Today we're adding the Snow Goose to Birdorable! This large goose is the most abundant waterfowl across all of North America.
Snow Geese are known for gathering in huge flocks, during the winter and during migration. They frequently visit favorite spots year after year; there are entire birding festivals dedicated to viewing Snow Geese flocks in all their glory.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! We already have a Birdorable Wild Turkey, so we're adding a different bird with turkey in its name -- this one comes from Down Under. Can you guess the species?
Today we add a small, dapper shorebird to Birdorable. It's our Ruddy Turnstone!
In breeding plumage, as depicted in our Birdorable illustration, Ruddy Turnstones have white underparts, black and rufous upperparts, with black and white detailing around the face and neck. Outside of breeding, the Ruddy Turnstone's upperparts are more uniformly drab greyish brown.
Ruddy Turnstones are opportunistic feeders who search for prey in a variety of ways, including searching rocky shorelines and breakers by turning over stones (naturally!).
Ruddy Turnstones have a wide global range. They breed across the low Arctic in places like northern Alaska and the northern coast of Siberia. These impressive migrants winter along ocean shorelines nearly all over the world, including around the entire continent of Australia, both coasts of South America, and all around Africa.
Tomorrow we'll add a species of waterfowl with a wintery name. Can you guess this bird?
Today Birdorable welcomes another bird named after the ornithologist Alexander Wilson to Birdorable, following Wilson's Warbler and Wilson's Plover. Today Wilson's Phalarope joins our flock!
Wilson's Phalaropes are the largest of all three of the world's phalarope species (the others being the Red-necked Phalarope and the Red Phalarope), but are still relatively small as wading birds go, reaching up to 24cm in length.
Wilson's Phalaropes breed across parts of the western and northern United States and western Canada. Winters are spent down across a wide range of South America, with some birds reaching the southern tip of the continent!
Phalaropes are known for their atypical sexual dimorphism attributes and parental behavior. Females are larger than males and have a more brightly developed plumage. Females also leave most parental duty to the male birds. They are also atypical by Birdorable standards, as our illustration depicts a female.
Tomorrow another shorebird joins Birdorable, one of two species in its genus. This small shorebird with a wide global range can be found wintering along ocean shores, where it might search for food by turning over stones. Can you guess this species?
Today we add a small wader to Birdorable: the Little Blue Heron!
Little Blue Herons are New World wading birds with a wide distribution covering parts of North and South America. They are found near wetland habitats, where they feed, roost, and breed. Some birds are year-round residents (especially in South America) while some birds in North America migrate to breed further north.
Little Blue Herons are named for the plum and blue plumage of adult birds. For the first year of life, Little Blue Herons aren't blue at all -- they are white! This gives the young birds an advantage when hunting among Snowy Egrets, who are more likely to tolerate a bird, all white like them, hunting in close proximity.
Tomorrow we'll add another wading bird to Birdorable. Our illustration will feature the female of the species! This bird is named for a famous ornithologist. Can you guess the bird based on these clues?
Today we are adding another penguin species to Birdorable: the Galapagos Penguin!
This species of penguin has the northernmost range of all penguins, and it is the only penguin species to live north of the equator. The climate on their island home is warmer than that of most other penguins, so they have adapted methods to keep cool, which includes panting like a dog! They also jump into the water to cool off.
Galapagos Penguins are among the smaller penguin species. They are unfortunately the most endangered species of penguin, facing threats related to climate change as well as introduced predators and pollution.
Tomorrow we'll add a little New World wading bird named for the color of the adult plumage. Juveniles of these birds have no color at all. Can you guess the species?
Today's new Birdorable is the Abdim's Stork, the world's smallest species of stork! This cutie joins the flock at the front of the list (alphabetically speaking, at least).
Abdim's Storks have a dark, iridescent pluamge. During breeding season, the bare patch of skin on the face turns blue. These migratory birds are found across parts of sub-Saharan Africa, ranging all the way down to South Africa in the non-breeding season.
