Related post: My first visit to Baras
There is an interesting story about how the sanctuary started (you may want to check the link above). What special about Baras is that its a nesting and breeding ground, so there are resident birds there. Its strategic location: close to rivers and lakes and swamplands, provides the birds with a steady supply of food.
Here are some of the birds you can easily take photos of in Baras.
Black Crowned Night Heron
Originally from North America, its habitat usually includes wetlands, marshes, and swamplands. Its the size of a small chicken, and unlike other members of the heron family, they are stocky with shorter legs and bills.
They are typically active at night or early morning, so you'll see a lot of them resting in trees during day time.
Cattle Egrets
Originally from Africa from has spread across North America and parts of southern Asia. Their habitat consist of woodlands near lakes, rivers, and swamps.
During the breeding season, its plumes would look buffed, especially the males. Its typical to see the orange-buff plumes on the back, breast, and crown. It has a special relationship with large grazing animals like cattle. They would remove ticks and flies from cattle and would consume them.
Great Egret
The great egret (right bird on the photo above) is one of the most widely distributed egret. Its of the largest member of the heron family and with its all plumage its a bit difficult to photograph as you can easily over expose it :) Here you can see it sporting its green facial skin which is indicative of the breeding season.
You can also easily mistake it for an Intermediate Egret, a medium size heron originally from Indochina, Myanmar, and Southwest China. The noticeable kink near the middle of its neck gives it away as a great egret.
According to Wikipedia, you can also differentiate it from the intermediate egret (Mesophoyx intermedius) by the gape, which extends well beyond the back of the eye in case of the great egret, but ends just behind the eye in case of the intermediate egret.
1 comment:
Wow!
Post a Comment