cid:[email protected] Because frog-leg enthusiasts wanted these tasty morsels locally available. This call tells the male where his mate is, important as the pair stays together through much of the winter and spring. Some people say it sounds like a drunken robin, slurring its notes in syncopated time. Deep in left field, an Oriole pounces on the ball. With slender, sharply pointed bills, orioles weave marvelous pouch-like nests that hang suspended from their upper rims. How do birdwatchers identify a particular species? The remarkable drumming of a Ruffed Grouse, that percussion produced by a rapid beating of the wings, is a vivid example of a non-vocal or instrumental bird sound. This call tells the male where his mate is, important as the pair stays together through much of the winter and spring. Despite its lack of experience, each bird must learn to fend for itself. Not really a hawk at all, the nighthawk is closely related to the more fully nocturnal nightjars, such as the Whip-poor-will of eastern North America. This is no fly-by-night joint. Birds are part of the complex web of Nature, and each fits into this web in its own way. At the crack of the bat, a Blue Jay flies toward first and glides around the base. The ten-inch-tall Burrowing Owl is diurnal, most active during the day. And naturalist Rob Sandelin recalls how he coaxed swallows to nest in his yard. The male Ruffed Grouse stands upon a resonant fallen log in the shelter of a brushy thicket, thumping the air with his wings. The best time to observe mobbing is spring and early summer, when breeding birds are trying to protect their nests and young. Despite its lack of experience, each bird must learn to fend for itself. Mourning Doves are common in suburban environments and along roadsides, adapting well to human habitation. The ten-inch-tall Burrowing Owl is diurnal, most active during the day. With wingspans approaching six feet, Turkey Vultures ride currents of air to make their spring and fall journeys, and to cover the miles of their home range in summer. But then, we went astray. It can be difficult to identify a bird by its appearance, and just as challenging to do so by its song. Peregrine Falcons are evidence of the success of both the Endangered Species Act and the ban of the pesticide DDT. Its wing and tail feathers are developing nicely, and it has begun to make short flights. This is no fly-by-night joint. Not really a hawk at all, the nighthawk is closely related to the more fully nocturnal nightjars, such as the Whip-poor-will of eastern North America. And naturalist Rob Sandelin recalls how he coaxed swallows to nest in his yard. Birds are part of the complex web of Nature, and each fits into this web in its own way. On a warm, sunny day, an American Robin sits on the ground, its wings outstretched and its tail splayed behind. And no bird has been so often evoked and emulated in song and symphony as the cuckoo. With its tail cocked at a jaunty angle, this small, brown wren presents us with a classic bird image. The young birds continue to learn valuable lessons by watching the adults hunt, and will stay with them a few more weeks. With its tail cocked at a jaunty angle, this small, brown wren presents us with a classic bird image. In June, when birdsong is on the wane, many baby birds leave the nest. A hummingbird hangs in front of a flower and probes with its long bill, tubular tongue sucking up the nectar that provides essential nourishment. The male Ruffed Grouse stands upon a resonant fallen log in the shelter of a brushy thicket, thumping the air with his wings.
