By Kristen Currie
What to watch for in February: Swirling Birds and Arriving Purple Martins
This winter the Austin area has been inundated with swirling masses of birds, mainly American Robins and Cedar Waxwings. Chances are you have seen flocks of them on your morning commute or walk around the neighborhood, but it was hard to tell what they were. If you have binoculars you can often see the robins’ red breasts and bellies, with white under the tails, as they fly by- even if the color is not obvious, the contrast between the two colors is. Robins fly in loose flocks with lots of airspace between them. Cedar Waxwings are smaller and much less bulky, and they fly in tight, fast moving flocks. When perched, even in poor light, the Cedar Waxwing’s’ crest and upright posture help identify it. Both species have an inordinate fondness for berries, from native Ashe Juniper, hackberry, cherry laurel, yaupons and possumhaw hollies, to non-native ligustrum and red-tip photinia. Woe to anyone who has parked their car under such a tree, as many of these berries have a laxative effect. The birds will be here until the food supply is depleted or hormones kick in to tell them it is time to head north to breed. Some Cedar Waxwings will linger until late April, while the robin flocks may dwindle as early as late February. (Some robins do breed here.)
The contrast between the red and white is often visible in flight.
Even in poor light the crest is visible.
When big flocks of birds descend into your neighborhood to gorge on berries, they seem to throw all caution to the winds, flying low across roads, and into windows, often with fatal results. You can take steps to prevent window hits by adding closely-spaced stickers to windows, or closing the shades, so that the window’s reflection is reduced. The American Bird Conservancy website has many suggestions to help solve this problem.
Has Spring Arrived?
It may be hard to believe that spring is on its way, but there’s proof. Adult male Purple Martins, North America’s largest swallows, have already been spotted in central Texas in the last few days – in Austin, San Antonio, New Braunfels and Seguin. They have just flown in from South American countries like Brazil and Bolivia where they wintered. While these early birds are colloquially referred to as “scouts” they don’t fly back to South America a second time to give the “all clear” signal, as you might imagine. Instead they are risking their lives to get back to the best breeding territories, betting that they can survive any inclement weather that nature has in store through February and March. Sometimes they bet right and other times they perish. But the quest to pass on their genes trumps all. Check out the “Scout Arrival Study” at the Purple Martin Conservation Association website to watch their journey north.
Here are some questions and answers about Purple Martins.
Are they really purple? No, the adult males are a uniform bluish black which has a purplish sheen in good light. Adult females are mottled gray below with a dark bluish back.
How far does a Purple Martin fly while migrating? Tracking devices placed on some birds showed an impressive 600 mile journey in a day’s time. Some Martins may fly up to 10,000 miles round trip in a year, between far north breeding grounds and the southern end of their winter range.
Do Purple Martins visit bird feeders? No, they are insect eaters year-round. Beetles, dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies, moths, wasps, bees and mayflies are some of the foods on their menu. We can help them by reducing pesticide use in our outdoor spaces.
Where can I see Purple Martins in Austin? Look up. Purple Martins make a cheerful burbling cherr sound advertising their presence. It’s easier though to visit a colony where human landlords provide housing. Lakeway City Park on the west and the Hornsby Bend Center for Environmental Research on the east have thriving colonies, as does the centrally located colony at Mill’s Pond at Wells Branch. In south Austin there is a famous colony located on Virginia Avenue – just look for the white gourds. These colonies will be at full strength in April when younger birds will arrive.
