National Birds of_SAARC

National Birds of SAARC countries

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an organization of South Asian nations. The concept of SAARC was first adopted by Bangladesh during 1977, under the administration of President Ziaur Rahman (Former President of Bangladesh). It was founded in December 1985 and dedicated to economic, technological, social, and cultural development emphasizing collective self-reliance. Its seven founding members are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan joined the organization in 2005.

The 16 stated areas of cooperation are agriculture and rural, biotechnology, culture, energy, environment, economy and trade, finance, funding mechanism, human resource development, poverty alleviation, people to people contact, security aspects, social development, science and technology; communications, tourism.

Here are the SAARC countries national birds:

 

1. Oriental Magpie Robin

[The National Bird of Bangladesh]

The Oriental Magpie Robin is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but now considered an Old World flycatcher. They are distinctive black and white birds with a long tail that is held upright as they forage on the ground or perch conspicuously.

Distributed in many parts of tropical South and Southeast Asia, they are common birds in urban gardens as well as forests. They are particularly well known for their songs and were once popular as cage birds.

The Magpie Robin is the National Bird of Bangladesh, where it is common and known as the Doel (Bengali: দোয়েল). It is a widely used symbol in Bangladesh, appearing on currency notes, and a landmark in the city of Dhaka is named as the Doyel Chatwar (meaning: Doyel Square).

2. Peafowl or, Peacock

[The National Bird of India]

Peafowl are two Asiatic species of flying birds in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae, best known for the male's extravagant eye-spotted tail, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen, and the offspring peachicks. The adult female peafowl is grey and/or brown. Peachicks can be between yellow and a tawny color with darker brown patches.

The male (peacock) Indian Peafowl has iridescent blue-green or green colored plumage. The peacock tail ("train") is not the tail quill feathers but the highly elongated upper tail coverts. The "eyes" are best seen when the peacock fans its tail.

Like a cupped hand behind the ear the erect tail-fan of the male helps direct sound to the ears. Both species have a crest atop the head. The female (peahen) Indian Peafowl has a mixture of dull green, brown, and grey in her plumage. She lacks the long upper tail coverts of the male but has a crest. The female can also display her plumage to ward off female competition or signal danger to her young.

3. Common Raven

[The National Bird of Bhutan]

The Common Raven, also known as the Northern Raven, is a large, all-black passerine bird. Found across the northern hemisphere, it is the most widely distributed of all corvids. There are at least eight subspecies with little variation in appearance although recent research has demonstrated significant genetic differences among populations from various regions.

It is one of the two largest corvids, alongside the Thick-billed Raven, and is possibly the heaviest passerine bird; at maturity, the Common Raven averages 63 cm (25 inches) in length and 1.2 kg (2.6 pounds).

It continues to be used as a symbol in areas where it once had mythological status: as the National Bird of Bhutan, Official Bird of the Yukon territory, and on the Coat of Arms of the Isle of Man (once a Viking colony).

4. Himalayan Monal

[The National Bird of Nepal]

The Himalayan Monal, also known as the Impeyan Monal or Impeyan        Pheasant or Danphe is a bird of genus Lophophorus the pheasant family, Phasianidae. It is the national bird of Nepal, where it is known as the Danfe, and the state bird of Uttarakhand.

Traditionally, the Himalayan Monal has been classified as monotypic. However, studies have shown that the male Himalayan Monals of northwestern India lack the white rump that other Himalayan Monals have, and have more green on the breast, indicating the possibility of a second subspecies.

It is a relatively large-sized bird with reference to family Phasianidae. About 70 cm in length, the weight of males and females range between 1980-2380g and 1800-2150g respectively. Adult males possess a long crest, are feathered with multi colored plumage throughout their body, while the females, like in other pheasants, are dull in color with the upper parts covered with dark brownish-black feathers.

5. Chukar Partridge

[The National Bird of Pakistan]

The Chukar is a rotund 32–35 cm (13–14 in) long partridge, with a light brown back, grey breast, and buff belly. The shades vary across the various populations. The face is white with a black gorget. It has rufous-streaked flanks, red legs and coral red bill. Sexes are similar, the female slightly smaller in size and lacking the spur. The tail has 14 feathers, the third primary is the longest while the first is level with the fifth and sixth primaries.

The Chukar is the National bird of Pakistan. In Punjab, the Chukar has been considered as a symbol of intense, and often unrequited, love. It was considered to be enamored by the moon and said to constantly gaze at it. Due to their pugnacious behavior during the breeding season they are kept in some areas as fighting birds.

6. Jungle-fowl

[The National Bird of Sri Lanka]

The male Sri Lankan Jungle-fowl ranges from 66–73 cm (26–29 in) in length and 790–1,140 g (1.7–2.5 lb) in weight, essentially resembling a large, muscular rooster. The male has orange-red body plumage, and dark purple to black wings and tail. The feathers of the main descending from head to base of spine are golden, and the face has bare red skin and wattles. The comb is red with a yellow centre. As with the Green Jungle-fowl, the cock does not possess an eclipse plumage.

The female is much smaller, at only 35 cm (14 in) in length and 510–645 g (1.1–1.42 lb) in weight, with dull brown plumage with white patterning on the lower belly and breast, ideal camouflage for a nesting bird.

7. Brown Booby

[The National Bird of Maldives]

The Brown Booby is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. The adult brown booby reaches about 76 centimeters (30 in) in length. Its head and upper body are covered in dark brown, with the remainder being a contrasting white. The juvenile form is gray-brown with darkening on the head, wings and tail. While these birds are typically silent, bird watchers have reported occasional sounds similar to grunting or quacking.

Brown Boobies are spectacular divers, plunging into the ocean at high speed. They mainly eat small fish or squid which gather in groups near the surface and may catch leaping fish while skimming the surface. Although they are powerful and agile fliers, they are particularly clumsy in takeoffs and landings; they use strong winds and high perches to assist their takeoffs.

8. Bearded Vulture

[The National Bird of Afghanistan]

The Lammergeier, Lammergeyer, or Bearded Vulture, ("Bearded Vulture-Eagle"), they are not much more closely related to the Old World vultures proper than to, for example, hawks, and differ from the former by their feathered neck. Although quite dissimilar, Egyptian and Bearded Vulture both have a lozenge-shaped tail that is unusual among birds of prey.

It eats mainly carrion and lives and breeds on crags in high mountains in southern Europe, North Africa, Southern Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, and Tibet, laying one or two eggs in mid-winter which hatch at the beginning of spring. Populations are resident. It was formerly killed in significant numbers because people feared (without justification) that it carried off children and domestic animals; the bird was also hunted as a trophy.      Article Source: wikipedia

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Rarest Bird’s _ Almost extinct



Some of rarest bird’s around the world

Birds live and breed in most terrestrial habitats and on all seven continents, reaching their southern extreme in the Snow Petrel's breeding colonies up to 440 kilometers (270 mi) inland in Antarctica. The highest bird diversity occurs in tropical regions. It was earlier thought that this high diversity was the result of higher speciation rates in the tropics, however recent studies found higher speciation rates in the high latitudes that were offset by greater extinction rates than in the tropics.

There are many beautiful and fascinating birds in the world. Some species of birds are considered rare due to the threat of extinction. Specific bird populations are decreasing, but fortunately, there are measures being taken by governments and conservationists to protect endangered species so they can thrive in their natural habitats and captivity.



1. Spix’s Macaw

The Spix’s Macaw is one of the world’s most critically endangered species. The Spix’s Macaw is a parrot in shades of blue and named after German naturalist Johann Baptist von Spix. Its natural habitat is restricted due to its dependence on the Caraibeira tree for nesting.

The species was discovered in 1817 in Brazil and is speculated to have become extinct in the wild in 2000. There are currently 85 in captivity, some of which are participating in an international breeding program. The decline in the species is due to hunting and trapping, destroying its habitat and the Africanized bee.

2. Cebu Flowerpecker

The Cebu Flowerpecker is only found on Cebu Island in the Philippines. The Cebu Flowerpecker is stocky with a short, stout bill. The male has colors which include a black head, red mantle/back, yellow/green rear, blackish blue wings/tail and grayish/white under parts.

It was feared to have become extinct in the early 20th century. It was rediscovered in 1992 at Tabunan and was seen most recently in 2007. The population was estimated to be about 85-105 in 2005. The species is threatened by an extreme shortage of habitat and other man-made factors.

3. Western Ground Parrot

The Western Ground Parrot is an endangered species of parrot endemic to Western Australia and is a close relative of the Eastern Ground Parrot and the somewhat more distantly related and mysterious Night Parrot. It is one of the world's rarest birds with about 110 individuals remaining.

The Western Ground Parrot plumage is similar to the Eastern Ground Parrot, but feathers of the abdomen and under tail-coverts are bright yellow with indistinct black barring.

The fledgling Western Ground Parrot is grey/brown around the head, wing covets and across the back, while the Eastern Ground Parrot has bright green (adult) plumage in these areas. This plumage difference would provide better camouflage to mobile fledglings in the habitat typical of the southwest arid regions where they reside. In contrast the Eastern Ground Parrot lives in thick vegetation with little open ground.

4. The Imperial Amazon

The Imperial Amazon, aka Imperial Parrot, Dominican Amazon, August Amazon or Sisserou has a green back, purple neck, green-tipped red tail and purple under parts. The species is native to mountain forests of the Caribbean island nation of Dominica.

It is the national bird and featured on the Dominican flag. It has an endangered status and a population of 150-250 mature birds, of which 3 are in captivity at the Parrot Conservation and Research Center. The species is threatened by habitat loss, pet trade illegal trapping, deforestation/encroachment and competition with Red-necked Amazon/owls for nesting.

5. Hawaiian Crow

The Hawaiian Crow or Alala is considered by some natives to be the Family God. It is black and about 20 inches in length. Unfortunately, it has been extinct in the wild since 2002. As of July, 2010, there were approximately 78 birds in 2 separate breeding facilities.

In the past, it was only found in western and southeastern parts of Hawaii. Important tree species in its habitat were Ohi a lehua and Koa. Reasons for its extinction could be from diseases, or other contributing factors. In April, 2009, a 5-year plan to spend more than $14M was announced to prevent its total extinction.

6. The Kakapo

The Kakapo or Owl Parrot is native to New Zealand and has yellow-green plumage, a large grey beak, short legs, large feet, short wings/short tail. The bird resembles an owl by the fine feathers on its face. It is husky and the heaviest parrot, weighing 4.5-9 pounds. The Kakapo is nocturnal and the only flightless parrot in the world. It is an excellent climber and can descend like a parachute.

As of February, 2010, the Kakapo was critically endangered with only 120 known birds left. Predators such as cats, rats and stoats nearly destroyed the entire population. The Kakapo Recovery Plan was implemented in the 1980’s and survivors have been kept on 2 predator-free islands since January of 2009.

7. The Mauritius Kestrel

The Mauritius Kestrel is native to the forests of Mauritius. It is a small falcon with a long tail and short wingspan of about 1.5 feet. The tiny population was most likely caused by deforestation in the 18th century and cyclones. The most severe decrease was in the 1950’s and 1960’s due to the use of DDT, cats, mongooses and macaques.

In 1974, the population dropped to near extinction, a mere 4, but increased to 50 in 1984. Since there are now more than 800 mature birds, the species was down listed to Vulnerable in 1994.

8. The Pink Pigeon

The Pink Pigeon is native to Mauritius and was down listed from critically endanger to endangered in 2006. It has pale pink plumage on its head, shoulders and underside with pink feat/beak. The wings are brown with a reddish-brown and broad tail. It most closely resembles the Madagascar Turtle Dove.

Habitat destruction and non-native predators caused the population to severely drop in 1991. In 2005, there was a stable amount of about 360 in the wild due to the captive breeding and reintroduction program.

9. The Black Shama

The Black Shama is a lively black bird that is endemic to the island of Cebu which is located The Philippines.

It is threatened by habitat loss on this island as it lives in various types of forests and shrub land.

10. The Mauritius or Echo Parakeet

The Mauritius or Echo Parakeet is known locally as Katover and considered endangered. It is similar to its closest living relative, the Rose-ringed Parakeet, except stockier with a shorter tail and more emerald-green in color.

This bird was close to extinction in the early 1980’s due to lack of suitable trees for breeding, threats by humans, feral pigs/deer and competition with other bird species. By the late 1980’s, the predicament had stabilized and by the mid-1990’s, there were 50-60 birds. Total wild population is currently 280-300. Captive population exists at a wildlife sanctuary in Western Mauritius.

11. Red Goshawk

The Red Goshawk is probably the rarest Australian bird of prey. It is found mainly in the savanna woodlands of northern Australia, particularly near watercourses. It takes a broad range of live prey, mostly birds.

The Red Goshawk used to be regarded as a very large member of the goshawk subfamily, Accipitridae, but it is now believed that the resemblance to these other birds is convergent.

Experts now group the Red Goshawk with the superficially dissimilar Black-breasted Buzzard and Square-tailed Kite as one of the Australasian old endemic raptors. It is believed that the ancestors of these birds, possibly together with a handful of species from South-east Asia and Africa, occupied Gondwana and over the millennia have diverged into their current forms.

12. Flightless Cormorant

Like all cormorants, this bird has webbed feet and powerful legs that propel it though ocean waters as it seeks its prey of fish, eels, small octopuses, and other small creatures.

They feed near the sea floor and no more than 100m offshore.

The Flightless Cormorant is the largest extant member of its family, 89–100 cm (35–40 in) in length and weighing 2.5–5.0 kg (5.5-11 lbs), and its wings are about one-third the size that would be required for a bird of its proportions to fly. The keel on the breastbone, where birds attach the large muscles needed for flight, is also greatly reduced.

The Flightless Cormorants look slightly like a duck, although they have some slight differences (except for their short, stubby wings.)The upperparts are blackish and the under parts are brown. The long beak is hooked at the tip and the eye is turquoise. Like all members of the cormorant family, all four toes are joined by webbed skin. Males and females are similar in appearance, although males tend to be larger.

13. The Black Stilt

The Black Stilt or Kaki is exclusive to New Zealand. Adults have long slender red legs, a fine black bill and black plumage. The species has been protected for 20 years but still remains very rare and critically endangered.

As of February, 2010, the population is estimated at 85 adult birds with about 12 in captivity. The 3 major threats to this species are drainage and hydroelectric development, which disturbs their braded river beds, predators such as cats, ferrets and stoats and hybridization with the closely related Australian Pied Stilt.

14. White-chested White-eye

The White-chested White-eye also known as White-breasted White-eye or Norfolk White-eye is a passerine from the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to Norfolk Island between New Caledonia and New Zealand and it is regarded as one of the rarest birds in the world. Since 2000 the Australian government has considered the species extinct.

It reaches a length up to fourteen centimetres and therefore it is one of the largest white-eyes. The wingspan is 7.5 cm and the weight is about 30 grams. Its appearance is characterized by a pale green head, an olive green coloured neck and white throat and belly parts.

A further feature is a conspicuous eye ring of white feathers. Males and females are colored similarly. Its diet consists of fruits, berries, nectar, and insects. Its only habitat is a 5 km² large forested area around Mount Pitt on Norfolk Island where it lives solitary. In the breeding season from October to December the couple build a cup-shaped nest in which two white eggs are laid. The incubation time lasts eleven days and another eleven days later the juveniles became fully fledged. Article Source: wikipedia & web

        

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Most Colored Birds in the World

Most Colored Birds in the World

“God is the Brilliant Designer”

Birds are the only animals with feathers. All have feathers and most birds can fly. It is the possession of feathers, not the ability to fly, that distinguishes birds from other animals.

1. Golden Pheasant of Asia

The Golden Pheasant of Asia is a Beautiful colored game bird. It is native to forests in mountainous areas of western China but feral populations have been established in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

2. Birds of Paradise

The greater Bird of Paradise found in new Guinea has elongated flank feathers that form ornamental plumes. Bird of Paradise is a tropical bird known for the brilliant plumage of the male. They live mostly in New Guinea and neighboring islands. The brilliantly colored feathers of the male were once widely sought as decorations for women’s hat.

3. Hyacinth Macaw

Hyacinth Macaws are native to central and eastern South America. It is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species in the world, though the flightless Kakapo of New Zealand can outweigh it at up to 3.5kg. In terms of length it is larger than any other species of parrot. Their popularity as pets has taken a heavy toll on their population in the wild. Birds in captivity fetch a price of around $9,000-$12,000 US.  

4. Flamingo

Flamingos are found in both the Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. Flamingos frequently stand on one leg. The reason for this behavior is not fully known. Flamingo tongues were considered a delicacy in Ancient Rome. Also, Andean miners have killed flamingos for their fat, believed to be a cure for tuberculosis

5. Scarlet Tanager

The Scarlet Tanager is a medium-sized American songbird. Adult males are bright red with black wings and tail; females are yellowish on the underpants and olive on top, with olive-brown wings and tail.

6. Northern Oriole

Northern Oriole is formerly known as Baltimore oriole in the east and Bullock’s oriole in the west. This is a small icterid blackbird which is 18 cm long and weighs 34 g. It is one of the brightest local birds and has a voice to match its distinctive plumage.

7. Mountain Bluebird

The Mountain Bluebirds are medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the genus Sialia of the thrush family Turdidae. These are attractive birds with blue, or blue and red, plumage. Female birds are less brightly colored than males.

8. Northern Cardinal

The Northern Cardinal is also known as the Redbird and the Virginia nightingale. The Northern Cardinal is a mid-sized songbird with a body length of 21-23 cm (8.3 to 9 inches). It has a distinctive crest on the head and a mask on the face which is black in the male and gray in the female.

9. American Goldfinch

The American Goldfinch is also known as the Eastern Goldfinch and Wild Canary. The male displays brightly colored plumage during the breeding season to attract a mate. The courtship rituals of the American Goldfinch include aerial maneuvers and singing by males.

10. Wood Duck

The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck is a medium-sized perching duck. A typical adult is about 19 inches in length with an average wingspan of 29 inches. The adult male has distinctive multi-colored iridescent plumage and red eyes. The female, less colorful, has a white eye-ring and a whitish throat.

11. Kingfisher

There are about 90 species of kingfisher. All have large heads, long, sharp, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. They are found throughout the world.

12. Green Wing Macaw Parrot

The superficially similar Scarlet Macaw has no eye lines and a yellow bar on each wing. Some macaw owners and experts call the Green-winged Macaw the “gentle giant”, as it is larger in size than the Scarlet Macaw and Blue-and-yellow Macaw, but have a more docile, sweet nature which often makes it a more desirable pet or companion parrot.

13. Troupial

Troupial or trupial is the national bird of Venezuela. The Troupial is fairly large in size, with a long tail and a bulky bill. It has a black head and upper breast. Troupials are obligate nest pirates, meaning they make no nest of their own, and are thus required to steal or occupy a vacant nest in order to survive. Troupials are capable of violent attacks against native nesters, and once they possess these territories they defend them fiercely against intruders. They may even ingest the eggs or young hatchlings of a newly acquired nest.

14. Blue Throated Bee-Eater

The Blue Throated Bee-Eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. They are characterized by richly colored plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. It is a species of bird in the Meropidae family. It is found in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and countries in Southeast Asia.

15. Painted Bunting

 The male Painted Bunting is often described as the most beautiful bird in North America. Its beautiful colors, dark blue head, green back, red rump and underparts, make it easy to identify.

16. Keel-billed Toucans

This bird is the national bird of Belize. Toucans belong to family Ramphastidae.They are brightly marked and have large, colorful bills. It is also known as Sulfur-breasted Toucan, Rainbow-billed Toucan, and colloquially “The Bill Bird” (though this might refer to any toucan). It is a colorful South American bird with a large bill.

17. Rainbow Lorikeet

The Rainbow Lorikeet is very colorful as its name suggests. Almost every color of the rainbow is found on the feathers of the rainbow lorikeet. Captive lorikeets have a long lifespan, often in excess of 20 years.

18. Scarlet Macaw

The Scarlet Macaw is a large, colorful parrot. It is native to humid evergreen forests in the American tropics, from extreme eastern Mexico locally to Amazonian Peru and Brazil. It’s the national bird of Honduras.

19. Stork-billed Kingfisher

This is a Stork-Billed Kingfisher from South India. Stork-billed kingfisher is a tree kingfisher which is widely but sparsely distributed in tropical south Asia from India and Sri Lanka to Indonesia.

20. Peacock
A large bird of the pheasant family, Peacock is among the most colorful of birds. Asian peacocks have long been domesticated. The males are noted for their display of colorful plumage. To attaract attention, during courtship and at other times, the male lifts the tran and spreads it out in a fan tht arches over the bird's back and touches the ground on either.



There are about 10,000 species of birds from all over the world. here are 20 of the world's most colorful birds.

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