Andrew Moughalian's photos of birds

Simple yet characteristic photo of a great cormorant (カワウ). A gnarled set of rope on a dock sits to the left. On the right a trim, jet black cormorant stands proud. Its yellow face framed in white its teal eye piercing the viewer.

Great Cormorant

8.17.22 Yamanakako, Yamanashi, Japan

Black Kite

8.14.22 Sankeien Garden, Yokohama, Japan

Three swans (ハクチョウ) arched necks extend from the dark blue water. Water forms a perfect droplet falling from the bright beak.

Swan

8.17.22 Yamanakako, Yamanashi, Japan

Snowy Egret

7.5.21 Bolsa Chica Wetlands, California, USA

Common Yellowthroat

5.9.21 Elm Bank, Massachusetts, USA

Great Blue Heron

7.9.21 Bolsa Chica Wetlands, California, USA

Beautiful black kite (トビ) flying into the warmth of the setting sun. Wings spread and head turned so you can see all the beautiful mottling of walnut, chestnut, oak, and birch browns, beiges, and creams.

Black Kite

8.16.22 Yamanakako, Yamanashi, Japan

With its back to the viewer, a large black bird sits in the water extending its wings.Its head is black, with a collar around the neck of white dots. The dots continue to radiate from the top of the neck out to the middle of its wings.

Common Loon

8.8.2020 Lake Champlain, New York, USA

Large predatory bird stretches its wing in the sunlight, as it clutches a bleached tree branch in one claw, and a fish in another. The Osprey's yellow eyes peer down below as it pauses in between its feast.

Osprey

7.5.21 Bolsa Chica Wetlands, California, USA

From below a barn swallow or ツバメ flying towards a cloud. Sunlight filters through its outstretched wings.

Barn Swallow

7.14.22 Testugakudou Park, Tokyo, Japan

Silhouetted female duck (コガモ) caught mid flap. The lake waters of sunset reflect deep blue and light orange.

Eurasian Teal (Female)

3.19.22 Lake Utonai, Japan

Blueish gray back bird (ゴジュウカラ), white head, with black stripe from beak to beginning of its back. Its needle-like nose slightly uplifted as it clings to the edge of a door, framed in black.

Eurasian Nuthatch

3.24.22 Historical Village of Hokkaido, Japan

Light blue sky fills the background, multi-colored leaves frame the left side, and two thick branches cross on the right side. An angelic white bird (コサギ) backlit by the sun rests on a branch with blue-black bill, and white running from bill to eye.

Little Egret

5.31..22 Testugakudou Park, Japan

Wearing its finest gray and white suit, a tufted-titmouse sits on an errant branch extending above the leaf litter. Dried stems shoot up through the image out of frame. It holds a large seed in its black beak.

Tufted Titmouse

3.21.21 Massachusetts, USA

Small black and white bird (ハクセキレイ) fluffed against the wind stands on a rock jutting from the ground. The background is almost completely blurred in the three equal stripes of color, a reddish hue, dark gray, and then brown.

Black Backed Wagtail

3.5.22 Yoyogi Park

Branches cross in all directions against a yellow field. Some are in focus and others are blurred beyond recognition. A small bird (スズメ) sits in the middle with its back to the camera. Its back is reddish brown with large black speckles.

European Tree Sparrow

3.5.22 Yoyogi Park , Tokyo, Japan

Among a clash of green and orange and a tangled mass of branches, a robin sits looking over its shoulder back at the viewer. It rests within a red Japanese maple tree, to escape the heat of the sun. Blurred silhouettes of leaves fill the space.

American Robin

5.23.21 Mount Auburn Cemetery, Massachusetts, USA

A close-up of a rufous hummingbird sitting on the twig of a mango tree just from the bottom right of the frame. Its long black bill catches the light as it heads slightly inclines. Tiny patchwork of green feathers extend from its beak.

Rufous Hummingbird (Female)

07.05.21 Garden Grove, California, USA

Warm autumn foliage enwraps a tiny bird who it’s a stunning set of blacks and whites with highlights of yellow under its wings.

Myrtle Warbler

10.10.21 Massachusetts, USA

A small black capped bird (ウソ) with a tawny body and thick beak sits firm on a snowy branch as its feathers get pulled by the wind.

Eurasian Bullfinch (Female)

3.19.22 Lake Utonai, Japan

Northern Cardinal (Male)

1.18.20 St. Nicholas Park, New York City, USA

Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker

3.24.22 Historical Village of Hokkaido, Japan

A large white bird (ダイサギ ), strides in ice cold water next to a snowy shore. The water behind it shimmers and the foreground contains blurred beige reeds.ダイサギ

Great Egret

3.19.22 Lake Utonai

A large black bird (ハシブトガラス) stands on a branch looming over the viewer. The beak is black, thick and comes with a hook. The sun's reflection is gleaming from its eye as it gazes at the viewer. Branches snake from bottom right to top left.

Large Billed Crow

3.5.22 Yoyogi Park

A アカゲラ or great spotted woodpecker clings to the side of the trunk. It has a black cap, white face and chin, with a black line running from bill to neck. The breast is mostly white and eventually turns into scarlet at the very base of the belly.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

3.24.22 Nopporo Forest Park, Japan

The beak of the bird matches the pink buds, and its body the rest of the gray scene. It has a steel-gray cap which lightens all the way until its white belly. Its back and wings are aluminum-gray, and its beak is short and thick, and round belly.

Dark-Eyed Junco

3.20.21 Massachusetts, USA

Blurry glowing white background, with some branches extending into the foreground covered in white cherry blossom petals. A European tree sparrow (スズメ) crouches before liftoff. Reddish-brown cap, white cheeks with black splotches.

European Tree Sparrow

3.28.22 Takadanobaba, Tokyo, Japan

Large black bird (ハシブトガラス), with a formidable bill, opened, crying out, sits amongst clusters of pristine white cherry blossoms. The crows eyes gleam in the midday sun, and its wings tucked at its side reflect subtle tones of blue and purple.

Large Billed Crow

3.27.22 Naka Ochiai, Tokyo, Japan

Bright blue sky filled with blurry cottony cherry blossoms. On it resides a bird (キジバト) whose head is just visible over their back. They have a gray-brown head and orange eyes. Their back feathers are black tipped in orange.

Oriental Turtle Dove

3.28.22 Takadanobaba, Tokyo, Japan

From right to left a few branches grow and intertwine forming a open cage. Pink and white plum blossoms burst from every branch. Set on a bright blue sky is a green-yellow bird (メジロ). Even its bill, typically black, is the coated in pollen.

Warbling White-Eye

3.28.22 Takadanobaba, Tokyo, Japan

Against a white background dense apple blossom flowers and some fresh green leaves, a black-capped bird sits mid-chirp. It has a black chin, and white from beak to back of neck. Its shoulders and feathers are gray, and its belly is mottled white.

Black-Capped Chickadee

5.8.20 Massachusetts, USA

Framed in pick cherry blossoms, a Brown-eared bulbul (ヒヨドリ) extends its neck up to get a better view. Facing the viewer, gray crown and under-chin feathers fluffed as it stretched. The light great head feathers give way to dark gray on its chest.

Brown-eared Bulbul

3.27.22 Naka Ochiai, Tokyo, Japan

In a case of fresh spring apple blossom flowers, pink buds, white petals and green leaves, a bright orange bird sits. It has a black head and shoulder and wing, but with a shockingly bright orange belly and underwing.

Baltimore Oriole (Male)

5.8.20 Massachusetts, USA

The background is a web of branches covered in lichen with the white flowers of a dogwood tree. On the left side of a forked branch sits a male cardinal, breast perpendicular to the viewer, with head facing the opposite direction.

Northern Cardinal (Male)

5.23.20 Massachusetts, USA

On a field of grey, one young leafless twig extends across the image into the backround. A Tiny bird with a long, thin black bill, mossy-colored top-coat, and white belly rests, fluffed against mild wind.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

9.26.20 Central Park, New York City, USA

Bunches of tiny branches tipped in golden flowers grow skyward. A little brown bird with white chin and belly also looks up. An orange flower grows next to it in contrast to all of the other flowers.

Eastern Phoebe

5.8.20 Massachusetts, USA

The kingfisher's (カワセミ) back is to the viewer, and it's looking over its shoulder down below. Its cap is a mix of fine black and brilliant blue. An orange stripe runs from its beak past its eye, where a white stripe begins until its neck.

Kingfisher

3.13.22 Hikarigaoka Park, Tokyo, Japan

Black cap and chin, white cheek from beak to back. Top of its back is medium gray, with slightly darker wing tips. Its underbelly is fluffy feathers the color of cream. It stands for a second on a branch with new buds. Background is blurred.

Black-Capped Chickadee

4.6.21 Massachusetts, USA

A thick branch runs horizontally, sending out other smaller branches growing vertically. At the tips of the small branches is a canopy of fresh spring leaves. On a horizontal branch, a white puffball of a bird (エナガ) with a long tail is perched.

Long-Tailed Tit

3.7.22 Testugakudou Park, Tokyo, Japan

Fresh spring leaves grow from a thick tree trunk and frame a central mass of twigs fashioned into a cup. A bright blue sky peaks through the forest to fill the upper background. The head and tail of a dutiful American Robin protrude from the nest.

American Robin

5.16.2020 Elm Bank, Massachusetts, USA

A tiny white bird with short, stubby black bill, black eye, and black running from bill to back of head, sits on the branch. It has a thin orange eye-liner around the top of its eye, and the breeze is tugging its outermost plumage lightly.

Long-Tailed Tit

3.7.22 Testugakudou Park, Tokyo, Japan

Dense foliage on the right side of the image. A female cardinal tilts her head skyward. Her male counterpart sits behind her framing her form. Their red hues pop against the greenery.

Northern Cardinal (Female)

5.16.20 Massachusetts, USA

A コゲラ, its cap is café au lait brown. With a stripe of white running front its eye around to end at its shoulder. Its back is a deep chocolate brown adjacent to lines of uneven lines of white feathers. The top of its underbelly starts rusty.

Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker

3.11.22 Hikarigaoka Park, Tokyo, Japan

Reeds fill the top third of the background, the dark green water with light green pond plants. A great grey heron アオサギ stands in the middle head cocked to the side looking skyward.

Great Gray Heron

6.21.22 Inokashira Park, Tokyo, Japan

A bird is perched on the edge of the branch, drawing it downward. It has mottled yellow and black head, neck and back. With a solid yellow breast, and black and white striped wings. Its eye is glassy and its beak is a subtle gray-blue.

Baltimore Oriole (Female)

5.17.20 Massachusetts, USA

Ruby throated hummingbird perched on the edge of an unbloomed flower, sipping nectar from behind the flower.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

7.20.21 Massachusetts, USA

Chinese Hwamei or ガビチョウ seem to be very shy or at the very least uninterested in anything else. I was shocked that this one popped up onto a branch and looked in my direction. Perhaps it was showing off its beautiful blue eye-liner.

Chinese Hwamei

4.23.22 Lake Tama, Tokyo, Japan

Bluejay poses looking over its right shoulder. It has a blue crest, white around its eye. Black detail behind its beak, and black streak from eye straight back to neck. Under its crest and framing the white is a thick black line of feathers.

Blue Jay

5.16.20 Massachusetts, USA

Deep green leafy foreground gives way to a darker green background. Amongst the leaves is a bird with a short dagger like beak, gray top, and bright yellow belly with black spots.

Magnolia Warbler (Female)

9.26.20 Central Park, New York City, USA

An aged brick wall sits on an angle from the left of the image all the way onto the right side. A crow with black head, under chin, and upper chest stands tall. Grey enrobes the side of its neck and chest, shoulders, and belly. Its wings are black.

Hooded Crow

12.25.19 Kronborg Castle, Denmark

An ancient looking bird struts cautiously on the left side of the frame. A dark forest in the background gives way to grasses and clovers. The bird's head is brick red and fleshy. It forms a fleshy horn-like structure behind its beak.

Wild Turkey (Female)

5.16.20 Massachusetts, USA

The Japanese Bush Warbler or ウグイス is a special bird in Japanese culture. It hides in bushes or trees and sings a haunting melody which sounds as if they are coming from all around.

Japanese Bush Warbler

4.23.22 Lake Tama, Tokyo, Japan

A vertical portrait of a picturesque duck (カルガモ). Its body is covered in milk chocolate feathers outlined in cream, they get larger as they move to the back of its body. It stands on a moss rock on the edge of a small creek waterfall.

Eastern Spot-Billed Duck

3.28.22 Otomeyama Park, Tokyo, Japan

Half of the image is a criss-crossed bokeh of dried leaves in the foreground, and the other half of fresh green foliage in the background. From the brown on the bottom just a bird's head, also brown, with blue circling the eye.

Mourning Dove

9.26.20 Central Park, New York City, USA

A regal looking pigeon (ハト) sits on a branch amongst dramatic light which cuts across its face leaving its body in shadow but its orange eye in direct light. Its head is cocked as it examines the viewer.

Common Pigeon

3.9.22 Heiwanomori Park, Tokyo, Japan

Hidden within layers of crisscrossing branches of an evergreen bush, a bird (ヤマガラ) peaks out between branches. Its black head with a white mask, blue-jean back, and rusty rotund underbelly.

Varied Tit

3.24.22 Historical Village of Hokkaido, Japan

Reeds and brush sit on the far side of the river, blurred. The viewer is at water level as a solo swan swims by. Its long white neck rises far above its body. It is partially reflected in the water's murky surface.

Swan

5.15.21 Elm Bank, Massachusetts, USA

A long-tailed tit or エナガ looks over its shoulder with one starry eye. It pauses for a brief moment amongst tangled branches and greenery.

Long-Tailed Tit

7.30.22 Takadanobaba, Tokyo, Japan

Standing proudly, opening its large wings, a great cormorant (カワウ) stands on a post in the middle of a pond. Its head is tilted into the air and its blue eye looks forward menacingly .

Great Cormorant

8.5.22 Inokashira Park, Tokyo, Japan

An adult little grebe (カイツブリ) and one of its offspring nestle eachother on the water. The fluffy chick calls out mouth open tongue in the air.

Little Grebe

8.5.22 Inokashira Park, Tokyo, Japan

American Robin

5.23.21 Mount Auburn Cemetery, Massachusetts, USA

A great tit (シジュウカラ) looks its best with black head, throat, hourglass black shape on its throat and underbelly. Its cheeks and flanks are white with green and blue wings.

Great Tit

3.11.22 Hikarigaoka Park, Tokyo, Japan

Black capped, white cheek, light brown top wing, black side wing, and white under belly. The small bird (エナガ ) is fluffing against the wind as it sits on a mossy tree trunk.

Long-Tailed Tit

3.7.22 Testugakudou Park, Japan

Against dark green water half broken by shimmering highlights, a grey heron アオサギ is caught mid-flight, wings extended downward.

Grey Heron

8.14.22 Sankeien Garden, Yokohama, Japan

Standing on a bed of verdant moss a Large Billed Crow or ハシブトガラス is caught with a japanese rhinoceros beetle or カブトムシ in its bill.

Large Billed Crow

8.14.22 Sankeien Garden, Yokohama, Japan

Amongst the twisting branches and needles of a pine tree, a European Tree Sparrow or スズメ is seen I portrait, eyeing the viewer.

European Tree Sparrow

8.12.22 Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo, Japan

The pale thrush's features of head are mix of black and yellow, the top of its body is ruddy beige and underbelly is cream. Wings fade to black.

Pale Thrush

3.7.22 Testugakudou Park, Japan

Botanics