BirdNote Daily

Sharp, insistent cries signal the presence of one of North America’s most beautiful birds of prey: the Red-shouldered Hawk. There’s no mistaking this striking hawk for any other; the front of its body glows bright chestnut, the back boldly spangled black and white, the shoulders, that same blazing chestnut. Roughly crow-sized, Red-shouldered Hawks are found throughout the eastern U.S., retreating from the north in winter. Distinctive populations inhabit Florida and California west of the Sierra Nevada.

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When the COVID pandemic started, comedian and actor H. Jon Benjamin and his family moved to a secluded house by a creek in upstate New York. And living there, he started to get really interested in birds. He began videotaping himself getting excited about seeing birds and sharing these “bird reports” with his Twitter followers. And many people were delighted to see them.

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A close look at this Red Crossbill reveals a curious adaptation. The long tips of the upper and lower bill don't meet, but instead cross over each other. The Red Crossbill bites between the scales of a cone and pries them apart by opening its bill, then dislodges the seed with its tongue. Red Crossbills search for cones on the tops of the trees, climbing around using their feet and bills, much like parrots. And strangely, they’ll breed in winter, if the cone crop is good enough.

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In the fall, Rusty Blackbirds get new feathers with reddish-gold highlights that have a unique and subtle beauty. Their complex little song might sound like a door hinge that needs some grease. Though once common, Rusty Blackbirds have lost over 90 percent of their population since 1966 – one of the steepest declines of any North American bird species.

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This American Robin has caterpillars and an earthworm in its beak. But which food source is the real prize? Everyday earthworms are higher in protein than beef or chicken. You’d have to eat about a pound of soybeans to equal the protein in just three ounces of earthworms. They’re also high in calcium and easy to catch, compared to crickets or butterflies. Put all that together and you have a superfood for birds — especially the youngsters.

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When we think of a bird to represent peace, many of us might think of doves. Deja Perkins, an urban ecologist, says that the Wood Thrush is the bird that best represents inner peace and peace of mind.

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One bird of prey may steal another's meal, a behavior that biologists call piracy, or kleptoparasitism. The prey may change hands several times, perhaps from Northern Harrier to Peregrine Falcon to Bald Eagle. The Peregrine - like the one seen here - may steal a meal, or have its meal stolen, or both! Visit your local Audubon chapter, to see where you might watch raptors this winter.

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Attu, at the western end of Alaska’s Aleutian chain, is home to the Rock Ptarmigan. Although grouse are not long-distance fliers, Rock Ptarmigans can cross open water, so they occur from one end of the Aleutians to the other. They are supremely adapted for high latitudes, with thick feathers, each with two shafts. During winter, even their toes become feathered. They ride out blizzards by burrowing deeply into fresh powder snow and roosting there. When spring finally arrives, the snow-white male will flutter into the air, then glide to earth while calling loudly. He fans his black tail in spectacular display before the female. And a new year begins!

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Judy Pollock, the founding president of the Bird Conservation Network, says the Chicago area is crucial to birds, and has a grassroots conservation movement that supports many nature preserves. With a team of more than 200 volunteers, the Bird Conservation Network conducted 22 years of surveys to better understand the birds nesting in the Chicago metro area. The surveys showed some troubling declines but also showed signs that diverse habitats in the area are helping keep birds around.

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It turns out, a raven's black plumage works quite well in the desert. Black feathers do conduct the sun’s warming rays, but they concentrate that solar heat near the feathers’ surface. All it takes is a breeze from the wind, or from flying, to move all that heat away from the surface of the feathers.

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