Birds that Nest in Man-made Structures

BIRD REAL ESTATE:
"BUT IS IT TURN-KEY READY?"

Of all the birdhouses I've seen, this is my favorite -  made entirely out of Birch. Seen at Khlem Arboretum, Rockford, IL; 5/7/2011.

You've heard of a pet door? A curious Tree Swallow checks out what all the commotion is about, Colored Sands Forest Preserve, IL; 6/2/2012.

Most birds will build their own nests (see yesterday's post); however, there are some who just like the convenience of moving into a ready-made structure. Bluebirds and House Wrens especially are species that typically will nest in man-made boxes. Another bird that comes to mind are Tree Swallows who love to occupy these birdhouses that were intended for Bluebirds (Above). Purple Martins almost exclusively nest in bird houses made especially for them (Below). One of the hazards of building boxes in hopes of attracting Bluebirds, Wrens, Swallows or Martins, is that they do not automatically attract these species first. Less desireable species such as House Sparrows or European Starlings often take over these types of houses. In fact, House Sparrows will nest anywhere and in anything. I've heard of sparrows nesting in old shoes, wheel wells of cars, clothes pins bags hanging on a clothes line, and even one inside a garage on top of the garage door opener. Someone must have let their garage open long enough for a sparrow to put a nest on top and lay eggs. Anything that is convenient and left lying for any length of time is a potential nesting place for a House Sparrow.

"It Takes a Village." Purple Martins enjoy the condo living style in these man-made houses, Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, WI; 5/29/2011.

"Those dang Bumpesses!" Mr. and Mrs. Martin sitting on their front deck with a look of disapproval at their unruly neighbors, Horicon Marsh NWR; 5/29/2011.

"Don't mind me. I live here." A Tree Swallow staking its claim on a Bluebird house, Horicon Marsh NWR; 5/29/2011.

The Tree Swallow (Above) checks to make sure all is okay before entering its abode. Other Swallows [Barn, Northern Rough-winged (Below), and Cliff] like to use bridges, porches and other underhangs that are safe from inclement weather to buld their nests. Then there are Chimney Swifts, which not only like to roost in the chimneys on man-made buildings, but are even named from their behavior. My question is, what were they named before chimneys existed in their habitat?

A dream home? or a pipe dream? This Northern Rough-winged Swallow found a home in a drainage pipe off the Pierce Lake Dam in Rock Cut State Park, Rockford, IL; 5/8/2011.

"A Room with a View." A typical box built for Wood Ducks, Horicon Marsh NWR; 10/16/2010.

Another type of man-made box built for birds are specifically built for waterfowl such as Wood Ducks (Above). However, once again, this doesn't assure that only Wood Ducks will use these structures. The Mallard (Below) sure looks like he's found a comfortable home...

"There's a great view from the upper deck." This Mallard sure looks like he's claimed this Wood Duck box. The Green Heron in the Upper Left corner seems to be green with jealousy. Rock Cut State Park, IL; 5/17/2009.

"Using the Widow's Walk to wait for the Terns out at sea to come home." Horicon Marsh NWR, WI; 5/29/2011.

Even though the Forster's Terns (Above) seem to be attached to the nesting box, it is more likely that they are using it for a perch to scope out prey in the water. Their nests usually are on the ground in the sand or dirt or on a floating raft of reeds.

This nesting box looks like a good candidate for a "fixer - upper" for some very handyman duck, Rock Cut State Park, IL; 3/27/2010.

"Spacious Living." This Osprey is looking over the edge of its large nest built atop of a man-made platform, Isla Contoy, Mexico; 12/21/2010.

Another type of structure specifically constructed for nesting purposes are the large platforms on top of a tall towers. These platform towers are built for and used by Ospreys (Above and Below).

"The loft in this unit is a plus." An example of an Osprey Tower. Photo credit: Brian Tague

These Osprey towers are being built in many natural areas where Ospreys breed or in places that are trying to attract breeding Ospreys. The Link (Below) is from Brian Tague's website which includes his photography mostly dealing New England landscapes and wildlife...

http://www.briantague.com/Birds-VulturesHawksFalconsOwls.html

However, just because humans have built these Osprey towers doesn't mean only Ospreys will utilize them. Other species have also been using these towers: Canada Geese, Hawks, and Eagles. Also Osprey's nesting habits do not necessarily mean they will only use these towers. They are likely to build nests on aything that is tall and large enough to hold their huge nests which can weigh more than 250 lbs and measure almost 4' in diameter.

An Osprey nest with modern ameneties, near Cancun, Mexico; 12/20/2010.

While vacationing in Mexico in the winter of 2010, on our way out to Isla Mujeres, we boated past a utility tower that had a huge Osprey nest on top. In the photo (Above) you can see the head of the Osprey sitting in the nest.

It looks like there are eight units in this Apartment building for birds, Khlem Arboretum, Rockford, IL; 5/7/2011.

Like the Osprey Tower, the birdhouses (Above and Below) are bult on a post, and unlike the Osprey towers thay are much smaller in scale, but they offer the opportunity for more bird families.

This birdhouse is more like a quadplex, with four units,  Khlem Arboretum, Rockford, IL; 5/7/2011.

Mail Slots? This house is obviously not built for birds, unless it is for very skinny birds or it where they pick up their mail. Can you guess what it is used for? Khlem Arboretum, Rockford, IL; 5/7/2011.

Cancun, Mexico

Turtles looking for a place to soak up some sun, Cancun, MX; 12/25/10.

It's time to say goodbye to my photo series about birding in Mexico. I'll part with a few final pics.

A member of the Mexican Air Forse, the Brown Pelican, resting on the shores of a Cancun beach, MX; 12/19/10.

This is either an Altamira Oriole or an Orange Oriole; I never got it positively ID'd, Cancun, MX; 12/25/10.

Magnificent Frigatebirds perched on what else? a frigate, Cancun, MX; 12/19/10.

A Cancun Marina at night, MX; 12/24/10.

A crocodile looking for a handout, Cancun, MX; 12/23/10.

A Cancun sunset. I like how the light plays off the pylons, MX; 12/24/10.

A Northern Watrethrush, Puerto Morelos, MX; 12/24/10.

A Great Blue Heron, Cancun, MX; 12/21/10.

I love how the shadows of the tree give this Yellow Warbler texture, Cancun, MX; 12/25/10.

A pier leading out to the blue waters of cancun, MX; 12/19/10.

Tomorrow, I'll will start a feature of birds spending their winters in and around Rockford and Northern IL.

Killdeer

The striking markings of a Killdeer, Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.

Killdeers are one of the very first birds I remember as a child, and one of the very first that I could identify by its flight, its looks, and especially by its distinctive call - from which its name is derived. My parents rented a house that was on a working farm, and Killdeers were always hanging around the cow pastures and the freshly plowed fields surrounding our house.  Killdeers are found both near water as is the one (Above) that we saw in the marshes of Puerto Morelos, and on dry land quite a distance from water sources. They lay their eggs on bare ground - often times in relatively high traffic areas such as on bare gravel along sides of roads or even along the edges of parking lots. Because they lay their eggs in highly suseptible areas, whenever a predator may venture too close to their nest, they will put on their "broken-wing display" by acting as if they are a vulnerable prey to lure the predator away from the nest.

a Killdeer t the Horicon marsh Wildlife Refuge, Wisconsin; 5/29/10.

Killdeers are found throughout the U.S. They are year round residents of the southern half of the U.S. as well as along both coasts. in the summer they can be found throughout all of the lower 48 contiguous states, most of Canada, the southern half of Alaska, as well as into the northern half of Mexico. In winter they will migrate as far south as the Southern half of Mexico, Central America, and Columbia and Venezuela in South America.

A Killdeer in Rockford, IL; 5/18/09.



A Killdeer in Phoenix, AZ; 12/25/09.



Can you spot the crocodile hidden in this photo of the Great Kiskadee; Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.

In my final crocodile pic (Above), I was taking a photo of a Great Kiskadee - in the tree in the top right of the pic- and again, it wasn't until I was looking through my photos on my memory card, did I realize there was a crocodile present in the picture. It was well-camouflaged in front of the base of the tree trunk and the muddy bank it was sitting on. It looked like it was ready to pounce on something. This little island with the tree on it was adjacent to the muddy bank of land that the killdeer was sitting on (top photo), which also had a crocodile on it (yesterday's post). I am totally amazed how such a large creature can be so well-hidden in plain sight.

Black-necked Stilt

A Blck-necked Stilt, Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.

We had a very clear look at a couple of Black-necked Stilts (BNS) wading through the marshes of Puerto Morelos. They are very elegant birds with very long legs - hence its name "stilt." These tall waders have beautiful black and white markings with bright red legs in breeding season. But as seen in its non-breeding plumage (Above) their legs are of a more pale pink. They use their long needle-like bill to search the muddy bottoms of the marshes that they like to inhabit (Below).


A Black-necked Stilt using its long bill to probe the muddy bottom of the marsh to find food; Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.

Black-necked Stilts are year round residents of Mexico and parts of Central America and the northern fringes of South America. Although during my research about their occurances in the US, I found a wide range of information. According to Sibley's Field Guide to Birds of North America, BNS are fairly common throughout much of southwest US during summers, as well as permanent residents of the Pacific Coasts of California and the Gulf Coast states. Other sources do not list them as being as common in the US as year round residents, but in the summer months, BNS certainly migrate as far north as into western Canada, up the Mississippi River into southern Illinois, as well as he southern Atlantic coast.

A Black-necked Stilt, Phoenix, AZ; 12/26/09.

The first time I saw a BNS was in the winter of 2009, while visiting Phoenix (Above). I thought they seemed very exotic with their long legs. There was a small flock of three hanging around a water hazzard of the Ocotillo Gulf Course. As I slowly approached them to get photos they moved pretty quickly in the water, but flew away as I came too near. As they flew, instead of tucking their legs underneath them as other tall wading birds do, they let their long legs hang straight out behind them (Below).

Black-necked Stilts in their flight pattern, Phoenix, AZ; 12/26/09.

 

A pair of Black-necked Stilts; Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.




I took this pic of the scene with a black-necked Stilt in the background (upper left) and a Killdeer and a couple of Least Sandpipers in the foreground. I didn't know at the time, but there was a crocodile lying on the muddy bank in the lower left of the pic, Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.

In my ongoing commentary about the commonality of crocodiles in and around Cancun and Puerto Morelos, the photo (Above) is another example of a crocodile definitely present, but its colors were so well camouflaged by the muddy banks it was lying on, that we didn't even know it was there until later when I was perusing through my photos.

Little Blue Heron

A juvenile Little Blue Heron, Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.

Another great find and another addition to my Life List was seeing my first Little Blue Heron. Initially when I saw it emerge from the jungly brush across the waterway where we were watching other herons, I thought it was an egret (Snowy or Great) but it didn't look quite like an egret. Its bill wasn't bright yellow as a Great Egret's, and it didn't seem to be as large and fluffy as a Snowy Egret which also has yellow lores around the eyes . When I pointed it out to Luis and asked if it was an egret, it took him only a couple of seconds of looking through his binoculars to conclude, "juvenile Little Blue Heron." It was then I remembered that Little Blues are white before they mature.

A juvenile Little Blue Heron hunting for a meal in the marsh near Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.

Mature Little Blue Herons turn a beautiful cobalt blue (Below) throughout and sport a light blue bill with a black tip. Its legs are a pale dull green. Little Blues are found throughout much of the Southeastern states of the US during the summer, but will be a year round resident along the Gulf Coast and the southern Atlantic states as well as the Baja Peninisula. During the winter months it will migrate south into Mexico and Central America. It also lives year round in fresh water estuaries and marshes in the northern half of South America.


Image of a mature Little Blue Heron; Google Images; photo credit: Jan Sevcik

Orthinologists are studying as to why Little Blues stay white during its first year. One theory is, because they are loners which do not congregate with its own species, the young white herons are more readily able to mix in well with the white Egrets which otherwise do not tolerate the company of Little Blue Herons in their blue plumage. Young Little Blue "white" herons catch more fish when they are in the company of Egrets than when they are alone. Another advantage of  integrating into flocks of Egrets is gaining a measure of protection against predators.

Another Croc hanging around the banks of the waterways; Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.

In the hour or so we spent stalking water birds in the marshes near Puerto Morelos, we ran into three (that we know of) separate crocodiles on the banks. The largest (Above) of the three wasn't startled and didn't move (as did the other two) as we came into its personal space. It just opened its mouth to show its teeth as if to say, "You best move along and get outta my territory." We did.

Tri-colored Heron, Green Heron, Northern Jacana




A Tri-colored Heron at right, a Green Heron at left center, and behind the Green Heron, two juvenile Northern Jacanas in the background (far left and center); Puerto Morelos, Mx; 12-24-10.

 We were rewarded with three wading birds - all in one spot: a Green Heron, and two firsts for me, a Tri-colored Heron and two juvenile Northern Jacanas (Above). As a matter of fact, we just missed having five different water birds in the same photo. Minutes after I took this pic, a Double-crested Cormorant landed in front of the Tri-colored Heron, and a minute after that, a Little Blue Heron walked out of the trees at the far left. Luis couldn't have picked a better spot to go water birding.

A Tri-colored Heron, Puerto Morelos, Mx; 12-24-10.

At first glance I thought I saw a Great Blue, but as soon as I took a more knowledgable look, I knew it wsn't a Great Blue, and before I could ask, Luis already announced, "Tri-colored Heron" (Above). Tri-colored Herons (TCH) at 26" tall are much smaller than Great Blues, which can grow as tall as four feet. Also TCH's are darker overall with dark grayish/blueish head, neck, breast, wings and back with a reddish feathering at the base of the neck and a highly contrasting white "racing stripe' running the complete length of its throat and a very white under belly. As seen (Below) in its non-breeding plumage, its long thin bill is yellow near the eyes blending to a bluish gray at the point; during breeding season the bill turns a brilliant blue near the eyes and turns black at the point. also in some TCH's its white throat stripe will become more yellowish. Its breeding plumage will aslo sport a long white spike of feathers at the back of its head.

The same Tri-colored Heron showing off its long narrow bill in contrast with its relatively small head; Puerto Morelos, Mx; 12-24-10.

Although the TCH we saw was fairly calm, this heron species is known to run after fish to capture tham with its long narrow bill.  TCH's are year round residents of the lower Atlantic Coast states as well as the Gulf of Mexico. In summer it will migrate up to as far as Massachusettes and Rhode Island and spend its winters in Mexico, Central America and as far west as the Baja Peninsula.

A Green Heron waiting for a meal to swim by, Puerto Morelos, Mx; 12-24-10.

Also hanging with the TCH was a Green Heron (Above). In summers, Green Herons are found throughout the Eastern two thirds of the US as well as along the Pacific coast.  Green Herons will spend its winter throughout the Gulf Coast, Baja Peninsula and into Mexico, Central America and into Columbia and Venezuela (South America). You can read more about Green Herons on my post on June 22, 2010:

http://northernillinoisbirder.blogspot.com/2010/06/green-herons.html

A great plus was seeing a couple of Juvenile Northern Jacanas which blended in so well into the background (Top of page) that I didn't even realize they were in the pic until later when I enlarged it. When Luis identified them for me, it was a bird I never heard of before. The Northern Jacana resides in the lowlands of Mexico and Central America. They very rarely are seen in the US - on the coastal plain of Texas from south of Houston and westward to San Antonio and southward to the Mexican border. Occaisionally they are sighted in the marshes of south Louisiana. For some reason most of the US sightings are of juveniles. Although it's difficult to see, but the Juveniles have no eye shield and sport white underparts.

The pic (Below) is the only photo I took of a couple of adult Northern Jacanas.

A couple of adult Northern Jacanas hiding in the tall grass; Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12-24-10.



Adult Northern Jacanas are brown overall with a black head and a bright yellow bill and eye shield (Below). They most striking feature are their extremely long toes which allows them to walk on the top of floating  vegetaion. They have been called "Lilly trotters" as well as the "Jesus Bird" in Jamaica because it is perceived to walk on water.

The Adult Northern Jacana's very long toes and bright yellow frontal eye shield are in evidence in this photo which I found at .http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/467/articles/introduction 



A crocodile making its way into the water after we startled it along the banks; Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.

Again as we were hiking along the banks of this waterway stalking and concentrating on birds, we passed by a crocodile resting on the bank just across from where we were taking a photos of the Herons and Jacanas. We didn't even see it until it made its splash into the water (Above).  So if you're ever birding in Mexico along waterways be aware and careful of these creatures. Although crocodiles in Mexico are not considered to be aggresive towards humans, one should watch one's step as eveidence of the larticle link below...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1217116/Tourist-attacked-crocodile-Mexico-urinating-near-Cancun-lagoon.html

Plain Chachalaca

A Plain Chachalaca; Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.

During the couple of hours we were exploring the forest, I kept hearing a raucus that sounded like a chorus of  "cha -cha-laca-cha-cha-laca..." coming from the thicket. Several times I tried to bushwhack my way to find the owners of the noise, but never did spot anything as I made far too much racket crashing through the brush and the noisemakers escaped. Luis infromed me that the birds that made the sound were Plain Chachalacas (Above). Their loud "cha-cha"calls are frequently heard in the early mornings and evenings at sundown, and the locals wouldn't call their noise as pleasant.

Chachalacas are named after the sound they make, sort of the onomotopoeia of birds. They are an upland game type bird similar to a grouse or chicken but more lean and with a rounder head. They are brown all over with a grayish head and a lighter reddish brown belly. They travel in small flocks of 10-12 and forage in thickets, dense second growth, scrub and forest. They are found mainly in Southeastern Mexico and sometimes make appearances into the southern tip of Texas along the Rio Grande Valley. Even though the Plain Chachalacas are not endangered, they belong to a family of 50 other species spread throughout Central and South America, that are endangered due to overhunting.


Perhaps an hour later, Luis suddenly pointed to a low branch and whispered, "Chachalaca!" And sure enough there was one perched high enough above the thick brush to be in the open for a photo op. I think it felt bad that it didn't stick around long enough to let me take its picture before, so it hopped up onto a branch to let us see it so it could get onto this blog. Thanks Chacha!

Val's pic of the same Plain Chachalaca; Puerto Morelos, Mexico; 12/24/10.