June 2006 BirdNote Episodes:

Tiniest Bird on Continent

The tiniest bird in North America is the Calliope Hummingbird—a 3¼-inch jewel, weighing in at just a tenth of an ounce. These birds migrate north each spring from Western Mexico, to nest in dry, open forests and brushy areas, mostly east of the Cascades. From its perch, a male Calliope Hummingbird surveys its territory. This exquisite bird was named for the Greek muse of epic poetry, and it's the smallest long-distance avian migrant in the world. Learn more at BirdWeb. To see this bird in flight, click here.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo Disappears

Yellow-billed Cuckoos were common breeding birds in the Pacific Northwest as late as the 1920s, but then they disappeared. Ornithologists are puzzled by their disappearance, because there’s still suitable habitat for them in the riparian woodlands of Washington State. Sometimes called “rain crows,” cuckoos have a condensed breeding cycle, and the timing of their breeding is correlated with the availability of food. To learn more about this shy songster, visit BirdWeb.

Steller's Jay--The Mimic

Steller’s Jays, close cousins to crows and ravens, may mimic the calls of raptors, in order to secure the food they want. Since the eagle is top predator within the bird world, the jay’s most powerful weapon is to mimic the call of the Bald Eagle. Learn more.

Black-headed Grosbeak Sings!

The song of the Black-headed Grosbeak rings out from May well into summer, one of the most distinctive bird voices of the West. Some people say it sounds like a drunken robin, slurring its notes in syncopated time. Learn more.

Wood Ducks Succeed

Your eye may be drawn to the gorgeous male Wood Duck, but it is the call of the modestly plumaged female you’ll hear. This call tells the male where his mate is, important as the pair stays together through much of the winter and spring. Wood Ducks are among a small number of North American waterfowl that nest in cavities, and many of them nest in boxes we provide for them. Learn more here.

Migration - We Correct an Error

In a recent episode about migration, we talked about the reasons many birds migrate at night. Fewer songbird predators are out at night, making for safer flight. The migrating birds use daylight hours to stop and feed along the way, or rest in protected spots. But then, we went astray. Learn more.

Internet Marketing by Portent Interactive