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Bird of the week pictures

Below is a collection of endangered and even critically endangered beautiful birds found on the website of American Bird Conservancy.

If saving endangered species is something close to your heart, consider sponsoring this organisation with a gift like I do.

‘Akeke‘eThe ‘Akeke‘e, a small greenish-yellow Hawaiian honeycreeper with a blackish mask, is named for its asymmetric bill.

‘Apapane‘Apapane nesting coincides with nectar production by their main food tree, the ‘ōhi‘a. Both female and male construct the nest.

Blackpoll WarblerThe Blackpoll Warbler, named for the male's black forehead and crown, has the longest migration of any North American warbler.

Blue-eyed Ground DoveWith a population estimated at just 16 birds, the Blue-eyed Ground-Dove is one of the rarest birds in a country that's home to many rare species found nowhere else

Brown PelicanAlthough the Brown Pelican is the smallest of the world’s eight pelican species, it still has a 6 and a half-foot wingspan.

Eastern MeadowlarkMeadowlarks belong to the family Icteridae, which includes blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles, and orioles, including Baltimore and Audubon's Orioles.

Grasshopper SparrowMore often heard than seen, the Grasshopper Sparrow is named for the insect-like quality of its songs.

Least TernAs its name implies, the Least Tern is the tiniest of North American terns, and one of the continent's smallest fishing birds.

Northern BobwhiteThe Northern Bobwhite, also known as Virginia quail or partridge, is a New World quail species in the same family as the Montezuma and Scaled Quails.

Thick-billed LongspurThe Thick-billed Longspur forages by walking or running along the ground (stalking), while it picks up seeds and insects.

Allen's HummingbirdAllen's Hummingbird is very similar to the closely related Rufous Hummingbird, but its range is much more limited.

American AvocetThe elegant American Avocet is a striking sight at any time of the year. This gregarious shorebird is a close relative of another eye-catching bird, the Black-necked Stilt.

Baird's SparrowBaird's Sparrow is a grassland bird of conservation concern. Because of the loss of grasslands across its range, the species is declining across its range.

Bicknell’s ThrushThe elusive Bicknell’s Thrush was once considered an isolated population of the Gray-cheeked Thrush.

Blue-winged WarblerThe vivacious Blue-winged Warbler may resemble a Prothonotary Warbler at first glance, but it differs in several crucial aspects, both in appearance and in preferred habitat.

Broad-billed TodyThe diminutive Broad-billed Tody is only about the size of a Northern Parula warbler — but this tropical bird has a vibe all its own.

Takahé

Takahé

Cundinamarca AntpittaThe leggy Cundinamarca Antpitta inhabits misty highland cloud forest, lush habitat it shares with many other birds.

Gorgeted PufflegThe Critically Endangered Gorgeted Puffleg is as rare as it is beautiful, and was only first discovered in 2005, and confirmed as a species in 2007.

Fiery TopazThe male Fiery Topaz shines like a jewel as it zips around the canopy of lowland South American forests. The Fiery Topaz is now divided into two subspecies.

Black VultureThe American Black Vulture can be identified by its all-black plumage, light gray legs, and a bald, grayish-black head and neck.

Buff-bellied HummingbirdAlthough most Buff-bellied Hummingbirds are resident (non-migratory), some migrate short distances south from Texas into Mexico.

Greater RoadrunnerThe Greater Roadrunner belongs to a large avian family, the Cuculidae, which includes the Yellow-billed and Mangrove Cuckoos.

Hudsonian GodwitSmallest of the world’s four godwit species, the handsome “Hudwit” is an uncommon sight, as it lives most of its life at the extreme ends of the Americas.

PhainopeplaThe handsome male Phainopepla is clad in sleek black plumage that inspired its name, a composite of the Greek words phainos (shining) and peplos (robe).

Eastern TowheePersistent scratching sounds amid thick shrubbery and a shrill call, “towhee!” reveal the presence of this striking New World sparrow.

Violet-tailed SylphViolet-tailed Sylphs build nests outside of their breeding season, which they use as night roosts.

James’s FlamingoAs well as being the smallest and rarest of the three Andean flamingo species, the James’s Flamingo has other features that set it apart.

Purple Quail-DoveThe shy, stunning Purple Quail-Dove belongs to a larger family that includes familiar species such as the widespread Mourning Dove and Rock Pigeon.

White-browed Tit-SpinetailThe lively little White-browed Tit-Spinetail is an extreme habitat specialist, found only in threatened Polylepis forests in the Andes of southern Peru.

Masked FlowerpiercerA common, confiding, and conspicuous member of the tanager family, the bright blue Masked Flowerpiercer is a familiar sight to birders throughout the Andes.

Red-faced ParrotThe Red-faced Parrot is a colorful conglomeration of colors, mainly green with red touches on its face, crown, and wings, yellow ear coverts, and dark blue wing and tail feathers.

Worm-eating WarblerThe Worm-eating Warbler haunts the forest interior, where its mechanical-sounding trills can be heard along steep, leaf-carpeted hillsides.

Black-crested TitmouseThe Black-crested Titmouse is closely related to the Tufted Titmouse, and regularly hybridizes with it where the two species’ ranges meet.

Ivory-billed WoodpeckerThe impressive Ivory-billed Woodpecker, with its ringing calls and shiny blue-black plumage, was one of the most charismatic birds of untouched bottomlands.

Atlantic PuffinAtlantic Puffins use their wings as flippers to dive and swim underwater while chasing prey, usually small forage fish.

Cochabamba Mountain FinchNamed for the Bolivian city adjacent to the mountain slopes that comprise its stronghold, the rare and beautiful Cochabamba Mountain Finch is actually more closely related to a tanager than to a finch.

Grasshopper SparrowMore often heard than seen, the Grasshopper Sparrow is named for the insect-like quality of its songs.

Spotted SandpiperTeetering, bobbing, and darting along the water’s edge or springing into shallow, stiff-winged flight with a soft weet-weet-weet call, the Spotted Sandpiper is a distinctive and delightful sight.

ʻAlalā (Hawaiian Crow)The ʻAlalā is the largest surviving Hawaiian forest bird, weighing about a pound and measuring about 1.5 feet long from bill to tail.

Maui ʻAlauahioLike so many native Hawaiian honeycreepers such as the ʻIʻiwi and the Palila, the Maui ʻAlauahio was once abundant in many areas where it is no longer found.

Hawai‘i ʻĀkepaThe Hawaiian word ʻākepa means "quick” or “nimble,” words which describe this small, finch-like bird perfectly.

Blue-gray GnatcatcherThe lively little Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a welcome sign of early spring, bouncing through the burgeoning trees with a quick-flicking tail and wheezy, high-pitched calls.

Double-crested CormorantThe big, black Double-crested Cormorant is a common waterbird of lakes and shorelines throughout North America.

Nēnē (Hawaiian Goose)The Nēnē is one of at least five species of geese that evolved on Hawaiʻi, including the Nēnē Nui (wood-walking goose) and the flightless Giant Hawaiʻi Goose.

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