Class Aves (Birds) in the Christopher B. Smith Preserve

Class Aves Characteristics: Birds are ectothermic, producing their own heat. They are vertebrates with strong skeletons; feathers; horny beaks; no teeth; and large yolked, hard-shelled eggs. Parents take care of their young. There are about 30 orders, 180 families, and 10,000 species of birds.

Interactions in the Smith Preserve: Birds have many important functions in the preserve. They regulate other species through seed dispersal, pollination, and predation. Some are responsible for carcass and waste disposal. A bird's prey, depending on its species, include insects, arachnids, fish, reptiles, other birds, and mammals. Bird guano is a soil fertilizer. Some birds modify the environment by gleaning leaf litter to build nests, while others excavate the environment to create burrows and cavities. The nests, burrows, and cavities are often used as habitat by other organisms.

Family Acccipitridae

Family Anatidae

Family Anhingidae

Family Ardeidae

Family Caprimulgidae

Family Cardinalidae

Family Cathartidae

Family Ciconiidae

Family Columbidae

Family Corvidae

Family Icteridae

 

 

Family Laniidae

Lanius ludoviciannus Loggerhead Shrike     Lanius ludoviciannus, called the “butcher bird”, lives in open fields with scattered trees. It perches in the open and watches for prey. Once it spots prey, it captures it with its large, hooked beak. Then it impales the prey on a plant spine or piece of barbed wire. The purpose of impaling the prey might be to cache it for future use, to soften the food for easier digestion, or to advertise its territory. Prey include insects, small rodents, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. In the Smith Preserve, a loggerhead shrike was observed as it captured a large grub of Strategus splendens (Ox Beetle) and impaled it on a tree branch. Plumage characteristics of Lanius ludoviciannus include: grey head and back, white underparts, black wings, white markings on the tail, and a black face mask extending over its bill.   Return to top

 

 

Family Mimidae

Mimus polyglottos Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos is the state bird of 5 states, including Florida. The species name, polyglottos, means "many tongued mimic". This is a very appropriate name since this bird can imitate the sound of dozens of other birds, as well as other animals, machinery, and even musical instruments. Both sexes are similarly colored with mostly gray upper parts and white underparts. Each individual has white wing patches on its blackish wings. The tail is long and blackish-gray above with white outer feathers. The beak is short and black with a brownish-black base. The legs are long. The iris is usually light greenish-yellow or yellow, but it is sometimes orange. These birds are solitary or in pairs. They are omnivores that forage on the ground or in bushes and trees. Their diet consists mostly of insects and fruit, but they sometimes eat other arthropods, earthworms, seeds, and occasionally lizards. Both the male and female reach sexual maturity after 1 year. The breeding season is in the spring and early summer. Breeding is monogamous. Both sexes help build the nest in the fork of a tree or shrub from sticks, stems, bits of fabric, dead leaves, and string. Both sexes feed the chicks and defend the nest, attacking larger birds and mammals that approach too close. Return to top

 

 

Family Parulidae

Setophaga coronata Yellow-Rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata plumage is brown with yellow streaks. These photographs were taken different years during the winter at the Preserve. Like many birds, the colors are more vivid during spring migration and breeding season. At those times, plumage is a bright mix of yellow, charcoal gray, black, and white. Setophaga coronata get its common name "yellow-rumped" for obvious reasons. Yellow-rumped warblers forage in tree canopies and actively pursue insects midair. In the winter, they spend a lot of time eating berries, and traveling in large flocks. Yellow-rumped warblers have distinctive, sharp chips.     Return to top

 

 

Setophaga dominica Yellow-Throated Warbler On February 6, 2019, Leif Johnson, a Conservancy of Southwest Florida biologist, observed and photographed this male yellow-throated warbler as it flitted from tree to tree in the Christopher B. Smith Preserve. As shown in the next two photographs, when the bird rested on a Sabal palmetto (Cabbage Palm) leaf, he cocked his head to reveal his colorful throat to Leif. The common name, "yellow-throated warbler," is certainly very descriptive of this species. The yellow-throated warbler is a small migratory songbird that breeds in southeastern North America. It is a woodland species, preferring to nest in coniferous or swamp tree species. These birds are insectivorous, but will eat berries and nectar outside of breeding season. Nests are cup-shaped, built in trees, and concealed among conifer needles or Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish Moss). Their clutch size is usually 4 eggs. Return to top

 

 

Setophaga palmarum Palm Warbler Setophaga palmaru is easily recognized by the tail-wagging habit it has that shows off its yellow undertail. In addition to the yellow undertail, it has a rusty-capped head and a dark eyestripe. Setophaga palmaru spends much of its time on the ground and in shrubs and trees looking for insects and berries. These warblers breed in bogs and winter in large numbers in the southern United States and Caribbean.     Photographs above were taken by the webmaster. The photograph at left was taken by Conservancy of Southwest Florida biologist, Leif Johnson, on February 6, 2019.     Return to top

 

 

Setophaga ruticilla American Redstart A Setophaga ruticilla breeding male, like the one shown here, is jet black with large orange patches on its wings and tail. The sides of its breast are orange and the belly is cream colored. Non-breeding males have green upperparts and grey heads. Females and young birds have yellow patches where the male has orange. Both the orange and yellow coloration are caused by carotenoids. About 75% of male American redstarts are monogamous; about 25% maintain more than one territory and are polygynous. The intensity of a male's color determines its success at holding a territory in its non-breeding, winter location in the Caribbean, and the probability that it will be polygamous. Redstarts breed in open woods and scrub, usually near water. The female lays 2-5 eggs in a cup-shaped nest in the lower part of a bush. These birds are quite active. While flying, American redstarts often chase and eat flies. They also glean insects from vegetation. American redstarts sometimes flash the orange and yellow of their tails to startle insects from the underbrush. Their call is a soft chip.   Return to top

 

Family Phalacrocoracidae

Phalacrocorax auritus floridanus Double-Crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus floridanus is one of the five subspecies of Phalacrocorax auritus, and the smallest of the five. This subspecies is found from southern and central Texas east to the Atlantic, and from North Carolina south to Florida. Once abundant throughout its range, that is true now only in Florida. Mature adults are black and get a double crest of black and white feathers during breeding season. Those breeding feathers give the species its common name, "double-crested" cormorant. Double-Crested Cormorants have a bare patch of orange-yellow skin on the face. These birds are considered seabirds that frequent inland waterways and coastal areas. They hunt by swimming and diving; diet is mainly fish. Since the feathers are not waterproof, after swimming, these birds often use their webbed feet to perch, while they spread their wings to dry. Males and females have a similar appearance. Plumage of the juveniles is dark gray or brown, not black, and the underparts are lighter than the back. The photograph shown here is a juvenile that was resting on an exposed piece of a broken branch in the Smith Preserve Pond. Some people confuse cormorants with anhingas. Anhingas have straight beaks, while cormorants have hooked beaks. Return to top

 

Family Picidae

 

Dryocopus pileatus Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus is a very large (40 to 49 cm long), mostly black woodpecker that is native to North America. As shown in these photographs, this species has a long black and white striped neck, a red, triangular crest on the top of the head, and a black line through the eye. In flight, underwings reveal white markings. Males have a red stripe on the cheek. Females have a black stripe on the cheek. This male woodpecker was observed using its chisel-like beak to construct a hole in a standing dead Pinus elliottii densa (Southern Florida Slash Pine). A male typically constructs the nest hole. A female lays about four eggs in the hole and both parents incubate the eggs for 12 - 16 days. Young may take a month to fledge. Nest holes provide shelter for eggs and young piliated woodpeckers, as well as bats, owls, swifts, and other birds when the woodpeckers vacate the nest. Pileated woodpeckers are forest birds that typically need standing dead and downed trees. They drill rectangular-shaped holes in the wood to obtain carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae for food. Additionally, they eat fruits, nuts, and berries (including poison ivy berries). Return to top

 

Melanerpes carolinus Red-Bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus adults have a gray face and underparts. Black and white barred plumage adorns their backs, wings and tails. An adult male has red plumage from its bill to the nape of its neck, while a female has a red patch of red on the nape of its neck and a second patch above its bill. But, it is the red tinge on its belly that gives Melanerpes carolinus its common name "Red- Bellied Woodpecker." Red- bellied woodpeckers search for insects and spiders on tree trunks, and catch insects in flight. They also eat fruits, nuts, and seeds. The top right photograph shows one with a seed in its beak. These birds breed in deciduous forests and like to nest in decayed tree cavities, stumps, and in live trees that have soft wood (elms, maples, and willows). Both sexes help dig the nesting cavity. Predators of adult red-bellied woodpeckers include hawks, snakes, and house cats. Predators of young woodpeckers and eggs include red-headed woodpeckers, owls, pileated woodpeckers, and rat snakes. When approached by a predator, red-bellied woodpeckers either hide, or they send an alarm call and try to startle the predator. They defend their nests by attacking predators. Return to top

 

 

Picoides pubescens Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens is the smallest woodpecker in North America. It has a straight bill and straight back. The black upperparts are checked with white on the wings, the head is striped, and the back has a broad white stripe down its center. The outer tail feathers are white with a few black spots. A male has a small red patch on the back of its head. As shown in these photographs, a female lacks this patch. Downy Woodpeckers live in open woodlands and along brushy and weedy edges. The sexes attract each other by using their bills to drum on trees. Once paired, they excavate their nest by using their bills to dig into a dead tree trunk. Females lay four or five eggs into the nest and the male does most of the sitting on the eggs. Downy woodpeckers are very agile and use their claws to climb around tree limbs, tree trunks, and tall weeds to locate food. They eat primarily insects, including beetle larvae that live under tree bark, ants, and caterpillars. They even eat insect galls. About one-fourth of their diet consists of berries, acorns, and grains. Downy Woodpeckers sometimes feed on sap that leaks from trees where yellow-bellied sapsuckers have drilled holes. Picoides pubescens predators include hawks and snakes.   Return to top

 

 

Family Psittaculidae

Psittacula krameri Indian Rose-Ringed Parakeets Psittacula krameri is a non-migrating bird that has successfully adapted to live in disturbed habitats. Feral populations exist in Florida, California, and Hawaii. Originally from India and Africa, there are four subspecies. Individuals living in the United States are probably the progeny of escaped or released Indian Rose-Ringed Parakeets (Psittacla Krameri manillensis). Average adult length of this parakeet is 40 cm, including tail feathers. Males and females have distinctive differences; males have red neck-rings; hens, like the two shown in these photographs taken on April 21, 2014, and immatures lack neck-rings or have pale to dark grey neck-rings. All can be easily identified by the light green plumage, long tail, and noisy squawking call. In the wild, Indian rose-ringed parakeets usually eat buds, fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries and seeds. In some areas of the world, wild flocks cause extensive damage while foraging farmlands and orchards. Besides competing with other species for food, these parakeets compete with native hole-nesting birds for nesting cavities. On April 24, 2014, the sighting of this species prompted a report by the photographer on behalf of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDD MapS) of invasive species. Return to top

 

 

Family Sturnidae

Sturnus vulgaris European Starling / Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris was intentionally brought to North America in the nineteenth century. Today, European Starlings are credited with being among the continent's most numerous songbirds. Unlike Quiscalus sp. (Grackles), Sturnus vulgaris has a short tail. It is stocky, with triangular wings, and a long, slender, pointed bill. When flying, the short, pointed wings make the bird look like a 4-pointed star. This appearance is the origin of the common name "starling." As shown in these photographs, taken February 10, 2014, winter feathers are covered in white spots. In summer, the birds turn dark and glossy with a purple-green iridescence. Starlings are loud and often travel in large groups with blackbirds and grackles. Their vocalizations include a constant stream of rattles, whirrs, and whistles. They feed on the ground and perch and roost high on wires, trees, and buildings. The individual shown here is a non-breeding adult. A breeding adult is glossy black, with iridescent purple and green pale spots on its back. Wings are brownish and the bill is yellow with a blue base. A juvenile is dull gray- brown with a short tail, fairly long wings, and a straight, black bill. As shown in the first photograph, starlings nest in cavities. If a starling finds a cavity that is occupied by another bird, it is known to destroy eggs and/or kill chicks. This can be devastating to other native birds that nest in cavities, among which are Eastern Bluebirds, Great Crested Flycatchers, and Woodpeckers. Each pair of starlings can have three clutches of eggs each year. European Starlings eat seeds, fruits, insects (caterpillars and beetles), and other invertebrates (snails, centipedes, earthworms, and spiders). Return to top

 

 

Family Syliidae

Polioptila caerulea Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher   Polioptila caerulea is a very small (ten to 13 cm long) song bird that forages at branch tips at the tops of tall trees. It catches insects on the wing and sometimes hovers briefly above its prey before capturing it. It also gleans insect eggs and spiders from foliage. The individuals shown here were in tall oak trees. The bird's distinctive call, "spee, spee, spee", was heard before the birds were seen. A male bird has a bluish-gray back and white underparts. It has a white eye ring and a black unibrow above its eyes. Its tail is black with white outer feathers. Females are similar in color to males, but with less blue, and they lack the unibrow. The birds shown in these photographs are females. Blue-gray gnatcatchers are monogamous and solitary nesters. Their cup-shaped nests are made from plant fibers, lined with pieces of bark, and covered with lichens held together by spider silk. Nests are usually constructed on a horizontal branch or in the fork of a tree. Both sexes help construct the nest and feed the young.   Return to top

 

 

Family Turdidae

Sialia sialis Eastern Bluebird   This male Sialia sialis was posed in the early morning sun on a wire above the scrub. A male has a bright blue back and a bright reddish brown throat and breast. A female is duller in color, with a gray back and brown throat and breast. Both sexes have short slender beaks and short legs. Bluebirds prefer open land with scattered trees for perching, nesting and feeding. Nests are small, cup-like structures woven from grasses or pine needles lined with grass, feathers, stems, and hairs, and are frequently built in a nest box. The Smith Preserve provides all of these materials, including a nest box. Sialia sialis eats mostly insects, but will eat berries and seeds in the winter when insects are more difficult to find.   Return to top

 

 

Family Tyrannidae

Sayornis phoebe Eastern Phoebe   Sayornis phoebe is easily recognized by its wagging tail and distinctive harsh call of "FEE-be". Eastern phoebes perch in tree branches, scanning the area for insects. The individual in this photograph was heard before it was spotted in an tall oak in the Smith Preserve. An eastern phoebe has black eyes, legs, and feet. Its bill is also black. The upper portion of its head and back are covered in brownish-gray feathers. As shown in the photograph, the neck and belly are white. The breast is white with a hit of olive on the sides. The plumage of both sexes is similar. Eastern phoebes often catch insects in midair, but they also forage for them in foliage and on the ground. In addition to eating insects, they consume small fish, berries, and fruit. Sayornis phoebe is monogamous and a solitary nester. The female builds the nest attached to a vertical wall, bridge, or beam. The nest is constructed of mud pellets covered with moss. She lines the nest with vegetation, hair, and feathers. The young are fed by both sexes.   Return to top

 

 

Myiarchus crinitus Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus adults of both sexes have brown backs and yellow underparts. Their throats and upper breasts are grey, and their tails are long and rusty brown. The species gets its common name "Great Crested Flycatcher" from its bushy crest. These birds breed in forests across eastern North America and are observed in the trees at the Smith Preserve. They nest in cavities in trees, and they usually line the nest with a snake skin or a piece of plastic wrapper. To obtain food, they wait on high perches and fly out to capture insects in flight. They also hover over vegetation and building structures to catch insects. Besides insects, their diet includes fruits and berries. The call of these birds sounds like a whistled, "weep."   Return to top

© Photographs and text by Susan Leach Snyder (Conservancy of Southwest Florida Volunteer), unless otherwise credited above.

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