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@ Lovebirds
Mr X begins his journey to encounter Avian pets!
Lovebirds
Found on the African continent, wild lovebirds are mostly green, and get their name from their strong, monogamous pair-bonding amount of time they spend sitting together.

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@ Hummingbird, green

Blue And Gold Egg
The first painted eggs came from Mesopotamia, and because eggs were forbidden food during Lent, people painted eggs while Lent was being observed—after Lent, they would eat the eggs on Easter Day.

Beautifully decorated eggs “pysanka” are associated with Ukraine, and the oldest painted egg that was unearthed in northern Ukraine is dated to the end of the 17th century.

Hummingbird, green
'There are hundreds of different types of hummingbird, ranging in size from 5 inches down to the smallest at just 2 inches long! (13 cm - 5 cm). Hummingbirds have a very high metabolic rate. To conserve energy at night when not foraging, they can enter a state of torpor, similar to hibernation, and slow their metabolic rate to one-fifteenth of its normal rate.

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@ Java Sparrow
Mr X and Tiana agreed that the variety of environments on their expedition was the best ever! Mr X and Tiana exchanged opinions on which their favourite terrain had been so far, and which was the most interesting creature they had met in their travels!
Java Sparrow
aka the Java Finch! It is found in Java, Bali and Bawean in Indonesia. Males and females are the same in appearance, being grey and pink and a black head with white cheeks, and a black tail. Its call is chip-chip-chip.

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@ Green Crested Turaco
"Hey there, Mr X! Did you hear how Fresco fell off the landing stage into the sea while trying to get a better view of one of the creatures?"
"He was still squelching when he got back on the tour bus, Chesterfield!"
Green Crested Turaco
A native to the forests of tropical West Africa, this distinctive green and purple bird generally prefers mature rainforest edge habitats, bordered by rivers. These are easily recognisable birds, due to their colouring, but are well camouflaged when in the treetops.

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@ Red-crested Turaco
“You never know what sort of critter to expect next, do you, Mystery?" whispered Mr X. “You know, small, cute and furry or really quite, um, large, with—er—very sharp teeth.” Mystery reassured Mr X that all the critters were looking forward to meeting them, regardless of size, furriness, attractiveness and/or pointiness of teeth.
Red-crested Turaco
The red-crested turaco Tauraco erythrolophus is the national bird of Angola, Central Africa. It eats mainly fruit. The birds are usually to be seen in trees rather than on the ground. Its outer feathers are a bright, almost metallic green, with grey and softer green down its front, a white face, yellow beak, and a pronounced crest of the red that gives it its name.

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@ Ibis, Scarlet
“Do you remember our last safari, Milko?” exclaimed Mr X. "I remember being really quite scared, trying to find the way out of that labyrinth in the dark!"
Milko agreed. “D'you remember that scorpion? It was quite a shock coming across him in the light of the dim and flaring lamps, although he turned out to be very nice in the end.”
"It's hard to believe that was two years ago, Milko," remarked Mr X.
Ibis, Scarlet
This striking bird, found in South America and the Caribbean, is very similar to the American white ibis, the principal difference of course being the colour! The scarlet ibis is the only shorebird of this colour in the world. It is one of the two national birds of Trinidad & Tobago.

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@ Nicobar Dove
"It's turned a bit hot, Mr X. I'm going to put my sunhat on," said Lucky.
"Good scheme! I'll dig mine out as well," said Mr X.
Nicobar Dove
This strikingly beautiful creature (Caloenas nicobarica) is found in India and the regions of Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Borneo. Incredibly, its nearest relative is the extinct dodo! It is a large bird, measuring 16 inches in length (40cm) and has metallic green feathers for the main part, with grey plumage on the head and neck, and a short, pure white tail.

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@ Australian King Parrot
“Did you see what happened to Foxy earlier, Frank?” exclaimed Mr X. "He was balancing on a log trying to take a selfie with one of the critters we met, and it rolled over and pitched him into a bank of nettles!"
Frank joined in Mr X's heartless laughter. “He was still brushing bits of nettle out of his fur when we went for lunch!”
Australian King Parrot
This handsome scarlet and green bird is found only in eastern Australia.

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@ Scarlet Macaw
Splat studied the itinerary thoughtfully for some time. “There's a lion-tailed macaque and a lion-headed goldfish,” he remarked. “Do you think there's a lion-tummied creature that we'll meet?”
Mr X snorted. "That's you, judging by how you're packing away that popcorn, Splat!"
Scarlet Macaw
This very colourful bird is found in Mexico to Colombia and the Amazon Basin. It is 81–96 cm (32–36 in) long, and is mostly bright red, with red, yellow and blue on the wings.

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@ Salmon-crested cockatoo
“Have you seen those fabulous pink and white flamingo suncatchers in the giftshop, Mr X?” asked Sugah. “I'm going to buy one as a souvenir of our time here!”
“Sounds great!” responded Mr X.

Salmon-crested cockatoo
This bird is found in Indonesia, but it has also been introduced into Hawaii with modest breeding success. It eats nuts, seeds , fruit and coconut.

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@ Magpie in flight
Mr X and Choose a name shook paws and said “How do you do?” to the next creature who had come to meet them, and posed for a souvenir photo. “Why am I always on the left?” grumbled Mr X. “Let’s change sides.”
“No,” said Choose a name. “Being on the right shows my best side.”
Magpie in flight
With a wingspan of up to two feet (60 cm) with not just black and white but shiny iridescent bluey-green feathers, the flying magpie makes a stunning sight. Its scientific name is Pica pica and its acquisitive nature towards shiny objects is famous! There is even an opera by Rossini called La Gazza Ladra—The Thieving Magpie. Most of us will be familiar with the "Magpie" nursery rhyme. In its earliest recorded version in 1780 it went: One for sorrow,
Two for mirth,
Three for a funeral,
And four for birth.
but it became extended over subsequent years, with regional variations, into the best recognised rendering: "One for sorrow, two for joy" et cetera.

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@ Black Crowned Crane
Rosco groaned, clutching his stomach. "Oh, my poor tum. Why are so many of these places only accessible by boat? I've never been a good sailor, you know."
"Never mind, Rosco," sympathised Mr X. "It's ages till we set off back, and with lots of walking around visiting the different creatures, you'll feel as right as rain in no time!"
Black Crowned Crane
The black crowned crane is found in a great swathe across Africa, from Mauritania on the west, to Ethiopia and Kenya on the east. This bird is very distinctive. Its body is black with white/gold wings, it has red/white cheek patches and its head bears a crown of gold feathers.

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@ Pink & Grey Cockatoo
Choco was distracted by the sounds of loud rustling as Mr X unfolded a very large tourist map, in the course of which he succeeded in knocking Choco’s sunhat off.
“Put that away, do!” said Choco, in some irritation. “We’re about to pose with this amazing creature—the picture will be of your map if you don’t fold it up pronto!”
Pink & Grey Cockatoo
This chap looks like an English barrister off to court in his white wig and grey gown! It is also known as the galah, and is found throughout Australia.

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@ Hummingbird in flight
“Whatever were those screaming noises you were making earlier, Pynelope?" exclaimed Mr X.
Pynelope looked embarrassed. "That wasn't screaming. That was me, er, singing, to enable the safari guide to find me when I couldn't find my way out of that cave!"
Hummingbird in flight
Why are they called "hummingbirds"? This is because of the humming sound created by their rapidly beating wings, which creates a sound frequency audible to humans. The birds can hover in mid-air flapping their wings at rates which vary from around 12 beats per second in the largest species to around 80 per second in the smallest!

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@ Golden Conure, 1
Oh look ... you won a pet!
Golden Conure, 1
This bird, with its bright yellow feathers with green on the outer wings, is also known as the Golden Parakeet. It grows up to 13 inches long (33 cm). It is found in the Amazon Basin, south of the Amazon River in the state of Pará, northern Brazil.

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@ Golden Conure, 2
Both Flitter and Mr X loved the scenery at the next stop, and they both enjoyed introducing themselves to their new friend, who had been waiting to meet them!
Golden Conure, 2
This beautiful bird is found in Brazil. It feeds on fruits such as mango, muruci and açai, and also flowers, buds, seeds and crop plants, particularly maize.

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@ Hummingbird with Honeysuckle
“If there's time at the end of the day when we get back to our accommodation, I might do some initial sketches for a charcoal picture of one of our new friends," Volodymyr said, offering Mr X a toffee from the bag and then unwrapping one for himself.
“That sounds like a good plan, Volodymyr!" said Mr X. "Very relaxing, and your portrait will be a great souvenir of our visit to all these interesting creatures!"
Hummingbird with Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle—nature's own hummingbird feeder! Hummingbirds are attracted to its orange-red flowers and sweet nectar.

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@ Hyacinth Macaw
“Great to see you again, Bonny!” cried Mr X. “I don't think we've met since we bumped into each other in Canada this time last year. This is quite a different excursion, isn't it?”
"It is, indeed!" declared Bonny.
Hyacinth Macaw
This is the largest parrot in the world, going by length! It is 1 metre (3 ft 3") from its beak to the tip of its tail. It is native to central and eastern South America.

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@ Black-grey Toucan
“I’ve written a postcard to my aunty to tell her about our amazing safari!” said Mr X. “She’ll wish she was here! Where’s the nearest postbox?”
Choose a name shielded her eyes and rotated 360°, elaborately scanning the horizon. “I don’t think they’ve thought to provide a postbox here, Mr X. How remiss of them!” Seeing Mr X’s ears beginning to droop, Choose a name added, “Don’t worry, you can give your card to reception at the hotel to post.”
Black-grey Toucan
The toucan's beak is made of keratin, the same substance as hair and fingernails. Toucans look very similar to hornbills but there is a huge geographical divide between them. Toucans live in Central and South America, while hornbills are found only in Africa and Asia.

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@ Contemplative Toucan
Mr X and Choose a name had shaken paws and then took some time to enjoy looking at the next creature in its habitat in a companionable silence!
Contemplative Toucan
Toucans, some of the most easily recognisable birds in the world, spend their lives high in the rainforest canopies of Central and South America. A toucan spends its nights in a nest in a hollow tree cavity, and curls up by turning its head and laying its beak along its back, tucking the beak under a wing, and then curving its tail over its head.

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@ Garden Greenfinch
“Oh hello, Mr X!” cried Catalina. “Didn’t we bump into each other in Turkey back in the spring? This is quite the change of scene, isn't it!”
"It certainly is!" declared Mr X.
Garden Greenfinch
An all-year-round visitor to rural and urban birdtables, the pretty greenfinch is a delight to spot squabbling over the black sunflower seeds!

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@ Laughing Kookaburra
"I think there'll be quite a few tired paws, wings and flippers when we get back to the tour bus," said Nano, after he and Mr X had spent some time exploring another rural pathway to its end and meeting nearby inhabitants.
"Is there a gift shop at the end?" enquired Mr X. "The thought of that generally keeps me going."
Laughing Kookaburra
The kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae is a well-known symbol of Australia’s birdlife. Most of us will have first met the kookaburra when growing up as the “merry, merry king of the bush” in the children's song. It has dark brown wing plumage and a white head and underside. Dark brown eye stripes run across its face. Its reddish-coloured tail is patterned with distinctive black bars which makes the bird easily recognisable from a distance.

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@ Long-tailed Tit Songbird
“Great to see you again, Rainbow!” cried Mr X. “I don't think we've met since we bumped into each other in Canada this time last year. This is quite a different excursion, isn't it?”
"It is, indeed!" declared Rainbow.
Long-tailed Tit Songbird
The long-tailed tit is a tiny but noisy and sociable bird of hedgerows, woodland, parks and gardens, recognisable by its subtle and pretty colours of pink, light brown, black and white. It builds a domed nest out of moss in a bush or the fork of a tree, and camouflages it with cobwebs and lichen. It lines the nest with many hundreds of feathers to make it soft for the eight to twelve eggs it lays.

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@ Blue & Red Parrot
“Shall we take a selfie?” Mr X asked Smoothie as they drank in the scenery and admired their new friend standing between them.
Blue & Red Parrot
Unusually for parrots, the male and female Eclectus roratus look totally different, so much so that it was once thought that they were different species. Moreover, unusually for birds, the female is more colourful than the male, in her bright red and purple plumage with orange tail compared to his equally intense green (with red and blue under-wing patches).

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@ Eurasian pygmy owl
“Did you see those 2023 calendars in the giftshop?” asked Mr X. "Each month features one of the critters we've met on our mini-safari! I'm going to buy one to hang up behind my model Fiat 500 from Turin and my ceramic Welsh clog from our British Isles tour."
"Sounds a great idea!" agreed Berry. "I think I'll get one for my mum."
Eurasian pygmy owl
Found principally in Siberia, where it stays all year round, this is Europe's smallest owl, with a wingspan of just over 1 ft (32 cm). Its Latin name is Glaucidium passerinum.

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@ Pair of Green-Winged Macaws
“I'm starving!” exclaimed Mr X. "What's Chef making us tonight?"
Nutmeg glanced up from her tour guide, in which she had been looking up where they were going the next day. “How come you're so hungry, Mr X?”
Mr X pouted. "I was just unwrapping my lunch pack when a creature ran down the tree behind me, grabbed the lot and shot back up the tree!"
"Bad luck!" sympathised Nutmeg. "Here, have a banana to keep you going."

Pair of Green-Winged Macaws
These birds aren't green-winged, so how do they get this name? It's because they have a green band between the red and blue colours of its wings. The beaks of large macaws are strong enough to break walnuts.

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@ Rainy Day Jay
“If there's time at the end of the day when we get back to our accommodation, I might do some initial sketches for a charcoal picture of one of our new friends," Ada said, offering Mr X a toffee from the bag and then unwrapping one for herself.
“That sounds like a good plan, Ada!" said Mr X. "Very relaxing, and your portrait will be a great souvenir of our visit to all these interesting creatures!"
Rainy Day Jay
Here's a colourful but shy bird that, in common with the squirrel, likes to put food by for a rainy day! Each autumn this member of the crow family can often be observed flying back and forth finding and storing acorns to help see them through the winter. The acorns are hidden in the cracks and crevices of trees, but also in leaf litter on the ground. An individual jay can each year store around 8000 acorns and many remain buried to grow into oak trees.

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@ Long-tailed Tit
“Did you see those 2023 calendars in the giftshop?” asked Mr X. "Each month features one of the critters we've met on our mini-safari! I'm going to buy one to hang up behind my model Fiat 500 from Turin and my ceramic Welsh clog from our British Isles tour."
"Sounds a great idea!" agreed SPARKLES. "I think I'll get one for my mum."
Long-tailed Tit
Or to use its Sunday-best name: Aegithalos caudatus! It is recognisable by its beautiful colouring of buff, pink, white and black, its short black beak and, of course, a very long tail! This little bird is a favourite in all British gardens, but it can also be seen in woodland, farmland hedgerows, scrubland and parkland.

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@ Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree
Mr X has now met enough "Avian" pets to last a lifetime. As he exits the experience, he receives a wonderful gift!
Flock of Herons
Sitting high on a cliff on your blanket to watch the sunrise over the ocean, you notice movement below. You watch in amazement as a flock of herons take to flight, adding wonder to an already stunning event.

Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree
Native to the eucalyptus forests of eastern Australia, the kookaburra is the largest member of the kingfisher family, weighing up to one pound and growing to 18 inches (46 cm) in length. Its beak can reach 4 inches (10 cm) long
Mr X has enjoyed meeting "Avian" pets, but it is time to go home now! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also meet pets of every shape and size!