As is the case with so many Neotropical finches, the genus Lophospingus has now been found to be a tanager based on genetic data. The “crested finches” appear to be sister to the White-banded Tanager (Neothraupis fasciata) and these in turn are part of a clade which includes the Common Diuca-Finch ( Diuca diuca ), Paroaria “cardinals”, Magpie Tanager ( Cissopis…
Learn to distinguish between our birds of prey with this Springwatch guide. Kestrels are most commonly seen hovering, in search of prey. British birds of prey come in a range of different shapes, sizes and families, and telling them apart when all you have is a fleeting glimpse or a far-off silhoutette in the sky can be difficult. This Springwatch guide will…
Frigatebirds are distinctive tropical seabirds that occasionally reach New Zealand, usually associated with tropical weather systems. There are five species worldwide. All are large, black-and-white, with long angular wings, deeply forked tails, and long, hooked bills. As their name suggests, they are aerial pirates, often robbing other seabirds of their food…
Towhee, Sparrpws, Juncos, Longspurs, Buntings - Family Emberizidae Green-tailed Towhee adult -Wikipedia- Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus A large and colorful member of the sparrow family, the Green-tailed Towhee is perhaps more recognizable by its eye-catching chestnut crown than by its less intense green-gray back and olive tail. As a ground forager, it…
Imitative song development, its requisite auditory feedback, and the underlying neural control of learned song are becoming increasingly well known in songbirds, but the evolution of these characteristics from songbird ancestors is poorly understood. Suboscine flycatchers, which belong to the evolutionary sister group of the oscine songbirds (in the same order…
Only four species of Nuthatch have as yet been observed within the limits of the United States. My opinion however is, that at least two more will be discovered:-one larger than any of those known, in the high wooded plains bordering the Pacific Ocean; the other, of nearly the size of the present species, towards the boundary line of Texas and the United States…
The American Goldfinch is a small yellow-and-black bird, and one of the most vibrant you will see in your yard. The male has striking bright-yellow plumage with a black cap, where the female has a duller yellow-brown color and no cap. In the winter, both sexes molt into an olive-brown color. The Goldfinch is a seed-eater who will readily come to your bird feeder…
The birds in my Decatur yard usually give me joy, but the other morning a couple of birds hanging out at the feeders made me wince. They were brown-headed cowbirds, which, during the nesting season, usually are up to no good. No other bird, perhaps, is loathed by birders as much as the brown-headed cowbird. That’s because it is a “brood parasite, ” which lays…
Swans, Ducks, Geese- Family Anatidae Trumpeter Swan female on a nest -Wikipedia- Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator The majestic Trumpeter Swan is the largest of our native waterfowl and one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, with males sometimes exceeding 30 pounds. Historically hunted to the brink of extinction, it was recognized as an endangered species…
Sedum telephium goes to the top of the plants-I-should-grow list when it blooms this time of year, be it white or pink. The cultivar ‘Autumn Joy, ’ a related hybrid species, has flowers that turn a dark rosy pink before giving way to bronze. Flower stalks also fade to bronze and will remain on the plant throughout winter even after flowers have gone away. Evergreen…
