Uncommon Bird-Common Mina


Posted by AlexC on Tue Nov 25, 2003 10:09 am

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Common Mina Bird

The name "Common" belies how smart these birds are, although exotic and very free around certain areas of Miami, they are true survivors par excellence; They have nested around my local Coffee Shop for years, very good and successful parents as well, I suspect the mate for life, never loosing track of each other, it is endearing to see them forage for food as they look for dropped cracker or pastry flakes that drop to the ground around the front counter; Once I decided to buy them "Mina Food"at the local pet shop, Boy was I wrong!!!, Totally ignoring my expensive treat they went around looking for the fatty stuff !!
If the male finds food he calls to her, she runs and takes it away from him to be devoured alone, But is she finds any edible morsel, not a peep from her as to alert him to the find!!, I suspect this is from the nesting time in which he does most of the food gathering!!, She is also slightly bigger than him and a little less shy.
Although the parking lot is their first choice as a foraging area, they are very well adept at keeping their eyes trained on the constant moving traffic, I have never witnessed a close call when it comes to them!!
D1x, Raw, Lens=70-200mm afs-VR f/2.8 +2X, FL=400mm, Incident metering, 1/500sec SS-f/8, EV=-0.3, ISO=200, WB=Auto, D-TTL -1.5EV
Any comments and or reposts are always welcome!!
[b]Alex Calzadilla[/b]
[b]Miami, Florida[/b]
[b]NSN-0024[/b]
"At the feast of ego everyone leaves hungry." - Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, Tucson, AZ

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by E.J. Peiker on Tue Nov 25, 2003 10:41 am
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If these things are free in Miami now, in 20 years they will be as ubiquitous as House Sparrows which may not be a good thing. They are super adaptive birds. That aside, this is an excellent photo.
 

by AlexC on Tue Nov 25, 2003 10:58 am
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EJ wrote:
If these things are free in Miami now, in 20 years they will be as ubiquitous as House Sparrows which may not be a good thing. They are super adaptive birds.
EJ: Super adaptive they are, we also have BulBuls, Macaws, Monk Parrots and a myriad of Brazilian Parrots living wild all over Miami, Looks more like a little Amazon down here, All this is due in part to the fact that many owners get tired of them since they need a lot of attention and they are expensive to keep, the importation of these birds is legal in the USA unless they are listed as endangered, Also many breeding farms are all over the state since this is a very lucrative business!!! Sad but true !!! :cry:
[b]Alex Calzadilla[/b]
[b]Miami, Florida[/b]
[b]NSN-0024[/b]
"At the feast of ego everyone leaves hungry." - Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, Tucson, AZ
 

by Bill Whala on Tue Nov 25, 2003 11:28 am
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AlexC wrote:...we also have BulBuls, Macaws, Monk Parrots and a myriad of Brazilian Parrots living wild all over Miami, Looks more like a little Amazon down here
Note to self: Go to Miami. :lol:

Excellent shot of this mischievous bird.
Bill Whala

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by LHays on Tue Nov 25, 2003 11:58 am
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Alex
What a great shot......very stately. I've met the one at the coffee shop. Now...I really like the story. What's his is hers and what's hers is hers....nice arrangement.
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by Mike Wilson on Tue Nov 25, 2003 12:39 pm
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What a cool looking bird. I've got to go to Florida. Great post Alex.
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by Alan Murphy on Tue Nov 25, 2003 1:06 pm
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Alex, I wonder if the bird goes to the coffee shop and says " Make mina Grande" :D

Great shot and story.
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Last edited by Alan Murphy on Tue Nov 25, 2003 4:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 

by Jim Neiger on Tue Nov 25, 2003 1:29 pm
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Great shot! I love the sharp details.
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by Bruce DiVaccaro on Tue Nov 25, 2003 1:32 pm
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Alex,

This is a great shot of this colorful guy. I enjoyed your commentary too.
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by ajhand on Tue Nov 25, 2003 3:06 pm
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Alex:

Cool shot and cool narrative. I would guess, by the look on its face, that this is the male who has just had his croisssant snapped up by his greedy mate.

aj
 

by Ken Newcombe on Tue Nov 25, 2003 4:49 pm
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Alex,

Nice from foot to beak!
 

by Jill on Tue Nov 25, 2003 5:31 pm
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Phenomenal image, Alex. I surveyed them in Miami for one year. They are most likely found at fast food joints and nest in signage or light poles. As their numbers grow, someone will write a paper for accepting them as an ABA countable species. It's spelled Myna, mi amigo. Love this one !!! :D 8) :D
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by Alan Melle on Tue Nov 25, 2003 5:31 pm
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Uncommonly good! Well, common for you maybe.
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by Laura Stiefel on Tue Nov 25, 2003 5:51 pm
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I think this is an excellent photo and I really enjoyed the informative post. Thanks Alex!
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by Sandy Mossberg on Tue Nov 25, 2003 6:15 pm
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He's my buddy, Alex. Why didn't you get him drinking a cortadito?
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by George DeCamp on Tue Nov 25, 2003 6:35 pm
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That's such a cool bird and a cooler shot!! :shock:
 

by Jim Urbach on Tue Nov 25, 2003 6:54 pm
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Alex,

This looks like a posed studio image. Real neat.

Jim
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by Cliff Beittel on Tue Nov 25, 2003 9:00 pm
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Neat bird, and you've even made the perch (concrete?) look good!
 

by AlexC on Tue Nov 25, 2003 9:10 pm
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Cliff wrote:
Neat bird, and you've even made the perch (concrete?) look good!
Cliff, you are correct, it's the top concrete edge of the side walk!! They work that parking lot and sidewalk like cops on the beat!!!, They even stand up to the Grackels!!
[b]Alex Calzadilla[/b]
[b]Miami, Florida[/b]
[b]NSN-0024[/b]
"At the feast of ego everyone leaves hungry." - Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, Tucson, AZ
 

by Juan E. Bahamon on Tue Nov 25, 2003 11:30 pm
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Alex:

Very nice picture of a bird I have never seen. I enjoy your astute observations. One day I will go to your cafe to enjoy a thick cuban coffee with liquor.
Juan E. Bahamon
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