the scissor-tailed flycatcher is a member of the kingbird family that is native to north and central america. the flycatcher is one of only four north american birds with tail feathers longer than the rest of the birds’ body; their unusually long tail has earned them the nickname ‘texas bird-of-paradise’. flycatchers feed off of insects, mainly caught in flight, along with berries.
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a melanistic cooper’s hawk, spotted in texas. melanistic animals result from an overproduction of melanin, a dark pigment – essentially, the reverse of albinism.
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a rare albino black vulture that was spotted in texas. albino birds rarely make it to adulthood, due to being easy targets for predators. since black vultures mainly feed off of carrion, it’s life is likely easier than that of an albino bird that hunts for its food, as it isn’t blatantly visible to its prey.
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today's bird 