Hermit Thrush

Common Name: Hermit Thrush

Scientific Name: Catharus guttatus

Range: This bird breeds from central Alaska east and south to California and Virgina. It spends its winters from southern New England to the south.

Habitat: The Hermit Thrush prefers mixed forests, coniferous forests, sphagnum bogs, pine barrens, and thickets.

Unlike other thrushes in this family, the Hermit Thrush often spends its winters in the United States.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/The above photo was taken by the bloggers, while the information was from the above website.

Red-tailed Hawk

Common Name: Red-tailed Hawk

Scientific Name: Buteo jamaicensis

Range: The Red-tailed Hawk is found in Alaska and Canada south to Panama.

Habitat: It is found in open country, woodlands, prairie groves, mountains, plains, farmlands, and roadsides.

The Red-tailed Hawk soars on thermals and updrafts. The above photo was taken on the North 40 by the bloggers.

Bell's Vireo

Common Name: Bell's Vireo

Scientific Name: Vireo bellii

Range: This bird breeds from southern California, Colorado, Dakotas, and southward Indiana.

Habitat: It prefers forests undergrowth, streamside thickets, woodland edges, and brushy fields.

The above picture was taken on the North 40.

Mallard

Common Name: Mallard

Scientific Name: Anas platyrhynchos

Range: The Mallard breeds from Alaska, Canada southward to Texas. It spends its winters throughout the U.S. and Central America.

Habitat: They are found near shallow fresh or brackish water in a variety of habitats, including marshes, swamps, wetlands, ponds and lakes.

They are abundant throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The above photo was taken in one of the North 40 ponds.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/
Just the text was taken from the website above, the photo was taken by the bloggers.

Northern Cardinal

Common Name: Northern Cardinal

Scientific Name: Cardinalis cardinalis

Range: This bird lives in eastern U.S. and in the south down to the Gulf Coast.

Habitat: The Cardinal lives near woodland edges, fields, thickets, brushy undergrowth, suburbs, gardens, feeders with sunflower seeds, swamps, desert washes, and riparian areas.

These birds are very common in the east. The above pictures were taken on the North 40.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/

The facts above were taken from this website, but the picture was taken by the bloggers.

American Robin

Common Name: American Robin

Scientific Name: Turdus migratorinus

Range: The Robin breeds from Alaska east across southern continent. It spends its winters north to British Columbia and Newfoundland.

Habitat: Common and widespread in suburbs, parks, moist woodlands, swamps, gardens, hedges, forest edges, lawns, pastures and orchards.

The birds often nest close to human structures. The above picture was taken on the North 40.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/
The text was from the above website, but the picture was taken by the bloggers.

Field Sparrow

Common Name: Field Sparrow

Scientific Name: Spizella pusilla

Range: This bird typically breeds from northern North Dakota, central Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and central New England to southern Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, central Texas and western Colorado. The birds spend their winters south of the Gulf of Mexico.

Habitat: The birds prefer abandoned fields and pastures overgrown with weeds, scattered bushes and small saplings.

The pictures above were taken on the North 40 the top picture the bird can easily be seen but hard to identify, but the bottom picture the bird is easy to identify but difficult to find.

Cedar Waxwing

Common Name: Cedar Waxwing

Scientific Name: Bombycilla cedrorum

Range: The bird breeds from Alaska east to Newfoundland, south from Illinois to Virginia, and spends its winters from the British Columbia and Great Lakes area southward.

Habitat: The Cedar Waxwing lives in open woodlands, clearings, towns and parks.

This bird is very gregarious during the winter time and during migration. The birds usually feed together in tight packed bunches.

Although the above image is hard to see, because of the clearly visable pointed head it is easy to identify as a Cedar Waxing.


Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/
Just the written information, picture taken by blogger.

Common Grackle

Common Name: Common Grackle

Scientific Name: Quiscalus quiscula

Range: Common Grackles range over almost all of the eastern North America east of the Rockies, extending far into Canada in the summer breeding season.

Habitat: Common Grackles are found in open areas with scattered trees, including around human habitation. They can also be found in farmlands, orchards and swamps.

The above pictures were taken near Lake Meeker in an open field of a flock of Common Grackles.

Canada Goose

Common Name: Canada Goose

Scientific Name: Branta canadensis

Range: The Canada Goose can be found throughout North America and its nesting range is from northern Canada to the Central United States. Its winter range is from southern Canada to the U.S. and Mexico.

Habitat: This bird prefers to nest in marshy areas and during the winter it nests in marsh lands and lakes near farmers' fields.

The above pictures were taken on the North 40 and soccer fields.

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Common Name: Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Melanerpes aurifrons

Range: This bird is a resident of Texas and Oklahoma and travels south to the tropics for the winter months.

Habitat: The Golden-fronted Woodpecker lives in scrublands at deserts' edge, cottonwood groves and brushy areas, along small streams, wooded canyons, brushlands with cactus and mesquite, rural areas, towns and parks.

This bird typically feeds on the ground and most of the birds live in Texas, frequently on ranches and in city parks.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/

Eastern Bluebird

Common Name: Eastern Bluebird

Scientific Name: Sialia sialis

Range: The Eastern Bluebird breeds east of the Rockies from southeast Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, and spends its winters in the southern portion of its breeding range.

Habitat: This bird lives in open woodlands, clearings, farmlands, parks, orchards, gardens, fields, along roadsides on fences.

Number of these beautiful birds have declined due to competition from starlings and house sparrows for nest sites.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/

Dickcissel

Common Name: Dickcissel

Scientific Name: Spiza americana

Range: The Dickcissel breeds from Montana and the Great lakes region south to Texas, Gulf Coast area, locally farther east and spends its winters in the tropics.

Habitat: This bird lives in weedy fields and meadows, grain fields, tall-grass prairies, pastures and alfalfa fields.

Its nesting grounds change erratically and enjoys singing from trees and fence posts.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/

Brown Thrasher

Common Name: Brown Thrasher

Scientific Name: Toxostoma rufum

Range: Breeds from Canada south to Gulf Coast and Florida, it spends its winters in the southern half of its breeding grounds.

Habitat: The Brown Thrasher lives in woodland edges, brushy area, hedges, roadsides, gardens and thorn thickets. It can usually be seen on or near the ground, although it may be seen from an exposed perch.

This bird is typically very shy and defends its nest and young. The Brown Thrasher has the repertoire of songs of all of North America.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/

Brown Creeper

Common Name: Brown Creeper

Scientific Name: Certhia americana

Range: Breeds from Alaska east to Ontario, and southward to the Gulf Coast. 

Habitat: The Brown Creeper lives in mixed forests, conifers, dense swampy forests with dead trees.

The birds forage by spiraling upward from the base of the tree toward the branches, then flies to another tree and begins again. Brown Creepers are inconspicuous but fairly common.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/

Blue Grosbeak

Common Name: Blue Grosbeak

Scientific Name: Guiraca caerulea

Range: Breeds in California eastward to New Jersey and southward, and spends its winters in the tropics.

Habitat: Most of these birds are found near woodland edges, old overgrown fields, thickets, brambles, hedgerows, farmlands, mesquite, orchards, willows near streams and ditches, brushy roadsides. It is often seen perching on wires or fences.

Sometimes this bird uses snakeskin for nesting material and the bird usually gathers in large flocks to search for food.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/

Black-crowned Night Heron

Common Name: Black-crowned Night Heron

Scientific Name: Nycticorax nycticorax

Range: This bird breeds throughout the United States, except for the Rocky Mountain regions, and spends its winters in the southern half of the U.S.

Habitat: Common but local in marshes, wooded swamps, forests along shallow rivers and streams, and mangroves. Found in fresh, brakish and salt water habitats. 

The Black-crowned Night Heron is active at night. It hunts by standing motionless for long periods of time then quickly thrusting its bill into the water to catch small fish.  

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/

Bewick's Wren

Common Name: Bewick's Wren

Scientific Name: Thryomanes bewickii

Range: Breeds locally from Canada south to Mexico and Gulf states, winters south to Gulf Coast

Habitat: Brushy area, thicket undergrowth, clearings, gardens, orchards, fencerows, suburbs, stream edges, open scrubby woods, cactus and mesquite, chaparral.

The Wren has a loud melodious song and eats mostly insects and spiders.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/

American Kestral

Common Name: American Kestral

Scientific Name: Falco Sparverius

Range: The American Kestral breeds from Alaska across the continent to Mexico. Winters are spent north from Canada to south in the tropics.

Habitat: Borders of woodlands, farmlands, open fields, pastures with scattered trees, marshes, suburban areas, grasslands, arid planes. The the bird is often seen on wires along roads in rural areas. The Kestral often hunts on the wing, usually hovering. He often pumps his tail up and down upon landing.

The male has blue colored wings while the female has rust covered wings. Both sexes have black stripes on the face.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/

American Avocent

Common Name: American Avocent

Scientific Name: Recurvirostra americana

Range: Breed from NW Minnesota, south to Texas; winters in California, gulf coast, and Florida

Habitat: Shallow saline lakes, sloughs, wet meadows, wetlands, marshes, saltwater or brackish ponds and lakeshores. The Avocent is often seen in large flocks and sweeps its bill from side to side.

This is a graceful and beautiful bird whose head and neck turn rust-colored during breeding season.

Birds of Oklahoma. Web. 22 Feb 2011.
      http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/