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Tail Bearer


Tail Bearer
Photo Information
Copyright: Japie Venter (japie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-12-01
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Sigma 170-500mm APO, Digital ISO 100, Skylight
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/100 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of Southern Africa [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-12-10 3:58
Viewed: 1689
Points: 38
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I took this Long-tailed Widowbird next to the road, on the way to one of our mills. I had to double back as he kept on flying along the fence, IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!. I do not like shooting these birds on man made objects but in this case it the only way to get the tail displayed properly. These birds usually perch on the top of thick grasses and then the tail is lost between the grass.

More about the Long-tailed Widowbird (Roberts: 832)

It is a large widow-bird. In breeding plumage the males have very long black tails and a red shoulder patch Size 18-60 cm: Female about the same size as a Cape Sparrow - the breeding male is larger. Afrikaans: Langstertflap

The bill is short, strong and conical. The bill is pale blue-grey in breeding males and horn-coloured in females or non-breeding males. The legs and feet are black (breeding) or brown (non-breeding).

The male has a very long, floppy looking black tail and is jet black all over, save for the red patch on the shoulder, which is bordered below by a whitish band. The wings are broad and floppy looking.

The upperparts of the female are heavily streaked blackish on brown. The underparts are are brownish white, with dark brown streaking on the breast and flanks. The female has a short floppy looking tail, and is much larger than other widows

The Long-tailed widow is a common species of grassland - usually moist grassland near vleis.

It is a gregarious bird, and forms large flocks in winter. In summer the male is most likely to be seen sitting on a perch or conducting it's characteristic display flight, in which it flies slowly above the grassland, with jerky, stiff wing beats, which appear erratic in timing. At the same time the tail is held arched, so that it appears wide and heavy. In normal flight, the tail streams out behind the bird horizontally.

It eats seeds and insects.

It is not a noisy species. The male calls zik, zik, zik, zik in flight display. And sings a repeated phrase of 4 lower and 4 higher notes: twi-twi- twi- twi- twi- zizizizizizi.

Nesting takes place between mainly from December to March to February. Males are polygynous (have more than one partner), but breed in well defined territories. Males build rudimentary nest shells quite low down in the grass, to which females are attracted. Females then complete the nest. The nest is an oval shell with a side top entrance, which is woven, weaver-style from grass stems. It appears untidy and is well concealed by incorporating surrounding growing grass - which form a bower above the nest cup.

Program Setting: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 375mm
F Stop: F/10
Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec
ISO: 100
Tripod: No
Flash: TTL
Reflective Panel: No
Cable release: No
White Balanace: AWB
red45, ellis49, Lesley, PDP, gerhardt, RAP, marhowie, Fisher, miqra, deud, Luc, LCannon has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To jasmis: Dissapearing ink:)japie 1 12-17 14:06
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2816 W: 75 N: 7977] (26973)
  • [2004-12-10 4:34]

Wow, so looooong :-) Nice bird, nice colours, details and BG. Fence isn't bad idea to present its tail. Good work Japie!

Baie mooi Flap Japie, Draad maak nie saak nie.
The tail is impressive. Very nice shot and good notes to boot. well done

Wonderful bird, Impresive tail.
Well done.

Very good Japie.
Great tail you show us.
Nice colours and good datials.
Good note.
Now I know you have practise weitghtlifting, 1/100sec , 375mm
without tripod and still sharp.
Very well done.

This bird reminds me of the fairytale Rapunzel with the long hair. Or a Red-winged Blackbird with an extremely long and flamboyant tail. Very nice shot , Japie, and it sounds like you really had to work for it as well! :0)It's a little soft, but nothing that stops it from being a wonderful capture.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2951 W: 366 N: 3779] (11763)
  • [2004-12-10 10:10]

What an interesting looking bird. Great shot Japie. I've not seen this bird before, thanks for posting and thanks for the great note.

These birds are always hard to get. Liek you said about the tail. But it's all black against light BG's ... always. Very hard to get the details of the plumage. I think you did very well.

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2004-12-10 17:43]

La espectacularidad de la cola del ave amerita por sí sola la publicacion.
Una bella captura con algunas interferencias en la imagen producidas por las flores fuera de foco y el indeseable alambre
Buen agudeza... sobre todo en los detalles de las largas plumas.

The spectacularity of the tail of the bird deserve by itself the publication.
A beautiful capture with some interferences in the image produced by the flowers outside focus and the undesirable wire.
Good sharpness... mainly in the details of the long pens.

Japie, Great catch, tail included! I find the framing an interesting blend of man made with nature. The purple flowers accent and compliment your subjects color well. Great job!

  • Great 
  • Fisher Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1540 W: 309 N: 2234] (8915)
  • [2004-12-10 23:05]

Japie, take away the long tail, this bird looks like our redwing black bird. Incredible capture, what a beauty. Well done.

Mike

  • Great 
  • miqra Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 140 W: 3 N: 23] (151)
  • [2004-12-11 14:46]

Wow this is amazing, what a lovely bird, your photo does nature proud Japie, well done

  • Great 
  • deud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 498 W: 2 N: 466] (2162)
  • [2004-12-13 11:13]

wow! that was my exclamation when i take a look at this little beauty! so nice and warm colours around. thanx.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2052 W: 315 N: 4301] (14719)
  • [2004-12-14 10:27]

Re-Salut Japie!
Une composition bien réussie; vous avez bien fait de le photographié sur cette clôture pour que nous puissions admirer cette remarquable queue ;-)
Excellent travail: image et note.

  • Great 
  • optic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 322 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2004-12-14 20:50]

Nice capture, very beautiful lights and colours and pose too, i'd like to make a trip in South Africa !! it's so beautifull..
You did great Japie,

  • Great 
  • Sneza Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 96 W: 30 N: 16] (672)
  • [2004-12-16 4:45]

Very good caption. Good composition, sharpness is good and DOF too. Nice shot.

I don't understand. I wrote you rate and it disapeared. Strange. So, try once again. Birdie is fantastic and the wire is astonish. Great photo.

Whatta tail , beats our pheasants I think, only a peacock could surpass it. Must be quite a sight when in flight ! Youre forgiven for the vulgar display of barbwire ! Suth Africa looks greener than the cliches in my head.

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2306 W: 324 N: 4306] (16856)
  • [2004-12-26 22:06]

Japie, great moment of this very beautiful bird, as well as great colors.

P.S.: I've been having some serious problems regarding my connection. If I "disappear", be sure I'll be back to check your photos as soon as possible.

This is a Very nice photo, the color green is very pleasing, and the bird is sharp and clear. I love the purplish flowers that accent this photo too. Your note is very detailed and appreciated. I don't know if I'll ever get as nice of nature photos as you have taken, but it is a goal!

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