Birds

[AMKuska]

I keep seeing absolutely stunning birds in my garden. I can't believe there are so many.

A Red Breasted Sap Sucker hanging out on the kid's swing

Black Capped Chickadee

Flicker

Vicious Chicken Killing Murderer

Robin

Starling with a Bug

Song Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

A Fat Bird

Also a Fat Bird (ID'd as Song Sparrow by DigitS)

 

[flowerbug]

lol fat birds

 

[AMKuska]

I don't know what they are, so I had to name them something lol

 

[digitS']

Better than my "Roger Tory Peterson:"

Song Sparrow Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

A rich, russet-and-gray bird with bold streaks down its white chest, the Song Sparrow is one of the most familiar North American sparrows. Don’t let the bewildering variety of regional differences this bird shows across North America deter you: it’s one of the first species you should suspect if...

www.allaboutbirds.org

House Sparrow Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

You can find House Sparrows most places where there are houses (or other buildings), and few places where there aren’t. Along with two other introduced species, the European Starling and the Rock Pigeon, these are some of our most common birds. Their constant presence outside our doors makes...

www.allaboutbirds.org

Steve
likes to see the Towhee around

 

[AMKuska]

Ruby throated humming bird

 

[so lucky]

I belong to a group on facebook that lets members post pics of sites in the state that they find attractive. It is amazing how many Missouri homeowners have Summer Tanagers, Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks, even a few Painted Buntings at their back yard feeders. I guess they are on a migration route. We don't see many exotic birds like that here, though, in my area.

 

[AMKuska]

My neighbor just saw a Western Tanager drinking at a puddle! Apparently they usually stay up in the canopy so while they're common, you just don't see them. As I get better at birding, I'm actually starting to realize my backyard is FULL of birds. There are tons of different types of birds in every possible description that live in my yard. My son and I are going to buy a big fat notebook soon and start drawing and writing about every species we see in the yard.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

So many birds that we, out west, don't have. Thanks!

 

[ducks4you]

Better than my "Roger Tory Peterson:"

Song Sparrow Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

A rich, russet-and-gray bird with bold streaks down its white chest, the Song Sparrow is one of the most familiar North American sparrows. Don’t let the bewildering variety of regional differences this bird shows across North America deter you: it’s one of the first species you should suspect if...

www.allaboutbirds.org

House Sparrow Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

You can find House Sparrows most places where there are houses (or other buildings), and few places where there aren’t. Along with two other introduced species, the European Starling and the Rock Pigeon, these are some of our most common birds. Their constant presence outside our doors makes...

www.allaboutbirds.org

Steve
likes to see the Towhee around

You have GOT to help me identify a bird that has been hanging around this Spring. It has a very pretty song...I could write it out in music...can't find any site that will let me id it without spending hours on the internet. Any suggestions as to where to go?

 

[digitS']

Hmmm, I used to think that for weed ID that Virginia Tech was an easy choice. As they have (presumably) put more information online, it is now more complex and time-consuming to use. That is especially for me since I don't have a good vocabulary for plant parts ...

Asking someone who has severe hearing loss about identifying birds by song? I'm noticing that yet again this year, the robins seem to have changed their song. I've been trying to practice identifying song sparrows by their silhouette and flight pattern as they fly over me in the blue sky ...

Write it out as music?!! See, you have a "vocabulary" that I couldn't possibly have, @ducks4you ! Know that Cornell has audio song recordings. I have fun listening to them . I bet that you will quickly be able to identify the songs. It helps to have some idea of the bird family to check. Then, look at their range maps.

Catching sight of the bird that is doing the singing may be necessary. Realize that most birds "mark territory" by singing. That means, that they are often traveling around, sing here and there and there, and over there. I've often thought how the person listening might think that it's all a pretty song. Meanwhile, the bird is thinking it's saying, "Boy, you come over here and you are in Trouble!" Or, he might be saying, "Sheesh, this constant attention to DW and the nestlings is really getting tedious. I'm about to go nutz!!!"

Steve