Nebraska Birds

NEBRASKA BIRDS INFORMATION FROM THE NEBRASKA BIRD LIBRARY ILLUSTRATED BY SARAH BERGERON

NEBRASKA BIRDS IDENTIFYING BIRDS 7 BARN OWL 9 BLACK BILLED MAGPIE 11 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE 13 BLUE JAY 15 CARDINAL 17 CROW 19 DICKCESSEL 21 EASTERN TOWNHEE 23 GOLDFINCH 25 MALLARD 27 MEDOWLARK 39 ROBIN 31 ABOUT THE LIBRARY 33

Eye Cap/ Crown

Eye Ring Lore

Nape

Upper Mandible Bill/ Beak Lower Mandible Chin

Back

Cheek Throat Wing Bar

Chest/ Breast Flank

Rump Tail

Belly

Under Tail

Foot Leg

TIPS TO IDENTIFY BIRDS Look at the most eye-catching characteristic first.

Often birds fly away quickly. Make note of the more identifiable characteristics you see at first glance.

Does the bird have an eye ring? Does it have yellowtipped tail feathers?

Color is often the most used characteristic to identify birds. If you are seeing a blue and white bird, it can not be a cardinal! This is a great way to quickly narrow your search.

Think about size. Is the bird the size of a warbler?

Or, is it larger like a crow or even a hawk.

By looking at the size, you can begin to eliminate species and narrow-in on the species you are seeing.

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BARN OWL Scientific Name: Tyto alba Size: Large, 16� (41 cm)

SONG OR CALL Loud rasping hiss, does not hoot like typical owl.

DESCRIPTION Sexes look similar, though females are generally darker are redder colored than males. Both have distinctive, white, heart-shaped faces, ringed with tan and dark eyes. Their backs are light tan, and under the breast varies from white to cinnamon.

FOOD Rats are the favorite prey of Barn Owls, but they will also eat many other rodents.

HABITAT Found in open to semi-open habitats where small rodents are plentiful. Hollow trees, old buildings, or caves are necessary to provide them with roosting and nesting sites.

Breeding Zone

WHERE IN NEBRASKA

Uncommon permanent resident, and breeder across the state, but these owls seem to be more common in southern Nebraska.

FUN FACT Barn Owls are one of the few birds species where females are more showy than males.

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BLACK BILLED MAGPIE Scientific Name: Pica pica Size: Large, 19� (48 cm)

SONG OR CALL Rapid, nasal mag? mag? mag?, or yak yak yak.

DESCRIPTION Sexes look similar. Both have a very long tail with iridescent green highlights, They have a black bill, head, back, and throat; iridescent green wings; and a white belly, shoulders, and primaries.

HABITAT They live in; wooded canyons, river bottom forests, and along forest edges. Sometimes they will range out into more arid environments wherever there are thickets of shrubs or small trees for nest sites.

FIELD NOTES Birds that are casually seen in the eastern U.S. may be escaped cage birds.

Year-round resident

WHERE IN NEBRASKA They are a common permanent resident in western Nebraska, but can be found almost statewide during the breeding months.

FUN FACT Black-billed Magpies build very large nests that can take up to 40 days to construct.

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BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE Scientific Name: Poecile atricapillus Size: Small, 5 1/4” (13 cm)

SONG OR CALL Rapid, nasal “chickadee-dee-dee.” Their song is a slow “fee-beee; beee” at lower pitch.

DESCRIPTION Sexes look similar. Both have a black throat and cap, white cheeks, are gray above, and creamy below, with buffy flanks.

BEHAVIOR Black-capped Chickadees are primary cavity nesters, meaning they excavate their own hole, usually in soft, rotting tree stumps.

HABITAT They live in deciduous and coniferous forests, as well as orchards, woodlots, and urban areas. Nesting often occurs in edge situations or open areas of forest.

Year-round resident

WHERE IN NEBRASKA They are a common permanent resident across the state. The population increases during winter months with migrants arriving from farther north.

FUN FACT In autumn, Black-capped Chickadees grow new neuron cells in their brain in order to adapt to social and environmental changes.

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BLUE JAY Scientific Name: Cyanocitta cristata Size: Medium, 11” (28 cm)

SONG OR CALL Piercing “jay jay jay”; also musical “weedle-eedle.”

Mimics call of Red-shouldered Hawk.

DESCRIPTION Sexes look similar. Both have a blue crest, upper parts, and tail; black barring and white patches on wings and tail; black necklace on whitish underparts; and pale bluish-gray face.

HABITAT They live in a variety of habitats including, forests, parks, suburbs, cities, and almost anywhere that has a combination of trees and grasslands.

STATUS

Year-round resident

WHERE IN NEBRASKA Common permanent resident statewide, perhaps somewhat less common in western Nebraska.

FUN FACT Blue jays will store food in caches to eat later.

Breeding range appears to be expanding steadily to the northwestern United States.

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CARDINAL Scientific Name: Cardinalis cardinalis Size: Medium, 8 3/4” (22 cm)

SONG OR CALL Variable loud, liquid “cue cue cue,” “cheer cheer cheer,” and “purty purty purty.”

DESCRIPTION They both have a striking crest, and large, coneshaped reddish bills. Males are bright red overall with a black face and throat. Females are a dulled brown to dulled olive, and have a red tinge on wings, crest, and tail. Juvenile is similar to female but browner overall and has a dark brown bill.

BEHAVIOR Both sexes sing almost year round.

HABITAT Forest edges, brushy forest openings, parks and residential areas with shrubs and low trees, secondgrowth woods, and riparian forests.

Year-round resident

WHERE IN NEBRASKA Common permanent resident in eastern Nebraska, becoming uncommon in the west. Apparently absent from the western Sandhills and the Pine Ridge area.

FUN FACTS Northern Cardinals are the only species of bird in Nebraska with a red beak, and both the male and the female sing.

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CROW Scientific Name: Corvus brachyrhynchos Size: Large, 17 1/2” (45 cm)

SONG OR CALL “Caw caw caw”

DESCRIPTION Sexes similar. Black overall. Long, heavy bill is noticeably smaller than in ravens. In flight, fan-shaped tail distinguishes all crows from ravens (wedge-shaped tail).

FOOD An opportunistic feeder, it will consume a variety of plant and animal food: seeds, garbage, insects, mice, eggs, and nestlings.

HABITAT Occurs in a variety of habitats, including forests, wooded river bottoms, suburban areas, parks, and woodlots.

Year-round resident

WHERE IN NEBRASKA Winter numbers are greatly increased by migrants coming from farther north.

FUN FACTS Offspring from previous nesting season will often remain with the family to help raise new young.

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DICKCESSEL Scientific Name: Spiza americana Size: Small, 6 1/4” (16 cm)

SONG OR CALL Distinctive buzzing “bzrrrrt.” Song is variable “dick dick dickcissel.”

DESCRIPTION Yellowish eyebrow; thick, dark bill; and chestnut wing coverts. Breeding male has black bib under white chin; bright yellow breast; whitish belly; grayish-black crown and cheeks; and brown, sparrow-like upperparts.

Female lacks black bib; yellow breast; grayish sides; paler chestnut wing patch. Immatures are paler overall with some streaking on breast and sides.

HABITAT Grasslands with a combination of tall grasses, forbs, and shrubs. Also found in various croplands, especially alfalfa and clover.

Breeding Zone

WHERE IN NEBRASKA Common to abundant spring and fall migrant and summer resident across the state, except in the Panhandle where it is uncommon to rare.

FUN FACTS During migration, Dickcissels’ flocks get larger until they reach their wintering grounds. The flock can get as big as over a million birds.

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EASTERN TOWHEE Scientific Name: Pipilo erythrophthalmus Size: Medium, 8 1/2” (22 cm)

SONG OR CALL Rising “tow-whee or “chee-wink.” Song sounds like “drink-your-tea-ee-ee-ee-ee.”

DESCRIPTION Male has black upperparts and hood; chestnut sides; white underparts; white wing patches; white-tipped outer tail feathers; buffy undertail coverts; and red eyes. Lacks white spots on back and white wing bars of spotted towhee. Female is similar but is brown above where male is black. Juveniles are brown overall, and have dark streaking and spotting on back, head, and sides.

HABITAT Brushy fields, thickets, woodland edges and openings, second-growth forests, and city parks or residential areas with trees and tall shrubbery.

Breeding Zone

WHERE IN NEBRASKA Common spring and fall migrant and summer resident in eastern Nebraska. Breeds locally west to Colorado along Platte and Republican Valleys, and to Sioux County in Pine Ridge area.

FUN FACTS Eastern Towhees are often unable to tell the difference between their own eggs and brown cowbirds eggs.

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GOLDFINCH Scientific Name: Carduelis tristis Size: Medium, 5” (13 cm)

SONG OR CALL Song is prolonged jumble of short trills and thin twitters. “Per-chic-oree” flight notes.

DESCRIPTION Breeding adult male is bright yellow overall with a black cap, black wings, and black tail; white wing bars, with upper bar being the widest; yellow shoulder patch. White rump and undertail coverts. Female is duller overall; olive above; lacks black cap and yellow shoulder patch. White undertail coverts. Winter adults are even duller; either brownish or grayish

HABITAT During the fall and winter birds are often found foraging in fields of tall weeds. Breeding usually occurs in rather open grassy areas, farmsteads, swamps, and other areas where thistles and cattails are abundant.

Year-round resident

WHERE IN NEBRASKA Common permanent resident across the state. Winter populations vary from year to year.

FUN FACT Sometimes known as “Wild Canary”. American Goldfinches are the only bird in the Finch family that molts twice a year including the breeding season.

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MALLARD Scientific Name: Anas platyrhynchos Size: Large, 23” (58 cm)

SONG OR CALL Male: “rab-rab-rab.” Female: loud quack or “quackwack-wack.”

DESCRIPTION Head green, neck has white collar. Breast is deep chestnut. Speculum purplish-blue with the front and back edged with black and white stripe. Tail white flanked with black, topped by curled tail feathers. Bill is yellow-green. Female has mottled brownish-buff body, dark crown, and eyestripe. Bill is orange.

HABITAT During the breeding season prefers shallow waters of marshes, oxbows, and ponds that provide surface and subsurface foraging. In migration utilizes large open marshes, lakes or reservoirs with grain fields nearby.

Year-round resident

WHERE IN NEBRASKA Abundant regular spring and fall migrant across the entire state. A common regular breeder statewide and a common, locally abundant, regular winter visitor throughout the state.

FUN FACT The Mallard is the ancestor of all domestic ducks in the world, except for the Muscovy Duck.

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MEADOWLARK Scientific Name: Sturnella neglecta Size: Medium, 10” (25 cm)

SONG OR CALL Low, explosive “chuck.” Song is variable series of bubbling, flute like notes; faster at end.

DESCRIPTION Sexes similar. Black V-shaped breast band on yellow underparts; upper-parts are brown with dusky edges.

Yellow chin and throat; yellow lower half of cheek; brown striping on head; dark streaking on white sides.

White outer tail feathers are conspicuous in flight.

HABITAT Tall and mixed-grass prairies, hayfields, wet meadows, and weedy edges of croplands. Sometimes found in short-grass and sage dominated plains.

Year-round resident

WHERE IN NEBRASKA Common spring and fall migrant across the state.

Common summer resident almost statewide except in extreme southeastern counties. Winters most regularly in southern Nebraska.

FUN FACT Nebraska’s state bird

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ROBIN Scientific Name: Turdus migratorius Size: Medium, 10” (25 cm)

SONG OR CALL Loud, liquid, variable “cheerily cheery-up cheerio”.

Calls include rapid “tut tut tut”

DESCRIPTION Gray-brown above; fox-red or orange breast; white throat; yellow bill; white lower belly; and blackish head and tail. Female has paler head and tail. Juveniles are brown-spotted below, and lack characteristic red breast.

HABITAT: Originally associated with open woodlands, it is now probably most common in cities, suburbs, parks, gardens, and farmlands.

NEBRASKA SEASONS

Year-round resident

WHERE IN NEBRASKA Common summer resident across the state. Frequently stay over winters.

FUN FACTS Even though the American Robin is the quintessential sign of spring, many Robins actually spend the whole year in the same place.

Abundant spring and fall migrant.

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ABOUT THE NEBRASKA BIRD LIBRARY All information and data in this book is is quoted from and credited to the Nebraska Bird Library at nebreakabirdlibrary.org “Environmental education plays a critical role in the conservation of biological diversity. For conservation efforts to be successful in Nebraska, more people need to be made aware of and become knowledgeable about the state’s rich biological diversity, including our bird species.

Thank you our sponsors, the Nebraska Environmental Trust and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Education Workgroup of the Nebraska Bird Partnership produced Project BEAK, an interactive web-based curriculum about Nebraska’s birds; their adaptations, interactions with people, threatened and endangered species, and how to go birding.

We planned to complete a printed companion field guide for Project BEAK. While doing background research, we realized that there are several good, print field guides for Nebraska birds already available. In addition, early feedback from educators using Project BEAK was that they would find an online field guide more useful.

The result is what you see today – the Nebraska Bird Library, where you can find information about any Nebraska bird.

Much like a brick and mortar library, a user can browse through the bird species profiles, or can use the database search to find particular birds. The Nebraska Bird Library will not only serve our original target audience of 5th-8th grade Nebraska students, it can be used and appreciated by all Nebraskans interested in our birds.”

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