Today we’re adding a species of swallow to our Birdorable family. Today’s new bird is the White-rumped Swallow!

These swallows are found in parts of Brazil, Argentina, and neighboring countries in South America. Some White-rumped Swallows are migratory; northern birds are sedentary but southern birds will head north for the winter, once breeding season is over.

Speaking of non-breeding season, these usually solitary birds will form mixed swallow feeding flocks in the winter, numbering 100 or more individual birds. They feed on the wing, taking aerial prey like flying ants, dragonflies, and flies.

Tomorrow’s new Birdorable is a species of waterfowl in a family that is named for their calling sound. The species we’re adding has a range over two continents and is named for the color of its face. Can you guess what it is?

The Red-billed Blue-Magpie, scientifically known as Urocissa erythroryncha, is a beautiful member of the corvid family. These striking birds are primarily found in various parts of Asia, where their vibrant plumage and distinctive features make them a true marvel of nature.

One of the most remarkable characteristics of the Red-billed Blue-Magpie is its extraordinarily long tail, which stands out as one of the lengthiest among all corvid species. This impressive tail adds to their overall elegance and sets them apart from their avian relatives.

The plumage of these magpies is a captivating blend of dark blue, black, and white. Their striking appearance, characterized by contrasting colors, ensures that they are easily distinguishable in their habitat. The bright red-orange bill provides a stark contrast to their predominantly dark plumage, making it a standout feature.

Red-billed Blue-Magpies are known for their social nature and are often observed in the company of their peers. These birds form small feeding flocks, typically consisting of 6-8 individuals. Their gregarious behavior allows them to forage more effectively and increases their chances of locating food sources.

The Red-billed Blue-Magpie's natural habitat includes a range of wooded environments, from lush forests to wooded hillsides. They can be found in various regions across Asia, where they thrive in the diverse landscapes provided by the continent.

Tomorrow we’ll add a species of swallow found in open habitat in South America. This cutie is named after the color of its rump! Can you guess the species from this cheeky clue?

Today we’re adding a species found across a wide range in the eastern United States: the White-eyed Vireo!

White-eyed Vireos are found in scrubby forest habitat. They are migratory, with their winter range extending down into Central America and the Caribbean. They eat a variety of insects.

Often heard before they are seen, if they are seen at all, White-eyed Vireos have a distinctive song. Birders remember the White-eyed Vireo’s vocalization by employing some funny mnemonics, including the rude-sounding “Spit! See if I care! Spit!”

Tomorrow’s new species is a type of corvid (crow family) with an extremely long tail. It is named for the color of its beak and the color of most of its feathers. Can you guess the bird?

Today we introduce a rare species of stork: Storm’s Stork.

Storm’s Stork is a species found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. They live in tropical forest habitat, where they feed on fish, frogs, and other aquatic prey. Unfortunately this species is considered to be the most endangered stork on the earth. They face habitat loss due to deforestation across their range.

Storm's Storks are named after a German explorer and zoological collector named Theodor "Hugo" Storm. Captain Storm was under contract with the natural history museum in Luebeck Germany to collect wild animals and specimens. The species was first described for western science by the German ornithologist August Wilhelm Heinrich Blasius.

Tomorrow’s new species is a New World songbird named for the color of its eyes. If we tell you they are neither Dark nor Red, you should be able to guess! Do you know the bird?

Today’s new addition to Birdorable is a colorful species in the dove family. The Pink-headed Fruit Dove joins our Birdorable Pigeons and Doves!

Pink-headed Fruit Doves are easily recognized by their pinkish purple heads and green backs. Their breasts have a spiffy white and black border stripe between the pinkish-purple above and the light grey below. Males, like our Birdorable version, have bright colors; females are similar but with duller vibrance.

They are native to Indonesia, where they live in forest habitat and feed on fruits, figs, and berries.

Pink-headed Fruit Doves are also known as Temminck’s Fruit Pigeons. Coenraad Jacob Temminck was a Dutch zoologist who had a hand in describing and naming over forty species for science, including many birds (Temminck’s Hornbill) and mammals (Temminck’s Flying Squirrel).

Tomorrow we’ll add a very rare stork to Birdorable. The species is named after an explorer, not a weather event. Can you guess the species?

Today’s new bird is a small species of macaw. We welcome the Blue-winged Macaw to Birdorable!

Blue-winged Macaws are found in forest habitat in parts of Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. They feed on a variety of plant-powered foods, like seeds, fruits, and nuts. They can be recognized by their namesake blue wings and a small red patch at the forehead.

Blue-winged Macaws are popular in aviculture, where they are known as Illiger's Macaw. This name comes from the German Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger. As pets, they are known to enjoy interaction with their owners. They are also known for their intelligence.

Tomorrow’s new species is found in Indonesian forest habitat. Common birds in their family are typically mostly grey, but these birds are colorful, as well as cute. They are named partly for their coloration and partly for their favorite food. Can you guess the species?

Today’s new species is the Fieldfare, a large species of thrush in the same family as the American Robin. They resemble their Yankee cousins in build and size, and in the way they hunt for worms in the soil.

Fieldfares are Old World birds, and highly migratory. They breed across forests in the north of Europe and Asia. Their winter range extends across much of Europe, down into northern Africa and parts of the Middle East.

Fieldfares can be recognized by their grey heads, ruddy brown upperparts, and spotted fronts. They also have distinctive yellow bills with a black tip.

Tomorrow’s new species is a small macaw named for the color of one of its body parts. These gregarious birds live in forest habitat in parts of South America and have a different name when referring to the species in aviculture. Can you guess the bird?

Today’s new Birdorable species is a tiny type of hummingbird found in northeastern parts of South America. Look at the crazy plumage of the Tufted Coquette!

There are 11 species of coquette in the genus Lophornis. All of these tiny hummingbirds are native to Central and South America. Six other types of coquette have crests like the Tufted Coquette, though their ranges don’t typically overlap, making identification of Tufted Coquettes fairly easy. In these birds, the males have the outlandish crests (and the wild neck tufts as seen in the Tufted) while the females have a typically lower profile (ie, less flashy plumage).

Tufted Coquettes feed on nectar, favoring Orange Milkweed and pigeon pea flowers, among others. Like other hummingbirds, they will also take small insects as prey as available.

Tomorrow’s new bird is closely related to the America Robin, but lives on the other side of the world. Do you know this spotted, migratory bird?

Today’s new species is a type of wading bird found in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. The African Jacana is easily recognized by its unique chestnut plumage, its blue beak and facial shield, and by those toes. Look at those crazy long toes!

African Jacanas feed on insects and other small organisms they glean from aquatic vegetation. Their long toes allow them to move across floating wetland vegetation by spreading their weight over a large area. Jacanas have precocial young, meaning chicks are able to walk around on their own shortly after hatching. You better believe they have long toes too, so they can follow dad around as he points out food to them.

Yes, they follow dad around – African Jacanas have a sort of complete role reversal when it comes to breeding. Males care for the eggs and raise the chicks completely on their own.

Tomorrow we’ll add a tiny South American hummingbird with a crazy plumage, including tufts on the head and the neck. Do you know the species?

Today we’re introducing the Bar-headed Goose to Birdorable! This mid-sized species of Anser goose is easy to recognize due to the namesake black bars found on the back of the head.

Bar-headed Geese are known to be one of the highest flying species in the world. They spend the breeding season on high altitude lakes and migrate across Asia to reach their wintering grounds to the south. Using tracking data, Bar-headed Geese have been recorded at flying at altitudes of up to 21,000 feet! They have also been noted to fly over Mount Makalu at over 27,000 feet, and even over Mount Everest at over 29,000 feet! Wow!

Tomorrow we’ll introduce an African species with crazy long toes. Is this clue and the silhouette enough for you to guess the correct bird?