All About the Birds

The Black-capped Chickadee brings three words to mind: cute, curious and bold. If you are patient, a Chickadee will take seed directly from your hand. Over the summer Chickadees will…

Although Dark-eyed Juncos spend most of their summers in Canada and our western mountains, these so-called “snow birds” become one of the most abundant sparrows in North America during the…

Downy Woodpeckers don’t sing songs, instead they drum loudly against wood or other hard objects to achieve the same effect. People typically think this drumming is part of the birds’…

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is eastern North America’s sole breeding hummingbird. These tiny creatures are unique in that they can hover and even fly backwards while beating their wings at an…

The brightly colored Belted Kingfisher is commonly found across North America. These shy noisy birds can often be seen perching on telephone wires over the Outlet Pond and along our…

A small gray bird with a brushy crest, the Tufted Titmouse is common in our eastern forests. Titmice typically build their nests in cavities they might find in dead trees.…

The Eastern Phoebe is a plump grayish songbird with a dark head that looks a bit large for a bird of its size. Like most small flycatchers they are well…

Great Blue Herons are best known for their ability to fish. They spend most of their time slowly wading along the edges of marshes, estuaries, and ponds. Although they appear…

The Gray Catbird is probably best known for its songs. They are closely related to the Mockingbird evident in their ability to mimic the sounds of other species in order…

A tireless songster, the Red-eyed Vireo is one of the most common summer residents of our local forests. These birds have been known to sing as many as 10,000 songs…

Although Red-winged Blackbirds can be found in our area year-round, they are most easily spotted during their breeding season by visiting cattail marshes and other wetlands, which is where they…

White-breasted Nuthatches get their name from their habit of whacking large seeds with their sharp bill to “hatch” out the seed from the inside. They are famous for their unmistakable…