Reasons

First, I will state some reasons for decline in bird populations. One main reason is habitat decline. Countless birds have become critically endangered and even extinct because they lost their natural habitat to deforestation or wetland degradation(changing water quality and amount and increasing pollution). One example of deforestation is the Wood Thrush. This small songbird's populations have decreased greatly due to loss of habitat, causing exposition of nests to cowbirds, jays, raccoons, and cats. This is just one example from hundreds of species who have experienced great decline in numbers because of habitat loss.

Another main reason is overhunting. Ruthless hunters have wiped out millions of bird populations. One example is the Passenger Pigeon. About 100 years ago, this bird had thriving numbers from 3-4 billion, but hunters killed them all, thinking that they were too common to become extinct. Many birds were hunted for their feathers or meat, like the Snowy Egret, which was hunted for its beautiful plumage.

Two other things that have gravely affected birds and other animal life are oil spills and pollution. Oil spills can occur on purpose (to not pay bills, terrorist attacks) or on accident (oil spills, leaks). This greatly effects the animal life. All the fish and other sea creatures die because of poisoning. Birds get toxic oil in their body when preening their feathers. Pollution is also very detrimental to animals. Water pollution causes birds to eat plastic, which kills them. Air pollution causes breathing problems, likely leading to suffocation from toxic air.

Lastly, DDT has also affected birds and other wildlife. It was an insecticide designed to kill small insects. But, the fish that ate the insects also became poisoned. Then, many birds of prey ate the fish and layed eggs that had thin shells, causing the babies to not hatch. For example, Bald eagles and Californian Condors have both greatly suffered from DDT. Bald eagles suffered so much that U.S's grand national bird's population would have gone extinct if a group of determined conservationist had not saved them by keeping them in captive for a few years and banning DDT.

Conclusion

I hope you learned some new info from this article! Have fun birding and helping the planet!

What are Orange-crowned warblers?

First, I will start by giving a description of orange-crowned warblers. These greenish-yellow birds have a orange crown that is rarely seen. Their call, more common when wintering in Texas, is a flat chip, similar to a cardinal's but softer. Orange-crowned warblers prefer light forests, woodlands, thickets, and weed fields.

Winter Migration Boost

The migration of these warblers experiences a huge boost around Thanksgiving with very large numbers. I saw many of them in my backyard today, hopping around and searching for insects. I used Merlin Sound ID and my binoculars to identify that they were Orange-crowned warblers. These birds will appear in late summer in Central Texas, then stay through the fall and depart in early winter.

Conclusion

I hope this article helped you! Go out in your backyard as soon as you can, because you might just spot a few Orange-crowned warblers!

The Basics of Migration

Birds migrate for 3 top reasons: temperature(not to experience too hot or too cold weather), food, and nesting locations. The main migrating birds are the wood-warblers, sandpipers, and terns, but many other species of birds also migrate. One of the long-distant migrants, Arctic Terns, travel all the way from the Arctic to Antarctica-an amazing and mind-blowing feat!

Not all birds migrate. For example, birds live year-round in areas that don't get too hot or too cold.

Irruptive Range

When migrating birds experience heavy storms and bad weather while migrating, they end up being stuck in places that they normally never travel to. This is called their irruptive range. Usually these birds don't survive because they don't get the food and resources they need.

Conclusion

I hope this article taught you a bit more about bird migration! Thank you for reading my article!

Birdfeeders

I have two birdfeeders: a mixed seed hopper feeder and a black oil sunflower tube feeder. So far, I have seen Carolina chickadees, black-crested titmice, cardinals, blue jays, house finches, lesser goldfinches(black-backed version), American goldfinches, chipping sparrows, house sparrows, mourning doves, white-winged doves, and Carolina wrens on the hopper feeder. Since I recently got it, the tube feeder has only attracted Carolina chickadees, black-crested titmice, Carolina wrens, Bewick's wrens, house finches, and house sparrows. But, since I also added a plate to sit on, cardinals, mourning doves, and white-winged doves come also.

I am thinking of putting a platform feeder for ground birds, but if I do the squirrels will eat all the seeds. I am trying to find a way to stop squirrels from eating everything on ground feeders.

Birdbaths/Dustbathing

To make my own birdbath, I simply put sticks and rocks in a metal plate, filled it with water, and tied a hanging bucket to the tree and also filled it with water. This way, water dripped from the bucket to the plate and attracted birds by the sound of water.

I have seen cardinals, Carolina wrens, mourning doves, white-winged doves, robins, Carolina chickadees, black-crested titmice, northern mockingbirds, house finches, and house sparrows at my birdbath. I clean my birdbath about every two days.

Also, I have seen several house sparrows, Bewick's wrens, and Carolina wrens dustbathing in the dust on the ground. It is cool to see the tiny birds roll around in the dust.

Spring and Fall Migration

I have not seen much migration in our backyard. I have only seen Mourning, Wilson's, and Orange-crowned warblers coming here during fall. Once, I saw a flock of dickcissel flying over my backyard, twittering and chirping. I hope to see more migration in fall and spring in the following years.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this article! As the years go by, I will add more things to our backyard to hopefully attract a bigger diversity of birds. Also, if you want to learn more about migration, I have another article talking about bird migration in general.

Birdfeeders

The key to attracting most birds is putting up bird feeders. Sunflower tube feeders will attract chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and finches. Thistle(nyger) feeders will attract many sparrows and finches. On the other hand, platform feeders will attract ground-eating birds like doves, juncos, towhees, sparrows, and quail along with cardinals and jays. Some other types of feeders are hummingbird feeders and fruit feeders for orioles and tanagers.

Seed mixes are also a good way to attract a variety of birds. The most common and successful seed mixes include: black oil sunflower, striped sunflower, hulled sunflower, safflower, millet, peanuts, and thistle. Avoid using milo, because most birds will reject it.

Birdbaths

Now, we will talk about birdbaths. Birdbaths are like a magnet for birds. They will even attract birds that don't normally visit feeders, like robins. Birds use birdbaths to clean their bodies and remove parasites from their feathers because it is essential for them to stay clean. Dripping water will attract more birds to your bath. It could be as simple as a bucket dripping water from a tree, as shown in the picture above. Also make sure to put sticks and rocks in the water so birds can have an ideal perch in the water. Birdbaths have to be cleaned thoroughly every day to prevent bacteria and fungi from forming.

Native Plants

Next, I will explain why to plant native plants. Native plants will attract more birds and benefit the ecosystem because over time, animals have adapted to them. Many people get rid of helpful native plants without even realizing. For example, when people pull out weeds, they are hurting the environment because weed seeds are a very important part of a sparrow's diet. Native plants help birds in many ways. Some examples include: Flowers like purple coneflowers and black-eyed susans have tiny seeds loved by finches and fruit trees like winterberries and peaches are essential for fruit-eating birds like cedar waxwings and robins.

Diversity

Also, the diversity of the plants matters. Having many species of plants will benefit your habitat greatly and will attract a variety of birds and other animals. Good luck, and have some fun birding!

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed my article! Using these simple tips, you can turn even a small urban backyard into a thriving bird paradise!!

First, I will list the species of bird living in my backyard and talk about their diet, song, behavior, and migration (if they do migrate). I will also list how commonly the bird is found in my backyard (very common, pretty common, uncommon, rare, pretty rare, very rare).

Northern Cardinal

Cardinals are very familiar backyard birds throughout much of United States. Males are striking red except for black on their face, while females are dull pink and brown. Cardinals eat seeds, berries, insects, and other invertebrates. They also frequently visit bird feeders. Their song consists of  rich chirping and their call is a metallic chip. Cardinals live in our backyard year-round. They are very common.

Blue Jay

Blue Jays are bright blue jays. They are found year-round throughout most of eastern North America. Their diet consists of seeds, nuts, berries, insects, other birds' eggs, arachnids, small rodents, and frogs. They frequently visit bird feeders, where they are often aggressive. Males and females look alike. Its most common call is a harsh jay call. Blue Jays can also imitate the call of a red-shouldered hawk. Blue Jays live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Carolina Wren

Carolina Wrens are small, active, and cheerful birds. You can distinguish them from other wrens with its bold white eyebrow, buffy underparts, warm brown back, long beak, and cocked tail. It eats insects, seeds, and berries. It occasionally feeds on suet or mealworms at feeding stations. Its song consists of loud ringing and burbling and it can also sing a variety of calls. Carolina Wrens can nest almost anywhere-1 pair in our backyard built their nest in a hanging pot! They live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Greater Roadrunner

Greater Roadrunners are huge, ground-dwelling cuckoos. They are mostly brown with white streaks, a long tail, and a short crest. Males have a red patch on their cheek. Greater Roadrunners are native to dry deserts, but they have adapted to living in cities. They prey on lizards, snakes, rodents, and large insects. Its song is a low-pitched cooing song. They live in our backyard year-round and are pretty common.

Mourning Dove

Mourning Doves are very widespread throughout North America. They are mostly brown with black spots on their wings. These doves often perch on roofs and telephone wires. It song sounds like oohoo hoo hoo hoo. Also listen for whistling wings as it takes off. Mourning Doves eat mainly seeds, but will also eat berries and insects. Mourning Doves live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied woodpeckers are medium sized  woodpeckers. They are not well named because the slight red on their belly is barely seen. You can tell them apart from other woodpeckers by the black and white stripes on their back and the red on their head. The red on a male's head extends to its crown, but female's don't. The picture above shows a male. A Red-bellied woodpecker's diet consists of many insects and sap. They also frequently visit suet feeders. It's most common call is a rolling churr. Red-bellied woodpeckers live in our backyard year-round and are uncommon.

White-winged Dove

White-winged Doves are large, grayish brown doves with a white line on their wings. Males and females look alike. They eat seeds, and insects and frequently visit bird feeders. Its most common call sounds like " Who cooks for you? " White Winged doves live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Great-tailed Grackle(Male/Female)

Great-tailed grackles are large blackbirds. Males are purplish black and females are brownish black. Their diet is very varied-it eats many insects, spiders, millipedes, snails, crayfish, tadpoles, small fish, lizards, eggs, seeds, grain, berries, fruit, and nuts. The most common call of a Great-tailed grackle is a call that sounds like a rusty gate. They live in our backyard year-round and are pretty rare.

Carolina Chickadee

Carolina Chickadees are small, plump-bodied, and active chickadees. They are often the core of mixed flocks of songbirds. Males and females look alike. Its most common call sounds like chick-a-dee-dee-dee. Carolina Chickadees eat seeds, insects, spiders, and berries. They frequently visit bird feeders all year and love suet feeders. They are very acrobatic-they turn upside down on the perches on bird feeders to reach the seeds on the bottom! These small birds live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Black-crested Titmouse

These small titmice are grayish with brownish sides and a black crest. They eat seeds, insects, and other invertebrates. Their song consists of whistled tunes and their call is harsh and scolding. They live in my backyard year-round and are very common.

House Finch

These finches have adapted to living in suburban settings. Most males are brown with red on their head, but some males have yellow or orange. House finches sing a long series of jumbled warbling ending with an upward or downward slur. House finches eat seeds, berries, small insects, and small fruit. They live in my backyard year-round and are very common.

Cedar Waxwing

This cedar waxwing was migrating with its flock past our backyard when it hit a window and crashed to the ground. It was alive, but shocked. Soon, it flew away. Cedar Waxwings are smooth plumaged and beautiful birds. They eat exclusively fruit and berries. Their call is a high-pitched note. They live in our backyard in their wintering range and are very rare.

Black-bellied Whistling-duck

These ducks have a black belly, pink beak, and pink legs. They eat grain, grasses, and wetland plants. Their song is a series of high-pitched whistling notes. They live in our backyard year-round and are pretty common.

Great Egret

Great Egrets are are long-necked white egrets. They eat fish, rodents, and other water invertebrates. Their call is a dry croaking noise. Great Egrets live here year-round and are very rare(they are just seen flying in the sky).

American Robin

American robins are probably the most well known bird in the U.S. They are gray with an orange breast. Their song is a series of warbles. They eat insects, other invertebrates, berries, and fruit. American Robins live here year-round and are pretty common.

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinches are common winter visitors in central Texas. They mostly eat seeds, berries, and insects. Their song consists of twittering, warbling, and chirping. In our backyard, they are somewhat common.

Red-shouldered Hawk

These powerful hawks are reddish brown and eat rodents, amphibians, reptiles, and small birds. They have a long, piercing call. They live in my backyard year-round and are pretty common.

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Ladder-backed woodpeckers are medium-sized woodpeckers with black stripes on their backs. Formerly called cactus woodpeckers, they eat seeds, wood-boring insects, berries, and cactus fruits. Their call is a sharp pik! Ladder-backed woodpeckers live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Lesser Goldfinch

Lesser goldfinches are the smaller version of American goldfinches. The black-backed version of Central Texas has a black back, bright yellow breast, and a white tail. They eat insects and small seeds. Their song consists of warbling and chirping. Lesser goldfinches live in my backyard in their breeding range and are very common.

Chipping Sparrow

Chipping Sparrows are small, native sparrows. They are brownish gray, with a light eyebrow. Their song sounds like a grasshopper, and their call is a staccato chip. They eat insects and seeds. Chipping Sparrows live in my backyard year-round and are very common.

Other Animals

Gray Squirrel

These medium-sized, intelligent critters dominate the backyard. They take down sunflowers, curiously pull plants out of the ground, topple feeders, etc. The list goes on and on. But altogether, the gray squirrels are still a part of nature and wildlife. When they eat sunflowers, the some seeds fallen on the ground are eaten by doves, cardinals, and blue jays. Them tackling feeders helps white-winged and mourning doves have a treat, along with a few wandering pigeons.

I hope you enjoyed this article about birds in my backyard! Have fun creating your own backyard and identifying the birds!