Most Beautiful Birds Meme

Home Bird has tagged me for the most beautiful birds meme, which was started by John at A DC Birding Blog.

The rules are simple: Post a list of the 10 birds you consider most beautiful on your blog; you may limit the list to the ABA area (continental United States and Canada) or use a geographic area of your choice. Mark birds you have seen with an asterisk. Tag 3 bloggers to keep it going.

Without investing too much thought or introspection, and without referring to field guides, here’s my "top 10" list (in no particular order):

Rose-breasted Grosbeak*
Northern Cardinal*
Cedar Waxwing*
Blackburnian Warbler*
Tufted Puffin*
Red-headed Woodpecker*
Black Oystercatcher*
Baltimore Oriole*
Scarlet Tanager*
Harlequin Duck*

In closing, I feel compelled to mention my "favorite" bird. Few (not even me) would go so far as to call the Red-faced Cormorant beautiful (see image above, courtesy of Fish and Wildlife Service), but I do find it incredibly fascinating. How, for example, can a fishing-eating diving bird whose feathers are not waterproof survive in the frigid waters of the North Pacific and Bering Sea? It seems to do very well, thank you.

I tag the good folks at Drew’s Birds, The Rookie Birder, and Thoughts of an Iowa Birdwatcher.