Welcome to the Jungle!

This is the first in a (hopefully) many part series of birds in different habitats. Here's some information on these lovelies

Hyacinth Macaw:: these beautiful birds live in South America and are critically endangered due to habitat loss and bio-harvesting. They are the largest flighted parrot and the gentlest, despite the fearsome size of their beak.

Green-Winged Macaw:: the second largest parrot following the hyacinth macaw, their powerful beaks can break broomsticks in half. They can be found in the tropical forests of South America where they live in large flocks. Their loud, harsh call can be heard up to two miles away.

Toco Toucan:: these birds are probably the most well-known bird in the toucan family and are also found in South America. They prefer to inhabit semi-open woodlands to the rainforest and are omnivores. Nothing much is known about their large, hollow beaks. A few theories as to what its function is includes heat exchange and making it easier to pluck fruits from distant branches.

Red-Crested Turaco:: their feathers contain copper, meaning that the pigment can technically wash out of the feathers if they have too much contact with water. They live in the rainforests of Africa where their long tails are handy for navigating their way through the trees and keeping balance. Surprisingly, they're closely related to roadrunners.

Peacock:: this bird is the national bird of India, where it resides in deciduous forests. The one pictured is a male, obvious by his fancy plumage which is used to attract females during mating season. Peacocks are highly polygamous and flare their iridescent feathers when trying to get the female's attention.

Great Hornbill:: great hornbills are distributed throughout the forests of India, Sumatra, Indonesia, and the Malay Peninsula. The yellow structure on top of their bills are called casques and are completely hollow. Their use is unknown, however theories include sexual selection, heat exchange, and aid in the amplification of sound. Hornbills are known for banging their beak against the ground or trees in order to claim territory. They eat mainly fruit.

I hope you enjoyed them! It was my first time really experimenting with a background too so hopefully it worked out. I'm thinking desert birds next.

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