The Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) has had much press over the past few years over its possible rediscovery. The jury might still be out for the world’s third largest woodpecker’s existence, but the Birdfreaks are still hopeful. So, instead of a fact we will use a quote to finish out our 31 days: President Theodore
Continue reading 31 Cool Bird Facts #31 – Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Cedar Waxwing – digiscoped with Swarovski 80 HD Spotting Scope
The White-crowned Sparrow [Zonotrichia leucophrys] is one of the sleekest looking sparrows. Like many sparrow species, it is understudied and has a number of subspecies that may be true species. Because male White-crowned Sparrows learn the songs they grew up with and do not travel far from where they were raised, song dialects frequently form.
Continue reading 31 Cool Bird Facts #30 – White-crowned Sparrow
Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) are our area’s cool, common mimics that we found have their own idiom. We found this cool fact from BirdNote, a radio series that consists of short two-minute snippets of interesting bird information. Sitting in the catbird seat Longtime baseball announcer Red Barber often described a player in a winning situation
The Marsh Wren [Cistothorus palustris] has been referred to as the “Long-billed Marsh Wren” and may very well represent two (or more) species. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Eastern and Western populations of this skulking wren have very different songs, so different that they may actually be two separate species. Marsh Wren preening
There are eight pelican species in the world and the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) is the larger of the two species found in North America. and is also the only white-colored one. [Other pelicans are white as well.] American White Pelicans dip their heads under the water to scoop up fish. They will work
Continue reading 31 Cool Bird Facts #27 – American White Pelican
Bird Photography Weekly #8 is in the bank! We only netted 10 species this time around but it was still loads of fun! Please join in again this week!! The list: Osprey x2 first time we had a double!! Pileated Woodpecker Yellow-tailed Thornbill Carolina Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet Eastern Bluebird Little Grebe White Ibis Whooping Crane
Semipalmated Plovers [Charadrius semipalmatus] are common shorebirds that can best be described as small, brown and white, and completely adorable. The Semipalmated Plover has been seen to swim short distances across small water channels during foraging while on migration. Chicks also swim short distances to follow parents to small islets on shallow lakes. – Cornell
Continue reading 31 Cool Bird Facts #26 – Semipalmated Plover
