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[Phyl]

Rock Pigeon,
Columba livia



The Rock Pigeon, formerly known as the Rock Dove, was introduced to North America in the early 17th-century by colonists on the Atlantic coast and is now a common sight in urban areas from southern Alaska across North America to the tip of South America.

Native to Europe, North Africa, and most of Asia this species was domesticated over 5,000 years ago for food and entertainment.

It is the most intensively studied bird in the world. While most Rock Pigeons nest on human-made structures, many can be found on natural cliffs in Tennessee.

Description: Because of their domestic roots, Rock Pigeons have a variety of plumages from pure white to gray to solid brown.

The most common plumage is similar to the ancestral wild Rock Pigeon, which is overall gray with a white rump, two black wing bars, a rounded tail with a dark tip, and iridescent purplish green on the neck and head.

The sexes are similar but males average larger and have more iridescence on the neck.

Length: 12.5"
Wingspan: 28"
Weight: 9 oz
Voice: A soft, series of gurgling coo-roo-coo.

Similar Species:

The Mourning Dove is slimmer and has a long, pointed tail with white outer tail feathers.
Eurasian Collared-Dove is pale sandy gray overall, with a square tail, and a narrow black half-collar on the back of the neck.
Habitat: Urban and suburban areas, parks, agricultural areas, fields, and farms with grain silos, industrial parks, rail yards, and occasionally rocky cliffs.

Diet: Seeds, fruits, rarely invertebrates.

Nesting and reproduction: Usually gregarious, pairs often nest close to each other. In Tennessee, the nesting season extends from at least January through September. Rock Pigeons will produce two or three broods in a season.

Clutch Size: Usually 2 eggs, occasionally one.

Incubation: Both parents incubate the eggs for 16 to 19 days.

Fledging: The young are fed "crop milk," a nutritious fluid produced by both parents. Seeds are added to the diet as the young mature. They leave the nest at 25 to 26 days old.

Nest: The nest is a flimsy stick platform built undercover on building ledges, in barns, under bridges and occasionally on natural rock ledges or quarries. Nest sites are often reused with a new nest being built on top of the old one. Pigeons do not remove the feces of their nestlings and the nest turns into a sturdy mound that gets larger month by month.

Status in Tennessee: Common permanent resident in urban and agricultural areas across the state. The Tennessee population is stable or possibly increasing. Most Rock Pigeons depend on humans for food and nest sites resulting in little competition with native birds. They are not protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Obsolete English Names: dove, rock dove, common pigeon, feral pigeon, homing pigeon, carrier pigeons

Best places to see in Tennessee: Rock Pigeons can be found statewide at urban and industrial centers, and agricultural areas.


For more information not provided here: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/grassland-and-shrub-birds/rock-pigeon.html

[Phyl]

Eurasian Collared-Dove,
Streptopelia decaocto



he Eurasian Collared-Dove was inadvertently introduced into the Bahamas in the mid-1970s. It naturally spread to Florida and is now established throughout the southeastern United States. Its breeding range in North America continues to expand north and west.

The first nesting record in Tennessee occurred in May 1994 in Shelby County, and as of 2008 Eurasian Collared-Doves have been recorded in 80 of the 95 Tennessee counties. The success of the Eurasian Collared-Dove can be attributed to the wide availability of seed offered by backyard bird feeders, grain in agricultural areas, and tolerance of human activities.

Description: Larger than a Mourning Dove, the Eurasian Collared-Dove is pale sandy gray with a pinkish hue on the head and breast when observed in good light. There is a narrow black half-collar on the back of the neck (not always visible). The wings are mottled gray with dark primaries, and the tail is long and square. The under-tail pattern is black near the base with a broad white terminal edge. Both sexes look alike.

Length: 13"
Wingspan: 22"
Weight: 7 oz

Voice: The song is a three-notes coo-coo-coo, with the first note quickly followed by a second, longer note, then a short pause before the final short note. They also give a musical growl in flight.

Similar Species:

Mourning Doves have a long pointed tail with white outer tail feathers, and only a spot, rather than a collar, on the neck.
Habitat: Found in urban, suburban, and agricultural areas where grain is available.

Diet: Seeds and cereal grain, some insects.
Nesting and reproduction: The Eurasian Collared-Dove primarily nests from February through May, but may nest at any time of year.
Clutch Size: 2 eggs
Incubation: Both parents incubate the eggs for 14 to 16 days.

Fledging: The young are fed "crop milk," a nutritious fluid produced by both parents, and seeds as the young mature. The young leave the nest at about 18 days old.

Nest: The female usually builds the nest with the male gathering nest material. The nest is made of twigs, stems, roots, and grasses and usually placed in trees, often near human habitation.

Status in Tennessee: Eurasian Collared-Doves are currently uncommon statewide in metropolitan areas, small towns, and agricultural areas. They only recently arrived in the state and as of December 2008, had been observed in 80 of the 95 Tennessee counties. The 15 counties where the species has not been reported are: Campbell, Cheatham, Cocke, Hancock, Jackson, Johnson, Morgan, Scott, Sevier, Smith, Sullivan, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, and Van Buren.

Eurasian Collared-Doves are usually found in small groups, but on occasion, in large concentrations where food is abundant. In 2007, 3,000 were observed from one location in Memphis, but numbers over a dozen are uncommon. The 2007-2008 the Tennessee Christmas Bird Count reported 526 individuals on 12 counts statewide. In August 2008, 169 were seen flying from a roost in Smyrna, Rutherford Co.

For more information not provided here: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/grassland-and-shrub-birds/eurasian-collared-dove.html

[Phyl]

Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura



The Mourning Dove is an abundant and widespread terrestrial bird breeding from southern Canada, across the United States to Central America and the Caribbean.  It utilizes a variety of habitats across Tennessee.

It can be found in both rural and urban landscapes, nests readily around yards and farmsteads, and is a frequent visitor to bird feeders.  The distinctive mournful song gives this species its name, however, some people mistaken this call for an owl.

Description: The head of this medium-sized bird is small with a black comma-shaped spot below and behind the eye, the body is light brown, the tail is long and pointed and has white outer edges.  The wings have black spots and whistle in flight. The male and female are similar in appearance, but the male is slightly larger and slightly more colorful with a bluish crown and pink chest.

Length: 12"
Wingspan: 18"
Weight: 4.2 oz

Voice: The song is a melancholy cooing of 5 notes, the second higher pitched, followed by three repeated notes: ooAH cooo oo oo This mournful song is often mistaken for an owl. When alarmed the wings produce a whistle upon takeoff.

Similar Species:

Rock Pigeons are larger and chunkier, the wings are broader, and the tail is square.
Eurasian Collared-Doves are also slender, but are larger and heavier, the tail is long but square with white corners, and they have a black collar across the back of the neck.
Habitat: Breeds in variety of open habitats, including agricultural areas, open woods, deserts, forest edges, cities and suburbs.

Diet: Primarily seeds.
Nesting and reproduction: Peak nesting is from April to August, but Mourning Doves have been found nesting in Tennessee in every month of the year and they can produce multiple broods. As with other pigeons and doves, both parents feed newly hatched young on "crop milk," a unique secretion of the cells of the crop wall.
Clutch Size: 2 eggs.
Incubation: Incubation of the eggs is by both parents and lasts for 13 to 14 days.
Fledging: The young are fed "crop milk," a nutritious fluid produced by both parents. Young leave the nest in 12 to 15 days and are tended by the male for an additional week.

Nest: The female builds the nest with the male bringing her sticks. It is a flimsy platform of twigs, often sparse enough to see the eggs from below. The nest is placed in deciduous or coniferous trees, tangles of shrubs, or vines, occasionally on the deserted nest of another species, and sometimes on a rock ledge or other structure. Nests are frequently reused.

Status in Tennessee: The Mourning Dove is a familiar, abundant, resident across the state. Birds migrating here from more northerly latitudes augment the winter population. The Mourning Dove is the most popular game species in Tennessee. From 1981 to 1990, an average of 141,000 hunters harvested an average of almost 3 million doves per year in the state. The population in Tennessee is generally stable.

For more information not provided here:https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/mourning-dove.html

[Phyl]

Yellow-billed Cuckoo,
Coccyzus americanus


While common in Tennessee during the breeding season, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo is not easily seen because of its habit of waiting motionless for long periods watching for an insect or caterpillar.

Its loud call is given throughout the day, and the term "rain crow" is sometimes used because of its tendency to call more on cloudy days.  However, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo's ability to predict rain has never been documented.

This bird breeds from the Great Plains eastward across the U.S., and in scattered locations west to California; it winters in South America.  Unique among Tennessee's breeding birds, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo's local distribution and the onset of breeding appear to be correlated with local food abundance.  Once nesting is initiated, the breeding cycle is extremely rapid and requires only 17 days from egg-laying to fledging of young!

For more information not provided here:
Its call is familiar to many because it is loud and given throughout the day during the summer. "Raincrow" is a common alternate name for its tendency to call more on cloudy days, but its ability to predict rain has never been documented.

The Yellow-billed Cuckoo breeds across the eastern U.S. westward to the Great Plains, and in scattered locations west to California, and winters in South America.  This species has several characteristics that make it unique among Tennessee's breeding birds.

Their local distribution and the onset of breeding appear to be correlated with local food abundance. Once nesting is initiated, the breeding cycle is extremely rapid and requires only 17 days from egg-laying to fledging of young.

Description: This slender, medium-sized bird is dull brown above and whitish below. It has long wings with rusty primaries, a long tail with large white spots along edges visible in flight from above, and from below when perching.  The graduated tail shape makes the spots appear in three patches up the tail. The bill is black with a yellow lower mandible. The sexes are similar in plumage, but the female averages slightly larger.

Length: 12"
Wingspan: 18"
Weight: 2.3 oz

Voice: The song is a slow, deep, guttural series of monotonous low notes, ending with a hollow-sounding klop klop klop.

Similar Species:

Black-billed Cuckoo has an all-black bill, a red ring around the eye, much smaller white spots under the paler tail, and lacks the rusty patch in the wing. Easily distinguished by voice. The Black-billed Cuckoo is an uncommon migrant and is known to breed at only a few locations in eastern Tennessee.
Habitat: Open woodlands with clearings and dense scrubby vegetation, often along the water.

Diet: Caterpillars (especially hairy ones), large insects, some fruits and seeds.

Nesting and reproduction: Breeding often coincides with outbreaks of cicadas and tent caterpillars. Egg-to-fledge time is especially short.

Clutch Size: Usually 2 to 4 eggs, occasionally 1 to 8.

Incubation: Both adults incubate the eggs for 9 to 11 days.

Fledging: Both parents feed the young, which leave the nest in 7 to 10 days. They can fly in a couple of weeks.

Nest: The male and female build the flimsy shallow platform of twigs, lined sparingly with dried leaves or strips of bark. Placed on a branch of a small tree or large shrub.

Status in Tennessee: Fairly common migrant and summer resident of woodlands across the state, arriving in late April or May and departing by mid-October. Numbers are apparently influenced by insect abundance.

For more information not provided here:https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/forest-birds/yellow-billed-cuckoo.html

[Phyl]

Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio



The Eastern Screech-Owl is a small, nocturnal woodland owl with ear-tufts.  Its song is a distinctive trill and descending whinny that does not sound like the typical hooting of an owl.

his owl has two color-morphs, reddish-brown and gray.  In Tennessee the red morph outnumbers the gray by almost two to one. No other North American owl has such distinctive plumage differences.

The Eastern Screech-Owl is non-migratory and occurs east of the Rocky Mountains from the Canadian border to northeastern Mexico.  It is found in urban as well as rural areas and readily nests in nest boxes.  Like most owls, it is more often heard than seen.

Description: The Eastern Screech-Owl is a small owl, with feathered ear-tufts, and has both a reddish-brown and a gray color-morph.  The toes are feathered, the eyes are yellow, and the bill is greenish.  Male and female plumage is similar, the female is larger, but the male's voice is lower-pitched.

Length: 8.5" (height)
Wingspan: 20"
Weight: 6 oz

Voice: Eastern Screech-Owls give both a trill on one note, lasting up to 3 seconds, and a descending wavering whinny-like song. These songs are usually uttered separately.

Similar Species:

The Northern Saw-whet Owl is smaller, with a black bill, white streaking on light brown crown. This owl nests locally in east Tennessee, and (nocturnally) migrates across the state, although rarely detected.
Habitat: Found in most habitats with trees, including urban and suburban areas. Prefers deciduous to coniferous forest and riparian woodlands.

Diet: Insects, crayfish, earthworms, songbirds, rodents.

Nesting and reproduction: Egg laying peaks in late March and early April.

Clutch Size: Usually 3 to 4 eggs, range from 2 to 6.

Incubation: The female does most of the incubating, which lasts 26 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the young. They leave the nest at about 31 days and are dependent on the parents for up to 3 more months.

Nest: Nests and roosts in cavities that are either natural, excavated by a woodpecker, or human-made nest boxes, including Wood Duck boxes. They add no nesting material to nest cavity. Next Box Instructions here.

Status in Tennessee: The Eastern Screech-Owl is the most numerous owl in the state. It is found at lower elevations and considered fairly common throughout.

For more information not provided here:   https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/forest-birds/eastern-screech-owl.html

[Phyl]

Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus



The Great Horned Owl is the largest owl nesting in Tennessee and is easily identified by its large size, ear tufts and yellow eyes.  It is a nocturnal bird, common and widespread across North America from the arctic tundra, south through Mexico and Central America, and locally to Tierra del Fuego.

There is little evidence of an annual migration even among the northernmost populations.  Its very low pitched five to six note hooting makes the Great-horned Owl easiest to detect in December and January when they are establishing territories. Like the Barred Owl, the Great Horned Owl is sometimes called a "hoot owl."

Description: Sexes alike in plumage, but as with most birds of prey, the female is larger.  The Great Horned Owl is a large, bulky, brown owl with prominent ear tufts widely spaced on head, a white throat, tawny facial disk outlined in black, and yellow eyes.

The male's voice is lower-pitched than the female's.

Length: 22" (height)

Wingspan: 44"

Weight: 3.1 lbs.

Voice: Song is five or six low-pitched, quivering hoots translating as Are you awake? me, too.

Similar Species:

Long-eared Owls, a rare winter visitor to Tennessee, are slimmer, and have proportionately larger ear tufts that are closer together on the head.
Barred Owls have no ear tufts, and dark eyes.
Habitat: The Great Horned Owl uses the widest range of habitats of any North American owl and is found in desert, grassland, suburban areas, deciduous and coniferous forest habitats.

In Tennessee, it is found in areas of mixed fields and woodlands, including upland and bottomland forest, agricultural areas, and urban woodlands.

Diet: Broad range of prey items including rabbits, geese, herons, some smaller birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates, but mostly mammals. They are the only bird known to readily kill and eat skunks.

Nesting and reproduction: Great Horned Owls are the earliest nesting species in Tennessee with courtship beginning in late fall or early winter. Eggs are usually laid in January. Great Horned Owls do not begin nesting until they are two years old.

Clutch Size: 2 eggs, rarely up to 5.

Incubation: The female does most of the incubating that lasts 26 to 35 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the young. They leave the nest at 5 weeks old but do not fly well until about 9 weeks old. They remain with the parents for up to 3 more months.

Nest: Great Horned Owls use a variety of nest sites, including trees, cliffs, buildings, and the ground. They often put nests in hollows or broken-off snags in trees and sometimes use the nests of other bird species. Nest height ranges from 30 to 50 feet above the ground.

Status in Tennessee: Fairly common permanent resident nesting throughout the state. Found in areas of mixed woodland and open habitat including upland and bottomland forest, agricultural areas, and urban woodlands.

For more information not provided here:  https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/great-horned-owl.html

[Phyl]

Barred Owl
Strix varia




Barred Owls are highly vocal and their hooting call is often phrased as Who cooks for you, Who cooks for you all?  They are more active during the day than other Tennessee owls and will even call occasionally in the daytime.

Barred Owls are widespread in the eastern half of the United States and across central Canada to northern California. Like the Great Horned Owl, Barred Owls are sometimes referred to as "hoot owls."

Description: This stocky, round-headed, medium-sized gray-brown owl has no ear tufts and dark eyes.  The underparts are whitish with dark streaks, and the bill is dull yellow.  T

he sexes are alike in plumage, but the female is larger, even though the male has the lower-pitched voice.

Length: 17.5" (height)

Wingspan: 40"

Weight: 1.3 lbs.

Voice: The song is usually characterized as 8 or 9 clear hoots: who cooks for you, who cooks for you (all).

Similar Species:

Great Horned Owl has ear tufts and yellow eyes.
Habitat: Forested areas especially large blocks of bottomland forest and wooded swamps, but also in mature upland forest. Also, occurs in suburban neighborhoods where tracts of forest remain.

Diet: Small mammals, rabbits, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates.

Nesting and reproduction: Barred Owls nest later than Great Horned Owls. Peak egg laying is in early March.

Clutch Size: 2 to 3 eggs, occasionally 1 to 5.

Incubation: The female does most of the 28 to 33 days of incubation.

Fledging: Both adults feed the young. They leave the nest at 4 to 5 weeks old but do not fly well until about 6 weeks. They remain with the parents for up to 3 more months.

Nest: Barred Owls prefer to nest in cavities in deciduous trees but occasionally will use open nests made by hawks, crows, or squirrels. They will also use nest boxes where cavities are limited. Nest heights range from 20 to 50 feet above the ground.

Status in Tennessee: Barred Owls are fairly common residents in Middle and West Tennessee, and less common in East Tennessee.  Their population is stable or increasing, but local declines have occurred in regions where large tracts of forest have been converted to pine plantations, or bottomland forest converted to agricultural production.

 For more information:  https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/barred-owl.html

[Phyl]

Common Nighthawk,
Chordeiles minor



The name “Common Nighthawk” is a bit of a misnomer because this species is not a hawk and is most active at dawn and dusk, not at night.

Its distinctive bouncy, erratic flight is a familiar sight over urban areas and lighted ball fields on summer evenings.

This flight pattern may have reminded some of a large bat, hence the local name “bullbat.”

Nighthawks breed to the northern limit of forest in Canada, throughout the United States and south to Honduras.

The Common Nighthawk has among the longest migrations of any North American bird, wintering entirely in South America.

Description: This medium-sized bird has a large head, a tiny, but the wide bill, and its camouflaged brown mottled plumage makes it difficult to observe at rest.

In flight, wings are long, pointed, and bent, with a prominent white patch near the tip.

Sexes are similar in plumage, but the female has a smaller white wing patch, and lack the small white tail stripe of male.

Length: 9.5
Wingspan: 24"
Weight: 2.2 oz

Voice: A nasal, buzzy peent, heard at dawn and dusk, often while foraging.

Similar Species:

Chuck-will’s-widow and Whip-poor-will have larger heads, rounded tails, and long rounded wings with no white patches.
Habitat: Breeds in areas with exposed gravel or soil and few trees, and commonly on gravel rooftops. In Middle Tennessee, they are commonly found in cedar glades.

Diet: Flying insects

Nesting and reproduction: During the breeding season, the male makes a spectacular “booming” dive both during courtship and for territorial defense.

The male swoops down to within a few feet of the ground making a large sound as the wind vibrates through its flight feathers.

Clutch Size: Usually 2 eggs, occasionally one.

Incubation: The female incubates for 19 days.

Fledging: Both the female and male feed regurgitated insects to their chicks. Young begin flying at 23 days and remain dependent on adults for another week.

Nest: Eggs are laid directly on the ground, on gravel roofs, exposed rock in cedar glades, in pastures, or in plowed fields. No nesting material is used.

Status in Tennessee: The Common Nighthawk is a fairly common summer resident across the state.

It is present from late April through early October and is sometimes seen in large flocks during fall migration.
Populations have declined in recent years.

For more information:https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/grassland-and-shrub-birds/common-nighthawk.html

[Phyl]

Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica



Chimney Swifts once nested and roosted in hollow trees in old-growth forests.  When European settlers arrived, they greatly increased the number of potential nesting sites for swifts by putting chimneys on their buildings.

Now, Chimney Swifts only occasionally use trees.  These twittering, “flying-cigar” shaped gray birds are easy to identify as they fly over cities and suburbs catching flying insects. Chimney Swifts are most noticeable at dusk during migration when flocks numbering in the hundreds or thousands circle in tornado-like flocks above roost-chimneys and then suddenly descend, like reverse smoke, into the chimney to spend the night.

Chimney Swifts breed in the eastern half of North America and winter in South America. They usually arrive in Tennessee by late March and depart by mid-October. The name “chimney sweep” is still commonly used.

Description: Chimney Swifts are uniformly dark gray with long, narrow, curved wings, and a short tail, that is not obvious in flight. They are rarely seen perching. Male and female are alike in plumage.

Length: 5.25"

Wingspan: 14"

Weight: 0.81 oz

Voice: A high-pitched musical twittering given in flight.

Similar Species:

This is the only swift commonly found in eastern North America.
Swallows have broader triangular shaped wings, and a noticeable tail.
Habitat: Nests in variety of habitats, especially common in urban areas. Forages over open areas.

Diet: Flying insects

Nesting and reproduction: Only one pair will nest in a chimney, but unmated helpers may assist, and non-breeding individuals may also roost in the chimney at night.
Clutch Size: 4 or 5 eggs, range from 3 to 6.
Incubation: Male and female incubate for 19 to 20 days
Fledging: Both parents feed nestlings, which often leave the nest when 3 weeks old and cling to the chimney wall for a week before being able to fly.
Nest: Both parents build a half-cup of loosely woven twigs, cemented together and to the wall of the chimney, with the bird’s glue-like saliva. Pairs often use the same nest site in subsequent years.

Status in Tennessee: Common migrant and summer resident across the state, but most numerous in urban and suburban areas. They are present in Tennessee from late March or early April until mid-October. The population is declining rangewide, possibly because new style chimneys are less suitable for nest sites.

For more information: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/chimney-swift.html

[Phyl]

Ruby-throated Hummingbird,
Archilochus colubris



The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only hummingbird breeding in eastern North America and is a familiar summer inhabitant of gardens, parks, and woodlands from mid-April to early October.

In the fall it flies nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of nearly 500 miles and taking 18 to 20 hours under favorable conditions, to winter in southern Mexico or northern Central America.  To accomplish this tremendous migration, a hummingbird will double its body mass by fattening on nectar and insects in the weeks prior to departure.

Description: This tiny bird has a long thin bill and an iridescent green back. Both the male and female are white below, but the male has a brilliant iridescent red gorget (throat) that can look black under certain lighting conditions.  Juveniles (June-September) look like the adult female, but juvenile males often develop a few red feathers in the gorget by the end of the summer.

Length: 3.75"
Wingspan: 4.5"
Weight: 0.11 oz

Voice: The song is a rapid series of high-pitched squeaky notes.

Similar Species:

No other hummingbird species breeds in Tennessee, but several Western species have been found in the state during the non-breeding season. They arrive anytime after late August and usually depart in April. As of 2008 a total of 7 Western species had been recorded: Rufous, Black-chinned, Allen's, Anna's, Calliope, and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, and one Green Violet-ear. Some of these birds have been banded, so we know that some individuals have returned to the same yard for several years in a row.
Habitat: Breeds in mixed woodlands and eastern deciduous forest, gardens, and orchards. Winters in tropical deciduous forest, tropical dry forests, scrubland, citrus groves, and second growth.

Diet: Flower nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Readily uses hummingbird feeders.

Nesting and reproduction: Males establish territories soon after they arrive in spring and will mate with several females. The male has no further role in nesting.

Clutch Size: 2 (pea-sized) eggs, rarely 1 or 3.

Incubation: The female alone incubates the eggs for 12 to16 days.

Fledging: The nestling period can vary from 14 to 31 days, probably due to the availability of food, 18 to 23 days is normal. When they leave the nest, the young are considerably larger than their mothers, and will be fed by her for another 10 days or so.

Nest: The walnut-sized open cup nest is built by the female on top of a small tree branch, often over a stream or other opening. The nest is made of thistle and dandelion down, held together with spider web, and covered on the outside with lichen. The nest will stretch to contain the growing nestlings, and may sometimes be reused (rebuilt) the following year.

Status in Tennessee: Common summer resident and migrant at all elevations across the state. The population is stable or slightly declining.


For more information:  /wildlife/birds/forest-birds/ruby-throated-hummingbird.html

[Phyl]

Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon




The Belted Kingfisher is one of the most widespread landbirds in North America with a breeding range that extends from western Alaska, throughout Canada and in all states but the southwestern United States.

This bird excavates nesting cavities in riverbanks, but human activity such as road building and digging gravel pits, has created additional nesting habitat allowing kingfishers to expand their range into areas without suitable natural nest sites.

The kingfisher can often be seen perching or hovering over clear open water before suddenly diving for fish.  This species winters throughout the breeding range where there is open water.  Other individuals migrate south into Mexico, Central America, and very northern South American.

Description: This medium-sized bird has a large head, large, thick bill, and a shaggy crest. The head, back, and wings are bluish; the underparts are white with a bluish chest band. Females have an additional rust colored band and rusty flanks.

Length: 13"

Wingspan: 20"

Weight: 5 oz

Voice: The call is a loud, distinctive, raspy rattle.

Similar Species:

Blue Jays have a more pointed crest, a thin dark necklace instead of a broad chest band, and don't hunt fish.
Habitat: Kingfishers breed along streams, rivers, lakes, roadcuts, and quarries with earthen banks nearby for nest holes. They winter along rivers, streams, and lakes.

Diet: Kingfishers eat primarily fish, but also consume aquatic invertebrates, insects, and small vertebrates.

Nesting and reproduction: In Tennessee, breeding activities begin in March. Courtship involves high circling flights with prolonged rattling calls.

Clutch Size: 6 to 7 eggs, range 5 to 8.

Incubation: Both parents incubate the eggs for 23 to 24 days.

Fledging: The young fledge at 27 to 29 days, and are taught by their parents to fish. They will remain with their parents for approximately 3 weeks and are fed by them before dispersing.

Nest: Both sexes participate in excavating the burrow in an earthen bank near water. The male does most of the digging, using his bill and pushing the dirt out with his small feet. No lining is used. The burrows may be reused, but site tenacity is weak. Burrow length ranges from 1 to 8 feet.

Status in Tennessee: Fairly common permanent resident in all counties of the state. Occurs locally wherever there is relatively clear water with small fish, and nearby vertical earth banks for nesting. The population in Tennessee, and rangewide, has been declining in recent decades.

For more information: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/waterbirds/belted-kingfisher.html

[Phyl]

Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus



The Red-headed Woodpecker is a dramatically patterned bird.  At rest and in-flight its bright red head contrasts with its bold black and white wings. In addition to eating nuts and berries, this woodpecker is an expert at catching flying insects and is one of the few woodpeckers that will cache (store) food for the winter months.

It breeds from south-central Canada across the eastern United States and withdraws to the southern portion of its range in the non-breeding season. The number of individuals wintering in an area varies greatly from year to year and may depend on food availability. The Red-headed Woodpecker is a year round resident in Tennessee and is most common in the western portion of the state, especially in winter.

Description: This medium-sized woodpecker is the only woodpecker with a completely red head.  That red head and its black wings with large white panels make it an easy species to identify at rest or in flight.

The chest and rump are white, while the tail is black with white outer feathers. The male and female are identical in appearance. The juvenile (July-February) has a similar pattern to the adults, but the head is brown at first, gradually becoming red during the winter.

Length: 9.25"
Wingspan: 17"
Weight: 2.5 oz

Voice: The call is a slightly trilled churr churr churr, and a husky chatter. It also has a bold queerpnote, that is less vibrant than a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Similar Species:

Red-bellied Woodpeckers only have red on the back of the head and have a back that is barred with black and white.
Habitat: Breeds in open deciduous woodlands, river bottoms, groves of dead and dying trees, orchards, parks, and open wooded swamps with dead trees and stumps. Attracted to burns and recent clearings. Winters in the mature bottomland hardwood forest and upland forest, especially those with oaks.

Diet: This is a most omnivorous woodpecker eating beech and oak mast, seeds, berries, fruit, insects, bird eggs, nestlings, and mice. Regularly caches food in winter for later consumption.

Nesting and reproduction: Red-headed Woodpeckers start nesting in late April or early May, which is later than other Tennessee woodpeckers. They may have two broods in a season.

Clutch Size: Usually 4 to 5 eggs. Range: 3 to 7

Incubation: Both the male and female incubate the eggs for 12 to 13 days.

Fledging: The young leave the nest at 27 to 30 days.

Nest: Nests in holes in dead trees or in dead branches, preferring snags with little bark remaining. Red-headed Woodpeckers will occupy an existing cavity or dig a new one. It may take as little as 2 or 3 days to excavate a new cavity.

Status in Tennessee: Common to locally abundant year-round in West Tennessee and less common in the rest of the state. More northerly nesters join resident birds in winter. The Red-headed Woodpecker is declining in Tennessee, as it is over much of its breeding range, and competition with European Starlings for nest cavities may be partly responsible.

For more information: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/red-headed-woodpecker.html

[Phyl]

Red-bellied Woodpecker



The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a regular visitor to bird feeders and is easily identified by the black and white barred pattern on its back and the red patch on the back of the head.  The name confuses many people because the "red" on the belly is faint and very difficult to see.

In Tennessee it is often mistakenly called a Red-headed Woodpecker, especially in areas where the true Red-headed Woodpecker (a bird with a completely red head) is uncommon.  The Red-bellied Woodpecker is found only in the eastern United States and is most common in the southeastern states.  While not considered migratory, birds at the northern edge of the range may move farther south in very cold winters.

Description: This medium-sized woodpecker has red on the back of the head and neck, a black and white barred back, and a white rump.  The face and underparts are pale gray, and the belly is washed with a light red (difficult to see).

The male and female can be distinguished by the extent of the red hood. In males the red extends from the base of the bill to the back of the neck; in females the red starts at the top of the head and extends to the back of the neck.

Length: 9.25"
Wingspan: 16"
Weight: 2.2 oz

Voice: The call is a trill, along with short chupp chupp chupp notes that often accelerate towards the end.

Similar Species:

Red-headed Woodpecker has a completely red head, neck, face, and throat; the back has bold black and white patches with no barring.
Habitat: Lives in a variety of dry or damp forests (deciduous or pine) and in suburban areas.

Diet: The Red-bellied Woodpecker seldom excavates wood for insects. Instead, depending on the season, it forages opportunistically on a wide range of fruit, mast, seeds, and arboreal arthropods. It occasionally eats lizards, tree frogs, small fish, nestling birds and eggs, and frequently visits bird feeders, especially suet feeders.

Nesting and reproduction: Red-bellied Woodpeckers maintain their territories throughout the year. Nest building begins in late March or early April.

Clutch Size: Usually 4 eggs, with a range of 3 to 6.

Incubation: Both adults incubated the eggs for 12 to 14 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the young, which leave the nest at 24 to 27 days.

Nest: The male does most of the excavation of the nest in hole, which is usually placed in a dead tree or dead limb. Eggs are laid on wood chips left from excavation. The average nest height in Tennessee is 27 feet.

Status in Tennessee: The Red-bellied Woodpecker is an abundant year round resident throughout the state and occupies all types of low-elevation forest. Their numbers are stable or slightly increasing.

For more information: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/forest-birds/red-bellied-woodpecker.html

[Phyl]

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker,
Sphyrapicus varius



The horizontal lines of feeding holes in tree trunks made by the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker are likely more familiar to people than the woodpecker itself.  The sapsucker feeds on the sap that flows into these holes and it maintains them daily to ensure sap production.

This woodpecker is fairly common in Tennessee during the non-breeding season but is one of the rarest breeding birds in the state as it is restricted to a small area in the high-elevation forests near the North Carolina border.

The breeding range of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker extends across Canada to the northeastern United States, with an isolated population in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. It migrates to the southeastern states southward to Panama and the West Indies in winter.

Description: The most distinguishing field characteristic of this medium-sized woodpecker is the vertical white stripe running down its side.  The head has a bold pattern with the forehead and crown red, bordered by black, and a black and white stripe on the face.

The upper chest is black, the belly is yellowish, and the back has messy black and whitish barring. The sexes can be distinguished with the male having a red throat, while the female has a white throat. The juveniles (July-March) have similar plumage to the adult, but lacks red on the head, and is brown where the adult is black. 

Length: 8.5"
Wingspan: 16"
Weight: 1.8 oz

Voice: The call is a nasal down-slurred mew. The drumming of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a distinctive series of 5 rapid taps followed by slowing taps.

Similar Species:

No other woodpeckers have a vertical white stripe on the side.
Habitat:

Breeds in young forests and along streams, especially in aspen and birch.
Winters in a variety of forests, especially semi-open woods.
Diet: Sap, fruit, arthropods. Also eats tree cambium.

Nesting and reproduction: Male and female show strong territorial fidelity year after year.

Clutch Size: 5 to 6 eggs range from 3 to 7.

Incubation: Both parents incubate the eggs for 12 to 13 days.

Fledging: Nestlings leave the nest after 25 to 29 days. They are fed insects, often mixed with sap, by both parents. The young begin feeding on sap in about 2 weeks and stay with the adults for several more weeks.

Nest: A new cavity is excavated each year and takes about 3 weeks to complete. The same tree is frequently used in subsequent years.

Status in Tennessee: The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is fairly common across the state during the winter, but is an extremely rare breeder. Tennessee is at the southern limit of the breeding range and it is generally found between 3,400 and 4,600 feet elevation in the high mountains of Johnson, Carter, Unicoi and possibly Greene Counties.

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is listed as a bird In-Need-of-Management in the state due to its limited breeding distribution. The number of breeding pairs of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has declined in recent years and there have been few recent breeding season records.

For more informaion: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/forest-birds/yellow-bellied-sapsucker.html

[Phyl]

Downy Woodpecker,
Picoides pubescens



The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest and one of the most widespread woodpeckers in North America.  It can be found year-round in forests from coast to coast and from Alaska to southern Florida. It is equally at home in urban woodlots as wilderness forests and is readily attracted to backyard bird feeders.

Description: This small black-and-white woodpecker is white below, has a plain white back, and black wings with white spotting.  The tail is black with outer tail feathers that are black-spotted or barred white.

The face is white with black stripes, and the bill is black and short.  Males and female are easily distinguished; the male has a red patch on the back of the head, and the female does not.

Length: 6.75"
Wingspan: 12"
Weight: 0.95 oz

Voice: Song is a rapid downward whinny of notes. Call is a soft quick pik.

Similar Species:

Hairy Woodpecker is very similar in plumage, but is larger and has a proportionately larger bill (see link below). They give an even-pitched rattle song, and a stronger sharper peek call note.
Habitat: In Tennessee the Downy Woodpecker is found in all forest types, but is somewhat less common in pine forests and at high elevations. It is commonly seen in backyards and readily visits bird feeders, especially suet feeders.

Diet: Downy Woodpeckers use their bills to drill into trees and dig out insects like beetles, wasps, moths and insect larvae. They will also drink sap from Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers holes. In Tennessee they are occasionally seen foraging on dead corn stalks in fall and winter.

For more information: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/forest-birds/downy-woodpecker.html