Backyard Biology - Birds

There are currently 41 species of birds represented on this page. As males, females, and juveniles within a species can look quite different, there may be more than one picture for a species illustrating these differences. All of the pictures on this page were taken in the general vicinity of my house -- "general vicinity" being defined as the Lacey/Olympia/Tumwater area. Any photos not taken in my immediate backyard (ie within a few hundred yards of my house), will have the location of the photo noted beneath the thumbnail. A {BG!} following the bird's name indicates that the larger version (click on the thumbnail) may make a nice desktop background.

At the bottom of the page I've also listed a few birds that I have either seen or heard in my area, but for one reason or another, I haven't been able to get a good picture of yet.

Lastly, you may notice buttons for Bird Web and/or BirdNote below the thumbnail and name. These are two *very* excellent sites with lots of information on birds. Bird Web is a site maintained by the Seattle Audubon Society which includes a lot of information about the birds of Washington. BirdNote is a local NPR radio series (produced by KPLU) which airs at 8:58 each morning on 88.5 FM. The shows are two minute vignettes. The Bird Web button will take you to a page with information on that bird; the BirdNote button will take you to the MP3 file of a radio show for that bird. On some birds, I've included links to multiple BirdNote shows. Hold the mouse over the BirdNote button, and you should be able to see the titles of the shows. Enjoy!



Sharp-shinned Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
(Accipiter striatus)
link to Bird Web: Sharp-shinned Hawk link to Bird Note: Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird {BG!}
(Agelaius phoeniceus)
[Rainier Vista Park - Lacey, WA]
link to Bird Web: Red-winged Blackbird link to Bird Note: Red-winged Blackbird Harem
American Wigeon (male)
American Wigeon ♂
(Anas americana)
[Priest Point Park - Olympia, WA]
link to Bird Web: American Wigeon link to Bird Note: American Wigeon
American Wigeon (female)
American Wigeon ♀
(Anas americana)
[Priest Point Park - Olympia, WA]
Mallard (male)
Mallard ♂{BG!}
(Anas platyrynchos)
link to Bird Web: Mallard link to Bird Note: Everybody Knows a Mallard
Mallard (female)
Mallard ♀
(Anas platyrynchos)
[Priest Point Park - Olympia, WA]
Canada Goose
Canada Goose {BG!}
(Branta canadensis)
[Rainier Vista Park - Lacey, WA]
link to Bird Web: Canada Goose link to Bird Note: Canada Geese -- Migratory or Not?
Bufflehead
Bufflehead
(Bucephala albeola)
[Rainier Vista Park - Lacey, WA]
link to Bird Web: Bufflehead link to Bird Note: Bufflehead Return link to Bird Note: Buffleheads in Winter
link to Bird Note: Bufflehead, Never Still
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
(Buteo jamaicensis)
link to Bird Web: Red-tailed Hawk link to Bird Note: Red-tailed Hawk, Bulky Bird link to Bird Note: Soaring with Red-Tails
Pine Siskin
Pine Siskin
(Carduelis pinus)
link to Bird Web: Pine Siskin link to Bird Note: Project Feederwatch
American Goldfinch
American Goldfinch ♂
(Carduelis tristis)
link to Bird Web: American Goldfinch link to Bird Note: The Goldfinch Dresses for Spring link to Bird Note: What's Your State Bird?
House Finch
House Finch
(Carpodacus mexicanus)
link to Bird Web: House Finch link to Bird Note: House Finches Red and Yellow link to Bird Note: You Are What You Eat
Killdeer
Killdeer {BG!}
(Charadrius vociferus)
[Rainier Vista Park - Lacey, WA]
link to Bird Web: Killdeer link to Bird Note: Killdeer, Master of Distraction
Northern Flicker
Northern Flicker ♂
(Colaptes auratus)
link to Bird Web: Northern Flicker link to Bird Note: Northern Flicker, Drummer link to Bird Note: Northern Flicker - A Most Unlikely Woodpecker
Rock Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
(Columba livia)
[Sleater-Kinney near I-5 - Lacey, WA]
link to Bird Web: Rock Pigeon link to Bird Note: Rock Pigeon, Urban Bird
Northwestern Crow
Northwestern Crow
(Corvus caurinus)
link to Bird Web: American Crow link to Bird Note: The Crafty American Crow link to Bird Note: Crow Parents, Fearless Defenders
Steller's Jay
Steller's Jay
(Cyanocitta stelleri)
link to Bird Web: Steller's Jay link to Bird Note: Steller's Jay -- The Mimic link to Bird Note: Racous Steller's Jay
link to Bird Note: How the Steller's Jay Got Its Crest link to Bird Note: Jay's Whisper Song
Townsend's Warbler
Townsend's Warbler {BG!}
(Dendroica townsendi)
link to Bird Web: Townsend's Warbler link to Bird Note: Who Was Townsend?
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker ♂
(Dryocopus pileatus)
link to Bird Web: Pileated Woodpecker link to Bird Note: Pileated Woodpecker -- A Cartoon link to Bird Note: No Pounding Headache
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
(Empidonax difficilis)
link to Bird Web: Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
link to Bird Web: Bald Eagle link to Bird Note: Bald Eagle, National Symbol link to Bird Note: Bald Eagles Hunt in Tandem
link to Bird Note: Bald Is Back
Varied Thrush
Varied Thrush ♂
(Ixoreus naevius)
link to Bird Web: Varied Thrush link to Bird Note: The Secretive Varied Thrush
Dark-eyed Junco
Dark-eyed Junco
(Junco hyemalis)
link to Bird Web: Dark-eyed Junco link to Bird Note: Dark-eyed Junco -- Snow Bird
Glaucous-winged Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
(Larus glaucescens)
[KMart Parking Lot - Lacey, WA]
link to Bird Web: Glaucous-winged Gull link to Bird Note: Seagull? No Such Thing! link to Bird Note: Glaucous-winged Gull Catches the Toss
link to Bird Note: The Little Red Spot on a Gull's Bill link to Bird Note: Gull Identification I link to Bird Note: Gull Identification II
Glaucous-winged Gull - winter plumage
Glaucous-winged Gull (winter plumage)
(Larus glaucescens)
[KMart Parking Lot - Lacey, WA]
Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow
(Melospiza melodia)
link to Bird Web: Song Sparrow link to Bird Note: Song Sparrow in your Brush Pile
Osprey
Osprey
(Pandion haliaetus)
link to Bird Web: Osprey link to Bird Note: Osprey: Fish Hawk link to Bird Note: Ospreys and Cell Towers
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
(Parus atricapillus)
link to Bird Web: Black-capped Chickadee link to Bird Note: Chickadees in Winter link to Bird Note: Chickadee Codes
link to Bird Note: Black-capped Chickadee link to Bird Note: Black-capped Chickadee -- Birdbrain?
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
(Parus rufescens)
link to Bird Web: Chestnut-backed Chickadee link to Bird Note: Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Black-headed Grosbeak
Black-headed Grosbeak ♀ {BG!}
(Pheucticus melanocephalus)
link to Bird Web: Black-headed Grosbeak link to Bird Note: Black-headed Grosbeak Sings!
Downy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker ♂
(Picoides pubescens)
link to Bird Web: Downy Woodpecker link to Bird Note: The Diminutive Downy Woodpecker link to Bird Note: Downy Woodpeckers
Hairy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker ♂
(Picoides villosus)
link to Bird Web: Hairy Woodpecker
Spotted Towhee
Spotted Towhee
(Pipilo maculatus)
link to Bird Web: Spotted Towhee link to Bird Note: Spotted Towhee
Bushtit
Bushtit {BG!}
(Psaltriparus minimus)
link to Bird Web: Bushtit link to Bird Note: Bushtit Nest, Comfy as an Old Sock link to Bird Note: The Bushtit vs. the Elastic
link to Bird Note: Bushtits in Spring
Rufous Hummingbird female
Rufous Hummingbird ♀
(Selasphorus rufus)
link to Bird Web: Rufous Hummingbird link to Bird Note: Rufous Hummingbirds Head South link to Bird Note: Rufous Hummingbirds' Marvelous Nest
Rufous Hummingbird male
Rufous Hummingbird ♂
(Selasphorus rufus)
link to Bird Note: Rufous Hummingbirds Return link to Bird Note: Why a Gorget Glitters
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
(Sitta canadensis)
link to Bird Web: Red-breasted Nuthatch link to Bird Note: The Clever Nuthatch
Barred Owl
Barred Owl
(Strix varia)
link to Bird Web: Barred Owl link to Bird Note: Here Come the Barred Owls link to Bird Note: The Barred Owl Calls
Starling male
European Starling ♂
(Sturnus vulgaris)
link to Bird Web: European Starling link to Bird Note: European Starling - A Nightmare link to Bird Note: The Lowly Starling
Tree Swallow
Tree Swallow
(Tachycineta bicolor)
link to Bird Web: Tree Swallow link to Bird Note: Tree Swallows March North link to Bird Note: Tree Swallows and Feathers
Bewick's Wren
Bewick's Wren
(Thryomanes bewickii)
link to Bird Web: Bewick's Wren link to Bird Note: The Bewick's Wren Spring Repertoire
American Robin
American Robin
(Turdus migratorius)
link to Bird Web: American Robin link to Bird Note: Cheery American Robin link to Bird Note: American Robin, Valiant Challenger
link to Bird Note: Is It the Same Robin? link to Bird Note: How the Robin Got Its Name link to Bird Note: Why Robin Has a Red Breast
Wilson's Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
(Wilsonia pusilla)
link to Bird Web: Wilson's Warbler link to Bird Note: Wilson's Warbler I: So Long for Now, Wilson's Warbler link to Bird Note: Wilson's Warbler II: Wintering in Belize
link to Bird Note: Wilson's Warbler III: Welcome Back, Wilson's Warbler link to Bird Note: Wilson's Warbler IV: Whirlwind Courtship and Nesting link to Bird Note: Wilson's Warbler V: Near Summer's End
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
(Zonotrichia atricapilla)
link to Bird Web: Golden-crowned Sparrow link to Bird Note: October Migrants - Look Who's Back! link to Bird Note: Good-bye, Winter Birds
   
Swainson's Thrush - no picture yet
Swainson's Thrush
(Catharus ustulatus)
link to Bird Web: Swainson's Thrush link to Bird Note: Swainson's Thrush, Woodland Singer link to Bird Note: Salmonberry Bird
link to Bird Note: Swainson's Thrush, Power Napper
   


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Last updated: 10 Dec 2007
©2007-2008 Kevin Hall