Birds You Might See at the Park

Birds at Water's Edge

Great Blue Heron 

Description - Large gray-blue heron, black stripe above the eye, yellowish bill, light colored body, dark gray wings, stands about 4'
Behavior/Diet - Wades along water's edge and dives head into water to catch fish

Green Backed Heron

Description - Small with short yellowish legs, greenish black crown feathers, sides and under -deep chestnut, stands about 15" - 17"
Behavior/Diet - Often perches in trees, wades along water's edge to catch fish

Canada Goose

Description - Black head and neck with distinctive white "chin" strap,  breast white and body brownish
Behavior/Diet - Graze on grass and clover, eats submerged aquatic vegetation

Belted Kingfisher

Description - Large shaggy head, gray-blue head and body, white collar or belt at neck, heavy pointed bill, stands about 12" - 13"
Behavior/Diet -  May sit  20' - 40' above the water, dive into the water for small fish

Red Winged Blackbird

Description - Glossy black with bright red shoulders tipped with yellow, females are brownish all over, stands about 7" - 9"
Behavior/Diet - Eats insects and spiders and seeds,  likes to nest in thick vegetation of fresh water areas

Purple Martin

Description -  Male dark glossy purplish blue back and belly,  females dark grayish all over
forked tail, stands about 7" - 8"
Behavior/Diet - Swoop like swallows and  eats mosquitoes, beetles, flies, moths as they fly through the air often seen swooping over the pond

Tree Swallows

Description - Blue iridescent back, dark wings, white neck and underside with notched tail, stands about 5"- 5 1/2 "
Behavior/Diet -  Eats mosquitoes, beetles ,flies, moths as it flies through the air
and likes to fly over the pond

Birds Near the Pond

Eastern Kingbird

Description - Black head, gray back, tail has broad white band at tip, stands about 7" - 8"
Behavior/Diet -  Often seen near water, sits on wires or limbs to fly off to eat insects

Northern Oriole or Baltimore Oriole

Description -  Black hood and upper back, bright orange hump and undersides, stands about 7" - 8"
Behavior/Diet - Eat mainly caterpillars, beetles, and bugs

American Goldfinch

Description - Male bright yellow with black wings and tail, female duller greenish back and body, stands about 
4" - 5"
Behavior/Diet - Distinctive flight pattern- bouncy, eats seeds of all types

White-Breasted Nuthatch

Description - White face with black eye, slim grayish line from head to body, light under body and dark wings, stands about 5" - 5 1/2 "
Behavior/Diet - Found on tree trunks- moving up and down to forage, distinctive call - neh-neh-neh, eats insects

Woodpeckers You Might See at the Park

Primarily all woodpeckers eat insects.  They will also eat fruit, acorns, and nuts. 

Downy

Description - Smallest in this group
White back, black wings with white spots and black bars on its white tail feathers.  Male has a small red spot on the back of its head

Hairy

Description - Same coloring as the Downy but slightly larger and a larger beak

Northern Flicker

Description - Brown barred back, spotted chest and under parts with a black crescent under the beak

Red Bellied

Description - Black and white barred back, white upper tail patch, male crown and nape of head is red, only the nape of the female is red

Pileated

Description - Largest of woodpeckers in North America (up to 16 1/12" in length)

Mostly all black with white under beak, white line down neck to body, bright red cap to the back of head