Acorn Woodpecker

This conspicuous clown-faced woodpecker of western oak woodlands is remarkable for its social habits, living over much of its range in communal groups of up to 4 or more breeding males and as many as 3 breeding females. These groups maintain and protect impressive granaries in which thousands of acorns are stored in holes drilled in tree trunks or utility poles for future consumption; in a study a single tree contained more than 50,000 acorn-storage holes. Acorn woodpeckers also feed by sallying for flying insects and gleaning trunks, and they often eat ants (as reflected in the species’ scientific name). Polytypic. Length 9" (23 cm).

Identification A boldly patterned black-and-white woodpecker with a white patch at the base of the primaries, a white rump, black chest, streaked black lower breast, and white belly. The head pattern is striking, with a ring of black around the base of the bill, a red crown patch, a white forecrown narrowly connected to the yellow-­tinged white throat, and black sides of the head setting off a staring white eye. Adult: iris white. Adult male has white forehead meeting the red crown. The adult female is similar, but the white forehead is separated from the red crown by a black band. Juvenile: resembles adult but black areas are duller and the iris is dark; juveniles of both sexes have a solid red crown like that of the adult male.

Geographic Variation Pacific coast birds, bairdi, have slightly longer and stouter bills than nominate birds of the interior West. There is considerable additional variation in the remaining range south to Colombia, with 5 additional subspecies.
Similar Species Unmistakable given its group-living habits and loud calls. White-headed woodpecker has similar white wing patch and black back, but lacks white rump and belly; Lewis’s lacks white areas in plumage.
Voice The acorn is noisy and conspicuous in communal groups, with raucous “Woody Woodpecker” calls. Call: loud wack-a, wack-a or ja-cob, ja-cob series. Also, a scratchy, drawn-out krrrrit or krrrit-kut, and a high, cawing urrrk. Drum: a simple, slow roll of about 10­–20 beats.
Status and Distribution Common. Year-round: oak woodlands and mixed oak-conifer or oak-riparian woodlands. Most abundant where several species of oaks co-occur. Isolated breeding populations are found on the east side of the Sierra Nevada, California; on the central Edwards Plateau, Texas; and possibly in far southern Colorado. Vagrant: found rarely or casually, primarily in fall and winter, away from woodland habitats along the immediate Pacific coast and in western deserts; accidental north to British Columbia and east to the Great Plains states from North Dakota south to coastal Texas.
Population Stable, apart from some local declines resulting from degradation of oak woodlands.
—From the National Geographic book Complete Birds of North America, 2006

American Goldfinch

The brightly colored male American goldfinch is especially recognizable. The American regularly visits seed feeders, particularly in the east. It is often very gregarious, especially during the nonbreeding season, when it flocks to roadsides and brushy fields to feed on thistle and sunflowers. It is often heard in flight, giving distinct flight calls. Polytypic (4 named ssp.; differences slight). Length 5" (13 cm).

Identification A relatively large carduelid. Breeding male: unmistakable. Body entirely bright lemon yellow with white undertail coverts. Jet black cap. Black wings with yellow lesser coverts and narrow white tips to greater coverts, forming 2 white wing bars along with white edging to the tertials. White inner webs to most of the tail feathers. Pink, conical bill. Breeding female: very different from male. Underparts very yellow with white undertail coverts, while upperparts, including head, olive green. Lower wing bar buffy and quite wide. Tail feathers with white tips and inner webs. Bill pinkish. Winter male: cinnamon brown above and on breast and flanks, with white lower belly and undertail coverts, yellowish wash on throat and face, and muted black on forehead. Wings more boldly patterned. Yellow lesser coverts. Wide, whitish lower wing bar. Bill darker than in breeding season. Winter female: mostly drab gray body with black wings and 2 bold buffy wing bars. White undertail coverts and edging to tail feathers. Dark bill. Immature male: black on forehead reduced or lacking. Lesser coverts duller. Juvenile: resembles adult female. Unstreaked.
Similar Species The male is unlike any other finch in North America; the Wilson’s warbler is the only other bright yellow species with a black cap, but it does not have the finchlike bill or the bold wing pattern of the American. All other plumages can be separated from the lesser goldfinch by their bolder wing pattern and white undertail coverts. The female Lawrence’s goldfinch is gray like a nonbreeding adult female American, but note the American’s wider, buffier wing bars and different pattern of white in tail. The call notes of the American are very distinct from those of the Lesser and the Lawrence’s.

Voice Call: various, including per-chik-o-ree or a descending ti-di-di-di; given mainly in flight. Song: a long series of musical phrases, often repeated randomly; similar to the lesser. Not known to mimic other species.
Status and Distribution Common throughout much of United States and southern Canada. Breeding: a variety of habitats, from weedy fields to open second growth woodland, and along riparian corridors, particularly in the West. Does not breed over much of southern third of United States. Winter: populations from northern third of breeding range migrate to southern United States and Mexico, augmenting resident populations throughout middle section of the United States.
—From the National Geographic book Complete Birds of North America, 2006

American Kestrel

The American kestrel is usually found in close proximity to open fields, either perched on a snag or telephone wire or hovering in search of prey. The typical falcon-shaped wings are slim and pointed; the tail long and square-tipped. Sexes are of similar size. Adult male plumage is easily told from adult females and juveniles of both sexes. All have 2 bold, dark moustache marks framing white cheeks on the face and have the dark eyes typical of falcons. It hunts insects, small mammals, and reptiles from a perch or on the wing. Will hover above a field on rapidly beating wings, or soar in place in strong winds above a hillside. Flight style is quick and buoyant, almost erratic, with wings usually swept back. Polytypic (New World 17 ssp.; 2 in North America). Length 10.5" (27 cm); wingspan 23" (58 cm).

Identification Adult male: head has gray crown, rufous nape with black spot on either side, dark moustaches around white cheeks. Back is bright rufous with black barring on lower back. The tail is patterned with highly variable amounts of black, white, or gray bands. Wings are blue-gray with dark primaries. Underparts are white, washed with cinnamon. Adult female: head similar pattern to male, but more brown on crown. Back, wings, and tail are reddish brown with dark barring; subterminal tailband much wider than other bands. Underparts are buffy-white with reddish streaks. Juvenile male: head similar to adult, but less gray and with dark streaks on crown. Back is completely streaked, heavy streaks on breast. Juvenile female: very similar to adult female. Flight: light, bouncy flight is usually not direct and purposeful—often with “twitches” or hesitation. Light underwings and generally light body coloration. Males show a row of white dots (“string of pearls”) on the trailing edges of the underwings. Fans tail when hovering.

Geographic Variation Two subspecies occur in North America; widespread nominate sparverius is the typical migratory form. Subspecies paulus, from South Carolina to Florida, is smaller, the male with less barring on the back and fewer spots on its undersides, essentially nonmigratory.
Similar Species Merlin appears darker in flight due to dark underwings, shorter tail. When perched, looks darker, more heavy-bodied, lacks the 2 moustaches. Peregrine falcon is larger, has wider wings, shorter tail, single heavy moustache. Eurasian kestrel is slightly larger, has 1 moustache, wedge-shaped tail; males have blue-gray tail and reddish wings.
Voice Loud, ringing killy-killy-killy or klee-klee-klee used all year round. Distinctive.
Status and Distribution Common in open areas, it ranges throughout North America, including much of Canada and into Alaska. Breeding: a cavity nester, it uses dead trees, cliffs, occasionally a dirt bank, and even a hollow giant cactus in the Southwest. It will also use man-made nestboxes placed high on trees and telephone poles. Up to 5 or 6 young per brood, depending on food availability. Migration: northern breeders follow traditional fall migration routes to wintering ranges in the southern United States and northern Mexico. Eastern populations use the coastlines more than the inland corridors, and are not reluctant to cross water. Spring migrants are only concentrated along the Great Lakes watch-sites. Winter: the majority of birds winter in the southern United States, often spaced out on every other telephone pole in agricultural areas. A small percentage winter in snow-covered states, the numbers depending on food sources.
Population Overall, numbers are stable. However, increases in the central United States are being offset by declines in the Northeast and the West Coast (California and Oregon). Eastern populations are thought to be affected by loss of open habitat due to 2 factors; human development and agricultural abandonment leading to reforestation, with a subsequent increase in Cooper’s hawk predation.
—From the National Geographic book Complete Birds of North America, 2006

House Finch

House Finch

House Sparrow

House Sparrow

House Wren

House Wren

Inca Dove

Inca Dove

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

Killdeer

Killdeer

Lader-Backed Woodpecker

Lader-Backed Woodpecker

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Yellow-Billed Cuckoo

Yellow-Billed Cuckoo