Specialty birds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX - Part 8 - Green Parakeet & Green Kingfisher
/This blog entry continues the reports on my efforts to capture images of birds that, in the United States, are seen primarily in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The Green Parakeet & Green Kingfisher are featured in this post.
The combination of the Olympus OM-1 camera and the 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens was used to capture the images of the parakeets and the last photo of the kingfisher. The first two photos of the kingfisher were taken on my first visit to the Rio Grande Valley in 2017 with a Nikon D500 and a 500mm f/4 lens with 1.4x teleconverter attached.
Green Parakeets, McAllen, Texas
Focal length: 500 mm, 1/1000 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 800
The Green Parakeet has a long pointed tail, a yellow beak, and an orange-red iris. The green of the upper parts is darker than the green of the underparts.
Green Parakeets, McAllen, Texas
Focal length: 500 mm, 1/1250 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 800
Green Parakeets, McAllen, Texas
Focal length: 500 mm, 1/640 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 1600
The natural range of the Green Parakeet is in Mexico and northern Central America, an area that extends almost to the Texas border. The species is established in the United States in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas (see the small purple dot). It is not known if that sub-population was derived from introduced individuals or by natural dispersion.
Green Kingfisher at Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 700 mm, 1/1000 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 4000
The Green Kingfisher has a large beak, a short tail, and a white collar. The upperparts are green with white spots. Two green chest bands interrupt the white underparts of the female whereas the breast of the male is covered by a broad, rusty-colored band.
Green Kingfisher at Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 700 mm, 1/1000 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 4000
Green Kingfisher at Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 500 mm, 1/3200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 4000
The range of the Green Kingfisher extends from south Texas and Arizona through central America and much of South America.