Contrast Contrast

Having heard the Warbler Guide authors speak at the Connecticut Ornithological Association Annual Meeting, I was curious about how contrast works for our feathered friends.  I was struck how even birds with similar colors might have very different looks.  Think about a Black-and-White Warbler and compare it to an Eastern Kingbird.  Both have the same color scheme yet, both use those colors in different ways.  Looking at things like contrast can help us see our feathered friends in a better light.  For the birds, Contrast can help them blend in or stand out for a mate.  For the Black-and-White, contrast helps it blend in with the bark that it likes to shadow.  For the Kingbird, the contrast might help shield it in the fields and ponds that it haunts. For added measures, the Yellow-Throated Warbler shows a great deal of contrast with three colors.  Clearly an effort to impress other warblers with its colors. 

 

Here are two black and white birds side by side.  Can you see the difference in contrast between the two birds?

Another warbler for added contrast

How are you seeing contrast in your birds?  What's your favorite?

The Warbler Guide - Link here

Wild Bird Wednesday - Link here