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Doves are birds of cultural importance across many different civilizations. Typically representing peace, hope, and purity, doves have always been symbolic of some of the most beautiful and serene things in life. There are many different dove species that inhabit North America, and three of them that can be found in Maine. Here is everything you need to know about those three species.
Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove
Identification
Mourning Doves have a pinkish gray underside with a darker gray back and wings. They have black spots on the wings and a black spot on each side of their face. This species often looks pudgy when they sit in a resting position.
Range
Mourning Doves are not particularly migratory as they live throughout most of the continental United States year-round. They do however extend south into Central America and Southern Mexico in winter and farther into southcentral Canada in summer.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Most of the Mourning Doves diet consists of seeds. They can often be seen foraging on the ground and are regular visitors at bird feeders where they will eat at platform feeders or under feeders.
Where to Find this Bird
Mourning Doves can be found in many different places including sparse woodlands, backyards, parks, and even areas heavily inhabited by humans such as cities. They can often be seen on power lines and also frequently feed along the ground in brush.
Rock Pigeon
Rock Pigeon – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Rock Pigeons (also known as feral pigeons) come in many different varieties. Most of them are different shades of gray with darker gray on the head, neck and chest with lighter gray on the wings and underside. Rock Pigeons have two dark wing bars on each wing and blue, green, or even red iridescence on their head and neck. These birds can also be reddish in color and even pure white.
In my personal opinion, Rock Pigeons are actually quite beautiful and if they weren’t so common in the United States people would appreciate them more.
Range
Rock Pigeons can be found in almost every continent on Earth. However, they are only native to certain parts of Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. In South America and North America Rock Pigeons are actually an introduced species and have spread to pretty much everywhere with the exception of Northern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Rock Pigeons feed mostly on fruits and seeds. They are also well known for eating scraps of foods in cities such as bread . They will move along the ground and peck at their desired meal while feeding.
Where to Find this Bird
In their wild range, Rock Pigeons live on cliffs and rock faces. In the United States, buildings and city structures imitate these habitats, meaning this species is now readily found in large cities. Additionally, look for Rock Pigeons in farmland where grains and seeds provide an easy meal.
White-winged Dove (Rare)
White-winged Dove – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
White-winged Doves are grayish brown with their wings, head, and back being more brown, and their underside being more gray. They have blue near their eye and dark spots on their cheek. This bird gets its name from the distinctive white marking on each wing visible both when perched and in flight. In addition to the white wing markings, they also have white on the tips of their tail feathers.
Range
White-winged Doves live year-round in Mexico and parts of the Southern United States. In winter, they can be found more readily along the Gulf Coast. In summer, they move slightly north into more of the Southern United States.
Diet and Foraging Habits
White-winged Doves are primarily seed eaters but they will also consume fruit. In desert areas they have been known to eat the fruit of the Saguaro Cactus. In more urban places they will often feed on agricultural crops such as corn.
Where to Find this Bird
White-winged Doves can be found in a wide variety of habitats ranging from thickets, to desert, to urban environments. They will visit bird feeders, so if you live within their range keep an eye out for this species in your backyard. Another way to find White-winged Doves is to listen for their call which sounds similar to a Mourning Doves cooing but much deeper and more gruff.
Summary
Doves have learned to coexist with humans and thrive in places many other birds can’t. Knowing which species to expect in your region can be incredibly useful in identifying these plump and gregarious birds. Hopefully, this article has helped to answer some of your questions about the doves of Maine.
Terns are some of the most sleek and acrobatic species of birds in the world. They swiftly swoop, hover, and dive through the skies across North America. With many terns having similar looking plumages, they can be difficult to tell apart. Fortunately, with a little knowledge about tern identification and where they are most expected, it becomes easier to tell them apart.
Minnesota is home to four species of terns that are annual and fairly common in the state. Here is everything that you need to know about these four species.
Black Tern
Black Tern – Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region
Identification
In breeding plumage, Black Terns have gray wings with white on the shoulder area. They have an overall black body and head, black bill and legs, and white underside behind the legs. Nonbreeding Black Terns are much paler with a white head and body and just a small patch of black color near the eye.
Range
Black Terns winter in Northern South America and make their migratory journey north in spring when they spread out across most of Mexico and the continental United States. They breed in South-central Canada and the Northern United States.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Black Terns are very acrobatic as they forage for food and catch prey on the fly. They eat small fish and insects, usually by flying low over marshy areas. One interesting thing about Black Terns is that they do not plunge into the water to catch fish like many other tern species do.
Where to Find This Bird
In winter, Black Terns can be found around coastal habitats but in spring and summer, marshes and swamps become the best place to locate this species.
Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern
Identification
Caspian Terns are extremely large for terns. In fact, they are the largest tern species in the entire world. They are white with gray wings, black legs, and a chunky red bill. Caspian Terns also have a black cap in breeding plumage which fades in nonbreeding plumage and looks more like a black smudge near the eye.
Range
Caspian Terns are extremely widespread in not only North America but the entire world. This species got their name due to the fact that they were common around the Caspian Sea (which they still are to this day). Caspian Terns can be found along the coasts of Australia, Africa, Southern Asia, Europe, and North America.
In North America, Caspian Terns winter in Mexico, Souther California, the Gulf Coast, Florida, and along the Atlantic Coast. They migrate north in spring and nest in parts of Canada, the Western United States, and the Great Lakes.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Caspian Terns primarily feed on fish but will also eat crustaceans and insects. This species feeds in the same way that other terns do; flying above the water to search for food and diving headfirst into the water when they see something they want to catch.
Where to Find this Bird
Caspian Terns frequent ocean coastlines as well as the shores of large inland bodies of water. They are most easy to find during migration when they show up in fairly large numbers along beaches and can be seen and heard flying over the water. In the Midwestern states, the Great Lakes are a fantastic place to find this species.
Common Tern
Common Tern – Photo by Michele Lamberti
Identification
In breeding plumage, Common Terns have a white head and body with gray wings, a black cap, an orange bill with a black tip, and orange legs. An important feature in Common Terns that separates them from the nearly identical Forster’s Tern is the color of the primary feathers in adults. In Common Terns they will be dark gray while in Forster’s Terns they will be light gray to white. Nonbreeding adults will not have a complete black cap but rather a partial cap with the front of the head showing white.
Range
Common Terns winter along the Coasts of South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Gulf of Mexico. In spring they move north into Canada and parts of the Northern United States, including the Great Lakes states.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Common Terns eat primarily small fish but will also eat crustaceans and other marine and freshwater invertebrates. They will catch fish from the surface of the water while flying or dive into the water to catch prey.
Where to Find this Bird
Common Terns are birds of coasts and shorelines. They are typically found along large bodies of water such as the oceans and the Great Lakes. They can be seen resting on beaches and sandbars.
Forster’s Tern
Forster’s Tern – Photo by Bill Grossmeyer
Identification
Breeding plumage Forster’s Terns have a white body and white forked tail, orange legs, an orange bill with a black tip, and a black cap going from their neck to their bill. They have light gray wings and light-colored wingtips (which is an import thing to note when differentiating between Forster’s Terns and Common Terns).
Nonbreeding Forster’s Terns look almost the same as in breeding plumage but instead of a full black cap, they have a black streak that covers their eye.
Range
Forster’s Terns winter along the Southern coasts of the United States and Mexico. They migrate north during the spring and breed in Southern Canada, portions of the Western U.S. and specific places along the Great Lakes. Forster’s Terns are year-round residents of Eastern Texas and Southern Louisiana in addition to parts of the Atlantic Coast near North Carolina and Maryland.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Forster’s Terns feed primarily on fish which they catch in a very distinctive manor. These terns will hover above the water, and suddenly plunge themselves below the surface. In addition to fish, they will also eat insects.
Where to Find this Bird
Forster’s Terns can be found in both freshwater and saltwater marshes in addition to coastlines.
Summary
Terns are quick and acrobatic birds that can sometimes be difficult to identify since so many of them are similar looking. Knowing the species that are expected in your state can be instrumental in identifying which one you are looking at in the field. Hopefully, this article has helped in answering some questions about the terns of Minnesota.
Cuckoos are slender, medium sized birds, known for being difficult to find. Due to their secretive nature, they can be exciting for birders to see in the wild. In Vermont, there are two species of cuckoos that can be found on an annual basis. Here’s everything you need to know about them.
Black-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Black-billed Cuckoos have a brown head, back, wings, and tail with a white underside. As their name would suggest, they have a black bill and a red eye.
Range
Black-billed Cuckoos winter in the northwestern part of South America. In spring they migrate north into northeastern and northcentral United States along with southern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Black-billed Cuckoos feed primarily on insects (especially caterpillars). In nonbreeding season, they also eat fruits and other plant matter such as seeds.
Where to Find this Bird
Black-billed Cuckoos are found in forests, edge habitat, woodlands, and marshes with numerous trees. They can be extremely elusive and are difficult to get eyes on even if they are in the area.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Yellow-billed Cuckoos have a brown head, back, and wings. Their long tails are black with white at the end of the feathers giving their tails a spotted appearance. These birds have a clean white underside and a yellow bill with some black on the upper mandible.
Range
Yellow-billed Cuckoos winter throughout most of South America with the exception of the most southern and western parts of the country. In spring, they move north inhabiting the Carribean, parts of Mexico, the eastern United States, southeastern Canada, and seemingly random pockets in the western United States.
Diet and Foraging Habits
A large portion of the Yellow-billed Cuckoos diet consists of caterpillars. They will often find large quantities of tent caterpillars, fall webworms, and spongy moths. Aside from caterpillars they will also eat other types of insects and small invertebrates along with some types of fruits and seeds.
Where to Find this Bird
Yellow-billed Cuckoos frequent woodlands (especially woodlands with water nearby), scrublands with thick bushes, and even stands of trees in otherwise more open areas.
Summary
Cuckoos are goofy and elusive birds that are always fun to see in the field but can sometimes be tough to identify. We hope this post has helped you learn about and identify the Cuckoos of Vermont.
Eagles are thought of as regal and majestic birds that soar over the United States. There are a few different eagle species that make their way into the United States. In this post there is information about which species you can expect to find in your state in addition to identification tips and facts.
Bald Eagle
Adult Bald Eagle (Photo by Bill grossmeyer)
Juvenile Bald Eagle (Photo by Bill Grossmeyer)
Identification
The adult Bald Eagle is an unmistakable raptor species. They have a brown body with a white head and tail. In flight, they look quite flat as opposed to Turkey Vultures and other soaring species that sport a v-shaped wing pattern known as a dihedral. Bald Eagles have a large yellow bill.
Juvenile Bald Eagles don’t look quite as distinctive with varying degrees of mottled white mixed In with brown. Juveniles still have a noticeably large bill.
Range
Bald Eagles winter in most of the Southern United States and Northern Mexico. They migrate north into Canada and some of the Great Lakes states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. There are many areas where Bald Eagles live year round, most of which are around coastlines, rivers, or other bodies of water.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Bald Eagles eat primarily fish but will also consume amphibians, mammals, reptiles, and carrion. In fact, Bald Eagles can often be seen around landfills searching for scraps, or roadsides searching for roadkill. Two places one wouldn’t expect to see such a majestic bird.
Where to Find This Bird
The easiest way to see Bald Eagles is to watch the skies and look for a large bird with broad, flat wings soaring. In terms of places to see many Bald Eagles at once, search out dams or other places where fish congregate, here, several different Eagles may be waiting to get an easy meal. To see Eagles in their nesting habitat, forests near rivers and bodies of water that are far away from human habitation are the best places.
Golden Eagle (Rare)
Golden Eagle (Photo by Bill Grossmeyer)
Identification
Golden Eagles are very large raptors that are brown in color with slightly lighter feathers mixed in. They have a white band on the tail, and the nape of their neck has golden colored feathers. Immature birds have white at the base of their primary feathers visible in flight from underneath.
Range
Golden Eagles live year round in the western half of the United States and Northern Mexico. Some members of this species migrate north and breed in Alaska and Canada. During winter, Golden Eagles move east with some birds traveling a significant distance away from their expected area. This species can also be found in Europe and parts of Asia.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Golden Eagles typically eat mammals such as squirrels and rabbits, but they will also eat birds. This particular species has also been known to to take on much larger prey such as deer or even other larger predators such as coyotes.
Where to Find This Bird
Golden Eagles aren’t typically found near human habitation or near large tracts of forest. They are a species of open areas as well as mountainous areas. The easiest way to find them is to look for them soaring over.
Summary
Eagles are large and noticeable birds. Their regal look and importance as symbols of strength certainly make them intriguing. Knowing which eagle species are expected in your state can be instrumental in identifying which exact species you’re looking at.
Vultures are large birds of prey that normally have a head or neck that is often devoid of feathers. Due to their habits of feeding on carrion, they have gotten a bad reputation, however their ecological niche is valuable, and they are quite interesting birds. There are two different vulture species that can be found in Maine. Here is everything you need to know about those two species.
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture (Cape Hatteras National Seashore Photo)
Turkey Vulture in flight (Brad Sutton Photo)
Identification
The Turkey Vulture is a large brown bird with a pinkish head that is featherless. In flight, the trailing edge of the wings will show white feathers, with the rest of the underside of the bird being brown. Turkey Vulture will often be seen soaring overhead, or perched on cliffs or other tall structures. They can also be seen near roadsides feeding on carrion.
Range
In North America, Turkey Vultures can be seen in southern states and central America year-round. They move into northern states and Southern Canada during the summer. The Turkey Vulture can normally be seen in Delaware during the spring, summer, and fall.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Turkey Vultures feed mostly on dead prey such as roadkill or carrion. It is said that Turkey Vultures will never attack live prey. They serve as a valuable “clean-up crew” in the ecosystems they inhabit.
Where to Find this Bird
Look for Turkey Vultures soaring overhead or perching up on high structures such as signs, power lines, cliffs, or tall trees. They will often roost or feed in groups. Also keep an eye out for these birds feeding in open areas or roadsides.
Black Vulture in flight (cuatrok77 photo – CC by 2.0)
Identification
Black Vultures look similar to turkey vultures except they have an all black head and appear to have white/gray wingtips when viewed from below, as opposed to white on the trailing wing edge, among other features.
Range
The Black Vulture can be found in many southern and southeastern states in the U.S. as well as in Central America. They are often seen as vagrants in more northern states in the U.S.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Much like the Turkey Vulture, Black Vultures will feed on roadkill and carrion, often large mammals. However, unlike the Turkey Vulture, they have also been known to eat weak, or dying live prey.
Where to Find this Bird
Black Vultures can be seen soaring overhead, or perched on powerlines, snags, cliffs, or on other tall structures. They can also sometimes be seen in mixed groups of other raptors such as Turkey Vultures.
Which of these species have you seen? Leave a comment below and thanks for reading!
Cormorants are slender diving waterbirds with a distinctive shape and set of habits. While there are many cormorant species that live in North America, there are only two that can typically be found in Louisiana, with one being extremely abundant and the other two being rare. Here is everything you need to know about these two species.
Double-crested Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Identification
Adult Double-crested Cormorants have a dark brown to black head, neck, back, underside and wings. Juveniles will be lighter brown in color with a lighter throat and underside. Both adults and juveniles have orange by the eyes and base of the bill as well as a turquoise colored eye. Breeding adult birds have two tufts on their head that can sometimes be hard to see, but these crests are what this species is named for.
Range
Double-crested Cormorants live year round along the Pacific Coast of North America from Northwestern Mexico all the way up to the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. They also live year round in parts of Florida. This species winters in in the Southeastern United States and Northeastern Mexico. In spring, they move into the Northern United States and Southern Canada where they can be seen migrating in large flocks.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Double-crested Cormorants primarily eat fish which they catch by hunting them underwater. They will also eat other aquatic creature such as crustaceans and amphibians.
Where to Find This Bird
Double-crested Cormorants can be found in a variety of places with all of them usually being near bodies of water. Look for this species in trees lining lakes and ponds as well as in marshes. Often times, Double-crested Cormorants will congregate in large groups on islands or other places with adequate perches as they dry their wings and survey for prey.
Neotropic Cormorant
Neotropic Cormorant – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Neotropic Cormorants are small members of the cormorant family. Adult birds are a shiny black color with white feathers on their head, back, and wings. They have a white triangle on the base of the bill known as a gular. Neotropic Cormorants have yellowish orange on the base of the bill and a turquoise colored eye. Juveniles are lighter in color overall, sporting brown coloration instead of black.
Range
Neotropic Cormorants live year-round in South America, Central America, much of Mexico, and the Gulf Coast of the United States. While much of the population is not migratory, some birds move north in spring and have a habit of turning up north of their normal range.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Neotropic Cormorants eat mostly fish, but will also consume insects, crustaceans, and amphibians. These birds are sight feeders and search for prey underwater where their streamlined bodies make them adept swimmers.
Where to Find This Bird
Neotropic Cormorants live in a wide variety of places including inland lakes, saltmarshes, and along ocean coastlines. They can often be seen perched in branches and other structures near water keeping watch for food.
For information on how to differentiate a Double-crested Cormorant from a Neotropic Cormorant click here to read an article on the subject or check out the video below.
Neotropic vs. Double-crested Cormorant
Birds that are Similar to Cormorants
There is one North American bird species that technically is not a cormorant, but is similar enough to include it on the list.
Anhinga
Anhinga
Identification
Anhingas look extremely similar to cormorants with a long snake-like neck and a long pointed bill. They have longer tails than most cormorant species and show white on their wings. Overall, Anhingas are dark colored with dark brown to black bodies and lighter colored necks.
Range
Anhingas are year-round residents of the northern half of South America, the coasts of Central America and Mexico, and the southeastern coast of the continental United States. In summer, they move farther north and have a tendency to move pretty far north into the eastern United States.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Anhingas primarily feed on fish which they actively hunt for underwater and spear with their sharp, pointed bill. They will also eat crustaceans and other small invertebrates.
Where to Find This Bird
Anhingas can be found in areas with slow moving freshwater such as marshes, bayous, and general wetlands. Look for them drying their wings on perches or swimming in the water, sitting low mostly with just their head and neck above the waters surface.
Summary
Cormorants are unique, lanky birds that are a common sight near the water. Knowing the habits, range, and key identification features of each of these species can be incredibly useful in knowing what to look for in the field.
Tanagers are a group of birds known for being extremely bright. These members of the cardinal family have thick bills and are medium distance migrants. In the United States there are four different species of tanagers, and three of them can be found in New Jersey with one two being common visitors and the other being rarer. Here is everything you need to know about these three species.
Scarlet Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Identification
Male Scarlet Tanagers are bright red with a slight orangey shine when viewed in bright sunlight. They have inky black wings and a black tail. Females are a brownish yellow color with their wings and tail being a darker shade than the rest of their body.
Range
Scarlet Tanagers winter in western South America and move through the eastern United States in spring. This species spends the summer in the northeastern United States including New England, some states in the Midwest, and even some of the more southern states such as Tennessee, northern Georgia, and northern Alabama.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Scarlet Tanagers are mostly insectivores eating a wide variety of different larvas and adult insects. This species will also eat tree buds in the early spring and fruit including berries such as mulberry.
Where to Find this Bird
Scarlet Tanagers are birds of deciduous and mixed deciduous forests. They will make stops at a variety of different habitats during migration including backyards and parks (especially if there are berries to eat nearby). Scarlet Tanagers usually reside high up in trees, so keep an eye out for an extremely bright red bird in the canopy.
Summer Tanager
Summer Tanager
Identification
Adult male Summer Tanagers are a deep red color. Immature males are a mix of yellow and red with red feathers coming in to replace the yellow as they molt. The more yellow, the younger the bird is. Adult females are completely yellow bodied with darker coloration on the wings.
Range
Summer Tanagers winter in northern South America, Central America, and Mexico. In spring they begin their journey north, ending up in the southern United States. The Summer Tanagers range extends farther north in the eastern U.S. than the western U.S. reaching as far north as Ohio and Iowa.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Summer Tanagers eat many different insects and other invertebrates. Some of their most preferred foods are bees and wasps. They will catch them out of the air and then rub the stinger off before consuming them. Other items on the menu are various fruits such as mulberries.
Where to Find this Bird
Summer Tanagers are typically found in deciduous woods with moderate tree cover. They also live in places like forest edges, backyards, and parks. During migration this species will appear in mixed forests and along lake edges along with warblers, grosbeaks, orioles, and other tanager species.
Western Tanager (Rare)
Western Tanager – Photo by USFWS Mountain-Prairie
Identification
Male Western Tanagers are arguably one of the most beautiful bird species in North America. The are bright yellow with a reddish orange face, and black wings with a yellow shoulder marking. Females are slightly duller yellow with grayish black wings and tow light wing bars.
Range
Western Tanagers winter in Central America and Mexico. They migrate north in spring and breed in the western United States and southwestern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Western Tanagers have varied diets that differ depending on season. In spring and summer, they feed primarily on different insect species including dragonflies, grasshoppers, and wasps among others. In fall and winter, they switch over to eating primarily fruit.
Where to Find this Bird
Western Tanagers are typically found in mixed deciduous and coniferous forests as well as forest edges, parks and backyards. They also live in drier areas such as scrub and elevated pine forests.
Summary
Tanagers are among the most colorful migratory bird species in all of North America. Knowing which species are common or rare for your state and region can be instrumental in correctly identifying these brightly colored birds in the field.
Wrens are goofy and fast-moving little birds that are absolutely loaded with attitude. Due to their small size and quickness, they can be very difficult to identify. Luckily, many of them have differences in habitat as well as some key features to keep an eye out for that can be used to help differentiate them.
In Maine, there are five wren species and one that visit the state. Here is everything that you need to know about these five species.
Carolina Wren
Carolina wren
Identification
Carolina Wrens are on the larger side among wrens. They have a reddish brown back, head, and wings with a peach colored underside. They have a white throat and a very well defined white eye stripe.
Range
Carolina Wrens are not migratory and live throughout the Eastern United States with the exception of some of the states in the Northeast and the Midwest. They can be found as far west as Texas and as far south as Mexico and even some Central American Countries. The Carolina Wren’s range is actually believed to be expanding as they are showing up farther and farther north each year.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Carolina Wrens eat many different varieties of invertebrates including spiders, moths, and crickets among others. They also eat pulp and seeds from fruit in addition to small vertebrates on occasion.
Where to Find This Bird
Carolina Wrens live in a variety of habitats ranging from woodlands, to scrubland, to backyards. Typically, anywhere that has some sort of cover will serve as a good home for this species. Carolina Wrens are often heard before they are seen, making a call that some say sounds like a tea kettle.
House Wren
House Wren
Identification
House Wrens are a small, grayish brown species that is fairly uniform in color with darker brown barring on the wings and tail. They will vary slightly in color and pattern depending on region.
Range
House Wrens are widespread across North America and South America with South America being a year-round home for this species. In winter, House Wren’s reside in the Southern US and Mexico. They make their way north in spring, eventually ending up covering most of the Continental United States and parts of Southern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
House Wrens are insectivorous, eating mostly insects and other invertebrates that move along the ground such as beetles and spiders. They have also been known to eat flying insects such as dragonflies and moths as well.
Where to Find This Bird
House Wrens can be found in many different habitats. Essentially, as long as there is some vegetation to hide in, House Wrens will probably be around. They are common in back yards where they can be heard making their chattering call.
Marsh Wren
Marsh Wren – Photo by USFWS Mountain-Prairie
Identification
Marsh Wrens have a reddish brow back with dark barring on their wings and tail. They have white stripes on their upper back and a buffy to white colored eye stripe. Marsh Wrens have a light underside and often times have buffy sides.
Range
Marsh Wrens winter in Mexico and the Southern United States. In spring, they move north and spend the summer in the Northern United States and parts of Southern Canada. Interestingly, Marsh Wrens are year-round residents in some parts of the US including along the east and west coasts, as well as states such as Colorado and Utah among others.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Marsh Wrens consume Insects and and other invertebrates. They often feed close to the base of vegetation in swampy habitats.
Where to Find This Bird
As their name suggests, Marsh Wrens can be found in marshy habitats with lots of vegetation and standing water. They occupy both freshwater wetlands and coastal salt marshes.
Sedge Wren (Rare)
Sedge Wren
Identification
Sedge Wrens are a sandy to brownish color with lighter coloration on their sides. Their back, wings, tail, and head are darker tan to brown with light head striping, and darker barring on the wings and tail. They have a white throat, a white underside, and a tan eyebrow stripe.
Range
Sedge Wrens winter in Northeastern Mexico and the Southeastern United States. In spring, they move north into many of the Midwestern states, Great Lakes area, and South-central Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Sedge Wrens eat insects and other invertebrates that they pick from dense vegetation. They may also eat small amounts of seeds.
Where to Find This Bird
Sedge Wrens reside in thick vegetation such as grasses, and of course sedges. Look for damp fields with tall grass or other plants, and Sedge Wrens will most likely be around.
Winter Wren
Winter Wren – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Winter Wrens are reddish brown with a lighter shade of color on their throat and underside. They have barring and speckling on their sides, tail, back, and wings. This species has a lighter colored eye stripe and has a very short stiff looking tail.
Range
Winter Wrens spend the winter in the Southeastern United States with the exception of Southern Florida. In spring, they move north into many of the Great Lakes states and much of Southeastern Canada. Winter Wrens can also be found in parts of Western Canada in summer. There are also some areas in the Northeastern United States where this species can be found year round.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Winter Wrens eat Insects and other invertebrates. During the winter, they have also been known to eat berries. They typically forage along the ground, searching logs and vegetation for small creatures to eat.
Where to Find This Bird
Winter Wrens can be found in forested habitats as well as shrubby areas with thick underbrush. They seem to enjoy spending time in tangled branches, often making them difficult to get a clear look at. In lowland areas with dense understory, keep an eye out for this small, quick moving species.
Summary
Wrens are fun birds to find due to their energetic personalities and feisty attitudes. Knowing the species that are expected in your state can be instrumental in identifying which one you are looking at in the field. Hopefully, this article has helped in answering some questions about the wrens of Maine.
Plovers are a type of shorebird characterized by their round appearance and often look plump. They can be found near water or in open fields. While they are a sub-group of shorebirds, there are many species of plovers in the United States. In this post, you will be able to see all of the expected plovers in Connecticut.
American Golden-plover
American golden-plover in breeding plumage (Peter Pearsall Photo)
American Golden-plover in nonbreeding plumage (Alan Schmierer Photo)
Identification
The American Golden-plover is quite an impressive looking bird when in breeding plumage. They have a black underside, beautiful golden feathers on the back and wings, and a white marking that goes all the way from the bill to the shoulder. In nonbreeding plumage, American Golden-plovers are buffy colored with gold and brown speckled wings, back, and head. During certain times of the year these birds will be half way between breeding and nonbreeding plumage as they transition.
Range
Like many shorebird species, American Golden-plovers are long distance migrants. They winter in Southeastern South America and fly all the way to their breeding areas in Alaska and the northern most parts of Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
American Golden-plovers feed mostly on invertebrates including insect larva and worms. They have also been known to eat some plant-based foods as well, including berries. This species hunts by running along the ground, periodically stopping to scan for food.
Where to Find this Bird
American Golden-plovers are most often found in the continental United States during fall migration. Some common places to find them are in agricultural fields, along lake shores, and at sod farms.
Black-bellied Plover
Black-bellied Plover in breeding plumage (under the same moon Photo CC by 2.0)
Black-bellied Plover in nonbreeding plumage (Susan Young Photo)
Identification
Black-bellied Plovers are large as far as plovers go, similar in size to American Golden-plovers, but a little more stocky. They have black on their face, chest, and underside, but unlike American Golden-plovers they have a white under tail. They have white mottling on their back and wings as well as a white head and white stripe from the bill down to the shoulders.
In nonbreeding plumage, Black-bellied Plovers are much more sandy colored with darker shades on the wings, back, and head. In both breeding and nonbreeding plumage, this species shows black patches under the wing, visible in flight.
Range
The Black-bellied Plover is extremely widespread across the globe with numerous sightings in every continent except for Antarctica. In North America, they summer in the most Northern parts of Canada and migrate south to the coasts of both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. During migration, they can be found inland on an annual basis.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Black-bellied Plovers eat a wide variety of invertebrates including insects, worms, urchins, crabs and much more. They will forage in farm fields and on mud flats in both fresh and salt water.
Where to Find this Bird
The best time to find Black-bellied Plovers is during winter and during fall migration. In winter, both the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts of the United States play host to the species. Look for them on beaches, mudflats, and break walls where they will be sitting on large rocks. During migration, sod farms, agricultural fields, and the shores of inland lakes are good places to search for Black-bellied Plovers.
Killdeer
Killdeer (Tom Koerner Photo)
Identification
The Killdeer is a widespread and recognizable bird in the plover family. They have a brown head, back, and wings, with a white underside. They have several black markings on their chest and head with two bands on their chest and two on the head with one of the stripes on the forehead and another looking something like a mustache. They have a rusty colored tail and a noticeable red eye.
Range
Killdeer do not migrate as far as other plover species, and many of them live in the United States and parts of Western South America year round. The Killdeer that do migrate, go from Northern South America, Central America, and Southern Mexico, into the United States, and end up breeding in either the U.S. or Southern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Killdeer run along the ground as they forage for food. They consume mostly invertebrates such as grasshoppers, worms, snails, and insect larva. They will forage both near water as well as in drier open areas.
Where to Find this Bird
Killdeer are common throughout most of the United States in the summer and are one of the first birds to return north in spring. Look for them in open areas with a lot of flat land such as athletic fields, sod farms, plowed fields, and even gravel lots. Listen for their “kill-deer” call as the walk around or fly over.
Other Notes: Killdeer are known for doing a broken wing display to distract predators and eventually lead them away from their nests. This behavior can be seen often during the nesting season.
Piping Plover
Piping Plover in breeding plumage (Derek Sallmann Photo)
Piping Plover in nonbreeding plumage (Ryan Sallmann Photo)
Identification
Piping Plovers are relatively small plovers with a brownish gray back and head, with a white underside, and white stripe over the eye. In breeding plumage, this species has black on the forehead and black around the neck. Nonbreeding adults and immature birds lack these black markings.
Range
Piping Plovers winter on the Southern Atlantic Coast as well as the Gulf Coast. In spring they move north to their breeding areas in the North-central United States, South-central Canada, the Northeastern United States, and some of the Great Lakes states.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Piping Plovers forage near the edge of the water searching for small invertebrates. They will forage in both marine and freshwater environments.
Where to Find this Bird
Piping Plovers breed in areas with sandy beaches and sparse vegetation. They show up along lake shores, ocean coastlines, and even rivers during migration.
Semipalmated Plover
Semipalmated Plover in breeding plumage (Ryan Sallmann Photo)
Semipalmated Plover in nonbreeding plumage (Ryan Sallmann photo)
Identification
Semipalmated Plovers are on the small side for shorebirds and have a brown back and wings, and a white underside. In breeding plumage they have a black band on their upper chest as well as a black mask. In nonbreeding plumage, the black on this species is much less visible or gone altogether.
Range
Semipalmated Plovers breed in the arctic and make their way south in fall. They winter along the ocean coasts of the United States, Mexico, and South America. They move through most regions of the United States in fall.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Semipalmated Plovers feed near the waters edge and occasionally wade in to very shallow water. They eat mostly aquatic invertebrates including worms and small crustaceans.
Where to Find this Bird
For people who live on the ocean coastlines, look for Semipalmated Plovers on beaches and mudflats in winter. For those that live in the interior of the country, the best time to see this species is during fall migration where they can be fund on inland lakes and sandbars.
Summary
Plovers are a fascinating and cute looking group of shorebirds that are certainly worth knowing more about. Getting acquainted with these five species can make it much easier to know what to expect in the field.
Cormorants are slender diving waterbirds with a distinctive shape and set of habits. While there are many cormorant species that live in North America, there are only three that can typically be found in Maryland, with two being extremely abundant and the other being rare. Here is everything you need to know about these three species.
Double-crested Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Identification
Adult Double-crested Cormorants have a dark brown to black head, neck, back, underside and wings. Juveniles will be lighter brown in color with a lighter throat and underside. Both adults and juveniles have orange by the eyes and base of the bill as well as a turquoise colored eye. Breeding adult birds have two tufts on their head that can sometimes be hard to see, but these crests are what this species is named for.
Range
Double-crested Cormorants live year round along the Pacific Coast of North America from Northwestern Mexico all the way up to the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. They also live year round in parts of Florida. This species winters in in the Southeastern United States and Northeastern Mexico. In spring, they move into the Northern United States and Southern Canada where they can be seen migrating in large flocks.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Double-crested Cormorants primarily eat fish which they catch by hunting them underwater. They will also eat other aquatic creature such as crustaceans and amphibians.
Where to Find This Bird
Double-crested Cormorants can be found in a variety of places with all of them usually being near bodies of water. Look for this species in trees lining lakes and ponds as well as in marshes. Often times, Double-crested Cormorants will congregate in large groups on islands or other places with adequate perches as they dry their wings and survey for prey.
Great Cormorant
Great Cormorant – Caroline Jones Photo
Identification
Great Cormorants are larger than other Eastern Cormorant species. They look different depending on the region with some subspecies having more white on their head and neck. The birds in Eastern North America are glossy dark brown to black with white on their flanks and throat. They also have an orangey colored gular patch. Birds in nonbreeding plumage are a chocolatey brown color.
Range
Great Cormorants are extremely wide spread with the species being found in North America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia. In North America they reside on the East Coast from Southeastern Canada all the way south to Florida and even the Gulf Coast.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Great Cormorants are specialists at hunting for and eating fish. They are known to specialize in bottom dwelling fish that they pull from crevices in rocks. They typically forage in shallower water under 50 feet in depth.
Where to Find This Bird
In the United States, look for Great Cormorants on rocky coasts in the states along the Atlantic Ocean. In particular, the more Northern States in New England are some of the places this species is most common.
Neotropic Cormorant (Uncommon)
Neotropic Cormorant – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Neotropic Cormorants are small members of the cormorant family. Adult birds are a shiny black color with white feathers on their head, back, and wings. They have a white triangle on the base of the bill known as a gular. Neotropic Cormorants have yellowish orange on the base of the bill and a turquoise colored eye. Juveniles are lighter in color overall, sporting brown coloration instead of black.
Range
Neotropic Cormorants live year-round in South America, Central America, much of Mexico, and the Gulf Coast of the United States. While much of the population is not migratory, some birds move north in spring and have a habit of turning up north of their normal range.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Neotropic Cormorants eat mostly fish, but will also consume insects, crustaceans, and amphibians. These birds are sight feeders and search for prey underwater where their streamlined bodies make them adept swimmers.
Where to Find This Bird
Neotropic Cormorants live in a wide variety of places including inland lakes, saltmarshes, and along ocean coastlines. They can often be seen perched in branches and other structures near water keeping watch for food.
For information on how to differentiate a Double-crested Cormorant from a Neotropic Cormorant click here to read an article on the subject or check out the video below.
Neotropic vs. Double-crested Cormorant
Birds that are Similar to Cormorants
There is one North American bird species that technically is not a cormorant, but is similar enough to include it on the list.
Anhinga (Rare)
Anhinga
Identification
Anhingas look extremely similar to cormorants with a long snake-like neck and a long pointed bill. They have longer tails than most cormorant species and show white on their wings. Overall, Anhingas are dark colored with dark brown to black bodies and lighter colored necks.
Range
Anhingas are year-round residents of the northern half of South America, the coasts of Central America and Mexico, and the southeastern coast of the continental United States. In summer, they move farther north and have a tendency to move pretty far north into the eastern United States.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Anhingas primarily feed on fish which they actively hunt for underwater and spear with their sharp, pointed bill. They will also eat crustaceans and other small invertebrates.
Where to Find This Bird
Anhingas can be found in areas with slow moving freshwater such as marshes, bayous, and general wetlands. Look for them drying their wings on perches or swimming in the water, sitting low mostly with just their head and neck above the waters surface.
Summary
Cormorants are unique, lanky birds that are a common sight near the water. Knowing the habits, range, and key identification features of each of these species can be incredibly useful in knowing what to look for in the field.
