Birbs In Snow

Day 123: Whether or not Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) qualifies as a "birb" might be a matter of some conjecture, but I will argue that the definition of "cute round little bird" can be extended to include the pair (male and female) which have come to my yard with the snow. The size of an American Robin, they might not fall within the scope of "little," but stood up next to an eagle or an ostrich, the logic of using the term would be inarguable. "Round" is unassailable; the fluffed-out feathers define as globose an object as you are likely to find in nature if you omit the tail, beak and feet. "Pudgy" would be unkind. In any event, Thrush are something of an oddity at my feeders, their customary habitat being the surrounding forests where their melodious single-note call will chime in the months of spring; not yet, although this male seems to have already selected his mate. The female wears somewhat drabber garb, her colours not so bright so that she can better conceal herself in flecked light and shadow. That said, these two images show the male's mottled orange and grey flanks, his vivid wing-bars and dark breast band which even an amateur birder could not attribute to a robin. I couldn't choose which birb pose I preferred.