Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

My National Geographic Field Guide says this sparrow is highly variable, with most subspecies having having reddish rumps, tails, and reddish in wings.   They often have two-toned bills.   Underparts are heavily marked with triangular spots merging into a larger spot on the central breast.   The many sub-species are divided into 4 sub-species groups; which could even be distinct species.

The brightest group, Iliaca, and slightly duller zaboria ('Red' group) breed in the far north, from Alaska to Newfoundland and south to southern California, Nevada and Colorado.   They winter from southern B.C. to California, and from southern Kansas to New Jersey and south to the Gulf Coast in the eastern U.S.  Rockies western mountain races ("Slate-coloured" group) have gray heads, backs, plus grayish olive base to bill.

Fox Sparrows are large and uncommon (generally seen in small numbers), and usually found in dense undergrowth in woodlands and forest edges. hedgerows, thickets and second growth.  The "Slate-coloured" group is casual east of the Rockies.

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BarrytheBirder

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

This sparrow is found all across Canada and the United States.   Their range is generally common, especially in streamside in streamside thickets.   They are often found in thickets, brushy open country, and residential areas and parks as well as gardens, where they like low, dense cover.

All sub-species have long, rounded tails, pumped in flight.   All show a broad grayish eyebrow and broad, dark malar stripe bordering whitish throats.  Their upperparts are usually streaked.   Their underparts are whitish, with streaking on sides and breasts which often converge in a central spot.   Legs and feet are usually pinkish.

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BarrytheBirder

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys))

Photos by BarrytheBirder

The White-crowned Sparrow is a large and distinctive bird, widespread in brushy open country, woodland edges, thickets and roadsides, often around houses.   They usually feed on the ground, generally on seeds.   They are frequently seen on the ground, where they forage with other sparrows or juncos.

They breed from Alaska to Labrador and south to south-central California and northern Mexico.    They are more common in the west than the east.   They winter along the Pacific Coast from south Alaska to Mexico and across the southern United States to Maryland.

Adults have striking black and white striped crowns, brownish streaked backs and wings which have two white wings bars.   Face, nape and breast are gray.   They have whitish chins and pale bellies, plus pale bills that vary from yellow to pink.   

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Barrythe Birder

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albocollis)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Adult White-throated Sparrows have two colour morphs; white striped birds usually mate with tan-striped ones (see photo above).

White-throated Sparrows are large and distinctive and found  across central Canada and the eastern United States.   They are common and nest in brushy coniferous and mixed woodlands (very common in east, scarce in the west, and usually summer in northern forests).  They winter in woodland undergrowth, brush, and gardens.

They have a conspicuous and strongly outlined white throat, a mostly dark bill; dark crown stripes and eye line. Their broad eyebrows are yellow in front of eyes, and the remainder is either white or tan.   Upperparts are rusty brown, underparts grayish, occasionally with diffuse streaking.

The White-throated Sparrow's song is a thin whistle, generally two single notes followed by three triple notes: pure sweet Canada Canada Canada (often heard in winter).

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BarrytheBirder

Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)

                                                                Photo: Cornell Lab of Ornitholgy

Winter Wren - "...a tiny ball of energy"

The Winter Wren is found across southern Canada and the the eastern United States.  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology recently described the Winter Wren in the following fashion: "In a tangled understory of eastern forests, a tiny ball of energy lets loose with a rich cascade of bubbly notes".   This songster is the Winter Wren, shaking as sings its astoundingly loud song.   I sports a palette of browns and dark barring on the wings, tail, and belly.   It usually holds its tiny tail straight up and bounces up and down,   It is a rather weak flyer that hops and scampers among fallen logs in a mouse-like fashion, inspecting upturned roots and vegetation for insects.

In summer, Winter Wrens are often commonly found in evergreen forests near streams with lots of fallen logs and dense understories.

In winter they become much more widespread in southern Canada and the eastern U.S., and move from deep forest into more open or younger woods where they are easier to find.   Personally, I have never found one, but then I have never looked for one.   I may have seen one or heard one at some time in the past, but the Winter Wren does not have a place on my birding life-list.

More than 80 species of wren live in North and South America, but only one  wren occurs in the rest of the world (the Eurasian Wren).

                                                     Winter Wren Photo:  Eastern Ecological Science Centre

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BarrytheBirder

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

                                                      Eagle and BarrytheBirder Photo by Judy Craig

Are Golden Eagle or Bald Eagle feathers

use in traditional native indian warbonnets?

North American Indian warbonnets or headdresses were traditionally made using the Golden Eagle feather, which was the most highly prized and significant.   While Bald Eagle feathers were also revered and occasionally used, the Golden  Eagle was generally the preferred 'war eagle".

Each feather was earned through acts of bravery, leadership, or significant service to the tribal community, making each warbonnet a sacred and visual record of a warrior's  or leader's accomplishments.

Golden Eagle Feather Significance...

* Symbolism: The eagle is considered to be a messenger to the creator (Great Spirirt) because it flies the higher and sees the farther.   Its feathers symbolize honesty, truth, majesty, strength, courage, wisdom, power and freedom.

* Earning Feathers: Feathers were never simply given; they had to be earned.   A warrior  had  to recount his brave deed(s) to the tribal council, and if accepted, would be awarded a feather to be added to his headdress.

* Types of Feathers: Feathers from young Golden Eagles with more white were associated with strength, while those with more brown from older birds represented wisdom.

* Legality: Due to deep spiritual and cultural significance, the possession of eagle feathers is protected under the U.S. federal Eagle Feather Law, allowing only enrolled members of federally recognized tribes to legally acquire and possess them for religious and cultural purposes.

The Golden Eagle has a huge Holarctic range, covering much of North America, Eurasia, and parts of North Africa, typically inhabiting mountainous and open country, with major populations in western North America (Alaska and Canada to Mexico).   They are rare breeders in eastern Canada and the U.S.   Golden Eagles breed across mountainous western Canada (British Columbia, the 'Rockies', Yukon and NWT (North West territories).   They are sparse in eastern in eastern boreal/shield areas (Hudson Bay, Quebec and New Brunswick.   The Golden Eagle's Canadian range covers vast remote areas, focusing on mountains and open country where they hunt for small mammals like marmots and hares, using updrafts for soaring.

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BarrytheBirder

Coopers Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

A widespread, medium-sized accipiter, found across lower Canada, plus the U.S.A. and northern Mexico, but is more common in western woodlands than in the east.  Closely resembles the smaller and more common Sharp-shinned Hawk.   Birder Kenn Kaufman says The 'Coopers' can be very elusive in heavily wooded country, but elsewhere it may come out in the open, especially in the west and southwest. 

Cooper's Hawks feed primarily on birds and small mammals.   The sexes are similar but the females are larger than the males.

Cooper's Hawks breed across southern Canada and throughout the United States.   They winter in central and southern states south to Central America.

'Kaufman' says adults are blue-gray above, pale reddish below and may show a more contrasting dark cap, whereas juveniles may show sharper dark streaking on white breast.

The National Geographic Society says 'Coopers'  "...are uncommon and may be declining".  

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BarrytheBirder

James Bay, Quebec, Canada...

                                                        April Dawn Georgekish

Pictured Above is my niece, April Dawn Georgekish, of Wemindji, Quebec, on the eastern shore of James Bay, in west-central Quebec, creating a 'hand heart' of the sun, while a bird alights upon the top of her head.   The bird may have been a rather tame Gray Jay.  Talk about communing with nature!

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BarrytheBirder

More on Goldfinches...

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Goldfinches are found across southern Canada and in the United States and parts of Mexico.   They are colourful, lively and common around weedy fields, woodland and forest edges, second growths and suburbs.   They gather in flocks in winter, and are often found at bird feeders around houses.   The summer male is bright yellow with black wings, tail and forehead.   Summer female is duller yellow.   Winter Goldfinches range from yellowish brown to gray.

they are often found in flocks and are often quite vocal.   They eat mostly seeds, especially thistle. 

They range from British Columbia, east to Nova Scotia and south to southern California, southern Great Plains, and northern Georgia.   They are rarely found in the interior of the U.S.   They winter south as far as Florida and Mexico.

Female

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BarrytheBirder

More on Mourning Doves...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

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BarrytheBirder

Canada's top-three endangered bird species...

1. Greater Sage Grouse (urophasianus subspecies)

2. Sage Thrasher

3. Mountain Plover

Canada has many endangered bird species, but the Greater Sage-Grouse, Sage Thrasher and Mountain Plover are consistently highlighted as critically low, with very few individuals remaining in sagebrush habitats.

The Greater Sage-Grouse is found in the Alberta-Saskatchewan borderlands, with estimates of only 120-200 mature birds existing, with habitat loss the main threat.

The Sage Thrasher, tied closely to sagebrush, has an extremely small population (7-36 individuals).   Though stable, it is at very high risk.

The Mountain Plover is a grassland shorebird facing habitat loss and is considered endangered.

Other endangered species in Canada include

Kirtland's Warbler, Loggerhead Shrike and Prothonotary Warbler.

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BarrytheBirder

Early January images on Vancouver Island outings...

Photos by Dave Kemp

Male Common Merganser

Wave Action at Little River

Harlequin Duck - female

                                                               Song Sparrow

   Frosty morning

 

Snowfall on coastal mountains

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BarrytheBirder

Mallard (Anas Platyrhynchos)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Male Mallards

(note damaged wing)

The Mallard Duck is the most recognizable duck in Canada and the United States.   It is extremely common and widespread in the wild, and the ancestor of many domestic ducks.   It is the largest dabbling duck; a bird of many shallow-water environments, they are found in marshes, ponds, streams and city parks.   They feed at the surface or by 'tipping up' to reach shallow pond bottoms.   Like other 'dabblers' they spring directly into the air from water surfaces.

They range and breed from Alaska, Quebec and central New England to southern California, Arizona, Texas, central Illinois and coastal Virginia.   They winter north to the southern Great Lakes region, New England, the Dakotas and British Columbia.

Males have easily recognizable whole green heads, with yellow bills, full chestnut breasts, Gray backs and sides, black rumps and pale tails.

Female

Females are sandy brown and streaked. They have mottled orange and brown bills and have very pale, whitish tails (as do males).   The usual call of the female is quack, quack, quack, quack, diminishing in volume and speed, whereas the male's call is softer and reedier.   Males and females both have white underwings.

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Barry the Birder