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Songbirds of North America 2 a Day

Our intent is to showcase and learn more about the songbirds in North America. Hopefully the members will be able to enjoy these songbirds more by becoming more aware of their presence, their color, and cheerful song.

Featured Work

Saturday morning quartet by Marjorie Wallace

Lacey, Washington, just a short walk to Puget Sound.. / / It was the middle Summer in the Pacific Northwest. / I had spent many hours watching the continuation of life in my yard. / Outside my office window, up in the eves over my garage was a little nest built by the Barn Swallows. The little mud nest had been built last Summer and I wonder if they were the same birds who returned to raise this year’s babies. / There were five little ones hatched this year and each time I walked to the front of the garage, there was a lot of commotion and chirping with the adult birds zooming around in their frenzied attempt to distract anyone from seeing their precious little ones. The swooping of the parent birds and the chirping of the babies as their Mother came into view is a delight to watch. They eventually got used to my presence as I would come out to stand and watch their feeding as the parents would swoop in with bugs and seeds for them to eat. / But nature is not always kind…. / One day as I was walking out my door, I heard all of this commotion and as I proceeded down my sidewalk. This big black bird took flight, crying out. “caw! caw! caw! .....” moving across the street to sit and watch from the rooftop of my neighbor’s house. What a dark and ominous mood was cast by seeing him sitting there! I could see that my Swallows were very upset by his presence and I knew that I would need to help watch out for them. It did not look hopeful for my little family of birds. / Then one day, their nest was ravaged by Mr. Nasty Crow. When I returned from my errands, I found the nest on the ground, broken and crumbling, with two little feathers to tell me of their fate. My heart sank as I looked for my little birds, but I found no sign at all that they were here. I walked around the side of my house and into the garden, hoping for a sign of them. I was only greeted by silence and the flight of a Dragon Fly. Sadness filled my heart as I thought of the summer’s work of this little family coming to an end so quickly. / But then as I walked slowly back to the front of my house, miraculously there was this joyous flutter and arrival of about a dozen birds, five of them were my little babies. Fortunately, the babies were mature enough to know how to fly, so they were now living on the cross piece over my garage. How exciting this was to watch the survival and growth of these little birds, winning against the adversity of nature. / I set up my camera on a tripod and watched as the adult continued to feed their young until they were strong enough to be on their own. / The Swallows will return each year to my neighborhood and at this rate, there will be more every consecutive year. I will have to watch and see if they come back on the same day each year like they do in San Jaun Capistrano. Perhaps my little babies will come back to make a home on my property next summer…. / I will be watching for them. Placed in “Birds in my backyard” challenge for BACKYARD PHOTOGRAPHY group ~ September 2009 / Second place in “Baby Birds Only” challenge of I LOVE BIRDS group ~ September 2009 / Second place in “Summer Memories” challenge of BACKYARD PHOTOGRAPHY group ~ 25 OctoBer 2009 / Featured in SONGBIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA ~ 16 November 2009 / / All the images and text contained herein may not be reproduced, copied, edited, published, transmitted or uploaded in any way without my express written permission. My images do not belong to the Public Domain. The removal of electronic copyright information, digital fingerprints, or embedded watermarks on any image is strictly prohibited. / © 2009 Marjorie Wallace, All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Juvenile Cedar Waxwing by Lynda McDonald

Image taken Aug 27/09 , Frankford, ON / D300,70-300 mm lens, f8, 1/500 sec, ISO – 320, AP / These songbirds rove in flocks in search of berries, flower petals and sap, breaking up into pairs in mid-summer for nesting. When insects are present they will also flycatch for them. / Found throughout Canada and USA. / 6 1/2 – 8 inches in size, voice – ssee sssee seee / This image has had one small crop, no editing. /
Nashville Warbler by John Absher

The Nashville Warbler is a small, sprightly songbird of second-growth forests, the Nashville Warbler breeds in both north-central North America and an isolated portion of the mountainous Pacific Northwest. It nests on the ground and feeds almost exclusively on insects. The Nashville Warbler does not regularly breed near Nashville, Tennessee, but was first observed there in 1811 by Alexander Wilson, who named the species. The western population of the Nashville Warbler was once considered a separate species, called the “Calaveras Warbler.” It is slightly brighter than eastern birds, with a brighter yellow rump, more extensive white feathers on the lower belly, and a slightly longer tail. Most first-year Nashville Warblers migrate along the Atlantic coast, while adults tend to migrate along inland routes. They sometimes uses porcupine quills as nest material.
Eastern Kingbird by Ryan Schain

I watched this kingbird hunting for flying insects throughout the marsh for awhile. They are incredible hunters and very sleek birds. Back Bay Fens / Boston, Massachusetts July 14, 2009
tufted titmouse 2007 by John Radosevich

here is another 2007 shot that got lost in the shuffle, a gorgeous tufted titmouse framed against a bland sky. I think the bland sky really enhances the titmouse.
Baltimore Oriole by fortner

Orioles are closely related to the blackbird. The Baltimore oriole is recognized by its flame-orange and black pattern and black head. It’s purse-like nest is suspended from a branch tip and can often be found overhanging a city street. / Photo taken in Kenora, Ontario.
Pygmy Nuthatch by tonybat

Continuing with my current theme of No. Calif birds, I’ve added this Pygmy Nuthatch. Taken in the Sierra Nevada Mts in Calif, north of Truckee in the Plumas Nat’l Forest Pygmy Nuthatch is on eof 4 nuthatch species in N Am. It’s range is from the Rockies west. It is somewhat comparable in size and color pattern to the Brown-headed Nuthatch of the south and eastern part of the U.S.
Eastern Bluebird by BigD

Best View Larger Featured in #12 Great Features – Challenge Themes ONLY group. / Featured in Rural Around The Globe group. / Featured in Songbirds of North America 2 a Day / group. This was taken in my backyard when I first purchased my camera. They are one of my favorite birds besides the hummingbird. Taken in the village of Orwell Hill, PA on 05-11-2007. Cool Facts / The male Eastern Bluebird displays at his nest cavity to attract a female. He brings nest material to the hole, goes in and out, and waves his wings while perched above it. That is pretty much his contribution to nest building; only the female Eastern Bluebird builds the nest and incubates the eggs. / Eastern Bluebirds typically have more than one successful brood per year. Young produced in early nests usually leave their parents in summer, but young from later nests frequently stay with their parents over the winter. / Eastern Bluebirds occur across eastern North America and south as far as Nicaragua. Birds that live farther north and in the west of the range tend to lay more eggs than eastern and southern birds. / Eastern Bluebirds eat mostly insects, wild fruit and berries. Occasionally, Eastern Bluebirds have also been observed capturing and eating larger prey items such as shrews, salamanders, snakes, lizards and tree frogs. / The oldest recorded Eastern Bluebird was 10 years 5 months old. / Habitat GrasslandEastern Bluebirds live in open country around trees, but with little understory and sparse ground cover. Original habitats probably included open, frequently burned pine savannas, beaver ponds, mature but open woods, and forest openings. Today, they’re most common along pastures, agricultural fields, suburban parks, backyards, and golf courses. Back to TopFood InsectsInsects caught on the ground are a bluebird’s main food for much of the year. Major prey include caterpillars, beetles crickets, grasshoppers, and spiders. In fall and winter, bluebirds eat large amounts of fruit including mistletoe, sumac, blueberries, black cherry, tupelo, currants, wild holly, dogwood berries, hackberries, honeysuckle, bay, pokeweed, and juniper berries. Rarely, Eastern Bluebirds have been recorded eating salamanders, shrews, snakes, lizards, and tree frogs. Back to TopNesting / Nesting Facts / Clutch Size / 2–7 eggs / Egg Length / 0.7–0.9 in / 1.8–2.4 cm / Egg Width / 0.6–0.7 in / 1.5–1.9 cm / Incubation Period / 11–19 days / Nestling Period / 17–21 days / Egg Description / Pale blue or, rarely, white. / Condition at Hatching / Naked except for sparse tufts of dingy gray down, eyes closed, clumsy.Nest Description / After a male Eastern Bluebird has attracted a female to his nest site (by carrying material in and out of the hole, perching, and fluttering his wings), the female does all the nest building. She makes the nest by loosely weaving together grasses and pine needles, then lining it with fine grasses and occasionally horse hair or turkey feathers. Nest boxes in some places are so common that a single territory may contain several suitable holes. Females often build nests in each available hole, but typically only use one of these. Bluebirds may use the same nest for multiple broods. Nest Placement CavityEastern Bluebirds put their nests in natural cavities or in nest boxes or other artificial refuges. Among available natural cavities, bluebirds typically select old woodpecker holes in dead pine or oak trees, up to 50 feet off the ground. Older bluebirds are more likely than younger ones to nest in a nest box, although individual birds often switch their preferences between nesting attempts. When given the choice in one study, bluebirds seemed to prefer snugger nest boxes (4 inches square instead of 6 inches square on the bottom) with slightly larger entrance holes (1.75 inch rather than 1.4 inch diameter). © René Corado / WFVZ © René Corado / WFVZ / Back to TopBehavior Ground ForagerThis small, brightly colored thrush typically perches on wires and fence posts overlooking open fields. The birds forage by fluttering to the ground to grab an insect, or occasionally by catching an insect in midair. Bluebirds can sight their tiny prey items from 60 feet or more away. They fly fairly low to the ground, and with a fast but irregular pattern to their wingbeats. Males vying over territories chase each other at high speed, sometimes grappling with their feet, pulling at feathers with their beaks, and hitting with their wings. The boxes and tree cavities where bluebirds nest are a hot commodity among birds that require holes for nesting, and male bluebirds will attack other species they deem a threat, including House Sparrows, European Starlings, Tree Swallows, Great Crested Flycatchers, Carolina Chickadees, and Brown-headed Nuthatches, as well as non-cavity nesters such as robins, Blue Jays, mockingbirds, and cowbirds. Males attract females to the nest with a display in which he carries bits of nesting material into and out of the nest. Once a female enters the nest hole with him, the pair bond is typically established and often remains intact for several seasons (although studies suggest that around one in every four or five eggs involves a parent from outside the pair). Back to TopConservation / status via IUCN / Least ConcernBluebird populations fell in the early twentieth century as aggressive introduced species such as European Starlings and House Sparrows made available nest holes increasingly difficult for bluebirds to hold on to. In the 1960s and 1970s establishment of bluebird trails and other nest box campaigns alleviated much of this competition, especially after people began using nest boxes designed to keep out the larger European Starling. Eastern Bluebird numbers have been recovering since. Back to TopCredits / Gowaty, Patricia Adair and Jonathan H. Plissner. 1998. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/381 / Dunne, P. 2006. Pete Dunne’s essential field guide companion. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. / Ehrlich, P. R., D. S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1988. The birder’s handbook. Simon & Schuster Inc., New York. / Patuxent Wildlife Research Center longevity records / Website
Just Sitting And Waiting by Babcia

This is a male cardinal waiting patiently until I refill the bird feeder.
"Varied Thrush, Autumn Leaves" by Martin Smart

Best viewed large 3rd Place in the Autumn Delights ~ Fall in the Pacific Northwest Challenge in the Pacific Northwest Group Featured in “300+ Go Long!” November 2009 / Featured in “Songbirds of North America” November 2009 Photographed in Lantzville, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. / The Varied thrush is a member of the Turdidae (thrush) family and breeds in western North America from Alaska to northern California. Its breeding habitat is dense coniferous forest, and two to five eggs are laid in a nest in a tree. / The Varied Thrush mainly feeds near the ground, where it forages for invertebrates, but will also eat berries and certain seeds. / The male has a striking appearance, being dark blue-gray above with bright orange wing bars, throat, lateral head stripe and underparts. It also has a black breast band and face mask. The female and juvenile birds are browner above and the orange is less striking with the breast band and face mask being a blotchy brown. Canon 40D / 1/100sec f8 ISO 400 / 500mm lens + 1.4x converter
Meadowlark by Kate Adams

An abundant and familiar bird of open country across the western two-thirds of the continent, the Western Meadowlark is beloved for its melodic song. It is frequently seen singing atop fenceposts along roadsides in native grassland and agricultural areas. Description / Medium-sized stocky songbird with a short tail. / Throat, chest, and belly yellow. / Black “V” across chest. / Back brown and streaked. / Outer tail feathers white. Size: 19-26 cm (7-10 in) / Wingspan: 35-40 cm (14-16 in) / Weight: 90-150 g (3.18-5.3 ounces Equipment used Nikon D70… Nikon AF-S 18-200mm lens. / I did put an image on here a few months ago of the same bird but this was taken at a different angle..He did have two legs but he showing off.
Expensive Bird Feeder by MitchM

Black Capped Chickadees kept landing on the lens hood, so I gave them another place to land. Photo taken at Mud Lake in the city of Ottawa. Black-capped Chickadee: Medium-sized, stocky chickadee with pale gray upperparts and breast and pale olive-brown underparts. The black cap and bib and white cheeks are conspicuous. Black bill is short and thin. Wings are dark with broad white edges on feathers. State bird of Maine and Massachusetts

Recent Work

baby Robin by whisperjo

This little one fell on the ground when a storm blew away him with the nest. I give the nest a sturdier place and placed him back. Soon the parents took over again. American Robin: Large, familiar North American thrush, gray-brown upperparts, rich red-brown breast, and white lower belly and undertail coverts. Head appears black with white splotches surrounding the eyes, and throat is white with black streaks. Swift, direct flight on rapidly beating / wings. ! !
American Robin by Larry Trupp

American Robin: Large, familiar North American thrush, gray-brown upperparts, rich red-brown breast, and white lower belly and undertail coverts. Head appears black with white splotches surrounding the eyes, and throat is white with black streaks. Swift, direct flight on rapidly beating wings. Location: Taken last summer at oure Nature center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Camera Details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi, 55- 250mm Zoom Lens, Aperture exp 5.6, Shutter speed 1/60, ISO 400
Cactus Wren by redhawk

This bird is a cactus wren and it is the State of Arizona bird. It is a insect eater, spiders,slugs,worms, etc… I used my Photochances program on this image to enhance the bird since they are not very colorful. This art work is registered copyright© 2007-2009 and any copyright infringement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in the USA and International.
Female Red -Winged Blackbird by KathleenRinker

The female red-winged blackbird is a heavily streaked brown bird with a pointed beak and white eyebrows. The female builds the nest and produces 2-3 brood per year and incubates the eggs for 10-12 days. They are typically partial to non-migrating bird. They feed on seed, insects and will come to feeders. The red-winged blackbird is one of the most wide spread and numerous birds in New York State. / /
sparrow by KathleenRinker

House sparrow has large black spot on his throat extending down to the chest, a brown back and single white wing bars, gray belly and crown. The female is slightly smaller than the male and lacks the black spot on the throat and single wing bars. The male and female both build the nest which is a domed cut nest and they produce two to three broods per year, laying 4-6 eggs which are white with brown marking. The incubation period is 10-12 days with the female incubating. The house sparrow is a non-migrating bird but will move around to find food. Their food consists of seed, insects and fruit, they will come to the feeder to eat seed. The sparrow was introduced from Europe to Central Park in New York City in 1850. /
A very handsome Northern Cardinal. by William Brennan

The Northern Cardinal is abundant across the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and in Canada in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Its range extends west to the U.S.-Mexico border and south through Mexico to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, northern Guatemala, and northern Belize. It was introduced to Bermuda in 1700. It has also been introduced in Hawaii and southern California. Its natural habitat is woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps. This bird is a permanent resident throughout its range, although it may relocate to avoid extreme weather or if food is scarce. I captured this fellow in my back yard in Rockaway, NJ.
White-breasted Nuthatch by ronaldok555

The nuthatches and chickadees in a local park here in Calgary can be quite tame. At one point while I was at the park, I had four chickadees on me at the same time. Two on my hand, one a little farther up my arm and one on my shoulder. Wish I had someone there to get that shot ;-)
male house finch by KathleenRinker

Taken in my backyard in May of this year. / / The male house finch has a an orange red face, breast and rump with a brown cap. Brown markings behind the eyes, brown wings streaked with white, a white belly with brown streaks. They sometimes nest in cavaties and the female builds the nest. They usually have two broods per year. Typically they lay 4-5 pale blue eggs, the incubation period is 12-14 day with the female incubating. They are typically a non migrating bird but they do move around to find food. They eat seeds, fruit, leaf buds and will visit seed feeders. They are a very social bird and visit feeders in small flocks. They like nesting in hanging flower baskets. They have a loud cheerful warbling song. House finches were originally introduced in Long Island, New York from the western US in the 1940’s.
Beautiful male Northern Cardinal. by William Brennan

The Northern Cardinal,or Redbird, is found from southern Canada through the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and south through Mexico to northern Guatemala and Belize. It can also be found on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is found in woodlands, gardens, shrub lands, and swamps. It has a distinctive crest on the head and a mask on the face which is black in the male and gray in the female. It displays sexual dimorphism in its coloration; the male is a vibrant red, while the female is a dull red-brown shade. I captured this handsome fellow in my back yard in Rockaway, NJ.
A male House Finch grabbing a snack. by William Brennan

Adult House Finches have a long, square-tipped brown tail and are a brown or dull-brown color across the back with some shading into deep gray on the wing feathers. Their breast and belly feathers may be streaked; the flanks usually are. In most cases, adult males’ heads, necks and shoulders are reddish. This color sometimes extends to the stomach and down the back, between the wings. Male coloration varies in intensity with the seasons and is derived from the berries and fruits in its diet. This was taken in my back yard in Rockaway, NJ.
Northern Cardinal by Ernie LeBlanc

The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They’re a perfect combination of familiarity, conspicuousness, and style: a shade of red you can’t take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest and warm red accents. Cardinals don’t migrate and they don’t molt into a dull plumage, so they’re still breathtaking in winter’s snowy backyards. In summer, their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds of the morning. Size & Shape / The Northern Cardinal is a fairly large, long-tailed songbird with a short, very thick bill and a prominent crest. Cardinals often sit with a hunched-over posture and with the tail pointed straight down. Color Pattern / Male cardinals are brilliant red all over, with a reddish bill and black face immediately around the bill. Females are pale brown overall with warm reddish tinges in the wings, tail, and crest. They have the same black face and red-orange bill. Behavior / Northern Cardinals tend to sit low in shrubs and trees or forage on or near the ground, often in pairs. They are common at bird feeders but may be inconspicuous away from them, at least until you learn their loud, metallic chip note. Habitat / Look for Northern Cardinals in inhabited areas such as backyards, parks, woodlots, and shrubby forest edges. Northern Cardinals nest in dense tangles of shrubs and vines.
Northern Cardinal by Ernie LeBlanc

The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They’re a perfect combination of familiarity, conspicuousness, and style: a shade of red you can’t take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest and warm red accents. Cardinals don’t migrate and they don’t molt into a dull plumage, so they’re still breathtaking in winter’s snowy backyards. In summer, their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds of the morning. Size & Shape / The Northern Cardinal is a fairly large, long-tailed songbird with a short, very thick bill and a prominent crest. Cardinals often sit with a hunched-over posture and with the tail pointed straight down. Color Pattern / Male cardinals are brilliant red all over, with a reddish bill and black face immediately around the bill. Females are pale brown overall with warm reddish tinges in the wings, tail, and crest. They have the same black face and red-orange bill. Behavior / Northern Cardinals tend to sit low in shrubs and trees or forage on or near the ground, often in pairs. They are common at bird feeders but may be inconspicuous away from them, at least until you learn their loud, metallic chip note. Habitat / Look for Northern Cardinals in inhabited areas such as backyards, parks, woodlots, and shrubby forest edges. Northern Cardinals nest in dense tangles of shrubs and vines

Featured Members

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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