Bird Categories Archives - Page 45 of 48 - Window to Wildlife

White-Tailed Kite

By admin | September 30, 2013 - 8:15 pm |September 30, 2013 Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies

2 Comments

White-Tailed Kite near Leola Marsh, Adams County, Wisconsin. Photographed on September 30, 2013.

White-Tailed Kite

Binomial name: Elanus leucurus

Category: Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies

Description: White with black shoulders and wingtips; elongated wings and tail. Red eyes and yellow legs.

Size: 14” – 17” long, 35” – 40” wingspan

Weight: 8.8 oz. – 13 oz.

Habitat: Coastal areas, marshes, sparse woodlands, and grasslands

Diet: Rodents and other small mammals

Nesting: Both parents choose the nesting site and may participate in building the nest; sometimes only the female builds the nest. The nest is typically in the top third of a tree and is shallow and made with twigs and grasses or leaves. The female will lay an average of 4 eggs at a time, laying 1 brood per season. The incubation period lasts 30 to 32 days and the young remain in the nest for about 35 days.

Notes: The White-Tailed Kite can hover in midair 80 feet above the ground without flapping its wings by facing into the wind. This behavior is called “kiting,” thus the name White-Tailed Kite. From this stationary position, the White-Tailed Kite will plunge straight down to retrieve its prey.

Please click here to see the gallery of images.

Harris’s Sparrow

By admin | September 25, 2013 - 1:12 pm |September 26, 2013 Emberizids

3 Comments

Harris’s Sparrow photographed at Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha, WI on September 25th and 26th, 2013.

Harris’s Sparrow

Binomial name: Zonotrichia querula

Category: Emberizids

Description: Brown face and back, both overlaid with black markings especially crown, face, and throat. White on wings and underparts. Pink bills and legs.

Size: 6.7″ – 7.9″ long, 11” wingspan

Weight: 0.92 oz. – 1.7 oz.

Habitat: Coniferous forests and tundras adjacent to bogs

Diet: Seeds, especially grass seeds, fruits, pine needles, and flower parts. Scratches the ground to forage for food.

Nesting: Nests are built on the ground under the protection of a coniferous bush or in a bed of grasses. Both parents construct the nest in mid-June using materials such as sticks, grasses, moss, and lichens. The female will lay 3-5 eggs at a time, laying eggs at the end of June to the middle of July. The young remain in the nest for about 3 weeks before becoming completely independent of their parents.

Notes: “Harris’s Sparrow” is named after ornithologist Edward Harris. This bird will live nearly 12 years in the wild if not caught by a predator. And, Harris’s Sparrow only breeds in Canada, the only bird to do so.

Please click here to see the gallery of images.

Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird

By admin | September 18, 2013 - 6:36 pm |September 23, 2013 Hummingbirds

3 Comments

Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird photographed in Waukesha County on September, 18 2013.

Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Binomial name: Archilochus colubris

Category: Hummingbirds

What is Leucism?

Leucism is an uncommon condition in birds. This condition is caused by a genetic mutation which prevents pigments, particularly melanin, from being deposited evenly in the bird’s feathers. Leucistic birds have melanin elsewhere in their bodies which is why they may have dark eyes, legs, and bills. However, their true color will be missing or greatly reduced due to the lack of proper pigmentation.

What is Albinism?

Leucism is similar to albinism as in both cases the birds may be completely white. However, albinism is defined as a complete absence of melanin in an animal. Truly albino species will have pink eyes as the only color seen will be caused by blood vessels behind their eyes. They will also have pink bills, legs, and feet. Albinism is extremely rare in birds.

Notes:

Leucistic birds are extremely uncommon for a number of reasons. They are not thought to live very long because their white feathers make it difficult for them to hide from predators. If they do stay alive, it is difficult for them to find a mate and successfully pass on their genetic mutation. Additionally, the melanin found in regular birds adds strength to the feathers. Leucistic birds lacking melanin have weaker feathers and thus have a more difficult time flying in severe weather. Last, the reflective properties of white feathers may be problematic for birds who rely on solar energy for heat.

To see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds without Leucism, please visit my posts featuring this bird on Red Bee Balm, Royal Catchfly and Cardinal Flower.

Western Sandpiper

By admin | September 11, 2013 - 6:41 pm |September 11, 2013 Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

3 Comments

Western Sandpiper at Bradford Beach, Milwaukee, WI. Photographs taken September 11, 2013.

Western Sandpiper

Binomial name: Calidris mauri

Category: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

Description: Brown feathers on back with white underparts. Dark legs and bill.

Size: 5.5” – 6.7” long, 10.2” – 14.6” wingspan

Weight: 0.8 oz. – 1.2 oz.

Habitat: Coastal tundras, shorelines, and mudflats

Diet: Small insects such as flies and beetles as well as spiders, mollusks, and small crustaceans

Nesting: The male builds several nests out of grasses, leaves, and lichens pressed into a mud flat or shoreline. He will then sing to attract a mate, and she will choose the nest. Both parents will incubate the eggs. The typical clutch size is 3-5 eggs. The female may stay and help care for the chicks, or she may leave before the eggs hatch and the male will be the sole caretaker.

Notes: Western Sandpipers breed in Siberia and Alaska, although migration will take them down the West Coast to California. Very rarely are they seen as far east as the Midwest.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Cardinal Flower

By admin | August 27, 2013 - 11:00 am |December 10, 2013 Hummingbirds, Wildflowers

4 Comments

Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Cardinal Flower photos taken August 26th, 2013 in Waukesha County, WI.

Horicon Marsh and Hustisford August 20, 2013

By admin | August 21, 2013 - 8:50 am |December 10, 2013 Blackbirds, Ducks, Geese, and Swans, Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

3 Comments

Photographs taken at Horicon Marsh and Hustisford on August 20, 2013.

Marsh Wren

Least Sandpiper

Blue-winged Teal Family

Stilt Sandpipers

Lesser Yellowlegs, Hustisford

Pectoral Sandpiper, Hustisford

Least Sandpipers, Hustisford

Least Sandpiper, Hustisford

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Pectoral Sandpipers, Hustisford

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Horicon Marsh, WI August 13, 2013

By admin | August 13, 2013 - 3:01 pm |August 15, 2013 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies, Rails, Gallinules, and Coots, Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

1 Comment

Photographs from Horicon Marsh, Fond du lac/Dodge County, Wisconsin taken August 13, 2013.

Marbled Godwit

Common Moorhen with young

3 – Red-necked Phalaropes (background)

Spotted Sandpiper

Juvenile Stilt Sandpiper

Great Egret

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Horicon Marsh, WI August 7, 2013

By admin | August 7, 2013 - 5:42 pm |August 7, 2013 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies, Pelicans, Stilts and Avocets

Leave a comment

Photographs from Horicon Marsh, Fond du lac/Dodge County, Wisconsin taken August 7, 2013.

Black-necked Stilts

Juvenile American White Pelicans

Great Egret

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Horicon Marsh, WI July 29, 2013

By admin | July 29, 2013 - 6:10 pm |August 7, 2013 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers, Pelicans, Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

6 Comments

Photographs from Horicon Marsh, Fond du lac/Dodge County, Wisconsin taken July 29, 2013.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Baby Common Moorhen

Juvenile American White Pelicans

Juvenile American White Pelican

Juvenile Black Tern

Great Egret

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Cattle Egret

By admin | July 23, 2013 - 4:32 pm |August 7, 2013 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies, Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

5 Comments

The Cattle Egret is one of my nemesis birds this year. After many miles of driving through areas where Cattle Egrets had been reported, this was my first real chance to photograph one. This time it did not disappoint me. I saw not one bird, but two. They were in a double pasture with cows just northeast of Horicon Marsh on Stumpf Road in Fond du lac County, Wisconsin.

I’ve also included images of some Wilson’s Phalaropes (Phalaropus tricolor) from Horicon Marsh.

Photographs taken July 23, 2013.

Cattle Egret

Binomial name: Bubulcus ibis

Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Description: White plumage with cream-colored feathers on its chest, head, and tail during breeding season. Yellow bill and gray legs.

Size: 18”-22” long, 35” – 38” wingspan

Weight: 9.5 oz. – 18 oz.

Habitat: Pastures, grasslands, meadows, and wetlands

Diet: Insects (grasshoppers and crickets), spiders, amphibians, and worms

Nesting: Cattle Egrets nest in colonies, typically near a body of water. Both males and females build the nest; males collect twigs and sticks while the female assembles them into jumbled pile in a tree or shrub. It is common for these birds to steal nest materials from others. The female will lay 1 to 5 eggs and raise 1 brood each season. Both parents incubate the eggs. Chicks are born with down feathers but are still helpless. The fledglings leave the nest after about 45 days.

Notes: Cattle Egrets are appropriately named as they tend to forage for food near cattle or other large, grazing animals. They eat insects and other vertebrates spread by these animals. The birds have also been known to forage behind farm machinery. Farmers may welcome these birds to their pastures as Cattle Egrets will help control fly and tick populations among cattle.

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Royal Catchfly

By admin | July 21, 2013 - 2:16 pm |March 15, 2014 Hummingbirds, Wildflowers

5 Comments

I had another opportunity to photograph the Ruby-throated Hummingbird in my backyard, this time enjoying Royal Catchfly (Silene regia). As I mentioned in my last post on this fascinating species (Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Bee Balm), these hummingbirds favor red tubular flowers most of all. Royal Catchfly, a native of Missouri, is an excellent candidate here.

Photographs taken July 21, 2013 in Waukesha County, WI.

To see the full gallery of images, please click here.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Red Bee Balm

By admin | July 19, 2013 - 2:43 am |September 12, 2015 Hummingbirds, Wildflowers

6 Comments

Just this week, I had the chance to photograph a Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Bee Balm at length in our yard in Waukesha, WI. The action I captured was of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird repeatedly visiting a bed of Red Bee Balm in our yard. This solitary species is enjoyable to watch as it darts, hovers, rotates, perches, and flies both forwards and backwards (Hummingbirds are the only bird species currently known to fly backwards). They favor red tubular flowers for nectar as is demonstrated by the vibrant Red Bee Balm pictured (Monarda didyma).

Pictures taken on July 15, 2013 in Waukesha County.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Binomial name: Archilochus colubris

Category: Hummingbirds

Description: Metallic green feathers on back, grayish-white on underparts. Males have a vibrant red throat which may appear dark in poor lighting. Wings are dark gray, almost black. Long, slender bill is black in color and mostly straight with a slight curve at the tip.

Size: 2.8″-3.5″ long, 3” – 4” wingspan

Weight: 0.071 oz. – 0.21 oz.

Habitat: Broadleaf and pine forests, orchards, meadows, parks, and gardens

Diet: Tree and flower nectar, small insects, and spiders

Nesting: The female provides all parental care, building a nest in a protected tree or shrub on a slightly downward-sloping limb. They favor deciduous trees such as oak, birch, or poplar. The nest is made out of bud scales, lichen, spider silk, and dandelion or thistle down. The same nest may be used year after year with the female making annual repairs. The female will lay 1-3 eggs at a time, laying eggs once or twice per summer. The young remain in the nest for 22-25 days.

Notes: A list of just some of the of native wildflowers we have planted in our yard to attract these exquisite tiny birds are: Red Bee Balm (Monarda didyma), Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), Royal Catchfly (Silene regia), Butterfly Milkweed (Ascelpias tuberose), Hoary Vervain (Verbena stricta), Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum), Penstemon species, Echinacea species.

To see the full gallery of images, please click here.

Laughing Gull

By admin | July 17, 2013 - 12:45 pm |August 7, 2013 Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Leave a comment

Photographs taken in North Point, Sheboygan, WI, on June 17, 2013.

Laughing Gull

Binomial name: Leucophaeus atricilla

Category: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Description: White body with dark gray back and wings with a black head. In the winter, the black head will fade to white. Dark red bill and legs.

Size: 14” – 16” long, 39” – 43” wingspan

Weight: 7 oz. – 13 oz.

Habitat: Coastal shorelines, beaches, ponds, and marshes

Diet: Insects, earthworms, snails, fish, squid, crabs, berries, garbage

Nesting: They nest in large colonies (up to 50,000 birds) on beaches or other shorelines. The nest is made of grasses and is usually built on the ground (or on rocks or dead plant materials) by both the male and female. Sometimes the male will build a nest in hopes of attracting a suitable breeding partner. The female will lay 1 brood per season with 3-4 eggs. She will incubate the eggs for 21 days.

Notes: The name “laughing gull” comes from its call which sounds like a high-pitched laugh.

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Little Gull

By admin | July 16, 2013 - 12:55 pm |August 7, 2013 Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Leave a comment

Photographs taken in North Point, Sheboygan, WI, on June 17, 2013.

Little Gull

Binomial name: Hydrocoloeus minutus

Category: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Description: Light gray body, gray wings with white wingtip and a black head. In the winter, the black head will fade to white. Dark red legs and a black bill.

Size: 10” – 12” long, 24” – 31” wingspan

Weight: 2.4 oz. – 5.7 oz.

Habitat: Freshwater shorelines of lakes, ponds, rivers, and marshes

Diet: Flying insects, fish, crayfish, snails, and leeches

Nesting: The nest is made of floatable grasses or other vegetation and is usually built on the ground adjacent to shallow water. The female will lay 1 brood per season with 1-4 eggs. Although the chicks are able to begin leaving the nest after only 3 days, they take 3 years to reach maturity.

Notes: Commonly found across Europe and Asia, Little Gulls are rare birds in North America. However, their numbers have been increasing since the 1960’s and they are regular visitors to both the East Coast and the Great Lakes of the Midwest. They may be seen in flocks with Bonaparte’s Gulls.

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Wood Ducks in Waukesha County on September 19, 2012

By admin | July 15, 2013 - 9:13 pm |February 21, 2015 Bird Categories, Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Leave a comment

I came across a small pond in northwest Waukesha County that had about a dozen Wood Ducks, male and female. Images were taken on September 19, 2012.

Wood Ducks, female right, male left

Wood Duck

Binomial name: Aix sponsa

Category: Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Size: 18.5” long, 30” wing span

Weight: 1.3 lb

Wood Duck, male, just relaxing!

Wood Duck, male

Wood Ducks, male right, female left

Wood Ducks, female

Wood Ducks, male right front, female left back

Wood Duck, female preening

Wood Duck, male

Wood Ducks, male left, female right

Wood Duck, female

White Ibis

By admin | July 6, 2013 - 6:17 pm |August 7, 2013 Ibises and Spoonbills

Leave a comment

This White Ibis was was found and reported by a local birder in Racine, WI. The location was the Wolf Lake boat landing at Richard Bong State Recreation Area in Kenosha County, WI. Since the White Ibis was so far from its natural range, I knew I had to make the trip down to Bong SRA. When I arrived early in the morning, it was viewable from the boat landing but a long ways off. I spent at least 5 hours there trying to get some nice pictures as it moved around the drained lake bed from one spot to another. Because of the locations of the bird and the bright sun light, I knew a return trip would be required. The next morning I returned and the bird was in a different location than the previous day. I had better views and even took a short video. The White Ibis was a new life bird for me. It is a beautiful bird and I was glad I made the trips to see it.

Photographs were taken on June 11, 2013.

White Ibis

Binomial name: Eudocimus albus

Category: Ibises and Spoonbills

Description: White feathers with black wingtips (typically only visible during flight), long red legs and red bill with a downward curve

Size: 22” – 27”

Weight: 26.5 oz. to 37 oz.

Habitat: Marshes, ponds, wetlands, and wet lawns

Diet: Insects, crayfish, and small fish

Nesting: Males secure and deliver nesting materials while the female constructs the nest, usually in a tree or shrub, sometimes over water. The female will lay 1 – 5 eggs which are then incubated by the male. During the incubation period, he will aggressively defend the nest, even going into a pattern of starvation. 2-3 weeks later, the eggs hatch both parents will feed and care for the fledglings.

Notes: The White Ibis congregates in huge flocks for feeding, nesting, and roosting. Despite their social nature, Ibises typically insist on grooming themselves rather than engaging in allopreening. In fact, nearly half their day may be spent on resting and roosting activities which includes bathing, preening, and grooming their feathers.

To see the full gallery of images, please click here.

Eastern Bluebird

By admin | July 5, 2013 - 6:22 pm |August 7, 2013 Thrushes

Leave a comment

While out doing some normal birding in the South Kettle Moraine I came across an Eastern Bluebird nest in a natural cavity. They were feeding the young on a regular basis. I set for some shooting under a honeysuckle bush to capture some of the action. On one set of images a female comes out of the bluebird house with some new bugs that the male had just brought her, only to do a 360° turn right back into the house to feed the young.

Photographs were taken on May 30, 2013.

Eastern Bluebird

Binomial name: Sialia sialis

Category: Thrushes

Description: Both male and female birds have blue plumage on top with rusty-colored throat and breast. However, the male enjoys a much brighter blue color compared to the female’s pale blue feathers. The female also has a gray head.

Size: 6.3″-8.3″ long, 9.8” – 13” wingspan

Weight: 1.0 oz. – 1.2 oz.

Habitat: Forests adjacent to meadows or with clearings and near lakes or rivers

Diet: Insects (grasshoppers, beetles, crickets), spiders, snails, and wild fruit and seeds

Nesting: Eastern Bluebirds seek out nesting areas abandoned by other birds such as woodpecker holes. The female will build the nest over the course of 1-2 weeks using feathers and plant materials. She will lay 3-7 eggs at a time, raising 2 broods over the course of a summer. Both parents will feed the young for 2-3 weeks before the fledglings leave the nest.

Notes: If you can offer a suitable habitat with trees and a water source, invite Eastern Bluebirds into your backyard with a nestbox. Click here for a blueprint and more information on this easy DIY project.

To see the full gallery of images, please click here.

Common Loon

By admin | July 4, 2013 - 6:16 am |August 7, 2013 Loons

8 Comments

On a recent trip to Sawyer County in Northern Wisconsin, I had the opportunity to photograph Common Loons. This graceful bird has an enchanting call that has inspired numerous Native American tales and even a novel. The Common Loon has been featured on Canadian currency and is also the state bird of Minnesota.

I have also included some images taken last summer at the same location.

Common Loon

Binomial name: Gavia immer

Category: Loons

Description: Black head with black and white checkered body in summer for breeding season; brown and white body in the winter. Blackish-blue bill that is held horizontally and black feet.

Size: 24″-40″ long, 4′ – 5′ wingspan

Weight: 4 lbs. – 8 lbs.

Habitat: Large lakes and shorelines

Diet: Fish (perch, trout, sunfish, bass)

Nesting: Usually nests on small islands or other locations safe from land-based predators. The nest may be made out of thin sticks, dried grasses, or a depression in mud or sand. Typically 1 to 3 eggs will be laid at one time and will be incubated by both parents. The parents aggressively protect their nests and share the responsibility of feeding the young. Baby loons may be seen riding on the back of either parent in the water.

Notes: The Common Loon has legs positioned in the rear of its body. This makes for excellent diving and graceful swimming; however, it also makes for awkward landings and clumsy walking. In fact, Loons require a “runway” spanning 30 yards or 1/4 mile for take-off and landing AND it can only be done in water. Loons have actually been stranded in small ponds, icy lakes, or even a parking lot without a suitable runway and must be rescued.

To see the full gallery of images, please click here.

Great Gray Owl

By admin | July 3, 2013 - 9:06 am |October 10, 2014 Typical Owls

Leave a comment

This Great Gray Owl was reported by a local resident. Two days after the posting, I made the run up to Mauston very early in the morning. The exact location of this owl was not given but I had a hunch on where the location was. Two other bird parties arrived early and the bird was located after an hour of searching. I spent the better part of the day enjoying great looks of this bird along with a couple other birders as the bird stayed most of the day with in viewing area. I was able to record a short video, too. When it did disappear, it was only for a short period time. Photographs taken February 27, 2013 in Mauston, WI.

Great Gray Owl

Binomial name: Strix nebulosa

Category: Typical Owls

Description: Gray feathers in various shades cover the body. The upper parts are gray with pale streaks while the underparts are gray with dark streaks. Yellow eyes surrounded by dark circles.

Size: 24” – 33” long, 55” – 60” wingspan

Weight: 1.3 lbs. – 4.2 lbs.

Habitat: Conifer and pine forests, near open areas such as meadows or wetlands

Diet: Rodents (especially voles), hares, weasels, thrushes, grouse, and ducks

Nesting: Great Gray Owls do not build nests. They may occupy a nest previously built by other large birds such as hawks or other raptos. They may also nest in broken tree tops or empty tree cavities. A female usually lays 2 to 5 eggs and raises 1 brood per season. Only the female incubates the eggs and the incubation period lasts about 30 days. The male will hunts for enough food to feed both the female and the chicks until they become fledglings, 3 to 4 weeks after hatching.

Notes: The Great Gray Owl has a highly developed sense of hearing which is vital to hunting. They may even locate and capture prey moving beneath snow or ice, plunging through to make the catch.

To see the full gallery of images, please click here.

Northern Hawk Owl

By admin | July 2, 2013 - 1:36 pm |October 10, 2014 Typical Owls

Leave a comment

The Northern Hawk Owl is an uncommon visitor to Wisconsin. This bird had a long stay of 4+ months in Door County, Wisconsin near Sister Bay. This bird’s normal range is Canada; the southern border of the range is the most northern edge of Minnesota. Photographs taken February 13, 2013.

Northern Hawk Owl

Binomial name: Surnia ulula

Category: Typical Owls

Description: Dark brown feathers with cream-colored spots on upper parts; black plumage on the back of the neck. Underparts and tail feathers are cream with brown bands. Eyes and beak are yellow.

Size: 14” – 18”, 18” wingspan

Weight: 10.5 oz.

Habitat: Deciduous and coniferous forests near open areas such as clearings, meadows, and swamps

Diet: Rodents (especially voles), hares, weasels, thrushes, grouse, and finches

Nesting: Both parents build a nest, normally in the top of dead conifers or hollow stumps or, more rarely, on cliffsides. The female lays 3 to 11 eggs and does most of the incubating while the male hunts. After 25 to 30 days, the chicks will hatch and the female will hunt while the male guards the nest. After about 3 weeks, the fledglings will begin to leave the nest.

Notes: Northern Hawk Owls are considered a rare bird due to their low population density and remote nesting habitats. However, if you are lucky enough to find one, they may allow you to approach quite closely. They are unusually tolerant of humans. But, if it is breeding season, the males tend to get quite aggressive while defending their young. Approach with caution.