F/10.0, 1/320, ISO 320
Brown-headed Cowbird
What did the traffic light say to the car?
Don’t look, I’m changing.
Interesting Fact: Cowbird eggs hatch faster than other species eggs, giving cowbird nestlings a head start in getting food from the parents. Young cowbirds also develop at a faster pace than their nest mates, and they sometimes toss out eggs and young nestlings or smother them in the bottom of the nest. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/lifehistory )
F/11.0, 1/500, ISO 250.
Tree Swallow
What kind of lights did Noah use on the Ark?
Flood lights!
Interesting Fact: Tree Swallows have helped researchers make major advances in several branches of ecology, and they are among the best-studied bird species in North America. Still, we know little about their lives during migration and winter. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tree_Swallow/lifehistory )
F/5.6, 1/500, ISO 200.
Snowy Egret
What did the triangle say to the circle?
You are pointless!
Interesting Fact: Male Snowy Egrets fight for breeding territories, choose nest sites, and perform noisy courtship displays to attract mates. A ring of other egrets often gathers around a displaying male as he pumps his body up and down, points his bill skyward, and calls. He also performs aerial displays, including one that ends with him dropping toward the ground while tumbling around and around. After pairing up, Snowy Egrets continue defending the immediate area around the nest, raising their crests and giving rasping calls. Some of their nest predators include raccoons, Great Horned Owls, Barred Owls, American Crows, Fish Crows, American alligators, and gray rat snakes. Highly social all year long, Snowy Egrets forage with gulls, terns, ibises, and other herons, and they nest in colonies alongside many other species, including Great Egrets, night-herons, Glossy Ibises, Little Blue Herons, Tricolored Herons, Cattle Egrets, and Roseate Spoonbills. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Egret/lifehistory )
F/6.3, 1/125, ISO 320.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
What did the candle say to the other candle?
I’m going out tonight.
Interesting Fact: Metabolic studies on Ruby-crowned Kinglets suggest that these tiny birds use only about 10 calories (technically, kilocalories) per day. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-crowned_Kinglet/lifehistory )
F/13.0, 1/640, ISO 320.
Northern Harrier
What did one toilet roll say to the other toilet roll?
“People keep on ripping me off!”
Interesting Fact: Male Northern Harriers can have as many as five mates at once, though most have only one or two. The male provides most of the food for his mates and their offspring, while the females incubate the eggs and brood the chicks. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Harrier/overview )
F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 320.
Ruddy Ducks
Where do sheep go to get haircuts?
To the Baa Baa shop!
Interesting Fact: Ruddy Ducks spend the vast majority of their time on the water. They are fast fliers but have little maneuverability in the air, and they tend to swim and dive rather than fly to escape predators—which include Red-tailed Hawks, Great Horned Owls, mink, raccoons, and red foxes. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruddy_Duck/lifehistory )
F/11.0, 1/500, ISO 320.
Bufflehead Duck
Why are hairdressers never late for work?
Because they know all the short cuts!
Interesting Fact: Bufflehead nest only in cavities, using holes dug by Northern Flickers and sometimes Pileated Woodpeckers (as well as artificial nest boxes). In the summer, females that are too young to breed, or whose nests have failed, fly around in noisy groups and scope out the available nest holes for the following breeding season. Just before laying, females make more secretive flights to prospective holes, either alone or with their mates. They usually choose cavities in poplar or aspen trees, except in California where they often use pine trees. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bufflehead/lifehistory )
F/5.6, 1/500, ISO 220.
Least Sandpiper
Why did the teddy bear say no to dessert?
Because he was stuffed.
Interesting Fact: The Least Sandpiper is the smallest shorebird in the world, weighing in at about 1 ounce and measuring 5-6 inches long. Males are slightly smaller than females. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Least_Sandpiper )
F/11.0, 1/500, ISO 500.
Ruddy Duck
What did the calculator say to the cashier?
You can count on me.
Interesting Fact: Most males pair up with one female each for the duration of the breeding season, but some take multiple mates. Their eggs are proportionally the largest of all waterfowl. The ducklings hatch well-developed and active, receiving minimal care from the mother and none from the father. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruddy_Duck/lifehistory )
F/11.0, 1/500, ISO 500.
Ruddy Duck
What is crazy and walks along the sides of buildings?
A walnut.
Interesting Fact: Ruddy Ducks are very aggressive toward each other and toward other species, especially during the breeding season. Unlike most ducks, they form pairs only after arriving on the breeding grounds each year. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruddy_Duck/lifehistory )
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