Bird of the Week

Bird 25 – Farfetch’d

This is one I know a lot of people have been waiting for.

Bird of the Week today presents our Pokémon edition. Because I know you all want to be the very best, like no one ever was. To catch them is your quest, to train them is your cause.

Birds abound in the Pokémon world, but today it’s all about the duck, Farfetch’d.

Special of course for having a name that includes an apostrophe. Let’s consult the pokedex:

“Farfetch’d is always seen with a stalk from a plant of some sort. Apparently, there are good stalks and bad stalks. This Pokémon has been known to fight with others over stalks.”

I also understand the stalk is used for nest building, and fighting. I think it looks a bit like a spring onion or something of the such, which seems considerate, because if you wanted to cook him, there’s already some garnish ready to go. Supposedly one of the rarer Pokémons, I think it gets overlooked because, well, it’s just a duck. He may not have the electrical charge, the water jets, the weird plant things, but he has really determined eyebrows, so you know it’s hungry for victory… or is evil.

Look at that determination. You know that duck is getting things done.

After all, you got to catch em all. It’s me and you, I know it’s my destiny, Pokémon. Woooooooooo you’re my best friend, in a world we must defend. Pokémon Ohhh a heart so true, our courage will pull us through, Pokémon. You teach me and I’ll teach you PO-KE-MON!

I realise this edition is mostly me singing to Pokémon theme song. We might go more serious next week, or descend further into silliness. I mean, really, who can say what will happen?

14/05/2018

Bird 24 – Fancy Pigeons

Now we come to probably the most important Bird of the Week we’ve ever done.

I know we’ve covered the Pigeon before, (see Bird of the Week 06). But it’s time you all came to realise that, sure, we have normal Pigeons … but there are Fancy Pigeons, and let me tell you, they are fancy.

The only way I can properly let you know about this is by sharing a text message exchange I had over the weekend when and friend and I discovered they existed.

Me: Gasp! fancy pigeons?

Them: Look at it with its glamour and drama

M: So needless ostentatious

M: Gees, image google search fancy pigeons. So fancy!!!!

T: OMG, they’re wearing little fur opera coats.

M: I KNOW

T: WHY DO THEY EVEN

M: I’m losing my shit.

M: It’s like the French aristocracy, if it was a bird.

M: Does … does this one have a perm? Why pigeon, why are you so fancy?

T: Why are there so many photos of them? HOW DO THEY EXIST? WHAT IS HAPPENING

M: Like, it’s a legitimate thing. The people need to know, there are pigeons, and they are fancy.

M: check it out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fancy_pigeon

T: WHAT? IT IS LITERALLY A THING. The real question is, how are we only discovering this now? I think we found our calling.

M: Oh my God. The people who do it are called pigeon fanciers. Can we be that? Seriously, drop everything. New priority.

T: PRIORITIES. It would be glorious. It’s a 10,000 year old profession.

M: Then they have this type.

M: Why would you want your pigeon to look like that?

T: I feel like no. It has like, five necks

M: It’s more neck than bird.

T: WABAM, I am Russian aristocracy.

M: Dang that is fancy. I’d name that one Anastasia.

T: She knows she is, you can see it.

M: This is totally going to be Bird of the Week. The people need to know, there are pigeons, and they are fancy. And the Romanovs aren’t dead, they all just turned into pigeons.

And so it came to pass that this did indeed become Bird of the Week.

So now you know, Fancy Pigeons are a thing. We love selectively breeding animals to make them freaks of nature, and oh man, did we ever do it to pigeons. They’re. Just. So. Fancy!

07/05/2018

Bird 23 – Andean Cock-of-the-rock

It was only ever a matter of time until we got to a bird with the most ridiculous name of all.

This week, Bird of the Week is proud to present, The Cock-of-the-rock.

Bam!

Bird of the South American Cloud forests. They are arrogant, oh man don’t even get me started. Check out the plumage though.

It’s powerful red (sometimes also orange). And the crest action they got going on. They have no interest in camouflage, because they’re too busy being gaudy.

But the greatest mystery of all is where is the rock that they are supposedly the cock of?

Nah, I’m joking, they nest on rocky cliffs.

As is usually the case in the bird world, the females are less impressive.

Are they the Hen-of-the-rock? No, they are also cocks, so … I guess that’s just how they roll. Also, the females make the nests and look after the young all by themselves, so the Cock-of-the-rock is rather cockish in more ways than one.

Until the next bird flies the coop.

30/04/2018

Bird 22 – Oilbird

Here we go, once again Bird of the Week has homed its way into your inbox.

Today we’re talking about Oilbirds. And I’m not talking about birds that get caught in oil spills (although maybe we should). I’m talking about these guys:

Oilbirds. Check its cute little whiskers. They’re a South American bird, so called because they dine on the fruits of the oil palm.

So what’s special about this bird, I hear you ask? Stop being so pushy, I’ll get around to that. First, we have to look at a picture of it being smug.

So smug. But why are they smug? Well, these birds are nocturnal. Through the day they hang out in caves (sometimes on rock ledges) and at night they go for a fly. Much like a bat.

And much like a bat, Oilbirds are one of the only species of birds that use echolocation to find their way in the dark. They make high-pitched clicking noises that are audible to humans. And like little submarines of the sky, they find their way to the sweet sweet palm fruit. And that is why they are smug. Such a smug bird, but you got to love them.

Until the next flock descends, this has been Bird of the Week.

23/04/2018

Bird 21 – Welcome Swallow

Bird of the Week is back in your inbox, bringing twigs and leaves and generally making a mess.

Today it’s the fighter jet of the bird word: the Swallow.

There are many species of swallow throughout the world, and you can more or less find them everywhere. They are both super cute, and super agile.

They evolved to catch and eat all their prey on the wing. They make fun little mud nests in under cover shelters.

Much like our friend the Pigeon, they’re a species that does really well with people, using our structures as places to make nests. So much so, that there are some species that no longer nest in their former natural habitat. They can be a bit on the messy side, but are tolerated and even encouraged to nest by some farmers because of their tendency to eat pests.

While there may be a lot of Swallows out there, the one you’re maybe most likely to see is the Welcome Swallow, quite common to many regions of the Australian east coast.

Once whilst walking across a field I was stalked by a Swallow for a good ten minutes. I realised that as I walked I was disturbing a bunch of little insects that were flying up into the air. The Swallow then follow behind catching them, we made a good team.

Good Bird to you.

16/04/2018

Bird 20 – Kea

And we’re back in New Zealand, those Kiwis, can’t keep away from them.

Except we aren’t doing the Kiwi, got to keep away from those ones, you know.

Today, it is the Kea. Another zany parrot, kind of looks like the Kakapo, except this guy can fly.

They are the world’s only alpine parrot. They’re also super smart and are good at solving problems. However, like many birds that get the smarty-pants, they are very inquisitive and often cause a lot of damage to property because gosh darn it, they’re just trying to have a proper look, and can you back off while they chew on the thing, thank you. They are both a delight and nuisance, as they will steal almost anything.

People often encounter them on the ski slopes, like this handsome boy.

They’re also quite good at eating, and are one of the few parrots that eats meats, and have been known to hunt and attack things as big as a sheep. Well just look at the size of that beak … don’t let them fool you, if given half a chance a Kea would kill you and everyone you know.

09/04/2018

Bird 19 – Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Today’s bird of the week is a little different. Technically it’s a Cockatoo.

But not just any Cockatoo, it’s the cockatoo featured in the painting, An Experiment on a Bird in an Air Pump (1768), by Joseph Wright of Derby.

It doesn’t much look like a cockatoo, but I’m assured it is.

The painting portrays an old experiment where a bird was placed in a vacuum flask, from which the air was removed to show that living things needed oxygen to survive. In these experiments the bird would generally die.

Obviously I like the macabre, but there are a couple of things about this painting I find interesting. First, Wright used a style to which was generally reserved for religions scenes. His choice to rift off religion represented enlightenment thoughts and the science of the time rising to supplant religion as the new foundation of knowledge and societal organisation.

But also, I think it’s an interesting comment on the cost of pursuing science. You’ll notice in the picture that no one, with the exception of one of the girls, shows any concern for the fate of the bird. In pursuing science to any end do we lose a piece of our humanity? To quote Jeff Goldblum from Jurassic Park, ‘you were so caught up thinking about whether or not you could, you didn’t stop to think whether or not you should.’

I could muse some more but I won’t. Only that I thought this bird seems to asks questions that are still relevant 250 years later.

But then birds always do.

Until next bird, I wish you good bird.

04/04/2018

Bird 18 – Kakapo

Let’s keep the theme of strangely flightless Pacific Island birds going this week with the New Zealand Kakapo.

Look at him doing the camouflage there!

First up, the name ‘kakapo’ translates from the Maori as night parrot. But don’t confuse them with the Australian Night Parrot (even though they look rather similar)*. These little guys are ground dwelling parrots, and hold the record for being the heaviest species of parrot in the world, weighing up to 4Kg. But even though they are fatty boombas, it ain’t the weight that keeps them on the ground. They have small wings (relative to size) and don’t have the necessary muscles that other birds use for flight.

Not that that stops them from dancing. Look at it go!

They seem to have evolved to fill the niche that mammals normal would, as NZ has no land mammals. So they forage about on the ground, free from predators and other death related things. Or at least that was the plan…

Of course, not being an ace flyer is always a problem when people turn up, introducing feral killing machines and whatnot, and they haven’t been doing great. There have been conservation efforts in place to save them since the 1890s. And they keep just hanging in there. In 2014 there were 126 birds still rocking around.

Keep on foraging little guy!

26/03/2018

*Australia’s Night Parrot will feature as a future bird of the week, for comparison. Maybe next week, maybe next year, who can even say?

Bird 17 – Cagou

It’s a late Bird of the Week edition this Monday, but fear not I had not forgot.

Whilst watching an ad at the French Film Festival on the weekend, I caught a glimpse of this little guy, and knew who the bird for this week would be.

Meet the Cagou, the official bird of New Caledonia. It is found only on the island of NC, and is mostly flightless.

It’s got a funky crest:

But boy oh boy does this bird strut:

Sometimes they even strut in gangs.

Must be the French influence. Much like the French, they’re not great at war, and they’re at risk of extinction from introduced predators. Poor little guys.

Anyway, they’re a fun bird, from a tropical island, what’s not to love?

Flap ya’ll next week.

19/03/2018

Bird 16 – Bare-faced Go-away-bird

No Bird of the Week on Monday, or Tuesday and now here we are at 4:30pm Wednesday. Did you think there would be a week without birds, no you fools, there is never a week without birds.

This will just be a quick one though to draw your attention to the fact that I came across a bird with just the most outrageous name the other day.

First, this is the bird:

Nice white crest, black face. Good lines.

But its name: the Bare-faced Go-away-bird. So named because the sound it makes supposedly resembles the phrase ‘go away’, and bare faced because … well I guess you can figure that part out. What a guy!

Here is a picture of it just chilling out in the sand:

Why is it doing that? No body knowns.

I think they live in Africa somewhere, I really don’t have time to do a proper fact check. But just in case you think I’ve made this up, and let’s face it, I might. Here is its wiki page which I certainly didn’t put together myself to sell this bit.

Until next week.

14/03/2018