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.