Bird of the Day, theme 'Thin Perches'

natureAug 24, 202624614,973

Today's Bird of the Day theme is Thin Perches, a daily community prompt asking for birds perched on a perch that looks thin relative to the bird's size, with an alternate theme of Bunting Birds. Submissions show delicate balancing acts and lightweight landings, from small warblers and hummingbirds to larger perching species presented in field photos. Notable posts include a Spotted Sandpiper on lookout duty, an Asian Little Green Bee-eater photographed in Thailand, and a Yellow-headed Blackbird bracing across two cattails while carrying dragonflies. Look for reed buntings, ruby-crowned kinglets, a ruby-throated hummingbird, and an Eastern Kingbird in the gallery today.

swandiveswim.bsky.social

@swandiveswim.bsky.social

#Birds #Sandpiper Helen @helenbennett.bsky.social says today's #BirdOfTheDay theme: #ThinPerches A Spotted Sandpiper on lookout duty.

A somewhat round looking Sandpiper is perched on thin, vertical, bent branch that is barely able to support the bird's weight. The bird, facing left, has an orange bill, faint brown eyeline, light brown head & back, a creamy white breast dotted with light brown spots. The background is light & dark blurred greens.

125045d ago

Don't Ask, Won't Tell2

These were my mother's favorite birds. She loved the beach!

SaraG2

🤯 I've never seen a sandpiper perch on a branch!! Great capture!

Gretchen2

That's such a cool sighting!

Penguin 🐧😷 ✊ 🌊1

I spotted him! I spotted him! 😁

Alex Sauerbrunn

@birdsbyalex.bsky.social

A Cedar Waxwing performs a delicate balancing act while reaching for some delicious berries for today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme #ThinPerches. #birds #nature #wildlife #photography

A bird with brown and yellow plumage and a black mask hangs upside down from a thin branch while reaching for red berries. Photographed in Avon, Connecticut.

83944d ago

jazzrat2000 AKA Bonsai anonymous2

I'm having a good time trying to get my drawing to upload and then what upload it I have to edit it so here's another try WIP

mrxexon1

Wonderful capture. The realism is exceptional. 👍

Ms Kitty1

Cedar Waxwings are one of the world’s most beautiful birds.

noahs-arc0602.bsky.social1

When I see a scout fly in I make coffee it’s a fleeting display of them stripping my holly berry bushes bare! It’s amazing you barely see them then 50 show up! I indulge if I’m lucky enough to spot them

Sherban Щербан 🇨🇦🇺🇦1

Oh how I miss the Cedar Waxwing! Moved from the prairies to the west coast.

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

Outstanding photo. 👌 Great work.

David Minshall

@dbminshall.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme set by Helen: #ThinPerches - a thin perch, relative to the birds size. So, this Linnet was seen at Lamplighters Marsh NR, Bristol, in January 2026. #ukwildlife #birds @helenbennett.bsky.social

60545d ago

SaraG4

It's got perfect camouflage in the teasel!

Helen Bennett 🌿1

Wonderful capture, David .... I love the Linnets pose and its beautiful teasel perch! 👍😊

DrKary🇸🇪1

Lovely shot, love the color theme.

Erik Vos1

Beautiful shot! Color, composition , its a complete match

Bookish gal1

It's impersonating a plant and showing off its excellent camouflage.

Doug Engstrom1

I admire the way you put that shot together.

Helen Bennett 🌿

@helenbennett.bsky.social

Have you spotted a bird perched on a thin perch, relative to the birds size? Well that's today's #BirdOfTheDay theme: #ThinPerches Like this beautiful male Stonechat, wobbling away on a slender fragile dried stem, he almost fell off! 😊📷 🪶 Alt: #BuntingBirds any bird with Bunting in their name! 🤎👋

A photograph of an adult male European stonechat perched on a thin, dry frond of bracken against a blurred pale green background. The bird is facing slightly right, looking toward the viewer with its body angled forward. It has a distinctive jet-black head, a bright white half-collar on the side of its neck, and a rich, orange-chestnut breast that fades into a pale belly. Its wings are dark brown with lighter feather edges, and it has a small silver scientific tracking band on its right leg. The bird was wobbly on the fragile perch he did not stay put for long.

49045d ago

Get To Know Nature2

Such awkward footing. But a lovely image!

Grumpy 💙 European 🪶2

Great image and challenging theme! 👌

alisonwillis1.bsky.social2

What a beautiful capture 🥰

Doug Engstrom2

Hello! What a nice shot. Thanks for the themes.

Graham Jones1

Gorgeous capture Helen. He really does look in trouble, though … and seems to know it by the look on his face.

Atlantic Birding1

Beautiful shot, and themes, Helen.

Alan H

@alan678.bsky.social

Good morning birders and buddies, Helen @helenbennett.bsky.social has said today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #ThinPerches any bird on a comparatively thin perch. Alt: #BuntingBirds any bird with Bunting in their name! Twofer, 😁😁 Reed Bunting #birds #photography #ECK

A Reed Bunting perched on a slender reed, facing left. Its rich brown, heavily streaked plumage contrasts with a pale breast, while its dark head shows the characteristic pale collar and cheek markings. Warm sunlight highlights the fine feather detail and gives the bird a soft golden glow, with blurred reeds and cool blue tones creating a natural, atmospheric background.

32545d ago

Atlantic Birding1

Lovely shot Alan; and a twofer!

Helen Bennett 🌿1

Gorgeous!! 👏 🥰 And a twofer Alan, now that's showing off!! 😆

John Lyons1

Lovely. I hope you are enjoying the new job-share, Alan. Seems to be going swimmingly so far.

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

A twofer you know what that means you say always to us Alan 😅 Good morning and what a gorgeous photo ♥️

Amy Gann1

Great shot! I love when they are slightly angled upward, and rhe light is lovely!

SaraG1

Beautiful capture, Alan! I love the background almost as much as the subject. ✨🏅

HLK

@hlkfotos.com

My usual: lazuli bunting. #BirdOfTheDay #ThinPerches #BuntingBirds 📷🌿🪶

A photo of a male lazuli bunting (Passerina amoena), a small finch-like songbird with a vivid blue head, back, and wings and a burnt orange chest, perched on a thin vertical dried stalk set amongst purple blooming lupine flowers. Its face is tilted slightly toward the camera in diffuse lighting on a cloudy day.

32545d ago

Sandra Aamodt2

Lovely shot! These are literally the only buntings I have ever photographed.

Den 🇮🇪1

That's so beautiful H. A lovely shot. But I thought your usual was a flicker of some sort? 😊

Rachel…at least there are cats (she/her)1

Such a beautiful image!! Gorgeous colors.

Justine Jones1

Sharp, beautiful photo, the flowers in the background are a lovely touch. 😀😍 Love the Lazuli bunting.

Mark Simmonds

@markbirdingpinoso.bsky.social

My #birdoftheday #thinperches is this Asian Little Green Bee-eater that I took in Thailand earlier this year. Still one of my favourite bird encounters from this year. #birds #birdphotography

31645d ago

Alan H2

Truly magical photo Mark. Great work.

John M.2

Very fierce looking bird. I suppose if my job was eating bees I would look fierce too.

Marina Mueller 🇨🇦1

This is an outstanding photo! 👏🏻

Helen Bennett 🌿1

Wonderful bird and photo, Mark 👏✨️

Dawna Michelle💙1

Wow, what a spectacular pic and a unique, little bird! 💚

Cats Pajamas1

Whoa, such perfection - both bird and photo!

PacBirds

@pacbirds.bsky.social

The ends of the cattails are so thin that this yellow-headed blackbird has to use two of them to be stable, especially because he is carrying a heavy load of dragonflies. For the #ThinPerches theme of #BirdOfTheDay picked by @helenbennett.bsky.social #birds #nature #photography #ECK

A male yellow-headed blackbird perched on two ends of cattails in the reeds, while holding several dead dragonflies in his beak.

28945d ago

Neil Cameron1

What a great shot, PB!

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

Fantastic photo. 👍 And that there is a real mouthful. 😆

Dave Meredith1

Nice, a species that should have been on my shortlist.

Get To Know Nature

@gettoknownature.bsky.social

A teeny tiny bird on a skinny branch for the #BirdOfTheDay theme #ThinPerches (Ruby-crowned Kinglet) #birds 🌿

A small greenish gray bird with a bit of yellow on its back stands on a skinny branch about the width of the bird’s legs.

25945d ago

SaraG2

Really lovely capture of a perpetual motion machine!!

Tim Osborne Photography 🍁

@timosborne.ca

Here's my #BirdOfTheDay on #ThinPerches. #wildlife #birds

A Great Horned Owl sits on a thin branch at the top of a Spruce Tree. The branch is bending from the owl's weight.

24545d ago

Helen Bennett 🌿4

Oh Tim, that's such a great capture! 👏 its amazing how the owls or birds generally just know what perches can support them. I can see this one is bending, though! 😊🦉

Robyn3

That does look very thin for that owl! Great capture, Tim!

Rhonda Howard1

Great shot, Tim!! GHO appears to be testing the strength of that perch.

Mike Melton

@mikemelton.bsky.social

#Birds #BirdPhotography #BirdOfTheDay #ThinPerch Anna's Hummingbird, male, Washington state #hummingbirds

A colorful hummingbird perched on a thorny branch, with an iridescent magenta head and throat and a pale gray-green body.

20445d ago

Get To Know Nature3

Those colors are really something!

Pat MacEwen1

Gorgeous little devil! The only hummingbird we have year-round in California's Central Valley...

hibbary.bsky.social1

this hummingbird contrapposto is giving me life

Jamie Scott 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

@jcsctoan.bsky.social

Today's #BirdofTheDay theme is #ThinPerches. Long tailed tit on a thin perch. Have a good day folks #rspb.bsky.social #rspb.scotland.bsky.social #NaturePhotography #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #birds #birdphotography #birdwatching #eastcoastkin

23345d ago

Alan H1

Fabulous capture Jamie. Excellent composition.

Mick Lister1

Beautiful shot Jamie 👌. Have a good day

julielfrost.bsky.social

@julielfrost.bsky.social

Here's a ruby-throated hummingbird for today's #BirdOfTheDay theme, #ThinBranches. #Birds #Hummingbirds #Wildlife #Photography #Nature

A ruby-throated hummingbird is perched on a thin branch.

21445d ago

Paul Napier1

Great close-up, Julie. Fabulous detail!

Neil Cameron1

What a gorgeous shot, Julie!

Ivan Nemec1

Great pic with great backround👍

Robyn

@handcranked.bsky.social

Light as a feather A red-winged blackbird perched on a very thin stalk of dried dill flowers at golden hour. I posted a different shot of this a while back. #BirdOfTheDay #ThinPerches #BlueSkyMonday #ECK #PhotographersUnited #EastCoastKin #photography #birds #ArtYear

A red-winged blackbird in the distance on thin stalk of a dried dill flower. It's surrounded by dried dill flowers in various states of blur, creating a dreamlike scene. The sky is pale blue and the the flower stalks are a golden orange in the late afternoon sky.

20445d ago

Helen Bennett 🌿1

A wonderful dreamy scene.... lovely photo, Robyn! 👏✨️

AlinaHagen 🌊🎨📸 🥾1

This is really beautiful, Robyn! It's amazing the bird doesn't bend the thin stalks!

Alaska Wilderness Adventurer and Naturist1

I love this photo, partly because the only thing in focus is the red-winged blackbird! It's a cool effect how the brush has blurriness and depth

Lori Batchelor🇨🇦

@lorichirp.bsky.social

Per Helen Bennett, today's #BirdOfTheDay theme: #ThinPerches, a bird perched on a thin perch, relative to the bird's size. Alt: #BuntingBirds any bird with Bunting in their name! #birds #photography #ECK A Bald Eagle on a relatively slim branch!

18245d ago

TimBert3

Nice. Just posted one very similar to this. Could be the same Eagle? No, I guess I don't believe that either.🤪

Vicki1

Looks precarious for the eagle, but I think it knows what it's doing. Great capture, Lori! 👏

James Gorton1

what a metaphor for America... bald eagle on a thin branch !

Marie1

A deer was hit by a car just down the road from me. When I drove by the first time it was in tact and very pregnant. Yesterday when I drove by it has 1/2 devoured and about 1/2 dozen eagles were on it. Very very sad. This is nature though.

Bird of the Day, theme 'Thin Perches'nature

Bird of the Day, theme 'Thin Perches'

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