Great Tailed Grackle Bird – Passerines – 12/25/2013

The male Great-Tailed Grackle was photographed in San Antonio, Texas

The female Great-Tailed Grackle was photographed in San Antonio, Texas

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The male Great-Tailed grackle is a large purple-blue-glossed bird with long tail and pale yellow eyes. The female Great-tailed Grackle is much smaller than the male and is brown-gray with a paler breast and pale yellow-white eyes. It has a range from the southwest United States to Peru. It has a habitat in open and semi open country, groves, thickets, farms, towns, and city parks. Its diet is varied that includes insects, spiders, millipedes, snails, crayfish, tadpoles, small fish, lizards, and eggs. It often feeds and moves in flocks.

 

 

Black Bellied Whistling Duck Bird – Swimmers – 12/25/2013

The Black-Bellied Whistling Duck was photographed at San Antonio, Texas, a normal year-round area for the duck.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Black-Bellied Whistling Duck

The Black-Bellied Whistling Duck is a goose-like rusty duck with black belly, broad white patch on forewing, bright coral-red bill, and long pink legs. The immature has grayer bill, legs, and belly. It has a pale eye-ring. It has a range of Texas and Arizona to Northern Argentina. It has a habitat of ponds, lakes and fresh marshes; favors shallow fresh water lakes and ponds with trees. It feeds mainly on seeds and grains, and some insects, and snails.

 

Fulvous Whistling Duck – Swimmers – 12/25/2013

The Fulvous Whistling Duck was photographed at the San Antonio, Texas Zoo

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The Fulvous Whistling Duck is tan with a dark bill and legs, a dark back, a pale side stripe, and a white rump. It is a tawny goose-like duck that is found grazing in open fields or tipping up in shallow ponds. It has a range from Southern United States (Texas to Florida coasts) to Central America. It has a habitat in marshes, mostly coastal. It feeds on mostly seeds and aquatic plants.

 

Black Swan Bird – Swimmers – 12/25/2013

The Black Swan is an exotic bird in the United States that is native to Australia. It was photographed in San Antonio, Texas.

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The Black Swan is black feathered with a red bill and gray black legs and feet. It is exotic to North America and is native to Australia. The habitat extends over fresh, brackish, and salt-water lakes, swamps, and rivers. The diet is generally aquatic and marshland plants.

 

American White Pelican Bird – Aerilaists – 12/25/2013

The American White Pelican during breeding was photographed in San Antonio, Texas Zoo.

The American White Pelican not in breeding plumage, without centerboard on the ridge of the bill.

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The American White Pelican is a huge white bird with black primaries and a great orange-yellow bill. Adults in breeding plumage have a centerboard on the ridge of the bill. It has a 9 foot wingspan. It has a range in western and central North America. It winters along the west and gulf, and east Florida coats. It has a habitat on lakes, marshes, salt bays, and beaches. It feeds mostly on fish and crayfish by dipping the bill into water and scooping them up.

 

Bar Headed Goose Bird – Swimmers – 12/25/2013

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