Common Name (in English) Blue Jay (in Chinese) 冠藍鴉、藍松鴉、藍樫鳥 Scientific Name (in Latin) Cyanocitta cristata Peculiar characteristics / external features: The blue jay is between 9 and 12 inches in length. It is bright blue on top and white to gray on its throat, chest and belly. It has a gray-blue crest on its head and black and white bars on its wings and tail. Its bill, legs and feet are black. It also has a black “necklace” on its lower throat. Distributions: The…

Read More »

  Common Name (in English) Black Kite (in Chinese) 黑鳶、麻鷹、老鷹 Scientific Name (in Latin) Milvus migrans Peculiar characteristics / external features: The black kites have a brown upper plumage is brown but the head and neck tend to be paler. The sexes are alike. The patch behind the eye appears darker. The outer flight feathers are black and the feathers have dark cross bars and are mottled at the base. The lower parts of the body are pale brown, becoming lighter towards the chin. The…

Read More »

Common Name (in English) Barn Swallow (in Chinese) 家燕 Scientific Name (in Latin) Hirundo rustica Peculiar characteristics / external features: It has steel blue upperparts and a rufous forehead, chin and throat, which are separated from the off-white underparts by a broad dark blue breast band. The outer tail feathers are elongated, giving the distinctive deeply forked “swallow tail”. There is a line of white spots across the outer end of the upper tail. Distributions: The preferred habitat of the barn swallow is open country…

Read More »