Week 9: Beginner
Scroll down to study the birds by sight and sound, and then take the quiz.
Week 9 Birds
House Finch, Warbling Vireo
HOUSE FINCH
Bird Code: HOFI
Identify this bird by…
Small finch with a conical seed-eating bill
Shallow notched tail
Tell males and females apart by…
Males: Rosy red around the face and upper breast, with streaky brown back, belly, and tail
Females: Not at all red, but plain grayish-brown with thick, blurry streaks and an indistinctly marked face
Interesting note…
Male house finches’ plumage coloration can vary greatly from one another. They can range from yellow to bright red depending on the amount of carotenoid rich foods they eat!
Listen for…
Song: A long, jumbled warbling composed of short notes. The song often ends with an upward or downward slur, and lasts about 3 seconds. The phrasing is similar to an American Robins, but is quicker and more excited
Call: Their characteristic call sounds like the squeak of shoes on the gym floor
Resources:
WARBLING VIREO
Bird Code: WAVI
Identify this bird by…
Small songbird with a thicker bill
Brownish upperparts that lack wing bars
Subdued face pattern with brownish line through the eye (strongest behind the eye)
Pale line over the eye
Males and females look alike!
Regional differences…
Individuals in the Rocky Mountains and west have darker gray-brown heads and sing a different song than those in the east
Look for…
Behavior - They forage “sluggishly,” intently peering at leaf surfaces from a single perch before pouncing or moving on
Listen for…
Song: a rapid, undulating song that usually concludes with an accented high note. It might sound like “higglety-pigglety- pigglety-pigglety-PIK!”
Call: Many calls, but particularly a raspy, descending, scold call
Resources:
Feeling ready? Take the quiz!