Swans are iconic birds known for their elegance and grace. There are 7 difference species of swans in the world, and only 3 species that breed in North America. All three species can be found in Iowa annually. Here is everything you need to know about these species.
Trumpeter Swan
Trumpeter Swan
Identification
Adult Trumpeter Swans are bright white birds with a black bill extending to the eyes. Their legs are black. They can be differentiated from Tundra Swans by having a more bell-shaped head, and a more “V-shaped” forehead when looking at the bird head on, compared to the “u-shaped” forehead of the Tundra Swan.
Range
Trumpeter Swans are common year-round in select areas of North America and have a spotty wintering distribution that moves north in the summer to parts of northern North America.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Trumpeter Swans feed mostly on aquatic vegetation such as roots and stems of aquatic plants. They can often be seen with their heads underwater and backsides up as they feed.
Where to Find this Bird
Look for Trumpeter Swans in or near water, in marshes, or in open or grassy fields, often in large flocks. They can also be found in mixed flocks with other swan species.
Tundra Swan
Tundra Swan (Michael Schramm/USFWS)
Identification
Adult Tundra Swans are bright white birds with a black bill extending to the eyes. Their legs are black. They can be differentiated from Trumpeter Swans by having a more slender head and “u-shaped forehead when looking at it head on, compared to a more “V-shaped” forehead and bell-shaped head of the Trumpeter Swan. Tundra Swans will sometimes have yellow markings on their bill, but these should not be used as a sole identification marker since Trumpeter Swans and other swan species can have these as well.
Range
Tundra Swans winter in eastern and western North America and migrate through northern North America to their breeding grounds in the far north.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Tundra Swans feed mostly on aquatic vegetation such as roots and stems of aquatic plants, as well as seeds, algae, and grains. They can often be seen with their heads underwater and backsides up as they feed.
Where to Find this Bird
Look for Tundra Swans in or near water, in marshes, or in open or grassy fields, often in massive flocks during migration. They can also be found in mixed flocks with other swan species.
Mute Swan
Mute Swan
Identification
Mute Swans are large white birds with a long neck, black legs, orange bill, and black knob on the forehead.
Range
Mute Swans are native to Europe and Asia but have been introduced into parts of North America. Certain populations breed in North America while other individuals may be escaped pets or farm birds.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Mute Swans feed on aquatic vegetation, mussels, worms, small fish, frogs, and other small vertebrates.
Where to Find this Bird
Mute Swans are normally seen as individual birds or in pairs and tower over smaller geese species. They can be found in marshes, open water lakes, or small urban ponds.
Summary
Swans are certainly impressive and elegant birds. Knowing which swans are likely in your state can be a major help when observing them in the field. Have you seen any of these swans before? Let us know in the comments below, and we hope you found this information helpful!
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Eagles are thought of as regal and majestic birds that soar over the United States. There are a few different eagle species that make their way into the United States. In this post there is information about which species you can expect to find in your state in addition to identification tips and facts.
Bald Eagle
Adult Bald Eagle (Photo by Bill grossmeyer)
Juvenile Bald Eagle (Photo by Bill Grossmeyer)
Identification
The adult Bald Eagle is an unmistakable raptor species. They have a brown body with a white head and tail. In flight, they look quite flat as opposed to Turkey Vultures and other soaring species that sport a v-shaped wing pattern known as a dihedral. Bald Eagles have a large yellow bill.
Juvenile Bald Eagles don’t look quite as distinctive with varying degrees of mottled white mixed In with brown. Juveniles still have a noticeably large bill.
Range
Bald Eagles winter in most of the Southern United States and Northern Mexico. They migrate north into Canada and some of the Great Lakes states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. There are many areas where Bald Eagles live year round, most of which are around coastlines, rivers, or other bodies of water.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Bald Eagles eat primarily fish but will also consume amphibians, mammals, reptiles, and carrion. In fact, Bald Eagles can often be seen around landfills searching for scraps, or roadsides searching for roadkill. Two places one wouldn’t expect to see such a majestic bird.
Where to Find This Bird
The easiest way to see Bald Eagles is to watch the skies and look for a large bird with broad, flat wings soaring. In terms of places to see many Bald Eagles at once, search out dams or other places where fish congregate, here, several different Eagles may be waiting to get an easy meal. To see Eagles in their nesting habitat, forests near rivers and bodies of water that are far away from human habitation are the best places.
Golden Eagle (Rare)
Golden Eagle (Photo by Bill Grossmeyer)
Identification
Golden Eagles are very large raptors that are brown in color with slightly lighter feathers mixed in. They have a white band on the tail, and the nape of their neck has golden colored feathers. Immature birds have white at the base of their primary feathers visible in flight from underneath.
Range
Golden Eagles live year round in the western half of the United States and Northern Mexico. Some members of this species migrate north and breed in Alaska and Canada. During winter, Golden Eagles move east with some birds traveling a significant distance away from their expected area. This species can also be found in Europe and parts of Asia.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Golden Eagles typically eat mammals such as squirrels and rabbits, but they will also eat birds. This particular species has also been known to to take on much larger prey such as deer or even other larger predators such as coyotes.
Where to Find This Bird
Golden Eagles aren’t typically found near human habitation or near large tracts of forest. They are a species of open areas as well as mountainous areas. The easiest way to find them is to look for them soaring over.
Summary
Eagles are large and noticeable birds. Their regal look and importance as symbols of strength certainly make them intriguing. Knowing which eagle species are expected in your state can be instrumental in identifying which exact species you’re looking at.
Wrens are goofy and fast-moving little birds that are absolutely loaded with attitude. Due to their small size and quickness, they can be very difficult to identify. Luckily, many of them have differences in habitat as well as some key features to keep an eye out for that can be used to help differentiate them.
In Florida, there are five wren species and one that visit annually. Here is everything that you need to know about these five species.
Carolina Wren
Carolina wren
Identification
Carolina Wrens are on the larger side among wrens. They have a reddish brown back, head, and wings with a peach colored underside. They have a white throat and a very well defined white eye stripe.
Range
Carolina Wrens are not migratory and live throughout the Eastern United States with the exception of some of the states in the Northeast and the Midwest. They can be found as far west as Texas and as far south as Mexico and even some Central American Countries. The Carolina Wren’s range is actually believed to be expanding as they are showing up farther and farther north each year.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Carolina Wrens eat many different varieties of invertebrates including spiders, moths, and crickets among others. They also eat pulp and seeds from fruit in addition to small vertebrates on occasion.
Where to Find This Bird
Carolina Wrens live in a variety of habitats ranging from woodlands, to scrubland, to backyards. Typically, anywhere that has some sort of cover will serve as a good home for this species. Carolina Wrens are often heard before they are seen, making a call that some say sounds like a tea kettle.
House Wren
House Wren
Identification
House Wrens are a small, grayish brown species that is fairly uniform in color with darker brown barring on the wings and tail. They will vary slightly in color and pattern depending on region.
Range
House Wrens are widespread across North America and South America with South America being a year-round home for this species. In winter, House Wren’s reside in the Southern US and Mexico. They make their way north in spring, eventually ending up covering most of the Continental United States and parts of Southern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
House Wrens are insectivorous, eating mostly insects and other invertebrates that move along the ground such as beetles and spiders. They have also been known to eat flying insects such as dragonflies and moths as well.
Where to Find This Bird
House Wrens can be found in many different habitats. Essentially, as long as there is some vegetation to hide in, House Wrens will probably be around. They are common in back yards where they can be heard making their chattering call.
Marsh Wren
Marsh Wren – Photo by USFWS Mountain-Prairie
Identification
Marsh Wrens have a reddish brow back with dark barring on their wings and tail. They have white stripes on their upper back and a buffy to white colored eye stripe. Marsh Wrens have a light underside and often times have buffy sides.
Range
Marsh Wrens winter in Mexico and the Southern United States. In spring, they move north and spend the summer in the Northern United States and parts of Southern Canada. Interestingly, Marsh Wrens are year-round residents in some parts of the US including along the east and west coasts, as well as states such as Colorado and Utah among others.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Marsh Wrens consume Insects and and other invertebrates. They often feed close to the base of vegetation in swampy habitats.
Where to Find This Bird
As their name suggests, Marsh Wrens can be found in marshy habitats with lots of vegetation and standing water. They occupy both freshwater wetlands and coastal salt marshes.
Sedge Wren
Sedge Wren
Identification
Sedge Wrens are a sandy to brownish color with lighter coloration on their sides. Their back, wings, tail, and head are darker tan to brown with light head striping, and darker barring on the wings and tail. They have a white throat, a white underside, and a tan eyebrow stripe.
Range
Sedge Wrens winter in Northeastern Mexico and the Southeastern United States. In spring, they move north into many of the Midwestern states, Great Lakes area, and South-central Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Sedge Wrens eat insects and other invertebrates that they pick from dense vegetation. They may also eat small amounts of seeds.
Where to Find This Bird
Sedge Wrens reside in thick vegetation such as grasses, and of course sedges. Look for damp fields with tall grass or other plants, and Sedge Wrens will most likely be around.
Winter Wren (Uncommon)
Winter Wren – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Winter Wrens are reddish brown with a lighter shade of color on their throat and underside. They have barring and speckling on their sides, tail, back, and wings. This species has a lighter colored eye stripe and has a very short stiff looking tail.
Range
Winter Wrens spend the winter in the Southeastern United States with the exception of Southern Florida. In spring, they move north into many of the Great Lakes states and much of Southeastern Canada. Winter Wrens can also be found in parts of Western Canada in summer. There are also some areas in the Northeastern United States where this species can be found year round.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Winter Wrens eat Insects and other invertebrates. During the winter, they have also been known to eat berries. They typically forage along the ground, searching logs and vegetation for small creatures to eat.
Where to Find This Bird
Winter Wrens can be found in forested habitats as well as shrubby areas with thick underbrush. They seem to enjoy spending time in tangled branches, often making them difficult to get a clear look at. In lowland areas with dense understory, keep an eye out for this small, quick moving species.
Summary
Wrens are fun birds to find due to their energetic personalities and feisty attitudes. Knowing the species that are expected in your state can be instrumental in identifying which one you are looking at in the field. Hopefully, this article has helped in answering some questions about the wrens of Florida.
Tanagers are a group of birds known for being extremely bright. These members of the cardinal family have thick bills and are medium distance migrants. In the United States there are four different species of tanagers, and three of them can be found in Iowa with two being common visitors and the other being rare. Here is everything you need to know about these three species.
Scarlet Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Identification
Male Scarlet Tanagers are bright red with a slight orangey shine when viewed in bright sunlight. They have inky black wings and a black tail. Females are a brownish yellow color with their wings and tail being a darker shade than the rest of their body.
Range
Scarlet Tanagers winter in western South America and move through the eastern United States in spring. This species spends the summer in the northeastern United States including New England, some states in the Midwest, and even some of the more southern states such as Tennessee, northern Georgia, and northern Alabama.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Scarlet Tanagers are mostly insectivores eating a wide variety of different larvas and adult insects. This species will also eat tree buds in the early spring and fruit including berries such as mulberry.
Where to Find this Bird
Scarlet Tanagers are birds of deciduous and mixed deciduous forests. They will make stops at a variety of different habitats during migration including backyards and parks (especially if there are berries to eat nearby). Scarlet Tanagers usually reside high up in trees, so keep an eye out for an extremely bright red bird in the canopy.
Summer Tanager
Summer Tanager
Identification
Adult male Summer Tanagers are a deep red color. Immature males are a mix of yellow and red with red feathers coming in to replace the yellow as they molt. The more yellow, the younger the bird is. Adult females are completely yellow bodied with darker coloration on the wings.
Range
Summer Tanagers winter in northern South America, Central America, and Mexico. In spring they begin their journey north, ending up in the southern United States. The Summer Tanagers range extends farther north in the eastern U.S. than the western U.S. reaching as far north as Ohio and Iowa.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Summer Tanagers eat many different insects and other invertebrates. Some of their most preferred foods are bees and wasps. They will catch them out of the air and then rub the stinger off before consuming them. Other items on the menu are various fruits such as mulberries.
Where to Find this Bird
Summer Tanagers are typically found in deciduous woods with moderate tree cover. They also live in places like forest edges, backyards, and parks. During migration this species will appear in mixed forests and along lake edges along with warblers, grosbeaks, orioles, and other tanager species.
Western Tanager (Rare)
Western Tanager – Photo by USFWS Mountain-Prairie
Identification
Male Western Tanagers are arguably one of the most beautiful bird species in North America. The are bright yellow with a reddish orange face, and black wings with a yellow shoulder marking. Females are slightly duller yellow with grayish black wings and tow light wing bars.
Range
Western Tanagers winter in Central America and Mexico. They migrate north in spring and breed in the western United States and southwestern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Western Tanagers have varied diets that differ depending on season. In spring and summer, they feed primarily on different insect species including dragonflies, grasshoppers, and wasps among others. In fall and winter, they switch over to eating primarily fruit.
Where to Find this Bird
Western Tanagers are typically found in mixed deciduous and coniferous forests as well as forest edges, parks and backyards. They also live in drier areas such as scrub and elevated pine forests.
Summary
Tanagers are among the most colorful migratory bird species in all of North America. Knowing which species are common or rare for your state and region can be instrumental in correctly identifying these brightly colored birds in the field.
Woodpeckers are unique birds that specialize in using their bills to bore holes in wood for the purpose of finding insects and other invertebrates to eat. There are many different species of woodpeckers that live in North America and nine species that can be found in the state of Minnesota. Here is everything you need to know about these nine species.
American Three-toed Woodpecker
American Three-toed Woodpecker – Photo by David Mitchell CC 2.0
Identification
American Three-toed Woodpeckers have black wing and a black tail. Their underside and back are white with blurred black barring. They have black stripes on the head and face and males also sport a yellow forehead which females lack.
Range
American Three-toed Woodpeckers are year-round residents of most of Canada and Alaska. In the continental United States they can be found in some of the states bordering Canada as well as some of the states in teh west including Washington, Montana, Idaho, and Colorado among others.
Diet and Foraging Habits
American Three-toed Woodpeckers diet consists mostly of beetle larva which they find under the bark of or inside of trees. They will also eat other types of insects and other invertebrates such as spiders. This species has also been known to drill sap wells in trees and lap up the sap, much like sapsuckers do.
Where to Find This Bird
American Three-toed Woodpeckers can be found in coniferous forests. They typically prefer areas that have numerous dead trees such as burned areas or forests damaged in some other way. Both boreal and mountain forests are home to these birds with boreal forest representing more of their range in Canada and mountain forest being a more common place for them in the west.
Black-backed Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker – Photo by Matthew Thompson
Identification
True to their name, Black-backed Woodpeckers have a black back, wings, head, and tail. They have a light underside with black barring on their stomach and sides. Male Black-backed Woodpeckers have yellow on the front of their head which the females lack.
Range
Black-backed Woodpeckers are year-round residents of the boreal forests of Canada, Alaska, and parts of the Northern United States. In the continental US, the Northern forests of the Northeast, Midwest, and far west are all places that Black-backed Woodpeckers can be found in.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Black-backed Woodpeckers feed on wood-boring insects and the larva of wood-boring insects. They use their bills to peck holes into wood and then use their specialized tongues to pull out their prey.
Where to Find This Bird
Black-backed Woodpeckers are most easily found in Boreal forests. They are especially fond of areas that recently burned and can stay in recently burned forests for around a decade before moving on.
Downy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Identification
Downy Woodpeckers are among the most recognizable woodpecker species in the United States due to their propensity for visiting bird feeders and widespread range. They are on the small side for a woodpecker, have a white underside, a white back, and black wings with checkered white mixed in. Downy Woodpeckers have a white head with black stripe on the top of the head, through the eye, and along what can best be described as the jawline. Males have a noticeable red spot on the back of their head that females lack. It’s also worth noting that the bill of the Downy Woodpecker is relatively small compared to the similar looking Hairy Woodpecker.
Range
Downy Woodpeckers do not migrate and live year round throughout most of the continental United States and Southern Canada. Their range even stretches as far as Southern Alaska but it does not extend into the Southeastern US or Mexico.
Diet and Foraging Habits
downy Woodpeckers feed primarily on insects and other invertebrates that they find inside of trees and underneath bark. They also occasionally eat berries and seeds,
Where to Find This Bird
Downy Woodpeckers can typically be found in deciduous forests as well as in more urban areas such as backyards and parks. This species comes to bird feeding stations regularly where they will eat suet as well as black oil sunflower seeds.
Hairy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Identification
Hairy Woodpeckers are medium sized birds with a white underside, black wings, and a black tail. Male Hairy Woodpeckers have a red marking on the back of their black and white striped head. while females lack this red coloration. Hairy Woodpeckers have a longer bill than the comparable Downy Woodpecker which is helpful to note when distinguishing between the two.
Range
Hairy Woodpeckers are nonmigratory and live throughout much of North America including most of Canada and even parts of Mexico. There are some isolated areas where the normal range of the Hairy Woodpecker does not extend to such as parts of Oregon, Washington, and Southern Texas.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Hairy Woodpeckers are primarily insect eaters. They are especially fond of wood-boring insects and will congregate in areas where trees have recently been burned as more wood-boring insects are often present in these areas.
Where to Find This Bird
Hairy Woodpeckers can be found pretty much anywhere there are large trees. Deciduous and coniferous woods, backyards, edge habitats, and even swamps are all areas that can play host to this species. Hairy Woodpeckers will also visit backyards where they will feed on suet.
Northern Flicker
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Northern Flickers come in two different varieties, the Yellow-shafted and the Red-shafted. Both subspecies have a lighter underside, darker wings, and large black spots. Male Yellow-shafted Flickers have a black “whisker” marking by the bill, gray on the top of their head and a red patch on the head as well. Male Red-shafted Flickers have a red whisker marking. Females of both of these subspecies lack any whisker marking.
One of the biggest differences between these two subspecies is the tail and wing feathers. Yellow-shafted Flickers show yellow on these feathers while Red-shafted Flickers show an orangey red color. These color differences are incredibly noticeable in flight.
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) – Photo by Susan Young
Range
Northern Flickers are year-round residents of much of the continental United States, parts of Mexico, and some countries in Central America. Many of these birds migrate north in spring and spread into Canada to breed. Their numbers are at their highest in the continental United States in spring.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Northern Flickers eat many different species of insects as well as fruits, seeds, and nuts. These birds forage differently than other woodpeckers species as they spend a lot of time on the ground in addition to searching for insects up in trees. Another interesting thing about Northern Flickers is that they are particularly known for eating ants.
Where to Find This Bird
Northern Flickers can be found in pretty much any area with trees. Forest edges, deciduous woods, parks, and backyards are all places Northern Flickers frequent. Keep an eye out for flashes of yellow or red (depending on the subspecies) visible in flight.
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Identification
Pileated Woodpeckers are absolutely massive birds that are somewhat shocking to see as they fly through. They have a black back and underside with a bright red head crest. Both males and females have black stripes from their neck and through their eye. Males have red behind their bill whereas females just have black.
Range
Pileated Woodpeckers live year round in most of the Eastern United States. They also inhabit Southern Canada and some parts of the western Coast of the United States. In the West, California, Oregon, and Washington among other states that play host to these impressive birds.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Pileated Woodpeckers eat a variety of different insects, but they specialize in eating ants. In particular, carpenter ants make up quite a large portion of this birds diet.
Where to Find This Bird
Pileated Woodpeckers can be found in old growth forests with plenty of large trees. They live in deciduous and mixed coniferous woods. Listen for the laughing call of these birds that can be heard from miles away.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Identification
Red-bellied Woodpeckers have a tannish gray face and underside, black and white striped back, and red on the head. Males have more red on the head than females do. The name Red-bellied Woodpecker comes from a small bit of red that can sometimes be seen on the underside of the bird but is not always visible.
Range
Red-bellied Woodpeckers can be found throughout most of the Eastern United States year-round. Their range expands slightly west of the Mississippi River but dos not typically extend north into Canada or south into Mexico.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Red-bellied Woodpeckers eat a wide variety of food items including insects, fruits, seeds, and small animals. They have been known to visit bird feeders where they will take seeds, nuts, and pieces of suet.
Where to Find This Bird
Red-bellied Woodpeckers can be found pretty much anywhere with large trees including deciduous forests, swamps, backyards, and parks.
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker – Photo by Bill Grossmeyer
Identification
The extremely aptly named Red-headed Woodpecker can be identified by its white underside, black back, white “backpack” markings on the wings, and of course, its bright red head. Juveniles look similar but with a dark colored head.
Range
Red-headed Woodpeckers are birds of the Eastern United States. They can be found year-round from Florida and Mississippi all the way up through Southern Michigan and New York. In winter, this species moves slightly farther southwest in Texas and in summer they move northwest to the Dakotas and even into south-central Canada and further north in the Midwest and northeast.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Red-headed Woodpeckers eat a wide variety of different food items including insects, fruit, and seeds. They are among the most actively foraging woodpecker species and are known to catch insects out of the air.
Where to Find This Bird
Red-headed Woodpeckers reside in deciduous woods as well as more open areas with more sparse tree cover such as areas that have recently been burned. Forest edges are also another great place to find this species.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Photo by Bill Grossmeyer
Identification
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are quite dapper birds with black wings, and black stripes on their white faces. They also have a large white marking on each of their wings, black and white blurring on the back, and some barring on their flanks. This species also has some splashes of color as well, including a namesake pale yellow on their chest, and a red crown. Males also have a red throat which differentiates them from the females.
Range
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are migratory and spend the winter from the Southeastern United States all the way through Mexico and Central America. In Spring, these woodpeckers move north and occupy the Northeastern United States and Southern Canada. It’s worth noting that while not indicated by range maps, some individuals have been known to spend the winter fairly far north in the Eastern US.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers eat insects, fruit, and as their name suggests, sap. They eat tree sap by drilling holes in the trees and then eating the sap that fills them, They will usually make these holes in rows that look something like a grid. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are particularly fond of trees with high sugar contents in the sap such as certain types of birches and maples.
Where to Find This Bird
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers can be found in forested areas and edge habitats. They spend a lot of time attending to and drilling their sap wells, so areas that have been tapped before by these birds will most likely be revisited again.
Summary
Woodpeckers are indeed interesting birds with unique habits but a general look that spans across the different birds that make up the group. Knowing the specific details of how to identify them and what habitats to find them in can be of great help while out in the field.
Doves are birds of cultural importance across many different civilizations. Typically representing peace, hope, and purity, doves have always been symbolic of some of the most beautiful and serene things in life. There are many different dove species that inhabit North America, and four of them that can be found in Missouri. Here is everything you need to know about those four species.
Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove
Identification
Mourning Doves have a pinkish gray underside with a darker gray back and wings. They have black spots on the wings and a black spot on each side of their face. This species often looks pudgy when they sit in a resting position.
Range
Mourning Doves are not particularly migratory as they live throughout most of the continental United States year-round. They do however extend south into Central America and Southern Mexico in winter and farther into southcentral Canada in summer.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Most of the Mourning Doves diet consists of seeds. They can often be seen foraging on the ground and are regular visitors at bird feeders where they will eat at platform feeders or under feeders.
Where to Find this Bird
Mourning Doves can be found in many different places including sparse woodlands, backyards, parks, and even areas heavily inhabited by humans such as cities. They can often be seen on power lines and also frequently feed along the ground in brush.
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Eurasian Collared-dove – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Eurasian Collared-Doves are fairly large birds with an overall sandy gray color. In certain light they have a bit of a pinkish hough to them. Their name is derived from a black marking on the back of their neck bordered by white.
Range
Eurasian Collared-Doves are native to Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. They were brought to the United States where they proliferated and can now be found throughout most of the country year-round. They are most prevalent in the western half of the U.S. and at their lowest concentration in the Northeast. This species is also a resident of Mexico and Central America.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Eurasian Collared-Doves eat a variety of foods including berries, greens, and corn, but the largest part of their diet is seeds and grains. For this reason, they can often be found feeding in and around agricultural fields.
Where to Find this Bird
Eurasian Collared-Doves can be found in cities and other areas near human habitation where they frequent bird feeders and agricultural fields. They will sit on the ground but more often than not they can be seen on power lines.
Rock Pigeon
Rock Pigeon – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Rock Pigeons (also known as feral pigeons) come in many different varieties. Most of them are different shades of gray with darker gray on the head, neck and chest with lighter gray on the wings and underside. Rock Pigeons have two dark wing bars on each wing and blue, green, or even red iridescence on their head and neck. These birds can also be reddish in color and even pure white.
In my personal opinion, Rock Pigeons are actually quite beautiful and if they weren’t so common in the United States people would appreciate them more.
Range
Rock Pigeons can be found in almost every continent on Earth. However, they are only native to certain parts of Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. In South America and North America Rock Pigeons are actually an introduced species and have spread to pretty much everywhere with the exception of Northern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Rock Pigeons feed mostly on fruits and seeds. They are also well known for eating scraps of foods in cities such as bread . They will move along the ground and peck at their desired meal while feeding.
Where to Find this Bird
In their wild range, Rock Pigeons live on cliffs and rock faces. In the United States, buildings and city structures imitate these habitats, meaning this species is now readily found in large cities. Additionally, look for Rock Pigeons in farmland where grains and seeds provide an easy meal.
White-winged Dove (Uncommon)
White-winged Dove – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
White-winged Doves are grayish brown with their wings, head, and back being more brown, and their underside being more gray. They have blue near their eye and dark spots on their cheek. This bird gets its name from the distinctive white marking on each wing visible both when perched and in flight. In addition to the white wing markings, they also have white on the tips of their tail feathers.
Range
White-winged Doves live year-round in Mexico and parts of the Southern United States. In winter, they can be found more readily along the Gulf Coast. In summer, they move slightly north into more of the Southern United States.
Diet and Foraging Habits
White-winged Doves are primarily seed eaters but they will also consume fruit. In desert areas they have been known to eat the fruit of the Saguaro Cactus. In more urban places they will often feed on agricultural crops such as corn.
Where to Find this Bird
White-winged Doves can be found in a wide variety of habitats ranging from thickets, to desert, to urban environments. They will visit bird feeders, so if you live within their range keep an eye out for this species in your backyard. Another way to find White-winged Doves is to listen for their call which sounds similar to a Mourning Doves cooing but much deeper and more gruff.
Summary
Doves have learned to coexist with humans and thrive in places many other birds can’t. Knowing which species to expect in your region can be incredibly useful in identifying these plump and gregarious birds. Hopefully, this article has helped to answer some of your questions about the doves of Missouri.
Woodpeckers are unique birds that specialize in using their bills to bore holes in wood for the purpose of finding insects and other invertebrates to eat. There are many different species of woodpeckers that live in North America and eight species that can be found in the state of Georgia. Here is everything you need to know about these eight species.
Downy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Identification
Downy Woodpeckers are among the most recognizable woodpecker species in the United States due to their propensity for visiting bird feeders and widespread range. They are on the small side for a woodpecker, have a white underside, a white back, and black wings with checkered white mixed in. Downy Woodpeckers have a white head with black stripe on the top of the head, through the eye, and along what can best be described as the jawline. Males have a noticeable red spot on the back of their head that females lack. It’s also worth noting that the bill of the Downy Woodpecker is relatively small compared to the similar looking Hairy Woodpecker.
Range
Downy Woodpeckers do not migrate and live year round throughout most of the continental United States and Southern Canada. Their range even stretches as far as Southern Alaska but it does not extend into the Southeastern US or Mexico.
Diet and Foraging Habits
downy Woodpeckers feed primarily on insects and other invertebrates that they find inside of trees and underneath bark. They also occasionally eat berries and seeds,
Where to Find This Bird
Downy Woodpeckers can typically be found in deciduous forests as well as in more urban areas such as backyards and parks. This species comes to bird feeding stations regularly where they will eat suet as well as black oil sunflower seeds.
Hairy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Identification
Hairy Woodpeckers are medium sized birds with a white underside, black wings, and a black tail. Male Hairy Woodpeckers have a red marking on the back of their black and white striped head. while females lack this red coloration. Hairy Woodpeckers have a longer bill than the comparable Downy Woodpecker which is helpful to note when distinguishing between the two.
Range
Hairy Woodpeckers are nonmigratory and live throughout much of North America including most of Canada and even parts of Mexico. There are some isolated areas where the normal range of the Hairy Woodpecker does not extend to such as parts of Oregon, Washington, and Southern Texas.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Hairy Woodpeckers are primarily insect eaters. They are especially fond of wood-boring insects and will congregate in areas where trees have recently been burned as more wood-boring insects are often present in these areas.
Where to Find This Bird
Hairy Woodpeckers can be found pretty much anywhere there are large trees. Deciduous and coniferous woods, backyards, edge habitats, and even swamps are all areas that can play host to this species. Hairy Woodpeckers will also visit backyards where they will feed on suet.
Northern Flicker
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Northern Flickers come in two different varieties, the Yellow-shafted and the Red-shafted. Both subspecies have a lighter underside, darker wings, and large black spots. Male Yellow-shafted Flickers have a black “whisker” marking by the bill, gray on the top of their head and a red patch on the head as well. Male Red-shafted Flickers have a red whisker marking. Females of both of these subspecies lack any whisker marking.
One of the biggest differences between these two subspecies is the tail and wing feathers. Yellow-shafted Flickers show yellow on these feathers while Red-shafted Flickers show an orangey red color. These color differences are incredibly noticeable in flight.
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) – Photo by Susan Young
Range
Northern Flickers are year-round residents of much of the continental United States, parts of Mexico, and some countries in Central America. Many of these birds migrate north in spring and spread into Canada to breed. Their numbers are at their highest in the continental United States in spring.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Northern Flickers eat many different species of insects as well as fruits, seeds, and nuts. These birds forage differently than other woodpeckers species as they spend a lot of time on the ground in addition to searching for insects up in trees. Another interesting thing about Northern Flickers is that they are particularly known for eating ants.
Where to Find This Bird
Northern Flickers can be found in pretty much any area with trees. Forest edges, deciduous woods, parks, and backyards are all places Northern Flickers frequent. Keep an eye out for flashes of yellow or red (depending on the subspecies) visible in flight.
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Identification
Pileated Woodpeckers are absolutely massive birds that are somewhat shocking to see as they fly through. They have a black back and underside with a bright red head crest. Both males and females have black stripes from their neck and through their eye. Males have red behind their bill whereas females just have black.
Range
Pileated Woodpeckers live year round in most of the Eastern United States. They also inhabit Southern Canada and some parts of the western Coast of the United States. In the West, California, Oregon, and Washington among other states that play host to these impressive birds.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Pileated Woodpeckers eat a variety of different insects, but they specialize in eating ants. In particular, carpenter ants make up quite a large portion of this birds diet.
Where to Find This Bird
Pileated Woodpeckers can be found in old growth forests with plenty of large trees. They live in deciduous and mixed coniferous woods. Listen for the laughing call of these birds that can be heard from miles away.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Identification
Red-bellied Woodpeckers have a tannish gray face and underside, black and white striped back, and red on the head. Males have more red on the head than females do. The name Red-bellied Woodpecker comes from a small bit of red that can sometimes be seen on the underside of the bird but is not always visible.
Range
Red-bellied Woodpeckers can be found throughout most of the Eastern United States year-round. Their range expands slightly west of the Mississippi River but dos not typically extend north into Canada or south into Mexico.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Red-bellied Woodpeckers eat a wide variety of food items including insects, fruits, seeds, and small animals. They have been known to visit bird feeders where they will take seeds, nuts, and pieces of suet.
Where to Find This Bird
Red-bellied Woodpeckers can be found pretty much anywhere with large trees including deciduous forests, swamps, backyards, and parks.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Identification
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers have a black back with numerous white spots and a light underside. They have a black and white patterned face complete with a black cap and “mustache stripe” that goes from the bill down the cheeks to the neck. Males have an incredibly thin nearly invisible red stripe on the side of their head just under the cap.
Range
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers can be found in scattered pockets in the southeastern United States from Florida up north as far as Kentucky and Virginia. These birds are nonmigratory and inhabit the same general areas year-round.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers eat insects and other small invertebrates which they find under the bark of trees (particularly pine trees). They will search both the trunks and branches and even pull panels of bark off to eat the small creatures underneath. They will also eat berries and nuts but the majority of their diet consists of bugs.
Where to Find This Bird
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers can be found in pockets of old growth pine forest in the southeastern United States. Whereas this habitat was once quite extensive in the region, it is now much more fragmented. Many areas inhabited by Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are now federally managed, so knowing what spots are known to hold the species can be a good way to find them. Often times, their usual cavities will even be marked.
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker – Photo by Bill Grossmeyer
Identification
The extremely aptly named Red-headed Woodpecker can be identified by its white underside, black back, white “backpack” markings on the wings, and of course, its bright red head. Juveniles look similar but with a dark colored head.
Range
Red-headed Woodpeckers are birds of the Eastern United States. They can be found year-round from Florida and Mississippi all the way up through Southern Michigan and New York. In winter, this species moves slightly farther southwest in Texas and in summer they move northwest to the Dakotas and even into south-central Canada and further north in the Midwest and northeast.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Red-headed Woodpeckers eat a wide variety of different food items including insects, fruit, and seeds. They are among the most actively foraging woodpecker species and are known to catch insects out of the air.
Where to Find This Bird
Red-headed Woodpeckers reside in deciduous woods as well as more open areas with more sparse tree cover such as areas that have recently been burned. Forest edges are also another great place to find this species.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Photo by Bill Grossmeyer
Identification
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are quite dapper birds with black wings, and black stripes on their white faces. They also have a large white marking on each of their wings, black and white blurring on the back, and some barring on their flanks. This species also has some splashes of color as well, including a namesake pale yellow on their chest, and a red crown. Males also have a red throat which differentiates them from the females.
Range
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are migratory and spend the winter from the Southeastern United States all the way through Mexico and Central America. In Spring, these woodpeckers move north and occupy the Northeastern United States and Southern Canada. It’s worth noting that while not indicated by range maps, some individuals have been known to spend the winter fairly far north in the Eastern US.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers eat insects, fruit, and as their name suggests, sap. They eat tree sap by drilling holes in the trees and then eating the sap that fills them, They will usually make these holes in rows that look something like a grid. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are particularly fond of trees with high sugar contents in the sap such as certain types of birches and maples.
Where to Find This Bird
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers can be found in forested areas and edge habitats. They spend a lot of time attending to and drilling their sap wells, so areas that have been tapped before by these birds will most likely be revisited again.
Summary
Woodpeckers are indeed interesting birds with unique habits but a general look that spans across the different birds that make up the group. Knowing the specific details of how to identify them and what habitats to find them in can be of great help while out in the field.
Shrikes are unique in that they are predatory songbirds with a hooked bill, and cheery call. Nicknamed “Butcher Birds”, shrikes will hang their prey from thorns or barbed wire fences. There are two species of shrikes that can be found in Iowa, and they both look similar with a few noticeable differences.
Northern Shrike
Northern Shrike
Identification
Northern Shrikes look similar to Loggerhead Shrikes, with a gray back, white stomach, black mask, and black and white wings and tail. However, an adult Northern Shrike will have a thinner black mask, and a barred stomach, as opposed to a clean white stomach.
The Northern Shrike has some year-round range in Alaska, but mostly lives in Northern North America in summer and migrates down to the Northern and Central United States in winter.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Northern Shrikes feed mostly on insects and small vertebrates, but will sometimes also eat carrion. Although they do not have talons, Shrikes will use different tactics to kill their prey, including driving it into the ground or using their hooked bill. Once dead, Shrikes will sometimes wedge the prey onto a thorn or wire.
Where to Find this Bird
Northern Shrikes are found in Iowa in winter significantly more frequently than in other months. They can be found in edge habitat with open landscape nearby, and ample perches, whether manmade or natural.
Watch us search for a Northern Shrike in winter
Loggerhead Shrike
Loggerhead Shrike
Loggerhead Shrike
Identification
The Loggerhead Shrike is a gray bird with a thick, black mask, hooked black bill, gray body, clean white stomach, black and white wings, and black tail feathers. They look similar to the Northern Shrikes, but adults will have a thicker black mask and a clean white stomach, as opposed to the barred stomach of the Northern Shrike. Loggerhead Shrikes also have a more head-heavy appearance.
Watch us search for and find a Loggerhead Shrike in Texas
Range
Loggerhead Shrikes can be found year-round in many parts of Southern North America, and move further north in their breeding season, going as far as parts of Southern Canada. During their nonbreeding season, some individuals may expand further south into areas where they are not normally found year-round.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Loggerhead Shrikes feed mostly on insects, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, and birds, but they will also eat organisms that are already dead such as roadkill.
Where to Find this Bird
Look for Loggerhead Shrikes in open areas that also have isolated perching structures such as low trees, shrubs, or fences.
Listen to the Loggerhead Shrike Call – Jonathan Jongsma (CC by 3.0)
A juvenile Loggerhead Shrike (Bill Grossmeyer photo)
Which of these species have you seen? Leave a comment below and thanks for reading!
Cranes are among the largest and most noticeable birds in North America. These birds are always impressive to see when out birding and can turn up in some places you wouldn’t expect to see these tall, regal birds. In North America there are two crane species, and both of them can be found in Missouri. Here is everything you need to know about those two species.
Sandhill Crane
Sandhill Crane – Photo by Bill Grossmeyer
Identification
Sandhill Cranes have a mostly gray colored body with tan color mixed in. During the warmer months they typically are more tan than they are gray. They have a long neck and bill with white cheeks and red on top of their head.
Sandhill Crane chicks are a yellowish tan color and can often be seen tagging along with the adult parents.
Range
Sandhill Cranes winter in a few different areas around North America including northern Mexico, southern Texas, Florida, parts of California, parts of southern Louisiana, and other areas across the Great Plains states. In spring, they start heading north to breed in the northern United States and southern Canada. There are a few places where Sandhill Cranes stage prior to migration where they can be seen in absolutely massive numbers. Most of these areas are in the upper Midwest in states such as Minnesota and North Dakota.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Sandhill Cranes eat a wide variety of different food items. Much of their diet consists of plant matter such as tubers, berries, and seeds, but they also eat small vertebrates, insects and other invertebrates. Sandhill Cranes forage in shallow water as well as in farm fields where they eat grains from crops.
Where to Find This Bird
Sandhill Cranes can be seen in many different places. Some of the most common areas to find this species are shallow water marshes and open fields. However, Sandhill Cranes also show up on lawns in neighborhoods and even in parking lots in cities where they casually stroll around, often to the surprise of humans.
Whooping Crane (Rare)
Whooping Crane – Photo by Bill Grossmeyer
Identification
Whooping Cranes are absolutely massive, reaching heights of around five feet. They have a clean white body and red that covers their face and extends along the jaw line and on the top of the head. In flight, these cranes show black on the wing tips.
Range
The Whooping Cranes range is a bit complicated since they are actually split up into different populations. There are nonmigratory populations in Louisiana and Florida and migratory populations that winter in Florida and Texas and then migrate to Wisconsin and Canada respectively.
Diet and Foraging Habits
The large size of the Whooping Crane means they can eat many different types of animals, both vertebrates and invertebrates. They not only eat animals however, but also various plant material, both aquatic and terrestrial.
Where to Find This Bird
Whooping Cranes are most commonly found in marshland where they wade into water in search of food. Along their migratory routes they are seen in fields and wet grasslands. During their wintering times, they also reside in coastal waters and saltmarshes.
Summary
Cranes are spectacular birds to see as an avid birder or just a casual observer. Knowing where to expect them and which species are likely to be in your state and region can make it much easier to find and identify them.
Woodpeckers are unique birds that specialize in using their bills to bore holes in wood for the purpose of finding insects and other invertebrates to eat. There are many different species of woodpeckers that live in North America and eight species that can be found in the state of Arkansas. Here is everything you need to know about these eight species.
Downy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Identification
Downy Woodpeckers are among the most recognizable woodpecker species in the United States due to their propensity for visiting bird feeders and widespread range. They are on the small side for a woodpecker, have a white underside, a white back, and black wings with checkered white mixed in. Downy Woodpeckers have a white head with black stripe on the top of the head, through the eye, and along what can best be described as the jawline. Males have a noticeable red spot on the back of their head that females lack. It’s also worth noting that the bill of the Downy Woodpecker is relatively small compared to the similar looking Hairy Woodpecker.
Range
Downy Woodpeckers do not migrate and live year round throughout most of the continental United States and Southern Canada. Their range even stretches as far as Southern Alaska but it does not extend into the Southeastern US or Mexico.
Diet and Foraging Habits
downy Woodpeckers feed primarily on insects and other invertebrates that they find inside of trees and underneath bark. They also occasionally eat berries and seeds,
Where to Find This Bird
Downy Woodpeckers can typically be found in deciduous forests as well as in more urban areas such as backyards and parks. This species comes to bird feeding stations regularly where they will eat suet as well as black oil sunflower seeds.
Hairy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Identification
Hairy Woodpeckers are medium sized birds with a white underside, black wings, and a black tail. Male Hairy Woodpeckers have a red marking on the back of their black and white striped head. while females lack this red coloration. Hairy Woodpeckers have a longer bill than the comparable Downy Woodpecker which is helpful to note when distinguishing between the two.
Range
Hairy Woodpeckers are nonmigratory and live throughout much of North America including most of Canada and even parts of Mexico. There are some isolated areas where the normal range of the Hairy Woodpecker does not extend to such as parts of Oregon, Washington, and Southern Texas.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Hairy Woodpeckers are primarily insect eaters. They are especially fond of wood-boring insects and will congregate in areas where trees have recently been burned as more wood-boring insects are often present in these areas.
Where to Find This Bird
Hairy Woodpeckers can be found pretty much anywhere there are large trees. Deciduous and coniferous woods, backyards, edge habitats, and even swamps are all areas that can play host to this species. Hairy Woodpeckers will also visit backyards where they will feed on suet.
Northern Flicker
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Northern Flickers come in two different varieties, the Yellow-shafted and the Red-shafted. Both subspecies have a lighter underside, darker wings, and large black spots. Male Yellow-shafted Flickers have a black “whisker” marking by the bill, gray on the top of their head and a red patch on the head as well. Male Red-shafted Flickers have a red whisker marking. Females of both of these subspecies lack any whisker marking.
One of the biggest differences between these two subspecies is the tail and wing feathers. Yellow-shafted Flickers show yellow on these feathers while Red-shafted Flickers show an orangey red color. These color differences are incredibly noticeable in flight.
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) – Photo by Susan Young
Range
Northern Flickers are year-round residents of much of the continental United States, parts of Mexico, and some countries in Central America. Many of these birds migrate north in spring and spread into Canada to breed. Their numbers are at their highest in the continental United States in spring.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Northern Flickers eat many different species of insects as well as fruits, seeds, and nuts. These birds forage differently than other woodpeckers species as they spend a lot of time on the ground in addition to searching for insects up in trees. Another interesting thing about Northern Flickers is that they are particularly known for eating ants.
Where to Find This Bird
Northern Flickers can be found in pretty much any area with trees. Forest edges, deciduous woods, parks, and backyards are all places Northern Flickers frequent. Keep an eye out for flashes of yellow or red (depending on the subspecies) visible in flight.
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Identification
Pileated Woodpeckers are absolutely massive birds that are somewhat shocking to see as they fly through. They have a black back and underside with a bright red head crest. Both males and females have black stripes from their neck and through their eye. Males have red behind their bill whereas females just have black.
Range
Pileated Woodpeckers live year round in most of the Eastern United States. They also inhabit Southern Canada and some parts of the western Coast of the United States. In the West, California, Oregon, and Washington among other states that play host to these impressive birds.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Pileated Woodpeckers eat a variety of different insects, but they specialize in eating ants. In particular, carpenter ants make up quite a large portion of this birds diet.
Where to Find This Bird
Pileated Woodpeckers can be found in old growth forests with plenty of large trees. They live in deciduous and mixed coniferous woods. Listen for the laughing call of these birds that can be heard from miles away.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Identification
Red-bellied Woodpeckers have a tannish gray face and underside, black and white striped back, and red on the head. Males have more red on the head than females do. The name Red-bellied Woodpecker comes from a small bit of red that can sometimes be seen on the underside of the bird but is not always visible.
Range
Red-bellied Woodpeckers can be found throughout most of the Eastern United States year-round. Their range expands slightly west of the Mississippi River but dos not typically extend north into Canada or south into Mexico.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Red-bellied Woodpeckers eat a wide variety of food items including insects, fruits, seeds, and small animals. They have been known to visit bird feeders where they will take seeds, nuts, and pieces of suet.
Where to Find This Bird
Red-bellied Woodpeckers can be found pretty much anywhere with large trees including deciduous forests, swamps, backyards, and parks.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Identification
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers have a black back with numerous white spots and a light underside. They have a black and white patterned face complete with a black cap and “mustache stripe” that goes from the bill down the cheeks to the neck. Males have an incredibly thin nearly invisible red stripe on the side of their head just under the cap.
Range
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers can be found in scattered pockets in the southeastern United States from Florida up north as far as Kentucky and Virginia. These birds are nonmigratory and inhabit the same general areas year-round.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers eat insects and other small invertebrates which they find under the bark of trees (particularly pine trees). They will search both the trunks and branches and even pull panels of bark off to eat the small creatures underneath. They will also eat berries and nuts but the majority of their diet consists of bugs.
Where to Find This Bird
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers can be found in pockets of old growth pine forest in the southeastern United States. Whereas this habitat was once quite extensive in the region, it is now much more fragmented. Many areas inhabited by Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are now federally managed, so knowing what spots are known to hold the species can be a good way to find them. Often times, their usual cavities will even be marked.
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker – Photo by Bill Grossmeyer
Identification
The extremely aptly named Red-headed Woodpecker can be identified by its white underside, black back, white “backpack” markings on the wings, and of course, its bright red head. Juveniles look similar but with a dark colored head.
Range
Red-headed Woodpeckers are birds of the Eastern United States. They can be found year-round from Florida and Mississippi all the way up through Southern Michigan and New York. In winter, this species moves slightly farther southwest in Texas and in summer they move northwest to the Dakotas and even into south-central Canada and further north in the Midwest and northeast.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Red-headed Woodpeckers eat a wide variety of different food items including insects, fruit, and seeds. They are among the most actively foraging woodpecker species and are known to catch insects out of the air.
Where to Find This Bird
Red-headed Woodpeckers reside in deciduous woods as well as more open areas with more sparse tree cover such as areas that have recently been burned. Forest edges are also another great place to find this species.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Photo by Bill Grossmeyer
Identification
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are quite dapper birds with black wings, and black stripes on their white faces. They also have a large white marking on each of their wings, black and white blurring on the back, and some barring on their flanks. This species also has some splashes of color as well, including a namesake pale yellow on their chest, and a red crown. Males also have a red throat which differentiates them from the females.
Range
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are migratory and spend the winter from the Southeastern United States all the way through Mexico and Central America. In Spring, these woodpeckers move north and occupy the Northeastern United States and Southern Canada. It’s worth noting that while not indicated by range maps, some individuals have been known to spend the winter fairly far north in the Eastern US.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers eat insects, fruit, and as their name suggests, sap. They eat tree sap by drilling holes in the trees and then eating the sap that fills them, They will usually make these holes in rows that look something like a grid. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are particularly fond of trees with high sugar contents in the sap such as certain types of birches and maples.
Where to Find This Bird
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers can be found in forested areas and edge habitats. They spend a lot of time attending to and drilling their sap wells, so areas that have been tapped before by these birds will most likely be revisited again.
Summary
Woodpeckers are indeed interesting birds with unique habits but a general look that spans across the different birds that make up the group. Knowing the specific details of how to identify them and what habitats to find them in can be of great help while out in the field.
