Week 8: Advanced Mid Elevation
Scroll down to study the birds by sight and sound, and then take the quiz.
Week 8 Birds
Cordilleran Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Western Wood-Pewee, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Goshawk
Dusky Flycatcher
Bird Code: DUFL
Identify this bird by…
Small, round headed flycatcher
Long tail
Grayish olive above with pale wingbars
Thin white eyering that’s slightly wider behind eye
Males and females look alike
Tell it apart by…
The primary feathers are short compared to other flycatchers and are noticeable when perched
Look for…
Behavior - Sometimes pumps it’s tail during aggressive interactions
Listen for…
Song: A quick, three-parted song: a short, high quick “sibip”, a rough, nasal “quwerrrp”, ending in a clear, high, upward, “pree!
Call: A dry, soft but distinct whit
Resources:
Cordilleran Flycatcher
Bird Code: COFL
Identify this bird by…
Small flycatcher with peaked crown
Teardrop shaped eyering
Olive above and yellowish bellow
2 whitish/yellow wingbars
Males and females look alike
Tell it apart by…
The teardrop shaped eyering is the best way to differentiate from other flycatchers, along with its song
Look for…
Habitat - Breeds in dry evergreen and mixed forests in interior western North America, mainly along the Rocky mountains
Listen for…
Song: A thin, high-pitched, squeaky song (thinner than the other Empidonax flycatchers). Three parts: reet–trrrrip-seet
Call: a sharp “seet!"
Resources:
Western Wood-Pewee
Bird Code: WEWP
Identify this bird by…
Medium sized flycatcher
Peaked crown gives their head a triangular shape
Grayish brown overall with 2 pale wingbars
Underparts are whitish with smudgy gray on the breast and sides (kind of looks like they’re wearing a vest)
Tell it apart by…
Long wings
Face is darkish gray with almost no eyering
Bill is mostly dark with yellow at the base of the lower mandible
Look for…
Behavior - Often perches upright in the canopy and repeatedly returns to the same nearby perch
Listen for…
Song: A raspy, downward “pee-wee” Sometimes the dawn song will have a few notes that lead up to the pewee phrase
Call: A burry bzew
Resources:
golden eagle
Bird Code: GOEA
Identify this bird by…
One of the largest birds in North America
Long wings
Golden nape can be seen from some angles
Strongly hooked bill
Tell it apart by…
Adults: dark brown with a golden sheen on the back of the head and neck
Juveniles: For their first several years of life, young birds have neatly defined white patches at the base of the tail and in the wings
Look for…
Behavior - Usually found alone or in pairs, Golden Eagles typically soar or glide with wings lifted into a slight “V” and the wingtip feathers spread like fingers
Listen for…
Call: You are much more likely to see one than hear it, but just in case: the call is high, weak, and whistled
Resources:
peregrine falcon
Bird Code: PEFA
Identify this bird by…
Largest falcon over most of the continent, with long, pointed wings and a long tail
Blackish helmet with yellow eyering
Underparts pale white with fine dark barring on flanks
Bill is small and strongly hooked
Males smaller than females
Tell it apart by…
Adults are blue-gray above with barred underparts and a dark head with thick sideburns
Juveniles are heavily marked, with vertical streaks instead of horizontal bars on the breast
Look for…
Behavior - Peregrine Falcons catch medium-sized birds in the air with swift, spectacular dives, called stoops. In cities they are masterful at catching pigeons
Listen for…
Call: A loud series of harsh “kak, kak, kak.”
Resources:
RED-TAILED HAWK
Bird Code: RTHA
Identify this bird by
Can be tricky!
Large hawks with very broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail
Tell apart from other hawks by…
Light morphs: Rich brown above and pale below, with a streaked belly; on the wing underside, a dark bar between shoulder and wrist
The tail is usually pale below and cinnamon-red above, though in young birds it’s brown and banded
Dark morphs: Similar to light but…are chocolate-brown with a warm, red tail
Variation and regional differences…
Extremely variable plumage - some is regional
In western North America, we most often see light-morphs but dark-morphs can occur anywhere
Eastern birds tend to be less streaky on underparts than western birds
Look for…
Behavior - See them soaring in wide circles high over a field. When flapping, their wing beats are heavy
Listen for…
Calls: A screaming kee-eeeee-arr. It lasts 2-3 seconds and is usually given while soaring. During courtship, they also make a shrill chwirk
Resources:
Northern Goshawk
Bird Code: NOGO
Identify this bird by…
Large with broad, rounded wings and long tails
Females are larger than males
Slaty gray cap and white eyebrow
Tell it apart by…
Adults: Dark slate gray above with pale gray barred underparts. Dark head with a wide white stripe over the eye; the eye is orange to red
Immature: Brown and streaky, with narrow dark bands in the tail. They have an indistinct pale eyebrow stripe and yellow eyes
Look for…
Behavior - Stealthy predators that watch for prey on high perches and then attack with quick, agile flight, even through dense trees or cluttered understory
Listen for…
Call: A repeating “ki-ki-ki-ki” or a drawn-out and slower “kreey-a” call
Resources: