#Backyard Birds

[ostdrossel]

I’m sadly starting the year with a cold 😒 I’m on bed rest, so I’m taking things easy. My only joy are cookies & waiting for more Christmas presents in the mail 😜 Be well, dear followers ❤️ Here’s my top 9 from Insta, reflecting 2024 pretty well. Happy to be alive and here but also nervous about 2025…

[proton-wobbler]

Great Backyard Bird Off - US Finals

Bird Info

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

found across North America, north of almost all of the southern border states.

they look very similar to a Southeast US species called the Carolina Chickadee. While they are known to hybridize and share an overlap in range in a few Midwest states, these chickadees often stick to their own species.

Chickadees are named for their call, "chika-dee-dee-dee". It's theorized that the length of the call represents how dangerous a predator the chickadee is responding to. More "dees" means a more dangerous predator. (University of Washington)

The song of a Black-capped Chickadee is often described as "Cheese-bur-ger", with a high pitched upper note and two staccato lower notes.

To attract chickadees to your backyard, put out black oil sunflower seeds. They aren't super picky, but these are always a favorite. Chickadees will also use properly sized nest boxes.

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

found all across North America, from the lower Canadian Providences down to Panama. Even found occasionally in Europe!

named for their low, mournful "whoo-OO-whoo whoo-whoo" song.

when grabbed, many birds drop a handful of feathers, or even their tail to help them escape a predator. Doves will drop nearly a full handful of their body feathers, making them incredibly hard for some predators to grab.

To attract doves to your backyard, spread any seeds along the ground, especially millet. While they don't use nest boxes, doves will build nests on platforms which seem safe and enclosed- though of course they are well known for placing a nest just about anywhere they think looks nice.

For more information on these species, please check out their pages on All About Birds:

Black-capped Chickadee

Mourning Dove

If you want to attract birds to your yard, planting bird and bug friendly shrubs and flowers helps. Also check out Project FeederWatch for specific information about common backyard species (US only). Feeding backyard birds can be an easy and enjoyable way to engage with nature, but be sure to keep bird safety as your top priority!

[brushfeather]

Gift for my grandmother. ❤️ Little felted Baltimore Oriole.

[kateammann]

Backyard birdies!! :D

[scottpartridge]

Trio of popular backyard birds - chickadee blue jay cardinal 

[peregrinefalconlady-art]

A lil compilation of photos of the semi-leucistic/piebald mourning dove who has been visiting my backyard!

First two images are from this morning 💕

[maureen2musings]

Cardinal on a snowy Spruce

whisperingmysticforest

[introvertedswimmer]

Red-winged Blackbird

[gleafer]

Narrator: His milkshake did, in fact, bring Aziraphale to the yard.

Watched a documentary about birds and their adorable mating dances. Which, OF COURSE, lead me to sketch this.

[oliviarosaline]

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Male

Shining in all his glory.

March 17th, 2024

Jefferson County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

[ostdrossel]

Oh my goodness, the woodpecker 😆 (other two are Oriole and female Grosbeak)

[t4t4ever]

Omgggg it’s so hard to pick I love both those babies, super common in KY

Great Backyard Bird Off - US Finals

Bird Info

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

found across North America, north of almost all of the southern border states.

they look very similar to a Southeast US species called the Carolina Chickadee. While they are known to hybridize and share an overlap in range in a few Midwest states, these chickadees often stick to their own species.

Chickadees are named for their call, "chika-dee-dee-dee". It's theorized that the length of the call represents how dangerous a predator the chickadee is responding to. More "dees" means a more dangerous predator. (University of Washington)

The song of a Black-capped Chickadee is often described as "Cheese-bur-ger", with a high pitched upper note and two staccato lower notes.

To attract chickadees to your backyard, put out black oil sunflower seeds. They aren't super picky, but these are always a favorite. Chickadees will also use properly sized nest boxes.

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

found all across North America, from the lower Canadian Providences down to Panama. Even found occasionally in Europe!

named for their low, mournful "whoo-OO-whoo whoo-whoo" song.

when grabbed, many birds drop a handful of feathers, or even their tail to help them escape a predator. Doves will drop nearly a full handful of their body feathers, making them incredibly hard for some predators to grab.

To attract doves to your backyard, spread any seeds along the ground, especially millet. While they don't use nest boxes, doves will build nests on platforms which seem safe and enclosed- though of course they are well known for placing a nest just about anywhere they think looks nice.

For more information on these species, please check out their pages on All About Birds:

Black-capped Chickadee

Mourning Dove

If you want to attract birds to your yard, planting bird and bug friendly shrubs and flowers helps. Also check out Project FeederWatch for specific information about common backyard species (US only). Feeding backyard birds can be an easy and enjoyable way to engage with nature, but be sure to keep bird safety as your top priority!

[tilbugs]

nuthatch goes in for suet

feb 19, 2024

nebraska, US

[geopsych]

Father cardinal feeding two babies.

[moer-koffie]

2023.05.26 Africa Red-eyed Bulbul munching a kapok tree’s flower

[thiscountry]

Your time to shine