Sept. 25, 2016 - Do You Know These Birds?
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This week I’m featuring birds that are not well-known by most people. This Least Flycatcher is one of the 11 North American species in the genus Empidonax which means “king of the gnats.” They are all notoriously similar in appearance; little olive-gray birds with wing bars and eye-rings. The best way to tell them apart is by their calls. I did hear this one call so I’m confident that it is a Least Flycatcher. Only 5 of the Empidonax flycatchers are likely to be seen in Minnesota. This photo was taken in Lake County, MN, this spring.
The Eastern Kingbird is quite plain, black on top and white underneath. But the white tip of the tail is a good clue to its identity. It’s about the size of a Northern Cardinal. In summer, the Kingbird likes to perch in the open and fly out to catch insects in mid-air. This photo was taken on the road leading to our home in northern Minnesota at the beginning of June.
Vireos are small, mostly plain-colored birds and they usually stay hidden in the upper branches of trees.
This is a Blue-headed Vireo and, as you can see, it is aptly named. It also features prominent eye rings and a white band across the top of the bill. Birders often say it looks like it has spectacles. At 5½ inches it is a pretty small bird. This photo was taken this spring along the North Shore in Cook County, MN.
Sometimes identifying a bird can depend on some very subtle features. Philadelphia Vireo and Warbling Vireo look very much alike. The reason I’m calling this a Philadelphia Vireo is because it has a definite black stripe in front of its eye. This would be lacking in a Warbling Vireo. That’s how little the difference can be. This photo was taken at Taconite Harbor along the North Shore this spring.
The Red-eyed Vireo is one of the most numerous birds in eastern United States forests. During breeding season it sings almost constantly, sometimes even at night. But, like other vireos, it isn’t seen very often because it stays high in the tree tops. It has a somewhat longer bill than the other vireos shown here. Of course, the red eye is diagnostic if you can see it in good light. This photo was taken in Itasca County, MN, during July, 2016.
A more colorful member of the vireo family is the Yellow-throated Vireo. It’s still not easy to see, however, because it too stays hidden in the forest foliage. Its nesting territory consists of the entire eastern half of the United States except southern Florida. This photo was also taken in Itasca County, MN, during July, 2016.
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