Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous)

                                                                                                 Photos by BarrytheBirder

This is a large and loud plover of open country almost everywhere in North America, except for the far north.   It is most noteworthy for its behaviour when approached.   They can do an extremely convincing broken-wing act, flopping along the ground to lure intruders away from nesting sites in particular.   They are most readily identified by two black chest bands and a white collar.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry the Birder

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

The Dark-eyed Junco is found across Canada and the U.S.A.   Here in southern Ontario, the most wide-spread type is the  it has a gray head and breast sharply set off from a white belly, and its white outer tail feathers are conspicuous in flight.

It breeds in coniferous forest or mixed woodlands.   In migration and winter, it is found in a wide variety of habitats, most often in flocks.

This junco is a common and widely distributed with several forms or types in North America.  Here in southern Ontario, the most widespread is the eastern "Slate-coloured" Junco.

They nest in boreal and mountain forests and edges.   In winter and in migration, flock in a variety of habitats, including brushy areas, open woods, and along roadsides.   They feed on the ground, mostly on seeds and insects.

Birder Kenn Kaufmann says for many regions the Dark-eyed Junco is a "snowbird", visiting only in winter.   This would no doubt be true in Canada.

Females

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

My Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds (Eastern Region) states that Indigo Buntings have no blue pigment; they are actually black, but the diffraction of light through the structure of the feathers makes them appear blue.   Females and fall males are brown.

They are usually found in south-central Canada and the central and eastern U.S.A., however the range is expanding in the west and southwest U.S.

Their habitat is brushy slopes, abandoned farmlands, old pastures, fields grown up to scrub and rural roadside thickets, railroad right-of-ways, and where woodlands meet open areas.

The attractive birds are quite beneficial to farmers and fruit growers, as they consume many insect pests and weed seeds.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

(Female)

The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is fairly common in summer in leafy woods of central and eastern Canada, and the north-eastern U.S.A.   Ornithologist Kenn Kauffman says this grosbeak "moves rather deliberately among foliage of trees; sometimes comes to ground or to bird feeders".

As seen in the photo at top and below, the adult male has a rosy triangle on its chest, a black head, with big white spots in its wings.   The female is heavily streaked brown on white above and below; prominent white eyebrow.   A well-named species...note the large, heavy triangular bill.

They winter from Mexico to northern South America.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrythjeBirder

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

The somewhat multicoloured Green Heron is found in southern Canada, the eastern United States and parts of Mexico and some Caribbean islands.   It is usually solitary and found in a variety of habitats.   It prefers ponds, marshes or streams with woodland or bushy cover.   Its call is usually a loud, sharp kyowk!

This bird has been  as the Green Heron for a long, long time, but in more recent times has become known as the Green-backed Heron.   It is normally a very quiet bird and is often first noticed when flushes unexpectedly from the water's edge uttering its sharp 'kyowk' or 'skyow' call note.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Great Blue Heron ~ (craft art by my brother Robert Wallace)

     Photos by BarrytheBirder

The Great Blue Heron is found across lower Canada, The U.S.A. and upper Mexico.   It is North America's biggest, most widespread and familiar heron.

This heron is often solitary, except around nesting colonies.   It is often seen standing patiently at watersides, waiting to spear fish or other aquatic creatures.

They are huge and grey-blue with massive bills and a black stripe extending above the eye.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

National Birds of the countries of the world...

 
Photo by Amed Hernandez/Macauley Library

Rufous-bellied Thrush (Turdus rufiventris)

National bird of Brazil 

The Rufous-bellied Thrush is a songbird 0f the thrush family.   Its distribution covers most of eastern and south-eastern Brazil from the states of Maranhao south to Rio Grande do Sul, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and central regions of Argentina.   It is the national bird of Brazil and was officially designated in October, 2002.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

National Birds of the countries of the world...

Rufous Hornero (Furnarious rufus)

National bird of Argentina

The Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus)

The Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus)  is a medium-szised overbird.   It occurs is eastern South America and is the national bird of Argentina.   It is also known as the Red Ovenbird.   It is common in savannas, second growth scrub, pastures and agricultural lands.

Please comment if you wish. 

BarrytheBirder

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Female

All cowbirds lay eggs in nests of other species.

The Brown-headed Cowbird is common in Canada and the U.S.A.   It is an open-country bird typically found in woodlands, farmlands, and suburbs.

The male's brown head contrasts with the metallic glossy blue-black body, while the female is gray-brown above and paler below.

This cowbird often sticks its tail straight  up when feeding.   It is named for its habit of feeding near cattle and other grazers.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

                                                                           Photos by Alan Large

These two photos of a preening Red-tailed Hawk where taken by Alan Large, a fellow resident of Delmanor Retirement Residence in Aurora, Ontario, where we both live.   Nice photos Alan!

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

                                                                   Photo: Animal Alliance of Canada

Photo above and below by BarrytheBirder

The Double-crested Cormorant is a very widespread bird found in both marine (Canada and the U.S.) and freshwater habitats.   It is the only cormorant regularly seen in interior wetlands and other inland areas.   It is a excellent swimmer and diver and feeds chiefly on fish.    It'd kinked snakey-neck easily distinguishes it from other cormorants. 

Double-crested Cormorant numbers have greatly increased since the 1970s.

Many observers feel they are destructive to trees near water (seen two photos above).   Breeding populations in the North-American interior are local and irregular but increasing.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

 

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

This flycatcher is common in summer perching in fences or treetops in open country, forest edges, farms and roadsides.   It is very conspicuous for its bold behaviour in chasing away other birds such as crows or hawks, that get to close its nest.

It is found in western and south-central Canada, plus all of the American states, except for four or five southwest states.

They pursue flying insects and also feed on wild berries, which they can deftly pluck while airborne.

Please 

comment 

if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Black-capped Ckickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

 
Photos by BarrytheBirder

The Black-capped Chickadee is common coast-to-coast in lower Canada and Upper U.S.A. (including Alaska).   They are common in deciduous and mixed forests, open woodlands, suburbs, and clearings.   They usually forage in small roving flocks in low branches of trees, thickets, and at backyard feeders (where they look for sunflower seeds and suet).

My Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds says Chickadees "...form the nucleus of mixed flocks of woodpeckers, nuthatches, creepers and kinglets that move through the winter woods".   

Audubon further states: "Occasionally they move south in very large numbers.   In spring chickadees disband  and move into the woods to nest.  They often feed upside down clinging to the underside of twigs and branches in their search for insect eggs and larvae.   They are easily tamed and they soon learn to feed from the hand."

The Blackcap's call is low, slow chick-a-dee-dee-dee and its typical song a clear, whistled fee-bee or fee-bee-ee.

They are small, very active and a favourite of feeder-watchers.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

 

                                                                                             Photos by BarrytheBirder

This species, named after the red robes of Roman Catholic cardinals, is found in southern Canada, the eastern U.S.A. and north-eastern Mexico   They are aggressive birds and occupy their territories throughout the year.  They are accomplished songsters and may heard at any time year around.

Seeds for the main part of their diet, although insects are frequently taken in the breeding season.   As many birders know, these red eye-catchers frequent bird feeders in the wintertime, to east sunflower and other seeds.

Their normal habitats are woodland edges, thickets, brushy swamps and residential backyards and gardens.   They are one of Canada's and America's favourite backyard birds.   Their song is a series of bright, clear whistles.

They are noted for their overall red colour and conspicuous crests.

Female

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

                                                                                                   All photos by BarrytheBirder

Jays are thought to be among the most intelligent of birds.   Bright and flashy, the Blue Jay is common in woods, parks, and yards throughout eastern North America.

According to Kenn Kaufman in his Birds of North America, "they are often noisy, but can slip quietly through treetops".   Kaufman goes on to say "Most are permanent residents, but some move south in fall, and big flocks may pass some points on coasts or lakeshores".

My observations are that they are voracious at feeders.

They are generally very noisy and bold, with the most common of their varied calls a piercing 'JAY, JAY, JAY'.   They also have a musical 'weedle-eedle' sound.

They have an intense dislike of predators and their loud screaming makes it easy to locate a nearby hawk or owl.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

National bird species - items of note

                                                                                              Photo by BarrytheBirder

 Bald Eagle - national bird of the U.S.A.

The most widely cited number of countries in the world is 195, and approximately 114 to 120 countries have designated a national bird, whether officially or not.

Several countries share national birds such as the Andean Condor in Bolivia, Chile, Columbia and Ecuador; the Golden Eagle in Armenia, Egypt and Scotland; and the White Stork in Germany and Lithuania.

National birds in many countries are generally protected by law, though the extent of protection varies.   In addition to general bird protection, specific laws like the ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT provide a higher level of protection for birds that are at risk of extinction.

There is no rarest national bird, but several national birds are extremely rare, with the Kakapoo (New Zealand), New Caledonian Owlet-Nightjar (New Caledonia) and the Rufous-headed Hornbill (Philippines) considered among the most endangered.

What is the most common or populous 'national' bird in the world?   There isn't a single most populous 'national' bird in the world.   The domestic chicken is the most populous bird in the world with billions kept for food... but not as a national bird.   The most 'wild' bird is the Red-billed Quelea, with a population of about 1.5 billion!

Can national birds be bought and sold?   No, national birds and most wild-caught birds cannot be legally bought or sold internationally, or within countries thanks to regulations like CITES, which restricts or bans trade in endangered species.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder