Last time: 
light, sound, 
and animal
senses 
beyond ours!

Today,
Fernanda,
we follow
the feathers.

Fernanda

I LOVE birds.
Every chirp. 
Every flap.
Every ridiculous
little hop.

I am a
formidable
birder.
My life list 
has a life of
its own.

Pebblesworth 
can
confirm.

Pebblesworth

A birder observes
and identifies wild
birds—by sight
AND sound.

Backyard beginner or
traveling expert:
you belong.
No entrance exam!

Start at ebird.org,
from the Cornell
Lab of Ornithology.

The free eBird
Mobile app logs
your sightings—
even offline.

Your checklists 
can help
research and
conservation, too!

the Mossbottoms
( = kiwi families)

Welcome to our
first bird episode!
Meet the 
lilac-breasted roller
— and our guest, 
Dr. Rollercoaster!

Hello! One
colorful bird.
Two fields
of expertise.

Hi, Doctor!
Today, we start
with the feathers.

Lucky Breezy
photographed
a real roller in the
Serengeti.
Thanks for sharing
your shot!

Happy to! 
A bird photo
that needs zero
face-swapping.

Your readers 
know it is you,
Lucky.

Our eight-color tour:
lilac, turquoise, 
green, dark blue, 
reddish-brown, yellow,
black, white!

Eight is a handy
description—
not an official
feather-color count.
These are
illustrative
swatches.

EIGHT! 
That is why
eight is my
favorite number!

Eight
colors. Infinite
presentation
opportunities.

I sense a slide deck
approaching.

August 8,
2007:
The Credit
Crisis Begins!

BNP Paribas froze
three funds—

That was 
August NINE, 2007.
Your favorite
number does not
get to move history.

A calendar
correction. My
weakest asset class.

Easy, Octweet!
Eight colors.
Eight bird facts.
Not eight
banking lectures.

Octweet! I
approve.
Oh—right.
I am the guest.

Then let us put
your natural
assets first.

Octweet

Fact 1: A Kenyan icon.
The lilac-breasted
roller is widely
celebrated as
Kenya’s national bird.

Its many colors are
often used as a
symbol of Kenya’s
diversity.

A colorful
portfolio. Entirely
feather-backed.

Fact 2: Kambu!
That is a Swahili
name used
for this roller.

Two subspecies are
recognized; one is
often called the
lilac-throated roller.

Short name, 
long credentials.
Both suit me.

Fact 3: Sexual dimorphism
means males and females
visibly differ— like
peacocks and peahens.

Our roller guest
shows why that is
tricky. Look at him—

HER. I am
a SHE. Same
plumage does NOT
make me a
gentleman.

Her! Sorry, Doctor.

Male and female
rollers have very
similar adult plumage.
Males may be
slightly larger.

So: little obvious plumage
dimorphism—not literally
no sex differences at all.

You cannot
read my pronouns
from my profile color
palette.

Fact 4: Partners in
parenting. Rollers
form monogamous
pairs and are
often said to mate
for life.

A lifelong bond is
not a guarantee for
every pair. Both
parents help incubate
and feed chicks.

Shared
responsibilities.
Now
THAT is a balanced
budget.

In some 
southern 
African
wedding 
traditions, 
roller feathers
are linked
with love and
commitment.

One retold tale
tests a couple: 
keep a delicate
feather
bond intact by 
learning to
move together.

That is cultural
storytelling, not
proof every pair
stays for life.

We can celebrate
with ribbons.
Leave wild feathers
on wild birds.

Sir Dono, 
that was
my water.

A beautifully
liquid asset.

Fact 5:
A carnivorous menu!
Insects and other arthropods,
including scorpions—
plus small vertebrates
such as lizards.

Large prey may
be struck against
a perch before
swallowing.

My lunch
portfolio
is not
entirely bug-based.

Fact 6: That rolling
flight gives
rollers their name!

Their dramatic
display
includes
side-to-side
rolls in midair.

A controlled
aerial roll. Not a
market crash.

A very
important
distinction.

Fact 7: Sit. Scan.
Swoop. A high
perch is her
hunting lookout.

Rollers also exploit
prey exposed by
fires or recently
burned ground.

A buffet of
opportunity.

We observe from
safety. Never
light a fire to
attract birds.

Fact 8: A little toe
teamwork. Rollers
have syndactyl
feet: some
forward toes are
partly joined.

A small anatomical
detail on an
impressive perch
specialist.

Joint
assets.
Finally,
the correct kind
of financial
metaphor.

Eight colors.
Eight facts.
One unforgettable
Octweet.

Watch gently. 
Keep your distance.
Log what you see—
and let natural life
lead. Natural life matters.

Markets fly.
Gravity
still applies.

Bye, everyone!
Pebblesworth,
that includes you.

Even the 
rock gets a
credit.

Pebblesworth