39-year old amateur photographer Tatyana Zherebstova was searching for a good photo of a kingfisher in the wild. Instead of advertising in the usual way, she decided to create a 'Wanted' poster offering a reward and hung it off a tree trunk that was submerged inside the Chikurelli pond in Crimea, Ukraine.
She then stayed in the area for a few hours to see if she could get a glimpse of the beautiful bird and hopefully capture it on camera herself. Just as Tatyana was thinking of giving up, something quite extraordinary happened.
A kingfisher, that looked identical to the photograph on the poster, perched itself on the tree trunk upon which the sign was hung and began preening itself. Even after it was done, it seemed in no hurry to leave, allowing the amateur photographer to take several stunning pictures in various poses.
While it sure seemed like the bird was responding to the 'wanted' advertisement, many people are a little skeptical. Some believe it was just a fluke, while others think that Tatyana had known that the area or maybe even the tree was popular with the species, before she hung the sign. Or even worse, she may have just used Photoshop and made the whole thing up. What do you think? Be sure to add your opinions below.
Known for their spectacular dives and brightly colored plumage, kingfishers are a group of small to medium-sized birds. While they can be found almost worldwide, they tend to favor tropical countries. Though there are 90 species, the birds that all have large heads, long pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails, are normally treated as one family. They feed off a number of different preys including fish, that they expertly catch using their long bills. Are they smart enough to read? That question is still up for debate!
Resources: dailymail.co.uk, brittnica.com