Bird of the Week: Brown-headed Cowbird

The Brown-headed Cowbird is aptly named. The male is, well, a brown-headed cowbird. They have a glossy black body, an entirely brown head, and are frequently seen around cow…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Green Heron

Photo by Daniel VanWart Let me introduce you to the Green Heron, my favorite bird. The few times I’ve mentioned this fact to my friends after we…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris) Like their name suggests, the Ladder-backed Woodpecker has stripes of alternating black and white running along their backs, and the males sport a striking red cap…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Pyrrhuloxia

Adult female Pyrrhuloxia. Courtesy of Mike Charest. Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) Often called the Desert Cardinal, the Pyrrhuloxia is gray or brown with…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Belted Kingfisher

Photo credit: Johann Schumacher Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) By Abby West There’s no shortage of gorgeous photos of kingfishers on the internet. These peculiar birds fly sort of like a…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Black-chinned Hummingbird

Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) Regardless of the species, it’s always a thrill to see hummingbirds at my feeder. Their graceful flight coupled with their active defense of the food source…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Chimney Swift

Many Chimney Swifts circling the top of a chimney. Photo credit: Ben Cvengros. Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) The sleek, elegant, speedy Chimney Swift brings summer to life for many…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Red Knot

Red Knot  (Calidris canutus) Red Knots are sandpipers that migrate long distances. In fact, one Red Knot banded in Argentina in 1992 still “commutes” annually for 20,000 miles, flying between…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Zone-tailed Hawk

A Zone-tailed Hawk in flight. Photo by Erick Houli. Before either of us got interested in bird-watching, my husband had a funny…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) The American Goldfinch has the honor of being the state bird for three states: New Jersey, Iowa, and Washington. This small finch lives in central Texas…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Eastern Whip-poor-will

Photo credit: Tom Murray, Flickr. Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) Snuggled down in forested ground, the Whip-poor-will blends in perfectly with their surrounding of…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Plain Chachalaca

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Plain chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) I admit that part of my attraction to Chachalacas is…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Turkey Vulture

Photo courtesy of South Dakota Turkey Vultures (Facebook). Another name for Turkey vulture is Cathartes Aura- emanating catharsis; purifying breeze. Catharsis: to purify, to purge. Perhaps vultures are…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Blue Jay

A group of Blue Jays. Courtesy of Suzanne Labbé – Macaulay Library. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Draw a line on the map north and…

Continue reading

Bird of the Week: Inca Dove

Inca Dove. Photo public domain. Inca dove Columbina inca The cooing of doves permeates most of Texas, particularly in the fall. In…

Continue reading