The ABCs of Birds - Letter I

[Patti from Kentucky]

I pity the letter I, if my personal stash of bird photos is representative.  I've only got:  I is for Ibis.

Below are two samples, both from Florida:
1)  Scarlet Ibis
2)  White Ibis

[Donna]

Indigo Bunting  I think this is one. My sis took this pics in her yard but I didn't caption the pic.



The Indigo Bunting is a small bird, with a length of 11.5–13 cm (4.5–5 in). It displays sexual dimorphism in its coloration; the male is a vibrant blue in the summer and a brown color during the winter months, while the female is brown year-round. The male displays brightly colored plumage during the breeding season to attract a mate. Nest-building and incubation are done solely by the female. The diet of the Indigo Bunting consists primarily of insects during the summer months and seeds during the winter months.

(WIKI)

[dale]

Donna, that looks totally indigo!  

all blue birds are OK by me.  INDIGO. 'nuf said.

photo from here: http://thundafunda.com/33/animals-pictures-nature/indigo-bunting-pictures.php

[dale]

here, by the way, is the female. A no-indigo indigo. You go girl.

I got this photo from this site, a nice site.
http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek030515.html

[dale]

shoot. I just canNOT seem to remember to sign these posts.

[dale]

Patti, that scarlet ibis is...well...scarlet. At least "I" is highly pigmented.

Dale (hey I did it)

[gayle]

I is for Ivory-billed Woodpecker

The last confirmed sighting of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker was in 1948.  This largest American woodpecker was spectacular!  The birding and non- birding world alike were caught up in the excitement of a possible sighting in 2005 in the Big Woods area of Arkansas.  A few seconds of video tape blurred images renewed hope that the bird had escaped extinction.  Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and two universities mounted lengthy explorations, but no confirmed sightings were made.

While not related, the Ivory-billed woodpecker resembled the Pileated Woodpecker.

The story of the search can be found here:  http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ivory-billed_Woodpecker/id

Wikipedia has interesting information:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_billed_woodpecker

Illustration is a painting by Audubon published by Wikipedia.

Gayle

[dale]

two Imperial Eagles -
Eastern Imperial Eagle and
Iberian (Spanish) Imperial Eagle
wikipedia

There's also an Indian Spotted Eagle
http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Indian_Spotted_Eagle
http://naturechronicles.com/gallery/v/Feather/Eagle_IndianSpotted+4076_fcw.jpg.html

[anneintoronto]

I is for Inca Dove

Inca Dove: Small dove with scaled, pale gray-brown upperparts, white throat, and scaled, pale buff (often with pink wash) underparts. The tail is long and squared with a black-bordered gray center and edged in white. Black bill, pink legs and feet. Direct flight with rapid wing beats. [Whatbird.com]

Apparently found in the South-West United States.  Has anyone ever seen one?

Anne in Toronto

  Photo by Jeff Mohamed:  SE Texas Birding & Wildlife Watching

[anneintoronto]

I is for Iceland Gull

Overview
Iceland Gull: Large, white gull, pale, pearl-gray back and upper wings. Bill is yellow, red spot at tip of lower mandible. Wing tips sometimes marked with pale to dark gray. White tail; legs and feet are pink. Direct flight with strong deep wing beats. Soars on thermals and updrafts. [Whatbird.com]

Range and Habitat
Iceland Gull: Breeds in southern Greenland, southern Baffin Island, northwestern Quebec, and on islands in northern Hudson Bay. Spends winters in Europe, Iceland, and eastern North America south to New Jersey. Nests on rocky coasts, on tall cliffs; prefers coastal habitats in harbors, large reservoirs, and nearby landfills.   [Whatbird.com]

I have only seen this gull once, when in Cape Breton, during a family camping trip...
Had forgotten all about it, until I went in search of I Birds.
It's nice to find an old memory!!

Anne in Toronto

Photo by Marcel Gauthier www.notason.com

[Annette]

Ibisbill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibisbill

Picture http://www.flickr.com/photos/mohanram_rk/2395711107/

[anneintoronto]

There's also an Indian Spotted Eagle

Will you look at those HUGE, EXTRAORDINARILY YELLOW FEET on this Indian Spotted Eagle!!!  Wow!!!
A very impressed Anne in Toronto

[anneintoronto]

I is for Ivory Gull

Overview
Ivory Gull: A pure white gull whose entire life is restricted to the edge of the floating pack ice. Legs dark, bill dusky with yellow tip. It eats fish, insects, lemmings and crustaceans, and is also an active scavenger. Buoyant, graceful flight. Often flies with feet trailing and dangling below. [Whatbird.com]

Range and Habitat
Ivory Gull: Nearly always associated with drifting pack ice in the very northern reaches of the arctic. Circumpolar and found in Siberia, Canada, Greenland, and other Arctic land masses. [Whatbird.com]

Did you know that a group of gulls can be labelled with many collective nouns, including a "flotilla", "gullery", "screech", "scavenging", and "squabble" of gulls.  Yeah, I didn't either!

Anne in Toronto

Photo by Shirley Gallant 2008 http://www.sonnys.ca/   

[Annette]

Iiwi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CA%BBI%CA%BBiwi

Pictures http://tinyurl.com/2aqm5gc

[annieinelkhart]

Ibis was my first and only one for the letter I guess I didn't get up early enough!  Love those birds and can't wait to see more in Florida!!