I have determined that this bird, the male Bobolink, is my father-in-law's favorite bird. Why? He is a man, his name is Bob, and he is a passionate golfer.
Sometimes in life, a little humor and a break from the norm can be a welcome reprieve. Happy Friday, everyone! Or Saturday, depending on where you are in the world ;)
This is an oil painting of a male Wood Duck. A couple of interesting tidbits about this bird is that their young are born precocial, which means they're able to survive almost immediately without the help of their parents. The opposite of precocial is altricial – baby robins and humans are examples of altricial species. Both need copious amounts of help to survive.
Also interesting is that Wood Ducks will eat acorns and other nuts as part of their diet. Maybe one day when my young oak trees grow up, these ducks will have more options for nourishment during their stopovers at my home besides insects and arthropods.
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| My field notes (aka scribbles) from my visit to Upper Sioux Agency State Park in my most treasured and used book when birding in Minnesota, "Birds of Minnesota State Parks" by Robert B. Janssen, author and teacher who passed away last year, known as a "pioneer of ornithology in Minnesota." |
This is an oil painting of an American Tree Sparrow. At my home in Duluth, winter has been extraordinarily warm which could be the reason a flock of 3-6 of these birds have stuck around all season. It is an observational "first" at my residence of 10 years.
There are slight differences in range maps as to where this bird normally spends its winters. One map shows Duluth on the edge of where this bird is either common or uncommon in winter; the other map indicates this bird is common in my neck of the woods.
When the weather warms and the snow melts in the coming weeks (there is limited snow now), these birds will fly to northern Alaska for their breeding season.
Like the Golden-winged Warbler (3 posts before this one), the Evening Grosbeak has also been given the unfortunate distinction as being a tipping point species. It is a bird that has lost half of its population in the past 50 years and is on track to lose another half if nothing changes in the next 50 years. "It's unknown what's causing the decline – disease, climate change, shifts in land use, some combination of those, or a different factor that scientists have yet to uncover."(1)
This bird is an irruptive species whereby in certain years, it will appear in erratic numbers far south of its normal range. It also has a unique survival technique that is beneficial during harsh winters. Their esophagus contains an extension called an esophageal diverticula (a pouch) that's used to store whole seeds which are later regurgitated, broken up, and swallowed as food when needed.
Sightings of the Evening Grosbeak can no longer be guaranteed in certain parts of the country, and if they are spotted, their numbers have declined substantially. Specifically since 1966, they have declined by 75% across their entire range.
The Canada Warbler and the Muskrat
(A Fable)
by Becca Mulenburg
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| My photo of the Northern Parula flying as seen on 9/5/2023. Orange and black on the breast is indicative of the male sex. |
My painting of a Rock Pigeon won the Award of Excellence at last night's opening reception at the Edge Center's 17th Annual Juried Exhibition in Bigfork, Minnesota. The show had a wonderful turnout, it was nice to meet new people, and congratulations to the Edge for putting on a fine show. I hope you're able to visit the Edge to see the exhibition.
Art on the Edge, 17th Annual Juried Exhibition
Aug. 3 - Sept. 2, 2023
The Edge Gallery
101 2nd Ave.
Bigfork, MN 56628
Gallery Hours: Thurs, Fri, and Sat from 10 am - 4 pm
Every year, my fruit trees provide food for Ruffed Grouse, a bird that is most abundant in aspen forests, but which seem to like my neck of the woods just fine. Birch, conifers, cedars, and alder thickets make up a good portion of the forest nearby, while crabapple trees dot the landscape.
I noticed Ruffed Grouse actively feeding in late January through mid-February, picking my front yard’s fruit trees clean. I also watched them feed on the catkins of a river birch on February 5th. In mid-February, six Ruffed Grouse fed from a fruit tree, the most I’ve ever observed in one location. I hope they’ve been able to find other sources of food since then, considering this year’s high snow totals. My neighborhood won’t see bare ground for weeks.
When forest logs are sufficiently free of snow, drumming should commence. On April 5th and May 5th, upcoming full moon dates, my chances of hearing the males drumming might increase, although it’s highly unlikely the woods will be clear of snow on the earlier date; but I’ve marked my calendar because there is some evidence Ruffed Grouse prefer full-moon drumming.
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| Ruffed Grouse feeding on River Birch catkins, Feb. 5, 2023. |
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| My journal entry showing found Ruffed Grouse feathers. |
References
Archibald, Herbert L. “Spring Drumming Patterns of Ruffed Grouse.” The Auk, vol. 93, no. 4, 1976, pp. 808–29. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4085007. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.
Kling, George W., et al. “Ecological Vulnerability to Climate Change: Terrestrial Ecosystems.” Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region: Impacts on Our Communities and Ecosystems, Union of Concerned Scientists, 2003, pp. 57–66. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep00033.11. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.
An October visit to Crex Meadows in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, was the inspiration for this painting. The gray-brown swan in the forefront is a juvenile.
Here is a small painting of an Eastern Kingbird. These birds can be found throughout the United States, and I have seen these birds in open areas of grasslands and wetlands in Minnesota and Wisconsin. They perch on many things including fencing wire, tree branches and logs that stick out of the water. This particular kingbird was perched on a Scotch pine in a grassland area, taking a break to preen in between catching bugs on the fly. Its neighbors were Bobolinks, Cowbirds, Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Magpies, and Savannah Sparrows.
Its Latin name is Tyrannus tyrannus, well-deserved because it will defend its territory against much larger-sized birds. The Eastern Kingbird is a long-distance migrant, now heading to its wintering grounds of South America.
The Ovenbird is just one of those birds. It’s got character, a loud voice, and means business when it comes to hunting arthropods on the forest floor. When I hear Ovenbirds calling from somewhere, somewhere out there in the deep forest, my life is richer for it. Similar to seeing Robins return in the springtime, there’s just something about hearing an Ovenbird shouting “teacher, teacher, teacher, teacher” somewhere. Out there. Where few choose to go.
I tell my mother that this is her favorite bird, although she would probably disagree. I speculate the Cardinal is really her favorite, but no. I tell her, and insist, the Teacher Bird is her favorite. For my Mom was a teacher, and what teacher would begrudge a bird whose song is “teacher, teacher, teacher, teacher”? The very song of this bird delegates it to superiority over all others. That is if you’re a teacher. This bird’s for you, Mom.
Yellow-throated Vireos are another bird that sings antiphonally, but when I saw this bird late summer last year at Rib Mountain State Park in Wausau, WI, it wasn’t singing. It was looking for bugs, silently hopping from branch to branch. Seeing this bird was an unexpected surprise, and getting close-up photos was even better. Visiting state parks or wildlife management areas is one of my favorite things to do no matter where I am. It costs $35 a year for a state park sticker in Minnesota, making it one of the most affordable getaways to be had. Park maps guide visitors to trails worthy of exploration, birding, and new adventures. State parks are treasures that I’m thankful exist in our country, places I don’t take for granted.
Reference
Doyle, Diana. "Do Eastern Whip-poor-wills Sing Antiphonally?" Birding, vol. 50, no. 1, Feb. 2018, pp 36-43.
Common Grackles exhibit a rare phenomenon called antiphonal singing. Of all the bird species in the world (around 10,000), only about 400 are known to have this trait. What does it mean for a bird to sing antiphonally?
Typically occurring between males and females, one will start singing its song and the other will finish it. Most often, the female is the one that answers. There are several hypotheses as to why this behavior exists. One is to simply let the other bird know of its presence. Another reason may be to strengthen, or commit to, a relationship. Could the bond be so strong that one finishes the other’s sentence? After all, most duetting pairs are established, not birds that are out on their first date. ;)
A third possible reason for birds to sing in duet may be to stave off EPCs. Extra-pair copulations happen frequently in the bird world, and by letting another bird know just how committed the relationship is may prevent an intruder from trying his/her luck.
Lastly, a duet may point to territorial defense when announcing to a rival “This is our property, find your own!” You know, that sort of thing.
Now you know all about antiphonal singing amongst birds, albeit in a highly condensed fashion. For a more in-depth analysis, visit the reference cited below. Thanks for your time and I hope you are enjoying the last weeks of summer.
Reference
Doyle, Diana. "Do Eastern Whip-poor-wills Sing Antiphonally?" Birding, vol. 50, no. 1, Feb. 2018, pp 36-43.
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| Great-crested Flycatchers. Adult feeding juvenile atop my garden fence on July 29, 2022. |
Rhynchokinesis. Now there’s a word you don’t see every day. When learning about the American Woodcock, the bird depicted in my latest painting above, rhynchokinesis was an attribute of this bird. What is rhyncho- (pronounced rink-oh) kinesis? It’s the ability of some birds to turn their upper mandible upward as they probe for food. For a couple of days, I watched this American Woodcock hunt for worms in my front yard during this year’s snowy April. Little did I know rhynchokinesis was a characteristic of beaks, let alone a thing. Yep, it’s a thing.
So, there’s your geeked-out, bird word for the day. Not that you asked for it, he he, but throw that word around a few times and you might raise some eyebrows. The curious ones will want to know more.
Another interesting tidbit of the woodcock is that the male plays no part in rearing its young. Typically, four eggs are laid by the female, and the male has nothing to do with his offspring other than breeding with the female. Does the song “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” by Paul Simon come to mind?
You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don’t need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don’t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free
Additional traits of this bird, perhaps a bit more famous, include its courtship display and its boogie. Hoping to catch the eye of a female, the male will launch 50-300 feet into the air (that’s a wide range, but my research found all sorts of numbers) before zig-zagging back down to the ground where it struts its stuff like a miniature turkey. I have never seen this display in person, but it happens at dusk in the springtime and can continue into the night. Maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to see it.
Its boogie has an entirely different meaning. When hunting for worms, the American Woodcock rocks its whole body back and forth, as if it doesn’t know whether to take a step forward or backward. It’s suspected that this motion may cause earthworms below to blow their cover and become dinner. For us humans, that’s hard to imagine, but let me try. One earthworm weighs approximately 0.008 ounces, and a woodcock weighs close to 10 ounces. That means woodcocks can weigh up to 1,250 times that of an earthworm. Can an earthworm, lying just millimeters beneath the ground’s surface, feel a 10 ounce earthquake? Thinking about it another way, 1,250 times my weight is about the weight of the ol' space shuttle when empty. Would I hear that, or its vibration, coming my way? I think I would.
Seeing the woodcock for the first time, and in my front yard nonetheless, was thrilling. It’s one of those birds I thought I’d never see without having to take a special trip somewhere. American Woodcocks are the only woodcock species found in North America; seven other species can be found throughout Eurasia, China, the Philippines, New Guinea, and Indonesia.
In other nature news, Northern Flickers are calling alongside cicadas during these hot July days, and thistle has flowered pink. Swamp milkweed has matured in the ditch, topped with pink blossoms by the mailbox. Valerian is abundant, white and huge. Mulberries, juneberries and currants are ripe, and black elderberries are in full bloom. Wild raspberries and blackberries will arrive shortly. Soon, goldenrod will be the star of the show.
Backyard birds hanging around include Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Downy, Red-bellied, Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers, Red and White-breasted Nuthatches, Northern Flickers, Rock Pigeons, American Robins and Crows, Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Purple Finches, American Goldfinches, House Wrens, Chipping Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats, Mourning Doves and Song Sparrows. A Gray Catbird sings infrequently from across the street. Deeper in the forest, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Red-eyed Vireos, Veeries, and American Redstarts are common. Occasional Broad-winged Hawks, White-throated Sparrows and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks make appearances, and the Mallard hen can be seen with her babies, but she’s mostly secretive.
I hope you’re all enjoying summer and the birds in your neck of the woods. Thank you for taking a moment of your time.
References
Arlott, N., Van Perlo, B., Rodriguez Mata, J., Carrizo, G., Chiappe, A, Huber, L. (2021). The Complete Birds of the World. Princeton University Press, p. 106.
Cassidy J., & Scheffel, R. (1990). Book of North American Birds. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., p. 480.
Information from the All About Birds website, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Woodcock © Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
Information from the Audubon website, https://www.audubon.org/news/10-fun-facts-about-american-woodcock. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
Information from the HowtoPronounce Pronunciation Dictionary. https://www.howtopronounce.com/rhynchokinesis. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
Information from the Songfacts website, https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/paul-simon/50-ways-to-leave-your-lover. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
Kricher, John. Peterson Reference Guide to Bird Behavior. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, New York, 2020, pp. 63, 231.
Mahnken, Jan. (1989). Hosting the Birds. Storey Communications, Inc., p. 118.
Vanner, Michael. (2003). The Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Barns & Noble Inc., p. 149.
