And today’s featured bird is none other than Urocissa Erthrorhyncha. This is actually a member of the Crow family and make their home in mountain forests.  They also have tail feathering that can grow upwards of 17 inches long.

The more common name for this intriguing bird is the Red-Billed Blue Magpie.  Apparently they like to feast on insects and fruit as well as small mammals like snakes, lizards, centipedes and snails.   They will also prey upon the eggs of other birds – bad Magpie, veeryyy bad Magpie.  I must say they are one of the more colorful birds featured on Project Chekov but that may be due to another key aspect..

They are not a North American Bird.  Sure, we have some Magpies like the Black-Billed ones (link here).  Unfortunately, that one couldn’t be used.  Thanks to a total lack of available birds species I’m forced to punt.  I didn’t want to leave you hanging so went with a preview of a future post from when I was shooting in Cambodia.  Wait, my mistake, I meant visiting the Saint Louis Zoo back in June of 2013.  Didn’t exactly execute on it, which is one of the reasons I’m throwing it out early.  Just surprised at this point I had a bird I could use!!!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Note, this makes 21 straight posts without a comment –  to quote Pink Floyd – “is there anybody out there?”