Bird Practical 2

Common Nighthawk

Crepuscular

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Camouflaged in grey, white, tan and black
• Tiny beak with large black eyes
• Very long pointed wings, medium-long tails
• Wings have a large white bar ~2/3 towards the tip

Status – Steep Decline

Whip-poor-will

Nocturnal

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Mottled gray and brown
• Stout chested giving a front-heavy look
• Black-ish throat with a white bib
• Symmetrical whitish corners to the tail

Status – Declining

Chimney Swift

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Small, long curved wings, and short tail
• All dark gray-brown, small pale patch on throat

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Migratory – KS Breeding & Migration

Characteristics
• Small, slender downcurved bill, and short wings
• Bright emerald or golden-green back and crown
• Grey-white underparts
• Males: iridescent red throats (looks black in bad lighting)

Belted Kingfisher

Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Large head with a shaggy crest
• Thick, straight, pointed bill
• Female is more brightly colored with a rusty band
• Blue-gray head, chest and back
• Thick white collar and stomach

Red-headed Woodpecker

Migratory – KS Breeding & Year-Round

Characteristics
• Medium-sized, short tails, and round heads
• Bright red head, white underparts and black backs
• Wings have a large white patch

Status – Declining

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Non-Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Medium-sized, short tails, and round heads
• Red mohawk and black barring on back
• Wings have a white patch near the tips in flight

Downy Woodpecker

Non-Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Tiny woodpecker with a tiny beak
• Black crown and eye stripe broken by white
• Back is black split with a large white stripe
• Wings are black with white spots
• Outer tail is white with black spots
• Males: Small red cap on the back of the head

Hairy Woodpecker

Non-Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Black crown and eye stripe broken by white
• Back is black split with a large white stripe
• Wings are black with white spots
• Outer tail is a clean white
• Males: Small red cap on the back of the head

Northern Flicker

Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Large brown body, slightly downcurved bill
• White rump patch, red or yellow under wings and tail
• Chest has a large black crescent
• Belly has black spots
• Grey nape but head spots vary

Pileated Woodpecker

Non-Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Very large, long neck, long beak
• Red pointed crest and cheek strip
• Nearly all black body with white underwing

Eastern Wood-peewee

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Long wings and tails, triangular head
• Olive grey, dark wings, and white belly
• Wings often have white bars
• Beak has a black top, orange bottom

Eastern Phoebe

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Plump, large headed songbird
• Brownish-gray on top, white below
• Heads are usually the darkest
• All black beak

Great Crested Flycatcher

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Large and lean
• Reddish-brown to Grey on top, bright yellow on bottom
• Wings orange tinted (strength varies)

Western Kingbird

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Fairly large, square-tipped tail
• Grey headed, bright yellow belly, whitish throat
• Tail is black with white outer feathers

Eastern Kingbird

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Sturdy, medium sized songbird
• Blackish above and white below
• Head is darker black, tail has a white tip

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Slender bird, very long, deeply forked tail feathers
• Pale grey head, salmon flanks and underwings
• Black and white wings and tail

Loggerhead Shrike

Migratory – KS Breeding & Year-Round

Characteristics
• Large blocky head, sharply hooked upper beak
• Grey back, black wings and eye stripe, white belly
• White spot on wings and top of tail

Status – Steep Decline

Bell’s Vireo

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Very small songbird, longish tail
• Grayish/greenish above, whitish/yellow below
• Varies east-west
• Pale wing bars

Warbling Vireo

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Small, chunky songbird
• Gray-olive above and whitish below
• White line over the eye

Red-eyed Vireo

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Large, chunky vireo with fairly short tail
• Olive-green above, white below
• Underwing and tail have green-yellow wash
• Adults have red eyes
• Strong black and white face stripes

Blue Jay

Non-Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Large crested songbird
• Blue top and white below
• Black necklace and black line throughout wings
• White spots on wings and tails

American Crow

Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Large, long legged, thick necked bird
• All black including legs and bill
• Short tail is rounded or squared off

Fish Crow

Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Large, long legged, thick necked bird
• All black including legs and bill
• Short tail is squared off

Horned Lark

Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Small long bodied songbird
• Light brown on top, white bellow
• Black mask and head stripe that extends into 2 horns
• Horns aren’t always raised
• Face and throat are yellow or white

Purple Martin

Migratory – KS Breeding & Migration

Characteristics
• Large broad chested swallows
• Brown-black wings and tail
• Males: Iridescent, dark blue-purple overall
• Female: Brown, small patch of purple on head

Tree Swallow

Migratory – KS Breeding & Migration

Characteristics
• Streamlined small songbird
• Males: Bright blue-green back, black wings, black eye mask
• Female: Duller and browner on upperparts

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Long and broad wings, not square tail
• Entirely brown above, cinnamon wing bars
• Dingy throat and chest

Bank Swallow

Migratory – KS Breeding & Migration

Characteristics
• Short pointed wings, slightly forked tail
• Brown on top, white below
• White chin strap and brown chest bar
• Tips and underwings are dark

Status – Steep decline

Cliff Swallow

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Medium-length, squared tail
• Blue shoulders, white rump, dark wings and tail
• White collar and forehead patch
• Blue cap, brown throat patch, white underparts

Barn Swallow

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Tail extends past wings, tail is forked
• Iridescent blue cap, back, wings, and tail
• Cinnamon N-95 mask, underparts

Carolina/Black-capped Chickadee

Non-Migratory – KS year-round

Characteristics
• Black cap & “bib”
• White cheeks & lores
• Gray upperparts & pale gray belly

Tufted Titmouse

Nonmigratory – KS Year-round

Characteristics
• Gray to blue-gray back head and tail
• Tufted head!
• Rusty sides

White-breasted Nuthatch

Not Migratory – KS year-round

Characteristics
• Black cap & nape
• Gray back & wings
• Rusty under tail/belly
• White & gray underparts
• Long black bill

Brown Creeper

Migratory – KS winters

Characteristics
• “Buff-streaked” brown back & head
• Slender decurved bill
• White line over eye
• Rufous tail
• White underparts

Carolina Wren

Non-Migratory – KS year-round

Characteristics
• Bold white eyestripe
• Rusty brown back & buffy belly
• Dark brown bars on wings

House Wren

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Grayish Brown upperparts
• Pale gray underparts
• Narrow black barring on wings & tail

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Migratory – KS non-breeding & Migration

Characteristics
• 2 white wing bars
• Olive green upperparts
• White eyering
• Yellow edges to flight feathers
• Male has red crown (hard to see, usually concealed)

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Bluish Gray upperparts
• White underparts
• White Eyering
• Black tail w/ white outer feathers

Eastern Bluebird

Some Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Blue wings
• White belly & undertail
• Male:
• Blue upperparts
• Reddish brown breast & sides
• Female:
• Gray upperparts
• Chestnut throat, breast & sides
• White eyering

Swainson’s Thrush

Migratory – KS Migration

Characteristics
• Prominent Buffy Eyering
• Olive-brown upperparts
• Spotted chests on buffy to white chest to belly

American Robin

Migratory – KS Year-round

Characteristics
• Black head, Gray back, brick red breast
• Male:
• Dark streaks on neck
• Female:
• White appearing more on throat and belly

Northern Mockingbird

Nonmigratory – KS Year-round

Characteristics
• Medium-Light Gray upperparts and head
• Light Gray-White belly
• Black wings with white wing bars
• White outer tail feathers

Brown Thrasher

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Reddish Brown upperparts
• Gray cheeks
• 2 White wing bars
• White/buffy breast/belly with heavy dark streaking

European Starling

Some Migrate – KS Year-round

Characteristics
• Long pointed yellow bill
• Black overall with iridescent green & purple sheen
• Buffy tips to back and wing feather

American Pipit

Migratory – KS Migratory

Characteristics
• Long slim bill ~”blackish”
• Grayish brown upperparts
• Buffy wing bars on gray wing
• Buffy chest & underparts with brown streaks
• White outer tail feathers

Cedar Waxwing

Migratory – KS mostly Winter

Characteristics
• Brown crested head
• Black mask (white borders) across eyes
• Gray-brown back & wings
• Red tips on secondaries, yellow tips on tail
• Light yellow belly, white under tail

Tennessee Warbler

Migratory – KS Migratory

Characteristics
• Olive-green back & grayish white underparts & under tail
• Thin unbroken black eyeline
Male:
• Gray head
• White stripe over the eye
Female:
• Pale yellow wash to underparts
• Olive Gray head
• Pale yellow stripe above eye

Orange-crowned Warbler

Migratory – KS Migratory

Characteristics
• Olive-green back & yellow-green underparts & yellow under tail
• Faint eyeline & broken eyering

Nashville Warbler

Migratory – KS Migratory

Characteristics
• Yellow throat, chest, & under tail, white btw belly & tail
• White eyering
• Blue-gray head & back
• Olive-green upperparts with no wing bars
Male:
• Hard to see chestnut crown patch
Female:
• Slightly paler & lack crown

Northern Parula

Migratory – KS Migratory & Breeding

Characteristics
• Yellow lower bill, throat & chest
• Yellow-green back patch & 2 white wing bars
• Belly and under tail are white
• Broken White eyering
Male:
• Blue-gray upperparts and head
• Chestnut bands on chest
Female:
• Slightly paler & lack breast band

Yellow Warbler

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Yellow all over
• Wings darkish
• No eyerings or stripes
Male:
• Reddish breast streaking
Female:
• Olivish yellow back, no red streaking

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Migratory – KS Migration & Winter

Characteristics
• Yellow rump (“butter butts”)
• Yellow side patch, black streaking on white breast
• White eye arch below eye
• White wing bars
Male:
• Gray upperparts, yellow crown
• Broad Black face mask & white throat
Female:
• Brownish upperparts and head

Black-and-white Warbler

Migratory – KS Migration & Breeding

Characteristics
• Black and white stripes all over
Male:
• Bolder colors and black cheek
Female:
• Gray cheek and less bold colors

American Redstart

Migratory – KS Migration & Breeding

Characteristics
• White belly & under tail
Male:
• Black upperparts, throat, & chest
• Orange wingbar, side, & tail patches
Female:
• Gray head, Gray-olive back, white throat & chest
• Yellow wing bar, side, & tail patches
• Thin white supercilium & eye ring

Ovenbird

Migratory – KS Migration

Characteristics
• Brownish orange stripe edged in black down head
• Brown upperparts
• White underparts with black splotching
• White Eyering

Northern Waterthrush

Migratory – KS Migration

Characteristics
• Pale yellow-whitish supercilium
• Olive-Brown/Gray-brown upperparts
• Pale yellow to Whitish underparts with heavy streaking
• Near water & Constantly bobbing it’s rear

Common Yellowthroat

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Olive-green upperparts
• Yellow throat & Breast
• Whitish belly
Male:
• Black mash with white/gray band above
Female:
• More browner than male, lack mask

Wilson’s Warbler

Migratory – KS Migration

Characteristics
• Olive-green upperparts
• Yellow throat & underparts
Male:
• Yellow head and face with black hat (bad toupee)
Female:
• Olive-green crown with dusky yellow face

Summer Tanager

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
Male:
• Entirely red (only bird in North America!)
Female:
• Gray-Yellowish bill
• Olive-yellow upperparts
• Orange-yellow underparts

Scarlet Tanager

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Male:
• Scarlet red with black wings & tail
• Female:
• Dull green upperparts
• Blackish wings & tail
• Lemon yellow underparts

Spotted Towhee

Migratory – KS Wintering
Characteristics (AMRO wanna-be)
• Large for a sparrow (looks ~ American Robin!)
• Black on top (head, back, wings, tail) & throat.
• White belly & rusty sides.
• White wing spots
• Red eyes
• Male - Darker black
• Female - Duller gray rather than black

Dark-eyed Junco

Migratory – KS Wintering
Characteristics (little gray job)
• Dark eye
• Dark Gray on top & throat.
• Gray/white belly
• White Outer tail feathers (seen in flight)
• Short Pink Bill

Chipping Sparrow

Migratory – KS Breeding/Migratory

Characteristics
• Small sparrow with black bill
• Rusty Crown
• Light gray head & breast with black line through eye
• Clean crisp brown & black on back

Field Sparrow

Migratory – KS Breeding/Year-Round

Characteristics
• Small sparrow with pink bill
• Dull rusty Crown
• Light gray head & breast, Orange behind eye

American Tree Sparrow

Migratory – KS Winter

Characteristics (reddish brown & gray)
• Small sparrow with bi-colored bill
• Rusty Crown & Eyeline
• Light gray head & breast
• Often has dark breast smudge/spot

Song Sparrow

Migratory – KS Winter

Characteristics (regionally variable)
• Brown & Gray w/Coarse breast streaks
• Sometimes vague blotch middle of breast
• Strong head & eyes stripes on grey background
• Broad malar/mustache stripe

Savannah Sparrow

Migratory – KS Migrating

Characteristics (varies regionally)
• Brown & Gray w/fine “crisper” breast streaks
• Hints of yellow in front of/above eye
• Thinner more delicate bill than Song Sparrow
• Occasionally shows crest

White-throated Sparrow

Migratory – KS Migrating, Winter

Characteristics
• Brown & Black back, grey belly
• White Throat, Black & White Head
• Yellow in front of eye
• Gray bill

White-crowned Sparrow

Migratory – KS Winter

Characteristics
• Brown & Black back, grey belly
• Black & White Head
• Orange bill

Harris’s Sparrow

Migratory – KS Winter

Characteristics
• Brown and black streaks
• Orange/Pink Bill and legs
• Black front of face & neck (less in juveniles)
• Relatively clean breast/belly

Grasshopper Sparrow

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Brown & Tan
• Buffy Breast & Belly
• Yellow/orange in front of eye and below eye
• Short tail & Big bill (relatively)

House Sparrow

Migratory – KS Yearound

Characteristics
• Stout Black Bill
• Clean Belly
• Males:
• Rufous head with gray forehead and cap
• Black throat
• Females:
• Brown, buffy and black striped back

Northern Cardinal

Migratory – KS Yearound

Characteristics
• Stout Orange Bill
• Pointed Crest
• Males:
• Red
• Black face & throat
• Females:
• Overall Buffy
• Some red on tail & flight feathers

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Very Large Stout Pink Bill
• White patches on wings & tail
• Males:
• Red breast & white belly
• Black face & head
• Females:
• Brown bird with bold white stripe over eye
• Dark Brown Breast streaking on buffy background

Blue Grosbeak

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Very Large Stout Gray Bill
• Chestnut wing bars
• Males:
• Blue
• Black face
• Chestnut wingbars – high contrast against blue
• Females:
• Cinnamon brown overall, brown wingbars less contrasting
• No streaking on belly/breast
• Bluish rump

Indigo Bunting

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Conical gray bill
• Males:
• Blue
• Black face
• Females:
• Brown overall, white throat
• Faint streaking on belly/breast

Dickcissel

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Large gray bill
• Gray head with yellow streak above and below eye
• Brown back
• Males:
• Black bib (V on throat)
• Warm reddish-brown shoulders
• Females:
• No bib
• Washed out version of male

Red-winged Blackbird

Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Slender conical bill
• Males:
• Black with red shoulders
• Females:
• Brown, Heavy brown blotching on breast
• Yellow wash to face/throat, hint of red shoulder

Eastern Meadowlark

Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Slender long conical bill (“Spear-like”)
• High contrast black, brown & gray back
• White outer tail feathers (seen in flight)
• Black head and eye stripe
• Bright yellow chest & belly
• Bold black “V” bib

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Migratory – KS Breeding & Migrating

Characteristics
• Long conical bill
• Black Body with Yellow Head, Neck & Breast
• Black from eye to bill
• White Patch on bend of wing

Common Grackle

Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Long conical bill with “hint of decurve”
• Black from a distance
• Up close - Glossy Purple/Blue head & Glossy bronze body
• Long tail
• Often in flocks (visit yards in big flocks)

Great-tailed Grackle

Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Long straight conical bill
• Black from a distance
• Up close - Glossy Purple/Blue body
• Long tail held in a “V” by males
• Often in groups in urban/developed areas (“Walmart parking lot bird”)

Brown-headed Cowbird

Migratory – KS Year-Round

Characteristics
• Thick conical bill
• Black body & Brown Head
• Often in groups with other blackbirds comes to feeders
• Also alone at tops of trees

Orchard Oriole

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Straight sharp bill
• 2 White wing bars
• Males
• Black top & head, chestnut underneath
• Chestnut patch on bend of wing
• Females
• Greenish Yellow
• No orange tones, clean back

Baltimore Oriole

Migratory – KS Breeding

Characteristics
• Straight sharp bill
• 2 White wing bars
• Males
• Black top & head, orange underneath & tail
• Chestnut patch on bend of wing
• Females
• Greenish Yellow, but often with orange tones
• Yellow tail & under tail
• Some streaks on back

Purple Finch

Migratory – KS Winter

Characteristics (Sparrow dipped in raspberry juice)
• Short Conical bill
• Males
• Pink red head, back, & breast
• Clean breast
• Females
• Brown & White, Coarsely streaked on breast/belly
• Strong facial markings (broad brown mask bordered in white)

House Finch

KS Year round

Characteristics
• Short Conical bill
• Males
• Rosy red head, & upper breast
• Streaky brown breast & belly
• Red rump in flight
• Females
• Brown & White, blurry streaks on breast/belly
• No discernable facial markings

Pine Siskin

KS Winter

Characteristics
• Sharp Pointy Conical bill
• Brown & streaky
• Yellow edging to wings/tails

American Goldfinch

KS Year round

Characteristics
• Short Conical bill (Orange – breeding adult)
• White markings on wing, above & below tail
• Males
• Bright yellow,
• Black wings & forehead
• Orange bill
• Females
• Duller yellow