Passerines of Ontario ID

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key families, concepts, and 63 representative passerine species covered in Week 7 “Birds of Ontario – Order Passeriformes” lecture notes.

Eastern Kingbird

Sturdy black-and-white flycatcher; square black tail with white tip; large head, upright posture.

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Small flycatcher of open woods; no eye-ring, two narrow wing bars; flat-topped head; Special Concern (SAR).

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Large flycatcher with dark “vest,” white center, big bill; often perches atop snags; Threatened (SARA).

Great-crested Flycatcher

Yellow-bellied, cinnamon-winged flycatcher; loud “wheep” call; medium-large size.

Eastern Phoebe

Plump brownish flycatcher with tail-wagging habit; darkest head; raspy “fee-bee” song.

Northern Shrike

Gray songbird with black mask, hooked bill, white wing patch; rare winter visitor

Red-eyed Vireo

Olive-green above, white below; red eye with black-bordered white eyebrow; constant summer singer.

Blue Jay

Blue crested with black necklace, white wing and tail spots; common forest/feeder bird.

American Crow

All-black, fan-tailed crow; broad wings show “fingered” primaries; loud “caw.”

Common Raven

Massive black corvid with shaggy throat, wedge tail, deep croak; larger than crow.

Horned Lark

Brown ground bird with tiny black “horns,” black breast patch, yellowish face; walks rather than hops.

Purple Martin

Largest swallow; adult male glossy blue-purple, only swallow with black belly; colony nester.

Tree Swallow

Blue-green upperparts, white belly; short squared tail; cavity-nester over wetlands.

Bank Swallow

Small brown swallow with dark breast band; nests colonially in sandy banks; Threatened.

Barn Swallow

Steely blue above, rufous underparts, deeply forked tail; Threatened in Ontario.

Black-capped Chickadee

Gray bird with black cap & bib, white cheeks; “chick-a-dee-dee” call; spherical body, long tail.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Largest nuthatch; black cap, white face, gray-blue back, chestnut vent; long bill.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Small blue-gray nuthatch with black eye-stripe, rusty underparts; nasal “yank-yank” call.

Brown Creeper

Tiny brown-mottled creeper, white below; climbs upward then flits to next tree.

House Wren

Small brown wren with barred wings, faint eyebrow; tail often held upright; common yard nester.

Marsh Wren

Wetland wren with bold black-and-white back streaks, whitish eyebrow, upright tail; bubbly song.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Blue-gray above, white below; bold white outer tail, narrow eye-ring; tiny active bird.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Olive-gray with broken eye-ring, white wing bars; male shows hidden ruby crown.

American Robin

Large thrush; gray back, brick-red breast, white vent patch; common lawn forager.

Eastern Bluebird

Male vivid blue with rusty throat & breast; female gray-blue; small open-country thrush.

Veery

Plain tawny brown thrush with faint spotting; flute-like song; lacks bold eye-ring.

Wood Thrush

Rusty-capped, spotted thrush with bold eye-ring; flute-like “ee-oh-lay”; Threatened.

Brown Thrasher

Rufous above, heavily streaked below; long down-curved bill, bright yellow eyes.

European Starling

Non-native blackbird-sized bird; summer glossy green-purple, winter spotted; yellow bill in breeding season.

Cedar Waxwing

Sleek brown-gray bird with crest, black mask, yellow tail tip; red wing droplets.

Snow Bunting

Finch-like songbird; extensive white plumage with black wingtips; fields in winter.

Common Yellowthroat

Male olive warbler with black mask & yellow throat; female plain olive with yellow wash.

Yellow Warbler

All-yellow warbler; male has reddish breast streaks; flashes yellow tail patches.

Magnolia Warbler

Yellow throat & breast with black necklace; gray crown, white wing patch, white-tipped tail.

Black-and-white Warbler

Striped black-white warbler that creeps on bark like a nuthatch.

Black-throated Green Warbler

Bright yellow face, black throat, olive crown; two white wing bars.

Ovenbird

Ground-walking warbler; olive above, streaked below, orange-and-black crown stripes; loud “teacher” song.

American Redstart

Male black with orange patches; female gray-olive with yellow flashes; flits spreading tail.

Canada Warbler

Gray above, yellow below with black “necklace”; Special Concern/Threatened in Canada.

Song Sparrow

Streaky brown sparrow with central breast spot; common summer singer.

Field Sparrow

Plain sparrow with pink bill, reddish cap, white eye-ring; accelerating whistled song.

Chipping Sparrow

Gray-breasted sparrow with bright rufous cap, black eye-line, white eyebrow.

Swamp Sparrow

Gray unstriped chest, rusty wings & cap; slow trill; wetland habitats.

American Tree Sparrow

Rusty cap, bicoloured bill, central breast spot; winter visitor to fields.

White-throated Sparrow

White throat, black-and-white striped head, yellow lores; clear whistled “Oh-sweet-Canada.”

Dark-eyed Junco

Slate-gray (or brown) sparrow with white belly and flashing white outer tail feathers.

Northern Cardinal

Male brilliant red with crest & black face; female tan with red highlights; thick orange bill.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Male black-and-white with red triangle breast; huge pale bill; female brown streaked with bold eyebrow.

Scarlet Tanager

Male blazing red with black wings, female olive-yellow; thick insect-eating bill.

Bobolink

Male black below, white back, pale buff nape; female buff-streaked; Threatened grassland bird.

Eastern Meadowlark

Yellow underside with black “V,” brown streaked back; short tail shows white edges in flight; Threatened.

Baltimore Oriole

Male flame-orange & black, female yellow-orange with gray back; long pointed bill.

Red-winged Blackbird

Male black with red-yellow epaulets; female brown streaked; marsh nester.

Rusty Blackbird

Fall plumage rusty-edged, spring glossy black; pale eye; Special Concern.

Common Grackle

Large iridescent blackbird with long keel-shaped tail, golden eye, decurved bill.

Brown-headed Cowbird

Male black with chocolate head; female plain brown; brood parasite of other birds.

American Goldfinch

Breeding male bright yellow with black cap & wings; winter plumage dull brown; undulating flight.

House Finch

Male rosy red head & breast, streaked flanks; female brown-streaked; urban feeder bird.

Purple Finch

Male raspberry-washed head, back & chest; female boldly streaked with white eyebrow; chunky bill.

Evening Grosbeak

Stocky yellow-black finch with huge pale bill, white wing patches; females gray; Special Concern.

House Sparrow

Male gray cap, black bib, chestnut nape; female plain buffy-brown; stout body, short tail.