Field and Swamp: Animals and Their Habitats

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum).  It has the most attention-getting song, somewhat more high-pitched than the Northern Mockingbird. its 1100 mostly original varieties of song.	Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), Durham, NC, 9/2/06.  This very curious bird was watching me very closely in a power line cut.	Gray Catbird, Durham, 4/25/06.  This bird's song, with all its squealing and smacking sounds, was quite an attention-getter.

Fledgling Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), Durham, 5/23/05.	Another fledgling Northern Mockingbird, Pine Knoll Shores, Carteret County, NC, 7/23/08	Fledgling Northern Mockingbird, Pine Knoll Shores, Carteret County, NC, 7/23/08	Fledgling Northern Mockingbird, Durham, 8/22/04.  Note the speckled breast and relatively large head.

Adult Northern Mockingbird, Durham, 5/23/05, with insect in beak.  The Mimidae member with the most beautiful song, perhaps the reason for its superabundance.	Adult Northern Mockingbird, Raulston Arboretum, Raleigh, Wake County, NC, 3/17/06.  A very curious bird.

Northern Mockingbird in flight, Harkers Island, NC, 3/21/05.	Northern Mockingbird, Durham, 7/30/04. According to Prof. Hill of Carolina Coastal University, this bird is probably sunbathing.	This Fort Fisher Basin Trail (New Hanover County, NC) Northern Mockingbird was looking right at me when I took this picture on 12/13/04.

Warblers (Parulidae family, Oscines suborder, Passeriformes order)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata), Durham, NC 3/16/08.	Yellow-rumped Warbler, Durham, 2/26/08	Yellow-rumped Warbler, Durham, 3/24/08	Yellow-rumped Warbler, Durham, 2/23/07.  Transitional plumage is evident here.	Breeding plumage: Yellow-rumped Warbler, Durham, 4/23/05.  I was hoping to see a gradual transition in plumage, but migration apparently interfered.  This bird and another appeared briefly after I'd thought the Yellow-rumped Warblers had been gone for the year.

Pine Warbler (Dendroica Pinus), Durham, 3/12/05.  These used to be rare visitors, but at least one is coming regularly now.	Ovenbird (Seirus aurocapillus), the Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve, Wake County, NC on 5/8/05.  Amalie ?, Josh Southern, Marsha Stephens, Jeremy Wrenn, Will Cook, Janie Owens and David F. Smith gave this identification.  Charles Boyce added that it may be a juvenile.  It gets its funny name from the shape of its nest, which looks like a Dutch oven.	Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica), White Pines Nature Preserve, Chatham County, NC, 4/16/06

Young Carolina Wren, Durham, 5/20/06.  To order products bearing this photo, visit our store.	This Carolina Wren seemed to trying to face me down when I encountered it on my front steps in Durham, 12/17/05.	This is probably the fattest Carolina Wren I've ever seen.  NC Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 3/25/06.	Singing Carolina Wren, Durham, 6/6/06

American Sparrows (Emberizidae family, Oscines suborder, Passeriformes order)

Dark-eyed Juncos, the most common birds in my neighborhood in the winter, prefer to eat seed that has been dropped on the ground.  White-throated Sparrows, also extremely common, have a special tendency to go after seeds dropped on the ground under the deck, and can gather there by the dozens.  But the only bird in this group to visit our bird feeders is the Chipping Sparrow, a summer resident.

Male Eastern Towhee, Duke Gardens, Durham, 2/22/05, presumably scratching for seeds since no insects were around on this date.  It's unusual to see one of these birds out in the open; I typically see them hiding inside bushes or in heavy brush.	Female Eastern Towhee, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, 4/1/06	Male Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), "slate-colored" subspecies (the only one that is found in the eastern US), Craggy Gardens parking lot (5500 feet elevation), Macon County, NC, 7/20/03.  This place is near the southern extreme of this bird's breeding range.  Obviously very well fed!

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), Durham, NC, 12/2/06.  This is a "white-striped" type.  To order products with this photo (with some of the upper part truncated) on them, visit our store.	White-throated Sparrow, Hillsborough, Orange County, NC, 1/14/06.  Here is another "white-striped" type.	White-throated Sparrow, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 12/29/07.  This is a "tan-striped" type.

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), Duke Gardens, Durham, 2/22/05.	Sometimes sparrows are hard to tell apart.  It helps, though, to remember the Chipping Sparrow (Spizzella passerina) is the one that looks like Jack Nicholson.	Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana), Audubon Swamp Garden, Charleston County, SC, 3/28/06

Thrushes and Robins (Turdidae family, Oscines suborder, Passeriformes order)

This is a very varied group.   Although they can get along nicely without people, some have had trouble coping with destruction of their habitat.  Putting out birdhouses for Eastern Bluebirds has helped, however.  Thrushes have some trouble with conventional birdfeeders (although a few Eastern Bluebirds have proved to be exceptions on suet feeders) because of their inability to figure out how to land on them.  Although they can perch on branches and similar structures at least 10 mm thick, they have trouble landing on the smaller ones typically used on tube feeders or suet holders.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts of Grayson County, VA has discovered how to enable a Hermit Thrush to eat from a feeder.  He keeps "one tube feeder hanging from (his) porch, with an adjacent water pan, more often than not void of water.  He/she uses the water pan as a perch, and reaches into the tube feeder holes."  However, he says, this thrush only comes "during snow, wind, cold."

Jeff Lewis of Manteo, NC reported that his neighbor had Hermit Thrush success with a "suet log."

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus), Durham, 3/12/05. This one showed up in our back yard early one morning, far from the feeders.	Hermit Thrush, Durham, NC, 3/13/08.	Hermit Thrush, Durham, 12/15/07.  This thrush sought food in the immediate vicinity of our feeders, but simply studied the corn for a while and hovered near the suet feeder without landing, giving up altogether after that.	Hermit Thrush, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 12/29/07

Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), Durham, 7/4/05.   This bird got my attention during a walk through the woods with its beautiful gurgling song.	Male American Robin (Turdus migratorius),  Durham, 3/18/06.

Male and female Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis), Durham, NC, 1/19/08	Male Eastern Bluebird, Durham, NC, 4/7/08	Female Eastern Bluebird, Durham, NC, 1/19/08	Male Eastern Bluebird  Durham, 3/18/05.	Female Eastern Bluebird, Durham, NC, 12/11/06

Young male  Eastern Bluebird, Durham, 9/19/05.	Young Eastern Bluebird, probably female	Juvenile (perhaps female) Eastern Bluebird, Durham, 7/2/05.

Blackbirds and Allies (Icteridae family, Oscines suborder, Passeriformes order)

This is another varied group, with only their long bills and tails in common.   The ones I've seen seem very adaptable, taking advantage of people and other birds alike.  Boat-tailed Grackles hang out wherever people are fishing, hoping a scrap will come their way.  Cowbirds, of course, are notorious for taking advantage, but people have successfully fended them off in most places; Cedar Island, NC, is a notable exception, however.

Half-grown Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major), Kure Beach Pier, New Hanover County, NC, 11/19/04.	Very young Boat-tailed Grackle Kure Beach, NC, 12/14/04.	Boat-tailed Grackle  adult female, Kure Beach, NC, 12/14/04.	Adult female Boat-tailed Grackle, Kure Beach, NC, 4/29/05

Adult male Boat-tailed Grackle, Kure Beach, New Hanover County, NC, 12/12/05.	Male Boat-tailed Grackle, illustrating iridescence in a different way.	Male Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger), Isla Verde, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1/9/05.  Identified by Prof. Christopher E. Hill, Carolina Coastal University, Conway, SC.  Prof. Hill says that this is a smaller species than the Boat-tailed Grackle, with a shorter tail.	Male Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscala), Duke Gardens, Durham, NC, 4/2/05

Male Red-winged Blackbird, Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC, 5/15/07.  These birds can control how much of the red portion of their wings shows.	Male Red-winged Blackbird, Pine Knoll Shores, Carteret County, NC, 7/22/08	Male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, NC, 5/13/04.

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), town of Ocracoke, NC, 5/10/04.  These parasitic birds invade the Triangle in late spring, alas.	Young Brown-headed Cowbird. It was light brown; the blue color is apparently an artifact of flash photography.  ID thanks to Harry LeGrand and Bill Hilton.

Cardinals and Allies (Cardinalidae family, Passeriformes order)

Northern Cardinals are among the most common birds where I live in Durham, NC, but are not always the easiest to photograph.  They prefer to come to our birdfeeder when the light is dim, and are quick to flee when spotted in the woods.   Indigo Buntings, on the other hand, are always a pleasant surprise in my area.

Portrait of a male Northern Cardinal, Durham, 2/12/05.   Amazing what great artistic effects you can get from inadequate morning (9:16 am) light!	Male Northern Cardinal, Penny's Bend, Durham County, NC, 11/30/05.  This cardinal apparently thought he was well-hidden in this thicket, about 20 feet away from me.	Male Northern Cardinal, Durham, NC, 12/31/06.	Male Northern Cardinal, northern Durham, NC, 6/8/04. This bird, which apparently lives at least partly on handouts at a public place, has lost nearly all of the feathers on his head, revealing gray skin.  This may be one of the very few examples of birds in old age that we are able to see.

Female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Durham, 3/5/05.  This bird braved pouncing squirrels to eat seeds dropped on the deck.	Female Northern Cardinal, Durham, NC, 3/11/08

Male Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Durham, 7/20/05.  This bird showed up in a tree in my neighborhood swamp.

Chickadees and Titmice (Paridae Family, Passeriformes order)

Birds in this group come to our birdfeeders more often than all others put together.  They painstakingly carry each seed to a nearby tree branch, peck the shell open, eat the seed and return for another over and over again.  They are bold but alert and I suspect they work hard sizing us up.

Tufted Titmouse (Bacolphus bicolor), Durham, 3/2/05.  These birds balance their curiosity and wariness nicely.  They make very rapid trips to and from the birdfeeder, but sometimes stop to study me carefully, usually (but not always) from a tree branch.	Tufted Titmouse, Durham, NC, 12/27/07	Singing Tufted Titmouse, Durham, 4/15/05	Carolina Chickadee (Poecile Carolinensis), Durham, 3/31/05	Carolina Chickadee, Durham, 2/16/05

Flycatchers and Phoebes (Tyrannidae family, Passeriformes order)

Does anyone know what is tyrannical about these birds?  It has to be hard to be a tyrant when you're an especially tiny little bird hiding out from people and never even attempting to conquer a birdfeeder!

Great Crested Flycatcher (Myarchus crinitus), Durham, NC, 6/23/08.  Seen in a tree in the marsh fronting my neighborhood swamp.	Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe), Durham, 9/8/06	Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), Pea Island NWR, 5/7/06.  This one does look kingly, if not tyrannical!

Finches (Fringillidae family, Passeriformes order)

For lessons by a very talented artist on how to paint finches, see Catinka Knoth's Finch Painting (and other forms of art) Page.

Male American Goldfinches undergo plumage changes from late fall through April each year.  Goldfinches make their feathers fluff out in very cold weather.

Male American Goldfinch, in breeding plumage, at the "Enter the Wild" exhibit, Museum of Life & Science, Durham, NC, 4/22/08	American Goldfinch, Durham, NC, 1/12/07	American Goldfinch, Durham, NC, 3/12/06	American Goldfinch, Durham, NC, 3/12/06	American Goldfinch, Durham, NC, 3/25/06

Male American Goldfinch, Durham, NC, 1/10/07	American Goldfinch, Durham, NC, 4/2/05	American Goldfinches, Durham, 3/8/05.	Male (left, with summer breeding plumage) and female American Goldfinches, 5/8/05.

Male Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus), Durham, NC, 1/23/06.  Front of head is partially blocked by bird-feeder.	Male Purple Finch, Durham, NC, 1/15/08.  Purple Finches were very common this winter, always appearing in dim light.	Female Purple Finch, Durham, NC, 12/19/07

Male House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus), Durham, NC, 4/24/07	Female House Finch, Durham, NC, 12/11/06

European Sparrows (Passeridae family, Passeriformes order)

These birds originally came from Europe, and like the finches are real survivors.  They're the ultimate rat race birds: the heck with the scenery, let's get down to business!   Why go to the trouble of building a nest when you can stay in the big letters on the front of a grocery store, or take over a birdhouse intended for Eastern Bluebirds?  They may be domesticated, but they are not especially nice to others!  The family name implies that they are "true" songbirds, the ultimate survivors of this order.  It's worth noting, however, that they've never made it to our bird feeders.

Female House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Durham, 4/3/05	Male House Sparrow, San Francisco, CA, 8/6/07	Male House Sparrow, Cedar Island, NC, 3/21/05

European Starlings (Sturnidae family, Passeriformes order)

These birds are another European import, or should we say, invasion?

Adult non-breeding European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Durham, NC, 3/13/05.  This bird was perched in a tree near a Wild Birds Unlimited® birdfeeder.	Adult breeding European Starling, Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC, 5/9/06	Young European Starling, San Francisco, CA, 8/6/07	Young European Starling, Pine Knoll Shores, Carteret County, NC, 7/22/08	European Starlings, non-breeding adults, Ft. Fisher State Recreational Area, New Hanover County, NC, 1/7/08

Kinglets (Regulidae family, Passeriformes order)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula), Durham, 2/21/06

Crows and Jays (Corvidae family, Passeriformes order)

Not all Passiformes are songbirds!   These birds are reputed to be the most intelligent of this order, and at any rate they manage to get along without having to deal with people at all in my neighborhood.  The crows in my neighborhood fly around in large vocal groups which I can't resist calling "caw-cuses."

Blue Jay, Southpoint Swamp, Durham, NC, 11/12/07	Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), Durham, 5/7/05.  These birds are found most often in deep woods, but are showing up around my house in greater numbers lately.	Blue Jay, Durham, NC, 5/15/06	Young Blue Jay, Durham, NC, 5/18/08

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchus), Asheboro, Randolph County, NC, 4/6/05.  The wide beak, large body and long wings give it a rather grand presence. This very tame crow was hanging around the NC Zoo picnic area, near a pond.	Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus), Myrtle Beach, SC, 3/18/08.  This species has a narrower beak and shorter wings.  Note the stray feather.	Fish Crow, Ocracoke, 5/9/06.

 Gnatcatchers (Sylviidae family, Passeriformes order)

These birds mostly hang out in trees near the swamp in my neighborhood in small groups.  They engage in dust-bathing to rid themselves of parasites.  And that's about all I know about them except from books!

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptera caerulea), Durham, 7/16/05.	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eno River State Park, Cox Mountain, Orange County, NC, 4/12/06.  This bird was solitary.

Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae family, Passeriformes order)

Barn Swallows are in flight nearly all the time during the day, so it's always a treat to catch them taking a break.

Purple Martins are thoroughly dependent on people for housing, although they are quite capable of collecting materials and stuffing them into these units to build nests.  They have no problems living in apartments.  So far, they sound kind of like most people!  Other swallows are less specific in their expectations of human-made housing provisions, but still quite dependent on us.

The Purple Martins in my neighborhood seem to be social, getting together and making a rapid series of widely varying sounds that are tempting to read as conversation.   They've also learned not to be afraid of me, patiently and with apparent curiosity letting me take their pictures at fairly close range.

Adult male Purple Martin (Progne subis), Durham, 5/12/05.  Purple Martins, a kind of swallow, are attracted to birdhouses (even bird apartments, as shown here), where they build nests from various objects, including pieces of paper, as is illustrated here.	Young Purple Martin, Durham, 7/5/05	Young Purple Martin, Durham, 6/26/05.  To order products with this photo, visit our store.	Young Purple Martin, manifesting no fear (but perhaps disapproval!) at close range.  Durham, 4/28/06.

Waxwings (Bombycillidae family, Passeriformes order)

Cedar Waxwings are supposed to move in groups nearly all the time, but exceptions obviously exist. 

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum).  This bird was part of a large group flying together in search of food, landing in the upper branches of trees.	This Cedar Waxwing was on its own, and one of two such loners I saw on 12/16/02 in Durham.	Cedar Waxwing, NC Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 3/3/06, eating a berry.	Cedar Waxwing, NC Botanical Garden, 3/3/06, moving to another branch.  You can see some yellow tail feathers.	Cedar Waxwings, Carolina Beach State Park, New Hanover County, NC, 12/20/06

Nuthatches (Sittidae Family, Passeriformes order)

Nuthatches were the first birds to come to our new birdfeeder; in fact, the White-breasted Nuthatch was the only one for awhile.  Their agility may be a factor, since they have no trouble walking up and down tree trunks.

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis), Durham, 2/23/08.	Red-breasted Nuthatch, Durham, NC, 3/16/05	White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Carolinensis), Durham, 1/17/08.  This was the first species of bird that I photographed, the first to appear on the deck.  But it didn't come to the feeder nearly as often as Northern Cardinals, American Goldfinches, Tufted Titmice or Carolina Chickadees.	Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla), Durham, 3/9/05.  Like all nuthatches (genus Sitta), this bird can walk around on tree trunks, while birds of other genera have to stay erect on branches or walk up the trunk.	Brown-headed Nuthatch, Durham, NC, 12/27/07

Mystery Bird, Passeriformes order?

Durham, 8/7/02.  This is probably a half-grown Common Grackle.

Cuckoos (Cuculidae family, Cuculiformes order)

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus, Phaenicophaeinae subfamily), Durham, NC, 9/7/06.  This bird arrived in the wake of Tropical Storm Ernesto.

Woodpeckers (Picidae family, Piciformes order)

These are what Edward O. Wilson calls "true woodpeckers" (as opposed to the honeycreepers of Hawaii) in The Diversity of Life (1999, p. 100) because of their sheer numbers, variety of natural habitats, and "élan and precision," i.e., they can really go to town on that tree (or your house).

Woodpeckers prefer "mature forest:" read that to mean they seek out dead trees, because that's where the wood-munching insects are.  So they look for wood that sounds hollow inside.  That's bad news for anyone who lives in a wooden house with any empty space, and local pest control people say Downy Woodpeckers especially prefer cedar.

Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus), Santee State Park, Orangeburg County, SC.  These were sitting on top of a cabin.  The leftmost vulture may be a young bird.	Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Durham, NC, 2/1/08.	Turkey Vulture, Charleston, SC, 3/27/06

Doves (Columbidae family, Columbiformes order)

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroaura), Durham, 11/1/06	Rock Doves (Columba livia), Plaza de las Palomas, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.  And all this time you didn't know pigeons were cuddly?  This is a favorite spot for both tourists and locals, including the pigeons.	Rock Dove, Kure Beach, NC, 4/29/05.  This pigeon was getting a lot less coddling.	Rock Dove, Lake Park, Carolina Beach, NC, 6/25/08

Hummingbirds (Trochilidae family, Apodiformes order)

Juvenile Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), NC Arboretum, Asheville, NC, 7/8/05.  Order products with this picture on them at our store.

Hawks (Accipitridae family, Falciformes order)

See the Red-shouldered Hawk page for more photos.

Fish Eagles (Haliaeetus genus, Accipitrinae subfamily, Accipitridae family, Falciformes order)

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), seen flying back and forth (once) over Cypress Pond, Carolina Beach State Park, Hew Hanover County, NC, 1/6/08

Adult male Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon, Cerylinae subfamily).  ID thanks to Will Cook and Dwayne Martin.	Same adult male Belted Kingfisher

Domestic Fowl

African Guinea Fowl, Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, NC, 7/31/06, appeared in a backyard in Old Salem.  Thanks to Amy Barbe of Athens-Clarke County, GA for ID:  she says they are "very handy for eating ticks in your yard and as a watch 'dog.'"

Chickens, Ocracoke, NC.  Yes, they're domesticated, but who could resist this scene?	Rooster, Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, 1/31/02.  I guess we don't normally think of chickens as wildlife, but in Puerto Rico some feral roosters run around loose.	Rooster, town of Ocracoke, NC, 6/10/02.  This one was domesticated.