Goldfinches and Finch Food!
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Red Rock Lakes Total Species: National Wildlife Refuge for Birds Seen Not on This List Please Contact the Refuge with Species, Location, Time, and Date
Observer: Address: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Weather: Date: Time: Red Rock Lakes Total Species: National Wildlife Refuge For birds seen not on this list please contact the refuge with species, location, time, and date. Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Birding Guide 27650B South Valley Road Lima, MT 59739 Red Rock Lakes National [email protected] email Wildlife Refuge and the http://www.fws.gov/redrocks/ 406-276-3536 Centennial Valley, Montana 406-276-3538 fax For Hearing impaired TTY/Voice: 711 State transfer relay service (TRS) U.S Fish & Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov/ For Refuge Information 1-800-344-WILD(9453) July 2013 The following birds have been observed in the Centennial Valley and are Red Rock Lakes considered rare or accidental. These birds are either observed very infre- quently in highly restrictive habitat types or are out of their normal range. National Wildlife Refuge Artic Loon Black-bellied Plover Winter Wren Clark’s Grebe Snowy Plover Northern Mockingbird Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is located in the scenic and iso- lated Centennial Valley of southwestern Montana, approximately 40 miles Great Egret Red-necked Phalarope Red-eyed Vireo west of Yellowstone National Park. The refuge has a vast array of habitat, Mute Swan American Woodcock Yellow-breasted Chat ranging from high elevation wetland and prairie at 6,600 feet, to the harsh alpine habitat of the Centennial Mountains at 9,400 feet above sea level. It Black Swan Pectoral Sandpiper Common Grackle is this diverse, marsh-prairie-sagebrush-montane environment that gives Ross’ Goose Dunlin Northern Oriole Red Rock Lakes its unique character. -
Mt. Tabor Park Breeding Bird Survey Results 2009
The Mount Tabor Invasive Plant Control and Revegetation Project and its affects on birds INTRODUCTION In order to reestablish a healthier native forest environment and improve the health of the watershed, a multi-year project is underway at Mt. Tabor Park to remove invasive plants. Actual removal of non-native species, the planting of native species, and other tasks began in September 2010. So as to monitor how these changes would affect the native bird species on Mt. Tabor, breeding bird and area search surveys were begun in 2009. BES created the protocol for the point counts. Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc. set up 24 avian point count stations and conducted the initial year of surveys. Station 10 was later deemed unsuitable and data was not collected at this location. During years two and three Audubon Society of Portland conducted the surveys (2010 and 2011). Due to the large number of point count stations that had to be surveyed between dawn and midmorning, each survey was conducted over a two-day span. Full surveys were conducted three times per year during the breeding season (May 15-June 31). The following results were based on birds recorded within 50 meters of each Point Count Station. The BES Watershed Revegetation group designated 14 different units to be treated. Revegetation Unit Map: BES 3.14.12 Page 1 Point Count Station Location Map: The above map was created by Herrera and shows where the point count stations are located. Point Count Stations are fairly evenly dispersed around Mt. Tabor in a variety of habitats. -
1 Sexual Selection in the American Goldfinch
Sexual Selection in the American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis): Context-Dependent Variation in Female Preference Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Donella S. Bolen, M.S. Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology The Ohio State University 2019 Dissertation Committee: Ian M. Hamilton, Advisor J. Andrew Roberts, Advisor Jacqueline Augustine 1 Copyrighted by Donella S. Bolen 2019 2 Abstract Females can vary in their mate choice decisions and this variability can play a key role in evolution by sexual selection. Variability in female preferences can affect the intensity and direction of selection on male sexual traits, as well as explain variation in male reproductive success. I looked at how consistency of female preference can vary for a male sexual trait, song length, and then examined context-dependent situations that may contribute to variation in female preferences. In Chapter 2, I assessed repeatability – a measure of among-individual variation – in preference for male song length in female American goldfinches (Spinus tristis). I found no repeatability in preference for song length but did find an overall preference for shorter songs. I suggest that context, including the social environment, may be important in altering the expression of female preferences. In Chapter 3, I assessed how the choices of other females influence female preference. Mate choice copying, in which female preference for a male increases if he has been observed with other females, has been observed in several non-monogamous birds. However, it is unclear whether mate choice copying occurs in socially monogamous species where there are direct benefits from choosing an unmated male. -
American Goldfinch American Goldfinch Appearance Fairly Small, Slim, Somewhat Small-Headed Bird with a Fairly Long Notched Tail, and Short Conical Bill
American Goldfinch American Goldfinch Appearance Fairly small, slim, somewhat small-headed bird with a fairly long notched tail, and short conical bill. Sexually dimorphic. Male Female Pale pinkish-orange bill. Pale pinkish-orange bill. Black cap, bright yellow body with white undertail coverts; Greenish-yellow crown; bright yellow underparts with white undertail covers; dusky two white wing-bars on black wings. olive/yellow upper parts; two white wing-bars on black wings. Photos: Jackie Tilles (left), Omaksimenko (right) DuPage Birding Club, 2020 2 American Goldfinch Appearance Fairly small, slim, somewhat small-headed bird with a fairly long notched tail and short conical bill. Sexually dimorphic. Female (left) and male (right) Photo: Mike Hamilton DuPage Birding Club, 2020 3 American Goldfinch Appearance Immatures are olive/brown above, pale yellow below, shading to buff on sides and flanks; throat of males progressively brighter yellow with age. Flight feathers dark blackish-brown, males darker than females; wing-bars and feather tips buffy. Immature American Goldfinch Immature American Goldfinch Photos: Mike Hamilton DuPage Birding Club, 2020 4 American Goldfinch Sounds From The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/ SONGS Males sing a long and variable series of twitters and warbles that can be several seconds long. The notes and phrases are variable and repeated in a seemingly random order. Birds continue to learn song patterns throughout life. CALLS The American Goldfinch’s most common call is its contact call, often given in flight. It sounds like the bird is quietly saying po-ta-to-chip or per- chik’-o-ree with a very even cadence. -
L O U I S I a N A
L O U I S I A N A SPARROWS L O U I S I A N A SPARROWS Written by Bill Fontenot and Richard DeMay Photography by Greg Lavaty and Richard DeMay Designed and Illustrated by Diane K. Baker What is a Sparrow? Generally, sparrows are characterized as New World sparrows belong to the bird small, gray or brown-streaked, conical-billed family Emberizidae. Here in North America, birds that live on or near the ground. The sparrows are divided into 13 genera, which also cryptic blend of gray, white, black, and brown includes the towhees (genus Pipilo), longspurs hues which comprise a typical sparrow’s color (genus Calcarius), juncos (genus Junco), and pattern is the result of tens of thousands of Lark Bunting (genus Calamospiza) – all of sparrow generations living in grassland and which are technically sparrows. Emberizidae is brushland habitats. The triangular or cone- a large family, containing well over 300 species shaped bills inherent to most all sparrow species are perfectly adapted for a life of granivory – of crushing and husking seeds. “Of Louisiana’s 33 recorded sparrows, Sparrows possess well-developed claws on their toes, the evolutionary result of so much time spent on the ground, scratching for seeds only seven species breed here...” through leaf litter and other duff. Additionally, worldwide, 50 of which occur in the United most species incorporate a substantial amount States on a regular basis, and 33 of which have of insect, spider, snail, and other invertebrate been recorded for Louisiana. food items into their diets, especially during Of Louisiana’s 33 recorded sparrows, Opposite page: Bachman Sparrow the spring and summer months. -
Phylogeography of Finches and Sparrows
In: Animal Genetics ISBN: 978-1-60741-844-3 Editor: Leopold J. Rechi © 2009 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Chapter 1 PHYLOGEOGRAPHY OF FINCHES AND SPARROWS Antonio Arnaiz-Villena*, Pablo Gomez-Prieto and Valentin Ruiz-del-Valle Department of Immunology, University Complutense, The Madrid Regional Blood Center, Madrid, Spain. ABSTRACT Fringillidae finches form a subfamily of songbirds (Passeriformes), which are presently distributed around the world. This subfamily includes canaries, goldfinches, greenfinches, rosefinches, and grosbeaks, among others. Molecular phylogenies obtained with mitochondrial DNA sequences show that these groups of finches are put together, but with some polytomies that have apparently evolved or radiated in parallel. The time of appearance on Earth of all studied groups is suggested to start after Middle Miocene Epoch, around 10 million years ago. Greenfinches (genus Carduelis) may have originated at Eurasian desert margins coming from Rhodopechys obsoleta (dessert finch) or an extinct pale plumage ancestor; it later acquired green plumage suitable for the greenfinch ecological niche, i.e.: woods. Multicolored Eurasian goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) has a genetic extant ancestor, the green-feathered Carduelis citrinella (citril finch); this was thought to be a canary on phonotypical bases, but it is now included within goldfinches by our molecular genetics phylograms. Speciation events between citril finch and Eurasian goldfinch are related with the Mediterranean Messinian salinity crisis (5 million years ago). Linurgus olivaceus (oriole finch) is presently thriving in Equatorial Africa and was included in a separate genus (Linurgus) by itself on phenotypical bases. Our phylograms demonstrate that it is and old canary. Proposed genus Acanthis does not exist. Twite and linnet form a separate radiation from redpolls. -
First Records of the Common Chaffinch Fringilla Coelebs and European Greenfinch Carduelis Chloris from Lord Howe Island
83 AUSTRALIAN FIELD ORNITHOLOGY 2004, 2I , 83- 85 First Records of the Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs and European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris from Lord Howe Island GLENN FRASER 34 George Street, Horsham, Victoria 3400 Summary Details are given of the first records of two species of finch from Lord Howe Island: the Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs and the European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris. These records, from the early 1980s, have been quoted in several papers without the details hav ing been published. My Common Chaffinch records are the first for the species in Australian territory. Details of my records and of other published records of other European finch es on Lord Howe Island are listed, and speculation is made on the origin of these finches. Introduction This paper gives details of the first records of the Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs and the European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris for Lord Howe Island. The Common Chaffinch records are the first for any Australian territory and although often quoted (e.g. Boles 1988, Hutton 1991, Christidis & Boles 1994), the details have not yet been published. Other finches, the European Goldfinch C. carduelis and Common Redpoll C. fiammea, both rarely reported from Lord Howe Island, were also recorded at about the same time. Lord Howe Island (31 °32'S, 159°06'E) lies c. 800 km north-east of Sydney, N.S.W. It is 600 km from the nearest landfall in New South Wales, and 1200 km from New Zealand. Lord Howe Island is small (only 11 km long x 2.8 km wide) and dominated by two mountains, Mount Lidgbird and Mount Gower, the latter rising to 866 m above sea level. -
Winter Bird Highlights 2013
FROM PROJECT FEEDERWAtch 2012–13 Focus on citizen science • Volume 9 Winter BirdHighlights Winter npredictability is one constant as each winter Focus on Citizen Science is a publication highlight- ing the contributions of citizen scientists. This is- brings surprises to our feeders. The 2012–13 sue, Winter Bird Highlights 2013, is brought to you by Project FeederWatch, a research and education proj- season broke many regional records with sis- ect of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies U Canada. Project FeederWatch is made possible by the kins and nuthatches moving south in record numbers efforts and support of thousands of citizen scientists. to tantalize FeederWatchers across much of the con- Project FeederWatch Staff tinent. This remarkable year also brought a record- David Bonter breaking number of FeederWatchers, with more than Project Leader, USA Janis Dickinson 20,000 participants in the US and Canada combined! Director of Citizen Science, USA Kristine Dobney Whether you’ve been FeederWatching for 26 years or Project Assistant, Canada Wesley Hochachka this is your first season counting, the usual suspects— Senior Research Associate, USA chickadees, juncos, and woodpeckers—always bring Anne Marie Johnson Project Assistant, USA familiarity and enjoyment, as well as valuable data, Rosie Kirton Project Support, Canada even if you don’t observe anything unusual. Whichever Denis Lepage birds arrive at your feeder, we hope they will bring a Senior Scientist, Canada Susan E. Newman sense of wonder that captures your attention. Thanks Project Assistant, USA for sharing your observations and insights with us and, Kerrie Wilcox Project Leader, Canada most importantly, Happy FeederWatching. -
The Relationships of the Hawaiian Honeycreepers (Drepaninini) As Indicated by Dna-Dna Hybridization
THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE HAWAIIAN HONEYCREEPERS (DREPANININI) AS INDICATED BY DNA-DNA HYBRIDIZATION CH^RrES G. SIBLEY AND Jo• E. AHLQUIST Departmentof Biologyand PeabodyMuseum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511 USA ABSTRACT.--Twenty-twospecies of Hawaiian honeycreepers(Fringillidae: Carduelinae: Drepaninini) are known. Their relationshipsto other groups of passefineswere examined by comparing the single-copyDNA sequencesof the Apapane (Himationesanguinea) with those of 5 speciesof carduelinefinches, 1 speciesof Fringilla, 15 speciesof New World nine- primaried oscines(Cardinalini, Emberizini, Thraupini, Parulini, Icterini), and members of 6 other families of oscines(Turdidae, Monarchidae, Dicaeidae, Sylviidae, Vireonidae, Cor- vidae). The DNA-DNA hybridization data support other evidence indicating that the Hawaiian honeycreepersshared a more recent common ancestorwith the cardue!ine finches than with any of the other groupsstudied and indicate that this divergenceoccurred in the mid-Miocene, 15-20 million yr ago. The colonizationof the Hawaiian Islandsby the ancestralspecies that radiated to produce the Hawaiian honeycreeperscould have occurredat any time between 20 and 5 million yr ago. Becausethe honeycreeperscaptured so many ecologicalniches, however, it seemslikely that their ancestor was the first passefine to become established in the islands and that it arrived there at the time of, or soon after, its separationfrom the carduelinelineage. If so, this colonist arrived before the present islands from Hawaii to French Frigate Shoal were formed by the volcanic"hot-spot" now under the island of Hawaii. Therefore,the ancestral drepaninine may have colonizedone or more of the older Hawaiian Islandsand/or Emperor Seamounts,which also were formed over the "hot-spot" and which reachedtheir present positions as the result of tectonic crustal movement. -
Birds of Summer SUMMER 2018 the Best of Warm Weather Bird Feeding in Your Backyard!
Bluebirds and hummers and goldfinches, oh my! ® SUMMER 2018 Birds of Summer The best of warm weather bird feeding in your backyard! eeding birds in the summer seems counterintuitive. will be looking for nectar during the warmer months. The weather is warm, snow is months away, and With no sense of smell, they rely on bright colors to spot birds have ready access to the insects, worms, and possible food sources. Planting flowers is a great way Fgrubs teeming just below the surface of your backyard. to lure them, and hanging a few hummingbird feeders So why flll your feeders in the summertime? filled with sweet nectar will encourage them to stay. Summer Supplementing natural food sources for birds has Goldfinches are another easily spotted bird during the many benefits for the birds and for you. Filling feeders summer, and can be found in most every state. Of the with seed will not cause birds to rely on you for a pri- three species, the American Goldfinch is the most com- Birds! mary food source. In fact, most birds receive less than a mon, and one of the easiest to identify. Adult males are quarter of their diet from feeder offerings. But during the vivid yellow with black caps and black wings adorned The summer season brings the brilliant colors of migratory season, birds will appreciate an extra helping with white markings. Lesser Goldfinches, adorned with From your neighborhood Wild Bird Center Bird Wild neighborhood your From Goldfinches, Bluebirds and Hummingbirds of seed from your feeders, especially in the months more muted, softer hues, live in the western states, and • when seed remains scarce. -
Immunogenetics and Resistance to Avian Malaria in Hawaiian Honeycreepers (Drepanidinae)
Studies in Avian Biology No. 22:254-263, 2001. IMMUNOGENETICS AND RESISTANCE TO AVIAN MALARIA IN HAWAIIAN HONEYCREEPERS (DREPANIDINAE) SUSAN I. JARVI, CARTER T. ATKINSON, AND ROBERT C. FLEISCHER Abstract. Although a number of factors have contributed to the decline and extinction of Hawai‘i’s endemic terrestrial avifauna, introduced avian malaria (Plasmodium relicturn)is probably the single most important factor preventing recovery of these birds in low-elevation habitats. Continued decline in numbers, fragmentation of populations, and extinction of species that are still relatively common will likely continue without new, aggressive approaches to managing avian disease. Methods of in- tervention in the disease cycle such as chemotherapy and vaccine development are not feasible because of efficient immune-evasion strategies evolved by the parasite, technical difficulties associated with treating wild avian populations, and increased risk of selection for more virulent strains of the parasite. We are investigating the natural evolution of disease resistance in some low-elevation native bird populations, particularly Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi (Hemignathus virens), to perfect genetic methods for iden- tifying individuals with a greater immunological capacity to survive malarial infection. We are focusing on genetic analyses of the major histocompatibility complex, due to its critical role in both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. In the parasite, we are evaluating conserved ribosomal genes as well as variable genes encoding cell-surface molecules as a first step in developing a better under- standing of the complex interactions between malarial parasites and the avian immune system. A goal is to provide population managers with new criteria for maintaining long-term population stability for threatened species through the development of methods for evaluating and maintaining genetic diver- sity in small populations at loci important in immunological responsiveness to pathogens. -
Winter Bird Highlights 2015, Is Brought to You by U.S
Winter Bird Highlights FROM PROJECT FEEDERWATCH 2014–15 FOCUS ON CITIZEN SCIENCE • VOLUME 11 Focus on Citizen Science is a publication highlight- FeederWatch welcomes new ing the contributions of citizen scientists. This is- sue, Winter Bird Highlights 2015, is brought to you by U.S. project assistant Project FeederWatch, a research and education proj- ect of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. Project FeederWatch is made possible by the e are pleased to have a new efforts and support of thousands of citizen scientists. Wteam member on board! Meet Chelsea Benson, a new as- Project FeederWatch Staff sistant for Project FeederWatch. Chelsea will also be assisting with Cornell Lab of Ornithology NestWatch, another Cornell Lab Janis Dickinson citizen-science project. She will Director of Citizen Science be responding to your emails and Emma Greig phone calls and helping to keep Project Leader and Editor the website and social media pages Anne Marie Johnson Project Assistant up-to-date. Chelsea comes to us with a back- Chelsea Benson Project Assistant ground in environmental educa- Wesley Hochachka tion and conservation. She has worked with schools, community Senior Research Associate organizations, and local governments in her previous positions. Diane Tessaglia-Hymes She incorporated citizen science into her programming and into Design Director regional events like Day in the Life of the Hudson River. Chelsea holds a dual B.A. in psychology and English from Bird Studies Canada Allegheny College and an M.A. in Social Science, Environment Kerrie Wilcox and Community, from Humboldt State University. Project Leader We are excited that Chelsea has brought her energy and en- Rosie Kirton thusiasm to the Cornell Lab, where she will no doubt mobilize Project Support even more people to monitor bird feeders (and bird nests) for Kristine Dobney Project Assistant science.