Perching Birds:
Brown Headed Cowbird Killdeer
Mountain Bluebird House sparrow
Stellars Jay Canada Jay
American Robin Barn Swallow
Brown Headed Cowbird Killdeer
Mountain Bluebird House sparrow
Stellars Jay Canada Jay
American Robin Barn Swallow
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Brown Headed Cowbird: (Molothrus ater)
Order: Passeriformes Characteristics: Male Brown-headed Cowbirds have glossy black plumage and a rich brown head that often looks black in poor lighting or at distance. Female Brown-headed Cowbirds are plain brown birds, lightest on the head and underparts, with fine streaking on the belly and a dark eye. The brown-headed cowbird is a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. These "foster parents", called hosts, usually raise cowbird young at the expense of their own eggs or young. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/brown-headed-cowbird-buffalo-bird-5213754/ |
Mountain Bluebird: (Sialia currucoides) Order: Passeriformes
Characteristics: Male Mountain Bluebirds are sky-blue, a bit darker on wings and tail and a bit paler below, with white under the tail. Females are mostly gray-brown with tinges of pale blue in the wings and tail. They occasionally show a suffusion of orange-brown on the chest. Mountain Bluebirds' bills are entirely black. Picture: https://idfg.idaho.gov/species/taxa/18274 |
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Stellers Jay: (Cyanocitta stelleri)
Order: Passeriformes Characteristics: Steller's Jays are large songbirds with large heads, chunky bodies, rounded wings, and a long, full tail. The bill is long, straight, and powerful, with a slight hook. Steller's Jays have a prominent triangular crest that often stands nearly straight up from their head. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/jay-bird-perched-animal-feathers-3660792/ |
American Robin: (Turdus migratorius)
Order: Passeriformes Characteristics: American Robins are gray-brown birds with warm orange underparts and dark heads. In flight, a white patch on the lower belly and under the tail can be conspicuous. Compared with males, females have paler heads that contrast less with the gray back. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/bird-american-robin-wildlife-7895011/ |
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Killdeer: (Charadrius vociferus)
Order: Charadriiformes Characteristics: Killdeers have brown upperparts, white underparts, and orange rumps. The eyes are dark with a bright red eye ring. In flight, the Killdeer's long, slender wings have conspicuous white wing stripes. Adults and juveniles look the same year round, but young, downy chicks have a single breast band. To guard against large hoofed animals, the Killdeer uses a quite different display, fluffing itself up, displaying its tail over its head, and running at the beast to attempt to make it change its path. A well-known denizen of dry habitats, the Killdeer is actually a proficient swimmer. During the breeding season, they are famous for their “broken-wing act” or distraction display. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/killdeer-bird-animal-wildlife-6182517/ |
House Sparrow: (Passer domesticus)
Order: Passeriformes Characteristics: Male House Sparrows are brightly colored birds with gray heads, white cheeks, a black bib, and rufous neck – although in cities you may see some that are dull and grubby. Females are a plain buffy-brown overall with dingy gray-brown underparts. Their backs are noticeably striped with buff, black, and brown. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/sparrows-house-sparrow-sperling-3422216/ |
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Canada Jay: (Perisoreus canadensis)
Order: Passeriformes Characteristics: Also called camp robbers, as they will take food from campers. Canada Jays are dark gray above and light gray below, with black on the back of the head forming a partial hood. Juveniles are grayish black overall, and usually show a pale gape at the base of the bill. Canada Jays are typically in small groups. They fly in quiet swoops, generally holding their wings below the horizontal. While they have a large variety of vocalizations including hoots and chatters, they are less noisy overall than other jays. Canada Jays have very broad diets, eating anything from berries to carrion to handouts from hikers. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/canada-jay-gray-jay-grey-jay-7138202/ |
Barn Swallow: (Hirundo rustica)
Order: Passeriformes Characteristics: Idaho’s largest swallow, almost seven inches long. The only North American swallow with a forked tail. Will make 1200 trips to gather mud for building its nest. Cobalt blue on the back with orangish-brown on the chest and belly. Picture:https://pixabay.com/photos/barn-swallow-quarrel-birds-perched-8097199/ |
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