Bobolink

Scientific Name: Dolichonyx oryzivorus

Population Estimate: 11M

Range / Habitat: Full migrant found almost exclusively in grasslands. Summers / breeding in upper US and into Canada, excluding the far west. Winters in the middle of South America.

Field Notes: Typical blackbird size / shape. Male in breeding plumage has black face, bill, and underparts, white on back and wings, yellow half-hood. Female and non-breeding male with yellow underparts, brown tail and wings, black eyestripe and streak on top of head, yellow superciliary, pale bill.

Personal Notes: We finally got to see this species (with the help of the Wyoming bird list serve) on a gravel road between Fort Phil Kearney and Story, Wyoming. We were quite excited to find him later in St. Paul MN at Kaposia Landing, a former superfund site. 

Carolina Wren

Scientific Name: Thryothorus ludovicianus

Population Estimate: 17M

Range / Habitat: Found in a wide range of habitats, from swamps to forest to residential areas. Requires moderately dense shrub or brushy cover. Year-round in southeastern US and Yucatan Peninsula.

Field Notes: Small passerine with typical wren characteristics -- tail held upward, long and slightly decurved bill. Marked eyestripe. This wren has a characteristic call.

Personal Notes: Seen on nest at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Later a common bird in Julie and Jason's backyard in Evansville, Indiana. Also taunted us throughout the woods of the Lowcountry. 

Turkey Vulture

Scientific Name: Cathartes aura

Population Estimate: 5M

Range / Habitat: Year-round throughout southeastern and southern US, Mexico, Central America and nearly all of South America. In summers will push up into the rest of the US.

Field Notes: Large black bird with small, red head. Vultures characterized by large size, wheeling glides, finger-like wing tips. Viewed when in flight, Turkey Vulture has silver from their wingtips all along the trailing wing edge, small head, and rarely flap wings. Black Vulture has silver on underside of wingtips only, obvious head, and with frequently flap wings.

Black-capped Chickadee

Scientific Name: Poecile atricapillus

Population Estimate: 34M, Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Year-round in northern US, Canada and into Alaska. Found in any habitat that has trees or woody shrubs.

Field Notes: Small bird with tiny bill, oversized head, and no neck, giving it an overall round shape. Unmistakable and sharply-demarcated plumage as above. Characteristic "chicka-dee-dee-de" and "cheese-bur-ger" sounds.

Personal Notes: Richard can finally appreciate these handsome birds after winning the battle for a photo. We also appreciate their resilience in a Minnesota winter.

Pileated Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus

Population Estimate: 930K, Least Concern status

Range and Habitat: Year-round in old forests of eastern US, southern Canada, and the west coast of the US. 

Field Notes: Large, black and white woodpeckers with a prominent head with red crest. White line down the sides of the throat. They show white on the wings in flight. Adult males have a red line from the bill to the throat, in adult females these are black.

Personal Notes: A majestic bird.

Red-tailed Hawk

Scientific Name: Buteo jamaicensis

Population Estimate: 2M, Least Concern status

Range: Year-round throughout the United States and most of Mexico. Summers extends into Canada and Alaska.

Field Notes: The most common hawk in the United States. There are so many morphs it makes my head spin (see the Field Marks section on the Cornell site). The most reliable field note seems to be the red tail as in the top two photos above. I'm sure there are other ways to differentiate hawks, both in flight and while perched, but I just don't know them yet. I'll get back to you when I do.

Personal Notes: We have tracked many of these birds thinking they were something "different" only to find they were, while still majestic, the Red-tailed Hawk. As an aside, if you see it perching along the freeway in the United States, it's a Red-tailed Hawk. Really. Don't keep going back and forth on the freeway....

Hairy Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Picoides villosus

Population Estimate: 9M, Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Year-round in deciduous forests throughout North America and into Mexico.

Field Notes: Smallish woodpecker with black and white upperparts with white stripe running down the length of the back. White underparts. Red hindcrown patch in male, absent in female. Black bill the same length as depth of head, compared to Downy Woodpecker.

Personal Notes: We are always thrilled to see woodpeckers on return to the US from New Zealand. 

Downy Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Picoides pubescens

Population Estimate: 13M, Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Year-round in open woodlands, city parks, and winter feeders throughout the US, Canada and Alaska.

Field Notes: Small, black and white woodpecker. Males with red spot on the back of head. Bill length about half the depth of head. Hairy Woodpecker larger, with relatively longer bill and distinct call.

Personal Notes: Such a sweet little bird, especially when seen in winter. 

Eastern Bluebird

Scientific Name: Sialia sialis

Population Estimate: 10M, Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Year-round in southeastern US and central Mexico. In summers extending north into the upper midwest and eastern Canada. Prefer meadow habitat, often seen perching on wires and nest boxes.

Field Notes: Medium-sized songbird, small thrush. Plump with round head. Male with bright blue on wings, tail and head. Chest, neck and flanks rufous, with striking white belly. Western Bluebird with blue throat, often rufous on shoulders or back, some blue on belly.

Personal Notes: We will always think of the Arboretum in Minneapolis with their bluebird boxes.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Scientific Name: Sitta carolinensis

Population Estimate: 10M, Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Year-round in mature forests and forest edges throughout most of the US, southern Canada, and into Mexico. 

Field Notes: Typical nuthatch behavior. Frosted black cap, white face and underparts, bluish-gray back and wings.

Personal Notes: A hard little bugger to photograph.