James

@Carol A little smaller than a Robin.

Activity 1:  Birds identified by shape:  Northern Cardinal and House Finch. Activity 2:  Birds identified by a common color (red):  Northern Cardinal-all red body with black mask extending from face to chin and throat, large red bill and crest.  Male House Finch-an orange red face and rump, with brown cap, a white belly with brown streaks.  Red-bellied Woodpecker:  A zebra-backed woodpecker with a white rump.  Red crown extends down nape of neck.  Tan breast with a tinge of red on belly which is often hard to see. Activity 3:  Food selection practices:  House finches tend to visit feeders, and sometimes the ground, for seeds.  Mourning Doves will visit feeders and the ground in search of seeds.  Brown-headed cowbirds feed on insects and seeds, often visiting feeders and the ground around seeders for spilled seeds. Activity 4:  Favorite bird with ID characteristics:  Carolina Chickadee is a small, mostly gray bird with a black cap  and chin.  It has a white face and chin with a tan belly and darker gray tail.  It is a year-round bird of the Carolinas and one of the first birds to use a newly placed feeder.  I flies to the feeder, grabs a seed, and carries it back to a branch.  It will hold the seed down with its feet and pound it open with its bill.  It then returns to get another seed.  By remaining at the feeder for such a short time, it is thus somewhat difficult to photograph. Photo shows Male House Finch with  american Goldfinch.