons, it’s especially handsome, what with its iridescent head and white body. The name Kereru come from the classic coo-ing noise associated with pigeons, you know the one I’m talking about.

However, what this bird is particularly famous for is binge eating fermented fruit, getting so drunk it falls out of trees,

and has to nap it off on the ground.

It’s a serious problem guys, their parents are super concerned. Poor little Kereru got lead astray by those older birds, and now it’s made a real mess of things. It’ll never get into bird university at this rate.

Nah, don’t worry, there’s no bird university. I made that up.

But seriously, that is one party bird.

You do you, Kereru, you do you.

28/01/2019

Bird 60 – Leach’s Storm Petrel

The other day I was reading about the science of life extension, because who doesn’t want to live forever, am I right? For those of you not up on the state of play, there is a little thing at the end of our chromosomes called a telomere, which protects the genetic material when cells divide. But, each time a cell divides the telomere gets a little shorter. Basically a cell can only divide so many times until its telmoere is used up and the chromosome starts taking damage, which then manifests itself as signs of ageing, and oh my God, when are you going to shut up and tell me about birds?

Let’s take a little looky-loo at Leach’s Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa), of the order Procellariiforme, which includes albatrosses and shearwaters.

They’re quite a sweet little bird of the ocean. Quite small, only about 20cm in size. There also a lot of fun mythology concerning Storm Petrel’s. First up, the word Petrel is a corruption of the name Peter, in this case a reference to St Peter. So named, because when they take off they run along the water, looking like they’re walking on walker, not unlike the aforementioned saint was said to do so. In fact, the genus name, Oceanodroma literally means, Ocean-runner.

Image result for leach's storm petrel ocean run

As for the Storm part, well these birds have long been associated with storms, because of their habit of hiding a ship’s lee (which is like their slipstream) during a storm to protect themselves from high winds. Actually, their habit of turning up during storms led sailors to call them Mother Carey’s Chickens, mother Carey being a mythical witch who was said to cause storms.

Here she is being all witchy and whatnot with her chickens (petrels):

Image result for mother carey's chickens

As for the Leach part … I guess there was some person called Leach somewhere who got to name this bird, I dunno…

But the interesting thing about this Storm Petrel is that it is surprisingly long lived for a bird of its size. Average life span is 20 years, oldest recorded is 36. Now, the reason people suspect they live so long is because, to date, they are the only known animal who’s telmoeres don’t shorten with age, they do the opposite, they grow longer. The facts aren’t all in, but does little Leach’s Storm Petrel hold a clue to life extension, even, dare we hope, immortality? I like to think birds hold all the answers to all the questions in the universe, so I reckon the chances are nearly 100% that, yes, yes they do. Watch this space.

20/01/2019

Bird 59 – Northern Gannet

This week’s bird is brought to you by the American Poet, Mary Oliver (1935-2019)*.

The Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus).

I am watching the white gannets

blaze down into the water

with the power of blunt spear and a stunning accuracy–

even though the sea is riled and boiling

and gray with fog

and the fish

are nowhere to be seen,

they fall, they explode into the water

like white gloves,

then they vanish,

then climb out again,

from the cliff of the wave,

like white flowers–

and still I think

that nothing in this world moves

but as a positive power–

even the fish, finning down into the current

or collapsing

in the red purse of the beak,

are only interrupted from their own pursuit

of whatever it is that fills their bellies–

and I say:

life is real,

but death is an impostor,

and if I could be what once I was,

like the wolf or the bear

standing on the cold shore,

I would still see it–

how the fish simply escape, this time,

or how they slide down into a black fire

for a moment,

then rise from the water inseparable

from the gannets’ wings.

13/01/2019

*Mary Oliver has always been one of my favourite poets. Rather ironically and sadly, she died 4 days after this edition. For the other Bird of the Week that honours her, see Bird 95 – Black Vulture.

Bird 58 – Black Kite

So I decided this year we need to enhance the birds. And what’s the one thing that enhances everything? That’s right: FIRE!!

I want you to meet the Black Kite (Milvus migrans), of the order Accipitriformes (birds of prey). And just from the name, Black Kite, you know it’s going to be ominous … or like, the final scene of Marry Poppins, I guess it depends on which word you focus on.

They’re a medium sized, hawk-like bird found in Australia, Africa, Europe and Asia.

Like all birds of prey, they’re great at murder. They got the talons, and they got the beak for shredding and tearing. They do what most other Raptors do: ride and glide on thermal currents while they hunt for prey. But theses fine feathered friends are into something a little extra: FIRE!! So much so that Indigenous Australians called them Firehawks.

They are attracted by the sight of smoke and flame (aren’t we all) and will fly in front of forest fires to swoop down on any small animals attempting to escape. Talk about jumping out of the fire into the kite, as the old saying goes.

But they do so much more than just follow fire. They actively start fires. They are known to pick up smouldering sticks and carry them for up to a kilometre, where they will drop them in the hope of starting a new fire front, which will lead to a fresh killing frenzy. Isn’t that sweet.

Image result for fire hawk frenzy — Frenzzzzzzzzzyyyyyyyyy!!

Just look at that sweet little face. You know it’s plotting to burn your house down.

This has been a Bird of the Week PSA reminder that birds will kill you.

06/01/2019

Bird of the Year – 2018

It may be holiday time, but birds never sleep (they sometimes do, true fact). And given this will be the final bird for 2018 it’s time for a Bird of the Week retrospective. That’s right, it’s a clip episode, woooo!!!

The first bird of 2018 was, as it so rightly should have been, a pigeon: your friend and mine, the Rock Dove.

Say what you want, that is one handsome bird.

We had some great pigeons this year, particularly from the crazy world of Fancy Pigeons. BAM:

I tell you what, the discovery of Fancy Pigeons was a true game changer for me. They’re just so God damn fancy, I can’t even.

We also had the Bleeding-heart Pigeon,

and maybe everyone’s favourite pigeon, the Nicobar Pigeon.

I still can’t get over its neck tassels.

But it wasn’t all pigeons, (oh if only). No, no, we had low brow humour too. The Cock-of-the-rock,

The Blue Tit,

These … things …

And of course, there was a bit of death too. My favourite being the Seagull that kills whales.

But the time has come to crown this year’s Bird of the Year. And in a move that will surprise no one who knows me, this year’s Bird of the Year is of course the one, the only, the incomparable California Quail.

People who have been with me since the start will say, hey, but wasn’t that the Bird of the Year last year? To which I say, what bird has suddenly popped into existence in the last 12 months that’s better than the California Quail? That’s what I though, think before you ask silly questions.

I mean, just look at it, and tell me it isn’t the perfect bird.

Enough said.

And now I sign off on 2018, but worry not, 2019 will be just as full of birds as ever. Until next week, this has been and will remain, Bird of the Week.

30/12/2018

Bird 57 – Red-legged Partridge

Ah, the eve of Christmas eve, what a time of the year. And what an opportunity to get to the bottom of a strange little fowl that has long been associated with the season.

The question on everyone’s mind: just what exactly is a Partridge, and why their fascination with pear trees? Well, first things first. There are many species of Partridge, which are a small, quail-like fowl from the order Galliformes, which, as we all recall, is the Chicken and Turkey family. But we want the specific one from the song. It’s hard to know for sure, but the song appears to have originated in France, so I’m going to guess the French Partridge is as a good a candidate as any, which is more properly referred to as the:

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa).

It must be said, they’re a cute little ball of feathers.

But here’s the thing: the Partridge doesn’t nest in trees, nor does it really enjoy flying. It just doesn’t like heights, okay. It’s its secret shame, what bird would fear flying?

This raises questions – why in the song, does the partridge appear in a pear tree? How would it even get up there? It ain’t flying, that’s for sure.

Pretty sure that’s a photo shoot set up there. That Partridge is like, ‘I do not belong here.’ Unless it’s Phil again, such a maverick that Phil.

Well, as with most things in English, it’s believed the source of the pear tree may come from a corruption of the French word for partridge, ‘une perdrix’. The reason why it’s called a perdrix in France actually comes from Greek mythology. Perdrix was a nephew of Daedalus, he of the wax wings, who was a jealous man that could bear to have no rival. Perdrix proved himself to be an apt inventor in his own right, so one day Daedalus took it upon himself to remove a potential rival by pushing him off a tower. But at the last moment Perdix was saved by Athena who transformed him into a bird – which became the first Partridge. And this is apparently the reason why Partridge don’t like heights, too many bad memories, poor little fellas.

So the next time you’re eating partridge at Christmas (do people actually do that?) just stop and pay it some respect, that bird was touch by the divine … and was also apparently once a man.

Merry Partridge Birthday ya’ll.

23/12/2018

Bird 56 – Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher

The time has come for me to introduced you to The King. The Kingfisher, that is. Not to be confused with the 1991 comedy-drama, The Fisher King starring Robin Williams and Jeffery Bridges. Nor to be confused with the King of Fish, Poseidon, who is himself not be confused with the illegitimate claims of Neptune. That’s Roman propaganda, circulated to destabilise the ocean realms, and if you buy into that, than there really is no way forward for this planet and we might as well kiss goodbye to those ocean vents now.

No, the Fisher King that I want to talk about is — in a shock twist — the bird. There are some 114 species of Kingfisher, belonging to the order Coraciiformes. The one you’ll be most familiar with is the Kookaburra, sometimes know as the Laughing Jackass, for reasons that are too obvious and numerous to point out. But the Kookaburra evolved along lines that have taken it away from water, and I want to talk about fishing, so let’s save the old jester for another day, and instead talk about the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca). Why did I pick this one? Not going to lie, I thought it was one of the prettiest.

Do yourself a favour and check out that plumage.

Image result for oriental dwarf kingfisher

We do love a bird that knows how to rock some colours. Its got yellow and pink in a combo, for God sake. And look at its wee stubby tail!! So adorable.

And can they fish? You bet your bottom dollar they can fish.

And not just fish. They can also crab,

lizard,

and frog.

They’re quite effective at making other things not live, so that they can live.

And as mentioned last week, they are the other bird upon which the design of Japan’s bullet trains are based. You’ll note their distinctive beak. It has evolved to minimise any splashing when they dive into water. When trying different designs for the bullet train, they actually made a series of literal bullets with different nose designs and fired them in wind tunnels to measure the turbulence. The bullet with the least amount of turbulence? The one closest to that of the Kingfisher. And now we have this:

Once again, birds point the way forward to our new glorious future. All hail the birds!

16/12/2018