Bird Species – K through M
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MURRELETS (Auks Family):
- Ancient Murrelets
- Craveri’s Murrelets
- Kittlitz’s Murrelets
- Long-billed Murrelets
- Marbled Murrelets
- Xantus’s Murrelets
Kagu or Cagou
The Kagu (French: Cagou), Rhynochetos jubatus, is a long-legged blue-greyish bird endemic to the dense mountain forests of New Caledonia. It is the only surviving member of the family Rhynochetidae, although a second, larger species of the genus Rhynochetos, the Lowland Kagu Rhynochetos orarius, has been described from Holocene subfossil remains It is almost flightless, and builds a ground nest of sticks, laying a single egg. It has proved vulnerable to introduced rats and cats and is threatened with extinction. The remote habitat and rarity of this species mean that little is known about its habits.
Nestorinae
Nestorinae: Nestor Parrots aka Kaka aka New Zealand Kaka
The Kākā is a medium-sized parrot, around 45 cm in length and weighing about 550 g, and is closely related to the Kea, but has darker plumage and is more arboreal.
Both sub-species have a strongly patterned brown/green/grey plumage with orange and scarlet flashes under the wings; color variants that show red to yellow coloration, especially on the breast are sometimes found.
Kakapo aka Owl Parrots
The Kakapos (Strigops halophila) are large, flightless parrots that are found in New Zealand. Its’ native range formerly encompassed most of the North, South, and Stewart Islands; but nowadays, they are mostly found on the predator-free Codfish, Maud, and Little Barrier Islands.
The Kakapo is the only truly nocturnal species of Parrot. This species is also commonly referred to as owl parrot or k?k?p? in M? ori – which means “night parrot.”
This species is now critically endangered – as of April 2009, only 125 living individuals are known. Habitat destruction, hunting, and predation are to be blamed for the decline in their numbers. For example, on Stewart Island, over 50% of monitored adults were killed each year by cats.
Kakariki or Kākāriki
Their M?ori name “Kakriki” (translated “green”) refers to their mostly green plumage.
These brightly colored parakeets are found on many island groups in the South Pacific region. Sadly, these birds have suffered badly from habitat loss, alien (introduced) predators, The yellow-crownedalso exotic diseases.
Three species and several subspecies have so far been identified. The three species found on mainland New Zealand are:
- The yellow-crowned Parakeet Cyanoramphus auriceps (New Zealand and neighboring islands)
- the Red-crowned Parakeet or Red-fronted Parakeet, C. novaezelandiae, and
- the critically endangered Malherbe’s Parakeet (or Orange-fronted Parakeet ) C. malherbi.
Kadavu Parrots or Crimson Shining Parrots
The Crimson Shining Parrot or Kadavu (splendens) is the most distinctive of Fiji’s colorful Shining Parrots. This parrot has a bright red and green plumage and a long tail. The head, neck, breast, and belly are crimson-red. A broad blue collar extends across the back of the neck. The back, rump, and tail are bright green. The flight feathers and tail are green, strongly suffused with blue. The bill and feet are black, and the irises are orange.
Males and females are similar, however, the bill of males is larger and the head is more square-shaped than that of the hens.
Hawks: Interesting Facts and Species Information
Hawks have a near-worldwide distribution. They are members of the same family as kites and eagles. Falcons, ospreys, and vultures are close relatives.
The color of their plumages ranges back from grey or reddish brown on top and pale whitish below. Often they have dark spots or streaks on the beck, c,hest and legs, and dark wing and tail bars. In most cases, the bills are black, the feathered legs and feet are yellow, and the talons (claws) are black.
Killdeers
The Killdeers (Charadrius vociferus) – also known as Killdeer Plovers – are medium-sized plovers with a range that spreads across the Western Hemisphere.
They are well known for their loud, wailing kill-deeeeer cries – the origin of their common name. Many earlier names also referred to their noisy calls, specifically, they were previously known as Chattering Plovers or Noisy Plovers.
These small birds are similar in size to the well-known American Robin but have longer legs and wings.
Even though these birds are commonly found far from any bodies of water, they are proficient swimmers, and their chicks can swim across small streams.
These birds are well known for their famed “crippled bird” or “broken-wing” acts, during which they pretend to be injured and easy prey effectively luring any predators away from their nests. Once the intruder has been led away from the nest or their young, the Killdeers suddenly “heal” and fly away.
Their lifespan in the wild is about 11 – 12 years (maximum).
Kingfishers
The Kingfisher group belongs to the order Coraciiformes. There has been some confusion over the families within the order due to the changes made to the previous taxonomy listings during the 1990s.
Originally considered to all be in the same family, Alcedinidae, the ninety species are now considered in the suborder Alcedines.
King Parrots
Overview of this species provided by Dr. Rob Marshall (with additional information added by Avianweb)
The lavishly colored, long-tailed King Parrots originate from the East coast of Australia, New Guinea, and various Indonesian islands
The male has a fiery appearance, with scarlet colorations extending from the back of the neck, over the head, and down to the underside of the tail. The wings and back are a dark bottle green with a light green patch across the shoulders.
The King Parrot is a very attractive and acrobatic aviary bird. They require a four to five metre long by one to two meters wide aviary to keep them comfortable and happy. Breeding King Parrots can be a challenge that brings rich rewards.
The best breeding results are achieved when the birds have an adequate-sized requires aviary and are provided with all of the vitamins and minerals necessary for perfect health.
In the wild, the King Parrot nests deep within tree hollows and therefore requires a nest box at least 120cm deep. It is advantageous to provide numerous eucalypt branches for perches to simulate the dense forest environment enjoyed by the King Parrot
King Parrots are generally a hardy species, although they can become susceptible to stress when moved or exposed to new surroundings. Special care to provide the correct housing and nutrition must be taken to ensure this beautiful bird does not become susceptible to illness. In particular, King Parrots are highly susceptible to Bacillus infection which is toxic and invariably fatal, irrespective of veterinary attention.
Kingbirds
Kingbirds (genus Tyrannus from “tyrant”) are vocal and fearless birds that aggressively defend their breeding territories, even chasing away much larger birds of prey, dogs, cats, and humans.
They prefer semi-open or open areas; where they are often observed perching on an exposed branch with a large visibility range as it searches for flying insects to catch mid-air.
They have long pointed wings and large broad bills.
Kinglets or Crests
The Kinglets or Crests (Regulidae) consists of small bird species with beautifully colored orange or yellow crests that cover the crowns of the adults, hence the specie common name.
Kites
Kites are smaller raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. They occur naturally in the warmer regions of this world.
In general ,they will take live prey but mostly feed on dead animals.
They are birds of prey which along with hawks, eagles, Old World vultures, and many others are in the family Accipitridae.
Together with less closely related groups such as New World vultures and Osprey, they make up the diurnal bird of prey order Falconiformes.
Kittiwakes
The kittiwakes (genus Rissa) are two closely related seabird species in the gull family Laridae, the Black-legged Kittiwake (R. tridactyla) and the Red-legged Kittiwake (R. brevirostris).
The epithets “Black-legged” and “Red-legged” are used to distinguish the two species in North America, but in Europe, where R. brevirostris is not found, the Black-legged Kittiwake is often known simply as Kittiwake, or more colloquially in some areas as Tickleass or Tickleace.
The name is derived from its call, a shrill ‘kittee-wa-aaake, kitte-wa-aaake’.
Habitat and range
Kittiwakes are coastal breeding birds ranging in the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and Arctic oceans. They form large, dense, noisy colonies during the summer reproductive period, often sharing habitat with murres. They are the only gull species that are exclusively cliff-nesting.
Kittlitz’s Murrelets
The Kittlitz’s Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) is a small alcid found in the waters oofAlaska and Eastern Siberia.
This critically endangered species is, like the closely related Marbled Murrelet, unusual for seabirds in not being colonial, nesting instead in isolated locations on mountain tops, where the nests were known to Native Americans for many years before skeptical ornithologists described and photographed them.
It is a poorly known and little studied species, although concern over its status and that of the closely related Marbled Murrelet has led to a recent increase in research.
The common name of this species commemorates the German zoologist Heinrich von Kittlitz, who first collected this species.
Kiwis
A kiwi is any of the species of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand of the genus Apteryx (the only genus in the family Apterygidae). The kiwi is also a national symbol of New Zealand. The kiwi lays the largest egg about its body size.
Kookaburras (genus Dacelo)
The Kookaburras (genus Dacelo) are native to Australia and New Guinea. They are from the family Kingfishers and inhabit woodland areas of Eastern and Southwestern Australia.
Lapwings
Lapwings are medium-sized wading birds belonging to the subfamily Vanellinae of the family Charadriidae, which also includes the plovers and dotterels. A lapwing can be thought of as a larger plover.
The traditional terms plover, lapwing, and dotterel were coined long before modern understandings of the relationships between different groups of birds emerged: In consequence, several of the lapwings (subfamily Vanellinae) are still called “plovers”, and the reverse also applies.
While authorities generally agree that there about 24 species of lapwing, classifications within the subfamily remain confused. At one extreme, Peters recognized no less than 19 different genera; other workers have gone as far as to group all the lapwings into the single genus, Vanellus. The current opinion appears to be that a more moderate position is appropriate.
These long-legged waders mostly have strongly patterned plumage. Although the most familiar northern hemisphere lapwing, Northern Lapwing, has a wispy crest, only two other species do so. Red or yellow facial wattles are a more typical decoration.
Larks
Larks (Alaudidae) The members of the Lark family Alaudidae occur naturally in the Old World, as well as in northern and eastern Australia; except the Shore Lark, which has expanded its territory into North America, where it is commonly referred to as the Horned Lark.
Leafbirds
The Leafbirds (Chloropseidae) are small, colorful songbirds that are found in India and Southeast Asia.
Leafbirds were named for the fact that their mostly green and yellow plumages blend well into their tropical habitat, where the green leaves and bright flowers of the canopy provide a perfect camouflage for these birds. However, leafbirds that are stressed will shed most of their colorful feathers. This adaptation may have evolved as a way of confusing predators, such as snakes. Captured birds under stress will do the same.
This genus consists of 11 species and 27 subspecies, one of which – namely the Blue-masked Leafbird – is threatened by habitat destruction and capture for the pet trade, and another one – the Philippine Leafbird – is listed as vulnerable for the same reasons. The other species are still common in suitable habitats, which is – however – decreasing due to ongoing deforestation.
Limpkins
The Limpkins (Aramus guarauna) are large rail-like birds that are, however, more closely related to cranes. These birds are also referred to as Carraos, Courlans, or Crying birds.
Their range stretches from Florida in Southern USA south to northern Argentina, where they inhabit freshwater marshes and swamps.
Liocichlas
- Grey-faced Liocichlas, also known as the Omei Shan or Emei Shan Liocichla, Liocichla omeiensis:
- It is closely related to the Bugun Liocichla. Endemic to mountain ranges in Southern Sichuan, China, where it inhabits the undergrowth of semi-tropical rain forests. This altitudinal migrant spends the summer months above 1000 m and moves below 600m in the winter.The plumage is olive-grey except for the red wing patches. The plumage on the face is grey with a slight red ring on each side of the face.
Long-billed Murrelets
The Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix) is a small seabird from the North Pacific. It is an unusual member of the auk family, often nesting far inland in old-growth forests.
The Long-billed Murrelet, like its cousins the Marbled and Kittlitz’s Murrelets, is thought to have experienced a decline in numbers recently.
It closely resembles the Marbled Murrelet, of which it was considered a subspecies until 1998 when Friesen et al. showed that the mtDNA variation was greater between these two forms than between Marbled and Kittlitz’s Murrelets.
This species is found from Kamchatka to the Sea of Okhotsk in the western Pacific Ocean. Most birds winter in the seas around northern Japan with some reaching South Korea and southern Japan. The Marbled Murrelet, in contrast, tends to remain closer to its breeding grounds. Vagrants have been reported in North America and Europe.
Long-tailed Parakeets
Asiatic, African Parakeets / Ringneck or Long-tailed Parakeets
The vibrant and colorful ringneck parrots are visually appealing and tame easily. Most of them readily breed in captivity resulting in an ample supply of young birds for the pet trade.
Owners describe them as smart birds that learn concepts quickly and love to show off. Many of them are very talented talkers, speaking with a clarity that can easily be compared to that of the Quakers, Grays, and Amazons – species well known for their talking abilities. Contrary to rumors, both the male and the female are capable of speech. They learn words and phrases in a very short period without any training for the most part. They just learn by listening. Of course, should training be provided, their vocabulary can be significantly increased.
Loons
The Loons (N.Am.) or Divers (UK) are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Europe. A loon is the size of a large duck or small goose, which it somewhat resembles in shape when swimming, but they are completely unrelated to waterfowl. Their plumage is largely black-and-white, with grey on the head and neck in some species, and a white belly, and they have a spear-shaped bill. All living species of loons are members of one genus (Gavia) in a family (Gaviidae), and order (Gaviiformes) all of their own.
Lovebirds
Lovebirds – Detailed Information & Photos
They are small, stocky versions of parrots, with a short, blunt tail, and a large hooked upper beak.
Those found in the wild are typically green with a variety of colors on their upper body, depending on the species. Some species, like the Black-masked, Fischer’s, Black-cheeked, and yellow-collared lovebirds, have a white ring around the eye, although many color mutations have been developed in captivity.
They measure about 5 – 7.5 inches (13 – 19 cm) in length; and average 1.5 to 2.5 oz ( 40 – 70 grams) in weight, which puts them among the smallest parrots in the world. The Peach-faced is the largest lovebird species, weighing in at from 50-60 grams. Even though Abyssinian may be slightly longer than Peach-faces, they tend to be quite slender, and Peach-faces are typically heavier.
LYREBIRDS
- Superb Lyrebird or Weringerong (Menura novaehollandiae) is found in areas of wet forest in Victoria and New South Wales, and in Tasmania where it was introduced in the 19th Century. Females are 74-84cm long, and the males are a larger 80-98cm long — making them the third-largest passerine bird after the Thick-billed Raven and the Common Raven. Many Superb Lyrebirds live in the Dandenong Ranges National Park and Kinglake National Park around Melbourne, the Royal National Park and Illawarra region south of Sydney, and in many other parks along the east coast of Australia as well as nonprotected bushland.
Macaws
Macaws: Detailed Information & Photos
All macaws have slim bodies, broad heads, and long, pointed, graceful tails that are as long or longer than their bodies.
They have large, strong beaks, which earn them a high degree of respect, and serve them well in opening even the hardest of nuts.
They have long, pointed wings that allow them to fly swiftly. They can reach speeds of up to 35 mph / 56 kmh. These agile and adaptable flyers can navigate effortlessly through dense forests.
Variations exist in terms of size and plumage coloration, which ranges from green to blue, red, and yellow.
Males and females look alike and either DNA (feather or blood) testing or surgical sexing is needed to identify the gender.
The young of most macaw species start with grey or black eyes, which change to brown or yellow as they mature.
MAGPIES
Magpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae.
In Europe, “magpie” is often used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie, as there are no other magpies in Europe outside Iberia. That bird was referred to as a “pie” until the late sixteenth century when the feminine name “mag” was added to the beginning.
The European Magpie is one of the few animal species known to be able to recognize itself in a mirror test.
Mallee Ringneck Parrots / Barnard’s Parakeets
Mallee Ringneck Parrots / Barnard’s Parakeets – aka Mallee Parrots
The Mallee Ringnecks (Barnardius zonarius barnardi or Barnardius barnardi) – also known as the Mallee Parrots — are native to south-eastern Australia (Queensland to South Australia). They are common in mallee scrub, and open woodlands, where they blend extremely well with their surroundings. They are often seen in pairs or family groups feeding in branches or shrubs.
Manakin Finches
The manakins are a family of some sixty small passerine bird species of subtropical and tropical mainland Central and South America, and Trinidad and Tobago.
These are compact forest birds, the males typically being brightly colored, although the females of most species are duller and usually green-plumaged.
Many-Colors Parrots, Many-Colors Parakeets – Mulga Parrots / Mulga Parakeets, Varied Parrots
Mulga Parrots / Mulga Parakeets aka Many-Colors Parrots
The Mulga Parrots (Psephotus varius) are also commonly called Many-colored Parrots. The name “mulga” comes from their preferred vegetation type, while their common name is derived from the male’s colorful plumage.
They are endemic to the arid mulga scrublands and lightly timbered grasslands in the interior of southern Australia. They can also be found along treed river banks. They are usually seen in family groups and are quite confiding.
Marbled Murrelets
The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is a small seabird from the North Pacific. It is a member of the auk family.
It nests in old-growth forests or on the ground at higher latitudes where trees cannot grow. Its habit of nesting in trees was suspected but not documented until a tree-climber found a chick in 1974 making it one of the last North American bird species to have its nest described.
Maroon-bellied Conures, Pyrrhura frontalis
The Maroon-bellied conure is a smaller bird with an approximate length of 9 – 10 inches (25 to 28cm).
The plumage is primarily green, with a maroon patch on the belly, a yellow-green barred (“scaly”) breast and front and sides of the neck, a brownish ear patch, a black beak, and a maroon undertail. The primaries (longest wing feathers) are blue on the inner websouterwebs, green on the inner webs, and dark on the tips.
The Maroon-bellied Conure is often mistaken for the Green-cheeked conure. They are very similar in disposition and looks. There are some visual differences. The Maroon-bellied conure’s tail is a green color on top and lightly maroon colored underneath, while the green Cheek conure’s tail has a dark maroon color. The belly is somewhat darker than the Green Cheek’s.
They reach maturity at 1 to 3 years — the smaller Conures mature more quickly. In a safe, healthy environment, they can expect to live up to 35 years.
The Green-cheeked Conure is more available than the Maroon-bellied Conure.
Maroon-fronted Parrots
The Maroon-fronted Parrot (Rhynchopsitta terrisi) is endemic to northern Mexico; specifically, they can be found in the Sierra Madre Oriental in Nuevo León, Coahuila, and Tamaulipas.
Maroon-fronted Parrots live in mature pine, mixed conifer as well and pine-oak forests – from 2000 to 3500 meters.
Status:
This bird is considered vulnerable due to overgrazing and habitat destruction.
It is estimated that only 2500-3000 birds remain, while 95 to 110 young are produced in a year.
Swallows
The Swallows and Martins are members of the Hirundinidae family which comprises two subfamilies:
- Pseudochelidoninae (the river martins of the genus Pseudochelidon) and
- Hirundininae (all other swallows and martins).
In Europe, Swallows are often referred to as Barn Swallows
They have slender, streamlined bodies; long, pointed wings and most of them have long tails. Their feet are designed for perching rather than walking. The front toes are partially joined at the base.
Mascarene Parrots
The Mascarene Parrot was a medium-sized bird, about as large as an Eclectus Parrot and of a similar shape, although less heavyset and with a longer tail. It was dark greyish brown on the upper side, lighter on the underside. The bases of the tail feathers were white, and the head was colored a medium lavender grey. A ring of velvet-like short black feathers surrounded the bill, which was brilliant red. The feet were reddish brown.
Masked Boobies
The Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae. This species breeds on islands in tropical oceans, especially on the Galapagos islands, except in the eastern Atlantic; in the eastern Pacific, it is replaced by the Nazca Booby, Sula granti, which was formerly regarded as a subspecies of Masked Booby (Pitman and Jehl 1998, Friesen et al. 2002).
Masked Shining Parrots
Both adults look alike. This is a bright green parrot with a long tail and a striking orange-yellow breast and belly. They have a black face that merges into sooty-black towards the beak. Their breast and upper abdomen are yellow turning to orange on the lower abdomen. The outer webs of the primary feathers are purple/blue. The underside of the tail feathers is blackish and the upperside is green washed with blue. The bill is grey/black, the feet are black and the eyes are orange. They have narrow black periophthalmic (eye) rings.
Maximilian’s Pionus aka Scaly-headed Pionus or Scaly Headed Parrot, Scaly Face Pionus
The Maximilian’s Pionus (Pionus maximiliani) – also often referred to as the Scaly-headed Parrot – is indigenous to Central-eastern South America. Their native range includes parts of Bolivia, Paraguay, Eastern Brazil, and Northern Argentina.
Due to habitat destruction and capturing for the pet trade, this species is now endangered in its natural habitat and listed as CITES II.
They inhabit open woodlands and dry tropical lowland forests, such as caatinga and cerrado forests, and can – in some areas – move up to approximately 6000 feet elevation.
They are often observed in pairs or small groups of up to about 50 birds. They nest in tree cavities and feed in the tree canopies.
Longevity: “You and Your Pet Bird” by David Alderton states that Pionus lives an average of 25 years. Pionus can live to be over 40 and often they live only 3 or 10 years due to accidents and poor nutrition.
MEADOWLARKS
Meadowlarks are mostly insectivorous grassland birds that are found in the Americas.
The males of all species have a black or brown back and extensively red or yellow underparts.
Mealy Amazon Parrot
The Mealy Parrot is endemic to tropical Central and South America.
Its range stretches from southern Mexico south into south-eastern Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, northern Bolivia, and eastern Brazil; where they inhabit the sparse Amazon Rainforest.
Meyer’s Parrots or Brown Parrots (Poicephalus meyeri)
This is a small and stocky African parrot, averaging 8 – 10 inches (21 – 25 cm) in length. Their wing length is about 5.5 to 6 inches (141 – 149 cm). They weigh about 3.5-4.7 oz or 100-135g.
They are similar in shape and size to the Senegal, Brown-headed and Red-bellied Parrots. Like the Red-bellied Parrots, they have orange-red irises.
The plumage is mostly brownish-grey with yellow patches on the bend of the wings and thighs and – depending on the subspecies – also on the head. Their abdomen is green and the rump is blue or turquise. The upperside of the tail is brown and the underside is dark grey. Their feet are dark grey. The eye (periophthalmic) rings are black and the bill is black.
Females look like males, and if gender identification is important (for example for breeding birds), DNA / Feather or surgical sexing is recommended. Some visual sexing can be attempted using the same method as for the brown-headed parrots: the male has a larger beak, and larger head, and the head tends to be flatter on top.
Mindanao Hanging Parrots
This small hanging parrot averages 5.5 inches (~14 cm) in length.
Males have a red throat and breast patch, and their back is tinged gold-yellow. They look similar to Worcester’s Hanging Parrot except the red breast patch is on average slightly smaller.
The female looks like the male, except she lacks the red throat and breast patch. The upper back is green tinged only lightly gold-yellow. Her lores (the regions between the eyes and bill on the side of a bird’s head), chin, and cheeks are pale blue.
Mindanao Racket-tailed Parrots
The general plumage is green. The throat, breast and abdomen are slightly more yellowish-green. The forehead, front of the crown, lores (the regions between the eyes and bill on the side of a bird’s head), and foreparts of cheeks are dull blue with bases of all feathers green. They have a large red patch to the back of the crown. In some birds, the back may have an olive-green tinge. The underside of the flight feathers and the tail are greenish-blue. The upper side is green with middle two feathers elongated with blackish-blue spatula-shaped end-ings. The outer tail feathers are green with blackish tips. The bill is of a bluish-horn colour with whitish tips. The irises are dark brown and the feet bluish-grey.
Luzon Racquet-tail Parrots or Mountain Racket-tailed Parrots
The Luzon Racquet-tail Parrot – aka Palette Momot, Lorito-momoto Montano or Mountain Racket-tailed Parrot – is native to the island of Luzon, Philippines. This bird species inhabits subtropical or tropical moist montanes. The nominate as well as the sub-species are endangered in their natural habitat and not known in aviculture or in the pet trade (Cites II).
Minivets
The minivets (genus Pericrocotus) are part of the cuckoo-shrike family Campephagidae inhabit the forests of southern and eastern Asia.
Minivets are fairly small, slender birds with long tails and an erect posture. Most species have bright red or yellow markings.
Mitred Conures (Aratinga mitrata) aka Red-headed Conures
The Mitred Conure is a relatively long-tailed species with a total length of 13 to 15 inches (34 to 38 cm). Their average weight is about 7 oz or 200 grams. However, they may range in weight from 6.3-8.8 oz (180-250 grams).
They are amongst the most beautiful conures. Adults are mainly green with varying amounts of red to the face and thighs. They have relatively conspicuous bare white eye-rings and heavy, pale bone-colored bills.
Unlike its relatives, the Red-masked, White-eyed and Cuban conures – adult mitred conures at most show one or two red feathers at the bend of the wing. Mitred conures may have red feathers scattered variably on hindneck, mantle, throat and thighs.
Immature birds show little or no red to the plumage. Mitred Conures can take up to ten years to develop their full red-headed coloration, hence the drastic difference between individuals. Even with adult, fully-colored birds, there is a great variance in the amount of red they end up with.
MOCKINGBIRDS
Mockingbirds are a group of New World passerine birds from the Mimidae family. They are best known for the habit of some species mimicking the songs of other birds and the sounds of insects and amphibians, often loudly and in rapid succession. There are about 17 species in three genera. These do not appear to form a monophyletic lineage: Mimus and Nesomimus are quite closely related; their closest living relatives appear to be some thrashers, such as the Sage Thrasher. Melanotis is more distinct; it seems to represent a very ancient basal lineage of Mimidae.
Modest Parrot, Madarasz’s Parrot or Painted Parrot
The Modest Parrot averages 5.5 inches or 14 cm in length.
Males: The general plumage is green; abdomen and under wing-coverts are yellowish-green. Its head is dark brown and the nape and back of head are olive-yellow with dark brown edging. The throat and breast pale brownish-olive. The bend of wing is blue and the under tail-coverts are red. The underside of the tail is grey. This parrot has a narrow grey periophthalmic ring, The irises are orange-red and the feet grey. The upper beak is bluish-grey with pale tips.
Female as male, but with brown head becoming olive-brown on nape; breast orange with each feather edged blackish; sides of abdomen with yellow and greenish-brown edging.
Young Bird (Immatures) look similar to females, but the chest is greenish-yellow and the feathers are edged blackish.
Flight: Fairly slow
Moluccan Hanging Parrots
This Hanging Parrot averages 4.5 inches (11 cm) in length, with a wing length of 2.75 – 3.3 inches (70 – 84 mm).
The plumage is mostly green. The breast, abdomen and under tail-coverts are yellowish-green. The crown and the back of its head are red. There is a red patch to the throat and upper breast. The edge of the wing, lower back and upper tail-coverts are dark red. The back has a golden orange tinge. The flight feathers are green and the under sides are greenish-blue. The upperside of the tail is green with yellowish tips. The underside is greenish-blue. The bill is black; the irises are yellowish-white; and the feet are orange.
Hens look like males, except they lack the red head markings; although frequently, some reddish feathers to the forehead can be seen. The throat patch is occasionally reduced to few small red spots. Hens have brown irises.
Amboina King Parrots aka Moluccan King-Parrot
These parrots can only be described as serene, sophisticated and strikingly beautiful due to their well-defined, bright coloration of their plumage.
At 14.8 inches (37 centimeters), the Amboina King Parrot is considered one of mid-size to larger parrot breeds. They primary plumage is red, with bright green wings, bright blue backs, rumps, tail coverts and wing coverts. The top of the tail is usually black with vivid blue highlights. Their underside is dark gray or black with pink markings on the margins and their feet are gray.
Males and females look alike and DNA testing is necessary to determine the sex of your bird.
They are physically and sexually mature at twelve months of age. The average clutch consists of 3 eggs which are incubated for about 21 days.
Motmots or Momotidae
The Motmots (bird family Momotidae) are restricted to the Neotropics, which includes southern Mexico, Central and South America and the West Indies; although the largest diversity occurs in Middle America (Mexico, Central America, and sometimes including the West Indies).
These woodland or forest birds have colorful plumages and a heavy bill. All, except the Tody Motmot, have long tails sometimes with a racket-like tip. Motmots often move their tail back and forth.
Mountain Parakeets or Golden-fronted Parakeets
Mountain Parakeets (Psilopsiagon aurifrons), also known as Golden-fronted Parakeets, are an endangered species found in the coastal regions, adjacent western slopes of the Andes in central Peru, as well as parts of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.
Females lack the yellow on the forehead and lores (the regions between the eyes and bill on the side of a bird’s head).
Immature birds look like females, but have a shorter tail.
Species Identification: Many aviculturists and some museums frequently confuse the Andean Parakeet (Bolborhynchus orbygnesius) with the female of Margarit’s Parakeets (Bolborhynchus aurifrons margaritae) or Red-billed Parakeets (Bolborhynchus aurifrons rubrirostris), which also have dark colored bill. Both species can be easily identified from tail length. In Mountain Parakeets [Bolborhynchus aurifrons] the tail is usually over 2.75 inches (70 mm). The shape is different as well. The Mountain Parakeets have long and pointed tails, while the Andean Parakeet’s tail is short and broad.
MOUSEBIRDS
The Mousebirds are small birds that are only found in sub-Saharan Africa; their name is derived from the similar appearance of these birds with mice, as they move through vegetation in search of food.
Murres – Uria – Auks
Murres / Uria or Auks – These are medium-sized birds with mainly brown or black plumage in the breeding season.
Adult birds are black or brown on the head, neck, back and wings with white underparts. The bill is long and pointed. They have a small rounded black tail. The lower face becomes white in winter.
The flight is strong and direct, and these species have fast wing beats due to the short wings.
Mustached Parakeets aka Moustached
The Mustached / Moustached Parakeet is a medium-sized parrot, averaging 13 – 16 inches in length (33 – 40 cm) and weighing it at 100 to 130 grams at maturity.
Its most distinguishing feature is its moustache-like markings on the sides of its face, resembling a moustache. In most subspecies of Moustached Parakeets, the males have red beaks and the females have black.
MYNAHS
The mynas (or mynahs) are birds of the starling family (Sturnidae). This is a group of passerine birds which occur naturally only in southern and eastern Asia. Several species have been introduced to areas like North America, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, especially the Common Myna which is often regarded as an invasive species.
Mynas are not a natural group (Zuccon et al. 2006); instead, the term myna is used for any starling in India and surrounding areas, regardless of their relationships. This range was colonized twice during the evolution of starlings, first by rather ancestral starlings related to the Coleto and Aplonis lineages, and millions of years later by birds related to the Common Starling and Wattled Starling‘s ancestors. These two groups of mynas can be distinguished in the more terrestrial adaptions of the latter, which usually also have less glossy plumage except on the heads and longer tails. The Bali Myna which is nearly extinct in the wild is highly distinctive.
