Birds of Pennsylvania A Field Guide Introduction Welcome! As avid birders from Penn State University, we are happy you have an interest in learning more about birds. The following field guide is similar to the ones used by ornithologists (professional birders!) to identify the birds they see in the field. If you read a word in the field guide that you don’t understand, come back to this page to read about what it means, or ask a bird loving adult. Have fun! Glossary Scientific Name – This is the Latin name for a bird. It is useful when talking about a bird with someone who is not from our area, and may know it by a different name. Habitat – This is a description of the area that a bird likes to live in. It may include plant types, temperatures, and other things the bird may need to survive. Diet – This includes the types of food that a bird eats. Some eat mostly insects, while others prefer fruit. Range – The range of a bird is the area of the world where a species of bird lives. It is also shown on a map in this field guide. Migration – This is the journey that most birds take every year, where they fly south during the winter to escape the cold and fly north during the summer to breed and lay eggs. Plumage – This is another word for feathers! Parts of a Bird Bill Forehead Nape Throat Wing Rump Tail Breast Northern Flicker Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus Habitat: Northern Flickers are often found in woodlands, forest edges and open fields with scattered trees. They also can be found in city parks and suburbs. They specifically like areas that have a lot of moisture, including locations that have streams, swamps and marshes nearby. They usually build their nest in tree cavities. Diet: Northern Flickers eat a wide variety of insects such as ants, beetles and other insects that walk on the ground. These woodpeckers are unique, because they use their beak to hammer into the ground in search of insects, and not wood like most other woodpeckers. They also eat some fruits and seeds, especially in the winter when insects may be hard for them to find. Appearance: Northern Flickers are large, brown woodpeckers with unique plumage patterns. Their neck is black which transitions into a tan breast and abdomen with small black circles throughout this area. They have a grey forehead with red nape at the back of the neck. Their back has a darker brown color then their stomach, with black oval markings. Their tail is black with yellow highlights. Song: Flickers repeat a loud, sharp, single note call, about a half second long. Range: The range of the Flicker’s breeding and wintering grounds have a lot of overlap, meaning they can be found in most of the United States year-round. Their range extends into most of Canada during the summer where they can often be found breeding. As well, during the winter, some Flickers escape the harsh conditions of the north and travel to areas of Texas and Central America. Breeding Year Round Winter *Tip – Adding a nest box to your backyard at the beginning of spring can attract breeding pairs of Northern Flickers.* Northern Flicker Coloring Page Baltimore Oriole Scientific Name: Icterus galbula Habitat: Baltimore Orioles like nesting in leafy trees. They prefer open woodlands, forest edges, riverbanks and small groves of trees, but not dense forests. They often forage for insects and fruits in low brush and shrubbery. They frequently visit flowering trees and vines in search of fruit and nectar Diet: Baltimore Orioles eat insects, fruit, and nectar. In the summer, while breeding, they eat mostly insects which have a lot of protein and helps them grow strong and raise their young. In the spring and fall, they eat ripe fruits and nectar which give them the energy needed to migrate. Appearance: Baltimore Orioles have a bright orange breast, abdomen, upper back and rump. They have a black head which extends from the back of the neck to the throat. They have primarily black wings and tail feathers with white wing tips and touches of orange around the shoulder. Song: Many people describe the song of the Baltimore Oriole to sound like a flute, with a full and rich sound. The song consists of short notes, repeated up to 7 times and lasting 1 to 2 seconds Range: Baltimore Orioles spend the winter in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean, where they escape the cold winters of Pennsylvania. During their migration, you can briefly spot them in Southern States of the United States such as Texas and Georgia. During the summer, you can see them in the Midwest, and much of Eastern United States, as well as Canada. Breeding Migrating Winter *Tip – To see Baltimore Orioles in your own backyard, try slicing an orange, and hanging it by a string on a tree branch or porch covering. They love to eat sugar and are attracted to the bright orange color.* Baltimore Oriole Coloring Page Pileated Woodpecker Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus Habitat: Pileated Woodpeckers live in mature, dense forests with a wide variety of trees. They can also be found in younger forests that have scattered, large, dead trees with a large supply of decaying wood. They prefer to build their nest in cavities of dead trees within these forests so that they have a large supply of food. Diet: The Pileated Woodpecker eats primarily insects. Their favorite insect is carpenter ants, which can be found burrowing into the wood of trees, decaying stumps and fallen trees. Other types of insects which Pileated Woodpeckers also enjoy are wood caterpillars, termites and cockroaches. Occasionally, the Pileated Woodpecker will eat berries when insects are hard to find. Appearance: Pileated Woodpeckers look very unique and are quite large in comparison to other woodpeckers. They are primarily black with white areas covering their neck, and cheek. A white line on the side of their body outlines their black wings. They have a red mohawked head and red streak along their cheek. Song: The call of the Pileated Woodpecker typically consists of a high, clear series of piping calls that start out slow and quickly picks up speed toward the end. Range: Pileated Woodpeckers are what ornithologists call permanent residents. That means that these birds do not migrate, and stay within the same range year-round. They can often be found along the east and west coast of the United States and are dispersed across areas of Canada as well. Year Round *Tip – Pileated Woodpeckers will occasionally visit backyard bird feeders, especially if they contain suet (hard fat). If you have a fallen tree in your yard, consider leaving it alone as Pileated Woodpeckers may visit it for food or even nest in it.* Pileated Woodpecker Coloring Page Ruby-throated Hummingbird Scientific Name: Archilochus colubris Habitat: Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are usually found in woodlands, old fields, forest edges, meadows and orchards. Since these birds feed on nectar, they need to be close to flowers. They like to build their nests on long, slender branches at least 10 to 40 feet above the ground. They need to be located in close proximity to a water source, such as a marsh or stream as this is where nectar filled flowers tend to grow. Diet: Ruby-throated Hummingbirds feed on nectar of red or orange tubular flowers. They sometimes enjoy tree sap if it is readily available and will additionally enjoy flying insects such as mosquitos, gnats, and fruit flies. Appearance: Like most hummingbirds, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are quite small. They have long bills to allow them to reach the nectar deep within nectar-filled flowers. Their forehead, neck, back and rump is a brilliant, cool green. They also have an orange chin with black accents on the tips of their wings, tail feathers and around the eye. Song: These hummingbirds produce a quiet call, with a smooth whirring-like sound. This call can sound wet, like bubbles floating up from underneath the water. Range: The Ruby-throated Hummingbird spends the summer months breeding all across the eastern half the United States and into the southern border of Canada. Their migratory route extends slightly into the western half of the United States, where they can be seen flying while headed to their wintering grounds. Their wintering grounds are mainly located in the southern portion of Central America. Breeding Migrating Winter *Tip – You can attract these hummingbirds to your backyard by setting up hummingbird feeders, filled with sugar water. You can also plant tubular flowers by your house, which have nectar that these birds enjoy* Ruby-throated Hummingbird Coloring Page Barn Swallow Scientific Name: Hirundo rustica Habitat: Barn Swallows are most often seen foraging around open areas such as lakes, ponds, coastal waters, and beaches. Their preferred habitat is grasslands and marshes due to the abundance of insects in this area. They build their nests on cliffs, caves, or on the rafters of man-made structures. Their habitat must have a source of mud nearby as this is the material that they use to make their nest. Diet: Barn Swallows mostly eat flies of all types, but occasionally eat other insects such as beetles, bees, ants or butterflies. They are also known for picking up small pebbles or eggshells as this helps them digest food and gives them some additional calcium in their diet. Appearance: Barn Swallows can be identified by their orange face and neck which transitions into a peach colored breast and abdomen.