Hi all, have missed you! Hope you are well, taking precautions, and figuring out life again. While staying closer to home longer than I’m used to, been hiking locally and seeing many new birds in the parks and open spaces. Some staying for the summer, some just passing through, some year-round residents. Come along to see the beauty of these Gems of the Sky!
The Rocky Mountain Front, which includes Colorado Springs, is in the bird migration corridor known as the Central Flyway. Colorado, home to over 400 bird species, is in the middle of the Flyway and a stopover for migrating birds from mid-February through May. We see all types of raptors, waterfowl, shore birds, and songbirds, but now it is summer and our warm-weather winged guests are here having their young along with our full-time residents. Let’s take a look first at the Bullocks Oriole.
Bullock’s Orioles don’t visit seed feeders, but look for sugary nectars and fruit when they first arrive from Mexico’s winter range. They may even visit hummingbird feeders if they have perches. About the size of a robin, they flit through trees quickly. Although brightly colored, they are often hard to find among the leaves as they dance from place to place. Once they begin nesting, their diet changes to mealworms and a variety of bugs. You’ll even see them hanging upside down on branches to catch their prey.
Both male and female Bullock’s sing. The females, sporting bright yellow rather than orange, sings more prolifically but apparently not quite as sweetly as the male. I cannot attest to that, but it may be to attract a mate.
These orioles live in open woodland preferring large trees spaced apart or in isolated groupings. Although the female selects the nest site, they both work building the gourd-shaped hanging nest typically found on ends of flexible branches high off the ground to deter predators.
The Black-headed Grosbeak is also robin sized with similar coloring to the orioles, but has a prominent heavy bill and prefers very different habitat. Both the male and female Black-headed sing loudly with similar songs. It is said at times the female mimics exactly the male’s song, perhaps to deceive her mate about the presence of an intruder to get him to spend more time at the nest. Hmmm . . . the male, female things that don’t seem to change species to species? 😉
These grosbeaks prefer habitats with easy access to water, nesting in bushes or small deciduous trees near a stream. Nests are well concealed but it is thought the stream location is chosen to keep the loosely-constructed nest cooler for their eggs.
Black-headed Grosbeaks winter in central Mexico as do Monarch butterflies. Though toxins in Monarchs make them poisonous to most birds, Black-headed Grosbeaks prey on Monarchs. However, they feed on Monarchs in 8-day cycles. It is believed this gives them time to flush the toxins.
I was surprised to see a Blue Grosbeak, and he quickly flew away (hence the poor treetop photo). Although widespread mostly across the southern U.S., they are uncommon. They prefer low shrub habitat and Colorado has such habitat east of the Rockies. They seem to be extending their range northward, and it is thought deforestation is the reason.
Their enormous silvery bill is a key feature. Although living and nesting in shrubby habitat, the males sing from high exposed perches. Lucky for us!
What’s interesting is that genetic evidence found the Blue Grosbeak’s closest relative is the Lazuli Bunting. Just so happens we saw one a week ago.
Lazuli Buntings are western birds. Its cousin, the Indigo Bunting, is abundant in the east and watching a male sing in a maple treetop each evening in NJ got me interested in bird watching at eight years old! The gorgeous Lazuli is about the size of a sparrow and lives in shrubby, brushy habitats.
What is fascinating about the Lazuli Bunting is that each male has it own unique song. First-year males arrive at breeding grounds without a song of their own. Shortly after arriving they combine song fragments of several other males, rearrange syllables, and create their own personal song that is theirs for life. And you thought birds were just pretty feathery fliers? Isn’t nature amazing!
House Finches are common around human-created habitats from farms to towns into urban areas. This male and his mate are taking a rest from the “kids” who are foraging on the ground below the sunflower seed feeder I can see from my apartment’s deck.
House Finches live here year round. They are “vegetarians” including fruits and most kinds of seeds in their diets. They nest in all types of trees as well as rock ledges and cactus having up to six broods a season. That’s a lot of work!
The Spotted Towhee is very common here. They are omnivores and can often be seen scraping in leaf litter under shrubs looking for food. The male goes to the highest points in small trees to sing their hearts out. In early spring when looking for a mate, the male spends up to 90 percent of the morning singing on high.
The female is gray-brown on the areas that are black on the male, but they both have bright red eyes. Towhees are about the size of robins.
Sometimes they have unexpected visitors in the tree tops where they sing too.
There are 11 species of hummingbirds that pass through this area, but I’ve only seen the Black-chinned who nest here. The male has a black neck, a white spot behind the eye, and an iridescent purple throat if the light hits it just right, otherwise it looks black.
Although hummers are known for feeding on flower’s nectar, these birds also eat small insects and spiders. This female was darting in and out of reeds on the edge of a pond and captured a flying insect.
Black-chinned Hummers are very adaptable, found anywhere from urban areas to pristine natural areas. They typically lay two eggs, each the size of a coffee bean. Needless to say, the nest is tiny. They can have up to three broods each season.
Although common across most of the USA, the Red-winged Blackbird is still a personal favorite. You’ll find them among both fresh and saltwater cattail marshes and wetlands, even rice patties. In winter they search out farm fields, pastures, and grassland eating both grains and insects. Their nest, however, is built in the marsh vegetation near the ground or water surface.
I stopped on the wooden bridge near the marsh and had a close encounter. A youngster, smaller but same coloring as the female, became very interested in me. I could have reached out and touched him/her and he/she stretched toward me. I have no idea what captured its attention.
Mom was having none of it. She started dive bombing me loudly squawking. OK, OK, I get the hint. Wasn’t my fault, promise.
That’s a taste of our sky’s treasures. Do you go out and look for beauties in your neighborhood? You may be surprised and awed by what you find.
Until next time my friend . . .
