Comedy
I love the sense of whimsy that birds often convey, albeit usually unintentionally. Generally, it comes from a sense of anthropomorphism (the attributing of a human quality to an animal). Hopefully one or more images on this page will bring a smile to your face. I highly recommend clicking on any image to view it larger
Cormorants
Cormorants such as these Double-Crested Cormorants always appear to be enjoying life whether “singing” in a group or having “conversations” with each other.
Top image Below- “He went thataway!”
Bottom image below - Wish I understood Cormorant-speak!
Two images below - The famed Platte Cormorant Barbershop Quartet (plus or minus) looks like they are belting out a tune but truth be told they often do this gesture in complete silence.
Below - Notice the turtles to the right. I always picture the Cormorant in the middle of the photo saying to the other one, “Why didn’t you tell me you invited the WHOLE family?”
Herons
I love Herons for their beauty but they are not above giving off a laugh or two like below.
Below - These are two of my favorite images for making me laugh. There is a pond nearby that for whatever reason has a statue of a Great Blue Heron in it. And, fortunately, a real Great Blue Heron will occasionally stop by. On this occasion the real one flew in landing right next to the statue. He immediately started pointing to the statue as if to say “He’s an imposter and I can prove it!” He then started to walk away from the statue and I clicked the image on the right just as it almost perfectly mirrored the statue’s pose. I guess life does imitate art!
Ever feel like you’re the one being stared at?
Below - In the image on top, this looked to me as if the Great Blue Heron was lifting its pant leg or skirt to daintily walk through the mud. The same day I got the close-up of the Heron on the bottom who seemed to be saying, “Who, me?”
Hummingbirds
Below - This poor little Broad-Tailed Hummingbird thought the utility flag I had in my yard to mark utility lines was a new red flower to get nectar out of. Until, of course, he realized there was no nectar whatsoever in it.
Below - This Broad-Tailed Hummingbird got a flower stuck on its beak. I watched it struggle for about 30 seconds to get it off which it finally did!
Toeclippers
Even birds like to be well-groomed (or are they picking their noses?) Here are (from left to right) a Red-Tailed Hawk, a juvenile Bald Eagle, and an American Kestrel all chewing their nail or grooming or something.
Ducks
Below - A female Goldeneye seems to be saying, “Aww, aren’t I cute?” Answer: Yes!
Below - Did you know that “Synchronized Sleeping” will be an Olympic sport? These two are in training.
Below -I call this image “The Gel Queen”. How long do you think this female Hooded Merganser has to work on her hair to get it just so?
Conversations
Sometimes birds seem to be deep in conersation with each other that we can almost project what they are saying.
Below - this image strikes me as a conversation with two old friends, maybe about good fishing spots. An added chuckle is how the eagle on the right seems to be “lifting up” its “pant legs”.
Below - I’ve been following this pair for a while and know they are about to nest. This was one of the loudest bird conversations I’ve ever heard. Perhaps they were discussing housing locations?
Below - This image is of the rare Bohemian Waxwings. I was excited to get the bird in front but later realized the pair in back were deep in conversation with the one on the right listening so intently it just had to be a serious conversation!
Below - This Brown Pelican near the Texas Gulf seemed to be holding court with the numerous shorebirds as its “subjects”.
Below - I ran across these Royal Terns on the Texas Gulf. The potential captions are endless. I bet you have a good one, too!
Other Scenes
Here is a variety of other birds that are in some whimsical scenes
Below - I call this image “Yippee!” as this White-Breasted Nuthatch seems to be jumping for joy. Come to think of it, I think it was…for whatever reason.
Below - This Spotted Towhee caught itself a moth and then promptly looked at me with a glare that warned me to not even think about trying to steal it (little did he know I had no desire whatsoever!)
Below - This bird seems to be waving at me. Or giving me an obscene gesture. Let’s go with waving “Hello”.
Below - I call this image “Standing on the Shoulders of Greatness!” as this Sandhill Crane appears to be landing on another Crane’s head. Just an optical illusion but humorous nonetheless.
Below - This Magpie landed on my roof as I was sitting on my patio and seemed to wonder why I was sitting where I was.
Below - This Egret seems to be thinking he’s pulling a fast one on the fisherman by stealthily sneaking past him!
Below - For some reason I find the walk of this Prairie Falcon comical as if he had to hike up his pants legs. Those feathers you see around him? You don’t want to know.
Below - This seagull appeared to be singing at he top of its voice!
Below - I shouldn’t laugh at this poor Killdeer but he was slipping on the ice with every step he took. Didn’t seem to bother him, though. He got to his destination just fine.