Loons Common Loon Pacific Loon Red-throated Loon Cool Facts: Loons can remain underwater for more than five minutes. They dive to depths of 55 metres to find fish to feed on and to avoid danger. Loons are easily overlooked. Grebes Eared Grebe Horned Grebe Pied-billed Grebe Red-necked Grebe Cool Facts: Grebes are like ducks and dive for fish, amphibians and aquatic insects. Their nests are on floating platforms of aquatic plants attached to reeds. Albatrosses and Shearwaters Audubon's Shearwater Black-browed Albatross Greater Shearwater Little Shearwater Manx Shearwater Northern Fulmar Sooty Shearwater Phalaropes Red Phalarope Red-necked Phalarope Wilson's Phalarope Storm-Petrels Leach's Storm-Petrel Wilson's Storm-Petrel Cool Facts: Large numbers of Shearwaters, Storm-Petrels and Phalaropes have been sighted several miles off East Point and North Lake in the late summer and early fall. They have a keen sense of smell and are commonly killed in high winds and waves. Auks, Murres and Puffins Atlantic Puffin Black Guillemot Common Murre Dovekie Razorbill Thick-billed Murre Cool Facts: The Black Guillemot is the only member of the Atlantic Ocean Auk family that has a white wing patch. It has bright red feet! Gannets Northern Gannet Cool Facts: When Northern Gannets dive they look like arrowheads when they tuck their wings in. They will feed around the same schools of fish that whales chase. Northern Gannet over a Minke Whale photo by Ed Robertson Pelicans and Cormorants American White Pelican Double-crested Cormorant Great Cormorant Cool Facts: Double-crested Cormorants perch on trees or wharves with heir wings partially spread. They use the wind to dry their feathers because they lack oil glands. Anhingas Anhinga Cool Facts: An Anhinga sighting was reported in 2006. They spear fish, then toss it in the air and swallows it whole - head first Great Blue Heron photo by Heather Fortingall Bitterns and Herons American Bittern Black-crowned Night-Heron Cattle Egret Great Blue Heron Great Egret Green Heron Least Bittern Little Blue Heron Snowy Egret Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Cool Facts: Great Blue Herons can be seen anywhere there is the opportunity to find fish. The largest Great Blue Heron colonies in North America are found in P.E.I.! Ibises Glossy Ibis White Ibis Cool Facts: Ibises are rarely sighted in P.E.I. Glossy Ibeses probe deep in mud. When a beetle or another insect moves, they snap it up with the tip of their sickle-shaped bill.	Vultures Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Cool Facts: Vultures have been sighted in Cape Breton and P.E.I., although it is rare. Threatened Turkey Vultures will play dead or vomit. The odour repulses attackers as does the odour from a skunk's spray. Swans, Geese and Ducks American Black Duck American Wigeon Barnacle Goose Barrow's Goldeneye Black Scoter Blue-winged Teal Brant Bufflehead Canada Goose Canvasback Common Eider Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Eurasian Wigeon Fulvous Whistling Duck Gadwall Garganey Greater Scaup Greater White-fronted Goose Green-winged Teal Harlequin Duck Hooded Merganser King Eider Lesser Scaup Long-tailed Duck Mallard Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Pink-footed Goose Red-breasted Merganser Redhead Ring-necked Duck Ross's Goose Ruddy Duck Snow Goose Surf Scoter Tufted Duck Tundra Swan White-winged Scoter Wood Duck Cool Facts: American Black Ducks and Mallards breed with each other. This creates hybrid offspring. This has caused an increase in Mallards and a decrease in Black Ducks. American Wigeons are known to be opportunists. They wait for other diving ducks to come to the surface with food then steal it! Blue-winged Teal are also known as Summer Teal. They time their migration to avoid cold weather! Migrating Brant feed on the eel grass found along the P.E.I. coastline. They are known to fly non-stop from their breeding grounds in the high Arctic, to the Atlantic Ocean. Buffleheads take off from the water without a running start! They spend as much time in tidal bays, as they do diving for molluscks and snails. Canadian Geese are among the best known birds. Their distinctive form of V-formation flight and loud chatter causes many to look upwards in season. Canada Goose families often migrate together! Occasionally they will allow a small bird to hitch a ride on its back. Flocks of Common Eiders usually fly across the water in long lines! During the breeding season females will pick downy feathers from their own bodies to camouflage and insulate their eggs! Common Mergansers scans for fish while looking underwater. The serrated edges of their bills act as teeth to hold its prey following a successful dive. Green-winged Teal are fast fliers. Their small flocks fly in unison with dexterity and skill. They forage on mud flats and will sit on a fallen log in shallow water. Mallard ducklings follow their mother wherever she goes. The adults are strong fliers and fly up to 60 mph. Northern Pintails derive their name from the male having two long central tail feathers that extend beyond all other feathers. The Northern Shoveler strains all its food from muddy water. Their bill is a filter with comblike teeth that strains delicate organisms. Red-breasted Mergansers are fast, low fliers and very fast swimmers. Courting males will go into a frenzy when a female appears! Surf Scoters dive directly into breaking surf searching for molluscs and crustaceans. They are nicknamed Skunk-head Coots! The name scoter may be derived from the way they scoot across the water! Male Wood Ducks would win a waterfowl beauty contest in breeding plumage. They will use man-made nest boxes. Just one day after they hatch, the young leave the nest. American Wood Duck photo by Andrea Morrison	Black Vulture at Dingwell's Mills photo by Wanda Downe Boughton River photo by Karon Cole Confederation Trail photo by Waldron Leard East Lake photo by Melissa MacInnis East Point photo by Waldron Leard Gowan Brae photo by Jaime Gallagher Lakeville photo by Cynthia Waysmith Little Harbour photo by Waldron Leard Mount Hope photo by Waldron Leard North Lake photo by Waldron Leard Priest Pond photo by Kathleen McNamara-Doane Souris photo by Waldron Leard
Osprey Osprey Cool Facts Bald Eagles enjoy hanging out with Osprey. They allow the Osprey to do the hard work catching a fish. Then the Eagles chase the Osprey hoping to steal the day's catch. Eagles, Hawks and Harriers Bald Eagle Broad-winged Hawk Cooper's Hawk Golden Eagle Northern Goshawk Northern Harrier Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Swainson's Hawk Cool Facts: Bald Eagles don't dive like Ospreys. They pick fish off the water's surface. Now that DDT and other pesticides are banned the population of Bald Eagles in P.E.I. is rebounding. Broad-winged Hawks will gather in September in flocks of hundreds. An injured Golden Eagle was found on the Little Harbour Beach in the late 1800's. A Souris family nursed it back to health. It died from natural causes several years later. Northern Goshawks are have the ability to fly through dense forest condiitons hunting for young birds. Northern Harriers hunt by sight and sound. The feathers that surround their faces help direct sound to the Harrier's ears much as happens with an Owl. They are known locally as Marsh Hawks. The British Royal Air Force named the Harrier aircraft after this species in tribute to the bird's manouverability. A perched Red-tailed Hawk shows the white stripes of a set of backpack straps across ts back. The Hawk's cry often sounds for Bald Eagles in movies. Courting pairs will dive at each other, lock talons and tumble towards the ground. They part at the last second before crashing and injuring themselves. Sharp-shinned Hawks are built with compact wings for short, speedy flight through thick forests preying on smaller songbirds, their main diet. Falcons American Kestrel Gyrfalcon Merlin Peregrine Falcon Cool Facts: False eyespots on the back of the Kestrel's neck make it appear to predators that the Kestrel sees them and is prepared for an attack. Merlins are nick-named "Bullet Hawks", for they are very swift birds in flight. Peregrine Falcons are the world's fastest bird. In a dive, it can reach speeds of 260 km. per hour. Partridge and Pheasants Gray Partridge Ring-necked Pheasant Cool Facts: Locally, the Gray Partridge is known as a "Hun", a Hungarian Partridge. They were introduced to North America from Europe. Ring-necked Pheasants were introduced to North America from Asia. They will run from danger first before flying. The cocks will fight for territory in the spring of the year. St. Margarets photo by Fern Leard Grouse Ruffed Grouse Sharp-tailed Grouse Spruce Grouse Cool Facts: Ruffed Grouse are territorial and aggressive in the spring. They will chase and peck at humans and even vehicles crossing through their territory. The drumming display by males is surreal. They stand on a log and beat their wings against the air. The female will act injured if her nest is threatened. If you encounter such displays, the birds are stressed and should be left alone. In winter they bury themselves in snowbanks to keep warm. The Spruce Grouse is an Extirpated Species to Prince Edward Island. Rails, Moorhens and Coots American Coot Common Moorhen King Rail Sora Virginia Rail Cool Facts: Rails and Soras prefer to migrate at night Coots are aggressive and steal food from neighboring ducks. American Coot chicks look like bald men in turtleneck sweaters. They swim very quite well after hatching. Cranes Sandhill Crane Cool Facts: Should you sight a Sandhill Crane in Eastern Kings, it has lost its way! It should be somewhere in central North America. Lapwings & Plovers American Golden Plover Black bellied Plover Common Ringed Plover Killdeer Northern Lapwing Piping Plover Semipalmated Plover Wilson's Plover Cool Facts: Killdeer exhibit a "broken-wing" show when a predator comes too close to a nest. It will run around to distract the predator. Piping Plovers are an endangered species. Their nesting grounds are under special protection. Please obey the signs. Do not disturb the birds. Semi-palmated Plovers are the Robins of the mudflats. They pull marine worms from the mud as do Robins with earthworms from lawns. Oystercatchers American Oystercatcher Cool Facts: An Oystercatcher visiting Eastern Kings is a very rare occurance. They use their powerful bill to crack open Oyster, Clam and Mussel shells. Stilts and Avocets American Avocet Black-necked Stilt Cool Facts: An American Avocet calls an alarm when danger threatens the nest. They have upturned bills. Yellowlegs photo by Andrea Morrison Sandpipers, Snipe and Woodcock American Woodcock Baird's Sandpiper Black-tailed Godwit Buff-breasted Sandpiper Curlew Sandpiper Dunlin Eskimo Curlew Greater Yellowlegs Hudsonian Godwit Least Sandpiper Lesser Yellowlegs Little Curlew Little Stint Long-billed Curlew Long-billed Dowitcher Marbled Godwit Pectoral Sandpiper Purple Sandpiper Red Knot Ruddy Turnstone Ruff Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Solitary Sandpiper Spotted Sandpiper Stilt Sandpiper Upland Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Whimbrel White-rumped Sandpiper Willet Wilson's Snipe Cool Facts: American Woodcocks in courtship will see the males rise in the air and circle around as high as 80 metres. An area is cut for Woodcock courtship at Whitlock's Pond in Dundas. Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs receive their names due the difference in size between the two species. When approaching them on the shore, the Lesser are less easily spooked into flight. Least Sandpipers are the world's smallest. Laughing Gulls prey upon them and will swallow them whole. Red Knots are seen flying with hundreds of other birds such as Sandpipers, Godwits, Plovers, Dunlins and other shorebirds while migrating. Ruddy Turnstones use their bills to flip over stones to find food. They act as guards for other birds calling out to warn of danger. Sanderlings move quickly while probing in the mud for food. They pursue a wave when it retreats, then run away when the next wave comes in. Semipalmated Sandpipers get their name from their partially webbed toes. They will forage in shallow water. Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers are impossible to tell apart in the outdoors. Short-billed are usually found in salt water. Both use their long bills by rapidly probing in the mud. They look like needles on a feathered sewing machine. Wilson's Snipe parents both raise their young. They split the brood, with each parent caring for half the chicks. Skuas and Jaegers Great Skua Long-tailed Jaeger Parasitic Jaeger Pomarine Jaeger Cool Facts: Jaegars are rare visitors to P.E.I. waters. Occasionally they may viewed near the ferry terminal in Souris. Gulls and Terns Arctic Tern Black Tern Black-headed Gull Black-legged Kittiwake Bonaparte's Gull Caspian Tern Common Tern Forster's Tern Glaucous Gull Great Black-backed Gull Herring Gull Iceland Gull Ivory Gull Laughing Gull Least Tern Lesser Black-backed Gull Little Gull Mew Gull Ring-billed Gull Royal Tern Roseate Tern Sabine's Gull Thayer's Gull Cool Facts: Arctic Terns make annual migrations to Africa, Antarctica, Europe, South America and the Indian Ocean. Some years an Arctic Tern may fly over 32,000 kilometres. The Bonaparte's Gull was named for Charles-Lucien Bonaparte, a bird-watcher in the 1800's who made significant discoveries. This gull is unusual for it does not eat at land-fills. Young Caspian Terns will continue to beg for food from their parents long after they are abale to fend for themselves. Common Terns will dive-bomb you, should you come too close to their nesting colonies. If they become angry they will defecate on you. To win a mate, the male struts through the colony with a fish in his mouth. Great Black-backed Gulls often behave as hawks. They prey on small seabirds. A threatened gull points downwards its bill, stretches out its neck and walks stiffly to dissuade intruders. It is the largest gull in the world. Herring Gulls are opportunistic scavengers. The young peck at the small red spot on the bill. The parents regurgitate its meal to feed the hungry chicks. They are known to carry clams, mussels and oysters in the air and drop them on a hard surface such as a highway, to break the shells open to collect a meal. Laughing Gulls chase smaller birds such as Terns to steal their food. If hungry they will chase much larger species such as Osprey and Pelicans. Ring-billed Gulls are more commonly found inland than any other gull. They have gained the nickname "McGull" for hanging out at fast food restaurant parking lots. Bonaparte Gulls photo by Waldron Leard Skimmers Black Skimmer Cool Facts: Black Skimmers are rarely seen in P.E.I. Their bill is thin and shaped like a knife. It slices through salt water for fish. It does not see its catch. It feels for them.	Doves Mourning Dove Passenger Pigeon Ringed Turtle-Dove Rock Dove White-winged Dove Cool Facts: Mourning Doves have a built in straw. They suck water in through their bills. They will raise as many as six broods a year in nests situated in odd places. Their wings whistle when in flight. Rock Doves are commonly known as Pigeons. They were used as message couriers by Caesar and Napoleon. These doves were introduced to North America in the 1800's. Cuckoos Black-billed Cuckoo Yellow-billed Cuckoo Cool Facts: Cuckoos are difficult to see. They have specialized stomachs that allow them to eat hairy caterpillars. Other birds will not touch them. They are more often seen than heard. Owls Barn Owl Barred Owl Boreal Owl Eastern Screech-Owl Great Gray Owl Great Horned Owl Long-eared Owl Northern Hawk Owl Northern Saw-whet Owl Short-eared Owl Snowy Owl Cool Facts: It is believed Hurricane Juan blew a Barn Owl off course in 2003. It was sited in Kingsboro hunting for mice. Farmers consider them to be friends for their diet is rats and mice. Barred Owls will wade in creeks seeking crustaceons. Their ears are positioned differently on either side of their heads. They are able to hear their prey in complete darkness. Great Horned Owls are among the few predators that will kill and eat skunks. They have powerful vision and sharp hearing that allows them to hunt both day and night. Male Short-eared Owls clap their wings as part of their courtship display. Since they hunt over grassy areas, they are the easiest owls to see. Snowy Owls are occasional visitors to East Point. They are usually stressed and hungry. Please observe them from a distance. A male will offer his mate some of his catch, hoping to impress her. They eat rodents such as lemmings. In the north they hunt by day, as well as night. Goatsuckers Common Nighthawk Whip-poor-will Cool Facts: Common Nighthawks have short legs and tiny feet. They sit lengthwise on tree branches and disappear laying across the bark. They eat in flight by scooping insects into relatively large mouths. They will feed near cottage and street lights on warm nights. New Harmony photo by Waldron Leard Swifts Chimney Cool Facts: Chimney Swifts are rare visitors to P.E.I. They fly at the same altitude as aircraft when migrating, about three kilometres above the ground. They have small and weak legs. Should they land on the ground they are unable to resume fly again. They build their nests, using their saliva to attach them to walls such as chimneys. They are capable of snapping off tree twigs with its feet while in flight. It takes the twig in its mouth and takes it to the nest. Hummingbirds Ruby-throated Hummingbird Cool Facts: Ruby-throated Hummingbirds weighing about a nickel. they among the few birds that can fly reverse as well as vertically. Their nests are about the size of a thimble. Kingfishers Belted Kingfisher Cool Facts: Belted Kingfishers teach their young to dive for food by catching and stunning a fish. They place the fish on the surface of the water. Their young are encouraged to dive for their dinner. They dig their burrows in a sandy bank with their beaks and claws. They can measure up to two metres long! Belted Kingfisher photo by Ana Kuzmic Woodpeckers Black-backed Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Three-toed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Cool Facts: Black-backed Woodpeckers will rip large portions of bark off trees looking for food. Downy Woodpeckers have feathers in their nostrils. They filter the sawdust they create while probing for invertebrates and grubs. A Hairy Woodpecker (larger and more aggressive than a Downy) once attacked the vinyl siding on a home in Howe Bay. It was thought that it mistook the hum of electricity for insect activity. Northern Flickers are difficult to photograph. They are easily spooked. They enjoy hammering and probing ant hills. Besides food, they will squish captured ants and preen themselves with the formic acid that is produced. The acid kills small parasites on the skin and feathers. Northern Flicker photo by Warren Foulkes Pileated Woodpeckers require 40 hectares of mature forest for a home territory. They are quite large, the size of an American Crow! Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers drill sap wells. The holes in the mature trees ooze sap that attracts insects. The birds travel from well to well, year after year eating the insects and sap. Flycatchers Alder Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Eastern Phoebe Eastern Wood Peewee Fork-tailed Flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Olive-sided Flycatcher Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Western Kingbird Willow Flycatcher Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Cool Facts: Eastern Kingbirds perch on fences, treetops and wires. Their flight is intent on capturing insects. Courting is a beauful sight. They quiver like a butterfly in flight. Eastern Phoebes build mud and moss nests on a ledge that is protected from the weather. They prefer habitat near water. Eastern Wood Peewees change their voices from morning to evening. The song is converted into a slow verse. The nest is inconspicuous even though exposed. It appears as a knot on a branch. Great Crested Flycatchers will use tin foil or cellophane in their nests because they are attracted to reflective objects. Least Flycatchers have little fear of humans. They dive within inches of people while chasing an insect. Olive-sided Flycatchers are aggressive towards squirrels and other intruders should they come close to the nest. Shrikes Loggerhead Shrike Northern Shrike Cool Facts: Northern Shrikes are the world's only carnivorous songbirds. Their vision is very acute. They will at winter feeding stations. Vireos Blue-headed Vireo Philadelphia Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo White-eyed Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Cool Facts: Blue-headed Viroes males put much energy into raising their young. They were formerly known as Solitary Vireos. They are very tame when approached and have little fear of humans. Red-eyed Vireos are often parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds. They are difficult to in the foliage, but may be located by their distinctive song! Jays and Crows American Crow Blue Jay Common Raven Eurasian Jackdaw Gray Jay Pied Crow Cool Facts: American Crows are considered to be a noisy nuisance. However, to survive, they eat huge quantities of beetles, grubs and grasshoppers, making them friends of farmers. They travel long distances daily from their nightime roosts. Crows are intelligent and family oriented. The Blue Jay is P.E.I.'s symbol as a provincial bird. It appears at the top of the Coat of Arms. Blue Jays store food collected from feeders and other sources to store for later use. Province of Prince Edward Island Common Ravens breed for life. They cooperate to raise their young. Thay are capable of living 40 years or longer. They are smart and are capable of solving certain puzzles created by man. Gray Jays cache food for the winter. They coat the food with mucus from their saliva. The mixture preserves the food. Other birds and animals dislike the taste and will ignore it. They will steal food from your picnic. This is the Jay known as "Whiskey Jack" or "Canada Jay". Larks Horned Lark Cool Facts: Horned Larks resemble sparrows. To tell the difference, Horned Larks walk while Sparrows hop! They huddle low when in danger. In 2007, an adult and three chicks survived none the worse for the wear, a lawn mower passing over their nest in Farmington. Swallows Bank Swallow Barn Swallow Cave Swallow Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Purple Martin Tree Swallow Cool Facts: Bank Swallows eat many flying insects in a day. They raise their young in earth tunnels lined with grass and straw along a bank near water. Barn Swallows skim across water and pick insects off the surface. They are natural pest controllers feeding on many that are harmful to crops and livestock.. They build their nests with one billful of mud at a time. They are found in Asia and Europe as well as America. Tree Swallows line their nests with feathers for insulation. They are the only swallows who will eat berries in the place of insects. They are among the earliest birds to return in the spring! Tree Swallow photo by Waldron Leard Chickadees Black-capped Chickadee Boreal Chickadee Cool Facts: Black-capped Chickadees possess amazing memories. They are able to find hidden seed caches weeks after they have been stashed away. They are capable of feeding while hanging upside down! In the winter they form flocks of about 10 birds to defend a territory. Nuthatches Red-Breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Cool Facts: Nuthatches wedge seeds into a crevice. They hack the seed open with a chisel like bill. They move down tree trunks headfirst. They prefer the seeds found in coniferous trees. Creepers Brown Creeper Cool Facts: Brown Creepers look like a piece of tree bark. They are almost invisible. Their nests are situated under loose still attached to the tree. There are many creepers in Europer and Asia. The Brown Creeper is the only one that lives in North America.	Wrens Carolina Wren House Wren Winter Wren Sedge Wren Marsh Wren Cool Facts: Male Winter Wrens assists raising his young and defending the nest. At night he sleeps alone in an unfinished nest. Winter Wrens are nicknamed "Jenny Wrens" will sustain their songs for 10 seconds, up to 113 tones. Kinglets and Gnatcatchers Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Cool Facts: Golden-crowned Kinglets may be identified by their habit of hovering under branches grabbing insects off the undersides of the foliage. Male Ruby-crowned Kinglets in aggressive displays or courting reveal a burst of red feathers on the top of their heads. Thrushes and Bluebirds American Robin Bicknel's Thrush Eastern Bluebird Fieldfare Gray-cheeked Thrush Hermit Thrush Swainson's Thrush Townsend's Solitaire Veery Wood Thrush Wood Thrush Cool Facts: In P.E.I., American Robins used to be a reliable sign of spring. The advent of global warming has left Robins here in large numbers year round. A Robin tilts its head while looking for earthworms by tracking movements in the soil. Hermit Thrushes prefer the seclusion of the forest. They are beautiful singers who are nick-named "Swamp Angels". Swainson Thrush's are nervous. They give sharp warning calls from a distance usually the tallest tree in the neighbourhood. Mockingbirds and Thrashers Brown Thrasher Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Cool Facts: Gray Catbird females recognize Brown- headed Cowbird eggs and remove them from their nests. They are amazing mimics. They migrate at night. It is believed the use the moon for navigation. While rarely seen in P.E.I., a Northern Mockingbirds was seen dive bombing a house cat in Primrose in 2006. Starlings European Starling Cool Facts: European Starlings enjoy living near humans. they decorate their nests with shiny items such as coins and pieces of plastic. Sixty Starlings were introduced to New York City in 1890. Today they live from the Arctic to Mexico European Starling photo by Cynthia Waysmith Pipits American Pipit Cool Facts: American Pipits were formerly known as Water Pipts. They are largely unnoticed during their fall migrations. Their plumage blends into the landscape. Waxwings Bohemian Waxwing Cedar Waxwing Cool Facts: Cedar Waxwings take turns feeding on berries. When their crop is full, they pass along berries down a line of fellow Waxwings as if a bucket brigade until it reaches a bird who is hungry. They may be occasionally viewed on the ground staggering and unable to fly. They have eaten fermented berries. Stand away from them. They will recover quickly and fly away. Wood Warblers American Redstart Bay-breasted Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-throated Gray Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Blue-winged Warbler Canada Warbler Cape May Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Common Yellowthroat Hooded Warbler Magnolia Warbler Mourning Warbler Nashville Warbler Northern Parula Northern Waterthrush Orange-crowned Warbler Ovenbird Palm Warbler Pine Warbler Prairie Warbler Swainson's Warbler Tennessee Warbler Wilson's Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Yellow Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Yellow-rumped Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Palm Warbler photo by Garry Gregory Cool Facts: American Redstarts are nick-named "Butterfly Birds". Black-and white Warblers are among the earliest migrants to return to P.E.I. in the spring. Audubon declared that Chestnut-sided Warblers were rare. Once forests were cleared by man, sightings increased. "Parula" means "little titmouse". The movements of the Northern Parula are very similar to the Chickadees and the Titmouses. Ovenbirds are named for their unusual nests. They are shaped like a Dutch Oven. Palm Warblers are nicknamed "Wagtail" and "Yellow Tip-up" due to the habit of bobbing its tail continuously while feeding. Yellow Warblers are mistakenly called Wild Canarys. Their nests are parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds. The Warblers recognize the eggs and build another nest on top. they are found throughout North, Central and South America as well as the Carribean. Tanagers Scarlet Tanager Summer Tanager Cool Facts: Tanagers are rarely seen in P.E.I. Scarlet Tanagers forage in cold and rainy weather in forests. On a dull day, they are easily seen. New World Sparrows American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Clay-coloured Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Eastern Towhee Field Sparrow Fox Sparrow Grasshopper Sparrow Harris' Sparrow Lapland Longspur Lark Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Snow Bunting Song Sparrow Spotted Towhee Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Cool Facts: Chipping Sparrows are the most common migrating sparrows in North America. They build nests low in shrubbery near buildings. They will line their nests with human and animal hair. Dark-eyed Juncos are spread throughout North America. The Slate- coloured Junco is the subspecies that is seen in P.E.I. They appear at feeders at first snowfall. At times they will thank who fills the feeders by alighting on their shoulder. Field Sparrow chicks look different from their parents. They hide seperately from their parents in deep cover. If they huddled together in the nest, their scent would attract predators. Fox Sparrows uncover seeds and insects by grabbing leaf litter with its toes with a two-footed shuffle. They kick it behind. Snow Buntings are used to the cold and snow drifts. They will dig holes in the snow to escape blizzard conditions. Song Sparrows are among the top singers in the bird world. While it is usually males that sing, the female Song Sparrows will sing a few tunes of her own! They do not look alike. There may be as many as 30 species throughout America. They are a secretive bird near their nests. To sight Swamp Sparrows, you need hip waders. The summer near bogs and swamps Vesper Sparrows sing in the evening. That is the origin of the name. Vespers, evening prayers, were said in monasteries in the evening. White-crowned sparrows are easily viewed in small flocks along hedgerows, woodland edges and thickets. White-throated sparrows sing year round, even in the winter! They prefer scrub undergrowth and weeds. They will make frequent visits to backyard feeders. Song Sparrow photo by Heather Fortingall Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Buntings Black-headed Grosbeak Blue Grosbeak Indigo Bunting Northern Cardinal Oickcissel Painted Bunting Rose-breasted Grosbeak Cool Facts: Indigo Buntings are rare visitors to P.E.I. A siting was registered several years ago in Hermanville! Male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are violently aggressive when mating. When they are expected to sit on the nest they are happy to do so and sing! The female is unusual in that she will join her mate in song. In flight resemble black, carmine, rose and white pinwheels. Blackbirds, Meadowlarks and Orioles Baltimore Oriole Bobolink Brewer's Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Bullock's Oriole Common Grackle Eastern Meadowlark Orchard Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Rusty Blackbird Yellow-headed Blackbird Cool Facts: Bobolinks need hayfields as a habitat to survive. Many young die each year because they have not fledged when the fields are mown. Common Grackles gather in the thousands in farmer's fields. They cause considerable damage to the crops. Brown-headed Cowbirds do not build nests. They lay as many as 30 eggs in the nests of others. The males and females do not form pair bonds. Common Grackles will catch bats in the air and eat them. They will also attack Song Sparrows. Red-winged Blackbirds will breed as many as three times in one season. It is believed there are more Red- winged Blackbirds than any other species in North America. They are easily seen perched on cattails in marshes. Males will start singing in spring before the snow melts. Purple Finch photo by Ana Kuzmic Finches American Goldfinch Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll European Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak House Finch Pine Grosbeak Pine Siskin Purple Finch Red Crossbill White-winged Crossbill Cool Facts: American Goldfinches nest late in the summer. They need a consistant supply of thistle and dandelion seed to feed their young. Brown-headed Cowbirds hatched in a Goldfinch nest are unable to survive on an all-seed diet. Common Redpolls have tiny pockets in their esophagus, where they store seeds to be regurgitated, shelled and eaten later. While they will eat at feeders, they prefer birch and alder seeds. The calorie count is high. They are able to survive the cold better than any other songbird. Evening Grosbeaks received their name by the mistaken impression that they sang only at dusk. They are able to exert as much as 125 pounds of pressure and are able to crack pits from cherries. In a rough winter, thousands of Pine Siskins will come south for food. Thay are considered to be "goldfinches in camouflage" as their habits resemble the more colourful bird. The colouring on a Purple Finch resembles raspberries, not purple. The males are boisterous in their sing to impress the females. White-winged Crossbills are occasionally sighted at East Point in the autumn. Their bills are crossed and adapted to extract seeds from cones. A single bird is capable of eating up to 3000 conifer seeds a day. If there is enough food available, they will breed in all four seasons. They will lick salt off the roads. Sadly many are run over as a result. Old World Sparrows House Sparrow Cool Facts: In the 1800's, eight pair of European House Sparrows were brought to America from Europe to help control cankerworms in farmer's crops. A pair may raise up to four clutches a year, with up to eight young per clutch. Their nests are messy. Rubbish is mixed in with long grass stems. They favour towns, villages and barnyards. Additional details may be found on the Souris Branch of the P.E.I. Wildlife Federation site.

American Robin Atlantic Puffin Bald Eagle Baltimore Oriole Black-capped Chickadee Blue Jay Brown Thrasher Common Loon Common Raven Eastern Bluebird Great Grey Owl Great-Horned Owl Gyrfalcon Hermit Thrush Northern Cardinal Osprey Purple Finch Ring-necked Pheasant Ruffed Grouse Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Sharp-tailed Grouse Snowy Owl Upton photo by Waldron Leard

State bird of Connecticut, Michigan & Wisconsin Provincial bird of Newfoundland & Labrador National bird of the United States State bird of Maryland Provincial bird of New Brunswick State bird of Maine & Massachusetts Provincial bird of Prince Edward Island State bird of Georgia Provincial bird of Ontario State Bird of Minnesota Territorial bird of Yukon State bird of Missouri & New York Provincial bird of Manitoba Provincial bird of Alberta Territorial bird of the Northwest Territories State bird of Vermont State bird of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia & West Virginia Provincial bird of Nova Scotia State bird of Pennsylvania State bird of Oklahoma State bird of New Hampshire State bird of South Dakota Provincial bird of Saskatchewan Provincial bird of Quebec Blue Grosbeak photo by Brenda Young

Copyright
Burrows/Cairns/Cole/Forsythe/Gallagher/Leard/Pierce/Smith