Kentucky Warbler

A bird of the deciduous forests of the southeastern United States, the Kentucky Warbler's loud song can be heard far more frequently than the brightly-colored bird can be seen. It stays near the ground and the lower levels of the forest, and nests on the ground. Unlike most songbirds, a male Kentucky Warbler appears to sing only one song type. He will sing the same one throughout his life. Although counter-singing males do not match each other's song types the way many bird species do, a male may match the pitch of a competitor's song.

Barred Owl

The Barred Owl’s hooting call, “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” is a classic sound of old forests and treed swamps. But this attractive owl, with soulful brown eyes and brown-and-white-striped plumage, can also pass completely unnoticed as it flies noiselessly through the dense canopy or snoozes on a tree limb. Originally a bird of the east, during the twentieth century it spread through the Pacific Northwest and southward into California.

This might be one of our best finds! This owl swooped in and landed right on a branch only a few feet from us. It was noiseless as it made its perch.

The Great Horned Owl is the most serious predatory threat to the Barred Owl. Although the two species often live in the same areas, a Barred Owl will move to another part of its territory when a Great Horned Owl is nearby. Barred Owls don’t migrate, and they don’t even move around very much. Of 158 birds that were banded and then found later, none had moved farther than 6 miles away. The oldest Barred Owl on record was at least 24 years old.

American Redstart

This female American Redstart has great plumage and a distinct color pattern on its tail that makes it easy to identify.

A young male American Redstart resembles a female in plumage until its second fall. Males in the gray and yellow yearling plumage will try to hold territories and attract mates, singing vigorously. Some succeed in breeding in this plumage, but most do not breed successfully until they are two years old. The male American Redstart occasionally is polygynous, having two mates at the same time. Unlike many other polygynous species of birds that have two females nesting in the same territory, the redstart holds two separate territories up to 500 m (1,640 ft) apart. The male starts to attract a second female after the first has completed her clutch and is incubating the eggs.

Magnolia Warbler

This female Magnolia Warbler was spotted at the University of Alabama's Arboretum.  A very special find considering it can only be seen in Alabama during migration. A great looking yellow bird with great looking features.

The name of the species was coined in 1810 by Alexander Wilson, who collected a specimen from a magnolia tree in Mississippi. He actually used the English name "Black-and-yellow Warbler" and used "magnolia" for the Latin species name, which became the common name over time. The male Magnolia Warbler has two songs. The first song, issued in courtship and around the nest, consists of three short phrases with an accented ending. The second song, possibly issued in territory defense against other males, is similar to the first but is sweeter and less accented.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

A common, but slow-moving and secretive denizen of woodlands, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo eats large quantities of hairy caterpillars. Its loud call is heard far more frequently than the bird is actually seen.

Like the Black-billed Cuckoo, the young Yellow-billed Cuckoo develops incredibly quickly. The entire period from egg laying to fledgling leaving the nest lasts only 17 days. On day six or seven after hatching, the feathers of the young burst out of their sheaths, allowing the nestling to become fully feathered in two hours. Both parents build the nest, incubate the eggs, and brood the nestlings. They incubate and brood equally during the day, but the male takes the night shift. The male brings nest material every time he comes to the nest to take his turn. The female usually takes the offering and works it into the nest.

Black-and-white Warbler

It's very camouflaged and it located in the center of this picture. Distinctive in both plumage and behavior, the Black-and-white Warbler forages for insects while creeping along the trunks and branches of trees. Common in summer throughout the eastern United States and Canada, it has an unusually extensive winter range that extends from Florida to Venezuela and Colombia.

The Black-and-white Warbler has an unusually long hind toe and claw on each foot. This adaptation allows it to move securely on the surface of tree bark. Unusually aggressive for a warbler, the Black-and-white Warbler sometimes attacks and fights Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Tennessee Warbler, and other species.

Eastern Wood-pewee

One of the hallmark species of the Eastern deciduous forest, the Eastern Wood-Pewee is an inconspicuous dull brown bird of the middle canopy. Despite its abundance, this bird could be easily overlooked if not for its persistent "pee-ah-wee" song.

One potential cause of the decline of Eastern Wood-Pewee populations is the overpopulation of white-tailed deer in the Eastern forests. In areas with high deer density, the intermediate canopy is disturbed by browsing, affecting the foraging space of the flycatcher.

Yellow-throated Vireo

There in the middle of the photo is a yellow-throated vireo. Easily identified by its bright yellow throat, two clear wing bars, and white underparts.

The Yellow-throated Vireo is typically a solitary bird on migration and during the winter. It forms only loose associations with mixed-species foraging flocks. In the summer, pairs associate only long enough to raise a brood of young.

Hooded Warbler

Its not the best picture or the most clearest but it does have the markings of a hooded warbler. It has the all yellow under belly and face with a clear black bib encircling its head.

The Hooded Warbler is strongly territorial on its wintering grounds. Males and females use different habitats: males in mature forest, and females in scrubbier forest and seasonally flooded areas. If a male is removed, a female in adjacent scrub will not move into the male's territory.