December 31, 2013
This Bar-Headed Goose was photographed in the San Antonio, Texas Zoo
The Bar-Headed Goose is a tan and white goose with black bars on the head and neck, and orange legs and bill. It is an exotic native to Central Asia that is occasionally seen in North America and Zoos. The habitat is lakes, ponds, bays, marshes, and fields. It feeds mostly on plant material and seeds.
Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Bar Headed Goose
December 19, 2013
The Royal Tern was photographed on Myrtle Beach in South Carolina
Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Royal Tern
The Royal Tern is a medium sized seabird with a large orange bill, a deeply forked tail, a gray back, white under primaries, and a black or white forehead with black feathers forming a crest. The Royal Tern is one of the larger terns. It has a range strictly on the United States east, southeast, and Gulf, and northwest Mexico coasts. The habitats are coasts, sandy beaches, and salt bays. It is almost never seen inland. It feeds on small fish and crustaceans.
December 8, 2013
This younger Lesser Black-Backed Gull was photographed on Myrtle Beach in South Carolina
Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Lesser Black-Backed Gull
The Lesser Black-Backed Gull has black back and snow-white underparts with pink (younger) and yellow (older) legs. The range is Northern Europe, but may be found migrating in North America. It has a habitat at beaches, bays, coasts, and garbage dumps. The diet includes fish, insects, mollusks, crustaceans, marine worms, and refuge in dumps. It has not been proven to nest in the United States. North American records are of the Britain/Iceland population that is indicated by a lighter black back. When seen they are few in number, and usually only for a short time.
Photos of Birds by Common Name by Sid Hamm 