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"Streamertail" Red-billed Streamertail Jamaica |
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This special hummingbird is found
only in Jamaica. Residents affectionately call it the "Doctor
bird," perhaps due to the tail's resemblance to the old-fashioned
coattails of a doctor . These six-inch or more black velvety streamers,
scalloped and fluted on the inside, create a high-pitched hum in flight
and are beautiful to behold.
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"Little Prince" |
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This ornate hummingbird is one of Nature's smallest, measuring, measuring 2.7 inches from bill to tail. The rapid beating of his wings enables him to obtain nectar from tiny flowers, while hovering on nearly invisible wings. With his colorful feathers and specially-decorated cheek plumes, he is a miniature flying rainbow.
| "Blue
Eyes" Male Peacock Closeup Plumpton Park Zoo Rising Sun, Maryland |
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Nature provides us with an unending palette of colors, patterns, and textures. Here is one of the most well-know - the tail of the male peacock displaying for the hen in all his glory. How can one resist this dance of spring with its many-feathered eyes?
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"Blue-crowned Motmot" |
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Mr. Motmot, with his dramatic peacock-like colors, is truly the King of the Woods. When excited, a perching Motmot will swing his racquet-tipped tail from side to side like a pendulum. With the light of the setting sun bringing out his beauty, he is a striking example of the wonder of seeing a bird in its natural habitat.
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"Rainbow Waves" |
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Flowing water formed this colorful canyon, leaving a picture of itself in the sandstone. The colors are enhanced by light reflected off the walls of the canyon after entering through an opening in the rocks high above. Stillness and motion...the opposites unite. Water and stone have danced this dance since time began.
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"Little Princess" Female Tufted Coquette (Lophornis ornata) Trinidad, West Indies |
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The female of this hummingbird species is a miniature wonder. Color-coordinated with her surroundings, she appears to blend in as part of the landscape, unlike her flashy male counterpart. One can see the pollen on her bill as she perches, full for the moment after an early morning flower feast - a reminder of the hummingbird's important role in pollination.