Discussion- What do you believe is the prettiest bird globally? (1 Viewer)

[Bewick]

Any bird, any part of the world, maybe just give a brief description of where it is found and why you believe it's the prettiest.

 

[KC Foggin]

I am positively in love with your Long-tailed Tit with the all white head.

 

[LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese]

If we are only counting ones we have seen I would go for the Carmine Bee-eater which I think was in Kruger NP.

 

[Troubador]

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus. Widespread in England and visits the bird feeders in our garden. Its bright black eyes set in the white feathers of its head plumage give it a look that is both mischievous and lively. We have had up to 6 of them on our feeder at the same time, causing a flurry of long tails as they busied themselves scooping the fat-blocks with their tiny beaks.

Lee

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Likely to change on a daily basis; let’s start with an obvious contender - Raggiana Bird of Paradise with its showy plumes cascading over its tail as it dances in the trees of Varirata near Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. Honorary mention to 12-wired Bird of Paradise; spectacular but weird rather than pretty, and to Green-breasted Pitta in Uganda.

 

[pbjosh]

Golden Fruit-Dove?
Hooded Grebe?
Tufted Jay?
Blue Bird-of-Paradise?
Banded Cotinga?
Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock?

I wouldn't really want to pick one, there are too many contenders and it is too subjective. The "most stunning views of stunning birds" I have had have been with Hooded Grebe and Tufted Jay, so they're sentimental favorites for me...

 

[Will K]

Not the most spectacular bird, but I always love to see a Robin.

That’s if we we’re only counting birds we’ve seen in person, in the wild; I’m still an “early birder”, you might say.

If we’re allowed to speculate, then I’d say Toucans are among the most beautiful birds. But the wonderful Great Grey Owl would be more achievable for a live spot.

 

[temmie]

Quickly ending all discussions.

 

[DMW]

Quickly ending all discussions.

Ha, the Greater Adjutants on Gawahati rubbish dump provide a much finer post-apocalyptic experience!

 

[temmie]

here you go.
I think the bird shines more if you show it in its natural habitat.

 

[pbjosh]

Greater Adjutant was my first thought for a snarky post A bird I want to see, but perhaps the birding experience I am LEAST looking forward to globally.

 

[temmie]

Greater Adjutant was my first thought for a snarky post A bird I want to see, but perhaps the birding experience I am LEAST looking forward to globally.

It's an assault on all of your senses. I almost had to vomit walking down wind from the dump. Something you won't forget easily!

on topic: it's ofcourse a neverending discussion (maybe that's the intention of starting it...? ), but there are some out-of-this world birds like loads of hummers (Rainbow-bearded Thornbill for example), Sunbirds, Parrots / Lories / Lorikeets and Parakeets (I really like Ochre-marked, but plenty of Indonesian / Australasian species), ducks (Eiders, Mandarin Duck, most teals,...), Kingfishers, Rollers, Pittas, Pheasants, BOP's, etcetera etcetera

 

[Bewick]

Mines probably the golden oriole, it’s a common bird in most of Europe and some see it as a pest but it’s truly a fantastic looking bird. I’ve seen photos of other orioles but I think the golden oriole is the prettiest. A Eurasian Jay or a hoopoe is also a contender, even the American robin is a great looking bird. For waders it’s got to be a white tailed lapwing (that I’ve seen), clean and simple but a really great looking bird. I think the prettiest warbler is the Dartford, an extremely vibrant and lively warbler. The final bird that I’d put up there are Hens or montagu’s, both are stunning in male plumage… I’d also put the white tailed eagle high up.

 

[Xenospiza]

It's an assault on all of your senses. I almost had to vomit walking down wind from the dump. Something you won't forget easily!

I don't remember it as being that bad. Sadly the second time I visited Guwahati we could not access it because of some (lamentable) visiting dignitaries, so we had to watch from a smell-free distance.

There are too many pretty birds to choose from... how do you choose from all those colourful fowl, ducks, parrots, doves, kingfishers, birds-of-paradise, hummingbirds, sunbirds, tanagers?
However, my favourite page in a birdbook is probably the "obligate ant-following antbirds" page in "Birds of South America (Suboscines)".

 

[raymie]

I don't think I could pick one, but I'm surprised no onw has mentioned Resplendent Quetzal yet.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Todies are just adorable, not that I've ever seen one. White-browed Tit-warbler is one of the cutest I've seen.

 

[jurek]

For me personally, Blue Bird of Paradise.

Several other candidates are: Himalayan monal pheasant, rainbow lorikeet, Wilson's bird of paradise and paradise tanager. These have every primary color in their plumage. And, frankly, by surface area of the color the familiar Indian peacock beats all birds. It is so well known that people don't recognize it as such anymore.

Several birds are so bright, that in the wild they appear glowing. But seen closely, they are mostly one-colored: Guianian Cock-of-the-rock, Orange Dove or Grandala.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

This will probably change all the time for me. I follow Taiwan Birds on Twitter and some of the photos on there are stunning. I’ll settle for a summer plumaged Black-throated Diver though.

Rich

 

[Dan Miller]

Maybe a bracket is needed. How long does a tournament take if it starts with 10,000 teams?

Hmmm - Round 503: Namaqua Dove vs. Southern Lapwing

 

[raymie]

For me personally, Blue Bird of Paradise.

Several other candidates are: Himalayan monal pheasant, rainbow lorikeet, Wilson's bird of paradise and paradise tanager. These have every primary color in their plumage. And, frankly, by surface area of the color the familiar Indian peacock beats all birds. It is so well known that people don't recognize it as such anymore.

Several birds are so bright, that in the wild they appear glowing. But seen closely, they are mostly one-colored: Guianian Cock-of-the-rock, Orange Dove or Grandala.

Vermillion Flycatcher appears to glow in the field, as well.