1. The Birds of The Birds

2. Epops-The Hoopoe • The Hoopoe is in a family by itself. Otherwise known as the Eurasian Hoopoe, It has the following distinctive characteristics: • A long curved bill • A chunky body • Rounded wings • They feed primarily on the ground • They nest in cavities either on the ground or in rocks or trees • Their flight is slow and undulating similar to a large butterfly • The crest is held back along the top of the crown and the bird expands it fully when excited or landing.

3. Procne-The Nightingale The Nightingale is a small song bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher. The nightingale is named so because they sing at night as well as during the day. The male is the one who sings in order to attract a mate. The nightingale is slightly larger than the European Robin. It is plain brown above except for the reddish tail. It is buff to white below.

4. Trochilus-The Woodpecker • (Pileated Woodpecker pictured) • There are 25 species of Woodpecker in North America alone. They share the following characteristics: • They vary in size from large sparrow to crow size. • They have a chisel-like bill, skull and neck muscle adaptions to reduce brain impacts from blows. • They have short legs and four toes (two front and two back). • They perch along trunks and limbs, drilling into wood with jerky movements, using the stiff tail feathers as a prop. • They hop when on ground. • Most are black and white, with some red in their plumage usually on the head.

5. Leader of the Chorus-The Lark Horned Lark Skylark • There are 96 species of larks worldwide. They are found in all continents except antartica. They share the following characteristics: • Bill shape varies from long and decurved to thick and conical. • They are generally dull-colored in browns, buff, black and white. • They walk or run when on the ground rather than hop. • Most give complex songs in flight The horned lark has distinctive black horns and white or yellowish face and throat with a broad black stripe under the eye. It usually nests on bare ground including plowed fields. The skylark raises a slight crest when agitated. It nests among short grasses or vegetation. It is plain brown with pointed slender bill

6. Captain-Seagull Gulls are medium to large birds with many different species that live near water. Seagull is an informal designation. The laughing gull is the common gull of Atlantic and Gulf coast beaches. Its coloring varies according to age and time of year from brown and buff as a juvenile to Whitish head, gray with black wing tips as an adult in the winter time. The breeding adult has a black head. All breeds of gulls have webbed feet. They breed in colonies on sandy and rocky islands and salt marshes.

7. Priest Bird- Kingfisher (Green Kingfisher Pictured) Kingfisher is a family of small to medium size birds. They tend to sit on low branches over water watching for prey below. Forest species hunt primarily for earthbound vertebrates. Their flight is direct with rapid wing beats. All have large heads with long beaks and short legs. Tail length varies from stubby to streamers. Kingfishers nest in burrows and will defend their territories year round.

8. Chorus: Rachel-Owl (Great Horned Owl Pictured) • Owls are predominantly nocturnal predators. Most owls have the following characteristics: • A large head with immobile eyes that face forward. • Acute vision and hearing. • A prominent facial disk formed of stiff feathers. • Some species of owl can detect and capture prey at night by sound alone. • Very quiet flight due to feather structure which includes a velvety pile on flight feathers which absorb sound. • Most species forage by perching and watching for prey. • They nest in natural, human made, or woodpecker holes-some use old trey nests of raptors, crows or squirrels. • Can consume small prey whole-tears apart larger prey. • Their most common vocalization is species specific and works to establish territory, locate nest sites and attract a mate.

9. Darius-Vulture • Vultures feed on carrion-the ones in North America are believed to be related to storks. • They are usually found in warm climates. Some of their common features include: • They are solitary nesters, but are social in roosting, searching for food, and gang-feeding at caracasses. • All species are primarily black on the wings, body and tail, with some pattern of white or silver on the underwings. • When one finds food and dives toward it will attract the attention of the other birds over a great distance. • Though primarily a warm weather bird North American Vultures have started moving further north

10. Jacob-Cardinal Cardinals are characterized by large pointed crests and short stout beaks. The male northern cardinal has bright red plumage. Females have the same shape but brownish plumage. Both sexes sing throughout the year, but males sing more frequently than females. Their primary source of nutrition is seeds.

11. Brandi-Quail Quail is a family of species of terrestrial game birds. Many species have crests and head plumes as well as ornate body plumage. They are omnivores, living on both insects and plants. They are of small to medium size. All have stout bills with slightly serrated cutting edges. In general quail are found in pairs during mating season and in groups at other times.

12. Austin-Flamingo Flamingos are proportionally the longest necked and longest legged birds in the world. The neck is so long that it must be draped over one side of the body when the bird is at rest. All species are unmistakably pink or red with black flight feathers. It takes three or more years to reach full adult plumage. Flamingos nest, forage and roost in colonies apart from other bird species. Breeding takes place on mud or marsh flats. They use their bill to strain food from water. They prefer to forage in water that is a high concentration of saline. The feed by swinging their bill from side to side as they walk. Their flight is swift and direct with quick wing beats and fully extended necks.

13. Alice-Hummingbird Hummingbirds are the smallest of all birds. They have incredible flight powers and brilliant, iridescent colors. They are attracted to sugar water feeders. They have relatively long wings, their feet are tiny. Bills are slender, pointed, and proportionately long varying from straight to curved or arched. Their flight is fast and acrobatic. They are able to fly backward. They hover at flowers where they probe for nectar. They dart in pursuit of flying insects.