Songbirds of North America 2 a Day
Featured Work
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Sometimes you land a big one . . . by Bonnie T. Barry
I took this photo of a male Eastern bluebird with a skink in its bill several years ago. Originally, it was a landscape shot which cut too close to the top of the bird’s head so I reworked it into portrait mode, changed the background, and added the dry brush filter to give it a different look from the original. So, for those of you who have seen “Bluebird with Skink,” here’s another version of the same shot. Regardless of which version you prefer, you’ve got to give this little bird credit for landing a big one! He astounded me with the catch when he lit on the bluebird box with THIS in his beak for the babies’ lunch, his lunch, or both! What a hunter! The Eastern bluebird, once endangered, has made a dramatic comeback through the installation of bluebird houses along bluebird trails. These lovely little creatures are cavity nesters whose existence was threatened with the loss of trees through land clearing for development. Today, the bluebird is thriving thanks to the many boxes that have been placed through both private and public endeavors. I have had the pleasure of having these birds inhabit my property for well over ten years now; I look forward to many more years of their neighborly presence.
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"Happy Father's Day, Dad" by David Friederich
I think this was pure affection from a young bird to her father. Male red-winged blackbirds do not usually feed their young,” according to one source I read. The female was close by, with lunch, yet this juvenile blackbird wanted contact with the male and she got it. I was moved to witness this on Father’s Day, 2008, and although it is an older image in my portfolio, it is one of my favorite song bird images. The image was captured at a small marsh between Campbell River and Gold River, on Vancouver Island, Canada.
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"House Finch" by Martin Smart
Featured in “Songbirds of North America” August 2009 / Featured in “For the Love of Canon” August 2009 A male House Finch perched on a twig, photographed in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. A House Finch is a medium-sized finch six inches in length and belongs to the Fringillidae family. The male has a brown cap with the front of head, bib and rump being typically red but this can vary with the seasons and birds diet of berries and fruits to orange or occasionally straw-yellow. Females and juveniles are streaked with brown overall. / Adults have a long square-tipped tail. The birds are mainly permanent residents although some eastern birds migrate south. Their breeding habitat is urban and suburban areas in the East and various semi-open areas in the West from southern Canada to Northern Florida. / House finches forage for food on the ground and in vegetation generally and mainly eat berries seeds and grains. They are a popular garden bird often seen at feeders. Canon 20D with EF500 F4L IS / 1/100sec f8.0 ISO 200
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Bringing home the grub by Bonnie T. Barry
The Eastern bluebirds are amazing me this mating season. They are into nest number FOUR! They usually have three a season, but one of their broods met with foul play so I suppose they’re making up for it with an extra long summer of child rearing! The middle of August is extremely hot in southern Louisiana, so these little troopers are really looking ragged from all the hunting and delivering of goods to the nesting box. Here’s one of the pair, I think the female, with a grub worm for the nestlings. For some reason, their plumage is not as brilliant as in years past so it’s kind of hard to tell the male from the female as they are both looking pretty washed out! Can’t blame them with all that flurry of activity in this hot, humid climate. Eastern bluebird is officially sialia sialis; they are cavity dwellers. Their numbers were dangerously reduced due to clearing of woods and thickets for development. Thanks to the American Bluebird Society and the introduction of nesting boxes, they have made a wonderful comeback. The bluebirds have been nesting in my yard for over ten years now, and I love them dearly. They make excellent neighbors! They first started in a box well away from my house, but they have taken a liking to one right on my patio, so our encounters are frequent and close-up!
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American Goldfinch by Vickie Emms
Featured in 300+ Go Long! – September 24, 2009 / SOLD Matted Print September 7, 2009, to an RB member, thank you Dan! / This is the image he bought, a matted print. / / Featured in Songbirds of North America – August 29, 2009 / Featured in Backyard – Closeups – May 24, 2009 This handsome little finch, the state bird of New Jersey, Iowa, and Washington, is welcome and common at feeders, where it takes primarily sunflower and nyjer. Goldfinches often flock with Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls. Spring males are brilliant yellow and shiny black with a bit of white. Females and all winter birds are more dull but identifiable by their conical bill; pointed, notched tail; wingbars; and lack of streaking. During molts they look bizarrely patchy. / Size & Shape: A small finch with a short, conical bill and a small, head, long wings, and short, notched tail. / Color Pattern: Adult males in spring and early summer are bright yellow with black forehead, black wings with white markings, and white patches both above and beneath the tail. Adult females are duller yellow beneath, olive above. Winter birds are drab, unstreaked brown, with blackish wings and two pale wingbars. / Behavior: These are active and acrobatic little finches that cling to weeds and seed socks, and sometimes mill about in large numbers at feeders or on the ground beneath them. Goldfinches fly with a bouncy, undulating pattern and often call in flight, drawing attention to themselves. / Habitat: The goldfinch’s main natural habitats are weedy fields and floodplains, where plants such as thistles and asters are common. They’re also found in cultivated areas, roadsides, orchards, and backyards. American Goldfinches can be found at feeders any time of year, but most abundantly during winter. Canon 50D; Sigma 150-500mm lens / Shutter Speed 1/2048 sec / Lens Aperture F/6.4 / Focal Length 500 mm / F/6.3 / Exposure 1/2000 sec. / ISO 1000 /
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White Breasted Nuthatch by Larry Trupp
! My image “White Breasted Nuthatch” was featured in Songbirds of North America 2 per day…on 29 August 2009. ...... was featured in *Urban Wildlife on 6 April 2009. To hear their song please turn up the sound and click *HERE A common bird of deciduous forests and wooded suburbs, the White-breasted Nuthatch can be seen hopping headfirst down the trunks of trees in search of insect food. It frequents bird feeders and takes sunflower seeds off to the side of a tree, where it wedges them into a crevice and hammers them open. Nuthatches gather nuts and seeds, jam them into tree bark, and hammer or “hatch” the food open with their bills. The White-breasted Nuthatch is normally territorial throughout the year, with pairs staying together. The male is more vigilant when he forages alone than when he is with the female. The female, however, is in danger of having the more dominant male displace her from foraging sites, and she is more vigilant when he is around than when she is alone. Location: In my neighborhood at the bird feeder at our Nature Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba Make: Canon Model: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi F stop: F/8.0 Exposure: 1/500 sec. Focal length: 232.0 mm Flash: flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode (16) Dimensions: 2400×1599 Shutter speed (Tv): 9
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Blue Jay by whisperjo
Blue Jay / Blue Jay: Medium, noisy jay with bright blue upperparts, pale gray underparts, distinct head crest, and neck surrounded with a curious black necklace. Black-barred wings and tail have prominent white patches. Direct flight with steady and bouyant wing beats. Glides between perches or to the ground. Canon EOS Dig. Rebel XTI / fl 230.0mm / f/5.6 / ISO 400 Crop and sharpen color as is
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Evening Grosbeak by okcandids
A male evening grosbeak fluffin’ its feathers as it rests on a branch of an apple tree. From National Geographic Complete Birds of North America: “A large stocky, boldly patterned finch with a very short tail and heavy bill. ADULT MALE: Uniquely patterned, the body is rich golden brown, becoming darker brown on head and black on crown. Both the forehead and eyebrows are bright golden yellow. The tail and wings are black; the latter has contrasting pure white secondaries and tertials. The pale yellowish green bill is large for a finch. FEMALE: The body is a grayish brown above, buffier on underparts, collar, and rump. The throat is almost whitish and has a distinctive dark malar stripe. Like the male, the wings are black, but the secondaries are not as pure white and have a dark edging, and a white base to the primaries forms a white patch visible in a folded wing. There are large white spots at the end of the tail. The wing and tail pattern are conspicuous in flight. Voice CALL: Flight calls of eastern birds a ringing clee-ip or peer; western birds give a clear, whistled tew, similar to the Olive Warbler but louder. SONG: Seldom heard and poorly described.”
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Common Grackle by MitchM
I thought it was a Brewer’s Blackbird, but allaboutbirds.org helped with its identity. The photo was taken late in the afternoon, in a forest in Quebec.
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Eye Contact by Blair Wainman
Featured in the group Songbirds of North America in August 2009 / The Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) is a New World warbler. It is the most widespread Dendroica species, breeding in almost the whole of North America and down to northern South America. The yellow warbler is also sometimes called a Yellowbird. / This is an Adult Female Yellow Warbler in a candid pose before taking flight. Taken just outside Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at my cousin’s farm. / Yellow Warbler: Small warbler with bright olive-yellow upperparts and brilliant yellow underparts with rust-brown streaks on breast and sides. Wings are dark with two white bars. Tail is dark with yellow-tinged edges. Female has fewer streaks on breast. / / /
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Grey Jay ~ Perisoreus canadensis by Beve Brown-Clark
Perisoreus canadensis is 11.5 inches (29 cm) long and has a wingspan of 18 inches (45 cm). Normal adult weight is 2.5 ounces (70 grams). Grey Jay close up…they are simply one of the most adorable little birds out there…so friendly yet they don’t like populated areas! Photographed in Mount Rainier National Park ~ Washington State ~ USA 2009 08 08 Featured in the Group ‘Songbirds of North America’ / 2009 07 02 Featured in the Group ‘I Love Birds’ / 2009 01 26 feature in the group You’re Accepted
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THE SCUFFLE by ldeiter78
8/8/09 ~ Featured in Songbirds of North America ~ Thank you!!!!! 7/16/09 ~ Top Ten in the Head to Head challenge – Mood and Ambience group ~ Thank you!!! A scuffle at my birdfeeder between a male Goldfinch and an Chipping Sparrow. The finch won! Taken at my birdfeeder in April 2008, Clarks Valley, PA. Goldfinch – Often called a “Wild Canary” the male Goldfinch is a bright yellow bird with a black patch on his forehead, black wings and tail with white markings. The color dramatically changes during the winter to a dull olive color without the black forehead. Goldfinches are partial migrators and eat seeds (preferably Thistle) and insects. Chipping Sparrow – A common garden or yard bird – small gray/brown bird with a rusty crown, white eyebrows and a black eye line. Eats insects and seeds and comes to feeders. Migrates to southern states and Mexico. Migrates at night in flocks of 20-30 birds. The name comes from the male’s fast “chip” call.
Recent Work
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A Different View by Babcia
Here is a chickadee showing its beautiful wings and tail feathers. / Rockford, Illinois Canon 7D / 100-400 lens /
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Enjoying The Sunshine by Babcia
A female cardinal is enjoying herself sitting in the sun. Rockford,Illinois Canon 7D / 100-400 lens /
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Robin, Robin, Red Breast by Alyce Taylor
An American robin looks up, alert for predators, while walking across green grass. Captured in Edward’s Gardens, the gardens of the Toronto Botanical Society, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Taken with a Canon Digital Rebel. The American Robin Turdus migratorius is one of the best-known birds in North America. It was given its name by the early settlers, who thought that, with its reddish breast, it resembled the English Robin. However, the American Robin is a thrush, not a robin, and except for the colour of its breast, it does not look like the small brown European bird. The American Robin is the largest thrush in North America. The adult measures about 25 cm long and weighs about 77 g. In addition to its cinnamon-rufous to brick-red breast, the American Robin has a black head, white eye-rings, yellow bill, black and white streaked throat, and grey back. The male is generally more brightly coloured than the female.
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Bendire's Thrasher, Toxostoma bendirei by tonybat
Bendire’s Thrasher is a specialty species here in SE AZ. It is common in farmlands, grasslands, thornbrush desert habitats. As are all thrashers, this species is quite a singer, doing so from the tallest mesquite or fencepost in its area. When compared to Curve-billed Thrasher, common throughout Bendire’s range, the bill is shorter and less curved and the breast spots are much more defined.
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Canyon Wren, Catherpes mexicanus by tonybat
We are fortunate to have 2 species of wrens as “yardbirds”, Cactus and Bewick’s, but Canyon Wren seems to visit our garden infrequently, but most winters. If you have never seen one or heard one sing, you are in for a treat once you do. They have a desending series of high liquid-sounding notes that resonate and echo off the canyon walls. Wide-spread throughout the west in the right habitat.
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A Cheerful Companion by Blair Wainman
The Black-capped Chickadee has a black cap and bib with white sides to the face. Its under parts are white with rusty brown on the flanks; its back is gray. It has a short dark bill, short wings and a long tail. The breeding habitat of the Black-capped Chickadee is mixed or deciduous woods in Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. The Black-capped and Carolina chickadees are virtually impossible to tell apart visually, but they are readily distinguished by call. This one was taken along the Whitemud Creek in Edmonton, AB.
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Fast Feeder by Blair Wainman
Red-breasted Nuthatch: Medium nuthatch with blue-gray upperparts and pale rust-brown underparts. Head has a black cap, white eyebrow, black eyestripe; throat is white. Bill is slightly upturned. Legs and feet are black. Weak fluttering flight, alternates rapid wing beats with wings drawn to sides. This one was taken on the family farm 40 kms southeast of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Dark-Eyed Junco by Babcia
This is a male Junco. The females have a tan color.The outermost tail feathers are white and appear as a “V” in flight. This is a common winter bird in Illinois. They come to the birdfeeders but are most comfortable on the ground.
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Female American Goldfinch by Babcia
This looks like a female. The male is very yellow in the summer but changes to the same color as the female in the winter. The picture below is the male in the summer months. /
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Just Sitting And Waiting by Babcia
This is a male cardinal waiting patiently until I refill the bird feeder.
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"I'm Watching You Down There" by Babcia
A female cardinal is sitting high up in the tree watching me. /
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Vermilion Flycatcher, Pyrocephalus rubinus by tonybat
This bird species ranges from mid TX west to So. CA. It is quite prevelent around water, steams, creeks, small ponds, etc. If ever there was a bird species in the U.S. that will get one’s attention, it is this little fiery jewel. When showing someone this bird for the first time, I tell them, “It will knock their socks off!!!”, it is so striking. This photo was captured during an outing yesterday in the Sulphur Springs Valley in SE Arizona.
About This Group
The species we commonly call “songbirds” or “perching birds” belong to the huge order called Passerines – all species from the tyrant flycatchers through to the weaver-finches (house sparrows).
In the newest field guide (Smithsonian) the species accounts start on page 282 to page 480, nearly 200 pages dedicated to this group of birds.
For further reference please use the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds (Eastern Region and Western Region)... NOTE: The Rocky Mountains are the birds guiding line for determination.
The following link will take you to a comprehensive guide to identifying birds found in this group. Birds of Passeriformes Order It is user friendly, a great asset and learning tool.
Excluded from this group are all caged birds, swifts and hummingbirds, kingfishers, doves, most woodpeckers, all raptors, gulls, shorebirds, waders and waterfowl (geese, swans and ducks).
Please visit the following group.
Wildbirds in Flight
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