Pine Warbler – Foraging in a Pine TreeDendroica pinus February – Texas L=5.5” ...... WS=8.75”...... WT=0.4 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Parulidae (Wood-warblers) Pine Warblers highly prefer pine trees and are almost always found nesting and foraging in them. These birds are rather unique among wood-warblers in that they eat a substantial amount of seed, including pine seeds, in addition to insects.
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..
American Coot – ForagingFulica americana December – Texas L=15.5” ...... WS=24”...... WT=1.4 lb......m>f Order: Gruiformes (Rails, Cranes, and Allies) Family: Rallifae (Rails, Gallinules and Coots) American Coots are one of the most common water birds in North America and can be found essentially anywhere in the region. The habits are those of a duck but the bird has a chicken like beak and lobed toes like a grebe. Its lineage is that of the rails and gallinules. American Coots are excellent swimmers and divers but awkward walking and flying. To take off from water they “run” for an extended period before gaining flight. When confronted with a threat they put a cacophony of squawks, grunts and other sounds and skitter across the water with wings flapping. With these characteristic behaviors and their unusual appearance American Coots are usually entertaining and sometimes comical.
