Hey guys, welcome back. Today's funny-named bird is the dickcissel. Although they kind of look like a sparrow (especially the female), they are actually in the same family as tanagers and cardinals. For now anyway. They've previously been in the sparrow and blackbird families. They're one of those species that scientists have trouble placing taxonomically.... Continue Reading →
Cedar Waxwing
Hey guys, welcome back. Today is one of two waxwing species in the US. In fact there are only three waxwings overall. The cedar and bohemian waxwings found here in North America, and the Japanese waxwing found in, you guessed it, Japan. There's no mistaking a waxwing either. They are very slick and smooth looking... Continue Reading →
Indigo Bunting
Hey guys, welcome back! The color blue. It has a very interesting history. Pretty sure I mentioned it before, way back when we did blue jay. But the color blue is actually quite rare in nature. This is a pretty good video that briefly summarizes it. Blue is the first thing you see when you... Continue Reading →
White-crowned Sparrow
Hey guys, welcome back! Today, we head back into the world of sparrows. "Sparrows are hard!" "They all look the same, I don't know how people tell them apart." If you're a birder, chances are you've heard one or both of these sentences nearly every time you mention the word "sparrow." But, as with most... Continue Reading →
Red-headed Woodpecker
Hey guys, welcome back! Today's plucky woodpecker is none other than the red-headed woodpecker. A lot of woodpeckers have red on their heads somewhere, but this guy has an entirely red head! The rest of the body is comprised of large blocks of black and white. Unlike some species of woodpeckers, the red-headed is not... Continue Reading →
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Hey guys welcome back! Today's bird is the ruby-throated hummingbird; the eastern US's only breeding species of hummingbird. If you live out west, then hummingbirds are a much more common occurrence for you. The western US has numerous species, but east of the Mississippi, save for the occasional wandering rufous hummingbird, you'll only find one.... Continue Reading →
Eastern Bluebird
Hey guys, welcome back! Today, the eastern bluebird. I love these little guys, but for as common as they are, I never saw one ever in my life until 2015! They did suffer a major population decrease thanks to aggressive invasive species the house sparrow and European starling out competing them for nesting spots. But... Continue Reading →
House Wren
Hey guys, welcome back. Today's little bird is the very common, very loud house wren. For those of you familiar with wrens, you know that these guys have quite the set of lungs on them. They sing not only to attract mates but to defend their territory as well. They're often (as will most wrens)... Continue Reading →
Veery
Hey guys, welcome back! Today's bird is a member of the thrush family. The veery is a brightly colored warm cinnamon-brown. Their underparts are a buff with light spots on their throat and upper breast. Although at first glance, they're pretty similar to other thrushes like the hermit and Swainson's, their brighter brown, and lighter... Continue Reading →
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Hey guys, welcome back! Today, our first grosbeak species. And the only grosbeak species I've seen (as of this writing.) The rose-breasted grosbeak is common throughout the eastern US. Sexually dimorphic, the male looks like he's wearing a black suit with a white shirt and a rose-red ascot. The female is various shades of brown,... Continue Reading →
Feathered Focus 