Want to become a birder but don't
know how? Join me here every Friday--on Feathered Friday--where I'll
post an online video featuring the bird of the week. Keep a running
list of these birds to add to an Online Life List. Then when you identify the featured bird outside--in your yard, neighborhood, or park--add it to your actual Life List of
birds seen or heard. "Collecting" birds is great fun, but more,
you open your eyes and ears to a whole new world of beauty and song!
It's another Feathered Friday and so time to add a bird to our Online
Life List. Let's look at another member of the Family Emberizidae--the
Song Sparrow. Sparrows, as a group, are often referred to by birders as
"little brown birds" or LBBs. Sometimes sparrows are hard to identify,
but the Song Sparrow's large central dark spot can help. Here's a lovely Youtube video by Lang Elliot:
The last photo I posted to this blog (before beginning Feathered Friday) was a Song Sparrow. Jump down to my March 29, 2012, post to see a photo and my description of his song.
Was I right? You be the judge.
Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!
Georgia Anne
Friday, April 27, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Feathered Friday: the Eastern Towhee
Want to become a birder but don't know how? Join me here every Friday--on Feathered Friday--where I'll post an online video featuring the bird of the week. Keep a running list of these birds to add to an Online Life List. Then when you identify the featured bird outside--in your yard, neighborhood, or park--add it to your actual Life List of birds seen or heard. "Collecting" birds is great fun, but more, you open your eyes and ears to a whole new world of beauty and song!
Years ago I learned the name of this bird as the Rufous-sided Towhee. But sometime since, not exactly sure when, this species got a name change to the Eastern Towhee. A member of the Family Emberizidae, "Towhees are a kind of large sparrow" (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds).
If you're new to birding, you'll find grouping a species within its larger family or other category helpful. For instance, you might identify an unknown bird as a sparrow, even if you don't know the particular sparrow. Or another as a wren, or finch, or blackbird, or flycatcher. You get the idea. Learning the characteristics of the larger group helps you exclude all the groups to which the bird doesn't belong. But more on this later. For now enjoy the signature song--Drink your tee-ee-ee! of the Eastern Towhee.
Four weeks ago we began our Online Life List with a member of the thrush family (Turdidae) . . .
1) The American Robin (Turdidae)
2) Eastern Bluebird (also in the thrush family)
3) American Cardinal (Cardinalidae), and today's . . .
4) Eastern Towhee (Family Emberizidae)
Remember. After viewing the video, you can add the Eastern Towhee to your Online Life List, but your true goal is to find these birds out in the world to add to your Life List of birds personally seen or heard by you.
Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!
Georgia Anne
Years ago I learned the name of this bird as the Rufous-sided Towhee. But sometime since, not exactly sure when, this species got a name change to the Eastern Towhee. A member of the Family Emberizidae, "Towhees are a kind of large sparrow" (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds).
If you're new to birding, you'll find grouping a species within its larger family or other category helpful. For instance, you might identify an unknown bird as a sparrow, even if you don't know the particular sparrow. Or another as a wren, or finch, or blackbird, or flycatcher. You get the idea. Learning the characteristics of the larger group helps you exclude all the groups to which the bird doesn't belong. But more on this later. For now enjoy the signature song--Drink your tee-ee-ee! of the Eastern Towhee.
Four weeks ago we began our Online Life List with a member of the thrush family (Turdidae) . . .
1) The American Robin (Turdidae)
2) Eastern Bluebird (also in the thrush family)
3) American Cardinal (Cardinalidae), and today's . . .
4) Eastern Towhee (Family Emberizidae)
Remember. After viewing the video, you can add the Eastern Towhee to your Online Life List, but your true goal is to find these birds out in the world to add to your Life List of birds personally seen or heard by you.
Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!
Georgia Anne
Friday, April 13, 2012
Feathered Friday: the Northern Cardinal
Want to become a birder but don't know how? Join me here every Friday--on Feathered Friday--where I'll post an online video featuring the bird of the week. Keep a running list of these birds to add to an Online Life List. Then when you identify the featured bird outside--in your yard, neighborhood, or park--add it to your actual Life List of birds seen or heard. "Collecting" birds is great fun, but more, you open your eyes and ears to a whole new world of beauty and song!
We started Feathered Friday three weeks ago, beginning with the American Robin, followed by the Eastern Bluebird (both members of the thrush family, known as Family Turdidae). Today we look at the Northern Cardinal, who belongs to the Family Cardinalidae. Historically birds were grouped in "families" based on their similar physical characteristics. Now ornithologists can also check their DNA for greater accuracy.
You'll enjoy this video as it contains interesting information you likely don't know. And the audio of the cardinal's song is great.
Until next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!
Georgia Anne
We started Feathered Friday three weeks ago, beginning with the American Robin, followed by the Eastern Bluebird (both members of the thrush family, known as Family Turdidae). Today we look at the Northern Cardinal, who belongs to the Family Cardinalidae. Historically birds were grouped in "families" based on their similar physical characteristics. Now ornithologists can also check their DNA for greater accuracy.
You'll enjoy this video as it contains interesting information you likely don't know. And the audio of the cardinal's song is great.
Until next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!
Georgia Anne
Friday, April 6, 2012
Feathered Friday: the Eastern Bluebird
Want to become a birder but don't know how? Join me here every Friday--on Feathered Friday--where I'll post an online video featuring the bird of the week. Keep a running list of these birds to add to an Online Life List. Then when you identify the featured bird outside--in your yard, neighborhood, or park--add it to your actual Life List of birds seen or heard. "Collecting" birds is great fun, but more, you open your eyes and ears to a whole new world of beauty and song!
And here's another video, one with still images but audio of the male bluebird's song. Also interesting is the behavior of the male described by the commentator. Not more than a week ago, I was actually the recipient of this very same behavior! A male bluebird flew down from his perch on a phone line and fluttered in the air before me about 20 feet in the air. He wasn't close--about 50 feet away--but even so, his intent was clear. He came down from that wire to display before me. Incredible, huh?
And here's another video, one with still images but audio of the male bluebird's song. Also interesting is the behavior of the male described by the commentator. Not more than a week ago, I was actually the recipient of this very same behavior! A male bluebird flew down from his perch on a phone line and fluttered in the air before me about 20 feet in the air. He wasn't close--about 50 feet away--but even so, his intent was clear. He came down from that wire to display before me. Incredible, huh?
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