Songbirds

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Songbirds

• Wildlife Conservation

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Fill-Ins

• Mockingbird is a common bird from Maine to
  northern California
• There are two distinct species of meadowlark, the
  eastern and the western
• Most people are familiar with the robin
• A conspicuous, common blackbird, the
  yellow-headed is often found in marshes and
  surrounding farmlands
• Male red-winged blackbirds are coal black, with a
  bright red shoulder patch, edged in yellow

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Fill-Ins

• An introduced bird, 8-9 inches in length, the
  starling was originally native to Europe
• Grackles are common, highly gregarious birds
• Crows are jet black and 17-20 inches in length
• A striking black and white bird, the magpie is
  unmistakable
• Blue jays are strikingly handsome birds

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Fill-Ins

• The male cardinal is an unmistakable bright red
  with a black mask around the face and throat
• The bluebird is the only bright blue bird
  commonly found in the eastern half of the US
• The sparrow was introduced from Europe
• A secretive bird, the yellowthroat is heard more
  often than seen
• The purple martin is the largest swallow in the
  US
• The flicker is our most common and widespread
  woodpecker

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Fill-Ins

• A large crested woodpecker, the pileated is 16-18
  inches in length
• The diminutive chickadee is a very active and
  common bird that regularly visits feeders
• A largely nocturnal bird, the whippoorwill is
  fairly widespread and common
• The rock dove is the pigeon so common in our
  cities and agricultural areas

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Short Answer

• Cavity-Nesting Species
• Starling
• Bluebird
• Purple martin
• Flicker
• Pileated woodpecker
• Chickadee
• Tree-Nesting Species
• Robin
• Grackle
• Crow
• Magpie
• Blue jay

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Short Answer

• Cavity-nesting species have the benefit of being
  hidden from predators and safe from the elements
  because the nest is constructed inside a hole
  instead of being out on a tree limb where it can
  be seen or blow out, get rained on, etc.
• Ground-nesting species are vulnerable to
  predators, traffic, humans, and anything else
  that can see or smell the nest and young. They
  have no protection from the elements.

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Discussion

• We can maintain feeders with a good mix of seeds
  to ensure an adequate diet for them during the
  winter. This is important because winter losses
  of songbirds to disease, starvation, and extreme
  cold are quite high. Once the birds become
  accustomed to a feeder, however, it must be
  stocked regularly to prevent birds that rely on
  it from suffering severe hardship or death.

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Discussion

• Advantages
• Easy for the bird to access
• Easy for the young to learn to move about
• Protected from predators and the elements
• Easy to build
• Easy for the bird to access

• Disadvantages
• Easy for predators to access
• Exposed to the elements
• No escape from predators
• Hard to find
• Exposed to the elements
• Easy for predators to access

Ground Nests Cavity Nests Tree Nests