American song birds

Throughout North America, particularly in the Midwest, the last decade has seen an abundance of newly opened specialty stores that cater to one hobby: birdwatching. Everything the bird lover could hope to find to enhance this explosively popular hobby may be found in such shops—birdfeeds for every kind of songbird native to the U.S., housing from the most lavish of birdhouses to kits for the do-it-yourself aficionado and books galore that range in subjects from migration habits to how to attract any particular favorite of species.

The hobby of birdwatching has quickly become the fastest growing outdoor activity in the United States. According to one U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services survey, more than fifty-one million Americans claim to be birdwatchers.

A few of the previously mentioned species are among the most popular songbirds of North America; information on their backgrounds, migratory efforts, breeding habits and more follows below.

THE AMERICAN ROBIN

This thrush, a member of the Turdidae family, is the largest of the thrushes of North America. Members of the Turdidae clan, which number more than three hundred species, are found all over the world and share many common traits. These feathered friends possess one of the most well-known and beloved songs of all songbirds. Also in common is the spotted plumage of the newborn, which is the white color that encircles the eye, the long, slender beak and the strong stout legs that enable the robin to maintain its very erect stance as it stalks the ground in search of food.

Robins grow to a typical length of nine to twelve inches and are very well known for their red breast in both sexes. The male’s head and tail area are blackish in color, while the female tends to have more of a grayish tint. The bill of the robin is yellow, making the white that encircles the eye and lies under the chin stand out. The young robin is born with a breast that is speckled but that in time will become the almost brick-red color of its parents. The young are fed by the parent, particularly until that time they are able to fly on their own, usually a period of about two weeks.

The robin’s diet consists mainly of worms, common insects, a few varieties of seeds and wild fruits although they are known to visit cultivated patches now and again. While in search of the ever-favorite worm, the robin displays an almost comical dance of a very erect walk, then with an odd angle, turns its head towards the ground as if listening for the slightest sound from its unknowing prey.

As for homebuilding, the robin’s nest is, like most nest-building birds, quite an accomplishment considering the amount of time and effort that is put into its completion. Its walls are made of compacted mud, sturdy enough to withstand winds and rains, and its floor and sides are lined with grasses, all meticulously chosen by the occupants. Most likely, the nest will be built within the crook of a tree, high up, or perhaps even atop a building. Robins consider safe locations so that predators who are in search of the unique, blue-colored eggs don't invade the nest.

A highly migratory bird, the robin, who can be found in such diverse places as Alaska and Mexico as well as the continental United States, winters mostly in the southern U.S. Each fall, they flock in groups during daylight hours to the warm climate of southern cities, farms, forests, and small waterlands in search of the fruit-bearing trees that will sustain them through the bitter cold season of winter.

SONG SPARROW

The Song Sparrow is common mostly throughout the Midwest region of the U.S although it is found abundantly throughout most of North America. One of a subspecies that reaches almost forty in number, the Song Sparrow is among the most populous throughout America and even into Mexico.

The head of the Song Sparrow is light brown in color, with a white streak that runs from near the beak, over the eye, and onto the top of the head. The breast of the adult is streaked with white, leaving the familiar thatch of black upon the middle of the chest. Its bill is a fairly dark brown in color, and the upper wings are also brown, with small tracks of rust outlining the edges. Flight feathers are gray, and the tail is brown, long, and rounded in its shape.

Although its favorite feeding style is to forage the ground, the Song Sparrow is found to be a regular visitor to backyard birdfeeders.

As for nesting norms, the Song Sparrow builds a cup-shaped nest filled with grasses and weeds lined with very fine textured items such as hair and even slight plant material. (The sparrow will search long and hard for the fine-textured hair of humans to line the nest.) Usually found within the branches of a small tree, or even shrubbery, the Song Sparrow’s nest will be the home for up to six eggs, incubated by the mother, for a period of twelve to fourteen days. Like the American Robin mentioned previously, the father sparrow helps out equally in the care for his young until they are able to fly solo, usually between one and two weeks time. To ensure a healthy, hearty brood, Song Sparrows may produce anywhere from one to even three families per breeding season.

The song of this Sparrow is quite distinctive and is known throughout the Great Lakes region, especially. While its song varies, it begins with a short succession of several single notes and then comes the lengthy middle with a ‘trill’ sound, followed by several single ending notes.

Whether it's the American Robin, the Song Sparrow, or another breed of the American songbirds, bird hobbyists have an abundance of species from which to choose when laboring about their chosen pasttime.

With the exploding popularity of birdwatching, bird lovers are more fortunate than ever in their search for education on the subject. Books, journals, and even monthly magazines on the subject of birdwatching are available to the public. Like most other hobbies or interests, the more information that is available, and consumed the more enjoyable the pastime.