Ladder-Backed (above) & Nuttall's (below) Woodpeckers

Out of all the exotic animals I’ve ever seen, for the first time in my life, I saw a woodpecker in person.

I’ve seen photos, heard them pecking, videos and know a bit about them, but have never seen one before.

I’m from Canada, so I’m sure there are more varieties there, but here in Dallas, there was a tiny, black with white speckled woodpecker with a touch of red on it’s head.

I’ve done my research online and found out that it’s a Ladder-Backed Woodpecker!

I knew it was a woodpecker from it’s tuft of hair on the back of it’s head, it’s pointy beak and how he was pecking the bark on the tree outside our window.

He didn’t just haul off and peck the tree to death…He hopped up the branches, pecked a few times, hopped some more and so on…

He was such a cute, little bird and I knew right away what I was looking at. They’re so quick in flight and flit around on the tree.

So neat! So exciting to me!

Woodpeckers are known to eat insects and their larva, as well as caterpillars, cockroaches, beetles, ants and sometimes berries and fruit from cacti.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Picoides
Species: P. scalaris

Conservation Status: This species of woodpecker is not threatened.

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I hope you enjoyed this Bird Watching post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Grab this book for information on all North American Woodpeckers:

Woodpeckers Of North America Book: Woodpeckers Of North America

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Ladder-Backed Woodpecker Sighting in Dallas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I’ve been enjoying the bird life we have around our new property in Dallas in Lower Greenville.

We’ve got some beautiful cardinals with young, blue jays, cute, little sparrows and miscellaneous brown birds I haven’t completely identified yet.

However, this morning I thought I saw a blue jay in the tree from our kitchen window.

I kept watching it and low and behold, it wasn’t shadows on his blue color. He was a grey, black and white jay with a long tail!

Quickly, I ran to get my camera and when I returned to the window, he was gone.

I looked all over online for different types of jays in our area that may look like this and what I found was the Black-Throated Magpie Jay.

Why is this so interesting?
Because their range is Northwestern Mexico.

This means, either I’ve found a “rogue” jay or they’ve been expanding their habitat, for whatever reason.

What’s marvelous is that this is a species that isn’t endangered (yet)!

Either way, it was pretty exciting and I hope I see him again around here, so I can snap a photograph.

Keep your eyes to the trees because you’ll never know what you may find!

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Calocitta
Species: C. colliei

* For more information on the black-throated magpie jay, check out Wiki.

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I hope you enjoyed this North American Bird post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out this book for more information on housing and feeding this type of bird and others like it:

Contents Include: Housing and Feeding The Goldfinch, The Bullfinch, The Linnet, The Greenfinch, The Chaffinch, The Bramble finch, The Siskin, The Redpoll, The Twite… Contents Include: Housing and Feeding The Goldfinch The Bullfinch The Linnet The Greenfinch The Chaffinch The Bramble finch The Siskin The Redpoll The Twite The Hawfinch The Yellow Bunting The Corn Bunting The Cirl Bunting The Reed Bunting Breeding Softbills The Magpie, Jay and Jackdaw The Song Thrush The Blackbird The Starling The Smaller Softbills Hints on Hand-Rearing Ringing Young Birds Standards and Scales of PointsKeywords: Reed Bunting Cirl Bunting Yellow Bunting Song Thrush Magpie Jay Jackdaw Bullfinch Siskin Linnet Goldfinch Bramble Starling Blackbird Finch Scales Birds

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A Black-Throated Magpie Jay in Dallas Today is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

We play sand volleyball every weekend in Dallas, and often go to Yucatan in Coppell, Texas, but went across the street to Lone Star on Saturday.

They were having a collegiate sand volleyball tournament, so we set up our games on a back court.

They have some nets on the sides where the fences are to keep the volleyballs in, so they don’t go into the industrial stuff next to it – it’s got dense bush and a stream, I think…You’d never get your $50 volleyball back!

What was sad to me was that there was a large owl that apparently got stuck in the net and died. It’s feet were so badly wound in the net and it’s wing feathers were stuck too.

It must have happened overnight, as I would hope that someone seeing this owl stuck would have attempted to help it untangle itself.

I also think it was at night because owls mostly are out at night!

I was so saddened the entire day…

It made me think: What’s more important? A $50 sand volleyball or an owl’s life?

Just after I wrote a post about Owls in Dallas – this happens a few days later!

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I hope this was an eye opening Owl post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more information about birds that are in our area in Dallas, check out this helpful guide:

Birds of Northeast Texas

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Sad Day for an Owl in Dallas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

If you live in Dallas, you’ll know exactly what I mean…

They’re everywhere!!!

There are many different visible species of these “black birds”…In fact one of them has a chocolate hugh; there are some with a blue hugh – some are larger, some are smaller…

Now, they’re not crows and they’re not the black birds I remember from Canada…

So What?
Well, I want to strongly caution you to ever park under a tree in a parking lot – that space is empty for a reason.

There can be upwards of 100 of these very loud birds per tree, and you’ll see them lined up on the telephone wires in the city.

In the springtime and summer, there are definitely a large increase in the number of birds, primarily because, well, in the winter it’s cold and they’re less active or because they migrate further South when it gets cold – like to Mexico or further – and come back when it’s warm.

Last night, while watching the boys play tennis, I actually watched one single solitary black bird at the school on the top of a telephone pole.

(So, one day, when you’re having a tea at Starbuck’s, just watch a few of them in the parking lot.)

It was very loud with a shrill and changeable call…But it had to be loud to attract a mate to him and only him!

How do you get heard in a crowd? You yell at the top of your lungs, right?

That’s what he was doing – trying to get the attention of a lady passer-by!

This species, I have no idea what species that may be, but at the beginning of their call, they have a crackle – kind of like an old vinyl album sounds when it starts, but much louder…

…Then, the call reverts into sounding like an old, short frequency radio – like when you’re trying to channel to listen  to someone talking – all crackly, with strange, swirly sounds…

…Then, they give one loud increasing pitch whistle at the end – one call lasts up to about 30 seconds or so…

When they’re not all in a huge gang, you can actually appreciate the measures they need to go to to find a mate and make their crowded lives work!

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I hope you enjoyed this Bird post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. I’ll need to get that

Technorati Tags: Dallas birds, Dallas, birds in Dallas, black birds in Dallas, black birds, birds, North American animals

Black Birds in Dallas – What’s That About? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

We were out at Yucatan’s Sand Volleyball on Monday night in Dallas and it was really cold out…

I was just watching them play, and in between plays I would look off into the trees in the distance, or see if I could spot a bunny or two running around behind the back courts.

After seeing a few bats I noticed a very large bird flying…

It was certainly an owl – a large owl at that – and such graceful flight!

I have no idea what kind of owl it was as it was in the distance, but I watching it fly for quite a distance with elegant flaps of their wings – not even flaps but smooth glides of it’s wings.

Just beautiful!

I tried to look up owls in Dallas in a search to see if I could give you more information, but since sports is so prevalent in Dallas, all I got were sports teams called the “Owls” for pages and pages.

Then, I looked up Texas wildlife sites and didn’t get much further either…

There’s only one other time I have seen an owl in Dallas – in fact, the only other time I’ve actually seen an owl in the wild – was in Richardson in a tree during late evening.

It was a tiny, little thing and I actually stopped and just stared at it for a good 30 minutes, as it stared back at me. I was gone so long getting the mail that my hubby came looking for me…LOL…

I was so glad he got a chance to see it too, as I didn’t want to leave to get him and miss this blessed moment altogether!

So, if any of you are aware of what types of owls we would have in North Dallas, feel free to comment!

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I hope you enjoyed this Bird post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. I think I need to get one of these Owl Watching Guides for North America:

Guide to Owl Watching in North America Superb guide offers complete data and descriptions of 19 species: barn owl, screech owl, snowy owl, many more. Expert coverage of owl-watching equipment, conservation, migrations and invasions, etc. Guide to observing sites.

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Owls in Dallas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I’ve never been so scared of a bird before…

In fact, I’ve never been scared of a bird before this!

When I lived in Western Australia, I was there to play softball. So, I jogged in the mornings each day.

The very first morning I went out through our neighborhood alone, I was shocked to see the amazing wildlife, parrots everywhere covering trees, a kangaroo or two, some kookaburras, some lizards and lots of flies! LOL…

…But there were these large birds called magpies, or “maggies” as their nicknamed there.

They are large like a big seagulls with pointy beaks, but are black and white all over…Or, they look like big crows with a bit of white on them…

They are much larger than their cousins around the world. The Western Magpie is the bird I was dealing with on a daily basis.

Why are they scary?
Well, it’s like they stalk you…They follow you where you walk, jog, run.

Then, if it’s nesting season, they’ll fly above you and swoop down on you, especially if you have long hair…

Why?
They want your hair for their nest. Either that, or they’re protecting their nests and you look like a predator!

I’ve even seen them chase other birds, animals, even hawks during this time.

I have long, long hair, so a ponytail just wasn’t going to do it. I either had to put my hair in a tight bun or wear a hat with my hair tucked into it when I jogged.

Anyway, they’re not little birds to say the least! They’ve even been known to kill small animals swooping on them or human babies…

There was a couple bringing their baby to the car when I was there back in the 90s and a maggie swooped down, for whatever reason, and cracked that babies skull.

Yes, I’m serious!

Anyway, if you see magpies in the air near you, cover your head and face or wave your arms above your head…

There are Warning Signs explaining that the magpies swoop. They say to walk quickly through the area, but not to run. They also suggest to wear a hat or carry an umbrella.

People riding bikes should dismount and walk through the area.

I got swooped and one just cut my skin on my forearm as I was waving them above my head. Looking back, probably not the right thing to do, but it was swooping me…

Why my Aussie roommates didn’t warn me…LOL…I don’t know…LOL…

Keep a look out! You can’t harm these birds in any way, as they are a protected species under the Nature Conservation Act in Australia.

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I hope you found this Australia Animal post interesting on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Nonetheless, there are a lot of avid magpie lovers, probably moreso with others around the world…LOL…:

Magpies And Friends Print By Jill Barton Jill Barton img: 19.89 x 35.97 paper: 22.00 x 38.00

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Swooping Magpies in Australia is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

A Cassowary is a flightless Australian bird, and is native to the tropical forests of New Guinea.

It’s funny because Australia has another flightless bird, the emu, making it and the cassowary the 2nd and 3rd largest flightless birds in the world, behind Africa’s ostrich.

Females are larger than males and are more vividly colored, and may reach up to 2 meters tall! That’s a big bird!

Known to be a timid bird, it can inflict serious injury to human adults, and fatal injury to dogs and children. They have 3 toes and extremely sharp talons/claws.

Check out this great, but short, video showing a wild Cassowary on an island of the Great Barrier Reef:

They are omnivorous, but mostly eat fruits, shoots, grass seeds, as well as fungi. However, it will also make a quick meal of invertebrates and small vertebrates alike.

2 of the species produce a very low pitch frequency that is just on the cusp of the lower end of human hearing, which is thought to assist with communication in dense forest habitat, and is likened to a “boom”.

Conservation Status:
The Southern Cassowary is Endangered in Queensland, Australia due to habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as being hit by cars and attacked by dogs. Hunting, natural disease and destroying/removing animals that have attacked humans all contribute as well.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Struthioniformes
Family: Casuariidae
Genus: Casuarius
Species: There are 4 species – C. casuarius, C. unappendiculatus, C. bennetti, C. lydekki

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I hope you enjoyed this Bird post on Exotic Animal Lover during Great Barrier Reef Month! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Vote for Me to win the Dream Job of Caretaker of Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia:

Vote 5-Stars for Kimberly!

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Cassowary of the Great Barrier Reef is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

The Roseate Tern is considered a seabird plentiful on the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef, especially Lady Elliot Island.

Instead of nesting in nests in trees, they make a hollow under dense vegetation to roost.

They make good use of the ocean, however, by diving in to grab fish out of the water, and does not prefer fresh water for feeding. They may bathe in fresh water lagoons inland.

Roseate terns don’t mind stealing fish from other seabirds, which is atypical for sterns, and the male offers up a meal to the female when courting.

In groups of more tropical places where the Roseate tern flourishes, the red base of their thin, sharp, black bill is much more extensive.

They have long, flexible tail feathers visible during flight that look like streamers. The namesake of the Roseate comes from the adults’ coloration of their belly, which is pinkish.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Sternidae
Genus: Sterna
Species: S. dougallii

Conservation Status:
Although the Roseate Tern’s population has been decreasing over the long-term, the species is in a state of Least Concern with regards to Conservation, compared to other animals.

Their plumes were used to decorate hats in the later part of the 1800s, so they were extensively hunted.

As larger gulls’ populations increase, they are preyed upon more and more.

To preserve this species in regards to conservation, nestboxes have been supplied in various populations and this has greatly increased their population and survival.

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I hope you enjoyed this Australian Animal on Exotic Animal Lover during Great Barrier Reef Month! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Subscribe to this Blog.

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Roseate Terns of the Great Barrier Reef Islands is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

The Harpy Eagle is a carnivorous raptor. In fact, it’s the largest and most powerful one found in the Americas.

This eagle particular inhabits tropical lowland forests, where it stays in the upper canopy, presumably for a better viewpoint for prey.

Males and females having the same coloration, they are slate black on the back and back of wings, and white underneath including their bellies. Their head is a pale gray color.

Although the same in color, males are almost half the size of the female.

They boast talons up to 5 inches long – WOW! Their wingspan can reach up to 6′7″…that’s unbelievable!

They are known to attack arboreal species of mammals, such as sloths and monkeys, not to mention other large birds, such as macaws.

Conservation Status:
The Harpy Eagle is a species that is Near Threatened.

Why?
Mostly because of hunting and logging. This eagle is mostly only found in remote parts of the Amazonian Basin. In some more recent news, it has tentatively returned to Belize.

For more information on how to Help Save Harpy Eagles, check out The Peregrine Fund’s Harpy Eagle Conservation Effort and be sure to check out the How You Can Help section!

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I hope you found this Bird post information on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. You may not have a Harpy Eagle in your backyard anytime soon, but you can attract other birds by feeding them. Find out how: Click Here!

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Harpy Eagle Near Threatened is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Not only for it’s picturesque landscapes, mountains, green valleys, and fantastic ocean views, but why else?…

For it’s amazing fauna!

As you know, I love animals, and where else would I go in New Zealand, but where the cool animals are!

I go where the animals live…That’s what I want to see most when I travel.

New Zealand has so many unique animals that are native to this country and found nowhere else on the planet…similar to how Australia has their unique species found no other place either.

Well, NZ is the seabird capital of the world, first of all and boasts two native flightless birds. One of them is the only flightless parrot, the kakapo, which is critically endangered. The other is the kiwi, which just happens to have nostrils at the end of it’s beak.

The only native land mammals in New Zealand are bats: the long-tailed bat and the short-tailed bat.

What else? Well, the tuatara is a lizard only found in New Zealand…How cool is that?

I’d love to visit Christchurch, Stewart Island (the most Southern part of NZ), the Southern Alps and Abel Tasman National Park of the Southern Island, Auckland, Tauranga, Aoraki/Mount Cook, and as many tiny surrounding islands as I could to see the amazing wildlife!

I would want to do a little bit of snorkeling and diving, of course!

What a world of adventure!

It would be an awesome thing to have the ability to be a full-time travel blogger and bring you fantastic posts about the world’s wildlife from all over the planet!

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I hope you enjoyed this post on Animals of the World???? ??? ???? on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. If you have ever wanted to migrate, live, work or invest in New Zealand the smart way, find out how to here:

Live in New Zealand

P.P.S. Be sure to Subscribe to this Blog!

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New Zealand has Amazing Animals is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover