Birds of Frenchman's Creek Guidebook and Checklist

The American bittern is a species of wading bird . It has a Nearctic distribution, breeding in Canada and the northern and central parts of the United States, and wintering in the U.S. Gulf Coast states, all of Florida into the Everglades, the Caribbean islands and parts of Central America.

Look for American Coots at ponds in city parks, in marshes, reservoirs, along the edges of lakes, and in roadside ditches, sewage treatment ponds, and salt- water inlets or saltmarshes.

In deciduous woodlands, American Redstarts are fairly conspicuous compared to other small birds. They dash through trees and bushes after unseen insects, or prancing along branches, rapidly spreading and closing its black- and-yellow or black-and-orange tail. They are common spring and fall migrants in the East.

The Anhinga lives in shallow, slow-moving, sheltered waters and uses nearby perches and banks for drying and sunning. It’s rarely found out of freshwater ex- cept during severe droughts. Not found in extensive areas of open water, though it may nest on edges of open bays and lakes.

The bald eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle. Its range includes most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico.

Belted Kingfishers live near streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and estuaries. They nest in burrows that they dig into soft earthen banks, usually adjacent to or directly over water, commonly found in the United States and Canada.

The black-and-white warbler is a species of New World warbler, and the only member of its genus, Mniotilta. It breeds in northern and eastern North America and winters in Florida, Central America, and the West Indies down to Peru. This species is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.

The black-bellied whistling-duck, formerly called the black-bellied tree duck, is a whistling duck that breeds from the southernmost United States and tropical Central to south-central South America.

Black-crowned night herons nest colonially, and often more than a dozen pairs will nest in one tree.

The common Grackle is a large icterid which is found in large numbers through much of North America.

The black vulture, also known as the American black vulture, is a bird in the new world vulture family whose range extends from the southeastern United States to central Chile and Uruguay, in South America.

The boat-tailed grackle is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found as a permanent resident on the coasts of the Southeastern United States. It is found in coastal saltwater marshes and, in Florida, also on inland waters.

The brown pelican can be found on the Atlantic, Pa- cific and Gulf Coasts. On the Atlantic Coast, it can be found from North Carolina.

The brown thrasher is a bird in the family Mimidae, which also includes the New World catbirds and mockingbirds. the male brown thrasher can sing more songs than any other North American bird.

The cattle egret nests in colonies, which are often found around bodies of water. The colonies are usually found in woodlands near lakes or rivers, in swamps, or on small inland or coastal islands, and are sometimes shared with other wetland birds, such as herons, egrets, ibises, and cormorants.

The chestnut-sided warbler is a New World warbler. They breed in eastern North America and in southern Canada westwards to the Canadian Prairies. They also breed in the Great Lakes region and in the eastern United States.

Chimney Swifts nest in chimneys and on other vertical surfaces in dim, enclosed areas, including air vents, wells, hollow trees, and caves. They forage over urban and suburban areas, rivers, lakes, forests, and fields.

The common gallinule is a bird in the family Ralli- dae.It lives around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands in the Americas. The species is not found in the polar regions or many tropical rainforests.

The greater sandhill crane winters in Florida but nests in the Great Lakes region. Sandhill cranes nest during late winter and spring on mats of vegetation about two feet in diameter and in shallow water.

The Downy Woodpecker is at home in a variety of wooded areas across its range, in the northern mixed forests and in the deciduous forests farther south, in woodlots and parklands, in orchards, and even in city parks and neighborhoods.

Eastern screech owls inhabit open mixed woodlands, deciduous forests, parklands, wooded suburban areas, riparian woods along streams and wetlands (especially in drier areas), mature orchards, and woodlands near marshes, meadows, and fields.

The great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret, with four subspecies found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. Did you know symbol of the National Audubon Society is the Great Egret?

The Egyptian goose is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley. Egyptian geese were consid- ered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork

Eurasian Collared-Doves live in urban and subur- ban areas throughout much of the U.S. except the Northeast.

The common starling, also known as the European starling, or in the British Isles just the starling, is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is about 20 cm long and has glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen, which is speckled with white at sometimes of year.

The double crested cormorant is a member of the cormo- rant family of seabirds. Its habitat is near rivers and lakes as well as in coastal areas, and is widely distributed across North America, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska down to Florida and Mexico.

The fish crow is a species of crow associated with wetland habitats in the eastern and southeastern United States.

Look for Glossy Ibises in shallow freshwater wetlands, as well as brackish and saltwater wetlands, mangroves, and rice fields. Glossy Ibises can be seasonal or very local, so asking local birders can help locate one. Look for a tall bird (or ​flock of birds) foraging slowly in open wetlands or flying with neck and feet outstretched.

The gray catbird, also spelled grey catbird, is a medium-sized North American and Central American perching bird of the mimid family. It is the only member of the “catbird” genus Dumetella.

The great blue heron can adapt to almost any wet- land habitat in its range. It may be found in numbers in fresh and saltwater marshes, mangrove swamps, flooded meadows, lake edges, or shorelines. It is quite adaptable and may be seen in heavily developed areas as long as they hold bodies of fish-bearing water.

Great horned owls are adaptable birds and live from the Arctic to South America. They are at home in suburbia as well as in woods and farmlands. Northern populations migrate in winter, but most live permanently in more tem- perate climes.

Green Herons inhabit small, freshwater wetlands, ponds, and stream-sides with thick vegetation at their margins.

One of the most numerous wading birds in Florida, and common elsewhere in the southeast. Highly sociable at all seasons, roosting and feeding in flocks, nesting in large colonies.

The ruby-crowned kinglet is a very small passerine bird found throughout North America. It is a member of the kinglet family. The bird has olive-green plumage with two white wing bars and a white eye-ring. Males have a red crown patch.

Swallow-tailed Kites are large but slender and buoy- ant raptors. They have long, narrow, pointed wings, slim bodies, and a very long, deeply forked tail. The bill is small and sharply hooked.

The least Bittern is a small heron, the smallest member of the family Ardeidae found in the Americas.

The smallest of American terns, the Least Tern is found nesting on sandy beaches along the southern coasts of the United States and up the major river systems far into the interior of the continent.

The limpkin inhabits shallows along rivers, streams, lakes, and in marshes, swamps and sloughs in Florida. In the U.S.A

Little blue herons inhabit fresh, salt, and brackish water environments in Florida including swamps, estuaries, ponds, lakes, and rivers In the U.S., the little blue heron can be found from Missouri, east to Virginia, down to Florida, and west to Texas.

The loggerhead shrike is a songbird slightly smaller than a robin. Despite its small stature, the behaviors of a shrike reflect those of a raptor. It is commonly known as the “butcherbird” or “thorn bird” for its habit of impaling prey on sharp objects, such as thorns and barbed wire fences.

Magnificent Frigatebirds soar along the coast in the southern United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean staying near water. They tend to take flight later in the afternoon when winds and thermals are greatest, helping keep them aloft. Look for their long and angular wings and slender silhouettes.

American Kestrels occupy habitats ranging from deserts and grasslands to alpine meadows. You’re most likely to see them perching on telephone wires along roadsides, in open country with short vegetation and few trees.

The mallard is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Colom- bia, the Falkland Islands, and South Africa.

Mottled Ducks are usually found in fresh or brackish ponds adjacent to coast rather than in salt marsh. A close relative of the Mallard, the Mottled Duck is the only dabbling duck specialized for nesting in southern marshes, far to the south of most of its relatives.

These birds prefer open land with scattering of trees and shrubs for cover and nesting. Except for wetland and dense forest, mourning doves can be found most anywhere. They are one of the most widespread and adaptable North American birds.

The Muscovy duck is a large duck native to Mexico, Central, and South America. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United States, particularly in Florida

It can be found in southern eastern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Minnesota to Texas, and south through Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Big Island of Hawaii.

The northern flicker or common flicker is a medi- um-sized bird of the woodpecker family. It is native to most of North America, parts of Central America, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands, and is one of the few woodpecker species that migrate.

Northern mockingbirds live across the United States and in parts of Canada and Mexico. The mockingbird is the state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. They’re commonly found on tall shrubs or tree branches on the edges of forests, in backyards, or in parks.

Once known as the fish hawk, the osprey lives on fish that it catches by snatching them in a shallow dive from the surface of the water. Though fish are by far the most important part of the diet, ospreys have been recorded catching a wide variety of other prey, includ- ing birds, reptiles and even crustaceans.

The ovenbird is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. This migratory bird breeds in eastern North America and winters in Central America, many Caribbean islands, Florida and northern Venezuela.

The palm warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. the great boreal forest, often called “North America’s bird nursery,” is the summer home to billions of migratory birds and an estimated 98% of all Palm Warblers.

Pied-billed grebes are found in freshwater wetlands with emergent vegetation, such as cattails. They are occasion- ally found in salt water. When breeding they are found in emergent vegetation near open water, and in winter they are primarily found in open water due to the lack of nests to maintain.

The pileated woodpecker is a woodpecker native to North America. This insectivorous bird is a mostly sedentary inhabitant of deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes, the boreal forests of Canada, and parts of the Pacific Coast.

Killdeer are North American breeders winter from their resident range south to Central America, the West In- dies, and the northernmost portions of South America. The non-breeding habitat of the killdeer includes coastal wetlands, beach habitats, and coastal fields.

The red-bellied woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker of the family Picidae. It breeds mainly in the eastern United States, ranging as far south as Texas and as far north as Canada.

Red shouldered Hawks soar over forests or perch on tree branches or utility wires. Its rising, whistled kee-rah is a distinctive sound of the forest. They hunt small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles either from perches or while flying.

The red-tailed hawk is a bird of prey that breeds throughout most of North America, from the interior of Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Pana- ma and the West Indies. It is one of the most common members within the genus of Buteo in North America or worldwide.

In North America Red-winged Blackbirds roost and breed in a variety of habitats but tend to prefer wetlands. They have been known to live in fresh and saltwater marshes. On drier ground, red-winged blackbirds gravitate towards open fields (often in agricultural areas) and forests.

The roseate spoonbill Locally common in coastal Florida, Texas, and southwest Louisiana, they are usually in small flocks, often associating with other waders. Spoonbills feed in shallow waters, walking forward slowly while they swing their heads from side to side, sifting the muck with their wide flat bills.

Ring-necked ducks are mainly a migratory species that lives in North America from Canada to Mexico. During the breeding season, it can be found as far north as southern and central Alaska.

The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colu- bris) is a species of hummingbird that generally spends the winter in Central America, Mexico, and Florida, and migrates to Eastern North America for the summer to breed. It is by far the most common hummingbird seen east of the Mississippi River in North America.

The solitary sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) is a small shorebird. The genus name Tringa is the New Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek trungas, a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbing wading bird mentioned by Aristotle.

In eastern North America, snowy egrets winter along the Gulf Coast and in Florida, as well as north along the Atlantic Coast to New Jersey. The breeding range in eastern North America extends along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from Maine to Texas, and inland along major rivers and lakes.

The tree swallow is a migratory bird of the family Hirundinidae. Found in the Americas, the tree swal- low was first described in 1807 by French ornithologist Louis Vieillot as Hirundo bicolor. It has since been moved to its current genus, Tachycineta, within which its phylogenetic placement is debated.

Tricolored Heron is a characteristic bird of quiet shallow waters. Strikingly slender, with long bill, neck, and legs, it is often seen wading belly-deep in coastal lagoons, mainly in waters of coastal low- lands.

Two species of vulture occur in Florida, the turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) and the black vulture (Coragyps atratus). Turkey vultures have reddish heads.

The yellow rumped warbler is a North American bird species combining four closely related forms: the east- ern myrtle warbler; its western counterpart, Audubon’s warbler; the northwest Mexican black-fronted warbler; and the Guatemalan Goldman’s warbler.

The wood duck or Carolina duck is a species of perching duck found in North America. It is one of the most colorful North American waterfowl.

Wood Storks breed in fresh and brackish forested wetlands. They forage in wetlands, swamps, ponds, and marshes with water depths of around 4–12 inches.

Birding Tips

1. Be quiet. Birds are easily startled by loud noises and will flee to cover. It is almost impossible to sneak up on a bird, because birds hear much better than human beings do. By minimizing noise, you can get much closer to a bird. 2. Avoid sudden movements. Just as loud noises startle birds, so does sudden movement. Getting close to a bird means stalking it, moving slowly and deliberately. Sudden, jerky movement, even when swinging your binoculars up to your eyes, can make a bird nervous enough to fly away. The closer you are to a bird, the more slowly and quietly you should move. 3. Follow the crowd. In the nonbreeding season (the winter months in most of North America) many small songbirds join flocks of mixed spe- cies both for protection and to make finding food easier. Typically these flocks are largely silent, but there will almost always be one or two birds making call notes. Following a single calling bird will often lead you to a larger feeding flock. 4. Study habitat. Each bird is specially adapted to a particular habitat. Meadowlarks prefer large open fields, woodpeckers need trees, spar- rows favor thickets. What you see will depend in large part on where you look. 5. Work the flocks. Your chance of finding an unusual bird is far greater in a flock, just because you have more birds to look at. Banding studies have shown that when you think you have ten chickadees in your yard, there are probably 20, and when you think you have seen all 20 spar- rows in the brush pile, there are probably 20 more. 6. Be patient. A sparrow hopping around in a bush will eventually move into a spot where you can get a good look. Bird watching is often about being patient and waiting for the birds to show themselves. 7. Get the sun at your back. It is not always possible, but moving around so that the sun is behind you will make it much easier to see and identify birds. When the bird is between you and the sun, color disap- pears, and the bird you are trying to identify may be just a black silhou- ette.

8. Try pishing. Sometimes, no matter how patient you are, no matter how slowly and quietly you move, you just cannot get a good look at the bird. When this happens, bird watchers try a technique called pishing. Pishing involves making small, squeaky noises by kissing the back of your hand or making a low whistled pish by blowing air through your closed teeth. Small birds are attracted to such sounds and will often pop into view to investigate. Here’s how to pish: Clench your teeth, open your lips and whisper the word pish. 9. Avoid brightly colored clothes. Many birds have poor color vision, but bright clothes, like whites, will contrast with the surrounding environ- ment and enhance the appearance of movement. Wear darker colors or earth tones to blend into the background. There is no evidence that actual camouflage clothing works better than neutral, dark clothing. 10. Look around. Many bird watchers, focused on the flock in the thick- et, forget to look at the other habitats around them. In particular, they for- get to look up and thus miss the flock of geese or the soaring hawk. Or, while studying the ducks on the lake, unaware bird watchers may ignore the flock of kinglets in the trees behind them and miss seeing a new bird. Basic Equipment