Join BirdNote tomorrow, November 30th!
Illustrator David Sibley and actor H. Jon Benjamin will face off in the bird illustration battle of the century during BirdNote's Year-end Celebration and Auction!
©
Tom Sanders
The normally secretive Virginia Rail, photographed by Tom Sanders —
As an adaptation for the dense vegetation of their marshland habitat, Virginia Rails have modified tips on their head feathers that help prevent premature feather wear. They also molt twice a year; a simultaneous tail and wing molt renders them flightless for a time. Good thing they are such good runners! Rails have the highest leg-to-wing muscle ratios of any bird.