Miami MetroZoo / February 14, 2010

Green Aracari

The Green Aracari (Pteroglossus viridis) is the smallest Aracari in its range and among the smallest members of the toucan family. It is the only member of its genus that is sexually dimorphic with the female having a bright chestnut head and neck.

Green Aracari

The Green Aracari (Pteroglossus viridis) is the smallest Aracari in its range and among the smallest members of the toucan family. It is the only member of its genus that is sexually dimorphic with the female having a bright chestnut head and neck.

Plush-crested Jay

This beauty was busy, busy, busy so I was unable to get the face. Maybe I'll have better luck next time :)The Plush-crested Jay (Cyanocorax chrysops) is an elegant medium-sized bird, dark plumaged with a cream-yellow breast; the bulky tail is also cream colored, top and underneath, for the lower half.

Plush-crested Jay

This beauty was busy, busy, busy so I was unable to get the face. Maybe I'll have better luck next time :)The Plush-crested Jay (Cyanocorax chrysops) is an elegant medium-sized bird, dark plumaged with a cream-yellow breast; the bulky tail is also cream colored, top and underneath, for the lower half.

Red-crested Pochard [male]

The male Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) has an orange-brown head with a red beak and pale flanks. Females are brown with pale cheeks. In flight, they show whitish primaries.The Red-crested Pochard is larger than a Common Pochard (Aythya ferina).They dive, dabble and up-end for their food. Red-crested Pochards are the only ducks known to engage in a feeding ritual whereby the male dives and brings food offerings to his mate while she swims on the surface.

Red-crested Pochard [female]

The male Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) has an orange-brown head with a red beak and pale flanks. Females are brown with pale cheeks. In flight, they show whitish primaries.The Red-crested Pochard is larger than a Common Pochard (Aythya ferina).They dive, dabble and up-end for their food. Red-crested Pochards are the only ducks known to engage in a feeding ritual whereby the male dives and brings food offerings to his mate while she swims on the surface.

Red-crested Pochard [female]

The male Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) has an orange-brown head with a red beak and pale flanks. Females are brown with pale cheeks. In flight, they show whitish primaries.The Red-crested Pochard is larger than a Common Pochard (Aythya ferina).They dive, dabble and up-end for their food. Red-crested Pochards are the only ducks known to engage in a feeding ritual whereby the male dives and brings food offerings to his mate while she swims on the surface.

Red-crested Pochard [male]

The male Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) has an orange-brown head with a red beak and pale flanks. Females are brown with pale cheeks. In flight, they show whitish primaries.The Red-crested Pochard is larger than a Common Pochard (Aythya ferina).They dive, dabble and up-end for their food. Red-crested Pochards are the only ducks known to engage in a feeding ritual whereby the male dives and brings food offerings to his mate while she swims on the surface.

Red-crested Pochard

The male Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) has an orange-brown head with a red beak and pale flanks. Females are brown with pale cheeks. In flight, they show whitish primaries.The Red-crested Pochard is larger than a Common Pochard (Aythya ferina).They dive, dabble and up-end for their food. Red-crested Pochards are the only ducks known to engage in a feeding ritual whereby the male dives and brings food offerings to his mate while she swims on the surface.

Wood Duck [male]

The Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) is one of the most stunningly pretty of all waterfowl. Males are iridescent chestnut and green, with ornate patterns on nearly every feather; the elegant females have a distinctive profile and delicate white pattern around the eye. These birds live in wooded swamps, where they nest in holes in trees or in nest boxes put up around lake margins. They are one of the few duck species equipped with strong claws that can grip bark and perch on branches. Wood Ducks pair up in January, and most birds arriving at the breeding grounds in the spring are already paired. The Wood Duck is the only North American duck that regularly produces two broods in one year.

Caribbean Flamingo

There are many flamingo photos this go-round. I was just so mesmerized watching them bathe themselves. As you can see, the water is very shallow so watching these beautiful creatures go down into the water just fascinated me and then the sound of the wings flapping against the water - well, it was a spectacle to behold :) The Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), also called the American flamingo, is the most brightly colored and largest of all flamingos. With their bright feathers and strongly hooked bills, flamingos are among the most easily recognized waterbirds. Their pink or reddish color comes from the rich sources of carotenoid pigments (like the pigments of carrots) in the algae and small crustaceans that the birds eat. The Caribbean flamingos are the brightest, showing their true colors of red, pink, or orange on their legs, bills, and faces. They are a scarlet pink color overall and have black primary feathers. Their bill is downward bending at its midpoint. They have large bodies and flexible long necks topped with a small head. The flamingo's long legs and feet are bare, and their toes are webbed, which is good for wading. Young birds are mostly grey and do not develop their characteristic pink until after the first year. The sexes are similar in appearance.

Caribbean Flamingo

There are many flamingo photos this go-round. I was just so mesmerized watching them bathe themselves. As you can see, the water is very shallow so watching these beautiful creatures go down into the water just fascinated me and then the sound of the wings flapping against the water - well, it was a spectacle to behold :) The Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), also called the American flamingo, is the most brightly colored and largest of all flamingos. With their bright feathers and strongly hooked bills, flamingos are among the most easily recognized waterbirds. Their pink or reddish color comes from the rich sources of carotenoid pigments (like the pigments of carrots) in the algae and small crustaceans that the birds eat. The Caribbean flamingos are the brightest, showing their true colors of red, pink, or orange on their legs, bills, and faces. They are a scarlet pink color overall and have black primary feathers. Their bill is downward bending at its midpoint. They have large bodies and flexible long necks topped with a small head. The flamingo's long legs and feet are bare, and their toes are webbed, which is good for wading. Young birds are mostly grey and do not develop their characteristic pink until after the first year. The sexes are similar in appearance.

Caribbean Flamingo

There are many flamingo photos this go-round. I was just so mesmerized watching them bathe themselves. As you can see, the water is very shallow so watching these beautiful creatures go down into the water just fascinated me and then the sound of the wings flapping against the water - well, it was a spectacle to behold :) The Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), also called the American flamingo, is the most brightly colored and largest of all flamingos. With their bright feathers and strongly hooked bills, flamingos are among the most easily recognized waterbirds. Their pink or reddish color comes from the rich sources of carotenoid pigments (like the pigments of carrots) in the algae and small crustaceans that the birds eat. The Caribbean flamingos are the brightest, showing their true colors of red, pink, or orange on their legs, bills, and faces. They are a scarlet pink color overall and have black primary feathers. Their bill is downward bending at its midpoint. They have large bodies and flexible long necks topped with a small head. The flamingo's long legs and feet are bare, and their toes are webbed, which is good for wading. Young birds are mostly grey and do not develop their characteristic pink until after the first year. The sexes are similar in appearance.

Caribbean Flamingo

There are many flamingo photos this go-round. I was just so mesmerized watching them bathe themselves. As you can see, the water is very shallow so watching these beautiful creatures go down into the water just fascinated me and then the sound of the wings flapping against the water - well, it was a spectacle to behold :) The Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), also called the American flamingo, is the most brightly colored and largest of all flamingos. With their bright feathers and strongly hooked bills, flamingos are among the most easily recognized waterbirds. Their pink or reddish color comes from the rich sources of carotenoid pigments (like the pigments of carrots) in the algae and small crustaceans that the birds eat. The Caribbean flamingos are the brightest, showing their true colors of red, pink, or orange on their legs, bills, and faces. They are a scarlet pink color overall and have black primary feathers. Their bill is downward bending at its midpoint. They have large bodies and flexible long necks topped with a small head. The flamingo's long legs and feet are bare, and their toes are webbed, which is good for wading. Young birds are mostly grey and do not develop their characteristic pink until after the first year. The sexes are similar in appearance.

Caribbean Flamingo

There are many flamingo photos this go-round. I was just so mesmerized watching them bathe themselves. As you can see, the water is very shallow so watching these beautiful creatures go down into the water just fascinated me and then the sound of the wings flapping against the water - well, it was a spectacle to behold :) The Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), also called the American flamingo, is the most brightly colored and largest of all flamingos. With their bright feathers and strongly hooked bills, flamingos are among the most easily recognized waterbirds. Their pink or reddish color comes from the rich sources of carotenoid pigments (like the pigments of carrots) in the algae and small crustaceans that the birds eat. The Caribbean flamingos are the brightest, showing their true colors of red, pink, or orange on their legs, bills, and faces. They are a scarlet pink color overall and have black primary feathers. Their bill is downward bending at its midpoint. They have large bodies and flexible long necks topped with a small head. The flamingo's long legs and feet are bare, and their toes are webbed, which is good for wading. Young birds are mostly grey and do not develop their characteristic pink until after the first year. The sexes are similar in appearance.

Caribbean Flamingo

There are many flamingo photos this go-round. I was just so mesmerized watching them bathe themselves. As you can see, the water is very shallow so watching these beautiful creatures go down into the water just fascinated me and then the sound of the wings flapping against the water - well, it was a spectacle to behold :) The Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), also called the American flamingo, is the most brightly colored and largest of all flamingos. With their bright feathers and strongly hooked bills, flamingos are among the most easily recognized waterbirds. Their pink or reddish color comes from the rich sources of carotenoid pigments (like the pigments of carrots) in the algae and small crustaceans that the birds eat. The Caribbean flamingos are the brightest, showing their true colors of red, pink, or orange on their legs, bills, and faces. They are a scarlet pink color overall and have black primary feathers. Their bill is downward bending at its midpoint. They have large bodies and flexible long necks topped with a small head. The flamingo's long legs and feet are bare, and their toes are webbed, which is good for wading. Young birds are mostly grey and do not develop their characteristic pink until after the first year. The sexes are similar in appearance.

Caribbean Flamingo

There are many flamingo photos this go-round. I was just so mesmerized watching them bathe themselves. As you can see, the water is very shallow so watching these beautiful creatures go down into the water just fascinated me and then the sound of the wings flapping against the water - well, it was a spectacle to behold :) The Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), also called the American flamingo, is the most brightly colored and largest of all flamingos. With their bright feathers and strongly hooked bills, flamingos are among the most easily recognized waterbirds. Their pink or reddish color comes from the rich sources of carotenoid pigments (like the pigments of carrots) in the algae and small crustaceans that the birds eat. The Caribbean flamingos are the brightest, showing their true colors of red, pink, or orange on their legs, bills, and faces. They are a scarlet pink color overall and have black primary feathers. Their bill is downward bending at its midpoint. They have large bodies and flexible long necks topped with a small head. The flamingo's long legs and feet are bare, and their toes are webbed, which is good for wading. Young birds are mostly grey and do not develop their characteristic pink until after the first year. The sexes are similar in appearance.

White Bengal Tiger

White tigers are Bengal tigers. They’re not albino or their own separate species, as many people think. White tigers occur when two Bengal tigers that carry a recessive gene controlling coat color are bred together.

White Bengal Tiger

White tigers are Bengal tigers. They’re not albino or their own separate species, as many people think. White tigers occur when two Bengal tigers that carry a recessive gene controlling coat color are bred together.

Double-wattled Cassowary

The Double-wattled Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), found in New Guinea and northern Australia, is one of the largest birds in the world. Weighing as much as 128 pounds, only the ostrich is heavier. Flightless birds, Cassowaries are covered in coarse black feathers, with the exception of the skin on the head and throat which is brightly colored red and blue. One of the Cassowary's most distinguishing features is the large protuberance on the top of its head called the casque. It is believed that the casque assists the Cassowary in pushing through the dense tropical forest vegetation, and may also provide some sort of protection. In captivity, Cassowaries have been observed using their casques like a shovel to search for food on the ground. It is believed that the size of the casque may indicate dominance and age, since the casque continues to grow throughout the life of the bird. Another distinguishing feature of the Cassowaries is their wattles. Wattles are present in two of the three species of Cassowary. These brilliantly colored folds of skin hang from the bird's neck, and may act as social signals in the dark forest.Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [NOTE: The site indicates that this bird is Least Concern; however, further down on the page, it shows it still as Vulnerable as of 2017.]

Double-wattled Cassowary

The Double-wattled Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), found in New Guinea and northern Australia, is one of the largest birds in the world. Weighing as much as 128 pounds, only the ostrich is heavier. Flightless birds, Cassowaries are covered in coarse black feathers, with the exception of the skin on the head and throat which is brightly colored red and blue. One of the Cassowary's most distinguishing features is the large protuberance on the top of its head called the casque. It is believed that the casque assists the Cassowary in pushing through the dense tropical forest vegetation, and may also provide some sort of protection. In captivity, Cassowaries have been observed using their casques like a shovel to search for food on the ground. It is believed that the size of the casque may indicate dominance and age, since the casque continues to grow throughout the life of the bird. Another distinguishing feature of the Cassowaries is their wattles. Wattles are present in two of the three species of Cassowary. These brilliantly colored folds of skin hang from the bird's neck, and may act as social signals in the dark forest.Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [NOTE: The site indicates that this bird is Least Concern; however, further down on the page, it shows it still as Vulnerable as of 2017.]

Double-wattled Cassowary

The Double-wattled Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), found in New Guinea and northern Australia, is one of the largest birds in the world. Weighing as much as 128 pounds, only the ostrich is heavier. Flightless birds, Cassowaries are covered in coarse black feathers, with the exception of the skin on the head and throat which is brightly colored red and blue. One of the Cassowary's most distinguishing features is the large protuberance on the top of its head called the casque. It is believed that the casque assists the Cassowary in pushing through the dense tropical forest vegetation, and may also provide some sort of protection. In captivity, Cassowaries have been observed using their casques like a shovel to search for food on the ground. It is believed that the size of the casque may indicate dominance and age, since the casque continues to grow throughout the life of the bird. Another distinguishing feature of the Cassowaries is their wattles. Wattles are present in two of the three species of Cassowary. These brilliantly colored folds of skin hang from the bird's neck, and may act as social signals in the dark forest.Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [NOTE: The site indicates that this bird is Least Concern; however, further down on the page, it shows it still as Vulnerable as of 2017.]

American Beautyberry Shrub

American Beautyberry Shrub (Callicarpa cichotoma var. albafructus )

Mandarin Duck [male]

The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) is a medium-sized perching duck, closely related to the North American Wood Duck. During molting periods when the Mandarin sheds its feathers, the males resemble females but can be distinguished by the red bill. The Mandarin was known and revered in Asia well before the birth of Christ. Westerners were quick to discover them when they began to visit that area of the world -- captive Mandarins were brought to Europe as early as the 1700s. Mandarin Ducks are frequently featured in Oriental art and are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity.