Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis
Cardinals have a conspicuous crest and a cone-shaped reddish bill. Males are a bright red color with a black face. Females are a buffy brown tinged with red on their wings, crest and tail. This dull color aids in disguise when brooding. The males bright color is used in attracting females for mating. Cardinals range abundantly throughout the East and inhabit woodland edges, swamps, streamside thickets, and suburban gardens. They are nonmigratory birds and have expanded their teritory range northward during the 20th century.
Cardinals are bout 8.75 inches in length making them a medium sized songbirds with short, rounded wings. Both sexes sing almost year-round.
Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta The Western Meadowlark is a large, stocky songbird with a short tail. Its' throat, chest and belly are yellow with a black "V" across its chest. The meadowlark has a brown back that is streaked with outer tail feathers that are white. The meadowlark is the state bird of Kansas, along with other states. It is one of the most characteristic birds of the North American grasslands. The Western Meadowlark prefers drier grasslands is the only type of meadowlark found west of the Great Plains. Meadowlarks are ground nesters who weave dried grasses into a bowl shape within larger grass clumps or forage to serve as camouflage and shelter. Meadowlark's nests are suject to brood parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird. Cowbirds will lay their eggs in other birds' nests. Some species of birds will remove the intruding eggs, abandon the nest or just build a new nest on top of the "infected" one; still, otheres will raise the baby cowbirds as if they were their own. |  Picture taken from: allaboutbirds.org |
American Robin, Turdus migratorius
Robins are a gray-brown above, with darker head and tail. They have a yellow bill and a brick red belly. Most western birds are paler and duller overall than their eastern relatives which breeds to western Alaska. Robins are a common sight in lawns across American seen tugging worms out of the ground. They are common across the continent in gardens, parks, yards, golf courses, fields, pastures, tundra, as well as deciduous woodlands, pine forests, shrublands, and forests regenerating after fires or logging.
Robins are industrious and authoritarian birds which stand erect, beak tilted upward, to surbey their environment. In fall and winter they form large flocks and gather in trees to roost or eat berries. Robins are the largest North American thrushes.
 Green-breasted Mango, Anthracothorax prevostii The male mango is deep green overall. The female shows a broad blackish green stripe on underparts bordered in white. The Green-breasted Mango is found from eastern Mexico to northern South American. They are sometimes seen in southern Texas during the fall and winter. | Hummingbirds fly in a way unlike any other bird. They move their wings in a figure 8 motion allowing them to fly forward. backward, up, down, and even uside-down. Amazingly, hummingbirds flap their wings increadably fast; on average of 50 times per second. During courship they flap their wings up to 200 times a second. Intersting Facts: Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds in the world. They have no sense of smell and can see and hear farther and better than humans. Hummingbirds can also see ultraviolet light. A hummingbird can weigh anywhere between 2 and 20 grams. (A penny weighs 2.5 grams.) And, their babies are about the size of a penny. Hummingbirds do not drink through their beaks like a straw, instead they lap up nectar with their W-shaped tongues. Picture by: Field of View; Birder's magazine |
Picture by: Theresa Dame
Canada Goose, Branta canadensis
Canadian geese are the most common and familiar goose observed in the United States. They have a black head and neck marked with distinctive with a distinctive white "chin strap" stretching from ear to ear. In flight, they show their large dark wings, white undertail, white U-shaped rump band, and long neck. Their call is a deep, musical hong-a-lonk. Their flocks usually migrate in V-formations, stopping to feed in wetlands, grasslands, or agricultural areas. The population of these geese has increased significantly due to breeding programs and after they were intentionally reintroduced in various areas; they are now often considered pests.
The Canadian geese average in length from 16-25 inches; their wingspan, 50-68 inches. They spend up to 12 hours a day feeding to in order to take in the nutrition they need. Geese graze on grasses, roots, leaves and other plant materials; they also spend time in fields feeding on grain and waste crop. In the spring, females will eat even more in order to build up enough fat to survive the migration, produce a clutch of eggs and survive the incubation period with little food. While migrating, geese will fly up to 1,000 km in one day! When the eggs hatch, both mother and father help with raising their young; the goslings usually stay with their parents for a full year after they hatch. The mother leads her young to water and the father brings up the rear.
Picture by: Theresa Dame
Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo
The Wild Turkey is the largest game bird in North America. Males are a dark, iridescent body. The females are smaller and duller colored. Males have a beard and fan their tail feathers which is the most distinguishing factor between the male and female.
Benjamin Franklin's choice for the United State's national bird was the wild turkey.The turkey was also the favored food of Native American; yet, by the 20th century, wild turkeys had been almost eliminated from their traditional ranges due to hunting and the disappearance of their favored woodland habitat. Wild turkeys typically forage on forest floors, but can also be found in grasslands and swamps. They feed on nuts, seeds, fruits, insects, and salamanders.
Burrowing Owl, Athene cunicularia The adult burrowing owl is bodly spotted and barred. It's long legs distinguish it from all other small owls. When an intruder comes in its nest, the burrowing owl will gives an alarm call that imitates the sound of a rattlesnake. These owls are found casually in the spring and fall on the east coast. They have declined in population in the Great Plains which may be due to the destruction of prairie dog towns. Burrowing Owls can dig their own burrows but most often they steal the holes of skunks, armadillos, or prairie dogs. Picture taken from: geocities.com |  |
 |  Picture (above) taken from: allaboutbirds.org Picture (left) from: Audrey Walcher |
Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis
Bluebirds have a chestnut colored throat, breast, sides, flanks and sides of neck. They also have a contrasting white belly. The male is uniformly deep blue above, while the female is grayer. These birds are found in open woodlands, farmlands, and orchards. They nest in holes in trees and posts or in nest boxes. They have shown a sharp decline in population due to their competition with starling and House Sparrows for nesting sites. Their comeback is due to concerned conservationists providing specially designed boxes.
The bluebird is a small thrush. They have a big rounded head, large eye, plump body, and alert posture; bluebirds also have a short and straight bill. Bluebirds feed on ground insects or berries from fruit trees.
 Picture from: arkive.org | Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Eurynorhynchus pygmeus The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a globally threatened species. They are named from their spoon0shaped bill that gives the bill a longer look. The sandpiper averages in length from 14 to 16 cm. They breed in coastal areas with sand and sparse vegetation. They always breed within six kilometres of the sea, making nesting sites difficult to find. Recent studies reveal a 50% reduction in the last 15 years. They have a very specialized breeding bahitat, using only lagoon spits with crowberry-lichen vegetation. The decrease in their population is due to its tidal flats along its migratory ranges are being reclaimed for industry and increasingly polluted. |
 Picture from: birdwatchersdigest.com |  Picture from: skimmingordovergallery.com |
Black Skimmer, Rynchops niger
Black skimmers are similar in size to that of a crow. They are black above and white on bottom with webbed, bright orange feet. They have a very long bill and their lower bill is longer than their upper bill. This is the only bird that has this characteristic. Black skimmers are also able to narrow the pupil of their eyes much like a cat. These are a threatened species in Maryland where they come to breed.
Skimmers feed by flying low, close to the water's surface with their bottom jaw skimming the surface. When a small fish or other food source is encountered, the skimmer quickly closes its mout. They do most of their feeding at night; along with small fish, they also eat small crustaceans and shrimp catching them in the same manner.
Whooping Crane, Grus americana The Whooping crane is the tallest bird in North America. The crane can stand at 5 feet tall and weigh 15-17 pounds. Its wingspan is about 7-8 feet! It has a long neck and legs. Their body is white with black legs; a hint of red is found on their heads. Because of intesive management efforts, this bird was brought from the brink of extinction to ~400; which is an increasing trend. The Crane breeds in freshwater marshes of Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada, and winters in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf Coast of Texas. A small population has been introduced in Florida. These birds migrate from Canada to the Gulf right over the top of the Great Plains making it a great rare bird to spot. Their call is a shrill. trumpeting ker-loo ker-lee-loo. Picture from: allaboutbirds.org |  |
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Pictures by: Audrey Walcher
Red Lory, Eos bornea bornea
The Red lory is also called the Red Moluccan Lory. This bird is the most common house bird of all lories; this is because they are relatively quite in comparison to other parrots and because of their brilliant color. Red lories are primarily deep pomegranate-red with blue markings on the wings and face with an orange beak. The lorie averages in size from ten to twelve inches. Red lories feed on fruits and vegetables such as grapes; they will also eat sweet corn.
The red lorie is an extremely intelligent bird. They are masters of mimicry. While they are not as masterful at talking, they can reproduce the sound of a driping faucet, telephone ring and like sounds with amazing precision. Red lories are also very active and acrobatic. They are very amuzing to watch for they hop around and hang upside down. Along with their highly active dispostion, because the lorie is so intelligent, they need a stimulating environment with several toys.
Greater Roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus The Roadrunner is speckled brown with black feathers on its back and wings. It has a lighter throat and its chest has dark stripes. Roadrunners have a characteristic of long legs, a very long tail and yellow eyes. Males are differentiated by a red and blue patch of skin on the side of its head. Roadrunners average about 2 feet in length. The Greater Roadrunner ranges pimarily in the Great Plains and Mexico. They can be found primarily in deserts but also are found in the chaparral, grasslands, open woodlands and agricultural areas. Roadrunners feed on small snakes, lizards, mice, scorpions, spiders, ground nesting birds and insects. |  It also eats fruits and seeds. they are poor flyers but can run at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour. Roadrunners long tail is used as a rudder to help keep its balance while running. Picture from: nhptv.org |
 Photo by: sdakotabirds.com Picture of a female and male pheasant |  Photo by: Audrey Walcher |
Ring-necked Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus
Male pheasants are a distinct bird: green head, red face wattles, white neck ring, and a very colorful body. The female is a less attractive bird that is a sandy brown color all over with some black dots. Pheasants average in length from 21-33 inches; their wingspan ranges 28-34 inches. The pheasant is an introduced species, native to Asia, first brought to the United States in 1857. It is now well established throughout much of the Midwest, the Plains states, and parts of the West.
The pheasant inhabits farm fields, rangeland, brush, woodland edges, and hedgerows. They are omnivourous, feeding on grains, seeds, roots, berries, buds, acorns, insects, earthworms, snails, and occasionally mice, snakes, and frogs. Pheasants are often found scratching on the ground with their feet or bill to find food.
 Picture taken from: ctrivervalley.com American Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus | The American Bald Eagle is the United States national bird. These birds are found throughout most of North America; with abou half of its population living in Alaska. The bald eagle's body averages in length of 32 inches, with a wingspan of 80 inches. The bald eagle was a threatened species because of the pesticide DDT, but because of reintroduction programs the population is at a booming population. It's interesting that this bird is our national bird that every one loves, yet humans are the most important source of mortality for the eagle. The bald eagle is a large raptor that is an opportunistic feeder. It will eat large birds, mammals, and carrion but perfers fish. They also breed in forested areas near large bodies of water. |
 Male Photo by: Audrey Walcher |  Female Photo taken from: johnnolley.com |
Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus
A male blackbird has red shoulder patches which are broadly tipped with buffy yellow. Females are quite different with dark brown above and heavily streaked below. The blackbird has more rounded wings and usually stouter bill than the Tricolored Blackbird. The Red-winged Blackbird is an aggressive bird that is often found in immense flocks in the winter. They nest in thick vegetation of freshwater marshes, sloughs, and dry fields. They forage in surrounding fields, orchards, and woodlands. Blackbirds forage mainly on insects in the summer and seeds during the winter. Some seeds they enjoy are corn wheat, ragweed, cocklebur as well as sative sunflowers and waste grains.
"Different populations and subspecies of Red-winged Blackbirds vary markedly in size and proportions. An experiment was conducted that moved nestlings between populations and found that the chicks grew up to resemble their foster parents. This study indicated that much of the difference seen between populations is the result of different environments rather than different genetic makeups." (allaboutbirds.com)
 |  Picture (left) from: birdsofsanibel.free.fr/images Picture (above) by: Audrey Walcher |
Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
This type of dove is very pale gray-buff with a black collar. These doves were probably introduced from escaped domesticated Ringed Turtle-Dove. The dove is an Eurasian species that was first introduced to the Bahamas and spread to Florida. They are now commonly seen throughout the U.S.
The scientific name Streptopeleia decaocto, literally means a collar (streptos) dove (peleia). The name Decaocto is derived from Greek mythology. In Greek Mythology, Decaocto was an overworked, underpaid servant girl. Decaocto cried out to the gods and they heard and answered her prayers by changing her into a dove so she could escape her misery. The dove's call is said to mimic the mournful cries of her former life.
 | Picture by: Audrey Walcher Field Sparrow, Spizella pusilla The field sparrow has a gray face with a reddish crown, a distinct whitish eye ring, and a bright pink bill. Their back is streaked distinctively except on its gray brown rump. There is also a tinkt of red ont their breast and sides. The Sparrow is fairly common in open, brushy woodlands, and fields. They are primarily found in the central to east United States. Their song is a series of clear, plaintive whistles accelerating into a trill. |
