Winter can be a tough time for birds, from even the simplest of daily tasks becoming a bigger challenge during this time of year. From finding food, to avoiding becoming food for someone else, to just trying to stay warm in temperatures that could drop into the negatives. But birds are resourceful and have adapted…
If you asked someone what their favorite bird species is, many will respond with some species of owl. What’s not to like? They are a beautiful group of birds, full of mystery and not as often seen as other birds who are active during the day. When you see one, it tends to be the…
Migration is described as a yearly seasonal movement of a population of animals, in this case birds, generally north to south, to and from breeding and wintering grounds. Many are familiar with an overhead passing form of canada geese noisily flying over in their typical v formation. Seeing these large flocks form twice a year,…
I believe to truly understand and appreciate how unique birds are you must know what makes a bird a bird. What makes up each and every species no matter what they are. To know what makes them so different you must see what makes them similar. And from there you can really appreciate what makes…
Rose breasted grosbeak This large songbird is a showstopper when they show up at backyard bird feeders. The males plumage is a striking combo of red white and black. Males are identified by their black head and back, white underside and a bright red chevron patterned patch of feathers on their chest trailing down to…
The first saturday of September is international vulture awareness day! While these birds may not be everybodies favorite birds, they still fill a very important niche in the environment. They are the clean up crew! When an animal dies, scavengers like vultures will take care of the body. But the deceased animal could be carrying…
This little parrot species can be found throughout most of Australia, prefering to stick to wetlands and scrubland. Even though it is much smaller than its relatives, it is still a cockatoo. Primarily gray with white wing patches, males will have brighter yellow faces with red cheeck patches and females will have dull coloring on…
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) A medium sized woodpecker native to the eastern half of North America. In their prefered habitat of deciduous woodlands and tree groves, they can be seen eating insects, fruits and seeds. This species is on the IUCN red list as near threatened due to losses of mature forests with nut crops…
The cedar waxwing is a medium sized songbird found through out almost all of North America except the the northern most parts. These little birds have a little crest, black crest and have a brown head and chest along with a yellow belly with their tail being black with a yellow or orange tail tip….
The smallest and most common species of falcon in North America. It is one of the few birds of prey species that is sexually dimorphic, which means males and females have a different apearance. Males will have a slate colored head and wings with rusty backs and tails. Females are a reddish brown all over….