The Black Browed Babbler of Borneo Lives!

And he’s not that tuk-tuk driver you never should have hired.

Birds!

Ah, but politicians are making me tired. Here’s a worthy diversion: birds!

Click ’em for enlargements and more bird photos from EarthPhotos.com.

Birds Sleep in Flight

Just fascinating that researchers can even do this:

“The researchers temporarily attached the small “flight data recorder” to the head of nesting female frigatebirds. The birds then carried the recorder during non-stop foraging flights lasting up to 10 days and 3,000 kilometers. During this time, the recorder registered the EEG activity of both brain hemispheres and movements of the head, while a GPS device on the birds’ back tracked their position and altitude.”

The scientists worked from the Galapagos Islands, where

“Like many other animals in the Galápagos Islands, the frigatebirds were remarkably calm and would even sleep as I approached to catch them for the second time.”

And it turns out that “The flight data recorder revealed that frigatebirds sleep in both expected and unexpected ways during flight.” Here’s the story.

Birds with Personality

The post a couple weeks back called Animals with Personality was kind of fun, so now, equal time: Who’s up for a world tour of birds? Click to view them larger, from the Birds Gallery at Earthphotos.com.

This guy lives in one of the floating villages around Tonle Sap, Cambodia.

If I remember this guy right, he’s from a falconry in Scotland.

Kingfisher in Amboseli Park, Kenya.

This ostrich just dropped by our chalet in Sossusvlei, Namibia.

Good-looking guy from Antigua, Guatemala.

It’s a long way down for this cockatoo in New South Wales, Australia.

Crowned cranes from the Tierpark Hellabrunn, Munich, Germany.

Pretty sure this guy is from the same Scottish falconry.

Swan also from the Tierpark Hellabrunn, Munich, Germany.

And, of course, the amazing levitating penguin from Simon’s Town, South Africa.

Nine East African Birds

Enjoy these photos from our recent trip to Kenya. Click them for larger versions. All photos from the Kenya trip are going up here as they’re ready.

Pelican, Lake Oloiden, Kenya.

 

Ostriches, Amboseli National Park, Kenya.

 

Vulture gets airborne, Amboseli National Park, Kenya.

 

Bee Eater, Amboseli National Park, Kenya.

 

Martial Eagle protecting a kill, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

 

Plover with egg, Amboseli National Park, Kenya.

 

Lilac Breasted Roller, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

 

Kingfisher, Amboseli National Park, Kenya.

 

Red Necked Spurfowl, Amboseli National Park, Kenya.