On The Road – Albatrossity – Birds Who Should Be Christmas Ornaments – 2

Here’s one that for sure graces Christmas trees in the USA, the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis). Indeed, it has a whole organization dedicated to it! Click here for more information about this bird, and here to embiggen the image.

Hummingbirds are also popular as models for Christmas ornaments, and we have a few in this house. Mostly they don’t represent any actual hummingbird found in the wild, but that’s just nit-picking, right! Here is a fancy male Lucifer Hummingbird (Calothorax lucifer), the bringer of light. I don’t know if this bird is on the list of birds who are named after people and therefore need to have their name changed to something less dominionist, but as I recall, Lucifer was a pretty bad dude. Click here for more information about this bird, and here to embiggen the image.

This bird probably has everyone’s vote for becoming an ornament, and I know for a fact that there are already some out there. Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris), the paint-by-number bird, and one of the most sought-after birds for North American birders. Click here for more information about this bird, and here to embiggen the image.

Warblers are also popular and colorful, and this Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is also doing its best Christmas Angel imitation to audition for top-of-the-tree status. Click here for more information about this bird, and here to embiggen the image.

The rest of the birds in this post are all from south of the Equator, but would make might fine ornaments here as well. This Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) only has colorful bits on its beak and legs, but those are pretty colorful nonetheless! Click here for more information about this bird, and here to embiggen the image.

Another fine East African bird, the boldly-patterned Red-and-Yellow Barbet (Trachyphonus erythrocephalus) would light up any Christmas tree, IMHO. Click here for more information about this bird, and here to embiggen the image.

Little Bee-eaters (Merops pusillus) are ridiculously colorful, and just about the right size for an ornament. Click here for more information about this bird, and here to embiggen the image.

New Zealand has some impressive birds, and this is one of the most impressive. The world’s largest rail, and one of the most critically endangered birds on the planet. But it is making a comeback! It’s a Takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri), and despite that scary-looking beak, it’s vegetarian. Click here for more information about this bird, and here to embiggen the image.

Christmas colors look pretty good on this Kereru (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae). But you would not want a life-size one in your tree; it is the size of a small duck, twice the size of the pigeons in your local park. Click here for more information about this bird, and here to embiggen the image.

Finally, this Kākāriki (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) is nothing but Christmas colors! Happy Holidays, and (shameless plug) if you didn’t get a wall calendar for Christmas, here are three for 2024 that feature birds Click here for more information about this bird, and here to embiggen the image.