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[Phyl]

American Crow,  continued




Fun Facts:

American Crows congregate in large numbers in winter to sleep in communal roosts.  These roosts can be of a few hundred, several thousand, or even up to two million crows.  Some roosts have been forming in the same general area for well over 100 years. In the last few decades, some of these roosts have moved into urban areas where the noise and mess cause conflicts with people.
Despite being a common exploiter of roadkill, the American Crow is not specialized to be a scavenger, and carrion is only a very small part of its diet. Its stout bill is not strong enough to break through the skin of even a gray squirrel.  It must wait for something else, like a vulture, to open a carcass or for the carcass to decompose and become tender enough to eat.
The American Crow appears to be the biggest victim of West Nile virus, a disease recently introduced to North America.  Crows die within one week of infection, and few seem able to survive exposure.  No other North American bird is dying at such a high rate from the disease. The population of crows in some areas has been greatly reduced due to mortality from West Nile virus.
The oldest known American Crow in the wild was 14 years 17 months old.
Obsolete English Names: common crow, southern crow

Best places to see in Tennessee: This species can be found in a variety of habitats in every county of the state.

For more information:

Center for Disease Control - West Nile Virus Detection in American Crows







Sources:

Nicholson, C. P. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee. Univ. of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.

Sibley, D. A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. A. A. Knopf, New York, NY.

Verbeek, N. A. M., and C. Caffrey. 2002. American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos). The Birds of North America, No. 647 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

[Phyl]

Purple Martin,
Progne subis


The Purple Martin is the largest swallow in North America, and in the eastern United States, it is almost completely dependent on human-made birdhouses for nest sites.  This is perhaps the earliest spring migrant in Tennessee arriving by the first of March and can be found nesting in every county in the state.

After the breeding season in July and August, adults and fledglings from large communal roosts, often near large bodies of water, but also in urban and suburban settings where they can find sanctuary from predators.

One roost in downtown Nashville discovered in 2010, contained tens of thousands of individuals (see Fun Facts below).

Most Purple Martins in Tennessee depart by early September for the wintering grounds throughout the lowlands east of the Andes in South America.

Description: This large swallow has a large head, broad, pointed wings, and a short, slightly notched tail.  The male is entirely bluish-black; the female is bluish-black on the back, dingy gray below with a darker chest and a gray collar on the neck.

Juveniles are like the female but are paler on the belly, and dark gray-brown on the back.

Length: 8"

Wingspan: 18"

Weight: 2 oz

Voice: The call is a collection of rich, liquid, gurgle notes, often given in flight.

Similar Species:

Other swallows are smaller and slimmer, and none have a dark belly.
European Starlings have a similar shape in flight, but are not as buoyant, and have a long bill.
Habitat: Breeds near human settlements where birdhouses are provided, especially near water and large open areas (see links below).  In winter, feeds in rainforest clearings and agricultural areas, and may roost in village plazas.

Diet: Flying insects

Nesting and reproduction: In eastern North America, Purple Martins have nested almost exclusively in nest boxes for more than 100 years. Historically they would have used natural cavities, especially old woodpecker holes, but now are found in multi-compartment birdhouses, hollowed-out gourds, and rarely cracks and crevices in buildings.  European Starlings and House Sparrows often compete with Purple Martins for nest sites.

Clutch Size: Usually 3 to 6 eggs, with a range from 1 to 8.

Incubation: The female incubates the eggs for 15 to18 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the nestlings, which fledge in 28 to 29 days. After fledging, adults and juveniles gather in large communal roosts, sometimes with thousands of individuals.

Nest: Eastern Purple Martins primarily nest in "martin houses" and gourds hung from poles. Both adults build the nest of twigs, plant stems, mud, and grass. Nest Box Instructions here.

Status in Tennessee: The distribution of Purple Martins in Tennessee is dependent on the location of artificial nest sites. They are a fairly common summer resident in towns, suburbs, and farmsteads across the state.

Human management of colonies is often required because European Starlings and House Sparrows can out-compete martins for nest sites. Their population appears to be stable in Tennessee.

[Phyl]

Purple Martin,, continued


Fun Facts:

Native Americans started the practice of providing nest structures for martins. The Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians hung hollowed calabash gourds from saplings near their homes to serve as martin houses.
Quote by John James Audubon (1831): "Almost every country tavern has a martin box on the upper part of its sign-board; and I have observed that the handsomer the box, the better does the inn generally prove to be."
The Purple Martin not only gets all its food in flight, it gets all its water that way too. It skims the surface of a pond and scoops up the water with its lower bill.
The oldest known Purple Martin in the wild was 13 years 9 months old.
In mid-August 2010 an enormous Purple Martin roost site was discovered on the slope of Interstate 24 on the east side of Nashville near Oldham Street. Tens of thousands of martins form towering tornadoes of swirling birds and then "rain" into a 200-yard section of bushes. 



https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/twra/images/birds/purple-martin-005.jpg

est places to see in Tennessee: Found in every county in the state.  Starting in late July large numbers of martins can be seen congregating on the east side of downtown Nashville before going to roost at sunset.

For more information:

Tennessee's Woodworking for Wildlife page with nest box instructions

Purple Martin Conservation Association

The Purple Martin Society of North America

Sources:
Brown, C. R. 1997. Purple Martin (Progne subis). The Birds of North America, No. 287 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Nicholson, C. P. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee. Univ. of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.

[Phyl]

Northern Rough-winged Swallow,
Stelgidopteryx serripennis



The Northern Rough-winged Swallow's name refers to the tiny serrations on the outermost wing feathers of this swallow, a feature visible only when the bird is in the hand.   The possible adaptive significance of these serrations remains a mystery.

The Northern Rough-winged Swallow is an aerial forager and feeds over water more than most swallows, sometimes plucking food from the water's surface. T his swallow generally does not gather in large flocks like other swallows.

It breeds from southern Canada across the United States, and winters in southern most Florida, and throughout Mexico and Central America.  The Northern Rough-winged Swallow arrives in Tennessee in late March or early April, and the first individuals depart soon after the young fledge in mid-summer, with most leaving by late September.

Description: Adults are uniformly plain brown above, with a white belly, and buffy throat and upper breast. They have square tails and white under-tail coverts. Juveniles are similar in appearance to adults but have reddish-brown wing-bars.

Length: 5.5"

Wingspan: 14"

Weight: 0.56 oz

Voice: The call is a rough, harsh brrrit.

Similar Species:

Bank Swallows are smaller and have a distinct dark brown breast-band separating a clean white throat and white lower breast. The tail and overall body shape is more slender.
Juvenile Tree Swallows have a brownish-gray back, a dull chest with a faint breast-band, and a whitish throat.
Habitat: Breeds in a wide variety of open habitats with potential nesting sites, including banks, gorges, and human-made sites.  They are often found near water.

Diet: Flying insects

Nesting and reproduction: Northern Rough-winged Swallows are cavity nesters and are found in small colonies of a few pairs, or as isolated pairs depending on nest site availability.  The male defends a small territory around the entrance of the nest site.

Clutch Size: From 4 to 8 eggs, with 5 to 7 eggs most common.

Incubation: Female incubates the eggs for 16 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the young, which leave the nest in about 19 days

Nest: In Tennessee natural nest sites include abandoned Belted Kingfisher burrows, crevices in rock bluffs and cave mouths, and tunnels along streams and lakes formed by rotted tree roots.  Human-made sites include drain holes in bridges and retaining walls, and crevices in road cuts and quarries.

The female builds the loosely constructed nest of weed stems, grass and twigs, and lined with grass. The nest is placed 1.5 to 7 feet from the cavity entrance.

Status in Tennessee: The Northern Rough-winged Swallow is an uncommon summer resident across the state. Its distribution is likely limited by the availability of nest sites. Rangewide numbers appear to be stable.

[Phyl]

Northern Rough-winged Swallow,continued




Fun Facts:

Scientists have been unable to determine the function of the rough wing edge of the Northern Rough-winged Swallow.
When John James Audubon discovered the Northern Rough-winged Swallow in 1819 in Louisiana, he originally thought it was a Bank Swallows. It was only later upon closer inspection that he realized he had actually collected a new species.








Best places to see in Tennessee: Across the state in areas with potential nesting sites from April through August.

Sources:
De Jong, M.J. 1996. Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis), The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Nicholson, C. P. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee. Univ. of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.

[Phyl]

Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica


The Barn Swallow's habit of nesting in barns makes this the most familiar swallow to Tennesseans.   Originally, the Barn Swallow nested primarily in caves, but now almost exclusively chooses man-made structures.

It is the most widely distributed and abundant swallow species in the world, breeding throughout the northern hemisphere and wintering in most of the southern hemisphere with the exception of Australia and Antarctica.  The Barn Swallow is present in Tennessee from late March through early October.

Description: This long elegant swallow is metallic blue-black above and cinnamon below.  The forehead and throat are chestnut colored, and the tail is deeply forked.

Adults and juveniles are similar in appearance, though females tend to be less vibrantly colored and have shorter outer tail-streamers, and juveniles have shorter and less forked tails, and paler underparts.

Length: 6.75"

Wingspan: 15"

Weight: 0.67 oz

Voice: The call is an excited musical twitter.

Similar Species:

The Barn Swallow is the only North American swallow with a long forked tail.
Cliff Swallows have a square tail, a pale collar around the nape of the neck, a pale rump, and white forehead. They might be confused with short-tailed juvenile Barn Swallows.
Habitat: Barn Swallows are found in many habitats with open areas for foraging and structures for nesting, including agricultural areas, cities, and along highways.  They need mud for nest building.

Diet: Flying insects.
Nesting and reproduction: Barn Swallows nest solitarily or in small colonies.  The size of the colony depends on the size of the structure and the number of entryways.

In Tennessee, egg laying begins in late April with a peak for first clutches from 10 to 15 May.  The same pair may mate together for several years, and the female may have two broods a year.

Clutch Size: 3 to 6 eggs with an average of 5 eggs.

Incubation: Females do most of the incubating, which lasts for about 17 days.

Fledging: Both adults care for the young. They fledge in about 21 days and the parents will continue to feed them for another week.

Nest: Nests are usually placed on a ledge, vertical wall, or in a corner under an overhang in a barn, old building, or bridge.  Both adults build the cup-shaped nest of mud pellets mixed with straw, and lined with grass and feathers.  It takes less than a week to construct the nest, and nests from previous years are often refurbished and used in subsequent years.

[Phyl]

Barn Swallow, continued
Status in Tennessee: The Barn Swallow was originally rare in the state, but became a common breeder by the mid-1900s because of its attraction to human-made structures for nest sites.

While still a common nesting species in Tennessee numbers are declining likely to due to the decrease in farmland and loss of barn nesting habitat.



Fun Facts:

The Barn Swallow, not the more famous egret, indirectly led to the founding of the conservation movement in the United States! It was the killing of Barn Swallows for the millinery trade (decorations for lady's hats) that apparently prompted George Grinnell's 1886 editorial in Forest and Stream, which ultimately led to the founding of the first Audubon Society.
Recent research has shown that tail length and degree of asymmetry in the outer tail-streamers appears to be a reliable predictor of an individual's quality. Tail length, in both males and females, tends to correlate with reproductive success, and annual survival. Females prefer to mate with males that have the longest and most symmetrical tails.
The average lifespan of barn swallows is 4 years. Barn swallows of 8 years of age have been documented, but these are considered the exception.
Best places to see in Tennessee: Virtually anywhere in Tennessee with barns between April and September.

[Phyl]

Barn Swallow, continued








Sources:

Brown, C. R. and M. B. Brown. 1999. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

Nicholson, C. P. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee. Univ. of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.

[Phyl]

Carolina Chickadee
, Poecile carolinensis



The Carolina Chickadee is a energetic little black, white, and gray bird is familiar to most Tennesseans because it readily visits bird feeders and it frequently calls its name while foraging, chick-a-dee-dee.

Carolina Chickadees are found year round throughout the state anywhere there is forest and are absent only from the high elevations in the Appalachian Mountains where Black-capped Chickadees are often present.  The breeding range extends from New Jersey westward to southeastern Kansas and central Texas, southward to the Gulf Coast and northern Florida.

Description: This small, short-billed bird has a black cap, black bib, and white cheeks.  The back is an unstreaked gray, the underparts are whitish with gray or brownish flanks.

Tail and wings are gray, upper wing feathers with no or only a little white edging.  Males, females and immature birds are similar in appearance.

Length: 4.75"
Wingspan: 7.5"
Weight: 0.37 oz

Voice: The song is a four-part clear whistle fee-bee fee-bay or car o line a, and a high pitched, rapid chicka dee dee dee. Winter call notes are high and thin.

Similar Species:

The Black-capped Chickadee looks very similar, but is slightly larger, has more extensive gray edging in its wings, and a black bib that generally less defined and appears uneven. The easiest way to distinguish the two species is by song. The Black-capped sings a two or three-note song, and Carolina sings a four-note song. See link below for additional information on distinguishing Carolina and Black-capped Chickadees.
**Black-capped Chickadee's occur almost exclusively at the highest elevations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and are unlikely to occur at lower elevations, in towns, or at feeders due to their preference of high elevations in Tennessee.
Habitat: Deciduous and mixed deciduous/coniferous woodlands, swamps, riparian areas, open woods, parks, suburban and urban areas.

Diet: Insects, spiders, seeds, and fruits.

[Phyl]

Carolina Chickadee, continued

Nesting and reproduction: Carolina Chickadees are monogamous and mates may remain together for more than one nesting season. In Tennessee, egg laying begins in mid-March and peaks in early April.

Clutch Size: 3 to 10 eggs, usually 5 or 6.

Incubation: Only the female incubates with the male delivering food to her. Eggs hatch in 14 to 15 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the young, which fledge in 17 to 18 days. The young remain with the parents for another 2 weeks.

Nest: Carolina Chickadees nest in cavities that they either excavate or find.  Nests are typically in dead trees or rotten branches.

Within the cavity the nest is constructed of green moss and lined with either mammal hair or thin strips of plant fibers. Average nest height in Tennessee is 5 feet.  They will use nest boxes. Nest Box Instructions here.

Status in Tennessee: This year round resident is common throughout the state with the exception of the highest elevations (generally above 4,000 feet) in the Appalachian Mountains. Their numbers appear to be stable or slightly increasing.

Map of Carolina Chickadee eBird observations in Tennessee


Fun Facts:

John James Audubon "discovered" this species while in coastal South Carolina. He wrote "My drawing of the Carolina Titmouse was made not far from New Orleans late in 1820. I have named it so, partly because it occurs in Carolina, and partly because I was desirous of manifesting my gratitude towards the citizens of that State, who by their hospitality and polite attention have so much contributed to my comfort and happiness, whenever it has been my good fortune to be among them."
In winter, Carolina Chickadees live in flocks with 2 to 8 chickadees and several other species. Chickadees defend areas against other flocks. Dominant birds in these flocks establish breeding territories that were part of the flock's winter range.
Chickadees have a fabulous memory. They hide thousands of food items in different locations and are able to return later and remember where nearly all of them are.
Male and female Carolina Chickadees can remain paired for several years. Probability of pair bond maintenance appears to depend on population, with nearly all pairs remaining together in subsequent years in Texas, but only half staying together in Tennessee. In attempts to obtain the best male, a female may seek out a new male on a different territory if a nesting attempt fails.
The oldest known Carolina Chickadee in the wild was 10 years 8 months old, but the life span is usually closer to 4 to 5 years.

[Phyl]

Carolina Chickadee, continued


Obsolete English Names: chickadee, tit

Best places to see in Tennessee: Common (or present) in most wooded to open shrubby habitats in every county of the state.

For more information:

Tennessee's Woodworking for Wildlife page with nest box instructions





Sources:

Mostrom, A.M., R.L. Curry and B. Lohr. 2002. Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis), The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Nicholson, C. P. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee. Univ. of TN Press, Knoxville.

Sibley, D. A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. A. A. Knopf, New York, NY.

[Phyl]

Tufted Titmouse,
Baeolophus bicolor

The ringing peter-peter-petersong of the Tufted Titmouse is a familiar sound in the forests across Tennessee.  While it readily visits bird feeders in winter, the Tufted Titmouse is often found foraging in flocks with Carolina Chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers.  It is a year round resident across the Eastern United States from southern Minnesota to southern Vermont and southward to northeastern Mexico and the Gulf Coast.

Description: This small gray songbird has a short crest on its head, a prominent black eye on a pale gray face, a black patch on its forehead, and a whitish belly with rusty flanks. Adult males and females are similar; juvenile birds have a shorter crest and lack the black on the forehead.

Length: 6.5"
Wingspan: 9.75"
Weight: 0.75 oz

Voice: The song is a high-pitched phrase, peter-peter-peter, repeated up to 11 times in succession. They also give a variety of nasal, mechanical or very high pitched call notes.

Similar Species:

No other bird species in Tennessee has the combination of a gray back and a crest on the head.
Habitat: Deciduous forest, swamps, orchards, parks, and suburban areas.

Diet: Insects and seeds.

Nesting and reproduction: Territorial singing begins as early as mid-January. The Tufted Titmouse is monogamous, and a pair may use the same nest cavity for more than one year. On rare occasion yearling titmice stay on their natal territory and help their parents raise younger siblings.

Clutch Size: 3 to 8 eggs with clutches of 5 to 7 most common in Tennessee.

Incubation: Only the female incubates the eggs and the male delivers food to her. Eggs hatch in 13 to 14 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the young, which fledge in 17 to 18 days. The young remain with the parents for several weeks after fledging and sometimes through the winter.

Nest: Tufted Titmice nest in cavities that they find or in nest boxes (see link below for nest box plans). Within the cavity the nest is constructed of dry leaves, moss, or fragments of snakeskin, and lined with mammal hair. Average nest height in Tennessee is 12 feet.

[Phyl]

Tufted Titmouse, continued

Status in Tennessee: Common permanent resident in every county of the state. Numbers appear to be stable.

Map of Tufted Titmouse eBird observations in Tennessee


Fun Facts:

During the past 50 years the range of the Tufted Titmouse has expanded northward, probably because of climatic warming and increased bird feeding.
During the non-breeding season groups of 2 to 4 titmice commonly move about with flocks of Carolina Chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers.
In late summer multiple family groups of titmice may gather into flocks of over 20 individuals.
The oldest Tufted Titmouse recorded in the wild was 13 years 3 months old.
Best places to see in Tennessee: This year round resident is common in woodlands throughout the state.

[Phyl]

Tufted Titmouse, continued







Sources:

Grubb, Jr., T. C. and V. V. Pravasudov. 1994. Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor), The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Nicholson, C. P. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee. Univ. Tennessee Press, Knoxville.

Sibley, D. A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. A. A. Knopf, New York, NY.

[Phyl]

White-breasted Nuthatch,
Sitta carolinensis



The foraging behavior and call of the White-breasted Nuthatch makes this a rather easy bird to identify.   Nuthatches creep up and headfirst down tree trunks looking for insects tucked into bark crevasses, and their nasal wha-wha-wha is quite distinctive.

The White-breasted Nuthatch is a year round resident throughout its range and often visits bird feeders or joins mixed foraging flocks with Carolina Chickadees and Tufted Titmice in winter.  It inhabits deciduous forests from southern Canada to northern Florida and southern Mexico, and only the northern-most individuals migrate south during severe winters.

Description: The White-breasted Nuthatch has a blue-gray back with a black cap that tops an all-white face and breast. The flanks and undertail coverts are rusty, the tail is square, and the flight is undulating. The bill is long and slightly upturned. It creeps both up and headfirst down tree trunks while foraging. Sexes appear similar but the female cap is grayer.

Length: 5.75"
Wingspan: 11"
Weight: 0.74 oz

Voice: The song is a rapid series of nasal wha-wha-wha notes lasting 2 to 3 seconds.

Similar Species:

Red-breasted Nuthatches are smaller, have a white stripe above the eye and a black stripe through the eye, and are reddish underneath. In Tennessee they breed only in high elevation spruce-fir forests in East Tennessee. During some winters, however, moderate numbers can be found across the state.
Habitat: Open woodlands with mature, primarily deciduous, trees, especially near openings and edges. Also, found in parks and suburbs with large trees.

Diet: Insects, nuts, and seeds.