Pacific Northwest Birds

Time 2021-10-31 15:10:56

Web Name: Pacific Northwest Birds

WebSite: http://www.pacificnorthwestbirds.com

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description:Pacific Northwest Birds is all about the birds in your backyard and beyond. Get to know the amazing birds in our beautiful corner of the world! Find us on Facebook, too.
Pacific Northwest Birds All About the Birds in Your Own Backyardand Beyond HomeBird Species of the Pacific Northwest Birds of Alaska Bird Species of British Columbia Bird Species of California Bird Species of Idaho Bird Species of Montana Bird Species of Oregon Bird Species of WashingtonBook: Birds of the Pacific NorthwestFound Injured or Orphaned Wildlife? Alaska Wildlife Rehabilitators British Columbia Wildlife Rehabilitators Idaho Wildlife Rehabilitators Montana (Western) Wildlife Rehabilitators Northern California Wildlife Rehabilitators Oregon Wildlife Rehabilitators Washington State Wildlife Rehabilitators scissor themes wordpresspride 4 wheel victory 10 coupon Older Entries Bird in the Spotlight: Mourning DoveDecember 7th, 2020 | Author: Sally Dinius

Mourning Dove. Photo by Snowmanradio.

One of the most widely hunted game birds in North America, the Mourning Dove is a year-round resident whose range extends from parts of lower Canada to south of Mexico. The Mourning Dove is often confused with the Eurasian Collared-Dove, a bird that was introduced to the Bahamas in the 1970s but quickly spread across the continent. It’s not much of a stretch to confuse the two – they’re cousins, both belonging to the family Columbidae.

But why is this dove called the Mourning Dove? It has to do with its call, an owl-like hoo-WOO-hoo-coo-coo. Typically made by the male, its a sound that is low andmournful.

Listen to the Mourning Doves call in this video from PreciousFlowerBB on YouTube:

The male in the video above is delivering his perch coo, or mating call. Its called a perch coo because its usually made from a perch, advertising with his call that hes ready to find a mate. This, by the way, is how we know the bird is a male. Male and female Mourning Doves are not sexually dimorphicthat is, they have no distinct differences in their coloring or markings to tell us whos who.

Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Scientific Name: Zenaida macroura

Size and markings: The sweet-faced Mourning Dove is 9-13” long with a wingspan of 17-18”. Upperparts are a grayish-tan, and underparts are a light tan. You’ll be able to identify this bird by its light blue eye-ring, black spots on wings, and black spot on each cheek. Its feet are a reddish-pink.

Food: Most often seen foraging for seeds on the ground below feeders, but will also attempt eating from feeders. The Mourning Dove can store an incredible amount of seed and grit for later in its crop, a pouch that is just an enlarged part of its esophagus.

Habitat/nesting/behavior: Common throughout much of the Pacific Northwest, the Mourning Dove isn’t picky about where it builds its nest. Mourning Dove nests can be found in gutters, on tree branches, and even on the ground often near human dwellings or workplaces, and may be seen roosting on power lines.

Number of broods per year: 1-6
Number of eggs per brood: 2

Migratory pattern: The Mourning Dove is a year-round resident throughout much of the United States and Mexico, with the exceptions of Alaska and Hawaii. Breeding resident in northern/central states like Montana, North and South Dakota, and Minnesota. Non-breeding resident in southern Mexico and Central America.

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Learn more about your backyard birds in Birds of the Pacific Northwest: How to Identify 25 of the Most Popular Backyard Birds. Get it for your Kindle (which you can also read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet with this free Kindle app), Nook, on Smashwords, or in the iTunes bookstore.

Find us on Twitter, Instagram, our Pacific Northwest Birds Facebook page, and especially our fun and fast-growing Pacific Northwest Birders Facebook group!

Posted in NW Bird Species, Ornithology | Tags: Birds of the Pacific Northwest, dove, eurasian collared-dove, mourning dove, north american doves, northwest birds, pacific northwest birds | Comments Closed Bird in the Spotlight: Annas HummingbirdSeptember 22nd, 2020 | Author: Sally Dinius

How dare I feature the Rufous Hummingbird here on Pacific Northwest Birders but not its rival, the Annas Hummingbird. Contenders for the same food sources in spring and summer, the more-testy Rufous typically chases the Annas hummers from feeders theyd previously had all to themselves. The Annas return when it seems safe to do so, only to be run off again by a Rufous that had been standing guard unseen. (While fierce warriors themselves, female Rufous Hummingbirds typically arent as possessive as the males and have been known to share feeders with an Annas or two. But, shhhdont tell anyone.)

By late summer (depending on your area), the Rufous Hummingbirds leave for warmer parts, giving up claim to the precious feeders theyd conquered just months before.

If any bird is breathing a sigh of relief at this time of year, you know its the Annas Hummingbird. The fighting over feeding stations is over, and this small, green and white hummer with flashes of iridescent pink now has the feeders and any flower still in bloom (like my fuchsias, amazingly) all to itself.

Male Annas Hummingbird. Photo by Bryan Hanson.

Unlike the migrating Rufous, the Annas Hummingbird is a year-round resident of the Pacific Northwest and will visit nectar feeders whether its sunny, rainy, or snowy, and whether its 84 degrees or 24 degrees. Hummingbirds depend on nectar for energy, and this one depends on it even more as the ample bug population it knew in summer begins to dwindle. Be sure to keep that feeder filled and youll have the joy of watching this beautiful little bird all year long, if you live within its range.

(Nectar is easy to make, if youd like to try it yourself. Boil four cups of water, remove from the heat, stir in one cup of table sugar until dissolved, and set aside to cool. Once cooled to room temperature, fill the feeder, but please change daily. Any extra nectar should be kept in a pitcher and refrigerated. Please dont add red food coloring as it may be more harmful than helpful to hummers.)

If youd like to learn more about this little green powerhouse, please read on.

Size and markings: The Anna’s Hummingbird is 3.5-4 inches long with a wingspan of 4.75 inches. The male has an iridescent deep-pink gorget (throat area) and crown. Upperparts and sides are green, while the belly is gray. White rump patch. Female also has a gorget, but only a small one in the form of a small patch on her throat, surrounded by deep-pink flecks. The short, straight bill is black.

Food: Backyard nectar feeders will be readily used by the Anna’s Hummingbird. When it comes to flowers, this bird prefers varieties with tube- or bell-shaped blossoms. Smaller insects caught in flight or found stuck in spider webs are also eaten or taken to their young. It also feeds on sap and the insects attracted to it, such as ants.

Habitat/nesting/behavior: This hummingbird, the only one to be found along the Pacific Coast in wintertime, prefers dry open areas as its habitat, including parks and suburban backyards. Nests are comprised of lichen, plant fibers, down, and spider silk.

Number of broods per year: 2-3

Number of eggs per brood: 2

Migratory pattern: The Anna’s Hummingbird lives year-round in some areas of western Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. In non-breeding months, it lives anywhere from coastal British Columbia south to Mexico.

Months usually seen at backyard feeders: Any, really, but may be more commonly seen in spring and summer.

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Learn more about your backyard birds in Birds of the Pacific Northwest: How to Identify 25 of the Most Popular Backyard Birds. Get it for your Kindle (which you can also read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet with this free Kindle app), Nook, on Smashwords, or in the iTunes bookstore.

Find us on Twitter, Instagram, our Pacific Northwest Birds Facebook page, and especially our fun and fast-growing Pacific Northwest Birders Facebook group!

Posted in Bird in the Spotlight, NW Bird Species, Ornithology | Tags: Anna's hummingbird, hummingbirds, hummingbirds of the northwest, pacific northwest birds, pacific northwest hummingbirds, rufous hummingbird | Comments Closed Bird in the Spotlight: Purple FinchSeptember 1st, 2020 | Author: Sally Dinius

Male Purple Finch. Photographer: Cephas

The Purple Finch is often confused with similar birds in the family Fringillidae, such as Cassin’s Finch and the slimmer House Finch. It is, however, fairly easy to identify once you know what to look for. While all three birds have touches of red or pink, the male Purple Finch looks, as Roger Tory Peterson famously quipped, like it had been “dipped in raspberry juice.” Read on to learn more about the Purple Finch.

Order: PASSERIFORMES
Family: Fringillidae
Scientific Name: Haemorhous purpureus

Size and markings:The Purple Finch is 4.5 6 inches long with a wingspan of 8.5 10 inches. Compared to a House Finch, the feathers on top of this finch’s head can appear to be standing on end, while the top of the House Finch’s head is smooth. The male Purple Finch has a dark pink head with a somewhat darker raspberry-toned crown, and fairly prominent lighter eye stripe and malar (moustache). Its back and wings are brown striped with the appearance of being dyed pink. Its bill is thick and conical (cone-shaped).

Female Purple Finches are a streaked brown and cream (more brown above, buff below) with a light eye-stripe to match the males. This eye stripe is not seen on the female House Finch, which helps in distinguishing these LBBs (little brown birds) from each other.

Food: Like other finches, the Purple Finch eats seeds, small fruit, and insects. They can be attracted by quality seed blends that contain millet and sunflower seed pieces.

Female Purple Finch. Photographer: Cephas

Habitat/nesting/behavior: The Purple Finch dwells in suburban areas, groves, and wooded lots. You may be more likely to see a House Finch than a Purple Finch at your feeder, as some researchers are worried that the House Finch is replacing the Purple Finch population in some areas. Its nest, about 4 inches tall and 7 inches across, is built mostly by the female, who constructs it out of twigs and roots. The inside of the nest is lined with soft grasses, moss, and hair.

Number of broods per year: 1-2
Number of eggs per brood: 2-7

Migratory pattern: The Purple Finch summers in Canada and winters on the West Coast and in the eastern U.S., but is also a year-round resident of the Pacific Northwest. It may move around the Pacific Northwest nomadically, depending on the season.

Months usually seen at backyard feeders: Any.

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Learn more about your backyard birds in Birds of the Pacific Northwest: How to Identify 25 of the Most Popular Backyard Birds. Get it for your Kindle (which you can also read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet with this free Kindle app), Nook, on Smashwords, or in the iTunes bookstore.

Find us on Twitter, Instagram, our Pacific Northwest Birds Facebook page, and especially our fun and fast-growing Pacific Northwest Birders Facebook group!

Posted in NW Bird Species, Ornithology | Tags: birds of british columbia, birds of oregon, Birds of the Pacific Northwest, birds of washington, cassin's finch, house finch, little brown birds, pacific northwest birds, pnw songbirds, purple finch, purple finches, songbirds | Comments Closed Bird in the Spotlight: Ruby-crowned KingletAugust 6th, 2020 | Author: Sally Dinius

Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Photo by Dan Pancamo. Used by permission via Creative Commons.

A diminutive songbird seen throughout most of North America, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet is not too skittish around people, which gives us birders a better chance to catch a glimpse of one. If the male of the species feels agitated, youll know it, as thats when his fiery crest appearsseemingly out of nowhere.

While similar in size and looks to the Golden-crowned Kinglet, they are actually not close relatives.

Scientific name: Regulus calendula
Family: Regulidae

Size and markings:
In a face that would be otherwise plain, the eyes of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet are set in the center of a white eye ring, giving this bird the almost-comical illusion of having larger eyes. (Better to see you with?) Olive coloring on its head, face, and back gives way to lighter olive/tan coloring on its undersides. The male has an orange-red crest that is often concealed but will sometimes flare when excited or disturbed. Black and yellow coloring on the wings is reminiscent of Pine Siskins and interrupted by a white wing bar. This diminutive yet busy bird is 4 – 4.5 inches long with a wingspan of about 7 inches.

Food:
The diet of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet consists largely of insects, spiders, and insect eggs. It has also been known to eat berries and seeds.

Habitat/nesting/behavior:
In the Pacific Northwest, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet is typically found in forested areas. A breeding resident in parts of the PNW, its nests are made of moss, grasses, feathers, spiderwebs, and lichen. Their globe-shaped nests can be found hanging from tree branches – often 100 feet up in safe, protected spots chosen by the female.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Photo by Tony Castro. Used by permission via Creative Commons.

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet sometimes hovers briefly while catching prey and may catch your eye as it flicks it wings over its back while searching for food in trees and shrubs.

Number of broods per year: One

Number of eggs per brood: 5 12

Migratory pattern:
While some areas of the Pacific Northwest have Ruby-crowned Kinglets as year-round residents, other areas will see them only during breeding, migrating, or non-breeding months. These kinglets breed mostly in Alaska and Canada, and in the Cascade and Rocky Mountains of the lower 48 states.

Months usually at backyard feeders:
Not usually a feeder bird but may be attracted to suet in the winter months.

To see the Ruby-crowned Kinglet in action and hear its call, check out the following video by YouTuber naturalist97333:

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Learn more about your backyard birds in Birds of the Pacific Northwest: How to Identify 25 of the Most Popular Backyard Birds. Get it for your Kindle (which you can also read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet with this free Kindle app), Nook, on Smashwords, or in the iTunes bookstore.

Find us on Twitter, Instagram, our Pacific Northwest Birds Facebook page, and especially our fun and fast-growing Pacific Northwest Birders Facebook group!

Posted in Bird in the Spotlight, NW Bird Species, Ornithology | Tags: Alaska birds, British Columbia birds, California birds, Canada birds, idaho birds, kinglet, montana birds, northwest bird species, northwest birds, Oregon birds, pacific northwest birds, pnw birds, ruby-crowned kinglet, songbirds, washington birds | Comments Closed Dont Miss These Puget Sound Area Events for BirdersAugust 31st, 2019 | Author: Sally Dinius

Well, friends, summer is ebbing away. Theres a coolness in the morning air, the days are getting shorter, and kids are heading back to school.

Shorter days means less daylight for walks and birding, but there are plenty of events coming up in September to keep us busy. Read on for a few west-side happenings you wont want to miss. Ill let you know about more as I become aware of them. (And if you have an event of interest to birders or know of one, please email me or message me on Facebook.

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Swift Night Out 2019
Saturday, September 7, 2019
4:00 pm until dusk

Photo by Peter LaTourette via Audubon.org

Location: Wagner Center, 639 West Main Street, Monroe, WA 98272
Sponsored by the Pilchuck Audubon Society
Download the flyer here: Swift Night Out 2019

Come let yourself be mesmerized by the swirling evening dance of the Vaux’s Swifts. Bring a lawn chair and a blanket, and turn off your phone for a few hours. Lose yourself in this unique September avian ritual, and enjoy the company of others who come from all around the region to watch thousands of these little birds turn in for the night. You won’t forget this special evening.

We suggest you arrive early to stake out a good patch of lawn. The event begins about 4:00 and ends when the last bird goes to bed – usually about 7:00.

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Puget Sound Birdfest
September 13-15, 2019
Location: Edmonds, WA, Various Locations

Belted Kingfisher photo courtesy of Puget Sound Birdfest

Puget Sound Bird Fest in Edmonds, Washington is an annual fall celebration of birds and nature found on the beautiful shores of Puget Sound. It is listed as one of Seattles best events on events12.com, the web site of events currently over 12 months in major cities.

Our three-day event includes speakers, guided walks, land and water-based field trips, exhibits, and educational activities for children and adults. Plan to spend the weekend in Edmonds, birding and meeting other birders, naturalists, photographers, and people engaged in fascinating bird research projects.

Click here to check out the events website and here to download the schedule.

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Winter Birds of South Korea with Dave Cowell
Saturday, September 16, 2019
7:00 pm
Rainier Audubon Society
Location: Federal Way United Methodist Church, 29645 51st Ave. S., Federal Way, WA 98001

Photo by Dave Cowell

Feel like broadening your birding horizons beyond the Pacific Northwest? In just a couple of weeks, youll be able to do that and without having to travel very far. Photographer and Pacific Northwest-based birder Dave Cowell will bring the experience of birding in South Korea to you! South Korea sits in the heart of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway and hosts a multitude of birds. It also includes some critical overwintering habitat for several endangered species. During the program, Dave will share the birds he has photographed and the surprising circumstances that have provided some of them their winter home.

Photo by Dave Cowell

Dave Cowell spent his childhood days exploring the woods and creek that ran behind his Upstate New York home. This time in nature granted him a lifelong appreciation for nature. Photography has always nourished him and balanced the chaos of daily life. The challenge of creating compelling images of wildlife is his personal way of experiencing the wonders of nature and connecting with others. He is especially grateful for the opportunity to share his work with like minded people who love, respect and depend upon natural places to enhance their daily lives.

Join us at 6:30 pm for conversation and refreshments.

Read more about Dave and the upcoming meeting by clicking here.

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Learn more about your backyard birds in Birds of the Pacific Northwest: How to Identify 25 of the Most Popular Backyard Birds. Get it for your Kindle (which you can also read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet with this free Kindle app), Nook, on Smashwords, or in the iTunes bookstore.

Find us on Twitter, Instagram, our Pacific Northwest Birds Facebook page, and especially our fun and fast-growing Pacific Northwest Birders Facebook group!

Posted in Birding Events, Local Activities - Puget Sound Area, Local Activities - Western Washington, Ornithology | Tags: Audubon Society, pacific northwest birding, pacific northwest birds, pnw birds, puget sound birding, south korea birding, vaux's swifts, washington state birding events | Comments Closed Older Entries Search Our Site Hey, Whats That Bird? Need to brush up on your backyard birds? Get Birds of the Pacific Northwest for your Kindle or Nook today! (On sale right now for just $2.99.)

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