Show your Bird Portraits

[AlanF]

Harpy eagle in our local zoo

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It's a crime having a Harpy Eagle in a zoo.

 

[Maximilian]

It's a crime having a Harpy Eagle in a zoo.

I feel similar. But this can be said with any wild animal.
OTOH the Nuernberg Zoo and others are breeding birds and other animals to be released in the wild again (page in German) with really high efforts.
And Nuernberg was successful with some, like the bearded vultures and Ural owls.
So where to start and where to end?

 

[AlanF]

I feel similar. But this can be said with any wild animal.
OTOH the Nuernberg Zoo and others are breeding birds and other animals to be released in the wild again (page in German) with really high efforts.
And Nuernberg was successful with some, like the bearded vultures and Ural owls.
So where to start and where to end?

There was a captive breeding program for Harpy Eagles, which ended in 2006. They require tropical conditions to breed and that won't work in a cold place like Germany - https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/eagles/harpy-eagle
In my opinion, birds like Harpy Eagles should not be captive.

 

[Maximilian]

There was a captive breeding program for Harpy Eagles, which ended in 2006.

On Dec. 11th 2023 the Nuernberg zoo has published a press release (German) that their harpies just got offspring in October.
They had offspring before and they claim that

"We can already see that the population of these animals is declining in the wild," says Dr. Lorenzo von Fersen, Curator of Species Conservation and Research at Nuernberg zoo. "A major goal is therefore to establish a coordinated breeding program involving not only European zoos, but also those from North, Central and South America."
For many years, Nuernberg zoo has also been actively involved in local conservation measures, primarily by supporting Brazilian scientists in carrying out genetic studies on the species. Another important task of the zoo is to prepare all measures that are necessary when critically endangered species are in need.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

In my opinion, birds like Harpy Eagles should not be captive.

I agree with you that the best place for wild animals is in the wild, esp. if they have a large radius of movement when flying, running or swimming.
But my opinion as well is that as long as mankind continues to destroy their habitats, it is also important to preserve species through conservation breeding and to sensitize people to ensure that habitats are not further destroyed.
And zoos can help here.

 

[Maximilian]

My last bird (in the wild) of the year 2023 looks like one of those that were the first of 2023:
a treecreeper (fresh from today)

Happy New Year to all of you!

R6m2@500mm, ISO6400, 1/800, f/7.1, almost 1:1 crop - I love the R6m2 sensor

 

[AlanF]

And my last two from this morning. A Redwing, which showed its red wing, and a Song Thrush singing beautfifully.

 

[Del Paso]

There was a captive breeding program for Harpy Eagles, which ended in 2006. They require tropical conditions to breed and that won't work in a cold place like Germany - https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/eagles/harpy-eagle
In my opinion, birds like Harpy Eagles should not be captive.

Agreed!
No bird should be kept in a cage, unless they are an endangered species, kept for reproduction.
I hate seeing songbirds in tiny (and large) cages. This is, in my opinion, cruelty towards animals.

 

[cooldood]

Better weather today

 

[Click]

Lovely series, cooldood.

 

[Click]

Happy New Year to all of you!

Keep posting!

 

[HenryL]

One last post for 2023...not from today, rather this was a short hike on Christmas Day. R3 + 100-500 + 1.4x TC. Happy New Year everyone!

 

[Click]

Beautiful shots, HenryL.

 

[Dragon]

A few New Year's Eve hummingbirds. R7 + EF 100-400 L II + 1.4x III. All f/8 at ISO 6400.

 

[danfaz]

A few New Year's Eve hummingbirds. R7 + EF 100-400 L II + 1.4x III. All f/8 at ISO 6400.

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Crazy good shots, @Dragon !

 

[Click]

Beautiful shots, Dragon.

 

[Dragon]

Crazy good shots, @Dragon !

Thanks danfaz. The EF 100-400 L II is very sharp, but even with the 1.4 at f/8 it's hard to get the whole bird in focus.

 

[Dragon]

Beautiful shots, Dragon.

Thanks, Click

 

[ISv]

And more of the same from today: by, by 2023! And Happy New Year again!
And in my case these "Happy New Years" are getting too much - I would happily stay in year 2000 without problem

 

[ISv]

First one is a great close-up! Kudos, ISv.

First one is taken from the same distance as the second = equal "close up". The difference is just in the cropping (the second one is cropped too but not at the same extend). Thanks anyway and Happy New Year!

 

[Click]

Very nice series to start the year. Well done, ISv.