Alicia
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Activity #1: Birds are evolutionary wonders. I marvel at their ability to adapt to so many environments and so many lifestyles. Nothing is more fabulous than being able to fly and there is no cooler evolutionary story than one that shows descent from dinosaurs. I have often said that if I could spend a day as another animal, it would be a bird, specifically an owl. There is nothing like waking up to the singing and calling of birds. They make me happy. But more than that, they play critical roles in ecosystems because many other organisms depend on them. This course has made me more aware of the variety of birds that are around me every day.
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Activity #1: I love keeping field notes. As mentioned by Kevin in this lesson's video, these notes help to bring back wonderful memories of bird sightings and experiences from places around the world. I only wish I had the same artistic skills to really be able to document each bird with the notes!
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Activity #1: There is a very large cemetery near my home. In this cemetery are numerous old coniferous and deciduous trees, as well as open lawns. Around these trees and open areas, it is easy to spot American Robins, Cardinals, Blue Jays, European Starlings, and House Sparrows. But on the other side of the cemetery, there is a large man-made lake. Here it is easy to spot Mallard Ducks and Canada Geese. The same is true for the City of Chicago as a whole. Near the lakefront (Lake Michigan), many shorebirds, like Herring Gulls can be found. But head west of the city, and you will see different species.
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Activity #1: It rained last night in the city. I have been watching the American Robins foraging in neighborhood lawns. One used its bill to probe around in the grass and then pulled up an earthworm. It hopped over to another location and began to swallow the worm.
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Activity #3: The plumage of the male American Goldfinch in winter is much more vibrant and colorful...Bright yellow with a black crown. When I historically thought of an American Goldfinch, this is what I imagined. The plummage in the summer however, is more pale, drab, and blended. It resembles the female. The same is true for the Common Loon. The Loon loses it's gorgeous black colorations for more drab and plain feathers. Are the summer feathers of these two birds examples of eclipse plummage?
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Activity #2: I live in Chicago and I was surprised to learn from Merlin, how many different bird species are likely to be around me right now! The top six are: 1) American Robin, 2) House Sparrow, 3) Northern Cardinal, 4) Chimney Swift (just arrived in April and will be here until November), 5) European Starling, and of course 6) the Rock Pigeon. With the exception of the Chimney Swift, I see the other five in my backyard or in my front trees and shrubs on a daily basis. The Mourning Dove is further down on the list but I frequently wake up to their beautiful cooing songs. I wish they weren't so nervous around me!
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Activity #4: I love pigeons and since I live in Chicago, I get to see a lot of them. I find them beuatiful and resilient, even though many people in the city do not care for them and the mess they can leave behind. Size & Shape: Smaller than a crow. Plump with short legs. Color Pattern & Markings: The pigeons I currently see are light grey in color with black wing bars. My favorite feature is the iridescent green neck. Behavior: They peck around on the streets and parking lots foraging for food, mostly leftover from people. They roost on top of buildings and wires. Habitat: Across the globe, even in urban areas. Cliffs and caves naturally. Common in cities and farmlands. Range: The rock pigeon is found from southern Canada and Alaska south through the United States, Mexico, and Central America. The rock pigeon is native to Europe, North Africa, and southwestern Asia. Sounds: Prolonged cooing.
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Activity #1: I first learned about the Wall of Birds after attending a Monarch Joint Venture webinar entitled: The Monarch Migrating Mural Project: Public Art as a Catalyst for Conservation. In this webinar, Jane Kim discussed her ongoing Monarch Migrating Campaign. She included the work she had done with the Wall of Birds and the same website we visited with this lesson. One of my favorites on the Wall is the Montezuma Quail. I just think they are super cute. I love the small head on the nice plump body.
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There are plenty of neighborhood trees in the area of Chicago in which I live. These trees, along with those in our very large city parks and cemeteries, I imagine would be good places to live and nest. I have observed crows eating both natural food sources and from partially empty fast food containers on the streets. In a previous lesson, we were discouraged from referring to flocks of crows as a murder because of the negative association this brings to them. But part of the appeal of crows for me, was this historical association with death, spirits, magic, Edgar Allan Poe, gothic connections, etc...I love their black feathers and strong bills. I would much rather watch crows than the numerous sparrows that are found in town. Crows are super cool.
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1. I have not seen any evidence of foot disease or the impacts of WNV on the crows. 2. I have also not witnessed any aggression between crows. They appear to be cooperative with each other.
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1. Inbreeding could reduce genetic variation making crows more vulnerable to disease and environmental pressures. 2. Yes, this is surprising to me. I always thought that a major distinction in reproduction strategies between mammals and birds, was the need for birds to be monogamous. It could be beneficial to the male, allowing him greater access to mates and securing his genes into the next generation.
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Although crows may have to wait their turn, it may be easier due to the variety of options available to them as compared to other birds.
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I don't have a personal creative crow story but I can't help but be reminded of Aesop's famous fable of The Crow and the Pitcher. So, it seems for hundreds of years, crows have been used as an example of intelligence and resourcefulness!
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I shared previously that I experienced crows roosting in large deciduous trees outside my home in Chicago in early spring. It was at least 40 birds that covered the tree tops and it was so unusual that I felt something was wrong with the birds. Now I know that this was a normal behavior. I can only think they may have selected this spot because it was well lit with city street lamps and plenty of food may have been available from nearby garbage cans. Although, I did have bird feeders in my backyard that attracted other species, I never saw crows feeding from these feeders. But I did witness a hawk stalking the smaller birds feeding there.
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1. I live in Chicago. A few springs ago, there was a huge group of crows (at least 40 birds) that would gather in the large deciduous trees right outside my home. They would gather late in the afternoon and spend several hours there before moving on, only to return the next day. 2. I regularly observe large flocks of Canadian Geese around Chicago. There is a large cemetery near my home where the geese spend spring and summer months.
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1. I live in Chicago. A few springs ago, there was a huge group of crows (at least 40 birds) that would gather in the large deciduous trees right outside my home. It was a fairly intimidating thing to witness and thoughts of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, came to mind. They would gather late in the afternoon and spend several hours there before moving on, only to return the next day. Now I know there was nothing sinister about this group! 2. Crows are much more intelligent than other birds I have observed around the city. I am certain they recognize me, unlike the morning doves who fly away in fear every morning when I open the door. 3. We can decrease the spread of WNV by decreasing the opportunites for mosquitoes to breed. We can remove anything that collects standing water.
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I was most surprised to hear that individual crows are tracked for so many years! It must be heartbreaking for the researchers to lose a bird after spending so much time with it.
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I am confident as long as I am looking at images that do not move! :) I don't know if I would be able to make the distinction quite yet in nature. I am familiar with the very large size of ravens and of course the red wing of the red-wing black bird. But a few of the other black birds are tough. I use the eyes and the bills most frequently to help distinguish.
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1. I would share that snakes and squirrels kill far more song birds than American crows. 2. I have seen American Crows in Chicago in neighborhoods and city parks. 3. No. I live in Chicago. Common Ravens are not found here. 4. An entire ecosystem benefits from having crows around. They control their prey populations while at the same time thy provide food for animals in a higher trophic level.
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I found it fascinating to learn that the ears of an owl are not directly across from each other and that their unusual position allows them to detect sounds from above and below. I also adored the call of the Northern Saw-Whet Owl...it does sound like a truck backing up! Lastly, I was surprised to learn that owl heads do not turn any differently than other birds and that their head rotation is an illusion caused by the feathers hiding their neck. So cool!