Starling murmurations as seen in England (Brighton and Blackpool) and in the Netherlands (Gelderland). The phenomenon consists of thousands of birds performing aerial acrobatics at sunset, typically between October and March.



See also this related video (which just happens to be this group's second earliest post!): zafoid.com/post/view/5

The Sonoran desert in North America, though very arid, still offers a fascinating landscape during springtime, when desert shrubs like brittlebush bloom and flower (click on any desired image for full size viewing).



This desert is a fascinating ecosystem, as mentioned earlier here: zafoid.com/post/view/12029.

Blazing blue eastern collared lizard (male), chiefly found in dry, open, American regions.



For other posts in this group related to lizards, please view:



zafoid.com/post/view/11473

zafoid.com/video/view/9265

In general, male birds are much more colourful than females. The bright colours of male birds serve to attract mates, since bright coloration signals strength and vigour. On the other hand, since females typically bear the brunt of incubating eggs and raising young, their more drab, earth-toned feathers help them blend better into their surroundings to avoid predators.



This general evolutionary paradigm is illustrated here in this set of wood duck images. (Please click on image to view full size.) Whilst adult wood duck males have stunning multicolored iridescent plumage and red eyes, with a distinctive white flare down the neck, the wood duck females have a more drab, brownish colour that blends well with their surroundings, making them less easy to spot.





For other posts about ducks in this group, please view:



zafoid.com/post/view/11025

zafoid.com/post/view/8119

zafoid.com/post/view/803

Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that serve to protect them from predators. Shown here are New World porcupines, specifically from Alaska and Montana. New World porcupines live in wooded areas and can climb trees, where some species spend their entire lives.

Muskoxen with newborns, at the remote, unspoilt, mountainous Brooks Range in Alaska. (Click on image to view full size.)

Mangroves flanking the Amazon River, within the Amazon rainforest.

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The common brushtail possum, and the Southern cassowary — quirky animals that can be found in the wild in Queensland, Australia.