Curtis' Little Sister

Named for a Pacific Parrotlet named Curtis. We miss you, baby. Currently will share photos of a Maxi Pionus named Toro. I will also answer any parrot-related questions as best I can.

[alexis-royce]

Working on this year’s New Year’s Card art. Toro was nice enough to model:

[curtisbirdis]

Toro looking pretty today!

[iheartvelma]

instagram: smacmccreanor

[memewhore]

[guooey]

[aflo]

dial up

[curtisbirdis]

She's watching me while I lay exhausted on the sofa.

[geopsych]

This is an adorable thing that cardinal couples do. Most birds only feed their young this way but cardinals feed their mates as part of their bonding rituals.

[geopsych]

[bunjywunjy]

WIFE! A BUG FOR YOU, OPEN UP

[dreadpiratemegatron]

Steller’s jay stealing sweetener packets

National Geographic photo contest 2011

[zanmor]

Those are clearly complimentary and thus this isn’t theft. A social faux pas perhaps but that’s all.

[monamoni]

[monamoni]

[a-book-of-creatures]

do yuo have… fibsh

[thetursithan]

An assistant is always useful...

[xignis]

ok

[chain-chomp]

[jaubaius]

This baby crow makes the sweetest feeding sounds

[ampervadasz]

Unmute !

[maruposting]

This is the standard winged nightjar and it has one singular stupidly big feather on each wing... if you even care.

[legalise-greenleaf]

Love this guy

[a-book-of-creatures]

That’s standard as in “pennant” or “banner”, not standard as in “normal”.

But it’s not a pennant-winged nightjar. THIS is a pennant-winged nightjar… if you even care.

[crevicedwelling]

can’t forget the Lyre-tailed Nightjar! there’s actually a number of these ridiculous guys, and they’re partly why caprimulgiforms are some of my favorite birds

also the Sickle-winged Nightjar, which is. come on, that’s just a weird moth

[findersfeeders]

(Whispers) talk about their mouths now

[crevicedwelling]

ok

[crevicedwelling]

and if we’re going to make this onto a full-on nightjar weirdness appreciation post, I feel like I’ve got to mention their pectinate claws:

photo from here:

Looking at a Nighthawk

I'm running again, have been since late June, doinky arthritic toe and all. It's fine. It hurts sometimes when there's a big weather front

comb-shaped claws on the middle toe have evolved multiple times among a diverse variety of birds, found in nightjars, barn owls, herons, frigatebirds, and a few other groups. and despite looking exactly like they’re used for preening out feather parasites, they might have other uses for keeping birds clean that we haven’t yet identified:

Looking Good, Part I — Pectinate Claws (Avian Edition)

Astute birdwatchers might have noticed that some bird species have comb-like serrations running along one edge of a toe claw.  This feature,

[ajaxbird]

Best Girl's (alleged) HatchDay

15 years old, and annoyed with the camera.

[curtisbirdis]

Some Toro on perches around the house