| INTERESTING ODDS & ENDS Archive #9 |
| Essays / Backyard / Tips & Quiz / Links / Sightings / Conservation / Bird ID / Featured Bird / My Photos / Seasonal Spots / Home |
| CANADA GOOSE & THE “V” SHAPE FLYING PATTERN (from The Backyard Bird Newsletter, www.birdwatchersdigest.com) Flocks are usually made up of family groups. Experts believe there are two possible reasons that Geese fly in this “V” pattern. On is that it is aerodynamically beneficial; “birds in the back taking advantage of extra lift from eddies of air rising from the wings of the bird immediately in front”. Another possibility suggests that communication is easier in this flying format and “family integrity somewhat akin to that of squadrons of airplanes” is maintained |
| WINTER NIGHTS: WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH (from The Backyard Bird Newsletter, www.birdwatchersdigest.com) “In order to survive frigid nights, a white-breasted nuthatch can put on fat equal to 10 percent of its body weight in one day, and burn it off just staying alive until morning.” |
| SUN & BIOLOGICAL CLOCK AID MIGRATION (from Birder’s World; October 2005 www.birdersworld.com) -Researchers have found that birds use three different kinds of compasses during migration: the sun, the stars and magnetic. “Birds that migrate by day likely determine their direction from the sun. Birds that migrate by night utilize the stars. And many, if not all, of both groups probably utilize the earth’s magnetic field as a back-up system”. |
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| SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS MIGRATION FACTS (from Birder’s World; October 2005, Paul Kerlinger) “Some Sharp-shinned Hawks migrate twice as far as others. Birds that nest farthest north leave the nesting range and often move the farthest south….Sharpies that nest in the northeastern United States and boreal forests of eastern Canada, however, generally spend the winter in the southeastern United States. And some Sharpies live year round in Mexico and the Caribbean.” Depending on the wind availability, Sharpies use a combination of flapping and soaring to travel long distances. They don’t maintain a lot of body fat so they must eat as they migrate. Also, Sharpies tend to follow ridge lines and coast lines since they are not powerful enough to cross large expanses of water. Distances traveled in one day vary; from a few miles to over 50. They have been known to fly longer distances, averaging 100 miles a day, but not non-stop and sometimes with days of no flying at all. |
| CERULEAN WARBLER AREAS PROTECTED (from Birder’s World Magazine; December 2005) “Conservationists have created South America’s first protected area for a song-bird that breeds exclusively in North America. The 500-acre reserve in Columbia will protect wintering habitat for the migratory Cerulean Warbler, which has experienced population decreases in recent years.” |
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| A Site About Long Island Birds & Birdwatching |
| BIRD HEARING (from Wildbird Magazine; November/December 2004) Most birds have hearing similar to humans and can hear in the 40-29,000 hertz (vibrations per second) range. Their greatest sensitivity is between 1000 – 6000 hertz, with sensitivity dropping off in the lowest and highest ranges. Generally the larger the bird the greater the sensitivity in range. Birds can, however, discriminate between sounds 10 times better than humans and it is believed that “bird songs contain sequences of notes that occur more rapidly than the human ear can detect”. |
| HABITATS FOR FOUR OF OUR FAVORITE BACKYARD BIRDS (from Birder’s World Magazine; October 2005 www.birdersworld.com) Black-capped Chickadee: Primarily birds of forests but will venture to the edges of woods & fields. Summer breeding range is about 10 acres and in winter they form flocks (6-10 birds) and defend feeding range of about 20 acres. Very tolerant of human activity and will come readily to feeders. Cedar Waxwing: Do not come to feeders but love berries. Their breeding area is about 1/8 of an acre and will form large groups in winter. Berry shrubs that come to fruit in different times of year will attract these birds to you yard. Northern Cardinal: Mixed trees, shrubs and open areas will attract Cardinals. They defend territory of 3-10 acres all year round, but will join with other birds in winter. Will readily come to feeders. Eastern Phoebe: Tall trees, shrubs, flower & vegetable gardens with long grasses make these birds happy. Their breeding territory is several acres or less. In north birds will not stay through the winter. |
| MOB RULE (from Birder’s World Magazine, December 2005) “Mobbing” is when a group of birds gather together and harass a predator with “noisy alarm calls and dive-bombing flights. Crows commonly mob hawks and owls, Songbirds often mob crowns and shrikes, as well as hawks and owls”. When alarm calls are given birds converge on the predator and the function of this mobbing behavior is varied. “It can alert potential prey species that a predator is in the area, thus removing the element of surprise. It might confuse the predator, minimizing it’s effectiveness, and it can reduce the risk to each individual because of the numbers of mobbers.” Mobbing can teach youngsters about predators and can occur any time of year although more common in nesting season. |
| Eared Grebe versus Horned Grebe ID tips (from Birder’s World Magazine, December 2005, Article by Ken Kaufman) - Bill Shape: Eared Grebe lower mandible angles up and upper is straight. Horned Grebe both mandibles taper. - Bill Tip: Horned Grebe whitish tip, Eared Grebe lacks it. - Head Shape: Eared Grebe has steep forehead & high peak, Horned Grebe usually has flatter head. - Cheek: Horned Grebe blackish crown & white cheek meeting in neat horizontal line. Eared Grebe has more blackish/dark gray feathers filling in this area. |
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| WHERE DO BIRDS GO DURING HURRICANES? (from Wildbirds Email Newsletter December 2005, www.birders.com) When hurricane winds rip roofs off buildings and toss mobile homes, what happens to the birds? Birds are very sensitive to changes in air pressure and know instinctively to take shelter. A sharp drop in barometric pressure alerts them that a big storm is on the way. When birds detect an approaching storm, especially in the fall when they don't have a nest or babies to protect, they can high-tail it out of the storm’s path. Strong-flying birds fly ahead of the storm, carried by the winds at the forefront of the system. Other birds don't go too far, finding any sort of shelter out of the wind, hail and rain. Woodpeckers and other cavity nesters ride out storms in tree holes, which works unless the tree snaps or is uprooted. Songbirds fly for dear life in advance of storms or try to ride them out, clinging to sturdy, sheltered branches. Shorebirds leave the beaches and move inland. Some birds are picked up by the storm system and carried long distances. They become trapped in the calm eye by the towering, fierce storms. The eye of the storm, in effect, becomes a bird cage until the hurricane begins to fizzle and birds can escape. It is the eye of the storm that displaces birds, not the strong winds. These displaced birds, known as “Hurricane Birds,” present rare opportunities for birders who keep a list of the birds they see. “Listers” can check off birds on their lifelist they normally wouldn’t see, such as pelagic (ocean-going) birds blown ashore. Birds living in hurricane areas also suffer when their food supplies, such as fruits and berries, are stripped from trees and shrubs. What can we do to help them? Feed them high protein foods, such as suet, to re-build their strength. |
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