Tag Archives: Migrants

These migratory birds are true champions

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ANNE AND SATURNINO MIRANDA/PIXABAY • The common crane holds a record achieved by the feat of flying over the Himalayans at a height of 37,000 feet. However, this is not a typical flight. They usually fly below 3,280 feet.

As it does every year, September’s arrival puts fall migration into sharp focus. The birds that returned this past spring — the warblers, vireos, tanagers, grosbeaks, flycatchers, hawks, hummingbirds and many more — have begun or are beginning to make their way back to the locations where they will spend the winter months far from the cold, bleak conditions over most of North America.

On recent mornings as I leave for work I have heard the buzz of hummingbird wings, as well as the scolding calls of red-eyed vireos from the woodlands around my home.

Some of these birds migrate out of the tropics every spring to avoid competition. Others find North America a land of abundant, albeit temporary, resources. This land of plenty offers a wealth of insects, seeds, fruit and other nourishing, nutritious food to help parent birds keep their strength while they work to ensure their young thrive. Of course, once the bountiful period concludes, they return to the tropics of Central and South America to winter. Those that do so successfully will make the journey back to the United States and Canada in the spring. It’s an ongoing cycle, repeating year after year, season after season.

The phenomenon of migration isn’t exclusive to the neotropical migrants of the New World. Birds in other parts of the world migrate, too. Waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors are among some of the families of birds that stage impressive migrations.

Here are some migration achievements of some of our feathered friends:

Elevation Champ
The Himalayas represent a mountainous challenge for many migratory birds. Some birds, however, shrug off the astonishing heights of the world’s tallest mountains. The common crane holds a record achieved by the feat of flying over the Himalayans at a height of 37,000 feet. However, this is not a typical flight for these cranes. In fact, they usually avoid flying over mountains. They usually fly below 3,280 feet. The regular migrant that does fly at loft heights is the bar-headed goose, recording reaching 29,000 feet. These geese regularly fly over the peaks of the Himalayas when migrating.

Long-distance Champ
The Arctic tern truly takes migration to extremes. This small seabird travels each year from its Arctic nesting grounds to the Antarctic region, where it spends the winter months. Put into terms of mileage, the Arctic tern can travel about 50,000 miles in a single year. For a bird with a body length of about 15 inches and a wingspan of about 28 inches, this incredible migration is an astonishing feat. These statistics permit the Arctic tern to easily lay claim to the title of champion migrant among our feathered friends.

Tiny Champ
The ruby-throated hummingbird, a favorite of many bird enthusiasts living in the eastern United States, makes an impressive migration each year. Just to reach the United States, these tiny birds undertake a strenuous journey. They leave their wintering grounds in Central America to return to the United States and Canada for the nesting season. Most of these tiny birds, which are barely four inches long, make a non-stop flight of more than 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico. The journey can take almost an entire day. With the end of summer, the entire population of ruby-throated hummingbirds, increased by a new generation of young birds, makes the Gulf crossing for a second time in a year to return to the American tropics for the winter months.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A ruby-throated hummingbird perches at a feeder for a sip of sugar water.

Dedicated Champ
Among North America’s buteo hawks, which includes raptors such as red-shouldered hawk and red-tailed hawk, the broad-winged hawk stands out as a dedicated migrant. These hawks form flocks that at times number in the hundreds or thousands as they sail and glide on thermals rising over various mountain ranges. These hawks and other raptors are well-known in the region for migrating past the Mendota Fire Tower in Southwest Virginia every September and early October. The broad-winged hawk’s counterpart in the western United States is Swainson’s hawk, which shares the broad-winged hawk’s inclination for migrating in large flocks. Swainson’s hawk is named for William Swainson, the famous 19th century English naturalist for which Swainson’s thrush is also named.

Warbler Champs
My favorite family of birds, the warblers, are seasonal migrants. The Northern parula, a warbler species that regular spends the spring and summer months in the woods around my home, winters in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and southern Florida. The Northern parula breeds across the eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada. It’s not a migration of an incredible distance, but it’s still quite an accomplishment for a bird less than five inches long and weighing less than half an ounce.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The Northern parula, like most warblers, is a medium- to long-distance migrant.

Another warbler is a true migratory champion. Few warblers make as great a journey as the blackpoll warbler. Instead of migrating over land, this five-inch-long warbler undertakes a two-stage migration. The first half of the migration is a non-stop flight of about 1,500 miles. Every fall, these tiny birds fly over the Atlantic Ocean during this part of their migration, departing from Canada or the northern United States and not stopping until they reach various locations in the Caribbean. There they will spend some time recovering from the exhausting first half of their journey before they continue their way to such South American countries as Colombia and Venezuela. Once again, during the time they spend flying over open ocean, these tiny warblers do not feed.

Fall’s a great time to witness the variety of avian life. Look for some of these migrants passing through your yards, gardens or favorite birding spots.

For those wanting suggestions for seeking out migrating birds, the linear trail in Erwin, Rocky Fork State Park in Flag Pond and Limestone Cove Recreation Area are some good bets.

Too short a season: Hummingbirds’ stay coming to a close

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Photo by Katy Jefferson/Pixabay • A male ruby-throated hummingbird perches on a sugar water feeder.

September’s right around the corner. Then comes fall, then winter, and the cycle of the seasons continues to advance.

Always there as signals to herald the imminent approach of a new season are the birds. Our feathered friends are quite remarkable in that regard.

I heard from Elizabethton resident Susan Peters recently via email about my recent columns on catbirds.

She reported that she has noticed that catbirds return almost exactly at the same time as the hummingbirds every year. She described the catbirds as very chatty for awhile when they first come back.

“I just assumed they were letting everyone else know they were back,” she wrote.

I agree with her. I think the constant vocalizing of the catbirds is an announcement to human neighbors as well as their fellow feathered kin that they are back in the vicinity.

Catbirds appear to stage different high profile periods during their yearly stay. My own catbirds are always at their most chatty when they first return in the spring, in later summer after the nesting season when they “reappear,” and again in fall just before they depart for their wintering grounds.

Photo by Bryan Stevens A curious Gray Catbird peeks from dense cover. Attendees at the fall rally can look for catbirds and other species at any of the offered bird hikes.

It was the other “feathered friend” mentioned in Susan’s message that I thought I’d riff on this week.

The ruby-throated hummingbird activity is rising at my home. Of course, that’s true for a lot of the wildlife. I’ve seen plenty of white-tailed deer, along with this summer’s fawns, as well as rabbits, groundhogs and raccoons during recent lazy late summer days. I think many of these visitors are trying to dry out from the frequent rainstorms.

If anything, the abundant rain has propelled an explosion of blooms, including jewelweed, a definite hummingbird favorite. Before the jewelweed burst into bloom a healthy crop of tiny red crocosmia blooms kept the hummingbirds coming back for more. I’ve also got some trumpet vines clinging to the wall of the family garage that also serve as a hummingbird attractant.

We’ve got six or seven more weeks to enjoy their company, and then come the inevitable winter months forcing us to await their return next spring as everything goes green once again.

It’s bittersweet when I flip the calendar page from August to September, but there are some good things to anticipate. Every season brings some of its own birds. Fall and winter mean migrating waterfowl, hermit thrushes and crowded bird feeders.

I don’t have anything against fall – it’s my favorite season. But I know that our ruby-throated hummingbirds, which returned only five months ago in early April, will soon be departing.

It won’t be only the hummingbirds. Warblers, orioles, tanagers and other migrants will also fly south to spend the winter season somewhere more hospitable.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Late summer usually brings a spike in visiting hummingbirds.

Most of the hummingbirds that visited our gardens over the summer are getting ready to migrate back to their winter homes in Central America. The one that returned this spring and successfully nested are being joined at our sugar water feeders by the season’s offspring. That’s the reason there’s a spike in numbers in late summer and early fall.

The New World is home to about 360 species of hummingbirds. In addition to the ruby-throated hummingbird, I’ve seen eight other hummingbird species.

We’ve expended many adjectives in finding names of them all. Sometimes, words fail. Mere adjectives are somewhat inadequate in providing common names for many of the world’s hummingbirds, but that doesn’t keep us from trying to give descriptive names to each hummingbird species. For instance, we have the beautiful hummingbird of Mexico; the charming hummingbird of Costa Rica and Panama; the festive coquette of northwestern South America; and the magnificent hummingbird of the southwestern United States.

Other names are even more elaborate and occasionally outlandish, such as the white-tufted sunbeam of Peru; the violet-throated metaltail of Ecuador; the violet-throated starfrontlet of Peru and Bolivia; the hyacinth visorbearer of Brazil; and the rainbow-bearded thornbill of Colombia and Ecuador.

And in East Tennessee and across the entire eastern half of the North American continent, we have the ruby-throated hummingbird. It’s the single representative of this huge family of birds in this part of the world.

For the young birds, this will be their first epic crossing of the Gulf of Mexico, something the species must do twice a year to get to and from their summer home in eastern North America. We use the word “epic” far too often to describe achievements, but it applies to the feat of this tiny bird.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A ruby-throated hummingbird visits a feeder for a sip of sugar water.

These tiny birds are about 3.5 inches in length and weigh two to six grams. That’s the weight of a penny.

Think about it. Something so small is able to fly 500 miles across open water between the U.S. Gulf Coast and the Yucatán Peninsula or Mexico.

This journey takes these tiny birds 18 to 24 hours of non-stop flying, with success depending greatly on the wind and weather conditions.

They can’t feed while flying over the ocean, so they tank up and double their body weight by eating heavy amounts of nectar and insects before the flight.

Some members of the species have chosen a safer coastal route around the edge of the Gulf through Texas instead of direct flight across. This turns a 500-mile journey into one that stretches to 1,000 to 2,000 miles. Regardless, that’s still a truly epic undertaking.

Keep your feeders filled with sugar water and add some extra flowers to your garden this fall seasons. You’ll earn the gratitude of visiting hummers. And, when they return next spring, consider yourself repaid in full.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds, birding and birders since 1995. Email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com to share a sighting, make a comment or ask a question.

Cuckoo column strikes a chord with readers

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Painting by Nick Blosser • Local artist Nick Blosser transformed a tragic ending for a yellow-billed cuckoo into a reflective and even beautiful work of art.

I got some feedback from readers after I wrote my recent column focused on yellow-billed cuckoos.

In that column, I happened to mention that I’ve probably seen almost as many cuckoos killed in window strikes as I have seen live individuals. That seemed to resonate. Although it is a sad way to get introduced to a species of bird, that appears to happen regularly with cuckoos.

“My husband and I loved your story on the yellow-billed cuckoo,” Mindy Blosser wrote in an email. “Several years ago we witnessed a tragic window strike of a yellow-billed cuckoo at our house in south Johnson City.”

She added, “It is such a beautiful bird.”

She said that her husband, Nick, is an artist and that he completed a watercolor painting to memorialize the bird.

“We thought you might like to see the watercolor,” she said.

They also agreed to let me share Nick’s painting with readers.

The painting, although obviously tragic in nature, manages to transform the moment into something reflective and even beautiful.

I also heard from Susan Peters, an Elizabethton resident, in response to the column on cuckoos.

“I really enjoyed your column on the cuckoo,” Susan wrote in an email. “You mentioned callers who had a bird strike into a window, and I wondered if you remembered the one I called you about. It was years ago at my parents’ home on K Street.”

She reminded me that the cuckoo at her parents’ home hit a big picture window and probably broke its neck.

Like the Blossers, Susan admired the beauty of the cuckoo.

“Such a beautiful bird,” she wrote.

Susan and I have corresponded for years through this column. And her timely email reminded me that I did indeed make arrangements to meet her and collect the cuckoo that died after the window strike. I transported the cuckoo to the biology department at Milligan University, at the time still Milligan College. It was probably one of the last specimens ever added to the collection of freeze-dried specimens maintained by biology professor Gary Wallace. He is now retired and has moved back to his boyhood home in Dover, Tennessee, in Stewart County.

When I gave some of my early programs on birding to local civic organizations, Wallace sent me out well prepared with some fine specimens from the collection. I recall that he loaned me everything from a blue-winged teal to a tiny ruby-throated hummingbird. The specimens were always a big hit with audiences. There’s just something about holding a bird in the hand, even if it is dead and preserved as a freeze-dried skin, that connects people with the long-expired bird and its kin.

Photo by Patricia White/USFWS • The black-throated gray warbler normally ranges across the western half of North America and Mexico. Its migration route is usually west of the Great Plains, but half a century ago an individual reached Tennessee only to die in a fatal fallout of migrating birds that collided with a communications tower on Holston Mountain Oct. 2, 1972.

When the Elizabethton Bird Club still met on the Milligan campus, Wallace often opened the biology collection to our meetings for programs that basically consisted of our members getting to marvel at the array of birds preserved by the college’s biology department. Some unique specimens included the first black-throated gray warbler ever found in Tennessee. Unfortunately that bird died in a fatal fallout of birds that collided with a communications tower on Holston Mountain on Oct. 2, 1972.

Although housed for many years at Milligan, the black-throated gray warbler was eventually transferred in the summer of 2011 to the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science after Milligan’s biology department phased out its own collection.

The black-throated gray warbler normally ranges across the western half of North America and Mexico. The species migrates primarily through the Pacific and Central Flyways, staying strictly west of the Great Plains. Well, usually staying west of the Great Plains! The specimen found on Holston Mountain more than half a century ago proves that even this species has occasionally wandered far beyond its usual range.

USFWS • A yellow-billed cuckoo perches in the open.

All too often, birds meet with accidents during migration or simply while living their daily lives. According to the ABA Rare Bird Alert network, an injured spotted rail was found and taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center earlier this month. Because the bird was immediately transferred into rehabilitation, its exact initial discovery location has not been publicized, making this mega-rarity not chaseable for Tennessee birders. “Chaseable” simply refers to the fact that many birders would have traveled a great distance to see such an unexpected discovery in order to add it to their life lists.

The spotted rail is a native to the freshwater marshes of Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. In other words, its discovery in Tennessee was extremely surprising.

Experts consider injured rails notoriously difficult to rehabilitate, but if this individual survives the first few stressful days, its chances of recovery should improve.

Birds have wings, and those wings can transport them to some unusual places. Their flights also occasionally take them into danger. It’s all part of the natural cycle. It’s also just one fascinating aspect of the lives of birds that keeps birders coming back for more.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The waxy tips to the wing feathers are evident in this photograph of a cedar waxwing.

The seasons are beginning to shift. In recent weeks I’ve glimpsed young wild turkeys crossing local roadways. Cedar waxwings are beginning to flock at my home, no doubt lured by the ripening wild cherries in trees around my home. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are still visiting. An Eastern screech-owl has become a reliable serenader in the early evening hours.

Keep watching for unexpected visitors. As always, feel free to email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com to share sightings, ask questions or make comments.

 

Make an effort to win over gray catbirds

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Veronika Andrews from Pixabay • If all else fails, bribery works well on gray catbirds. Provide these birds with a treat and their confidence is more quickly given.

The gray catbird is a baffling bird with a personality that runs the gamut from introverted to extroverted, sometimes depending on the season and at other times seemingly just on a whim. With some gentle persuasion, however, people can gain a catbird’s trust and develop a fun friendship with these clever songbirds.

Bribery also works. One summer, I only needed to offer some less-than-perfect strawberries and blueberries. A few blemishes on the fruit didn’t bother the resident catbirds at all, and they soon became accustomed to receiving such treats.

Your first introduction to the catbird is likely going to occur when you hear what sounds like an irritable feline hiding in a hedge, thicket or dense shrub. Upon closer examination, you may get a glimpse of a charcoal gray bird roughly the shape of a Northern mockingbird but smaller. A black cap and a patch of rusty-red feathers under the tail are the only exceptions to this bird’s overall gray plumage.

Photo by Bryan Stevens A curious Gray Catbird peeks from dense cover. Attendees at the fall rally can look for catbirds and other species at any of the offered bird hikes.

I’m pleased to note that catbirds are doing well. A profile on the website All About Birds confirms that the species is common and has benefitted from stable populations from 1966 to 2019, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. An estimate from Partners in Flight gives the species a breeding population of 29 million individuals spread out across North America. In a time when many bird species are declining, this is welcome news.

Catbirds are experts at concealing themselves from prying eyes. The gray plumage blends into the shadowy sections of the tangles and thickets where the bird likes to hide itself. However, even when gray catbirds are reluctant to be seen, they’re almost eager to be heard. The catbird is extremely vocal, with several calls and songs in its repertoire, including the rather faithful rendering of a fussy cat’s meow that provides this bird its common name.

They’re part of a family related to thrushes that are known as “mimic thrushes.” Besides its surprisingly accurate rendition of a feline, the catbird has several other common vocalizations. Despite their shy nature, they’re extremely curious. Imitating their calls or simply producing a squeaky sound will usually persuade the bird to move out of cover and search for the source of the noise.

Catbirds are part of the parade of returning birds each spring that includes species like rose-breasted grosbeaks, scarlet tanagers, Baltimore orioles and indigo buntings, but because they lack the brilliant plumages of these other birds their arrival would probably go unnoticed if not for the fact they are extremely noisy for the first few weeks they are back. Then they go silent again and remain quieter as they take up the serious business of raising young.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A gray catbird hides within the branches of a dense shrub.

However, in a mood that appears to swing with the seasons, gray catbirds emerge again in late summer and early fall when they feast on such fruit as elderberries and wild cherries while making their whiny cacophony of calls from any tangle or thicket where they happen to be.

The catbird belongs to the genus Dumetella. The name is based upon the Latin term dūmus, which roughly translated means “thorny thicket.” Dumetella, in turn, means “dweller in the thornbushes” or “small bird of the thornbushes.” It’s a rather apt description for a bird fond of habitats often dominated by thorny vegetation. Older common names for the gray catbird included cat thrush and slate-colored mockingbird.

They are related to thrashers and mockingbirds, but scientists find them just different enough to warrant placing the gray catbird in its own genus. A relative known as the black catbird, which ranges throughout the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, as well as northern Guatemala and northern Belize, also belongs to a genus of its own. Both catbirds are classified as “mimic thrushes,” or Mimidae, of which there are about 30 species in the New World. There is a totally unrelated family of catbirds that ranges through Australia, Asia and parts of Africa.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Gray catbird have a rusty-red patch beneath their tail, occasionally seen as they dive for cover.

The gray catbird is not as an accomplished mimic as some of its relatives, such as the Northern mockingbird. Males have motivation to constantly expand their repertoire, however, as doing so increases the likelihood of attracting a mate. They imitate other birds, but some have been recorded imitating frogs and other non-avian singers.

While not generally considered a bird to visit feeders, people have succeeded in attracting catbirds to feeders designed to offer grape jelly or orange slices. Planting fruit-bearing shrubs and trees is the best means of attracting these fascinating birds to your yard and garden. Leave a few untidy edges to your yard. Gray catbirds will thank you.

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Email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com to ask a question, make a comment or share a sighting.

Eastern kingbirds deserve their billing as tyrant flycatchers

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • An Eastern kingbird perches on a chain-link fence on the campus of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee.

On Saturday, June 27, I spotted two Eastern kingbirds perched on utility lines that extend over the fish pond at my home.

Eastern kingbirds are fairly common summer residents in the region, but they’ve not been at all common birds at my home. In fact, this recent sighting is only the second I’ve ever made of the species at my home in 30 years of birding. As best I can recall, the first time I saw this species at home was in the late 1990s. I’ve seen Eastern kingbirds in many other areas in the region, as well as on trips to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia.

It didn’t take long to discover what had attracted the kingbirds to the fish pond. Using the utility lines as convenient perches, the birds continually swooped down over the waterlily-choked pond and returned to the lines with their catches. They were hunting dragonflies, an abundant insect at my fish pond. Based on my observations, they were quite skilled at capturing the dragonflies.

Kingbirds belong to an extensive family of birds known as tyrant flycatchers, or Tyrannidae. The family’s members are exclusively found in the New World. It is the world’s largest family of birds, with more than 400 species.

Tanagers, with 384 species, and hummingbirds, with 363 species, are close rival families when it comes to number of species. So are the pigeons and doves with 353 species, and Old World flycatchers with 345 species.

The Eastern kingbird is easy to recognize and identify. The bird’s plumage is a study in contrast, being black above and white below. In addition, there’s a noticeable white edge to the tip of the bird’s otherwise all-black tail. There is a red patch of feathers on top of the bird’s head, which gives this pint-sized tyrant a “crown,” but most birders, myself included, will tell you that this colorful patch is rarely seen and is instead kept concealed at most times.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • An Eastern kingbird perches on a fence post in the Limestone Cove community of Unicoi, Tennessee.

The scientific name of the Eastern kingbird is Tyrannus tyrannus, a good clue to the bird’s militant nature. Kingbirds, which are about the size of an American robin, are famous for displaying aggressive behavior against much larger birds such as crows and hawks, as well as vultures and herons.

While some birds are all bluff, the Eastern kingbird often follows through with its attacks. According to the website All About Birds, kingbirds have been known to knock blue jays right out of a tree.

I’ve observed kingbirds tormenting such large birds as red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures. I once watched a kingbird get so close to a red-tailed hawk that it almost looked like the smaller bird was hitching a ride on the hawk’s back. I suspect the hawk lost a feather or two in the encounter, not to mention suffering a blow to its dignity.

Other North American kingbirds include Western kingbird, tropical kingbird, Couch’s kingbird, Cassin’s kingbird and the thick-billed kingbird. On a trip to Salt Lake City in Utah many years back, I got the chance to see a Western kingbird, the counterpart to the Eastern kingbird in that part of the country.

Look for the Eastern kingbird in open terrain that offers plenty of perches. These birds spend most of their time chasing and catching flying insects, which provide the bulk of the bird’s food during the summer months.

While the kingbird is probably to be lauded for helping control populations of insect pests, they are not discriminating in their choice of prey. As a result, kingbirds feed on beneficial insects, such as dragonflies and bees, as well as pests like flies.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A glimpse through the vegetation reveals one of the pond’s most voracious predators. Dragonflies consume many other species of insects, including some that are considered pests. Pictured is a female Blue Dasher. In turn, many birds, including Eastern kingbirds, feed on dragonflies. Kingbirds are skilled at snatching winged insects right out of the air.

Other flycatchers that are relatively common in the region include Eastern phoebe and Eastern wood-pewee. The region is also home to some pint-sized flycatchers during the warmer months, including least flycatcher, Acadian flycatcher, willow flycatcher and alder flycatcher.

Don’t judge the tyrannical kingbird too harshly. These birds are motivated to show aggression to other species due to an inordinate need to protect mates, young and territory. It’s not their fault that they are quite masterful at fulfilling this task.

Kingbirds are not the only birds to exhibit bold, brash behavior. Mockingbirds, brown thrashers and red-winged blackbirds are also quite pugnacious. At home, the male red-winged blackbirds have made numerous attacks on the resident red-shouldered hawks whenever these larger raptors venture too close to the cattail domain of the blackbirds.

Although the species faces potential habitat loss in both its summer range and tropical wintering grounds, the Eastern kingbird remains a prevalent bird across much of North America. It’s just not a common bird at my house, but perhaps my recent sighing of two kingbirds is a signal that’s about to change. Or it could mean that it will be another couple of decades before I see this species again at my home.

To share a sighting, ask a question or make a comment, send me an email at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Bullock’s oriole stands out among birds seen during 2006 Utah visit

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Photo by Dave Menke/USFWS • A Bullock’s oriole perches on a branch. This species is found in the western United States.

I’m celebrating 30 years of writing “Feathered Friends” by looking back at some older columns. This week I’ve combined columns first written in 2006 and 2016 into a new feature focused on orioles.

In May of 2006, I made my second trip to the Utah, also known as the “Beehive State.” I’d made my first visit in October of 2003. The contrast between the two visits could not have been more extreme. My 2003 visit took place when Salt Lake City and the surrounding area had been in the grip of an extensive drought. Mountainsides looked dull brown and gray and reservoirs had almost dried up. When I returned in the spring of 2006, green greeted me everywhere I looked. The drought had broken and Salt Lake City didn’t look quite so bleak.

I saw many species of blackbirds and their close kin, including Brewer’s blackbird, Western meadowlark, yellow-headed blackbird, red-winged blackbird, common grackle and Bullock’s oriole. Most of these birds were extremely abundant and surprisingly tame. I didn’t know it at the time, but birds in the western United States are generally tamer and more approachable than birds in the eastern half of the country. There are various factors to explain this difference in behavior, including the rugged terrain and the fact that many western areas have only been settled for a couple of centuries compared to nearly 500 years of settlement in the eastern United States.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A Bullock’s oriole forages in shrubbery along a walking trail near the Jordan River in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Bullock’s oriole proved one of the tamest of all the new birds that I saw on my trip. Trees and shrubs bordering walking and biking trails along the Jordan River popped with small flocks of these colorful, noisy orioles. As my visit took place in May, it’s quite possible these orioles comprised a “fallout” of migrants so occupied with feeding after a long flight that my presence didn’t rank high in their priorities.

Regardless, I found the Bullock’s orioles gregarious and sometimes comical as they chirped from willows and other shrubs close to the river. Close to home, I count myself lucky to see a single Baltimore oriole at a time. Even when I do succeed in sighting one, the Baltimore oriole is often high in the treetops and not easily observed. Such fleeting and infrequent observations of Baltimore orioles are a sharp contrast to seeing flocks of the equally colorful Bullock’s oriole in Utah.

The bird is named for William Bullock, an English traveler, collector of natural history specimens and a bit of a showman. In 1822 and 1827, he visited Mexico, which is perhaps where he first encountered the oriole named for him. He also visited the United States in 1827. He established some museums, including one he called Piccadilly Egyptian Hall, that featured some unusual artifacts. Among the collections was Napoleon’s carriage that had been captured at the Battle of Waterloo.

Photo by Jake Bonello/USFWS • A Bullock’s oriole’s bright coloration is broken up by foliage.

Bullock’s oriole and Baltimore oriole were, for a time, considered a single species. The American Ornithologists’ Union lumped the two birds together from 1973 to 1995 as a species known as the “Northern oriole.” It’s easy to see similarities. Both the Bullock’s oriole and the Baltimore oriole sport vibrant orange plumage accented by white and black in the case of Bullock’s oriole and black in the case of the Baltimore oriole.

Despite their bright plumage , they are related to blackbirds such as red-winged blackbird and common grackles. Icterids, or New World blackbirds, make up a family known as the icteridae that consists of small to medium-sized songbirds. In his book titled “Birds of Forest, Yard, and Thicket,” John Eastman notes that there are 26 species in the genus, eight of which nest in the United States. In the eastern United States, there are only two orioles — the Baltimore oriole and its smaller relative, the orchard oriole. The western half of the nation is home to a half dozen orioles, including Bullock’s oriole, Scott’s oriole, Audubon’s oriole, hooded oriole and Altamira oriole.

In Northeast Tennessee, tall trees are an essential part of the Baltimore oriole’s favored habitat. Baltimore orioles are well-known for their colorful appearance, but their fame also rests with a sack-like nest that Eastman describes as a “durable marvel of tight-woven plant fibers” in his informational book. The Bullock’s oriole is also known for building these impressive sack nests.

Orioles are present in the United States from April to October, generally retreating to the American tropics for the cold months of winter. There they may live on plantations that produce such much-coveted crops as bananas, coffee and cacao, which is the essential ingredient for chocolate.

A painting by John James Audubon depcits the intricate nest crafted by Baltimore orioles.

Those who are fortunate enough to have a Bullock’s oriole or a Baltimore oriole as a neighbor should know that it isn’t only the bright coloration and elaborate nest building that recommend these birds. They’re also some of the few birds willing to eat the hairy tent caterpillars that are often a blight on the landscape. Back in the late 1990s, I observed a male Baltimore oriole visiting a large caterpillar tent in the branches of a cherry tree. The bird methodically plucked the caterpillars from the silken tent, eating them one after the other. While many birds avoid some of the spiny and hairy caterpillars, these two orioles actively seek them out and do a great service of reducing the damage these hungry caterpillars can inflict on the environment. They will also apparently eat Gypsy moth caterpillars and fall webworms.

On a handful of occasions, Bullock’s orioles have strayed into the Volunteer State. Some documented recent vagrant Bullock’s oriole visits have occurred near Nashville and Chattanooga.

I will always count myself fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time to enjoy my “fallout” of Bullock’s oriole near the Jordan River in 2003 during my Utah trip. The moment remains one of my most memorable birding experiences.

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To ask a question, make a comment or share a sighting, email ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Some birds make us shift focus from the showy to the subtle

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USFWS • Male summer tanagers are a rosy-red bird that pale somewhat in comparison to male scarlet tanagers.

Many of our summer birds have already returned for another nesting season. In the past week or so I have welcomed back chimney swift, common yellowthroat and red-eyed vireo.

I’m still receiving hummingbird arrival reports. April Kerns Fain had her first hummingbird of the year on April 13 at her home in Unicoi.
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Tom Brake in Abingdon, Virginia, reported his first hummingbird on April 16.
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Phyllis Moore in Bristol, Virginia, noted that her first spring hummingbird sighting involved two of these birds returning to her home.
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Anita Clemmer in Boone, North Carolina, saw her first spring hummingbird on April 17.
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Pam Seely saw her first hummingbirds of spring on April 18 at her home near The Laurels.
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Sue Schreiner saw her first hummingbird of spring on April 19 at her Bluff City home.

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Amy Tipton in Erwin reported her first spring hummingbird on at 7:30 p.m. on April 21.

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Spring is a great time to enjoy some truly vibrant birds that catch the eye, including scarlet tanager, Baltimore oriole, chipping sparrow, rose-breasted grosbeak, indigo bunting and more. Of course, some of our summer birds keep a low profile. Without showy feathers, they are more than able to fade into the background. They’re worth seeking out, but they do lack the “wow” factor of some of their more spectacular kin.

Here’s are some profiles on a handful of birds that live in the shadows of some much better-known relatives.

USFWS • The warbling vireo is a “plain Jane” among the region’s birds.

Warbling Vireo
The warbling vireo is one of the true “Plain Janes” of the world of birds. In the vireo family, which is known mostly for species that are largely “little green birds,” the warbling vireo lacks even that color. These are small, plain birds with gray-olive upperparts and white underparts occasionally tinged with faint yellow. They have a mild face pattern with a whitish stripe over the eye. It would never be described as colorful. They remain high in the treetops foraging for caterpillars and other prey. This habit makes observation of this bird difficult. Compared to the red-eyed vireo, blue-headed vireo and white-eyed vireo, it’s easy to see why the warbling vireo is named for its song, not its appearance.

Summer tanager
If not for the fact that the related scarlet tanager boasts an appearance that screams tropical beauty, this is a bird that cannot fairly be described as subdued in appearance. But male summer tanagers have a rosy-red plumage and lack the brilliant crimson feathers of the male scarlet tanager. Females of both species are dull birds with yellow-green plumage. These birds are more common in the southeastern United States. They’re not rare, but it isn’t easy to see them due to their tendency to remain in the upper branches of tall trees, especially oaks.

USFWS • The orchard oriole is the smallest member of the oriole family. This species is also notably less showy than some relatives.

Orchard oriole
The Baltimore oriole is an unmistakable bird. The bright orange and black plumage of the male reminded early North American settlers of the livery colors of Cecil Calvert, or Lord Baltimore, an important founder of Maryland and the namesake of the Baltimore oriole. The smaller orchard oriole is a charming bird, but its burnt orange and black plumage lacks the intensity of its better-known relative. The smallest of the orioles, it is outclassed in that regard by its more showy relatives, which include Bullock’s oriole, hooded oriole and Altimara oriole. The orchard oriole can be tempted to feeders that offer sugar water, orange slices or grape jelly, as can many other oriole species.

Ryan Dziedzic USFWS • Great crested flycatcher perches on a branch. Despite a grandiose name, this bird is not particularly showy, but it’s definitely an interesting species.

Great crested flycatcher
The largest family of birds, the tyrant flycatchers, consists of about 400 species. Most are drab birds in appearance, but some stand out. The great kiskadee, scissor-tailed flycatcher and vermilion flycatcher offer some “oomph” to a family of birds with plumages dominated by gray, black and white. In appearance, the great crested flycatcher has a shaggy brown crest and yellow and warm brown coloration in its plumage. It’s mostly the expectations of a name like great crested flycatcher that tends to fall flat when people see this attractive but not showy bird. This bird is different than other flycatchers in one respect – a cavity-nester, pairs of great crested flycatchers claim tree cavities or nesting boxes when it comes time build a nest and raise young.

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To share a sighting, make a comment or ask a question, email ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Yellow-throated warbler sighting on April 2 is first of season

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Susan Young/USFWS • The yellow-throated warbler can be a challenge to observe due to its habit of remaining aloft in the tops of tall trees.

You have to admire our feathered friends for always keeping a surprise or two tucked under their wings.

My first warblers of the spring season arrived on April 2, and neither was one of the species I fully expected to be this year’s “early bird” at my home.

A yellow-throated warbler and a pine warbler, both singing from a stand of pine trees, took this year’s early arrival status. This is the first time either of these two warblers has gained that distinction.

The Northern parula has in recent years claimed this honor, which in years past went to species such as hooded warbler or black-throated green warbler.

In 2025, an ovenbird beat all of other warblers to arrive on Friday, April 7, in the woodlands around my home. followed a few days later by a black-throated green warbler.

Technically, I noticed the yellow-throated warbler first, so it gets the honor of being the spring’s first returning warbler. Only a few minutes passed, however, before I also took note of the singing pine warbler. At press time, no other warblers have arrived.

Nikolaus Schultz/Pixabay • Pine warblers can become regular feeder visitors if fare to their liking is available.

I’m still waiting for my first ruby-throated warbler of spring. I’ve not yet heard from any readers, but I fully anticipate hearing about these tiny flying gems arriving any day.

Last year I welcomed back the season’s first ruby-throated hummingbird at 4:14 p.m. on Sunday, April 6. I’m hopeful I can shave a few days off that arrival time this year, but that’s entirely up to the hummingbirds.

As I have for many years, I am asking readers to share their first sightings of hummingbirds. I have tracked arrivals for several years now. To share your first spring sighting of a ruby-throated hummingbird, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com or contact me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ahoodedwarbler. Please include the date and time of your sighting. I also welcome the sharing of other details about your sightings.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Blue-headed vireos, such as this bird, are high-elevation summer residents in the region. In the spring and fall, they are also common migrants.

Regardless, spring has sprung. Dogwoods are blooming, and their blossoms are beautiful, but it’s also a reminder that our traditional “dogwood winter” with its accompanying dip back into cooler temperatures, is around the corner. Other birds have also been arriving.

A blue-headed vireo put in an appearance on March 29. A chipping sparrow did the same on March 30. When the dam finally breaks, dozens of birds will return or, in some cases, migrate through the region on their way farther north. April and May are exciting times for birders.

As for the two warblers that arrived on April 2, they represent species that have made only occasional appearances at my home. Perhaps the affinity for pine trees that both of these warblers share could have drawn them to visit. There are several stands of large pines thriving on the property.

As its name would indicate, pine warblers are almost always found near pines. These birds have white bellies, two white wing bars, dark legs and thin, relatively long pointed bills. Yellowish “spectacles” around their eyes help contrast them from other warblers. Adult males have olive upperparts and bright yellow throats and breasts; females and immatures display upperparts which are olive-brown.

Bryan Stevens • A pine warbler visits a feeder for a helping of suet.

Pine warblers feed mostly on insects, as well as some seeds and fruit. They tend to forage by probing in crevices on tree trunks and branches, or by poking their beaks into pine cones. Pine warblers spends a great deal of time on the ground, often in the litter of pine needles beneath large trees. They turn over leaves and clusters of pine needles to search for insects concealed beneath them.

The pine warbler doesn’t make the longer migrations of some members of the warbler family. In fact, some pine warblers are resident in the southeastern United States year-round. Visits to wooded suburbs in Atlanta in almost any season is sure to feature sightings. Many pine warblers have also included visits to backyard feeders into their daily routines. They’re fond of offerings such as mealworms, suet cakes and sunflower chips.

The only real requirement needed to attract pine warblers is the presence of pines. These birds utilize various pines, including loblolly, shortleaf, longleaf and white pines.

The yellow-throated warbler is also fond of pine trees. Not quite as common at feeders at pine warblers, the yellow-throated warbler has shifted its behavior to take advantage of the extra resource that a well-maintained feeding station kept supplied with diverse offerings represents.

Photo by Bryan Stevens A Yellow-throated Warbler makes a migratory stop in my yard on the first day of September.

The yellow-throated warbler is also commonly associated with mature trees that extend above the canopy. They also prefer that favored trees are located near a water source. Some of the favored trees for the species include sycamore, shortleaf pine, Virginia pine and bald cypress.

I’ll be interested to see if these two species linger or if they’re passing through and simply using my home as a stopping point to forage and rest before continuing on their way.

It’s a great time of year to stay alert to new arrivals. Keep a pair of binoculars at the ready, and don’t forget to share those sightings, especially as the return of ruby-throated hummingbirds is imminent.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds, birding and birders since 1995. Email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com to make a comment, ask a question or share a sighting.

 

Start getting ready to welcome returning hummingbirds

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • Despite a perceived disadvantage of size, ruby-throated hummingbirds are quite capable of thriving in a giant world.

It’s late March and some of the early arrivals among our feathered friends are already back. As the calendar turns the page from March to April, a steady stream of spring arrivals will kick off with the return of birds like rose-breasted grosbeak, indigo bunting, Baltimore oriole, wood thrush and a dazzling array of warblers.

The most anticipated returning bird for many people is the ruby-throated hummingbirds. These tiny, feisty bundles of sparkling green feathers are sorely missed from after their departure in October to their return to Northeast Tennessee in early April.

These tiny flying gems are back in the continental United States. Their migration requires an annual spring crossing of the Gulf of Mexico. Once they arrive along the coasts of Gulf states, they need a bit of time to recuperate before resuming their relentless migration northward.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A male ruby-throated hummingbird perches at a feeder for a sip of sugar water.

Journey North, a website and project that tracks the yearly advance of ruby-throated hummingbirds as well as other birds, monarch butterflies and other migrants, received reports of ruby-throated hummingbirds in Louisiana as early as March 1.

People in Florida have also been seeing them in early March, but because some ruby-throated hummingbirds may winter in Florida, telling the overwinterers from the true migrants is difficult.

As of March 16, the northernmost report of a ruby-throated hummingbird came from Conyers, Georgia. A woman reported her sighting to Journey North on March 15.

I anticipate this season’s ruby-throated hummingbird migration will bring the first individuals to Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina in early April if not late March. It’s even possible there will be some Easter arrivals of hummingbirds in the region with this religious holiday falling on April 5 this year.

Most first spring observations of hummingbirds are males, although a few females are also early arrivals. Male hummingbirds arrive first so they can find and defend a territory.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Male ruby-throated hummingbird show the namesake red throat. The feathers on a male’s throat are iridescent, which means they can change when seen from different angles. In poor light, the ruby-red throat can look almost black.

As always, spring migration can be a challenging time for hummingbirds. Temperatures, wind patterns and storms can influence the pace of migration. Even once these tiny birds make their epic spring crossing of the Gulf of Mexico, they will need time to rest and refuel before moving northward.

By mid-March, the advance of ruby-throated hummingbirds has usually reached states such as Georgia and South Carolina. By the end of March, these tiny flying gems have reached states such as Tennessee and North Carolina.

It’s time to get those sugar water feeders outside and waiting for the early arrivals. Once the chance of late-season freezes has passed, consider planting some colorful native flowers to provide nectar sources for hummingbirds. In addition, some hanging baskets of flowers can be purchased from garden centers with the benefit that these baskets can be brought indoors during unseasonable cold snaps.

In the meantime, take steps now to welcome hummingbirds back and keep them safe during their stay. Most experts also suggest avoiding red dyes or food colorings, which are often found in commercially marketed hummingbird sugar water. Don’t risk the health of hummingbirds for a little convenience.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Only adult male ruby-throated hummingbirds have the vibrant red throat patch.

It’s easy to make your own sugar water mix, which can be stored in the refrigerator in an empty plastic juice jug. Boil some water and then add one cup of sugar for every four cups of water in your pot. Stir thoroughly. Let the mixture cool and then bottle it. Fill your feeders and store any remaining sugar water in the fridge in the aforementioned jug. Refrigerated, the mix should stay good to use for at least a week or two.

Last year I welcomed back the spring’s first ruby-throated hummingbird at 4:14 p.m. on Sunday, April 6.

As I have for many years, I am asking readers to share their first sightings of hummingbirds. I have tracked arrivals for several years now. To share your first spring sighting of a ruby-throated hummingbird, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com or contact me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ahoodedwarbler. Please include the date and time of your sighting. I also welcome the sharing of other details about your sightings.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Ruby-throated hummingbirds such as this male are returning to the region.

Feathered harbingers: New bird sightings prove spring is here

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • The American robin is widely hailed as a harbinger of spring.

Crocuses are blooming, spring peepers are peeping and the birds are starting to feel the approach of spring. Increasing daylight helps trigger changes among many of the birds that are widely considered signs of spring.

Among the other harbingers of the season are several species that have gained reputations for signalling the transition from winter into spring by their presence alone.

Here are some of the top candidates among our feather friends for the honor of being a genuine symbol of spring’s imminent arrival.

American robins
Robins are widely considered harbingers of spring. They appear to become more common overnight, but for the most part, it’s only a shift in behavior.
While robins are present in winter, they shift from eating berries in large, quiet flocks to foraging for worms on lawns in smaller groups as the ground thaws. With increasing daylight, they also begin to feel the urge to partner with potential mates. The robin’s song, often interpreted as “cheerily, cheer up,” is a distinct sound of early spring and is used to signal availability to those prospective mates.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Wilson’s snipes return to much of their range in early spring.

Wilson’s snipe
The snipe, a type of shorebird, is a real bird despite a common belief that this bird, the subject of futile snipe hunts, is mythical. Haunting wetlands with their distinctive “winnowing” (drumming) courtship flights, they are heralds for the advancing spring season. These migratory, long-billed shorebirds typically reappear in marshy areas and wet pastures in early spring, often arriving by early March to begin breeding in northern regions. While some individuals may winter in warmer parts of the United States, their widespread arrival and intense courtship activity are widely recognized as a sign of spring.

American woodcock
A snipe relative, the American woodcock is a premier, early-spring harbinger known for its dramatic “sky dance” courtship displays performed at dawn and dusk, often commencing as early as February or March. On the ground, the male produces a loud, buzzing, nasal sound — frequently described as “peent” — roughly every two seconds. These birds have a long bill equipped with a flexible tip, perfect for foraging for earthworms after the spring thaw has lured them to the earth’s surface. Males put on impressive display flights, using specialized wing feathers to produce a strange twitter as they descend back to earth in wide spirals. Other nicknames for this most unusual shorebird are timberdoodle and bog sucker.

Early American naturalist John James Audubon painted this trio of American woodcocks.

Eastern phoebe
Eastern phoebes belong to the flycatcher family and are among the earliest migratory birds to return to their breeding grounds, often arriving before many other species. Eastern phoebes are more reliable indicators of the actual start of spring migration than American robins because they fly north to catch bugs while robins often overwinter and get a head start without even migrating. Henry David Thoreau detailed spring arrival for many species around Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, in the 1850s. He recorded the Eastern Phoebe arriving in early April and the Eastern Wood-Pewee in late May. Across the migration data for 22 consistently observed species in Concord’s historical bird data, the average timing of spring arrival has not changed significantly from Thoreau’s time to the present. However, there are a few exceptions, such as yellow warbler and Baltimore oriole, that now return to Walden significantly earlier than when Thoreau observed them.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The Eastern phoebe is a flycatcher and a bird that reliably returns early in the spring season.

Eastern bluebird
Bluebirds are a widely recognized early harbinger of spring, often arriving in northern locations by February or March, signalling the end of winter. Seeing bluebirds in pairs, checking out nesting boxes or perched on low branches in open, rural areas are classic signs of early spring. The well-known writer and naturalist Henry David Thoreau famously wrote that the bluebird “carries the sky on his back,” documenting their arrival as a vital seasonal marker in Northern regions and Canada. Locally, many bluebirds overwinter, but they still begin exploring potential nest locations in early spring, often as early as February.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Turkey vultures are a signal of spring’s arrival in some parts of the United States.

Turkey vulture
The return of turkey vultures is a significant, early sign of spring in many parts of North America, often appearing between February and March. As migratory scavenger birds, they return north to feed on animals that perished during the winter, often appearing in flocks. Hinckley, Ohio, celebrates the annual return of turkey vultures (locally called buzzards) to the Hinckley Reservation every March 15, a tradition dating back to 1957. Known as “Buzzard Day,” this event features a pancake breakfast, vendor fairs and spotter-led viewing of the birds returning to their roosts.

Louisiana waterthrush
Birders usually have to wait until April and May for most warblers to venture back to East Tennessee. The Louisiana waterthrush is a premier, early-arriving harbinger of spring in Eastern North America, often appearing in early March along fast-flowing, wooded streams. Known as one of the first migrant warblers to return, their arrival is signaled by a loud, ringing song that mimics the sound of rushing water. They typically arrive on breeding grounds weeks before many other migrant species, particularly other warblers. The loud, ringing song of the Louisiana waterthrush is often heard near streams before leaves have fully returned to the trees.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The tiny blue-gray gnatcatcher returns to East Tennessee in late March.

Blue-gray gnatcatcher
This tiny bundle of feathers is an energetic, noisy songbird that arrives in the region in the final days of March. I often hear this bird’s raspy, scolding vocalizations before I detect their nonstop movements in newly-emerged leaves. They don’t arrive quite as early as the other birds on this list, but I’ve always held this bird as one of my personal birds of spring. Once the feisty blue-gray gnatcatcher is back, the spring season can truly commence. The gnatcatcher, which is one of our smallest birds, feeds on more than gnats. The only local birds as comparably small as the gnatcatcher are kinglets and hummingbirds.

What bird do you look forward to seeing again every spring? What’s something provided by nature that provides assurance that spring is just around the corner?

Feel free to write to me to share your answers by emailing ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.