This is considered a rare bird among bird enthusiasts here, and even among the local people. Even at home my mother only saw it twice in her lifetime. It was some kind of a myth because of its rarity, or maybe because it really is superstitiously always hiding from sight. Since it is white, i don't know if it is albino or real white. We are more familiar with the brown color with black head and tail. But definitely, i saw in the thicket that its partner is brown in color, although I failed to take its photo. The eyes are not red, so I guess it is not albino. I read somewhere that this bird has the beak and head of a crow but the tail of a pheasant. I am glad it did not have a black head with a white tail. That way it would certainly be more unusual. It just allowed me to take 3 shots, and then it flew away going to its brown partner.
It is the White Morph Philippine coucal, Centropus viridis, an endemic species.
look at that stance, it really is lovely
look at that tail, elegant
...there it is, eyeing me too!
Wow, what a beauty! How wonderful that you got to see one. We have a Coucal species around here as well, but I've never seen an albino one.
ReplyDeleteThat is no ordinary bird. What a beauty! Looks like we are into bird watching too but of a different kind; mostly duck or chicken. :)
ReplyDeleteA gorgeous bird!! Great catch with your camera! xxoo
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Andrea for noting my birds in flight trials. You really did capture a unique bird and it was very fortuitous also, being so rare. It really does have a pheasant-like tail. Nice photos because the birds are always on the lookout when something is pointed at them. I am glad you told me to stop in. I have been so busy with work, there is little time for blog hopping. I am glad I got to see a bird that I would have not seen anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful bird, nice shots. Your area looks lovely - I've never lived somewhere the trees are always green. We have such a short growing season at our altitude, we sometimes don't even get three full frost-free months!
ReplyDeleteGreat capture Andrea - hard to get birds to cooperate in remaining stationary! (thanks for visiting my blog too)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice comment Andrea. I am glad you like my photography.
ReplyDeleteYou have photographed a lovely bird. And to take good bird shots it is only practise that helps. And knowledge of your camera. And also learning about the birds. :) Good luck with that. I don´t know if you have seen them, but I have 2 birdblogs.
This is certainly a rare find! Luckily you have capture this beauty on camera.
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