No NSFW pictures today. Instead we focus on the breeding plumage and colors some birds grow each spring in an attempt to attract a mate.
Here’s a weird one – the male Ruddy Duck’s bill turns bright blue in mating season. Nice water-level shot from Mike Affinito. Click the pic and read his Description of how the bubbles are generated.
Next is the poster-child for breeding plumage, the Snowy Egret. Thousands upon thousands of these birds were killed in the late 1800s for their showy breeding feathers, which were used to decorate women’s hats. At some point women demanded a stop to the carnage and the Migratory Bird Act of 1918 was passed to protect such indiscriminate killing. Thanks to Paul Demkovich for the shot below.
I’ll add one of my favorite Snowy Egret pics to the flock.
The ruby crown on the Ruby-crowned Kinglet is usually just a dot of red (if seen at all) but during breeding season that dot explodes into a big red crown. Captured nicely by Ronald Zigler here.
We’ll finish off today with another of my favorite pics of a Great Egret displaying its breeding plumage, which I took down on Hilton Head Island, SC a few years ago.
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