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Project Noah Nature School
Phainopepla nitens
Berries, any small insects, fruits, vegetables. Phainopepla have a specialized mechanism in their gizzard that shucks berry skins off the fruit and packs the skins separately from the rest of the fruit into the intestines for more efficient digestion. So far this is the only known bird able to do this.
Spotted on Dec 17, 2011
Submitted on Dec 17, 2011
6 Comments
HaHa Ava!!
That's so great Emma! That whole conversation a few weeks ago inspired me to realize I can put a toyon in my front yard when I've finished taking out the two agave americana I killed over the summer. (see pictures 2 and 3 -- http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/770...)
@ Ava,thanks for the tip on the Cedar Waxwings in the Toyons. sure enough ,and to my utmost delite I saw a lot of them feasting on the Toyons!!.
I love Phainopepla; they have such a lovely voice.
@ Liam,it has a red eye. The titmouse has a black eye.
Looks more like an Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus) to me.