resplendent quetzals are a member of the trogon family, native to south america. males are known for their bright plumage and incredibly long tail.

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a male splendid sunbird, native to africa, shows off his iridescent plumage.

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the green color of turacos comes from turacoverdin, the only known ‘true’ green pigment found in birds.

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a wild blue-crowned conure pair inspects a nesting hollow. these conures typically lay 3-4 eggs in hollow trees like this one, though they will also accept human-made nest boxes.

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superb starlings, native to africa, are small passerine birds that are easily recognized by their iridescent blue-green backs.

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a male malachite sunbird shows off his iridescent green plumage in the sun.

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splendid sunbirds are a passerine bird with a long, curved beak native to west and central africa. males, like others in the sunbird family, have flashy iridescent plumage.

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bird of the day: common swift

the common swift is a large member of the swift family found in parts of africa, europe, and asia.

swifts have unique feet – at one point, it was thought they did not have feet at all. their feet are small and weak, and they are physically incapable of perching like other birds. their feet are specially evolved to let them cling to vertical surfaces, instead of perching on branches like other birds.

swifts spend more of their lives in the air than any other bird. when they aren’t nesting, swifts are flying. they eat, sleep, and mate in the air. swifts can spend up to 10 months without ever pausing their flight.

naturally, swifts nest in woodpecker holes, cliffs, and other natural enclosed areas. however, they are frequently found in suburban environments in barns, windowsills and other convenient human-made nesting sites. nests are created with objects the swifts pluck from the air and bind with their saliva.

the common swift is currently rated least concern by the iucn.

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a hybrid between a blue and gold macaw and patagonian conure. while many assume macaws and conures are only distantly related, they are genetically similar and can sometimes interbreed in captivity.

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painted conures, also known as painted parakeets, are a medium-sized parrot native to south america. while similar to several other closely related conures, they can be distinguished by the bright turquoise on the head.

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