Concerning Passerines (Part 2)

                In my previous post, I introduced the passerines (of order Passeriformes); including two of the most contrasting families, along with some general characteristics and temporal and spatial variation in their presence.  I ended by encouraging readers to go outside and appreciate the passerines in their own backyard.  In this post, I’ll introduce some of the more common families, how, where, and when you can find them, and share some personal experiences.  As with the last post, the idea is that if you have not yet observed passerines, it is an exciting world that is often overlooked, and I hope this encourages you to experience it for yourselves. 

                It is my pleasure to introduce some of the passerine families of North America, but before I begin, a few disclaimers: (1) these are discussed by no means in any sort of phylogenetic order (reflective of evolutionary relationships within the order Passeriformes), (2) this is not all-inclusive of passerine families in North America, and (3) this is not all-inclusive of all species in each family (it is limited to a few examples of each).  When I say family, I refer to one of a number of taxonomic ranks- how biologists organize organisms for naming purposes and in relation to others, first designed by Carolus Linnaeus.  Please see below for an example, classification is more exclusive closer to the species level (bottom-most).  Also note that there are higher rankings missing, and I will not go into the many phylogenetic conflicts of class Aves here! 

                I’ll start with one of the most common species, which I’m sure everyone has seen; the American Robin (Turdus migratorius).  This species belongs to the family Turdidae; the thrushes.  Most of these birds have long legs, shorter, blunt bills, and feed on insects and fruit.  Many also have a similar, rounded body shape.  If you are or become familiar with the songs of these species, many have beautiful, fluty, unique-sounding songs.  Considering these appearances and habits, it is now not surprising that the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) is also a thrush.  These are permanent (year-round) residents in Ohio, but the migrant Wood (Hylocichla mustelina), Swainson’s (Catharus ustulatus), and Hermit Thrushes (Catharus guttatus) are also in this family (now obvious given the name, as Turdidae=thrushes).  Robins and Bluebirds can often be found in open fields, but to see the Wood, Swainson’s, and Hermit Thrushes you will have to explore a forest in the spring or summer.  Examples are shown below so you can see the similarities discussed above.  This pattern will stay the same for all other families discussed. 

This is a juvenile American Robin (adults lack the breast spotting).  I took this picture from the cabin I lived in in Alaska this summer.  

Eastern Bluebird male, I took this last week in east Texas.

Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides), taken in Yellowstone National Park, 2012.

Wood Thrush, NOT my picture!  All pictures that are not mine were found on Google Images.

                Another very common and very striking bird (in eastern US anyway, and I apologize for any occasions where I forget to mention geographic specificity when it is relevant) is the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis).  This species is in the family Cardinalidae; the cardinals (surprise, surprise!).  This is a very colorful family (males anyway, but I’ll get into sexual selection later).  Many of these species have larger, thicker bills (they eat insects in summer, but they need strong bills to feed primarily on seeds in winter), more slender bodies than Turdidae members, and medium length tails.  It also includes the tanagers (Summer (Piranga rubra), Western (Piranga ludoviciana), Scarlet (Piranga olivacea), etc.), the buntings (Indigo (Passerina cyanea), Painted (Passerina ciris), etc.), and some Grosbeaks (ex. Rose-breasted (Pheucticus ludovicianus)).    

Northern Cardinal male, taken last week in east Texas.

Indigo Bunting male, NOT my picture.

Western Tanager male, taken in Yellowstone National Park, 2012.

                If you’re out in tall grass, along a body of water, or driving by fields in spring and summer, you’ll see Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) males calling “konk-ka-reeeee” and opening their wings to reveal bright red often yellow-lined patches known as epaulets.  The females are brown and streaked- completely different in appearance.  Conversely, you will often see Common Grackles (Quiscalus quiscula) scavenging in parking lots, noisily calling “kerrrr”.  You can also see them flying in large flocks in the fall.  This is a large, iridescent bird, along with further southern and coastal Great-tailed (Quiscalus mexicanus) and Boat-tailed Grackles (Quiscalus major).  These are a few of the blackbirds, members of family Icteridae.  These birds have slender, pointed bills, and most have long tails.  All reside in flocks when not breeding, so they are particularly noticeable in fall.  From personal banding experience, they also have sharp claws!  Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater), which lay their eggs in other species’ nests (brood parasites), Eastern (Sturnella magna) and Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta), and the summer migrant Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) are also in this family. 

Red-winged Blackbird male, showing off his epaulets!  NOT my picture.

Common Grackle, taken at Columbus Zoo in Ohio.

Baltimore Oriole, NOT my picture.

                You’re probably familiar with the “chickadeedeedeedee” that often greets (or more accurately scolds) you as you walk under a tree.  The more southeastern Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) and more northern Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) both emit this call.  If you are in the east, you’ll likely hear a more eerie “peter peter peter” where trees are more dense, coming from a Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor).  These species are members of Paridae; which includes the chichkadees and titmice (along with tits in Eurasia).  These are small birds (body size and bill size) with big attitudes!  They are bold and curious; you will undoubtedly find members of this family walking through a forest.  They are also fun to watch, as they often forage while hanging upside-down, and hold food items in their feet while pecking at it with their bills. 

Carolina Chickadee, NOT my picture

Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus), this was a characteristic chickadee and extra-curious fledgling that approached me on a trail in King Salmon, AK.

Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli), taken near Yellowstone National Park, in Montana.

Tufted Titmouse, taken in east Texas last week.

               

                It’s just a sparrow, right?  Well actually, the Emberizids/sparrows, of family Emberizidae, can be quite colorful upon closer examination, and diverse.  They can be emberassing to try and identify at first (I’m not sorry for the bad pun!), but with a little practice, they are a fun albeit challenging group.  They are mostly ground-dwellers, brownish, and have short, conical bills.  All species have a diet of mainly insects in the summer and seeds in the winter.  If you have a bird feeder, you will definitely have some Emberizid visitors.  The most common species is the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), which as the name suggests, sings a beautiful song.  You can find and listen to them in your own backyard, a nearby park, a field, or brushy area, singing atop bushes, lightposts, etc., and recognizable by brown streaks on their back and breast along with a messy, almost heart-shaped breast-spot.  The brown coloration might look similar to the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), an east to southwest winter resident species, but this species is not so streaky, has a bold white throat, and bright yellow lores (feathers between the top of the bill and the eye).  It has a sad-sounding song that seems to be saying “Old Sam Peabody Peabody Peabody”.  Another winter resident emberizid to most of the US is the Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis).  This species is much grayer than brown, and can catch your eye with its white outer tail feathers.  A personal favorite of mine is the Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus).  Not only are the males a striking combination of rusty orange, black, and white (not at all the stereotypical sparrow appearance), but they also sing what sounds like “Drink your teeeea”!  There are many, many more sparrow species, some other examples are shown below. 

Song Sparrow, NOT my picture.

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca), larger and more reddish than the Song Sparrow, taken in King Salmon, AK.

White-throated Sparrow, NOT my picture.

Eastern Towhee male, NOT my picture.

                The finches, of family Fringillidae, are similar to sparrows in appearance and are another commonly observed group.  They have pointed wings and notched tails (while sparrows have more rounded wings and tails).  They also show undulatory motions in flight.  House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus), an invasive (non-native, problem causing) species from the west, are gray-brown streaky birds and males have reddish heads, breasts, and rumps (top feathers before tail).  Another common and beautiful Fringillid is the American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis).   Males are brilliant yellow and black March-October, but then turn a yellowish-gray in the fall (many a birder has been tricked by this change in plumage!). 

House Sparrow female (left) and male (right), NOT my picture.

American Goldfinch male having just been banded at Braddock Bay Bird Observatory.

                Mimidae encompasses the mimickers (mimids); the mockingbirds, catbirds, and thrashers.  These birds have long tails, long bills, and long legs.  They are solitary; you won’t see them in flocks.  Truly living up to their name, they can mimic and combine the songs of many other species into an amazing repertoire.  I’ve picked the songs of over 10 other species out of one Northern Mockingbird’s song, and I’ve been fooled into thinking another species is around more than once!  You can find Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) around all year, but Gray Catbirds (Drumetella carolinensis) and Brown Thrashers (Toxostoma rufum) are summer residents. 

Northern Mockingbird, taken in east Texas.

Gray Catbird, NOT my picture.

Brown Thrasher, NOT my picture.

                I’ll lump the last few common passerines into one paragraph, as there are only a few members of the following families that are commonly seen (at least from an east-central US perspective).  Family Troglodytidae, the wrens, includes the permanent resident Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) (Eastern US).  This small bird has a big voice, and if you listen to its song (Follow this link- ), it will probably sound familiar!  Family Bombycillidae includes the Cedar and Bohemian Waxwings.  Bohemian Waxwings reside farther up north, but both eat fruit, have silky plumage, and are often in flocks.  You can listen for very high-pitched “sreee” calls, and can usually find them in fruit-bearing trees.  The White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), distinctive because of its head-down climbing style and nasally calls, is a permanent resident of most of the US in the family Sittidae.  Finally, two species that are all too common, are invasive from Europe, and have very negatively affected native bird species, are the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), in family Passeridae, and European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), in family Sturnidae.  Although their presence is regrettable, European Starlings are very intelligent, often mimic other birds, and impressively coordinate flight to form all kinds of shapes composed of hundreds and thousands of individuals.  These two species are most common in urban environments (this was part of my undergraduate senior honors thesis), but you can find them in suburbs and even rural areas. 

Carolina Wren, NOT my picture.

Cedar Waxwing at Braddock Bay Bird Observatory.  Usually their tail feathers are all yellow, but this one had been eating Morrow's Honeysuckle berries, which turns the feather tips orange.  It is a young bird, it does not have the red waxy tips characteristic of this species.

Bohemian Waxwing, NOT my picture.

White-breasted Nuthatch, NOT my picture.

House Sparrow, NOT my picture.

European Starling, you can tell this was taken in winter by the white tips on its feathers, which will be gone in the spring.  

Starling murmuration, NOT my picture.

                I hope this blog has been both interesting and informative.  I hope that it encourages you to walk outside and seek out these birds.  Knowing family is useful for identification purposes, and also gives you a different perspective on how different species are related to one another.  Again, this has not been a comprehensive list of all passerine families in North America, but I think it is a good place to enter the world of passerines.  For a book guide to bird identification, I recommend The Sibley Guide to Birds.  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, http://www.allaboutbirds.org/Page.aspx?pid=1189, is also a great resource.  Those little birds in the bushes have stories to tell; you can learn all about different species’ behaviors, the presence of other species in an area, bird movements, and more.  Those little birds in the bushes are incredibly diverse, and often very colorful!  Watching them heightening your senses to see and hear new things and understand some of what is happening in the lives of other species.  Whether it’s in your own backyard or in a national park, you can learn new things every day by watching the passerines. 

Until next time,

Jess