Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson
Tuesday and Wednesday, March 5 and 6, 2024
That fine line between truth and error is often a subtle one, something that shouldn’t surprise us since it’s that old serpent’s intention to deceive us. And while the truth may be beautiful, it does not necessarily correspond that all things beautiful are truthful. Consider the instrument Satan used in the garden, which was apparently quite beautiful.
While the connections between truth and the Red-legged Honeycreeper may be rather oblique, they will suffice in illustrating that subtlety. With its intense shade of blue and accompanying candy-red legs, no one is going to doubt its attractiveness. And it’s that attractiveness that has led to one of the questions involving truthfulness. Although it is quite common in portions of Central and South America, it has very rarely been seen in the United States. Still, it is a popular caged bird. In fact, you can purchase one for $431 from a dealer in Vancouver, Washington. For that reason, several sightings in Florida have been rejected, suspecting they were escaped caged birds. A single record from Texas has been accepted assuming its provenance was sound.
Another question involving authenticity centers around the Purplish Honeycreeper. Long considered a very rare species from Venezuela based upon a single type specimen, it is now believed to be a hybrid between a Green Honeycreeper and possibly a Red-legged Honeycreeper. No longer a distinct species, now just considered an oddity. And the honeycreepers from Hawaii? Not even closely related.
Truth must have been terribly important to the Apostle John, for he spends a good deal of time writing about it, both in his gospel as well as his letters. From his first letter: “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18 NIV) And we’ll let Zechariah have the last word: “Therefore love truth and peace.” (Zechariah 8:19 NIV)