See The Pretty Birdies

Such color! Such variety! The brightest colors in nature belong to the birds. They carry their splendor into the air, astounding us not only with flight itself, but their flamboyant displays while making it look easy.

Here's a few of the MANY images I've gathered over the last fifteen years or so. I'll start with one of the most endangered birds in the world, from New Zealand, this is the Kea.

They look quite a bit different on the ground.

Now, the educational interlude. The kea is an "alpine parrot." The only parrot that lives ABOVE the snow line of South Island, in New Zealand. They can be found at over 6,000 feet in elevation.

A 2 pound, 19 inch long bundle of curiousity and intelligence, they are both loved and hated.

They amuse each other and make themselves "laugh." Really...they laugh, and other birds around them will join in, starting to play, laugh, even tussle with each other, like puppies or cats.

The underside of their wings show a beautiful orange, yellow and gray composition.

They thrive in harsh conditions, rolling in the snow and breaking ice with their beaks. But they also "come down" to civilization and are VERY adroit at tearing things apart, especially cars. There's YouTube videos if you're so inclined.

They're smart, they use tools, they work together. In the air, they are impressive flyers, often playing acrobatic games, diving on one another and seemingly, playing tag. They are critically endangered, numbers are around 10,000 in their ranges.

Oh, they move forward by hopping sideways. That's kinda weird.

Next time, we'll look at another "pretty bird."

Once writ, hit send.....Web Rydr