General Description

Male:
Goldfinch: 5″ Perky yellow bird with a black patch on forehead.  Black tail with conspicuous white rump.  Black wings with white wing bars. No markings on the chest. Dramatic change in color during winter, similar to female.
House Finch: 5″ Orange red face, chest and rump, a brown cap, brown marking behind eyes, brown wings streaked with white, and a streaked belly.

Female:
Goldfinch: 5″ Dull olive yellow without a black forehead, with brown wings and a white rump.
House Finch: 5″ Plain brown bird with a heavily streaked white chest.

Feeding Habbits

Year round resident most often found in open fields, scrubby areas and woodlands. Often called Wild Canary. A feeder bird that enjoys Nyjer Thistle Late summer nesting uses the silky down from wild thistle for nest. Appears roller coaster like during flight. Listen for it to twitter in flight. Almost always in small flocks. In northern states it moves only far enough south to find food Migration-partial migrator to non migrator, flocks of up to 20 move around NA for food House Finch-Very social bird. Visits feeders in small flocks. Likes nesting in hanging flower baskets. Incubating female is fed by the male. Has a loud cheerful warbling song. House finches were originally introduced to Long Island from the western US in the 40’s have since populated the entire eastern US Now found throughout the country. Suffers from a fatal eye disease that causes eyes to crust over.-partial migrator to non migrator, flocks of up to 20 move around NA for food.

General Description

Male:
Baltimore Oriole: 7″-8″ Bright flaming orange bird with black head and black extending down nape of neck onto the back. Black wings with white and orange wing bars, an orange tail with black streaks, a gray bill, and dark eyes.
Orchard Oriole: 7″-8″ Dull orange with a black head, chin, upper back, wings, and tail. Single white wing bars.

Female:
Baltimore Oriole: 7″-8″ Pale yellow bird with orange tones. Gray brown wings, white wing bars, a gray bill, and dark eyes.
Orchard Oriole: 7″-8″ Olive green bird with a dull yellow belly. Two white wing bars on dark gray wings. Long, thin black bill with a small gray mark on lower mandible.

Feeding Habbits

This Bird is often heard before seen. Parents will bring young to the feeders. Sits in top of trees feeding on caterpillars. Female builds a sock like nest at the outermost branches of tall trees. Often returns to the same area year after year. Attracted to Orange colored feeders. They are the last to arrive in spring and first to leave in August Migration-complete, to Mexico, Central America and South America

General Description

Male:
Summer Tanager: 7″-8″ All bright red bird that achieves its brightest plumage by the end of its 2nd calendar year.

Female:
Summer Tanager: 7″-8″ Mustard yellow-orange bird, with greener wings and upper parts. Some may have dull red mixed in the plumage or may lack orange tones.

Feeding Habbits

Summer Tanagers breed in gaps and edges of open deciduous or pine-oak forests. Summer Tanagers specialize on bees and wasps on both their breeding and wintering ranges. The female gathers the nest material and builds the nest by herself, though the male may accompany her as she moves back and forth. The nest is usually within a cluster of leaves or a fork of branches overhanging a road, creekbed, or treefall gap in the forest. At the beginning of the breeding season, males sing and chase each other vigorously to define territorial boundaries. Each male has only one mate per breeding season. Migration- They spend the winter in many types of open and second-growth habitats in southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.

General Description

Male:
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird: 3″-3.5″ Tiny iridescent green bird with black throat patch that reflects bright ruby red in the sun.

Female:
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird: 3″-3.5″ Same as male, but lacking the throat patch.

Feeding Habbits

Smallest bird in Nebraska. Able to hover, fly up and down, and is the only bird to fly backward. Does not sing, but will chatter or buzz to communicate. Weighing just 2 to 3 grams, it takes about five average sized hummingbirds to equal the weight of a single chickadee. It’s heart pumps an incredible 1,260 beats per minute and it breathes 250 times per minute Migration-Complete, to Southern States, Mexico and Central America

General Description

Male:
Northern Cardinal: 8″-9″ All red bird with a black mask that extends from the face down to the chin and throat. Large red bill and crest.

Female:
Northern Cardinal: 8″-9″ Buff brown with tinges of red on crest and wings. Same black mask and red bill as male.

Feeding Habbits

A Familiar Backyard Bird. Loves feeding on platform feeders or any feeder where they can face their food. Look for the male feeding female during courtship. Male feeds young of the first brood by himself while female builds second nest. Very territorial in spring, it will fight its own reflection in a window. Non territorial during winter, gathering in small flocks of up to 20 birds. Both the male and female sing and can be heard anytime of the year. Listen for its territorial call in spring! Migration-Non Migrator

General Description

Male:
Mourning Dove: 12″ Smooth fawn-colored dove with gray patch on the head. Iridescent pink and green around neck. A single black spot behind and below the eyes. Black spots on wings and tail. Pointed wedge-shaped tail with white edges.

Female:
Mourning Dove: 12″ Similar to male, but lacking iridescent pink and green neck feathers.

Feeding Habbits

Typically Ground Feeding birds. Name comes from its mournful cooing. One of the few birds to drink without lifting it’s head. Parents feed the young an regurgitated liquid called crop milk for the first few days of life. Flimsy platform nest of twigs often falls apart in a storm. Wind rushing through wing feathers in flight creates a characteristic whistling sound. Migration-Non Migrator to partial migrator. Will move around to find food.

General Description

Male:
White-Breasted Nuthatch: 5″-6″ Slate gray with a white face and belly, and black cap and nape. Long, thin, and slightly upturned bill.
Red-Breasted Nuthatch: 4.5″ Small gray-backed bird with a black cap and a prominent eye line. A rust red breast and belly.

Female:
White-Breasted Nuthatch: 5″-6″ Similar to male, but with a gray cap and nape.
Red-Breasted Nuthatch: 4.5″ Similar to male, but with a gray cap and pale undersides.

Feeding Habbits

The Nuthatch’s habit of hopping headfirst down tree trunks helps it see insects and insect eggs that birds climbing up the trunk might miss.Incredible climbing agility comes from an extra long hind toe claw or nail, nearly twice the size of the front toe claws. The name Nuthatch comes from the middle english moniker nuthak referring to the bird’s habit of wedging a seed into a crevice and hacking it open. Frequently seen in mixed flocks of chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers. Will use a nest box. Mated pairs remain together all year, defending small territories. Listen for it’s characteristic spring call whi-whi-whi-whi given in Feb and March. Migration-Red Breasted-irruptive:moves around the state to find food. White Breasted-Non Migrator

General Description

Male:
Tufted Titmouse: 6″ Slate gray bird with a white chest and belly. Pointed crest. Flanks are washed in a rusty brown. Gray legs and dark eyes.

Female:
Tufted Titmouse: 6″ Same as male.

Feeding Habbits

A common feeder bird it can be attracted with black oil sunflower seeds. Well known for its quickly repeated Peter-peter-peter call. Prefix Tit comes from a scandinavian word meaning little. Suffix mouse is derived from the old english word mase meaning bird. Simply translated it is a “small bird” Notorious for pulling hair from sleeping dogs, cats and squirrels to line their nests. Attracted with nest boxes. Usually seen only one or two at a time. Male feeds female during courtship and nesting. Migration-Non Migrator

General Description

Male:
Downy Woodpecker: 6″ Small woodpecker with an all white belly, black and white spotted wings, a black line running through the eyes, a short black bill, a white stripe down the back, and a red mark on the back of the head. Several small black spots along the sides of white tail.
Hairy Woodpecker: 9″ Black and white woodpecker with a white belly and black black wings with rows of white spots. White stripe down back, long black bill, and a red mark on back of head.
Red-Headed Woodpecker: 9″ All red head and a solid black back. White rump, chest, and belly. Large white patches on wings flash when in flight. A black tail, gray legs, and a gray bill.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker: 9.25″ “Zebra-backed” woodpecker with a white rump. Red crown extends down the nape of neck. Tan breast with a tinge of red on belly, which is often hard to see.
Northern Flicker: 12″ Brown and black woodpecker with a large white rump patch visible only when flying. Black necklace above a speckled breast. Red spot on nape of neck and black mustache.

Female:
Downy Woodpecker: 6″ Same as male, but lacks a red mark on head.
Hairy Woodpecker: 9″ Same as male, but lacks a red mark on head.
Red-Headed Woodpecker: 9″ Same as male.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker: 9.25″ Same as male, but with a gray crown.
Northern Flicker: 12″ Same as male, but lacking a black mustache.

Feeding Habbits

Downy-Stiff tail feathers help brace this bird like a tripod as it clings to a tree. Has a long barbed tongue for pulling insects from tiny places. Male and female drum on branches or hollow logs to announce territories, which are rarely larger than 5 acres. Male performs most of the brooding. Will winter roost in cavity. Hairy-Announces it’s arrival with a sharp chirp before it lands on feeders. Tiny bristle like feathers at the base of bill protect the nostrils from wood dust. Often prefers to excavate nest cavities in live aspen trees. Has a larger, more oval shaped cavity than Downy. Red Headed-Bill is not as well adapted for excavating holes as in other woodpeckedrs, so it chooses dead or rotten tree branches for nest. Later nesting than the closely related Red Bellied Woodpecker and will often take over it’s nesting cavity. Prefers more open or edge woodlands with many dead trees.Often seen perching on tops of dead snags. Stores acorns and other nuts. Nationwide populations are on the decrease.Red Bellied-Named for it’s easily overlooked rosy red belly patch. Mostly a bird of shady woodlands, it excavates holes in rotten wood looking for spiders, centipedes and beetles. Hammers acorns and betties into crevices of trees for winter food. Will return to same tree to excavate a new nest below that of the previous year. Often kicked out of nest hole by European Starlings. Flicker- The only woodpecker to regularly feed on the ground. Preferring ants and beetles. Produces antacid saliva to neutralize the acidic defense of ants. Male usually selects a nest site. Taking up to 12 days to excavate. Some have been successful attracting flickers to nesting boxes stuffed with sawdust. All woodpeckers are non migrators

General Description

Male:
Pine Siskin: 5″ Small brown finch. Heavily streaked back, breast, and belly. Yellow wing bars. Yellow at base of tail. Thin bill.

Female:
Pine Siskin: 5″ Similar to male, with less yellow.

Feeding Habbits

Usually considered a winter finch, seen in flocks of up to 20 individuals, often with other finch species. While it can be found throughout Nebraska in heavy invasion years, it is absent in many winters. Travels and breeds in small groups.Male feeds female during icubation. Juveniles lose yellow tint by late summer of it’s first year. Builds nest toward the ends of coniferous branches, where needles are dense, helping to conceal. Nests are often only a few feet apart Migration-Irruptive, Moves around the US in search of food.

General Description

Male:
Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 7″-8″ Plump black and white bird with a large, triangular rose patch in the center of chest. Wing linings are rosy red. Large ivory bill.

Female:
Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 7″-8″ Heavily streaked brown and white bird with large white eyebrows. Orange yellow wing linings.

Feeding Habbits

A Summer resident, but more conspicuous when in small groups during spring and autumn migrations. Often prefers mature deciduous forest for nesting. Both sexes sing, but the male sings much louder and clearer. Has a rich Robin like song. Late to arrive in spring and early to leave in autumn. Males arrive in small groups first, joined by the females several days later. Several males can be seen visiting seed feeders at the same time in spring. When the females arrive,males become territorial and reduce their visits to feeders. Young grosbeaks visit feeders with adults after fledgling. Migration-complete, to Mexico, Central America and South America.

General Description

Male:
Dark-Eyed Junco: 5.5″ Round, dark-eyed bird with slate gray to charcoal chest, head, and back. White belly. Pink bill, Since the outermost tail feathers are white, tail appears as a white “V” in flight.

Female:
Dark-Eyed Junco: 5.5″ Same as male, except has tan to brown coloring.

Feeding Habbits

Several junco species have now been combined into one, simply called Dark eyed Junco. Common in the winter. Usually seen on the ground in small flocks. Adheres to a rigid social hierarchy, with dominant birds chasing less dominant birds. Look for white outer tail feathers flashing while in flight. Most comfortable on the ground, juncos will double scratch with both feet to expose seeds and insects. Consumes many weed seeds. Migration-complete, throughout the US winters in Nebraska

General Description

Male:
Black-Capped Chickadee: 5″ Familiar gray bird with black cap and throat patch. White chest. Tan belly. Small white wing marks.

Female:
Black-Capped Chickadee: 5″ Same as male.

Feeding Habbits

This is a backyard bird that can be attracted with a simple nest box or seed feeder. Usually is the first to find a new feeder. Can be easily tamed and hand fed. Much of it’s dies comes from bird feeders. Needs to feed each day in winter, consequently seen foraging for food during even the worst winter storms. Frequently seed with other birds such as nuthatches and woodpeckers. Makes its nest mostly with green moss, lining it with animal fur. Common name comes from its familiar “chika-dee-dee-dee” call. It also gives a high pitches two toned “fee-bee” call. Can have different calls in various regions. Migration-Non Migrator

General Description

Male:
Blue Jay: 12″ Large bright light blue and white bird with black necklace. Crest moved up and down at will. White face with a gray belly. White wing bars on blue wings. Black spots and a white tip on blue tail.

Female:
Blue Jay: 12″ Same as male.

Feeding Habbits

Highly intelligent bird, solving problems, gathering food and communicating more than other birds. Will scream like a hawk to scatter birds at a feeder before approaching. Known as the alarm of the forest, screaming at any intruders in the woods. Is known to eat eggs or young birds from nests of other birds. One of the few birds to cache food. Feathers don’t contain blue pigment: refracted sunlight casts blue light. Migration-non migrator to partial migrator; will move around to find abundant food source

Feeding Habbits

To prepare for cold months, squirrels will bury their food. In the winter months they have a store of food they can eat when supplies are scarce. The gray squirrel isn’t just gray. It comes in a variety of colors, such as white, gray, brown and black. These little squirrels are great at planting trees. They bury their acorns, but forget where they put them. The forgotten acorns become oak trees.

General Description

Grackles are more abundant during the warm summer months, and are much less abundant during the cold winter months