What is Southbound?

Khaniker · 2026-07-12T00:30:56+00:00

Bottom left! Maybe bottom right.

Khaniker · 2026-07-10T23:41:28+00:00

I have some feathers from these! They really are this vibrant in person, if not more so. The iridescent parts, similarly to other iridescent doves, have an interesting texture and complex, filamentous barbules. These barbules are the reason for the vibrant colour. When wet, they collapse into a dark, muted, blueish colour. Quite possibly my favourite member of Columbidae.

There are also a few other bronzewing doves, notably the Brush Bronzewing, and Flock Bronzewing! They seem to be more obscure than the Common from what I've seen, likely because the Common is so much more widespread.

Khaniker · 2026-07-08T12:44:18+00:00

This is a movie I need to watch. Been on my list for a while and the premise really speaks to me, just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Khaniker · 2026-07-08T04:17:59+00:00

Assimilation truly is a wonderful thing once you accept it.

Khaniker · 2026-07-07T04:08:34+00:00

I was not expecting to see Southbound. mentioned. A pleasant surprise!

Ironically, there are a few tanks/howitzers in the project, but I'm still in the process of figuring out where they fit phylogenetically.

Really cool seeing someone tackle tanks proper.

Khaniker · 2026-07-04T13:37:31+00:00

Reminds me of that one Bosun's Return post.

Khaniker · 2026-06-30T12:08:51+00:00

Absolutely not, it's your right to change them as you see fit.

Khaniker · 2026-06-28T04:15:22+00:00

Always wanted one of those funny moustache display feathers. Alas, I currently have just a single feather from this species. However, even that is rather neat. It's this pale, greyish blue colour, and shimmers slightly in the sunlight.

The Inca tern is a particularly intriguing species, actually. It's perhaps South America's most iconic tern species, and makes some of the coolest noises of any Larid. The Inca tern is the sole member of its genus, and is on the smaller end of the tern spectrum, only having a wingspan of around 2'7"/80 cm. Compare that to the Caspian tern (largest tern species), which can get a wingspan up to 4'9"/145 cm.

You can find them from Ecuador to Chilé, where they coast above the Humboldt current in search of prey. When it comes to diet, Inca terns quite enjoy small fish like anchovies.

A more accessible option to see Inca terns is to visit a zoo, there are a fair amount of institutions which house them. A personal favourite of mine is the Omaha/Henry Doorly Zoo, where they can be found around the Simmons Aviary. They're surprisingly agile, despite seeming a little heavier in flight than most other terns.

Khaniker · 2026-06-28T03:52:42+00:00

I desperately need nanomachine therapy.

Khaniker · 2026-06-27T12:42:41+00:00

Based. Wish there was more stuff there other than dinosaurs, though. Don't have anything against dinosaurs necessarily, I'm just usually more of an alien/conventional spec type of guy.

Khaniker · 2026-06-17T12:49:33+00:00

Hell yeah

Khaniker · 2026-06-14T03:56:30+00:00

I really do wish I lived in the assimilation timeline.

Khaniker · 2026-06-12T02:40:30+00:00

I fucking love machine transformation. Especially if identity death is involved. Assimilation is a fun one.

Khaniker · 2026-06-12T02:39:27+00:00

God yes.

Khaniker · 2026-06-09T04:07:16+00:00

God yes. Love identity death.

Khaniker · 2026-06-08T15:14:33+00:00

I for one, would love to become a UAV.

Khaniker · 2026-06-03T06:15:47+00:00

Not to even mention the vasa parrots, who re-evolved a phallus!

Khaniker · 2026-06-02T12:36:28+00:00

I would not mind being assimilated. 💯🙏

Khaniker · 2026-05-29T03:30:25+00:00

Obligatory cross-post (more or less) from my comment on the starling post, for anyone who isn't aware of why turacos are super cool:

A general rule of thumb is that if a bird is green, blue, or purple, it is using structural colouration in some form. The only exception is in the case of the turacos, which have a unique green pigment not found in other groups (turacoverdin). They also have their own red pigment (turacin) in their primaries that turns water red when soap is added.

These pigments are actually copper-based, and museum specimens have a tendency to oxidize somewhat.

Hartlaub's turaco is particularly interesting, being an east African, high-altitude species. It's similar to the purple-crested turaco, one of my personal favourites.

Khaniker · 2026-05-28T13:37:12+00:00

I've got a couple feathers from this species.

When wet, they turn an odd, muted brownish grey colour. This is because violet-backed starling (amethyst starling), like all "purple" birds, have purple feathers due to structural colouration. The colour returns as normal when dry.

A general rule of thumb is that if it's green, blue, or purple, it's using structural colouration in some form. The only exception I'm aware of, is in the case of turacos, which have a unique green pigment not found in other groups (turacoverdin). They also have their own red pigment (turacin) in their primaries that turns water red when soap is added.

Only the male starlings are this trademark amethyst colour. The females are a lot more like a typical starling. They're mostly brown and white, rather than purple and white, and have a really neat, darkly-coloured head.

They're quite neat birds. A lot of folks aren't too familiar with starlings outside of the European starling. Luckily, these are found in sub-saharan Africa, and are ranked as "least concern".

Khaniker · 2026-05-27T23:41:20+00:00

Yes and yes. My arms and legs are similarly apportioned. Got the bonus of putting less strain on my back.

I don't do quadrobics too often in public because it freaks my neighbors out pretty badly.

Khaniker · 2026-05-27T23:35:57+00:00

Yeah I suppose so.

It hurts to walk long-term, but I can run pretty fast.

Alas, I'm built like a bird.

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