White-Breasted Nuthatch

Have you seen the white-breasted nuthatch crawling up, down, and around a tree? They are searching for insects, larvae, and seeds hidden in the bark. These birds visit our backyard and feeders often.

Scientific Name: Sitta carolinensis.

Family: Nuthatch.

Length: 5-3/4 inches.

Wingspan: 11 inches.

Distinctive Markings: Males and females look similar, with a short tail, bluish-gray back and wings, black cap and white breast.

Nest: Hair, fur and shredded bark built in natural cavities and birdhouses. Lays five to 10 white eggs with multicolored markings.

Song: Nasal “yank-yank-yank” call.

Habitat: Area with plentiful trees.

Diet: Insects and larvae; pine, fir and maple seeds; mountain ash and juniper berries; oak, beech and hickory nuts.

Backyard Favorites: Sunflower seeds, unsalted peanuts, birdseed mix and suet.

Once in a while I am very lucky and get a close up photo that I wow over. This large red dragonfly was flying around in our front yard and landed on the car antenna.

According to Wikipedia a dragonfly is a type of insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epeprocta  or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera. It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body. Dragonflies are similar to damselflies, but the adults can be differentiated by the fact that the wings of most dragonflies are held away from, and perpendicular to, the body when at rest. Even though dragonflies possess 6 legs like any other insect, they are not capable of walking.

Dragonflies are valuable predators that eat mosquitoes. They are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams and wetland because their larvae, known as “nymphs”, are aquatic.

These photos are of our sunset last evening. I looked outside and saw the beautiful pink sky.

One of the Sequoia trees in our backyard has become the favorite spotting perch for several local birds of prey. Everyday a hawk or other bird of prey sits at the top of this tree for several minutes, looking for a meal I suppose.

I believe this bird is a Black-Shouldered Kite. I was thrilled to get a photo of this bird in flight.

Kites are graceful birds of prey. They are falcon-shaped, with pointed wings. Their diet consists of large insects, reptiles, and rodents.

One of my blog readers, Ellis Myers, commented that “Your bird is a White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus). It was formerly known as Black-shouldered Kite, but the name was changed to avoid confusion with the Black-shouldered Kite of Australia.”

Thanks for the information, Ellis.

I was using my Western Birds – Peterson Field Guide, copyright 1990 to identify the bird. Your information is more up to date. The White-tailed Kite designation is in my Sibley Field Guide to Birds of  Western North America but the images show the kite as a pale gray bird. My bird had sparkling white plumage.

Cooper’s Hawk is the light-colored bird at the top of the tree

Closer look at the hawk. You can see the long tail.

Yesterday and today there was another Cooper’s Hawk perched up at the top of the Sequoia tree in our backyard. The tree is about 50 to 60 feet tall so I had to use binoculars to identify the bird. This hawk appeared to be smaller than the bird I described previously (that looked like a paper bag up in the tree).

This hawk gave a repeated call that sounded like a low wheezing caw. The call was not the high pitched screech you often hear from birds of prey. Several Black-Headed Grosbeaks have visited our backyard bird feeders this spring and I thought the wheezing caw sound was coming from the grosbeaks. I usually hear this call when the grosbeaks are around so I attributed the low wheezing caw to them.

Back to the Cooper’s Hawk. The bird sat at the top of the tree for several minutes and then opened its wings slightly and dropped down into our neighbor’s yard as if using a parachute. These hawks are long-tailed woodland raptors with rounded wings adapted for hunting among the trees.

Saturday afternoon we had a huge Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) sitting at the very top of one of the Sequoia trees in our backyard. This is a picture of a Cooper’s Hawk but not the exact hawk that I saw in our tree.

When I looked out the sliding glass door from our kitchen to the backyard it looked like the wind had blown a brown paper bag into the top branches of a tree. How strange!

I grabbed the binoculars to get a closer look and low and behold the paper bag turned into a Cooper’s Hawk! After a few seconds I saw the hawk turn its head and I could see its large beak. I figured out that I was looking at the fluffy-feathered breast of the large bird. My husband and I watched the bird for a few minutes and then it flew away.

 Sibley Guide To Birds Now on eNature.com

The entire award-winning Sibley Guide to Birds is now available online at eNature.com. Features such as multiple images of birds that show their various life stages and clear comprehensive text, the Sibley Guide is the premier guide to the birds of the United States.

Yesterday was an extraordinary bird watching day for me! Even though the Project Feederwatch bird count season is over,  I continue to fill one of my feeders for spring and summer birds.

I had three male Black-headed Grosbeaks and one female Black-headed Grosbeak visit my feeder yesterday. I originally thought there was one male bird and one female bird until I saw three male birds late yesterday afternoon. Black-headed Grosbeaks are common here during the breeding season.

A Spotted (Rufous-sided) Towhee was hopping around and scratching under the feeder. This species of bird is ground foraging and is found in our area year round. The Spotted Towhee has similar coloration to the Black-headed Grosbeak and a bird watching novice might mistake one bird for the other. However, a closer look would reveal the differences. The Grosbeak has a light-colored thick over-sized bill  used for cracking the shells of seeds, while the spotted Towhee has a dark-colored slender bill. The Grosbeak is a stocky cumbersome bird. The Spotted Towhee has a slender body with an up-tilted tail. It hops around  scratching among the dead leaves.

A White-breasted Nuthatch, a year round resident of our area, was eating seeds at a hanging feeder. During the winter they are often seen eating suet. The Nuthatch eats insects and seeds and is often seen climbing head  down on a tree trunk.

A Black Phoebe, also a year round resident of this area, was picking up pieces of coco fibers from the deck. The Phoebe is a flycatcher and eats mainly flying insects. They do not visit the seed feeders but are occasionally seen in the yard.

Other usual visitors were Oak  Titimouse, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Housefinch, California Towhee,  Mourning Dove, Steller’s Jay, and Western Scrub Jay .

Enter the Funky Nests Challenge!

Dear Birding Friend,

You find them in hanging flower baskets…an old boot…a garage shelf…or under a bridge…birds build nests in the strangest places! That’s the theme for the newest environmental challenge from our Celebrate Urban Birds project: Funky Nests in Funky Places! As you may know, Celebrate Urban Birds is a free, year-round citizen-science project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, focused on birds in neighborhood settings.
For the Funky Nests in Funky Places challenge, we want you to take photos, do a painting, write a story, or shoot a video showing a bird’s nest built in some out-of-the-way or out-of-this-world place.When observing nests please be sure to avoid touching them or disturbing the birds.
This one’s going to be fun, I think. We usually receive hundreds of entries for each of our challenges, and I can’t wait to see what your sent us this time and where birds have chosen to build their funky nests! I’m also attaching a PDF flier about the challenge you can print for yourself or pass along to others who might want to participate.

We have some great prizes, includig a Leica C-LUX 3 compact camera, bird feeders, shrubs for planting, and more. The first 50 entrants will receive a copy of the “Doves and Pigeons” poster by Julie Zickefoose and we’ll post selected images and videos on the Celebrate Urban Birds website.

Here’s how to enter:
1. Email your entry to urbanbirds@cornell.edu . Links are acceptable for videos.
2. Write “Funky Nests” in the subject line.
3. Include your name and mailing address.
4. Explain why you submitted your entry–what’s the story behind it?
5. One entry per person, please.

Deadline for entries is July 31, 2009

Visit the Celebrate Urban Birds website for more information and to read the terms of agreement regarding all entries.

Thanks for taking the challenge!

Sincerely,
Karen Purcell, Project Leader
(607) 254-2455
urbanbirds@cornell.edu

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. Visit the Lab’s web site at www.birds.cornell.edu .

Backyard Habitat
By Sarah Boyle

Ten Birds That Help Control Garden Pests

AS A GARDENER, it can be your worst nightmare: watching helplessly as hordes of destructive insects attack your plants. With a little planning and simple landscaping, however, you can help moderate garden pests naturally in your yard. Your weapon: bug-eating birds. “During the late spring and summer months, insects make up the great majority of many avian species’ diets,” says NWF Chief Naturalist Craig Tufts. The trick to enticing these birds to your property, he notes, is to first learn which of them range in your area, and then to plant appropriate types of native cover that provide insect- and bird-attracting natural foods–leaves, fruit, pollen and nectar–to sustain both adults and their insect-dependent nestlings. Tina Phillips, project leader of Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird House Network, adds, “The most important thing to do to attract birds to your yard is to provide an enticing habitat, not just a nest box. Birds choose a nest site based on its surrounding habitat.”

Along with native vegetation, offer birds a water source and a few different nesting sites: brush piles, ledges, nest boxes, shrubs and various types of trees–including dead tree limbs and trunks. “As long as they don’t create a safety hazard for people, dead trees provide nesting areas and are a great food source for insectivores,” says Tufts.

Needless to say, birds will not completely rid your yard of insects, and even if they could, you wouldn’t want them to do so. Some insects are imperative for a healthy garden, and birds do not discriminate between destructive and beneficial bugs. But they can help keep insect populations in your neighborhood at a stable, balanced level, benefiting both you and your neighbors. Subsequently, you’ll have a nicer garden to show for it throughout the summer.

Which bug-eating birds are the best ones to attract to your yard? There’s no simple answer. Scientists cannot say for sure how many insects a certain bird will eat in a summer day. But depending on where you live, the following ten species can be valuable allies in your efforts to sustain a vibrant garden:

Purple Martin: Aerial feeders that forage over land and water, purple martins eat a variety of winged insects. These swallows range across the eastern half of the United States and parts of the Pacific Coast and Southwest. West of the Rockies, purple martins often nest in tree cavities and building crevices, while in the East they typically nest with as many as 30 pairs in hotel-like boxes or hanging, hollow gourds. The migrants often use the same nesting site each year. In addition to providing nest boxes in the East, attract the birds with ponds and wetland areas.

Others: tree (summers in northern half of the United States), cliff (most of the country, except for the Southeast), barn (most of the United States, except for portions of the Southeast and Southwest) and violet-green (West) swallows

Red-Eyed Vireo: Until recent population declines, red-eyed vireos were one of the most common woodland birds in North America. These migrants forage in trees, feeding mainly on crawling insects–especially caterpillars–but also on other invertebrates and berries. They range from the upper Northwest to the East Coast, nesting in deciduous shade trees. Plant Virginia creeper, spicebush, elderberry, blackberry and dogwood to supplement insect diet.

Others: white-eyed (eastern half of the country) and warbling (most of the United States, except for parts of the Southwest, Texas and Southeast) vireos

Chipping Sparrow: Well-adapted to various landscapes, chipping sparrows are common throughout backyards in most of North America, except for areas of Texas and Oklahoma. They eat insects and seeds from the ground, shrubs and trees. These common birds tend to nest in evergreens, making nests out of grasses, weeds, roots and hair. Attract them with pines, spruce, arborvitae and yew.

Others: lark (from central through western United States), vesper and savannah (both throughout the northern half of the country during the summer) sparrows

Downy Woodpecker: Smaller than all other North American woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers readily visit backyards throughout the United States, excluding some areas in the Southwest. Their diet consists mainly of insects, though they also feed on sap, berries and seeds. The birds excavate nesting sites in dead trees and stumps, which are later used by other birds. They prefer deciduous trees such as aspen and willow, and may eat the berries of dogwood, mountain ash, serviceberry, Virginia creeper and poison ivy.

Others: hairy (throughout most of the country, except parts of Texas and the West) and ladder-backed (arid areas of Southwest and Texas) woodpeckers, as well as flickers (throughout the United States)

Yellow Warbler: Known for their sweet songs, yellow warblers eat a diet that is about 60 percent caterpillars. They also eat moths, mosquitoes, beetles and some berries. Widely distributed throughout North America, yellow warblers range from Alaska to the majority of the lower 48 states, except for areas of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. They nest in small trees and shrubs and often prefer willow. Plant berry-producing plants native to your area.

Others: American redstarts (eastern half of the country and upper Midwest), common yellowthroats (throughout the United States) and yellow-rumped warblers (throughout most of the country except in areas of the Midwest)

Eastern Bluebird: With their numbers increasing due to nest-box projects along “bluebird trails,” eastern bluebirds occupy semi-open areas east of the Rockies. They eat a variety of insects, other invertebrates and berries. Eastern bluebirds nest in tree cavities, old woodpecker holes and nest boxes. Plant elderberry, hackberry, dogwood, holly and redcedar to supplement their diet.

Others: western and mountain bluebirds (both in the West)

Common Nighthawk: In reality not hawks but members of the nightjar family, common nighthawks cover most of the continent, eating a variety of flying insects. Partial to open space, they nest on level surfaces, such as the ground or flat rooftops in suburban and city areas. Attract common nighthawks to industrial and corporate rooftops.

Others: lesser nighthawks (Southwest), Chuck-will’s-widow (Southeast) and common poorwill (West)

Eastern Phoebe: Easily recognizable by their fee-bee song, eastern phoebes–members of the flycatcher family–oftentimes take up residence on buildings and bridges. Found throughout the eastern half of the United States (frequently near water), they eat many insect species, as well as other invertebrates and berries. Provide a nesting platform and plant native hackberry, serviceberry, poison ivy and sumac to supplement their diet.

Others: black (Southwest) and Say’s (western half of the United States) phoebes

Baltimore Oriole: Colorful migrants that readily visit backyards, Baltimore orioles eat insects, fruit and nectar. The songbirds range from the central Midwest to the Northeast and nest in hanging pouches in deciduous trees. Plant blackberry, serviceberry and cherry for food, as well as elm, sycamore, tupelo and other shade trees as nesting spots.

Others: hooded (Southwest), Bullock’s (mostly western half of the country) and orchard (eastern half) orioles

House Wren: Regular backyard visitors, house wrens have diets that consist almost exclusively of insects and spiders. Not very fussy about sites, these birds may nest in nest boxes, mailboxes, building crevices–even in pockets of hanging laundry. House wrens range throughout most of the lower 48 states during parts of the year. Include low-lying shrubs (such as American beautyberry) or brush piles in your yard–sources for cover, nesting materials and food.

Other insect-eating wrens that regularly visit backyards include: Carolina (East), Bewick’s (southern half of the United States and Pacific Coast) and cactus (Southwest) wrens.

These ten birds, of course, are not alone in consuming backyard pests. Many other species–such as the northern cardinal and black-capped chickadee–eat insects or feed them to their young during the summer. Yet as summer winds down, your efforts to attract birds shouldn’t come to a halt. “The natural foods you provide in your yard throughout the year will encourage these songsters to visit again,” says Tufts. As a result, the birds may return and combat a new generation of insects the next year.

To learn more, visit NWF’s Backyard Wildlife HabitatTM Web site at www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat and www.eNature.com/garden_birds (where you can search by zip code to see which species live in your area). In addition, log onto http://birds.cornell.edu to see how you can help monitor backyard birds for scientists. Sarah Boyle is an associate editor for this magazine.