Category: Birds

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Hummingbird Nests

Male Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Selasphorus platycercus
Copyright © 2010 Michael Fish

Glacier Lilies
Erythronium grandiflorum
Copyright © 2010 Andrea Liberatore

Adult Black-chinned Hummingbird
incubating eggs in nest
Archilochus alexandri
Copyright © 2010 Lyle Bingham
(cell phone through spotting scope)

Young Black-chinned Hummingbird
with beak hanging out of nest
Archilochus alexandri
Copyright © 2010 Lyle Bingham

The hummingbird feeders at Stokes Nature Center are a busy place this time of year. Little bullets of metallic green zoom in and out jockeying for position, while others rest or await their turn in the branches of nearby box elder trees. The birds are a great source of wonder and amusement for staff and guests alike.

June signals the start of nesting season for Utah hummingbirds. At this point in the year, the birds have mainly recovered from their lengthy migration from places as far away as Central America, and are ready to focus on their next set of challenges: establishing a territory, courtship, mating, and rearing young.

Hummingbird nests are a wonder all their own. Tiny and cup-like, they are generally found affixed to small branches near riparian areas. Nests are constructed primarily of plant materials and are lined with plant down such as the fluffy seeds produced by cottonwood trees. Materials used on the exterior of the nest vary from species to species. Black-chinned hummingbirds use leaves and flowers, while Broad-tailed hummingbirds are partial to decorating with lichens or shredded bark. Regardless of the exterior appearance, hummingbird nests have one important material in common – spider webs. Hummingbirds collect the webs and use them to plaster the outside of the nest, which serves two important purposes: acting as a glue that holds nest materials together while at the same time providing some flexibility that allows the nest to stretch and grow with the developing young.

Nests are occasionally constructed on the foundation of last year’s home, and two eggs around half-an-inch in length are laid and incubated by the female for about 16 days before hatching. Young will fledge and join their mother at your feeder about 20 days later. If nesting is successful, the family migrates south in the fall and will return to the same general area next May.

Finding food in early spring, however, is becoming more of a challenge each year to hummingbirds in the American West. A recent study published in the journal Ecology shows that hummingbird migrations and spring flower blooms are becoming out of sync. Broad-tailed hummingbirds in particular rely upon the nectar of petite, yellow glacier lilies – one of the first flowers to bloom in spring. Scientists have found that due to global temperature increases glacier lilies are blooming about 17 days earlier than they did in the 1970’s. The birds, however, haven’t altered their migration timing and so often arrive to find the flowers already in full swing. If this trend continues, scientists predict that within the next 20 years, the birds could miss the glacier lily bloom entirely. Hope lies in the hummingbirds’ ability to adapt– either by migrating farther north to places where lilies bloom later, or shifting their own migration time to match the changing bloom dates.

Photos of glacier lilies, Utah hummingbirds, and their nests, can be found on our website, www.wildaboututah.org. Thank you to the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation for supporting the research and development of this Wild About Utah topic.

For the Stokes Nature Center and Wild About Utah, this is Andrea Liberatore.

Credits:
Images: Courtesy & Copyright 2010 Mike Fish
            Courtesy & Copyright 2010 Andrea Liberatore
            Courtesy & Copyright 2010 Lyle Bingham
Text:     Andrea Liberatore, Stokes Nature Center in Logan Canyon.


Additional Reading:

Harrison, H. H. (1979) Peterson Field Guides: Western Birds’ Nests. Houghton Mifflin Co: Boston

Ehrlich, P.R., Dobkin, D.S., Wheye, E. (1988) The Birder’s Handbook: a field guide to the natural history of north American birds – The Essential Companion to Your Identification Guide. Simon & Schuster/Fireside Books: New York.

National Science Foundation press release, 05-30-2012, Where Have All the Hummingbirds Gone? Retrieved online at: https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=124345&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click

Live Webcam of black chinned hummingbird nest:
https://www.livestream.com/hummingbirdsociety

Nature News, Evolution News and Views, David Klinghoffer, The Genius of Birds: Watch a Hummingbird’s Tongue in Action – See more at: https://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/06/the_genius_of_b073491.html

Coro Arizmendi Arriaga, Maria del, Hummingbirds of
Mexico and North America, In Spanish and English, CONABIO, 2014, https://www.biodiversidad.gob.mx/Difusion/pdf/colibries_mexico_y_norteamerica.pdf

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Songs of the Western Meadowlark, Poorwill and Canyon Wren

Songs of the Western Meadowlark, Poorwill and Canyon Wren: Western Meadowlark. Courtesy US FWS https://images.fws.gov. John and Karen Hollingsworth, Photographers
Western Meadowlark
Sturnella neglecta
Courtesy US FWS
John & Karen Hollingsworth,
Photographers, images.fws.gov

Common Poorwill. Courtesy Dominic Sherony, Photographer, Licensed under CCA-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported Common Poorwill
Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
Dominic Sherony, Photographer
formerly linked to: https://www.birdphotos.com/photos/index.php?q=gallery&g2_itemId=85245
Licensed under
CCA-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported

Canyon Wren, Catherpes mexicanus, Courtesy & Copyright © 2007,Lou Giddings, Photographer Canyon Wren
Catherpes mexicanus
Courtesy & Copyright © 2007,
Lou Giddings, Photographer
UtahBirds.org

Everyone recognizes bird-watchers by their binoculars. Bird-listening, on the other hand, takes nothing more than your ears, and attention to Nature’s sounds. Listening for bird songs may require your concentration at first, but soon it becomes second nature. Some common birds of Utah are more easily found and known by their song than their appearance.

The Canyon Wren is one of my favorites. This tiny cinnamon-brown bird weighs little more than a marshmallow, but it belts out a cascading song big enough to reverberate off the rocky cliffs and slopes that are its home.

[Kevin Colver recording: Birds of the South West Canyon Country, https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/collections/special-collections]

You may not see the canyon wren, but try conversing with it by whistling its song in reply. Listen year-round for its song throughout Utah and our neighboring states, particularly in canyons with rocky walls.

Nocturnal birds are seldom seen but commonly heard. Owls are an obvious example, but so is the

Common Poorwill, a migrant whose call is diagnostic throughout Utah.

[Kevin Colver recording: Birds of the Rocky Mountain Foothills, https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/collections/special-collections]

Poorwills are camouflaged ground-nesters. On summer evenings, though, you may occasionally see them settled on pavement, their eyes reflecting headlight beams, looking like glowing coals.

Bird song can help distinguish between related bird species too. On the eastern Great Plains, both Eastern and Western Meadowlarks co-occur. The plumage of these two starling-sized species is nearly identical, but their songs differ dramatically. The eastern species sings but a few clear notes, but our western meadowlark sings a beautiful musical warble.

[Kevin Colver recording: Birds of the South West Canyon Country, https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/collections/special-collections]

Meadowlarks reside here year-round, typically in grassy areas, pastures and foothills. Their backs are brown, but the male’s chest is a brilliant lemon yellow. Males are frequently seen singing their cheerful song atop a fence post. And that is another reason for listening to birds, for the sheer pleasure of their song.

This is Linda Kervin for Bridgerland Audubon Society.

Credits:

Graphics: Courtesy US FWS images.fws.gov
Recordings: Kevin Colver, https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/collections/special-collections
Text: Jim Cane, Bridgerland Audubon Society
Voice: Linda Kervin, Bridgerland Audubon Society

Additional Reading:

Western Meadowlark, UtahBirds.org, Utah County Birders, http://www.utahbirds.org/birdsofutah/ProfilesS-Z/WesternMeadowlark.htm

Common Poorwill, UtahBirds.org, Utah County Birders, http://www.utahbirds.org/birdsofutah/Profiles/CommonPoorwill.htm

Canyon Wren, UtahBirds.org, Utah County Birders, http://www.utahbirds.org/birdsofutah/Profiles/CanyonWren.htm

Western Meadowlark, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Meadowlark

Common Poorwill, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Poorwill/overview

Canyon Wren, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Canyon_Wren

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Bald Eagles

bald eagle feeding, Courtesy and Copyright 2011 Bryan Olsen, Photographer

Bald Eagle Feeding
Copyright © 2011 Bryant Olsen

bald eagle in flight, Courtesy and Copyright 2011 Bryan Olsen, Photographer Bald Eagle in Flight
Copyright © 2011 Bryant Olsen

juvenile bald eagle in flight, Courtesy and Copyright 2011 Terry Greene, Photographer Juvenile Bald Eagle in Flight
Copyright © 2011 Terry Greene

flying immature Bald Eagle, Courtesy & Copyright 2011 Terry Greene, Photographer Flying Immature Bald Eagle
Copyright © 2011 Terry Greene

Flying Immature Bald Eagle

Copyright © 2011 Terry Greene, Photographer

When winter arrives in Utah, a number of our bird species hit the road – some flying thousands of miles to Mexico and Central America in search of a warm winter home.

But there is one notable bird that actually migrates to Utah in the winter – the bald eagle. In general, birds migrate because of seasonal food shortages. Think of the hummingbirds that rely on flower nectar and insects, which Utah cannot provide in winter, but which are abundant other times of the year. The same is true for bald eagles, whose main food source is fish. Winter comes on strong in Alaska and Canada, freezing lakes, ponds, and all but the strongest flowing rivers. So the birds travel to seek out the relatively mild winters found farther south.

One of the largest birds of prey you’ll see in our Utah skies, a mature bald eagle can have a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet and stand almost three feet tall. Only the golden eagle rivals it in size. Pairs are thought to mate for life, and they are also responsible for the largest nests of any bird in North America. One record-setting abode measured 9 feet wide, 20 feet deep, and weighed more than 2 tons.

And to think, we almost lost this incredible species. Since DDT and hunting heavily affected bald eagle numbers in the early half of the 20th century, the birds have made a truly remarkable comeback. From a low point around 4,000 individuals in the lower 48 states, they are now thought to number in the tens of thousands, and have been removed from the Threatened and Endangered Species lists.

Perhaps as their comeback continues, Utah will once again see these majestic animals make their massive nests here, fishing in our many rivers and lakes year round. For now, though, aside from a few rare exceptions, bald eagle enthusiasts will have to make the most of their short winter stay. To observe bald eagles, consider a visit to the Great Salt Lake Nature Center at Farmington Bay. Every year, the Bay plays host to hundreds of eagles, from November to March, and while this milder-than-usual winter has brought in fewer numbers of eagles, you may still be able to catch a glimpse. They will likely be heading north later this month, however, so don’t delay. And be sure to keep your ears tuned into the bald eagle’s haunting song:

[Bald Eagle call from https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/collections/special-collections Kevin Colver https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/collections/special-collections]

Thank you to the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation for supporting the research and development of this Wild About Utah topic. For the Stokes Nature Center and Wild About Utah, this is Andrea Liberatore.

For the Stokes Nature Center and Wild About Utah, this is Andrea Liberatore.

Credits:

Audio: Courtesy & Copyright Kevin Colver
Photos: Courtesy & Copyright Bryant Olsen and
            Courtesy & Copyright Terry Greene
Text:    Andrea Liberatore, Stokes Nature Center, logannature.org

Additional Reading:

Parrish, J. and Walters, B., Editors. (2009) Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Utah Division of Wildlife Resources: Wildlife Notebook Series No. 3. https://wildlife.utah.gov/publications/pdf/2010_bald_eagle.pdf

National Geographic Society (2012) Animals: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
https://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/bald-eagle/

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Bird Bathing

Click for more a larger view of a Northern Flicker and two American Robins at a bird bath. Courtesy and Copyright 2012 Linda Kervin, Photographer

Two American Robins and a
Northern Flicker Drinking
Copyright © 2012 Linda Kervin

Click for more a larger view of three American Robins at a bird bath. Courtesy and Copyright 2012 Linda Kervin, Photographer

Three American Robins Drinking
Copyright © 2012 Linda Kervin

No songbird can be led to water, and you certainly cannot make them drink. Give them a birdbath, though, and many birds will drink and bathe with gusto, especially here in the arid West. As a yard ornament the idea is not so old; the word “birdbath” was first coined in the Gilded Age. At our birdbath, robins daily crowd the rim, as many as six at a time, alternately bobbing and thoughtfully swallowing. Few birds can suck in water with their beak immersed. Instead, they lift their head with a beak full of water which they drink down in a few gulps. The gray Townsend’s solitaire, another regular visitor, perhaps needs to wash down its winter diet of dry, tangy juniper berries.

Birds like to bathe, even in winter. Just why they bathe is not so obvious. Cleaning their insulative layer of down may keep it fluffy to trap maximum heat. After bathing, birds often nibble their flight feathers. This preening removes dirt, feather detritus and parasites, while realigning each feather’s barbs so that they lock together for flight. Feathers repel water not by oils, but through their fine structure. Some game birds, such as quail, take dust baths, squatting in a shallow dirt scrape to ruffle loose dust through their feathers. When quail were experimentally denied dust baths, their plumage became greasy and disheveled. Bathed, preened birds are dapper.

So what features make a good birdbath? It should be shallow, just an inch or two deep and placed two feet or more above the ground to thwart terrestrial predators. A nearby preening perch is helpful. The bath should be convenient to refill, both because bathing birds splash a lot, and also because changing the water frequently deters disease transmission. Our birdbath mounts to our deck railing and has a low wattage heating element that prevents freezing. If you are already feeding birds, consider adding a birdbath. The exuberance of a bathing bird is a joy to behold.

This is Linda Kervin for Bridgerland Audubon Society.

Credits:

Graphics: Courtesy and Copyright 2012 Linda Kervin, Bridgerland Audubon Society

Text: Jim Cane, Bridgerland Audubon Society

Additional Reading:

Bird Notes from Sapsucker Woods, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2004, https://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/Members/BirdNote09–ProvideWater.pdf

Providing Water for Birds, Great Backyard Bird Count, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, https://www.birds.cornell.edu/bbimages/gbbc-email/ProvidingWater.pdf