Basic bird id for nest box monitoring

 
 

Learn how to identify the two species we are monitoring by sight and sound, plus some common bonus species to inform your observations!

Black-Capped Chickadee

Alpha Code: BCCH

Visual ID:

  • Small, black bill; round body

  • Full black cap on head; black on chin; white in between

  • Very active and acrobatic! They will even hang upside down

  • Males and females look the same

Audio ID:

  • Song:  A high-pitched, sweet series of one to two notes that sound almost like “cheese-burg-er.”

  • Call: Chickadees say their name in a call, “Chick-a-dee-dee-deeeee.” It is believed this is an alarm call to warn of predators nearby. Once you hear one chickadee make this call, you are bound to hear others!

Explore more Black-capped Chickadee ID tips here: All About Birds

American kestrel

Alpha Code: AMKE

Visual ID:

  • Roughly the size/shape of a Mourning Dove, but it has a larger head, longer and more narrow wings

  • Long, square-tipped tail

  • In flight, the wings are often bent and the wingtips are swept back

  • Males: Slate-blue wings

  • Females: Reddish-brown wings

  • Sideburns: black vertical slashes on the sides of the face is seen in both male and females

Audio ID:

  • Call: made up of repeated two-syllable notes “killy-killy-killy!” American Kestrels have a much higher, thinner tone to their call than Cooper’s Hawk and Northern Flicker.

Explore more American Kestrel ID tips here: All About Birds

What is the difference between a song and a call?

  • A song is used primarily in the breeding season for mating purposes.

  • A call is used year-round for a variety of general communication purposes.

  • Not all birds have songs! This is primarily a trait of passerines, or traditional songbirds.

bonus species identification tips

 
 
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