PTs SEASON FEED HABITAT Record Your Feeder o Northern 80 Cracked corn, mixed seed Field, Woodland Bobwhite edge BIRD PTs SEASON FEED HABITAT o Northern Cardinal 20 Mixed seed, insects, fruit Forest, edge, o 60 Cracked corn Open, forest, Farmland, urban Farmland, urban LOUISVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION o Northern Flicker 60 Insects, sunflower seed, Forest, open o America 20 Thistle seed, Open, Suet Goldfinch oil sunflower Edge o Northern 60 Suet, fruit, insects Edge, open, urban o American 60 Mixed seed Open, edge Mockingbird Tree Sparrow GUIDE TO o 100 Fruit, suet, nuts, nectar Open, edge, o 100 Fruit, suet, Forest, woodland nuts, nectar open, edge o Pileated 100 Sunflower seed, suet, Forest o Black-capped 100 Oil sunflower, Forest, Woodpecker insects Chickadee mixed seed edge o Pine Siskin 60 Oil sunflower, thistle Edge, open o Blue Grosbeak 100 Oil sunflower, mixed seed Open, edge o Pine Warbler 100 Suet, oil sunflower, fruit, Coniferous forest o 20 Mixed seed, nuts, fruit Open, forest mixed seed o Brewer’s 100 Mixed seed Shortgrass field, o Purple Finch 40 Oil sunflower, thistle Forest, open Blackbird farmland o Red Crossbill 100 Mixed seed, thistle Coniferous forest, o Brown Creeper 100 Suet Forest, edge open o Brown Thrasher 80 Mixed seed, suet Woodland edge o Red-bellied 20 Mixed seed, insects, Forest, edge, urban Woodpecker suet Feeder Birds o Brown-headed 40 Mixed seed Open, Field, Cowbird farmland, urban o Red-breasted 60 Oil sunflower, insects, suet Coniferous forest o Canada Goose 100 Cracked corn Water, field Nuthatch Red-headed 80 Sunflower seed, suet, Forest, open o Carolina 20 Oil sunflower, Forest, edge o Chickadee mixed seed Woodpecker insects Red-winged 40 Mixed seed, insects Marsh, open o 20 Insects, mixed seed, Forest, edge o fruit, suet Blackbird Rock Dove 60 Mixed seed, cracked corn Farmland, open, o Chipping 40 Mixed seed Woodland, open, o Sparrow urban urban of 40 Mixed seed, fruit Field, forest, o Rose-breasted 60 Sunflower seed, insects, Open, forest o Grosbeak fruit farmland Ruby-crowned 100 Suet, fruit, insects, Forest Edge o Common Redpoll 100 Mixed seed, thistle Edge o Kinglet o Dark-eyed Junco 20 Mixed seed, cracked corn Woodland edge o Ruby-throated 40 Nectar Open, forest, o Dickcissel 80 Mixed seed Field urban o Downy 40 Oil sunflower, suet, Forest, edge o Rufous 100 Nectar Open, forest, Woodpecker insects Hummingbird urban o Eastern Bluebird 100 Fruit, insects Edge, open Rusty Blackbird 60 Cracked corn, mixed seed Woodland edge, Kentucky o urban o Eastern 80 Mixed seed, insects Field Meadowlark o Savannah Sparrow 80 Mixed seed Field, marsh o Eastern Towhee 40 Mixed seed, fruit, Edge, forest o Snow Bunting 100 Mixed seed Farmland Insects o Song Sparrow 40 Mixed seed, insects Woodland edge, o Eurasian Collared 100 Mixed seed, cracked corn Farmland, urban urban Dove o Summer Tanager 80 Suet, insects, fruit Forest edge European Starling 40 Mixed seed, suet, Open, Field, urban o Swamp Sparrow 100 Mixed seed Field, marsh insects, bread o Tufted Titmouse 20 Oil sunflower, nuts, insects Forest, open, edge, Evening Grosbeak 80 Sunflower seed, fruit, Edge, open o o urban insects o Vesper Sparrow 100 Mixed seed Field, farmland o Field Sparrow 60 Mixed seed Field, edge White-breasted 20 Sunflower seed, suet, Forest, open Fox Sparrow 60 Mixed seed, insects Edge o o Nuthatch insects Golden-crowned 100 Suet, fruit, insects Coniferous forest o White-crowned 40 Mixed seed, insects, fruit Field, open, edge Kinglet edge o Sparrow Hairy 60 Sunflower seed, suet, Forest o White-throated 20 Mixed seed, insects, fruit Open, forest Woodpecker insects o Sparrow Horned Lark 100 Mixed seed, insects Farmland, o White-winged 100 Mixed seed, thistle Coniferous forest, shortgrass field o Crossbill open House Finch 20 Oil sunflower, thistle seed Field, open o o Wild Turkey 80 Cracked corn Forest, open, edge House Sparrow 40 Mixed seed, fruit, Urban, farmland o Yellow-bellied 80 Suet Forest, open insects, bread o Sapsucker Indigo Bunting 40 Mixed seed, insects, fruit Open, edge, forest o o Yellow-rumped 100 Insects, suet Forest, edge o Lincoln’s Sparrow 100 Mixed seed Field, edge Warbler Common Names • Latin Scientific Names • Descriptions • Habitats • Accidentals • Predators o Mallard Duck 100 Cracked corn Water SEASON o Mourning Dove 20 Mixed seed, cracked corn Farmland, urban Year-Round Summer Winter Spring-Fall Fall/WInter Canada Goose American Goldfinch American Kestrel Predator Branta canadensis 100 Carduelis tristis summer 20 Falco sparverius 45” 5” 9-12” Feeder Birds of Kentucky Canada Geese have had a dramatic increase This bird, often referred to as the summer Because a field guide listing every bird in in Kentucky after once being quite “wild canary,” flocks at tube feeders, uncommon as a breeding resident. feeder trays or on the ground with might be overwhelming, this booklet is designed to help If you feed birds near a lake or pond, other finches. Some people don’t easily identify seasonal birds likely to show up at Kentucky Canada Geese will gladly accept the realize that these bright-yellow birds bird feeders. handout. They will feed on all seed of summer molt into drab olive-yellow but are especially fond of cracked corn. feeder birds in the winter. As spring Over 360 of birds are reported in Kentucky; of those, The sexes are similar. approaches, the male gradually 71 are considered visitors to feeding stations. Birds that don’t returns to his breeding plumage. frequent feeders, such as robins, are not included here. They are often seen by roadsides, winter in parks and suburbs. FEEDING STATIONS winter Creating attractive bird feeders can enhance the beauty of Predator Sharp-shinned Hawk your yard or garden, but feeding birds does not have to break Accipiter striatus the bank. In fact, feeding birds can be as easy as scattering 10-14” seed on the ground. Tree stumps, rocks, or platforms on chest-high poles can serve as fine feeding stations. Mallard Duck Evening Grosbeak Many species, fearing predators, are uncomfortable feeding 100 Anas platyrhynchos 80 Coccothraustes vespertinus in the open. Brushy habitats and water sources will increase 24” 8” the number of birds visiting your feeding area. Water can Mallards are one of the ducks that will visit a These large finches of the north appear in the state be provided by simply filling a flowerpot saucer or inverted feeder near water. They are especially fond during winter invasion years. The last invasions of cracked corn, but like chopped greens were during the late 1970s and garbage can lid. Water sources should be shallow with low as well. Domestic ducks and crosses early 1980s. In those years, they were rims, to prevent drowning, and they should be cleaned often between Mallards and domestic fairly numerous at feeders; since then to prevent disease. ducks may also visit they have been scarce. They are these feeders. attracted to feeders with MORE INFORMATION They are year- sunflower seed and may Predator roundresidents. be found along woodland Cooper’s Hawk If you need help identifying a bird, the naturalists at Jefferson edges and in urban areas. Accipiter cooperii Memorial Forest will be glad to help you. 14-20” 502/368-5404 • memorialforest.com • [email protected] ADDITIONAL COPIES This guide is available for download online at louisvilleky.gov/ sites/default/files/parks/new_bird_book_2018.pdf. Wild Turkey House Sparrow Meleagris gallopavo 80 Passer domesticus 40 KEY 37”-46” 6” summer The Wild Turkey may be attracted to cracked House Sparrows are native to Europe and were Each bird’s habitats, seasons, food preferences and corn scattered near a woodland edge where introduced here in the 1800s. They are not length in inches are included, plus interesting facts. they reside. Due to reintroduction projects, closely related to our native sparrows Predator Loggerhead Shrike wild turkeys have made a dramatic recovery adults but belong to the Old World Weaver Lanius ludovicianus in our state where they were nearly extirpat- Finch family. Compared to native YEAR-ROUND RESIDENT 9” ed a century ago. Females are smaller and sparrows they are bulkier, have WINTER RESIDENT; duller with a grayish-brown head. thicker bills, shorter legs and

MAY MIGRATE IN SPRING OR FALL don’t sing but chirp and chatter. House Sparrows feed on seeds, SUMMER BREEDER; breadcrumbs, and grain, and

MAY EXTEND INTO SPRING OR FALL will snatch a french fry near a winter fast-food restaurant or eat PRIMARILY MIGRANT; a bug off a car grill. PRESENT SPRING THROUGH FALL

PRIMARILY MIGRANT; summer PRESENT FALL AND WINTER

male • female Northern Bobwhite ACCIDENTAL BIRDS VARIETY NATURAL HABITAT RECORDED 80 Colinus virginianus POINT SYSTEM VARIETY NATURAL HABITAT RECORDED Clay-colored Western A few 10” Sparrow United States winter records Depending on its frequency at Kentucky’s feeding To most Kentuckians, Bobwhites are known as Green Western Kentucky Quail. If you are lucky, you might find these birds, Violet Ear in summer Harris’s Midwestern Several stations, each bird in this guide has been assigned possibly in small flocks, strolling across your yard from 20 to 100 points. The most common species feeding on grass seed. These birds mostly stay well Sparrow United States records Black-chinned Western Western Kentucky are worth 20 points, the rarest 100. So if you spot a hidden in thickets along woodland edges and fields. Hummingbird United States Oregon and Western United States, Several “100”, congratulations! Pink Sided Juncos subspecies winter records Brown-headed Northern Eastern Kentucky You can use these points for a friendly competition Lesser Southwest Elizabethtown Nuthatch United States in winter using the sheet on the back of this booklet. Goldfinch United States in winter Black-headed Western Louisville Eurasian St. Louis, Paducah Grosbeak United States in winter ©2018 Louisville Parks and Recreation Tree Sparrow introduced Illustrations by Richard David Healy, Jr. • Text by J. Bryan Lewis and Richard David Healy, Jr. Green-tailed Western Central City Orange Regular migrant Louisville Greg Fischer, Mayor Louisville Metro Council Towhee United States in winter Crowned Warbler in Kentucky in winter Orchard Oriole Red Crossbill Rock Dove Rufous Hummingbird Icterus spurious 100 Loxia curvirostra 100 Columba livia 60 Selasphorus rufus 100 7” 6.25” 13” 3.66” Orchard Orioles are found in These northern finches are rare To most people, the Rock Dove is known This species is most likely to be noted more open habitat than their visitors to Kentucky, primarily as a Pigeon. This is an introduced species from after the Ruby-throated cousins, Baltimore Orioles. noted feeding on pine seeds Europe and is somewhat feral. Rock Doves have already departed for the winter. They are a bird of woodland in pine trees. They have been inhabit cities and farmland, and are The Rufous Hummingbird is a western edges, orchards and farmland, noted feeding on seed at feeders. often seen on silos. They feed species that rarely has been recorded arriving in mid-April and Both Crossbill species have on grain, breadcrumbs, and in Kentucky. A few seem to pass departing by September. immature modified beaks designed to cracked corn from the ground. through during migration to They are drawn to feeders extract seeds from cones. Rock Doves are found in . stocked with fruit, suet and They accomplish this by forcing many color variations, from nuts, but do not commonly the scales of the cone apart with dark gray to pure white with many come to feeders. Nectar the bill and lifting out the seed. grades and patterns in between. feeders have also had some success in attracting both immature Orchard and Baltimore Orioles.

first year

Baltimore Oriole White-winged Crossbill Mourning Dove Red-headed Woodpecker 100 Icterus galbula 100 Loxia leucoptera 20 Zenaida macroura 80 Melanerpes erythrocephalus 8” 6.5” 12” 9.5” first year This bird usually arrives in the state about the same This is a rare winter visitor to This is one of the most common birds noted This beautiful bird is fairly common in summer; time as the Orchard Oriole, though the Baltimore Kentucky, often noted feeding at feeders. Mourning Doves are often seen Numbers are fewer in winter. They are quite Oriole does stay a little longer into September. in sweetgum and conifers. feeding in yards, eating scattered seed. scarce at feeders; however, they will It tends to be most abundant during migration in They have also been noted They often form large flocks of up to 40 visit feeding stations to snatch a spring and fall and localized during breeding. at feeding stations and like birds or more. When doves are disturbed, sunflower seed or bit The Baltimore Oriole favors mature thistle seed. This species is closely they take flight with a whistling sound from of suet on rare occasions. woodlands, and feeds on fruit, suet related to the Red Crossbill their wing-beat. Both male and female are similar Red-headed Woodpeckers are and nuts. Only a few winter records and shares many of the but the female is slightly duller with a shorter tail. adult immature found in a variety of habitats at feeders have been made same habits and habitats, associated with old, dead trees. for this species. but the White-winged Crossbill tends to be more solitary.

immature

Purple Finch Common Redpoll Eurasian Collared Dove Red-bellied Woodpecker Carpodacus purpureus 40 Carduelis flammea 100 Streptopelia decaocto 100 Melanerpes carolinus 20 6” 5.25” 12” 9.5” Purple Finches are more common This northern finch appears first year This species was introduced into the Bahamas from Many who see this beautiful bird have mistakenly in wooded areas than their foreign relatives, irregularly during winter in Eurasia and has expanded its range northward. called it a “Red-headed” Woodpecker; however, House Finches, which prefer urban habitat. Kentucky. When they do visit, The first ones in this state were reported in “Red-capped” Woodpecker would be more Identification of males can be they form flocks with Pine Southern and Western Kentucky in 1999. appropriate. The name Red-bellied is due confusing. The Purple Finch is Siskins and Goldfinches. In time, this bird will probably be found to a small touch of red found on the belly bulkier and has a shorter tail; Redpolls will come to feeders throughout the state. This dove is about that is not always visible. This species can be the House Finch has less red near open brushy habitat the size of a Mourning Dove, but is a little seen feeding on suet and sunflower seeds. and has streaks on the sides. where they feed on bulkier and lacks the pointed tail. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are found in a House Finches breed in the small seed. They are found in small towns and variety of woodlands and suburban parks. state, while Purple Finches farmland where they feed on seeds. are winter visitors from the The sexes are similar. northern states. Occurrence is from October to May.

House Finch Pine Siskin Ruby-throated Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 20 Carpodacus mexicanus 60 Carduelis pinus 20 Hummingbird 80 Sphyrapicus varius 6” 5” Archilochus colubris 8.5” This newcomer to Kentucky was first reported in These tiny finches can be found in the company 3.66” Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are a northern species the state during the late 1970s. Native of Goldfinches on tube feeders. Pine Siskins This is the most likely species to visit your which visit our state as a fairly common transient to the western United States, many birds breed in northern coniferous forests hummingbird feeder in our state. Most records or less common winter resident. Occurrence were captured and sold illegally to pet and extend as far south have been made from late April into is from late September to April. Found along dealers on the East Coast in the 1940s. as Northern Kentucky. October. They occur in many habitats woodland edges, these birds may occasionally Released birds quickly took up residence They appear in the state during including suburban backyards. be seen on suet feeders. They are so named in the wild and have expanded their range west- winter and can be abundant Ruby-throated Hummingbirds because they drill horizontal rows of holes ward. They are found at many feeders during invasion years. are the only hummingbirds in sap-bearing trees, which they will with other finches and are especially fond In other years, they are to breed in Kentucky. regularly visit to take a sip. of thistle and sunflower seed. scarce. Occurrence is from October to April. immature

immature immature Downy Woodpecker Horned Lark Dark-eyed Junco Rusty Blackbird spring Picoides pubescens 40 Eremophila alpestris 100 Junco hyemalis oreganus 20 Euphagus carolinus 60 6.5” 7.5” 6” 8.75”-9 .25” These black and white woodpeckers, which This is our only true lark. They can be found Juncos are one of the most common The Rusty Blackbird might be are seen year-round, are not much larger in flocks in open country with little or winter birds, found along woodland mistaken for a small Common than the House Sparrow. Downy Woodpeckers no vegetation. Occasionally, they turn edges and suburbs alike. Juncos Grackle. They feed on grain are common at feeding stations where up at feeding stations where they will and other sparrows often form flocks cismantanus and other seeds on the ground. they are fond of suet and sunflower seed. feed on spilled seed on the ground. and feed on small seeds. They (breeds in These birds are about the size spring They are fairly tame woodpeckers and are also known as “Snow Birds” Kentucky) of a Red-winged Blackbird with are found in woodlands, often near because they appear in Kentucky a call similar to that of a Grackle. human dwellings, parks and farmland. immature in October and depart around Rusty Blackbirds are usually seen Note the similarities to the April. Juncos breed mainly in wooded swamps and urban areas Hairy Woodpecker. north of Kentucky carolinensis with other blackbirds. They are but they do breed hycmalis less frequent than other in the higher (typical common blackbirds. elevations of feeder junco) Harlan County. immature carolinensis fall

Hairy Woodpecker Blue Jay Snow Bunting Brewer’s Blackbird 60 Picoides villosus 20 Cyanocitta cristata 100 Plectrophenaz nivalis 100 Euphagus cyanocephalus 9.5” 11.5” 7” 8.75”-9 .25” This Woodpecker is nearly identical to the smaller When this noisy bird This rare winter visitor from the arctic appears This is a rare bird from western farmlands. Downy Woodpecker. The Hairy Woodpecker has appears at your feeder, in Kentucky in large flocks with Longspurs and It may be seen feeding on the ground and a larger, thicker bill and lacks a touch of black on it will often run other birds Horned Larks, usually when a great snowfall in the is more common in Southern and Western the outer white tail-feathers. The Hairy Woodpecker away. Jays enjoy sunflower north pushes them south. Snow Buntings, being Kentucky. Brewer’s Blackbird has a shorter, also is fond of suet and sunflower seeds. seed and cracked corn, often mostly white, are well camouflaged in snow. thicker bill compared to that of the more They occupy dense woodlands and tend feeding on tray feeders as They are found in open farmland common Rusty Blackbird, to be more shy than Downy Woodpeckers. well as from the ground. feeding on seed from for which it Jays can be found in winter the ground. is easily mistaken. woodland parks and Males have a suburban lawns. They glossy-green will also take advantage and purplish of unattended dog food. sheen to the The sexes are similar. head. Females have a dark eye and are brown.

Northern Flicker American Crow Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Colaptes auratus 60 Corvus brachyrhynchos 60 Agelius phoeniceus 40 Quiscalus quiscula 40 13” 18” 8”-8.75” 11”-12.5” Flickers are one of our largest woodpecker species Although Crows are one of the most abundant Red-winged Blackbirds are most commonly noted Associated with Red-wing Blackbirds and Cowbirds, and are our only woodpecker with a brown back. birds in the state, these shy birds do not normally at feeders during the warm months. Females are Grackles are more common in late winter. When in flight, the striking yellow undersides of appear at feeders. Being extremely wary, extremely uncommon at feeders. Red-winged They feed on mixed seed and corn, but will the wings and distinct white rump can be seen. Crows are quick to flight when they Blackbirds are usually ground feeders, consuming also eat unguarded dog food. Males have Flickers feed on suet and will come to feeder trays notice they are being watched mixed seed and cracked corn. During the an iridescent green and purple cast; females juvenile for sunflower seed. Often feeding from the ground, at a feeder. Crows feed on suet, breeding season they are found mainly are smaller and less iridescent. A Grackle’s call Flickers can be seen in woodlands, parks, open cracked corn, nuts, as well as trash in marshy areas, but during spring/summer sounds like an old, rusty swing-set. fields and farmland. and carrion. Crows can be found winter will form mixed Grackles are found in open habitats such as in almost every habitat, from towns flocks with Grackles, farmland, suburbs, and open woodlands. to open country and woods. Starlings and Cowbirds. The sexes are similar.

adult

Pileated Woodpecker Black-capped Chickadee Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird 100 Dryocopus pileatus 100 Poecile atricapilla 80 Sturnella magna 20 Molothrus ater 17” 5.25” 10” 7”-7.5” This is our largest woodpecker species and Black-capped Chickadees have a northern home Meadowlarks are not true larks, but belong Cowbirds often feed with Red-winged Blackbirds nearly the size of a Crow. These magnificent range and have only recently been confirmed in to the blackbird family. They are ground and Grackles on the ground, but will also feed birds usually stay in deep forest but occasion- Kentucky. Their northern range extends south feeders of grain and other seed. on tray feeders. They visit more frequently from late ally visit open areas with scattered trees. They along the Appalachians as far as Tennessee. They are found in winter to early spring. Cowbirds are brood parasites, are very shy but will come to feeding stations Black-capped Chickadees look very similar open country and laying their eggs in other birds’ nests. The cowbird for a sunflower seed or suet. to Carolina Chickadees, but are slightly larger, adult summer grasslands and are baby severely limits the number of true have a buff color on the sides, and immature quite common, offspring the host bird can raise a light patch on the wings. but seldom visit successfully. Cowbirds are found Black-capped Chickadees feeding stations. along woodland edges have a slurred call of and in urban areas. “chick-a-dur-dur-dur.” The sexes are similar. adult Vesper Sparrow Lincoln’s Sparrow Carolina Chickadee Brown Creeper Pooecetes gramineus 100 Melospiza lincolnii 100 Poecile carolinensis 20 Certhia americana 100 6” 5.75” 4.75” 5.25” The Vesper Sparrow has been noted throughout Resembling a small Song Sparrow with Carolina Chickadees are found in forested and This small brown bird with a white belly and the year in Kentucky, but is most likely to show up buff-colored breast and fine chest semi-open habitat where you can hear them calling a narrow curved bill is primarily a winter visitor at feeders during spring and fall migration periods. streaks, Lincoln’s Sparrow may “chick-a-dee-dee-dee.” They are closely related to our state. Often confused with woodpeckers, Vesper Sparrows are birds of open country. rarely show up at feeding stations, to the Tufted Titmouse and share its hyperactive these birds cling to trees with their feet and use They have white outer tail feathers that can be especially if located in or near nature. Chickadees often associate in loose flocks their tail feathers as a brace. They strictly creep seen during flight, similar to those of the a brushy field. Primarily, they with Titmice and Nuthatches. up trees and may be found feeding on suet. Dark-eyed Junco. Look also for the chestnut have been noted in Kentucky They stop to feed on suet as well They are found in open woodlands. shoulder patch of this species. A few have from April to May and from as sunflower seed at feeders. The sexes are similar. been recorded in winter at feeders. September to November The sexes are similar. The sexes are similar. (a single feeder record is from February 9). The sexes are similar.

Savannah Sparrow adult Swamp Sparrow Tufted Titmouse Carolina Wren 100 adult 80 Passerculus sandwichensis Melospiza georgiana 20 Baeolophus bicolor 20 Thryothorus ludovicianus 5.5” 5.75” 6.25” 5.5” The Savannah Sparrow is mainly a tran- Swamp Sparrows are found in fields with These hyperactive birds are abundant at most This active bird feeds on suet and seed. sient species in the state but is found in brushy growth, especially if the field is wet, feeders and are fond of black-oil sunflower Their habitat includes woodlands and bushy winter in brushy fields and swamps (rarely or near a body of water. They are common adult and suet. Titmice are often seen grabbing edges, as well as human occupied areas. in summer). Savannah Sparrows resemble winter residents in the state but tend a sunflower seed, taking it to a perch, They especially like to build nests in hanging Song Sparrows but with more streaks on to be scarce at feeders. and breaking it open. They are seen baskets. Their distinctive call “tea-kettle, the body, shorter tail, and yellow-green in woodlands and suburbs. tea-kettle, tea-kettle” is heard all year long. between the eye and bill. They are scarce at feeders. The sexes are similar.

immature

immature immature

Fox Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Red-breasted Nuthatch Golden-crowned Kinglet Passerella iliaca Zonotrichia albicollis Sitta Canadensis Regulus satrapa 60 Tan-striped 20 60 100 7” 6.75” adult 4.5” 4” This large, russet-colored Sparrow These sparrows can be seen in The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a northern species The diminutive Golden-crowned Kinglet is a bird can be seen on the ground, scratch- small flocks feeding on the ground which visits from early September to early May. of the forest, preferring coniferous forest to ing for seed during its winter visits with other sparrows. They eat millet, It is often found in pine trees, whereas the deciduous forest. Kinglets, which are constantly to Kentucky. It occurs from late Oc- cracked corn, and sunflower seed. White-breasted Nuthatch is found mainly in motion, may on occasion patronize tober to March. Its feeding habits White-throated Sparrows are more in deciduous trees. Red-breasted Nuthatches suet feeders. This small bird is often are similar to those of the Towhee, of a woodland species than most will come to suet feeders and also enjoy found in woodland edges with remaining near the edges of brushy Sparrows. They are found along sunflower seed. The nasal sounding call of this Chickadees and Titmice. woodlands. Their numbers tend mixed woodland edges with nuthatch is slower and higher-pitched than to fluctuate from year to year. The brushy habitat. They occur that of the White-breasted Nuthatch. sexes are similar. in Kentucky from October to May.

White-striped adult

Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow White-breasted Ruby-crowned Kinglet 40 Melospiza melodia 40 Zonotrichia leucophrys 20 100 Regulus calendula immature Nuthatch 6.25” 7” Sitta carolinensis 4 .25” This is one of our most common sparrows. The White-crowned Sparrow looks similar to the 5.5” Unlike the Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Song Sparrows eat small seed from the ground White-throated Sparrow. It can be identified Nuthatches could possibly be Kinglets prefer deciduous woodlands. and feed in small numbers. They tend to be less by a pinkish bill and lack of a distinct white mistaken for small woodpeckers They may rarely be attracted to suet feeders. gregarious than other sparrow species. Like the throat-patch. White-crowned Sparrows because they creep up and The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is much less common Cardinal, this bird can be seen feeding until dark. can be found in open brushy country down trees. The White-breasted than the Golden-crowned Kinglet during winter, Song Sparrows can be found in almost and farmland. You might say the Nuthatches enjoy feeding on but can be fairly common during migration. any kind of semi-open habitat, urban White-throated is the woodland suet and sunflower seed. They tend to be most visible in April, May or rural. The sexes are similar. sparrow and the White-Crowned These birds share similar and October. The red cap of the male is the country sparrow. Occurrence habits and habitats as is visible when excited. is from October to May. adult Chickadees and Titmice. They feed in loose flocks in mixed woods and suburbs. The call is a nasal-sounding “yank-yank.” Eastern Bluebird Yellow-rumped Warbler Rose-breasted Grosbeak Eastern Towhee spring Sialia sialis 100 Dendorica coronata 100 Pheucticus ludovicianus spring 60 Pipilo erythrophthalmus 7” 5.5” 8” 8.5” Eastern Bluebirds can be seen throughout Yellow-rumped Warblers are found in woods This species is known as a transient throughout These large colorful sparrows are the year in open and semi-open country. and open woodlands near humans. They are Kentucky with the exception of Harlan County, yearlong residents in Kentucky, Bluebirds rarely come to feeders, by far the most numerous winter warblers where it breeds. In the spring, Rose-breasted but during the warm seasons but may be tempted with raisins and but are rare at feeders, from late September Grosbeaks arrive in late April and are usually tend to be uncommon at feeders. peanut butter or mealworms to early May. They may accept suet or a gone by the third week in May. In autumn, Towhees are usually seen feeding placed in a shallow dish. mealworm in a shallow dish. It is spring it appears from early to mid September with other sparrows on the ground. adult interesting that of the 39 species through the third week of October. They use their feet to kick up of warblers found in Kentucky They can be seen at feeders during seed buried in the grass. only two, this and the Pine Warbler, migration periods and Towhees are found juvenile show any interest in feeding stations. will feed on sunflower seed. in woodland edges and brushy suburban areas.

adult fall fall

Northern Mockingbird Pine Warbler Blue Grosbeak American Tree Sparrow 60 Mimus polyglottos 100 Dendroica pinus 100 Passerina caerulea 60 Spizella arborea 10” 5.5” 6.75” 6” Mockingbirds are frequently seen around parks and Pine Warblers can be a fairly common summer This is a rare bird to visit feeders, being This winter visitor arrives later than most sparrows suburban gardens. They occasionally feed resident in locations with pine forests. attracted by black oil sunflower and departs earlier, returning to its nesting ground on suet and raisins from feeders, but will also However, they will rarely come and mixed seed. Numbers are in northern Canada. It can be spotted from scrounge bread, meat, and dog food. to feeders for suet, the highest from early May late October to March, and may be Mockingbirds have been known sunflower seed, through July but lingering identified by a single spot on its breast. to eat out of a person’s hand. and fruit. On rare through September. The Tree Sparrow is found in brushy When in flight, the white wing occasions, This species tends to be woodland edges and fields and can patches and white tail are easily Pine Warblers localized throughout the usually be seen after a good snow. seen. The sexes are similar. can be seen state in open farmland It will feed on the ground with other during the with brushy edge habitat. sparrows and use feeder trays. winter at The sexes are similar. adult feeders. immature

immature

Brown Thrasher Summer Tanager Indigo Bunting Chipping Sparrow Toxostoma rufum Piranga rubra Passerina cyanea Spizella passerina 80 100 40 adult 40 11.5” 7.5” 5.5” 5.33” Brown Thrashers are common On occasion, Summer Tanagers will The Indigo Bunting is most commonly Chipping Sparrows are common in yards and summer residents but their be attracted to suet feeders near their noted from late April through October, gardens during summer, but normally spend numbers drop dramatically homes in deciduous forests. They becoming rare during winter. winter south of Kentucky. They feed on during the winter. Thrashers adult are present mid-April through early Males are bright blue in early seeds spilled on the ground beneath feeders. are found in brushy thickets October. Note the extreme difference summer but molt into the Tree Sparrows, which are larger and have a and woodland edges. between the red male and the green immature drab colors of the female spot in the middle of the breast, are often They will feed on seed female. in late summer. During mistaken for them. Chipping Sparrows tossed on the ground migration, they may are occasionally seen at feeders during and possibly suet. be noted with molting winter, and become quite Goldfinches, feeding numerous during the months on dandelion seeds. of March and April. They will come to feeding stations to immature feed on dropped seed or cracked corn from the ground or tube and tray feeders.

European Starling Northern Cardinal Dickcissel Field Sparrow 40 adult fall Sturnus vulgaris 20 Cardinalis cardinalis 100 Spiza americana 60 Spizella pusilla immature fall 8.5” 8.75” 6 .25” 5.66” Starlings were introduced from Europe This is probably our most familiar bird, Dickcissels are primarily summer As its name suggests, this small around 1800 and are now perhaps the being Kentucky’s state bird. Cardinals residents with a few winter records. sparrow with a long tail is usually most abundant local winter birds. enjoy sunflower seeds, cracked corn and During winter, they may be associated found in open fields and brushy areas. They eat suet, seed, and will smaller seeds from feeder trays. They are with House Sparrows at feeders It feeds in flocks on scattered seed. take unguarded dog food. one of the first birds to appear at outside their summer farmland Field Sparrows will patronize Starlings are normally adult feeders in the morning and are habitat. Dickcissels have the feeder trays. The best field iridescent green and purple, often seen feeding at dusk. appearance of miniature marks are the white molting into their breeding The high tick call note is Meadowlarks. eye-ring and late summer plumage in late January. a familiar sound. Cardinals immature adult pinkish bill. By March, their spotted are found in woodland edges appearance has decreased. and brushy habitat, They are often called “blackbirds.” suburbs and parks. On cold days, they will warm themselves on chimneys. adult spring immature spring