The ABCs of Birds - O -

[gayle]

Oystercatcher

The American Oystercatcher, as its name implies, has a bill adapted for opening bivalves.  It is a spectacular shore bird and may be found on rocky shores along the Atlantic coast of the US and southward from Baja on the Pacific.   Although I have seen them in California, I have no photographic evidence!  This photograph was made in the Galapagos.

The Black Oyster is found along the Pacific Coast from the Aleutians to Baja.  While it is not listed as threatened, world-wide population is only about 9,000 – 11,000.

Gayle

[gayle]

Oxpecker

Oxpeckers are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa.  There are two species, yellow-billed ad red-billed.  The latter are prevalent in the area of South Africa where Safari,tv broadcasts its game drives.  All photographs are screen captures from those drives.  Oxpeckers spend virtually all of their lives, except for nesting, on the bodies of large African mammals.  The birds and the host animals exhibit mutualism.  The oxpeckers eat ticks and other parasites and clean wounds on the bodies of the mammals.  The mammals, in turn, provide a relatively safe haven for the birds.  And they are outrageous to look at!

Gayle

[anneintoronto]

O is for Ovenbird

Ovenbird: Medium, ground walking warbler, olive-brown upperparts, heavily spotted white underparts. Head has dull orange central crown stripe edged in black, and a white eye-ring. Wings, tail are olive-green. Name is from its covered nest, the dome and side entrance make it resemble a dutch oven.

Ovenbird: Breeds from west-central Canada east to Maritimes, and south to the northern Gulf Coast states and South Carolina. Spends winters from the Gulf Coast and Florida to South America. Preferred habitats include mature, dry forests with little undergrowth.

(above information from Whatbird.com)

This is a good one - a group of Ovenbirds is called a "stew" of ovenbirds.  Doesn't exactly sound good for the Ovenbird... It would take so many to make a.... never mind!

Anne in Toronto


photo by Michael J. Hopiak / CLO

[gayle]

Thanks for posting the ovenbird, Anne.  I did not know about it.  And yes, a stew of oven birds somehow seems inappropriate!

Gayle

[Patti from Kentucky]

I wanted to add to Gayle's photos of the American Oystercatcher, 'cause I have an interesting shot of one about to devour some prey.

We took this photo on the Island of James (Santiago) in the Galapagos.  We watched the Oystercatcher hammer the heck out of this unfortunate sea urchin until the bird could get to the animal inside.

[Patti from Kentucky]

O is for Ovenbird

Ovenbird: Medium, ground walking warbler...
Anne in Toronto

I love Ovenbirds!  They're really hard to see, generally, since they're always on the ground and often well camouflaged.  We usually only find them when they're singing to advertise their territory, usually in the Smoky Mountains.  We saw one there who flew in front of us and did a dramatic broken-wing display, so we assumed we must be near a nest.

Patti

[Patti from Kentucky]

I know there are folks on this forum who have much better pictures than this, so please, post away! 

O is for Osprey.

The in-flight photo was taken at the Hawkwatch platform in Cape May...there were many Osprey hunting there.  We saw one episode where a Bald Eagle chased after an Osprey who had just caught a fish, and forced the Osprey to drop the fish, where it was plucked up by the eagle.

The second photo we took in Florida last winter; the Merritt Island NWR and the national seashore was full of Osprey!

[Patti from Kentucky]

And here is one more Oystercatcher contribution:  this is a pair of Variable Oystercatchers, which are endemic to New Zealand. 

The "variable" in their name refers to their frontal plumage, according to Wikipedia, which can be pied or mottled or solid black, as in these birds.

[dale]

Gayle, thanks for posting oxpeckers. I was fixing to ask.

OSTRICH!!!

We read about the harrier that flew alongside Aafke's car; here is an OSTRICH that RAN alongside of my car for quite a distance outside of Cape Town, SA.  I saw one down at the Cape of Good Hope too - that one was in breeding plumage.

dale

[dale]

OSTRICH #2

Here are some more ostriches that I photographed at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
Look carefully.

dale

[Patti from Kentucky]

O is for Owl...I already posted a Barred Owl under the B's, a Great Gray Owl and a Great Horned Owl under the G's, but I'll destroy my own precedent and post some Owls under the generic O.

The first is a Spectacled Owl, taken in Peru at the Tambopata research center.  I had an excellent birding guide who knew this owl's favorite daytime roosts, and managed to find one!

The second is a Western Screech Owl, taken in Southeast Arizona (a park in Tuscon).  My birding guide on that trip played the Owl's call, and he came flying out to defend his territory.

[dale]

both Oxpecker and Oystercatcher need to be cut off by the caffeine bartender.
Check out those eyes. They are wired and overserved.

Owls, Patti?

the spectacled owl is EXCELLENT

I've got owls...barn owl in tucson

dale

[dale]

and a GHO (with a mouth full of mouse) and a screech owl, also in tucson.

dale

[anneintoronto]

OSTRICH #2

Here are some more ostriches that I photographed at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
Look carefully.

dale

Where did you find an ostrich with such strange legs, Dale?  Very much like those children's three level cards, where you could pick a head, a middle and legs that matched or, of course, didn't!  Having fun, were we? Or is that "artistic license"?

Anne in Toronto

[Patti from Kentucky]

both Oxpecker and Oystercatcher need to be cut off by the caffeine bartender.
Check out those eyes. They are wired and overserved.

Owls, Patti?

the spectacled owl is EXCELLENT

I've got owls...barn owl in tucson

dale

Hey Dale...I think it's just the way that shadow cuts across the middle of your eye, but in this photo you also look like perhaps you need to have your caffeine cut off!    In what fun place in Tucson did you get to play with owls?

Patti