Birdorable Northern Goshawk

Today’s bird, and the 9th species in the Birdorable Bonanza, is the Northern Goshawk!

Northern Goshawk
Northern Goshawk by dracobotanicus

Northern Goshawks are large Accipter birds of prey that live across parts of the northern hemisphere. They are secretive birds proficient at hunting and known for their fierce defense of nest and territory. Idaho biologist Rob Miller is studying Northern Goshawks as he persues a masters degree in Raptor Biology. Follow his blog to learn more about this fascinating species. Read his study abstract and then pay attention this coming spring for the new field season to begin!

Northern Goshawk Products

Tomorrow bird is a goose with pink feet. Can you guess what it will be?

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Birdorable Little Egret

Today's bird, and the 8th species in the Birdorable Bonanza, is the Little Egret!

And Then There Were Eight
Little Egrets by goingslo

Little Egrets live across a wide area of distribution. They can be found throughout Europe, Africa, and much of Asia. They are also found in Australia and New Zealand. Little Egrets are very similar to a North American species, the Snowy Egret. Both species develop long fluffy plumes during breeding season. Like many species of heron, Little Egrets are colonial nesters. They will join other wading birds in a heronry, using platform-like nests made of sticks and twigs.

Little Egret Products

Tomorrow bird is a bird of prey that can be found across the northern hemisphere. It is the largest bird in the Accipiter family. Can you guess what it is?

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Birdorable Southern Cassowary

For 19 days we're revealing a new Birdorable every day as part of our Birdorable Bonanza. Today's bird species in the Southern Cassowary!

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Southern Cassowary by A.J. Haverkamp

The Southern Cassowary is a large species of flightless bird. They live in Indonesia, New Guinea, and parts of Australia. Southern Cassowaries are known to be deadly to humans. They are equipped with a sharp, dagger-like claw on each of their very powerful feet. Cassowaries will attack when provoked, so if you see one - give it some room!

Cassowary Products

Tomorrow's bird is the Old World counterpart of the New World Snowy Egret. Can you guess what it will be?

Birdorable Bonanza Preview
Birdorable Blackburnian Warbler

Today's new bird species in our Birdorable Bonanza is the Blackburnian Warbler! The Blackburnian Warbler is a gorgeous little warbler and a favorite among birdwatchers. The brilliantly colored breeding male is beautiful with its bright orange throat and dark gray back. The birds spend a great deal of time in the treetops, making them a common cause of warbler neck. They utilize coniferous forests, both in the south as in their breeding ground, where they use the tree canopy. Its Genus name 'Dendroica' translates to 'tree-dwelling'.

Blackburnian warbler
Blackburnian warbler by Gary Yankech

Blackburnian Warblers are long-distance migrants that breed across parts of eastern North America, around the border of Canada, and winter as far south as the forests of the Andes in South America! The birds migrate at night and females usually lag behind the males by several days during migration. Check out our Blackburnian Warbler t-shirts and gifts and our other Birdorable warblers.

Birdorable Red Knot T-shirt & gifts

Tomorrow's bird is a large flightless bird from New Guinea that has a reputation for being dangerous to people. Can you guess what it will be?

Birdorable Bonanza Preview
Birdorable Red Knot

For 19 days we're adding a new Birdorable bird every day as part of our Birdorable Bonanza 2011. We're counting up to revealing our 350th species! Today's bird is the Red Knot.

Red Knot
Red Knot by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region

Red Knots are widespread shorebirds known for their long-distance migration. They breed across tundra habitat in Canada, Europe and Russia; winters are spent along coastal Africa and South America, among others. Red Knots in the Americas are known to rely on horseshoe crab eggs as an important nutrition source during their northward migration. Excessive crab harvesting in recent decades has contributed to the rapid decline of the American Red Knot subspecies, which are currently considered endangered.

Birdorable Red Knot T-shirt & gifts

Tomorrow's bird is a small migratory bird that in summer has a yellow and black head with a bright orange throat. Can you guess what it will be?

Birdorable Bonanza Preview
Birdorable Twenty-eight Parrot

Our fourth bird species in the Birdorable Bonanza is the Twenty-eight Parrot, a sub-species of the Australian Ringneck.

Twenty Eight Parrot
Twenty Eight Parrot by Stephen Barnett

The Australian Ringneck is a beautiful species of parrot native to Australia. They live in southwestern forests of coastal and subcoastal Western Australia. The Twenty-eight Parrot is named for its call! It sounds like it is shouting out 'twentee-eight' when it calls. The bird eats mostly on the ground and its diet consists of seeds, fruits, insects and flowers.

Birdorable Twenty-eight Parrot T-Shirts & Gifts

Tomorrow's bird is an endangered species that makes an epic migration from the southern tip of South America to the Arctic. Can you guess what it will be?

Birdorable Bonanza Preview
Birdorable Cinereous Vulture

For 19 days we're adding a new Birdorable bird every day as part of our Birdorable Bonanza 2011. We're counting up to revealing our 350th species! Today's bird is the Cinereous Vulture.


Cinereous Vulture from tombothetominator

Cinereous Vultures are huge birds of prey that range through parts of Europe and Asia. They are also known as Black Vultures (no relation to the American Black Vulture) or Monk Vultures. In their south European range, they are in trouble. Poisoning is a major problem facing these and other vulture species, but habitat loss and food scarcity are also detrimental to the survival of the species. Researchers from the Denver Zoo conducted a study which revealed that Cinereous Vultures use a huge range of territory. Birds tagged with wing markers similar to those used on California Condors were found 1200 miles from their point of origin. While the birds were tagged by scientists, follow-up data provided by keen-eyed birdwatchers helped to complete the study, which is on-going.

Birdorable Cinereous Vulture gifts

Tomorrow's bird is an Australian parrot that is named after a number.

Birdorable Bonanza Preview
Birdorable Shoebill

For 19 days we're adding a new Birdorable bird every day as part of our Birdorable Bonanza 2011. We're counting up to revealing our 350th species! Today's bird is the Shoebill.

Shoebill stork
Shoebill stork by belgianchocolate

The Shoebill is a remarkable-looking bird with an amazingly huge shoe-shaped bill. These large birds measure up to 59 inches (150 cm) tall and their bills average 12 inches (30 cm) in length, giving it the largest bill of all bird species! The edges of this large bill are very sharp, allowing the Shoebill to cut up its food before swallowing it. They feed mainly on aquatic animals like baby crocodiles and fish. Shoebills live in parts of east Africa, with most individuals living in the Sudan, and are considered vulnerable, mainly due to habitat loss.

Birdorable Shoebill Products

Tomorrow's bird is the largest 'true bird of prey' in the world. It breeds in high mountains and large forests across southern Europe and Asia. Can you guess what it will be?

Birdorable Bonanza Preview
Birdorable Eastern Screech Owl

Today we're starting our third Birdorable Bonanza! For the next 19 days we'll be adding a new Birdorable bird species every day, counting up to our 350th species! See our Meet the Birds page to see all Birdorable birds. The first bird to kick off Birdorable Bonanza 2011 is the Eastern Screech Owl!

The Eastern Screech Owl is a small species of nocturnal owl that lives across parts of Eastern North America. All birds have prominent ear tufts (laid back flat in the photo above) and a mottled and cryptic plumage, which comes in two distinct color morphs: red-phase (or rufous-phase) and gray-phase. Eastern Screech Owls are nocturnal and will roost in tree trunks or cavities during the day. Despite their name, their call is a descending, soft whinny.

Birdorable Screech Owl T-Shirts & Gifts

Every day of the Bonanza we'll give you a hint for the next day's bird and you can guess what it will be. We'll start easy: tomorrow's bird lives in Africa and has a bill the shape of a shoe. Can you guess what it will be?

Birdorable Bonanza Preview

We don't have to add too many birds to reach another milestone on Birdorable: 350 birds! That's a lot of species. We think this milestone deserves some celebration, in the form of a Bonanza! Get ready for the 3rd Birdorable Bonanza! Later this month we'll start unveiling a new bird every day for 19 days in a row -- until our 350th bird species is added to the site. Here's a teaser below. Can you guess what birds we'll be adding?