Passerine Birds (<em>Passeriformes</em>)

Great Crested Flycathcher – With Tawny Emperor butterfly Myiarchus crinitus June – Texas L=8.75”...... WS=13” ....... WT=1.2 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Tyannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)

Great Crested Flycathcher – With Tawny Emperor larvae Myiarchus crinitus July – Texas L=8.75”...... WS=13” ....... WT=1.2 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Tyannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)

Eastern PhoebeSayornis phoebe December – Texas L=7”...... WS=10.5” ....... WT=0.7 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Tyannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers) Eastern Phoebes are flycatchers with dull coloration and unobtrusive behavior. Their breeding range is expanding apparently because of their willingness to nest on human dwellings and under bridges. Even so, Eastern Phoebes have a strong site attachment – a fact first observed by James Audubon in 1804. Eastern Phoebes move from place to place almost exclusively by flying - they rarely walk, hop or even pivot when on a perch. They are also loners who usually fail to even acknowledge other species, except predators.

Eastern Phoebe – LandingSayornis phoebe February – Texas L=7”...... WS=10.5” ....... WT=0.7 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Tyannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers) Eastern Phoebes are flycatchers with dull coloration and unobtrusive behavior. Their breeding range is expanding apparently because of their willingness to nest on human dwellings and under bridges. Even so, Eastern Phoebes have a strong site attachment – a fact first observed by James Audubon in 1804. Eastern Phoebes move from place to place almost exclusively by flying - they rarely walk, hop or even pivot when on a perch. They are also loners who usually fail to even acknowledge other species, except predators.

Say's Phoebe – Fledgling Sayornis saya July – New Mexico L=7.5”...... WS=13” ....... WT=0.74 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Tyannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)

Say's Phoebe – Fledgling Sayornis saya July – New Mexico L=7.5”...... WS=13” ....... WT=0.74 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Tyannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)

Steller's Jay – At a picnic siteCyanocitta stelleri January – Colorado L=11.5”....... WS=19” ....... WT= 3.7 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Covidae (Crows and Jays) Steller’s Jays are loud, conspicuous regulars where humans are present such as campsites, picnic areas and bird feeders. Besides human generated foods such as cookies, crackers, meat, cheese, bread and chips they eat a wide range of naturally occuring arthropods and seeds.

Western Scrub-Jay – Interior or "Woodhouse's" subspecies Aphelocoma californica January – Colorado L=11.5”....... WS=15” ....... WT= 3 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Covidae (Crows and Jays) The Western Scrub-Jay has three well differentiated subspecies that reside along the Pacific Ocean of California and Oregon, the non-coastal area of California and east to Texas but remaining south of Montana, and southern Mexico. There is very little overlap in their ranges. The two North American subspecies are called the coastal or "California" and the interior or "Woodhouse's". The physical and behavioral characteristics of these two North American birds are distinct. The coastal subspecies is thicker billed, darker and richer in color overall. They are bold, conspicuous and adapt well to human neighborhoods. Thus they are easily spotted. The interior subspecies is drabber, secretive, and more frequently heard than seen. Given the lack of range overlap and the associated lack of inter-breeding, differences in physical appearance and differences in behavior separating these subspecies ornithologists continue to study the evolutionary history of these birds and may create three species where one now exists.

Mountain Chickadee Poecile gambeli September – Colorado L=5.25"......WS=8.5".....WT=0.37 oz...... Order: Passeriformes (Passerine birds) Family:Paridae (Thrushes)

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – Drinking DewPolioptila caerulea June – Texas L=4.5” ...... WS=6” ...... WT=0.2 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Sylviidae (Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers) Blue-gray Gnatcatchers have the broadest range of their genus in North America. Compared to other gnatcatchers (Polioptila) their range extends farther north into cold temperate areas. They prefer moist areas with broadleafed trees.

American Robin – Chicks nearly ready to leave the nest Turdus migratorius May – Texas L=10"......WS=17".....WT=2.7oz......(mature) Order: Passeriformes (Passerine birds) Family:Turdidae (Thrushes)

Cedar Waxwing – With berry Bombycilla cedrorum February – Texas L=7.25”...... WS=12” ....... WT=2 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Bombycillidae (Waxwings)

Savannah Sparrow – ForagingPasserculus sandwichensis April – Texas L=5.5” ...... WS=6.75”....... WT=0.7 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Emberizidae (New World Sparrows) Savannah Sparrows, like many sparrows, forage on the ground in grassy areas. Because of this and their skulking behavior, they can be hard to observe closely. Like most sparrows, they can be hard to identify due to their small size, tendency to flush rapidly, and very similar appearance to other sparrows. One behavior that aids in identifying Savannah Sparrows is their tendency to flush when humans are relatively far away and fly to nearby trees, shrubs or other elevated objects before continuing to forage. Most other sparrows wait until almost stepped on to flush and then fly a long distance and resume foraging.

Yellow-rumped WarblerDendroica coronata September – Nova Scotia L=5.5” ...... WS=9.25 ...... WT=0.45 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Parulidae (Wood Warblers) Yellow-rumped Warblers have two sub-species – the “myrtle” in the eastern U.S. and Canada and the “Audubon’s” in the west. The name “myrtle” derives from the birds ability to eat wax myrtle berries. This ability to digest waxes gives the Yellow-rumped Warbler an largely uncontested food source as other birds do not have the enzymes necessary to gain energy from the wax. In Texas they also appear to scrape wax from the seeds of the alien and invasive Chinese Tallow.

Yellow-rumped WarblerDendroica coronata March – Texas L=5.5” ...... WS=9.25 ...... WT=0.45 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Parulidae (Wood Warblers)

Northern Cardinal – Taking flightCardinalis cardinalis December – Texas L=8.75” ...... WS=12” ...... WT= 1.6 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies) Northern Cardinals are familiar and popular birds in the Eastern U.S. due in large part to the male’s brilliant red. While not as readily recognized, the female is equally beautiful with buff tans and muted reds. A sign of the popularity of this bird is that it has been chosen as the state bird in 7 states. New research has correlated the brilliance of the male with higher reproductive success and to territories with higher vegetation density. Also, both male and female plumage brightness positively correlates with superior parental care. (Reference: Halkin, Sylvia L. and Susan U. Linvale. 1999. Northern Cardinal, The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.) Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Orinthology; Retreived from Birds of North America Online.)

Northern Cardinal – FemaleCardinalis cardinalis April – Texas L=8.75” ...... WS=12” ...... WT= 1.6 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)

Black-headed Grosbeak - Male BreedingPheucticus melanocephalus June – New Mexico L=8.25” ...... WS=12.5” ...... WT= 1.6 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)

Red-winged Blackbird – Feeding in a rice field Agelaius phoenicens December – Texas L=8.75” ...... WS=13” ....... WT=1.8 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Icteridae (Blackbirds, Orioles, Allies) The Red-winged Blackbird is probably the most abundant bird in North America with a U.S. population estimated at over 200 million. Migration occurs from the northern portion of the breeding range to the southern portion. Accordingly, populations in the southern U.S. increase substantially during the winter months. This blackbird is well known for having huge roosting groups, which can exceed 1 million birds in the non-breeding season, and for damaging important food crops such as corn, sunflowers, and rice. In the accompanying photograph a flock of Red-winged Blackbirds were feeding in rice fields, some of which had already been harvested and some of which had not. The local farmers take no extraordinary actions against these flocks but use a simple two-part strategy - (i) all farmers in the area plant concurrently and (ii) harvests are timed to occur before the onslaught of migrating birds. When this strategy is employed the farmers claim losses to blackbirds of 25% of the crop. When a isolated field is harvested late, as was the case in this situation, losses generally run in excess of 90%.

Common Grackle – At the bird feeder Quiscalus quiscula April – Texas L=12.5” ...... WS=17” ....... WT=4 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Icteridae (Blackbirds, Orioles, Allies) The Common Grackle is large and conspicuous with a traditional range in the Eastern United States. It extreme flexibility in diet and nesting habits along with the clearing of forests which has increased nesting habitats has led to a surge in its population. It has also expanded its range into the Western United States in the last half century. This success has negative consequences as flocks of grackles are amongst the most significant agricultural pests. Similarly, Common Grackles will descend in great numbers and with great commotion on back-yard bird feeders driving all others off until. In poor light conditions the Common Grackle looks black but with sunlight a beautiful array of iridescent colors becomes apparent. It song, sung loudly and frequently is inharmonious to human ears but undoubtedly is music to their own.

Boat-tailed Grackle – Drinking Quiscalus major March – Texas L=14.5-16.5” ...... WS=17.5-23” ....... WT=4.2-8.0 oz......m>f Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Icteridae (Blackbirds, Orioles, Allies)

American Goldfinch Carduelis trirtis January – New Mexico L=5"......WS=9".....WT=0.45 oz...... Order: Passeriformes (Passerine birds) Family:Fringilldae (Finches and allies )

American Goldfinch – Eating sunflower seeds Carduelis trirtis January – New Mexico L=5"......WS=9".....WT=0.45 oz...... Order: Passeriformes (Passerine birds) Family:Fringilldae (Thrushes)

Lesser Goldfinch – Male with Breeding Plumage Carduelis psaltria August – New Mexico L=4.5"......WS=8".....WT=0.35 oz...... Order: Passeriformes (Passerine birds) Family:Fringilldae (Finches and allies)

Lesser Goldfinch – juvenile foraging Carduelis psaltria August – New Mexico L=4.5"......WS=8".....WT=0.35 oz...... Order: Passeriformes (Passerine birds) Family:Fringilldae (Finches and allies)

Lesser Goldfinch – Juvenile Carduelis psaltria August – New Mexico L=4.5"......WS=8".....WT=0.35 oz...... Order: Passeriformes (Passerine birds) Family:Fringilldae (Finches and allies)

Black-headed Grosbeak - First Year malePheucticus melanocephalus July – New Mexico L=8.25” ...... WS=12.5” ...... WT= 1.6 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)