Yellow-rumped Warbler

by admin  
Filed under Backyard Bird Identification

Leave a Comment

Yellow-rumped Warbler
adult male “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler in alternate plumage, D. coronata, auduboni group
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae Genus: Dendroica Species: D. coronata
Binomial name
Dendroica coronata (Linnaeus, 1766)

Four closely related North American bird forms—the eastern Myrtle Warbler (ssp coronata), its western counterpart, Audubon’s Warbler (ssp group auduboni), the Northwest Mexican Black-fronted Warbler (ssp nigrifrons), and the Guatemalan Goldman’s Warbler (ssp goldmani)—are periodically lumped as the Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata).

Contents 1 Classification 2 Distribution 3 Description 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External links 7 Further reading 7.1 Book 7.2 Theses 7.3 Articles

Classification

Since 1973, American Ornithological Union has elected to merge these passerine birds as one species. The Myrtle and Audubon’s forms were apparently separated by glaciation during the last ice age, and developed distinguishing physical characteristics. When it was shown however that they were able to interbreed, they no longer qualified to be considered as separate species. The reluctance of some North American birdwatchers to accept A.O.U.’s change in speciation may stem from the changes in their “life lists”. Technically, what before may have justifiably counted for two entries should perhaps now be cut back to one. The two Middle American subspecies, goldmani and nigrifrons are sedentary and diverged from the northern migratory subspecies in the Pleistocene, and so probably represent separate species.

Distribution

The Yellow-rumped Warbler breeds from eastern North America west to the Pacific, and southward from there into Western Mexico. “Goldman’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler is endemic to the highlands of Guatemala. It is a migratory bird which travels to Central America and the Caribbean for winters. Among warblers it is one of the last to leave North America in the fall, and among the first to return. It is an occasional vagrant to the British Isles and Iceland.

Description

In summers, males of both forms have streaked backs of black on slate blue, white wing patches, a streaked breast, and conspicuous yellow patches on the crown, flank, and rump. Audubon’s Warbler also sports a yellow throat patch, while the Myrtle Warbler has a white throat and eye stripe, and a contrasting black cheek patch. Females of both forms are more dull, with brown streaking front and back, but still have noticeable yellow rumps. Goldman’s Warbler, of Guatemala, resembles Audubon’s but has a white lower border to the yellow throat and otherwise darker plumage; males replace the slate blue of Audubon’s with black.

These birds are primarily insectivorous, although when bugs are scarce, the Myrtle Warbler also enjoys eating the wax-myrtle berries which gave it its name. They often flit, flycatcher-like, out from their perches in short loops, in search of insects.

They nest in coniferous and mixed woodlands, and lay 4-5 eggs in a cup-shaped nest.

The Yellow-rumped has a trill-like song of 4-7 syllables (tyew-tyew-tyew-tyew,tew-tew-tew) and an occasional check or chip call note.

Gallery

A leucistic individual

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Yellow-rumped Warbler

• BirdLife International (2004). Dendroica coronata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 10 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
• Howell, Steve N. G., and Sophie Webb (1994). A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-854012-4.

External links

• Yellow-rumped Warbler Species Account – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Yellow-rumped Warbler Information and Photos – South Dakota Birds and Birding
• Yellow-rumped Warbler – Dendroica coronata – USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
• Picture link

Further reading

Source: Wikipedia.org All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

by admin  
Filed under Backyard Bird Identification

Leave a Comment

Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae Genus: Coccyzus Species: C. americanus
Binomial name
Coccyzus americanus (Linnaeus, 1758)

The Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus, is a cuckoo. Common folk-names for this bird in the southern United States are Rain Crow and Storm Crow. These likely refer to the bird’s habit of calling on hot days, often presaging thunderstorms.

Contents 1 Description 2 Behaviour 2.1 Breeding 2.2 Food 2.3 Call 3 Western Race of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo 4 References 5 References 6 External links

Description

Adults have a long tail, brown above and black-and-white below, and a black curved bill with yellow especially on the lower mandible. The head and upper parts are brown and the underparts are white. There is a yellow ring around the eye. It shows cinnamon on the wings in flight. Juveniles are similar, but the black on the undertail is replaced by gray.

Behaviour

Breeding

Their breeding habitat is deciduous woods from southern Canada to Mexico. They nest in a tree or shrub, usually up to 2-12 feet (1-4 meters) above the ground. The nest is a flimsy platform of short twigs placed on a horizontal branch. The 3-4 eggs are incubated for 14 days or less. The chicks are able to climb about with agility at 7-9 days of age. At about this same time, the feathers of the chicks burst out of their sheaths and the young are able to fly. The entire time from egg-laying to fledging may be as little as 17 days.

Yellow-billed Cuckoos occasionally lay eggs in the nests of other birds (most often the closely-related Black-billed Cuckoo), but they are not obligate brood parasites of other birds as is the Common Cuckoo of Eurasia.

They migrate to Central America and as far south as northern Argentina. This bird is a rare vagrant to western Europe.

Food

These birds forage in dense shrubs and trees, also may catch insects in flight. They mainly eat insects, especially tent caterpillars and cicadas, but also some lizards, eggs of other birds and berries.

Call

This bird has a number of calls; the most common is a rapid ka ka ka ka ka kow kow kow.

Western Race of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo

There is an ongoing debate regarding the taxonomic status of the western race and if it is distinct from those birds in the east. This question is significant to the conservation status of this species in the west, where it has declined to a tiny fraction of its population a century ago¹². Populations of this species in western North America are in steep decline. The bird disappeared from British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon during the first half of the twentieth century. Eastern populations have declined as well, though not as precipitously.

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Coccyzus americanus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
• John K. Terres (1980), Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds, Knopf, ISBN 0-394-46651-9
• David Gaines Review of the Status of the Yellow-Billed Cuckoo in California: Sacramento Valley Populations The Condor, Vol. 76, No. 2 (Summer, 1974), pp. 204-209
• Laymon, S.A., and M.D. Halterman. 1987. Can the western subspecies of Yellow-billed Cuckoo be saved from extinction? Western Birds 18:19-25.

References

1. ^ Yellow-Billed Cuckoo Species Account, Sacramento Fish & Wildlife Office
2. ^ Biogeography of Western Yellow Billed Cuckoo

External links

• Natchez Naturalist
• Center for Biological Diversity
• Cornell University–All About Birds
• eNature.com profile
• USGS
• PRBO Western Race
• South Dakota Birds and Birding

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Coccyzus americanus

Source: Wikipedia.org All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

by admin  
Filed under Backyard Bird Identification

Leave a Comment

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Male
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)1
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Genus: Sphyrapicus Species: S. varius
Binomial name
Sphyrapicus varius (Linnaeus, 1766)

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius, is a medium-sized woodpecker.

Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 2.1 Vocalization 3 Distribution and Habitat 4 Ecology and Behavior 4.1 Diet 4.2 Reproduction 4.3 Wintering and Migration 5 References 6 External links

Taxonomy

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is part of the New World sapsucker genus Sphyrapicus which is within the woodpecker family Picidae The genus also includes the Red-naped Sapsucker, Red-breasted Sapsucker and Williamson’s Sapsucker.

Description

Adults are black on the back and wings with white bars; they have a black head with white lines down the side and a red forehead and crown, a yellow breast and upper belly, a white lower belly and rump and a black tail with a white central bar. Adult males have a red throat; females have a white throat.

Vocalization

They drum and give a cat-like call in spring to declare ownership of territory.

Distribution and Habitat

Their breeding habitat is forested areas across Canada, eastern Alaska and the northeastern United States. They prefer young, mainly deciduous forests. There is also a disjunct population found in high elevations of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Ecology and Behavior

Diet

Like other sapsuckers, these birds drill holes in trees and eat the sap and insects drawn to it. They may also pick insects from tree trunks or catch them in flight. They also eat fruit and berries.

Reproduction

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers nest in a large cavity excavated in a deciduous tree, often choosing one weakened by disease; the same site may be used for several years.

They will mate with the same partner from year to year, as long as both birds survive. They sometimes hybridize with Red-naped Sapsuckers or Red-breasted Sapsuckers where their breeding ranges overlap.

Wintering and Migration

These birds migrate to the southeastern United States, West Indies and Central America, leaving their summer range. This species has occurred as a very rare vagrant to Ireland and Great Britain.

Female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – molting juvenile

Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Species Account – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Information and Photos – South Dakota Birds and Birding
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Melanerpes carolinus – USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
• Stamps (for Antigua and Barbuda, Barbuda, Dominica, El Salvador, Nevis-(Saint Kitts and Nevis), Turks and Caicos Islands)
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker photo gallery VIREO

Source: Wikipedia.org All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

Yellow Warbler

by admin  
Filed under Backyard Bird Identification

Leave a Comment

Yellow Warbler Golden Warbler Mangrove Warbler
Adult male Yellow Warbler (aestiva group) Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, Ontario, Canada
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Subclass: Neornithes Infraclass: Neognathae Superorder: Neoaves Order: Passeriformes Suborder: Passeri Infraorder: Passerida Superfamily: Passeroidea Family: Parulidae Genus: Dendroica Species: D. petechia
Binomial name
Dendroica petechia (Linnaeus, 1766)
Synonyms
Dendroica aestiva (but see text)

The Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) is a New World warbler. It is the most widespread Dendroica species, breeding in almost the whole of North America and down to northern South America.

Systematics and description

The Yellow Warbler has 35 subspecies, which can be divided into three main groups. Each of these groups is sometimes considered a separate species, or the aestiva group (Yellow Warbler) is considered a species different from D. petechia (Mangrove Warbler, including Golden Warbler):

• The Yellow Warbler proper (aestiva group) breeds in the whole of temperate North America as far south as central Mexico in open, often wet, woodland or shrub. It is migratory, wintering in Central and South America. This form is a very rare vagrant to western Europe. It is 11.5 cm long and weighs 9 g. The summer males of this group are greenish above and yellow below, with red breast streaking. The various aestiva group races vary mainly in brightness.
• The Mangrove Warbler (erithachorides group) is larger at 12.5 cm and weighs 11 g. It is resident in the mangrove swamps of coastal Central America and northern South America. The summer males differ from aestiva group warblers in that they have rufous hoods. The races in this group vary in the extent and hue of the hood.
• The Golden Warbler (petechia group) is resident in the mangrove swamps of the West Indies. The Cuban Golden Warbler (D. p. gundlachi) barely reaches the Florida Keys where it was first noted in 1941, and by the mid-20th century a breeding population was resident¹. Though individual birds may stray farther north, their distribution is restricted by the absence of mangrove habitat. The summer males differs from aestiva group warblers in that they have a rufous crown or hood. The races in this group vary in the extent and hue of the head patch.

Other plumages of all races are essentially greenish above and a duller yellow below, although young males soon acquire breast and – where appropriate – head colouration. Females are somewhat duller, most notably on the head.

Female Yellow Warbler attending nest in Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge

Young or winter male Golden Warbler on Jamaica

Male Mangrove Warbler at Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands

Female Mangrove Warbler at Las Bachas, Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands

	Yellow Warbler (aestiva group) song Recorded in Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, Ontario, Canada
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

The song is a musical sweet sweet sweet, I’m so sweet, although it varies considerably between races. The call is a soft or harder ship.

Ecology

These birds feed on insects and spiders, but northern races will also take some berries, namely in their winter quarters².

The migratory populations arrive in their breeding range in late spring – generally about April/May – and move to winter quarters again starting as early as July, when the young are fledged. Most, however, stay a bit longer; by the end of August, the bulk of the northern populations has moved south, though some may linger almost until fall. At least in northern Ohio, Yellow Warblers do not seem to remain on their breeding grounds longer than they did 100 years ago.³

Yellow Warblers nest in trees, building a cup nest. Birds of the aestiva group lay 3–6 eggs, but the two other groups, which breed in mangroves, lay fewer eggs, as would be expected for tropical races.

The Yellow Warbler is a regular host of the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), a nest parasite, and it has evolved strategies to combat such nest parasitism. Upon discovering a cowbird egg laid in its nest, the warbler will often build a new layer to the nest, covering up the cowbird egg (and its own eggs, if they have been laid). In other circumstances, the bird may desert the nest altogether. The predators of Yellow Warblers are typical of North American, tree-nesting passerines. Nest predators, of eggs, hatchlings and distracted adults, include long-tailed weasels, red foxes, raccoons, garter snakes, blue racers, striped skunks, domestic cats, crows, jays and squirrels. These predators pose little threat to the nimble, non-nesting adults, but raptors such as american kestrels, sharp-shinned hawks, screech owls and cooper’s hawks do take them.⁴

Footnotes

References

• BirdLife International (BLI) (2008). Dendroica petechia. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2008. Retrieved on 30 December 2008.
• Cunningham, Richard L. (1966): A Florida winter specimen of Dendroiva petechia gundlachi. Wilson Bull. 78(2): 232. DjVu fulltext PDF fulltext
• Curson, Jon; Quinn, David & Beadle David (1994): New World Warblers. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0-7136-3932-6
• Foster, Mercedes S. (2007): The potential of fruiting trees to enhance converted habitats for migrating birds in southern Mexico. Bird Conservation International 17(1): 45-61. doi:10.1017/S0959270906000554 PDF fulltext
• Henninger, W.F. (1906): A preliminary list of the birds of Seneca County, Ohio. Wilson Bull. 18(2): 47-60. DjVu fulltext PDF fulltext
• Londono, Aurora; Pulgarin-R., Paulo C. & Blair, Silva (2007): Blood Parasites in Birds From the Lowlands of Northern Colombia. Caribb. J. Sci. 43(1): 87-93. PDF fulltext
• Ohio Ornithological Society (OOS) (2004): Annotated Ohio state checklist. Version of April 2004. PDF fulltext

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dendroica petechia

• Yellow breasted Warbler by John Audubon
• Yellow Warbler Information and Photos – South Dakota Birds and Birding
• Yellow Warbler Species Account – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Yellow Warbler – Dendroia petechia – USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
• Grizzlyrun Yellow Warbler general information and photos
• Stamps
• Yellow Warbler videos on the Internet Bird Collection-(Cozumel Island, Mexico)

Source: Wikipedia.org All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

Wilson’s Warbler

by admin  
Filed under Backyard Bird Identification

Leave a Comment

Wilson’s Warbler
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae Genus: Wilsonia Species: W. pusilla
Binomial name
Wilsonia pusilla (Wilson, 1811)

The Wilson’s Warbler, (Wilsonia pusilla), is a New World warbler. It breeds in northern North America across Canada and south through the western United States.

It is migratory, wintering in Central America. This is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.

The Wilson’s Warbler is 12 cm long. It has a plain green-brown back and yellow underparts. The male has a small black cap. Males of the western race W. p. chryseola are greener above and brighter than the eastern race.

The breeding habitat is fairly open woodlands with undergrowth or shrubs. Wilson’s Warblers nest on the ground, laying 4-6 eggs in a cup nest.

These birds feed on insects, often caught by flycatching.

The song is a series of descending notes. The call is a loud chif.

This bird was first described in 1811 by the American ornithologist Alexander Wilson, who gave his own name to the species.

[edit] Image Gallery

[edit] References

• Wilsonia pusilla (TSN 178973). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 27 February 2006.
• Curson, Quinn and Beadle. New World Warblers ISBN 0-7136-3932-6

[edit] External links

• Wilson’s Warbler – Wilsonia pusilla – USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
• Wilson’s Warbler Species Account – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Wilson’s Warbler Information and Photos – South Dakota Birds and Birding

White-eared Catbird

by admin  
Filed under Backyard Bird Identification

Leave a Comment

White-eared Catbird
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Ptilonorhynchidae Genus: Ailuroedus Species: A. buccoides
Binomial name
Ailuroedus buccoides (Temminck, 1835)

The White-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus buccoides) is a species of bird in the Ptilonorhynchidae family. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

References

• BirdLife International 2004. Ailuroedus buccoides. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 25 July 2007.

Source: Wikipedia.org All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

White-browed Blackbird

by admin  
Filed under Backyard Bird Identification

Leave a Comment

White-browed Blackbird
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae Genus: Sturnella Species: S. superciliaris
Binomial name
Sturnella superciliaris (Bonaparte, 1851)

The White-browed Blackbird, Sturnella superciliaris, is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. Despite its name and colouration, it is in the same genus as the meadowlarks, and is less closely related to the Red-winged Blackbird group. It is, of course, completely unrelated to the European Blackbird, which is a thrush.

The White-browed Blackbird breeds in northeastern Brazil and in southern South America from southwestern Brazil through Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Southern populations are partially migratory.

Like other meadowlarks, it is a bird associated with open country, including moist grasslands, pasture and cultivation, preferably with the odd bush or fence post for males to use as a songpost. In display the male flies up to 10 m in the air, then parachutes down on folded wings whilst singing an initially buzzing song, followed by a series of notes TZZZZZZ-teee-chu-chu-chak-chak. The call is a short chuck.

The White-browed Blackbird builds a deep grass-lined open cup nest on the ground amongst tall grasses, with several nests often close together. The normal clutch is three to five reddish brown-blotched greenish eggs. This species is often parasitised by the Shiny Cowbird, and on one occasion 19 cowbird eggs were found with one blackbird egg in a nest.

The White-browed Blackbird is a small icterid. The male has mainly black plumage, apart from a bright red throat, belly and wing epaulets, and a white supercilium. The female has buff edged dark brown upperpart feathers, buff underparts, and pale streaks through the crown and eye. Juveniles resemble the female, but are paler.

This species is very closely related to the Red-breasted Blackbird, S. militaris, which breeds further north, and was formerly considered to be subspecies of that bird. The male White-browed is easily distinguished by his bright white supercilium, but females of the two species are almost identical. Female Red-breasted Blackbird is longer billed, smaller, and shorter winged than White-browed, with more red and less streaking on the underparts.

This gregarious bird feeds mainly on insects and some seeds, including rice, and forages on the ground like a Bobolink.

The White-browed Blackbird has benefited from the more open habitat created by forest clearance and ranching, and is extending its range.

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Sturnella superciliaris. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 9 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

• New World Blackbirds by Jaramillo and Burke, ISBN 0-7136-4333-1

Source: Wikipedia.org All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

White-breasted Nuthatch

by admin  
Filed under Backyard Bird Identification

Leave a Comment

White-breasted Nuthatch
Adult male S. c. carolinensis
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)1
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Sittidae Genus: Sitta Species: S. carolinensis
Binomial name
Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790
Approximate year-round range23

The White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is a small songbird of the nuthatch family which breeds in old-growth woodland across much of temperate North America. It is a stocky bird, with a large head, short tail, powerful bill and strong feet. The upperparts are pale blue-gray, and the face and underparts are white. It has a black cap and a chestnut lower belly. The nine subspecies differ mainly in the color of the body plumage.

Like other nuthatches, the White-breasted Nuthatch forages for insects on trunks and branches, and is able to move head-first down trees. Seeds form a substantial part of its winter diet, as do acorns and hickory nuts that were stored by the bird in the fall. The nest is in a hole in a tree, and the breeding pair may smear insects around the entrance as a deterrent to squirrels. Adults and young may be killed by hawks, owls and snakes, and forest clearance may lead to local habitat loss, but this is a common species with no major conservation concerns over most of its range.

Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 2.1 Geographical variation 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Behavior 4.1 Breeding 4.2 Survival 4.3 Feeding 5 Status 6 Notes 7 References 8 External links

Taxonomy

The nuthatches are a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds which derive their English name from the propensity of some species to wedge large insects or seeds into cracks, and then hack at them with their strong bills.⁴ Sitta is derived from sitt?, the Ancient Greek for nuthatch,⁵ and carolinensis means “of Carolina” in Latin. The White-breasted Nuthatch was first described by English ornithologist John Latham in his 1790 work, the Index Ornithologicus.⁶

Nuthatch taxonomy is complex, with geographically separated species sometimes closely resembling each other. The White-breasted Nuthatch has a similar appearance and contact call to the White-cheeked Nuthatch, Sitta leucopsis, of the Himalayas and was formerly considered to be conspecific.²

Description

Like other members of its genus, the White-breasted Nuthatch has a large head, short tail, short wings, a powerful bill and strong feet; it is 13–14 cm (5–6 in) long, with a wingspan of 20–27 cm (8–11 in) and a weight of 18–30 g (0.64–1.06 oz).³

The adult male of the nominate subspecies, S. c. carolinensis, has pale blue-gray upperparts, a glossy black cap (crown of the head), and a black band on the upper back. The wing coverts and flight feathers are very dark gray with paler fringes, and the closed wing is pale gray and black, with a thin white wing bar. The face and the underparts are white. The outer tail feathers are black with broad diagonal white bands across the outer three feathers, a feature readily visible in flight.²

The female has, on average, a narrower black back band, slightly duller upperparts and buffer underparts than the male. Her cap may be gray, but many females have black caps, and cannot be reliably distinguished from the male in the field. In the northeastern United States, at least 10% of females have black caps, but the proportion rises to 40–80% in the Rocky Mountains, Mexico and the southeastern U.S. Juveniles are similar to the adult, but duller plumaged.²

Like other nuthatches, this is a noisy species with a range of vocalizations. The male’s mating song is a rapid nasal qui-qui-qui-qui-qui-qui-qui. The contact call between members of a pair, given most frequently in the fall and winter is a thin squeaky nit, uttered up to 30 times a minute. A more distinctive sound is a shrill kri repeated rapidly with mounting anxiety or excitement kri-kri-kri-kri-kri-kri-kri-kri; the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin subspecies have a higher, faster yididitititit call,² and Pacific birds a more nasal beeerf.⁷

Three other, significantly smaller, nuthatches have ranges which overlap that of White-breasted, but none has white plumage completely surrounding the eye. Further distinctions are that the Red-breasted Nuthatch has a black eye line and reddish underparts, and the Brown-headed and Pygmy Nuthatches each have a brown cap, and a white patch on the nape of the neck.⁷

Geographical variation

The White-breasted Nuthatch has nine subspecies, although the differences are small and change gradually across the range. The subspecies are sometimes treated as three groups based on close similarities in morphology, habitat usage, and vocalizations. These groups cover eastern North America, the Great Basin and central Mexico, and the Pacific coastal regions.⁷ The subspecies of the western interior have the darkest upperparts, and eastern S. c. carolinensis has the palest back.² The eastern form also has a thicker bill and broader dark cap stripe than the interior and Pacific races. The calls of the three groups differ, as described above.⁷

Subspecies2	Range	Appearance
S. c. carolinensis	Nominate subspecies, northeast North America west to Saskatchewan and eastern Texas	Palest back and cap
S. c. nelsoni	Rocky Mountains, from northern Montana south to extreme northwest Chihuahua	Smaller than nominate, darker gray upperparts, darker cap, less contrast in wings
S. c. tenuissima	From British Columbia through the Cascade Range to southern California	Smaller than S. c. nelsoni, with slightly paler upperparts and a more slender bill
S. c. aculeata	Western parts of Washington, Oregon and California, northernmost Baja California.	Smaller than S. c. tenuissima, with buffer underparts, slightly paler upperparts and a more slender bill
S. c. alexandrae	Northern Baja California	Larger than S. c. aculeata, with marginally darker upperparts. The longest-billed race
S. c. lagunae	Southernmost Baja California	Smaller than S. c. alexandrae with slightly darker; underparts and more buff. Bill relatively stout
S. c. oberholseri	Southwest Texas and eastern Mexico	Very similar to S. c. nelsoni, but upperparts and underparts slightly darker
S. c. mexicana	Western Mexico	Duller than S. c. oberholseri with grayer flanks
S. c. kinneari	Southern Mexico in Guerrero and Oaxaca	Smallest subspecies, similar to S. c. mexicana but female has more extensively orange-buff underparts. Short, stout bill

Distribution and habitat

The breeding habitat of the White-breasted Nuthatch is woodland across North America, from southern Canada to northern Florida and southern Mexico. In the eastern part of its range, its preferred habitat is old-growth open deciduous or mixed forest, including orchards, parks, suburban gardens and cemeteries; it is found mainly in the lowlands, although it breeds at 1,675 m (5,500 ft) altitude in Tennessee. In the west and Mexico, this nuthatch is found in open montane pine-oak woodlands, and nesting occurs at up to 3,200 m (10,500 ft) altitude in Nevada, California and Mexico.² Pinyon-juniper and riverside woodlands may be used locally where available.⁸ The White-breasted Nuthatch is the only North American nuthatch usually found in deciduous trees; Red-breasted, Pygmy and Brown-headed Nuthatches prefer pines.⁷

The presence of mature or decaying trees with holes suitable for nesting is essential, and trees such as oak, beech and hickory are favored in the east since they provide edible seeds.² Although suitable habitat is distributed continentally, it is discontinuous, and the separate populations of this non-migratory species have diverged to form distinct regional subspecies.⁹

This nuthatch, like most of its genus, is non-migratory, and the adults normally stay in their territory year-round. There may be more noticeable dispersal due to seed failure or high reproductive success in some years,¹⁰ and this species has occurred as a vagrant to Vancouver Island, Santa Cruz Island, and Bermuda. One bird landed on the RMS Queen Mary six hours sailing east of New York in October 1963.²

Behavior

Breeding

The White-breasted Nuthatch is monogamous, and pairs form following a courtship in which the male bows to the female, spreading his tail and drooping his wings while swaying back and forth; he also feeds her morsels of food.¹⁰ The pair establish a territory of 0.10–0.15 square kilometers (25–38 acres) in woodland, and up to 0.2 square kilometers (50 acres) in semi-wooded habitats, and then remain together year-round until one partner dies or disappears.¹¹ The nest cavity is usually a natural hole in a decaying tree, sometimes an old woodpecker nest, and occasionally an artificial nest box intended for the Eastern Bluebird.¹²

The nest hole is usually 3–12 m (10–40 ft) high in a tree and is lined with fur, fine grass, and shredded bark. The clutch is five to nine eggs which are creamy-white, speckled with reddish brown, and average 19 x 14 mm (0.75 x 0.55 in) in size. The eggs are incubated by the female for 13 to 14 days prior to hatching, and the altricial chicks fledge in a further 18 to 26 days.³ Both adults feed the chicks in the nest and for about two weeks after fledging, and the male also feeds the female while she is incubating. Once independent, juveniles leave the adults’ territory and either establish their own territory or become “floaters”, unpaired birds without territories. It is probably these floaters which are mainly involved in the irregular dispersals of this species. This species of nuthatch roosts in tree holes or behind loose bark when not breeding, and has the unusual habit of removing its faeces from the roost site in the morning. It usually roosts alone except in very cold weather, when up to 29 birds have been recorded together.²

Survival

Predators of adult nuthatches include owls and diurnal birds of prey (such as Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks), and nestlings and eggs are eaten by woodpeckers, small squirrels, and climbing snakes such as the Smooth Green Snake. The White-breasted Nuthatch responds to predators near the nest by flicking its wings while making hn-hn calls. When a bird leaves the nest hole, it wipes around the entrance with a piece of fur or vegetation; this makes it more difficult for a predator to find the nest using its sense of smell.¹¹ The nuthatch may also smear blister beetles around the entrance to its nest, and it has been suggested that the unpleasant smell from the crushed insects deters squirrels, its chief competitor for natural tree cavities.¹³ The estimated average lifespan of this nuthatch is two years,¹¹ but the record is twelve years and nine months.¹⁰

This nuthatch’s responses to predators may be linked to a reproductive strategy. A study compared the White-breasted Nuthatch with the Red-breasted Nuthatch in terms of the willingness of males to feed incubating females on the nest when presented with models of predators. The models were of a Sharp-shinned Hawk, which hunts adult nuthatches, and a House Wren, which destroys eggs.¹⁴ The White-breasted Nuthatch is shorter-lived than the Red-breasted Nuthatch, but has more young, and was found to respond more strongly to the egg predator, whereas the Red-breasted showed greater concern with the hawk. This supports the theory that longer-lived species benefit from adult survival and future breeding opportunities, while birds with shorter life spans place more value on the survival of their larger broods.¹⁴

Feeding

The White-breasted Nuthatch forages along tree trunks and branches in a similar way to woodpeckers and treecreepers, but does not use its tail for additional support, instead progressing in jerky hops using its strong legs and feet. All nuthatches are distinctive when seeking food because they are able to descend tree trunks head-first and can hang upside-down beneath twigs and branches.¹⁵¹⁶

This nuthatch is omnivorous, eating insects and seeds. It places large food items such as acorns or hickory nuts in crevices in tree trunks, and then hammers them open with its strong beak; surplus seeds are cached under loose bark or crevices of trees.¹⁰ The diet in winter may be nearly 70% seeds, but in summer it is mainly insects. The insects consumed by the White-breasted Nuthatch include caterpillars, ants, and pest species such as pine weevils, oystershell and other scale insects, and jumping plant lice.¹¹¹⁷¹⁸ This bird will occasionally feed on the ground, and readily visits feeding stations for nuts, suet and sunflower seeds, the last of which it often takes away to store.¹⁰

The White-breasted Nuthatch often travels with small mixed flocks in winter. These flocks are led by titmice and chickadees, with nuthatches and Downy Woodpeckers as common attendant species. Participants in such flocks are thought to benefit in terms of foraging and predator avoidance. It is likely that the attendant species also access the information carried in the chickadees’ calls and reduce their own level of vigilance accordingly.¹⁹

Status

The White-breasted Nuthatch is a common species with a large range, estimated at 8.6 million square kilometers (3.3 million square miles). Its total population is estimated at 10 million individuals, and there is evidence of an overall population increase, so it is not believed to approach either the size criterion (fewer than 10,000 mature individuals) or the population decline criterion (declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations) of the IUCN Red List. For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.¹

The removal of dead trees from forests may cause problems locally for this species because it requires cavity sites for nesting; declines have been noted in Washington, Florida, and more widely in the southeastern U.S. west to Texas. In contrast, the breeding range is expanding in Alberta, and numbers are increasing in the northeast due to regrown forest.²²⁰²¹ This nuthatch is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, to which the three countries in which it occurs (Canada, Mexico, and the United States) are all signatories.¹¹

Notes

• ^[a] Nasal refers to the fact that the mating song sounds as if the male sings through its nose.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sitta carolinensis

• Internet Bird Collection Videos
• South Dakota Birds and Birding Information and photographs
• USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
• VIREO photo gallery

Source: Wikipedia.org All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

Western Meadowlark

by admin  
Filed under Backyard Bird Identification

Leave a Comment

Western Meadowlark
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae Genus: Sturnella Species: S. neglecta
Binomial name
Sturnella neglecta Audubon, 1844

The Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) is a medium-sized blackbird, very similar in appearance to the Eastern Meadowlark.

Adults have yellow underparts, with a black “V” on the breast, and white flanks which are streaked with black. Their upper parts are mostly brown, but also have black streaks. These birds have long pointed bills and their heads are striped with light brown and black.

Their breeding habitats are grasslands, prairies, pastures, and abandoned fields, all of which may be found from across western and central North America to northern Mexico. Where their range overlaps with the eastern species, these birds prefer thinner, drier vegetation; the two types of birds generally do not interbreed but do defend territory against one another. Their nests are situated on the ground, and are covered with a roof woven from grass. There may be more than one nesting female in a male’s territory. Their nests are sometimes destroyed by mowing operations with eggs and young in them.

Western Meadowlarks will interbreed with Eastern Meadowlarks where their ranges overlap; however, resulting young appear to have low fertility.¹

Western Meadowlarks are permanent residents throughout much of their range. Northern birds may migrate to the southern parts of their range; some birds also move east in the southern United States.

These birds forage on the ground or in low to semi-low vegetation. They sometimes search for food by probing with their bills. They mainly eat insects, although they will devour seeds and berries. In winter, these birds often feed in flocks.

These birds have a flute-like warbled song. These calls contrast with the simple, whistled call of the Eastern Meadowlark.

These two species were considered to be the same species for some time; the western species, having been overlooked for some time, was given the species name neglecta.

This is the state bird of Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon and Wyoming.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sturnella_neglecta

Contents 1 References 2 External links 3 Further reading 3.1 Book 3.2 Thesis 3.3 Articles

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Sturnella neglecta. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

External links

• Western Meadowlark Species Account – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Western Meadowlark Information and Photos – South Dakota Birds and Birding
• Western Meadowlark – Sturnella neglecta – USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter

Further reading

Book

• Lanyon, W. E. 1994. Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta). In The Birds of North America, No. 104 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists’ Union.

Thesis

• Davis SK. Ph.D. (2003). Habitat selection and demography of mixed-grass prairie songbirds in a fragmented landscape. The University of Regina (Canada), Canada.

• Horn AG. Ph.D. (1987). Repertoires and song switching in western meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta). University of Toronto (Canada), Canada.

• Pierce AM. Ph.D. (1974). ENERGETICS AND WATER ECONOMY IN THE WESTERN MEADOWLARK, STURNELLA NEGLECTA. University of California, Irvine, United States — California.

Articles

• Anderson JR & Merritt RW. (1977). The Impact of Foraging Meadowlarks Sturnella-Neglecta on the Degradation of Cattle Dung Pads. Journal of Applied Ecology. vol 14, no 2. p. 355-362.

• Anderson RC. (1989). The Development of Quadriplotriaena-Hypsokysta Nematoda Diplotriaenoidea in Grasshoppers Orthoptera. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington. vol 56, no 2. p. 199-201.

• Applegate RD & Willms AG. (1987). Distribution and Population Trend of Western Meadowlarks in Illinois USA. Prairie Naturalist. vol 19, no 3. p. 145-148.

• Aweida MK. (1995). Repertoires, territory size and mate attraction in Western Meadowlarks. The Condor. vol 97, no 4. p. 1080.

• Bakker KK, Naugle DE & Higgins KF. (2002). Incorporating landscape attributes into models for migratory grassland bird conservation. Conservation Biology. vol 16, no 6. p. 1638-1646.

• Belthoff JR, Powers LR & Reynolds TD. (1998). Breeding birds at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, 1985-1991. Great Basin Naturalist. vol 58, no 2. p. 167-183.

• Blair CL & Schitoskey FJ. (1982). Breeding Biology and Diet of the Ferruginous Hawk Buteo-Regalis in South-Dakota USA. Wilson Bulletin. vol 94, no 1. p. 46-54.

• Bock CE & Bock JH. (1987). Avian Habitat Occupancy Following Fire in a Montana USA Shrubsteppe. Prairie Naturalist. vol 19, no 3. p. 153-158.

• Bock CE, Bock JH & Bennett BC. (1995). The avifauna of remnant tallgrass prairie near Boulder, Colorado. Prairie Naturalist. vol 27, no 3. p. 147-157.

• Brandt CA & Rickard WHJ. (1992). Effects of Survey Frequency on Bird Density Estimates in the Shrub-Steppe Environment. Northwest Science. vol 66, no 3. p. 172-182.

• Bryan GG & Best LB. (1991). Bird Abundance and Species Richness in Grassed Waterways in Iowa USA Rowcrop Fields. American Midland Naturalist. vol 126, no 1. p. 90-102.

• Castrale JS. (1982). Effects of 2 Sagebrush Artemisia-Spp Control Methods on Nongame Birds. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 46, no 4. p. 945-952.

• Cicchino AC & Castro DC. (1996). Preliminary revision of the species of the genus Brueelia Keler, 1936 (Phthiraptera, Philopteridae) parasitizing Icterinae (Aves, Passeriformes, Fringillidae). Graellsia. vol 52, no 0. p. 3-30.

• Cosens SE & Falls JB. (1984). A Comparison of Sound Propagation and Song Frequency in Temperate Marsh and Grassland Habitats. Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology. vol 15, no 3. p. 161-170.

• Dale BC, Martin PA & Taylor PS. (1997). Effects of hay management on grassland songbirds in Saskatchewan. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 25, no 3. p. 616-626.

• Davis CA. (2001). Abundance and habitat associations of birds wintering in the Platte River Valley, Nebraska. Great Plains Research. vol 11, no 2. p. 233-248.

• Davis SK. (2003). Nesting ecology of mixed-grass prairie songbirds in southern Saskatchewan. Wilson Bulletin. vol 115, no 2. p. 119-130.

• Davis SK. (2004). Area sensitivity in grassland passerines: Effects of patch size, patch shape, and vegetation structure on bird abundance and occurrence in southern Saskatchewan. Auk. vol 121, no 4. p. 1130-1145.

• Davis SK. (2005). Nest-site selection patterns and the influence of vegetation on nest survival of mixed-grass prairie passerines. Condor. vol 107, no 3. p. 605-616.

• Davis SK, Brigham RM, Shaffer TL & James PC. (2006). Mixed-grass prairie passerines exhibit weak and variable responses to patch size. Auk. vol 123, no 3. p. 807-821.

• Deweese LR, McEwen LC, Settimi LA & Deblinger RD. (1983). Effects on Birds of Fenthion Aerial Application for Mosquito Control. Journal of Economic Entomology. vol 76, no 4. p. 906-911.

• Dickinson TE & Falls JB. (1989). How Western Meadowlarks Respond to Simulated Intrusions by Unmated Females. Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology. vol 25, no 3. p. 217-226.

• Dickinson TE, Falls JB & Kopachena J. (1987). Effects of Female Pairing Status and Timing of Breeding on Nesting Productivity in Western Meadowlarks Sturnella-Neglecta. Canadian Journal of Zoology. vol 65, no 12. p. 3093-3101.

• Dieni JS & Jones SL. (2003). Grassland songbird nest site selection patterns in northcentral Montana. Wilson Bulletin. vol 115, no 4. p. 388-396.

• Dieni JS & Scherr P. (2004). Roadside bias in point count surveys at Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota. Prairie Naturalist. vol 36, no 4. p. 203-211.

• Ellis CJ. (1973). Syringeal Histology Part 2 Meadowlark Sturnella-Magna Sturnella-Neglecta. Iowa State Journal of Research. vol 48, no 2. p. 175-191.

• Erwin WJ & Stasiak RH. (1979). Vertebrate Mortality During the Burning of a Reestablished Prairie in Nebraska. American Midland Naturalist. vol 101, no 1. p. 247-249.

• Faanes CA. (1981). Birds of the St-Croix River Valley Minnesota and Wisconsin USA. North American Fauna. vol 73, p. 1-196.

• Falls JB. (1985). Song Matching in Western Meadowlarks Sturnella-Neglecta. Canadian Journal of Zoology. vol 63, no 11. p. 2520-2524.

• Falls JB & D’Agincourt LG. (1981). A Comparison of Neighbor Stranger Discrimination in Eastern Meadowlarks Sturnella-Magna and Western Meadowlarks Sturnella-Neglecta. Canadian Journal of Zoology. vol 59, no 12. p. 2380-2385.

• Falls JB, Horn AG & Dickinson TE. (1988). How Western Meadowlarks Classify Their Songs Evidence from Song Matching. Animal Behaviour. vol 36, no 2. p. 579-585.

• Falls JB & Krebs JR. (1975). Sequence of Songs in Repertoires of Western Meadowlarks Sturnella-Neglecta. Canadian Journal of Zoology. vol 53, no 8. p. 1165-1178.

• Fitzner RE, Berry D, Boyd LL & Rieck CA. (1977). Nesting of Ferruginous Hawks Buteo-Regalis in Washington 1974-1975. Condor. vol 79, no 2. p. 245-249.

• Frawley BJ & Best LB. (1991). Effects of Mowing on Breeding Bird Abundance and Species Composition in Alfalfa Fields. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 19, no 2. p. 135-142.

• George TL, Fowler AC, Knight RL & McEwen LC. (1992). Impacts of a Severe Drought on Grassland Birds in Western North Dakota. Ecological Applications. vol 2, no 3. p. 275-284.

• Haire SL, Bock CE, Cade BS & Bennett BC. (2000). The role of landscape and habitat characteristics in limiting abundance of grassland nesting songbirds in an urban open space. Landscape & Urban Planning. vol 48, no 1-2. p. 65-82.

• Hanebrink EL. (1971). Dilute Albinism in a Western Meadowlark Collected in Mississippi County Arkansas. Migrant. vol 42, no 4.

• Higgins KF, Arnold TW & Barta RM. (1984). Breeding Bird Community Colonization of Sown Stands of Native Grasses in North-Dakota USA. Prairie Naturalist. vol 16, no 4. p. 177-182.

• Hill RA. (1976). Host Parasite Relationships of the Brown-Headed Cowbird in a Prairie Habitat of West Central Kansas USA. Wilson Bulletin. vol 88, no 4. p. 555-565.

• Horn A & Falls JB. (1988). Structure of Western Meadowlark Sturnella-Neglecta Song Repertoires. Canadian Journal of Zoology. vol 66, no 2. p. 284-288.

• Horn AG. (1988). Interspecific Aggression in Western Meadowlarks Sturnella-Neglecta Re-Directed Aggression?. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 59, no 3. p. 224-226.

• Horn AG, Dickinson TE & Falls JB. (1993). Male quality and song repertoires in western meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta). Canadian Journal of Zoology. vol 71, no 5. p. 1059-1061.

• Horn AG & Falls JB. (1988). REPERTOIRES AND COUNTERSINGING IN WESTERN MEADOWLARKS (STURNELLA-NEGLECTA). Ethology. vol 77, no 4. p. 337-343.

• Horn AG & Falls JB. (1988). Responses of Western Meadowlarks Sturnella-Neglecta to Song Repetition and Contrast. Animal Behaviour. vol 36, no 1. p. 291-293.

• Horn AG & Falls JB. (1991). SONG SWITCHING IN MATE ATTRACTION AND TERRITORY DEFENSE BY WESTERN MEADOWLARKS (STURNELLA-NEGLECTA). Ethology. vol 87, no 3-4. p. 262-268.

• Horn DJ, Koford RR & Braland ML. (2002). Effects of field size and landscape composition on grassland birds in south-central Iowa. Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science. vol 109, no 1-2. p. 1-7.

• Igl LD. (1996). Western meadowlark impaled on barbed-wire fence. Prairie Naturalist. vol 28, no 1. p. 25-26.

• Igl LD & Johnson DH. (1997). Changes in breeding bird populations in North Dakota: 1967 to 1992-93. Auk. vol 114, no 1. p. 74-92.

• Johnson DH & Igl LD. (2001). Area requirements of grassland birds: A regional perspective. Auk. vol 118, no 1. p. 24-34.

• Jones HL. (1968). Western Meadowlark at Raleigh North-Carolina USA Sturnella-Neglecta Record Song. Chat. vol 32, no 4. p. 104-105.

• Jones ZF & Bock CE. (2002). Conservation of grassland birds in an urbanizing landscape: A historical perspective. Condor. vol 104, no 3. p. 643-651.

• Kantrud HA & Kologiski RL. (1982). Effects of Soils and Grazing on Breeding Birds of Uncultivated Upland Grasslands of the Northern Great Plains USA. U S Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife Research Report. vol 15, p. 1-33.

• Kennedy PL, Stahlecker DW & Fair JM. (1995). Organochlorine concentrations in potential avian prey of breeding peregrine falcons in North-Central New Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist. vol 40, no 1. p. 94-100.

• King JW & Savidge JA. (1995). Effects of the Conservation Reserve Program on wildlife in southeast Nebraska. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 23, no 3. p. 377-385.

• Kinstler KA & Sordahl TA. (1994). A comparison of perch use by vocalizing eastern and western meadowlarks. Prairie Naturalist. vol 26, no 3. p. 195-200.

• Knick ST & Rotenberry JT. (1995). Landscape characteristics of fragmented shrubsteppe habitats and breeding passerine birds. Conservation Biology. vol 9, no 5. p. 1059-1071.

• Knick ST & Rotenberry JT. (2000). Ghosts of habitats past: Contribution of landscape change to current habitats used by shrubland birds. Ecology. vol 81, no 1. p. 220-227.

• Lowther PE. (1984). Repeat of a 1916 Bird Census in Northwestern Iowa USA. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science. vol 91, no 3. p. 87-91.

• Madden EM, Hansen AJ & Murphy RK. (1999). Influence of prescribed fire history on habitat and abundance of passerine birds in northern mixed-grass prairie. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 113, no 4. p. 627-640.

• Maher WJ. (1979). Nestling Diets of Prairie Passerine Birds at Matador Saskatchewan Canada. Ibis. vol 121, no 4. p. 437-452.

• Matson RH. (1989). Distribution of the Testis-Specific Ldh-X among Avian Taxa with Comments on the Evolution of the Ldh Gene Family. Systematic Zoology. vol 38, no 2. p. 106-115.

• McGregor PK & Falls JB. (1984). The Response of Western Meadowlarks Sturnella-Neglecta to the Playback of Undegraded and Degraded Songs. Canadian Journal of Zoology. vol 62, no 11. p. 2125-2128.

• Miller SG, Knight RL & Miller CK. (2001). Wildlife responses to pedestrians and dogs. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 29, no 1. p. 124-132.

• Mineau P, Downes CM, Kirk DA, Bayne E & Csizy M. (2005). Patterns of bird species abundance in relation to granular insecticide use in the Canadian prairies. Ecoscience. vol 12, no 2. p. 267-278.

• Ogden VT & Hornocker MG. (1977). Nesting Density and Success of Prairie Falcons in Southwestern Idaho USA. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 41, no 1. p. 1-11.

• Prather JW, Ortega CP & Cruz A. (1999). Aggressive responses of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) toward brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in areas of recent and long-term sympatry. Bird Behavior. vol 13, no 1. p. 1-7.

• Pylypec B. (1991). Impacts of Fire on Bird Populations in a Fescue Prairie. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 105, no 3. p. 346-349.

• Renfrew RB & Ribic CA. (2002). Influence of topography on density of grassland passerines in pastures. American Midland Naturalist. vol 147, no 2. p. 315-325.

• Rotenberry JT. (1980). Dietary Relationships among Shrub Steppe Passerine Birds Competition or Opportunism in a Variable Environment. Ecological Monographs. vol 50, no 1. p. 93-110.

• Rumble MA. (1987). Avian Use of Scoria Rock Outcrops. Great Basin Naturalist. vol 47, no 4. p. 625-630.

• Scheiman DM, Bollinger EK & Johnson DH. (2003). Effects of leafy spurge infestation on grassland birds. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 67, no 1. p. 115-121.

• Smith JK & Zimmerman EG. (1976). Biochemical Genetics and Evolution of North American Blackbirds Family Icteridae. Comparative Biochemistry & Physiology B. vol 53, no 3. p. 319-324.

• Sodhi NS. (1992). Comparison between urban and rural bird communities in prairie Saskatchewan: Urbanization and short-term population trends. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 106, no 2. p. 210-215.

• Spicer GS. (1978). A New Species and Several New Host Records of Avian Nasal Mites Acarina Rhinonyssinae Turbinoptinae. Journal of Parasitology. vol 64, no 5. p. 891-894.

• Squires JR, Anderson SH & Oakleaf R. (1989). Food Habits of Nesting Prairie Falcons in Campbell County Wyoming USA. Journal of Raptor Research. vol 23, no 4. p. 157-161.

• Sterner RT, Petersen BE, Gaddis SE, Tope KL & Poss DJ. (2003). Impacts of small mammals and birds on low-tillage, dryland crops. Crop Protection. vol 22, no 4. p. 595-602.

• Stoddard PK, Beecher MD, Campbell SE & Horning CL. (1992). Song-Type Matching in the Song Sparrow. Canadian Journal of Zoology. vol 70, no 7. p. 1440-1444.

• Swanson DA. (1996). Nesting ecology and nesting habitat requirements of Ohio’s grassland-nesting birds: A literature review. Ohio Fish & Wildlife Report. vol 0, no 13. p. 3-60.

• Sweet PR, Barrowclough GF, Klicka JT, Montanez-Godoy L & Escalante-Pliego P. (2001). Recolonization of the Flicker and other notes from Isla Guadalupe, Mexico. Western Birds. vol 32, no 1. p. 71-80.

• Teel PD, Fleetwood SC, Hopkins SW & Cruz D. (1988). Ectoparasites of Eastern and Western Meadowlarks from the Rio Grande Plains of South Texas USA. Journal of Medical Entomology. vol 25, no 1. p. 32-38.

• Udevitz MS, Howard CA, Robel RJ & Curnutte BJ. (1980). Lead Contamination in Insects and Birds near an Interstate Highway Kansas USA. Environmental Entomology. vol 9, no 1. p. 35-36.

• Whitmore RC & Whitmore RC. (1997). Late fall and early spring bird observations for Mulege, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Great Basin Naturalist. vol 57, no 2. p. 131-141.

• Wilson SD & Belcher JW. (1989). Plant and Bird Communities of Native Prairie and Introduced Eurasian Vegetation in Manitoba Canada. Conservation Biology. vol 3, no 1. p. 39-44.

• Winter SL, Cully JF, Jr. & Pontius JS. (2003). Breeding season avifauna of prairie dog colonies and non-colonized areas in shortgrass prairie. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. vol 106, no 3-4. p. 129-138.

Source: Wikipedia.org All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

Western Kingbird

by admin  
Filed under Backyard Bird Identification

Leave a Comment

Western Kingbird
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Tyrannidae Genus: Tyrannus Species: T. verticalis
Binomial name
Tyrannus verticalis Say, 1823

The Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) is a large tyrant flycatcher.

Adults are grey-olive on the upperparts with a grey head and a dark line through the eyes; the underparts are light becoming light orange-yellow on the lower breast and belly. They have a long black tail with white outer feathers.

Their breeding habitat is open areas in western North America. They make a sturdy cup nest in a tree or shrub, sometimes on top of a pole or other man-made structure. The name kingbird is derived from their “take-charge” behavior. These birds aggressively defend their territory, even against much larger birds such as hawks.

These birds migrate in flocks to Florida and the Pacific coast of southern Mexico and Central America.

They wait on an open perch and fly out to catch insects in flight, sometimes hovering and then dropping to catch food on the ground. They also eat berries.

The song is a squeaky chatter. The call is a sharp loud whit.

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Tyrannus verticalis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tyrannus verticalis

• Western Kingbird Species Account – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Western Kingbird Information and Photos – South Dakota Birds and Birding
• Western Kingbird – Tyrannus verticalis – USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter

Source: Wikipedia.org All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

Next Page »