Birds

 

Birds

Red footed falcon (Falco vespertinus)

Birds The Red footed falcon one of the most important rare bird in Hungary. It is similar to the European Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) but a little bit smaller. The female bird (on the picture) has interesting orange color from bottom. The male bird is mostly blueish only the area near the foot has the same orange color, this is where the name comes from. The bird is a migratory bird in Hungary, where this is the Western border of the bird’s habitat. The bird usually uses Rook nests, but many places breeding in nestboxes in Hungary. The bird is mainly eat large insects.
birds
See the bird species on this picture at the bottom of the page.

Introduction

Since my childhood I interested about birds. I thought I am going to be an ornithologist. After digital photography becomes more and more available, I started to make photographs. Usually I just walk and make pictures during my time in the nature, but sometimes I use a hide as well.

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Birds

Below links and links at the sidebar are all about birds, bird photography, bird species, how to photography birds like tutorials, and informations. Different kinds of species by orders. Some pictures for start.

Bee eater oldshutterhand
European Bee eater (Merops apiaster) is perhaps the most photogenic bird in Hungary. The birds stay in Hungary only between May and September, they spend the winter in Africa. The bird is like an exotic parrot, has many beautiful colors. The size of the bird is around 30cm. Mosty bee eaters as the name suggests eats bees and dragonflies, which they catch in flight. The bee eater is a very skilled in flight. Once a sparrowhawk chased the bee eather of which I managed to make a photo, but he was no chance to catch the bee eater. The bee eater likes to be in groups, they put their nests in holes in the ground next to riverbed or horinzontal wall like sandmines for example. The nest is 2m deep in the whole. The bee eaters has a distinctive prruip or pruuk voice which is usually audible in multiple occurence (as usually many birds give the voice), very interesting, I don’t know any bird with similar voice.

bokeh photography tutorial
Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) is a very common bird in Hungary. Usually can be seen at the top of the same bush next to roads at the Great Plain. It is famous about the birds put bugs on the thorns. There are reports that also kills birds and mices as well. I never see this, but see bugs pricked on thorns. Interestingly the birds belongs to Passeriformes (small singing birds) family. The size of the bird is relatively small (17cm / 6.7″) but bigger than the usual singing birds. Only the male bird has a “zorro” look, the female is more brownish without the dark line through the eyes.

bokeh photography tutorial 3

madarak akcioban 2

madarak akcioban 3

Madarak rétisas
White tailed eagle (Haliaeatus albicilla) is a huge bird, the wingspan of the old birds can be 2.5m (8’4″). Mostly eats fishes and water birds. Most white tailed eagles (in Hungary) can be found in the South parts of Hungary. Apart from Hungary this is quite a widespread specie almost there everywhere from Japan to the US. It is a very cautious and unpredictable bird, according the Bence Mate the World award winning bird photographer very hard to learn anything about this bird’s behaviour. The female bird is bigger and stronger. In flight the shape of the tail or at old birds the white color of the tail is one of the signs to look at to identify the bird. From a distance looks like the buzzard but the wedge shape tail is different. Very hard to get close to the bird without a hide. The bird has a very sharp eyesight and avoid humans from far distance. In Hungary winter feeding is the way to make close photographs. The territory of one pair can be 400 km2. Likes the habitat near Lakes or rivers. Occur in Lake Balaton, Lake Tisza and several fishing lakes as well. Nesting starts in February in winter. In Hungary stays in the country whole year but young birds make huge tours around Europe.

Madarak sárgarigó
Golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus) is a common bird in Europe. Not so easy to see the bird as the Golden oriole is mostly hiding in the green foliage of the tallest trees like Poplar. Sometimes comes to smaller fruit trees as well but this is not so predictable. I needed several days to make this photo from an upper floor of a house during summer holiday. I usually recognise the bird by sound, either Shkreik or a whistle like sound, if someone whistle inward. Only the male is so yellow with black wings the female and the younger birds are more greenish, with white spotted chests. It is quite a confident bird I see many times chasing different birds of prey, like Western Marsh harrier.

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The Great egret (Ardea alba) is a very elegant bird. Not very shy and quite common in Hungary. Earlier it was very rare but something happened and now there are many, even on the agricultural field not just next to lakes and rivers. The smaller Little Egret is different, the Great egret has orange legs, the Little egret black / green. The beak of the Great egret is also orange, while black on the Little egret.

madarak erdeifulesbagoly
Long eared Owl (Asio otus) is one of the most common Owl. In winter in the Great Plain they form huge flocks and rest daytime on the trees of smaller cities.

bird photography

top 10 wildlife bird photography tips
Common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is perhaps the most common birds of prey in Hungary. There are several thousand buzzards in Hungary. Mostly eat rodents on agricultural lands, this way very beneficial for the famers. The size of the bird is around 50cm (1.64 feet). In winter usually there are many next to main roads waiting for animals hit by cars.

Birds
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) – very common bird in Hungary, next to agricultural areas and flat lands. There are several Kestrels around and in Budapest as well. The bird is smaller than a Rook or Magpie (32-35cm / 1.2′), but little bigger than the similar Red footed Falcon. The male and the female bird looks little different, the male has a pale grey head, while the female is mostly brownish. The Kestrel mostly eats rodents, which he/she cathes on the field. The rodents left out ultraviolet signs, which the bird sees. Sometime eats insects and lizards as well. Spend the winter in Hungary. Last counting in winter there was 679 Kestrels in Hungary.

How to photograph birds?
Little bittern (LXobrychus minutus) the Little bittern is common bird in Hungary, mostly can be found in reeds. For example in the Lake Balaton also can be found, as sometimes flies between the reeds amoung the people in the beach. It is a middle sized bird, the length of the bird is 33-38cm (1.1′-1.2′). It is the smallest bird of his/her family (cicioniiformes – storks, herons, egrets). The female is more brownish, the male has black-yellow colors, see at the picture. The bird is excellently hiding in the reeds, even the trained eye needed to concentrate very much to see the bird.

European bird checklist in ABC order

In process. European bird checklist in ABC order

Birds of Hungary

In the gallery pictures can be found of birds of Hungary. More than 100 species can be found in the gallery. The growing gallery contains lots of species from the kinglets to eagles.

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Birds by species

Under process. It is planned to upload many photos and descriptions everywhere.

Bearded tit Black redstart Blue tit Buzzard
Common redstart Collared flycatcher Corn bunting
Long eared Owl
Ruddy shelduck
Turtle dove
Wren
Live webcams

The most interesting webcams from Hungary and all around the world. The webcams are usually only active in breeding time, in Spring in Hungary, or Eagles in January, or February, because Eagle breed this time in Hungary.
Bird webcams

How to photograph birds ?

Tips and techniques, usual methods, equipments used, hides.
How to photograph birds?

Colourful bird species in Hungary

Several most colourful species that can be found in Hungary.
Colourful birds in Hungary

Bearded tit or bearded reedling

Birds
This is a very cute bird, and very tame as well. It is very easy to photography if you move slowly you can approach these birds very closely. In Hungary this bird occur around lakes like Lake Ferto next to the Austrian border, Lake Velence region or in other Lakes. Easier to see in winter somehow perhaps less people can be found next to the lakes. The bird has a distinctive sound, louder than the usual singing birds like Tits and Robins. The male and the female look little bit different. The male has the moustache, which the female lacks.

Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

kingfisher_8618One of my favourite bird. The alarming sound of the bird is quite special. This is what I recognize, when I search for the bird. The bird has beautiful colors, when flying looks like a bigger insect. A Very good fisher, mostly takes small fishes. In abundant places like the one next to Kis Balaton reserve can be more fat. Very shy bird with good vision, really hard to get close to. Better to sit and wait and only approach from a distance. With a safe distance the bird can get used to a company. For a detailed photo long lens or a hide is preferred as this is small bird with very nice details.

Bird photography equipment

Camera bodies, and lenses, other accessories. Most popular birding camera bodies and lenses. What kind of equipments are used by pro photographers. Canon and Nikon equipments. Usual lenses, price of the alternatives.
Bird photography equipment

Best telescope for bird photography

Astro physics telescope is an interesting option for some, because it is not cheap, but has very good optical quality.
Best telescope for bird photography

Bird species at the top mozaik picture

Species on the picture from left to right, from top to bottom:

1. Golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus) 2. White tailed eagle (Haliatus albicilla) 3. Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) 4. Collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

1. Penduline tit (Remiz pendulinus) 2. Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) 3. European Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) 4. Blackbird (Turdus merula)

1. European Bee eater (Merops apiaster) 2. Common tern (Sterna hirundo) 3. Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) 4. Night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

1. Eurasian Robin (Erithacus rubicola) 2. Black winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) 3. Western yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava) 4. Black headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Fatbirders Top 1000 Birding Websites

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