Sparrows and Other Small Birds

Sparrows and Other Small Birds

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Brown Thrasher

They are able to call in up to 3000 distinct songs
This bird is omnivorous, eating insects, berries, nuts and seeds, as well as earthworms, snails and sometimes lizards
The bird is more likely to be heard than seen, not only because of the rattling of leaves, but also because of its call, a sharp lip-smacking type sound

Ovenbird

The nest, the "oven", is a domed structure placed on the ground, woven from vegetation and with a side entrance
These birds mainly eat insects, spiders and snails, also seeds in winter
The Ovenbird is vulnerable to nest parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird, but its numbers appear to be stable.

Louisiana Waterthrush

These birds are terrestrial feeders, seeking insects, molluscs and crustaceans amongst the leaf litter
Louisiana Waterthrushes nest in a rock crevice or amongst tree roots, laying 4-6 eggs in a cup nest
The breeding habitat is wet woodlands near running water

Summer Tanager

The only entirely red bird in North America
The Summer Tanager is considered a bee and wasp specialist
These birds are often out of sight, foraging high in trees, sometimes flying out to catch insects in flight.

Scarlet Tanager

These birds are declining due to forest fragmentation
The male molts its feathers depending on the season. In the breeding season it is scarlet and in the non-breeding season, more olive colored.
It captures insects by gleaning and grabbing them while hovering. It will also hawk flying insects. It beats its prey against branches to kill it.

Chipping Sparrow

Instead of having simple molts like most birds and changing its body feathers once or twice a year, the Chipping Sparrow may change the feathers of its face and throat up to six times in one year
The nest of the Chipping Sparrow is of such flimsy construction that light can be seen through it
It eats grass and other small seeds, small fruits, and insects

Field Sparrow

The Field Sparrow often feeds directly on fallen seeds. It may fly to the top of grass stalks, let its weight carry the stems to the ground, and then begin removing the seed
The male Field Sparrow starts singing as soon as he gets back in the spring. He sings vigorously until he finds a mate, but after that he sings only occasionally
It has a simple, yet distinctive song of repeated clear whistled notes on one pitch that increase in rate until they make a trill

Fox Sparrow

The fox sparrow comes in form different forms: a red form, a sooty form, a slate-colored form, and a large-billed form
These birds forage by scratching the ground
They nest either in a sheltered location on the ground or low in trees or shrubs

Song Sparrow

Males that use more learned components in their songs and that better matched their song tutors (the adult bird they learned their songs from) are preferred by females
The Song Sparrow is found throughout most of North America, but different populations in different areas can look surprisingly different
They nest either in a sheltered location on the ground or in trees or shrubs

Swamp Sparrow

The Swamp Sparrow has longer legs than other members of its genus; this adaptation allows it to wade in shallow water to forage
The Swamp Sparrow sometimes sticks its head under water to try to capture aquatic invertebrates
The next in cattails, grasses, shrubs, or on the ground

White-Throated Sparrow

The White-throated Sparrow comes in two color forms: white-crowned and tan-crowned
The two color forms of the White-throated Sparrow are determined by genetic differences, and are unique among birds. Oddly, individuals almost always mate with a bird of the opposite morph
It feeds primarily on ground by scratching in litter with both feet they also hawk insects from a perch.

White-Crowned Sparrow

Because male White-crowned Sparrows learn the songs they grew up with and do not travel far from where they were raised, song dialects frequently form. Males on the edge of two dialects may be bilingual and able to sing both dialects
There are five currently recognized subspecies of white-crowned sparrow, varying in migratory behaviour and breeding habitat
These birds forage on the ground or in low vegetation, but sometimes make short flights to catch flying insects

Dark-Eyed Junco

Juncos are the "snowbirds" of the middle latitudes
The Dark-eyed Junco includes six forms that were once considered separate species
Some forms of birds have longer wings than others, the ones with longer wings often migrate longer differences

Eastern Meadowlark

The Eastern Meadowlark is not a lark but belongs to the same family as blackbirds and orioles
The nest, constructed by female alone, is built on the ground of grasses woven into surrounding vegetation. The structure varies; the nest often has an arch or roof, and sometimes has a runway leading to the opening
There are up to 17 subspecies of eastern meadowlark

Carolina Chickadee

The birds hop along tree branches searching for insects, seeds, and berries, sometimes hovering or hanging upside down.
They sometimes hammer seeds on trees to open them and often store them for later.
They can intentionally lower their body temperatures so they induce hypothermia called torpor. This helps them conserve energy in the winter.

Tufted Titmouse

They forage actively on branches, and sometimes on the ground, eating insects, seeds, nuts, and berries, which they store for later
Their range is expanding northward, perhaps due to an increase in food due to bird feeders
The make their nests in natural cavities or old woodpecker nests in trees

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

They forage on the trunk of trees, often descending headfirst to catch insects in flight
Their call is like a tin trumpet
These birds are often permanent residents, but they regularly migrate into the southern United States if the food supply fails.

White-Breasted Nuthatch

The bird exibits a weird behavior called “bill sweeping” where it it picks up a piece or fur, plant, or insect, and uses it to sweep around its nest cavity, which is believed to remove their scent
Their principle diet consists of insects and a few seeds
They forage on the trunk of trees, often descending headfirst to catch insects in flight

Brown-Headed Nuthatch

This bird is frequently observed using a small piece of bark as a tool to dig for insects
It possesses a sharp nail-like beak that it uses to pound open seeds
This bird is bold and inquisitive

Brown Creeper

They forage on tree trunks, creeping slowly with their bodies flattened against the bark
They mainly eat insects, but sometimes seeds in winter
The bird is camouflagued and resembles tree bark

Carolina Wren

This bird is the second largest after the cactus wren
The birds are sensitive to cold weather, so after severe winters their populations decline
Carolina Wrens eat insects, found in leaf litter and on trees, small lizards, tree frogs, seeds, and berries

Golden-Crowned Kinglet

The forage in trees for insects, insect eggs, and spiders
They tend not to fear human approach
The birds are migratory to the United States, although there are some permanent residents

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

The male has a red patch on his crown which is only visible when he is agitated
There may be as many as twelve eggs in a single breeding session
They eat mainly small insects, spiders, berries, and tree sap

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

They eat insects, insect eggs, and spiders
They build a cup nest similar in construction to a hummingbird’s
These birds migrate to the Southern United States, Central America, and South America

Wood Thrush

These birds are omnivorous, feeding on soil invertebrates and larvae and sometimes fruit
They normally defend their territory without physical contact, but during high-intensity encounters or nest defense physical interactions with the feet and bill have been observed.
Wood thrushes are monogomous, but they find a new mate each year