Week 4: Advanced Mid Elevation
Scroll down to study the birds by sight and sound, and then take the quiz.
Week 4 Birds
Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Orange-crowned Warbler, Belted Kingfisher, Black-billed Magpie, Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay
CHIPPING SPARROW
Bird Code: CHSP
Identify this bird by…
A slender and fairly long-tailed sparrow with a medium-sized bill
Often forages on the ground, but can be seen singing from the tops of small trees
Bright rufous cap, black eye stripe, clear gray underparts, brown back with black streaks
Tell it apart by…
The songs of Chipping Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco sound similar. The CHSP song has less tone and sounds more like an insect.
Listen for…
Song: The male Chipping Sparrow (CHSP) has a long, dry rattle.
Calls: Year round, both sexes use a single chip note to stay in contact with others. Upon sighting a hawk, Chipping Sparrows give a long zeeeee call as an alarm. During courtship, females make a soft, rapid see-see-see-see to attract the attention of her mate.
Resources:
DARK-EYED JUNCO
Bird Code: DEJU
Identify this bird by…
Small and slender with a round head, short bill and fairly long tail
Often hopping on ground or in low shrubs
When in flight, look for the white" “V” formed by their outer tail feathers
A tricky note…
There are six different races of Dark-eyed Juncos; in taxonomy, this refers to distinct differences in species that don’t quite make them a subspecies but individuals could have some distinct genetic differences
In Dark-eyed Juncos, this shows up in different color patterns! Study them here and on All About Birds (link below)
All Dark-eyed Juncos have the white “V” in their tails when they fly
Listen for…
Song: A sweet trill with a slight inflection, as the song rises and then descends just slightly at the end.
Calls: A high, short chip note that they often give in rapid succession when they fly and more slowly as they forage.
Resources:
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
Bird Code: OCWA
Identify this bird by…
Small warbler, thin pointy bill
Yellow-olive, faint eyeline
Adults have an orange patch on its heard (i.e., the crown); difficult to see in the field, but fun to know about :D
Look for…
The undertail coverts (the feathers covering the base of the main tail feathers) are bright yellow
Listen for…
Song: Male Orange-crowned Warblers sing a trilling song of sweet, clear notes. The song can remain on a single pitch or it can rise slightly in the middle and end on a distinctive rising or falling note—chee chee chee chew chew. Male songs vary enough that you can tell individuals apart!
Calls: A simple, sharp, high-pitched chip, distinctive from that of other warblers.
Resources:
BELTED KINGFISHER
Identify this bird by…
Large, stocky bird with big head and big beak
That rock-star mohawk of a crest!
Grayish back, light belly (varies on sex)
Tell males and females apart by…
Females - Chestnut brown belly band and on the flanks
Males - White belly and flacks
Look for…
Habitat - Belted Kingfisher are a riparian species, meaning they are found adjacent to or near water. They are most commonly found along streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, estuaries, and calm marine waters.
Listen for…
Call: A long, uneven, clattering rattle.
Resources:
Woodhouse’s scrub-jay
Bird Code: WOSJ
Identify this bird by…
Large songbird with long body, long tail, and a hunched over posture
Light blue and gray above, with a whitish throat and grayish belly
A partial band of blue on the breast
Tell it apart by …
The other blue jay without a crest in the west is the Pinyon Jay. The Pinyon Jay is stockier and less brightly colored; see a side-by-side comparison here
The Stellar’s Jay is more brightly blue, the blue is all over the body, the head is black and has a distinguishable crest; see a side-by-side comparison here
Watch out for …
Blue depends on lighting, so Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays can look simply dark
Behavior - Perch high in trees, on wires, or on posts where they act as lookouts; very vocal
Listen for…
Calls: Very vocal; have more than 20 separate types of calls. Examples include a weep uttered during flight, while carrying nesting material, or while taking cover from a flying predator; a bell-like shlenk used antagonistically, a quiet kuk exchanged between mates, and loud, rasping scolds for mobbing predators. More sounds here.
Resources:
Black-billed magpie
Bird Code: BBMA
Identify this bird by…
Large, long body with long tail and slightly hooked bill
Appears black and white; in the right lighting, the feathers have a blue-green iridescence
Males and females look alike
Tell it apart from Ravens and Crows by …
White markings on the wings and belly
Long tail
Look for …
In flight - Wing bars on back and white primaries and diamond-shaped tail (these are very distinct field marks)
Behavior - Often forages on the ground; perches on posts and small trees
Listen for…
Call: A nasal, call note that almost sounds like “Mag? Mag? Mag?”
Resources:
Feeling ready? Take the quiz!