Top 20 Most Common Bird in Daphne
Renowned for its vibrant and varied birdlife, Daphne is truly an ornithologist's paradise. Thanks to its unique blend of coastal, woodland, and marshland habitats, the city teems with a striking assortment of bird species, contributing to Daphne's distinctive biodiversity. Home to a host of iconic bird species such as the Reddish Egret, the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, and the Brown-headed Nuthatch, this city sets the stage for an enthralling exploration of its estimated 20 common birds.
Most Common Bird
1. Northern Cardinal
The northern Cardinal is a distinctive, medium-sized songbird that inhabits temperate forests and yards. Its name is derived from the male's brilliant red plumage color which resembles red-robed Roman Catholic cardinals, while its crest looks like a bishop's mitre. Compared to the male, the female is much duller in color. The highly territorial males can be quite aggressive. Quite popular, this is the state bird of seven U.S. states.
2. Blue Jay
The blue Jay is the largest and the most common Jay in North America. This frequent visitor of birdfeeders is quite opportunistic when it comes to food - it is known as "a nest robber." Able to produce a wide range of musical sounds, this loud songbird can even imitate a Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus). Intelligent and sociable, the blue Jay is said to form strong family bonds.
3. Carolina Chickadee
This tiny and round songbird is often seen in urban environments, although the carolina Chickadee primarily inhabits woodlands. These birds mate for life, but the pairs live in a larger flock. The carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) is almost identical to the Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), but their distribution rarely overlaps. In places where it does, the two species commonly interbreed, producing hybrids that can confuse birdwatchers.
4. Mourning Dove
One of the most famous and widespread doves of North America, the mourning Dove can be often seen in urban areas perching on telephone wires. It is named after its distinctive, plaintive-sounding song. It is also a popular game bird, but its population is still abundant thanks to the prolific breeding and its ability to raise up to five to six broods in a single year.
5. Carolina Wren
The musical song of the carolina Wren can be heard all year round. This small, chunky songbird inhabits undergrowth, dense vegetation, and low tangles. Its nests can be found in backyards, often in most unusual places such as drain pipes. They live in pairs and do not migrate, so you can enjoy their love songs all winter.
6. Tufted Titmouse
The tufted Titmouse is the largest of all titmouse species. Quite plain in appearance, but known for its echoing song, this woodland bird is a frequent visitor to urban areas, particularly during winter. It's a highly territorial bird that mostly feeds on insects, but won't shy away from seeds when need be. As a non-migratory species, it prepares food supplies for the winter by hiding seeds from birdfeeders for later use.
7. House Finch
Frequent in urban environments and human-created habitats such as parks and backyards, the little house Finch is known for its loud but pleasant, cheerful singing. It feeds on the ground, mostly on seeds, berries, and other plant material. This bird is highly sociable and very adaptable. It often visits feeders.
8. Eastern Towhee
This larger sparrow has distinctly striking markings, ranging in color from a deep black to a warmer russet. The eastern Towhee typically sticks to the undergrowth both for protection and to rummage for food. Many observers have noticed that for a small bird, it makes an impressive amount of noise as it rummages around.
9. Brown Thrasher
A very inconspicuous bird, the brown Thrasher is hard to spot hidden in dense vegetation and underbrush. Rarely seen flying, this long-tailed songbird prefers hopping and running. Although it belongs to the group of mockingbirds, its imitations of other birds are considered inaccurate; however, the brown Thrasher is known for its wide repertoire of its own songs and calls.
10. Chipping Sparrow
Named after its distinctive "chip-chip" sound, the small chipping Sparrow is one of the most common sparrows in North America. It can be found in a wide range of habitats but it's very common in gardens and backyards throughout the continent. During the non-breeding season, this sparrow is easily confused with other sparrow species, while during the summer, when it mates, it develops recognizable white eyebrows and a rusty crown.
11. Northern Mockingbird
The northern Mockingbird is able to mimic the sound of more than 30 bird species, but this master mocker has also been known to imitate the sounds of a whistle, frog call, or a dog's bark. The mimicry keeps other birds out of the mockingbird's territory, but it also plays an important role in courtship - the male with the best mimicking skills is the most attractive to females. You will often hear this mockingbird singing on moonlit nights. Widespread throughout the US, the northern Mockingbird is a state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
12. Red-bellied Woodpecker
The red-bellied Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker that commonly nests in dead trees, sometimes taking over other birds' nests. In the search of insects inside tree cavities, it can extend its tongue almost 5 cm past its beak. By excavating insects and larvae from tree bark, this bird is able to "clean" the infested tree. The red-bellied Woodpecker is known to hide food in all kinds of places as a store for later use.
13. Eastern Bluebird
The tiny, distinctively-colored eastern Bluebird can often be seen in the countryside and other suburban, open areas. These small thrushes love nest boxes and so-called "bluebird trails" - a series of birdhouses put up especially for them along a certain route. These trails are part of conservation efforts that have helped to reverse their decline in population between the 1940s and the 1970s.
14. Pine Siskin
The pine Siskin is a very small finch that moves unpredictably between habitats from year to year. It can be abundant in an area one year but totally absent the next. This irregular movement is related to food sources - particularly the yields of hemlock, pine, and birch seeds and buds. This songbird is a sociable species that often joins flocks of goldfinches.
15. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Like with all hummingbirds, the main source of food for the ruby-throated Hummingbird is flower nectar; it's estimated that this agile hummingbird feeds on more than 30 flower species and it visits more than 2000 flowers in a day. It's particularly attracted to red and yellow flowers. All hummingbirds, including the ruby-throated Hummingbird, are able to fly backward and sideways, which makes them unique among all bird species.
16. American Goldfinch
Brilliant yellow plumage characterizes the small american Goldfinch, but this prominent yellow color is present only in males during the mating season. A strict vegetarian, this bird feeds on seeds and other plant material. The american Goldfinch is an active and acrobatic bird, which can be often seen flying in a bouncy pattern.
17. Yellow-rumped Warbler
The foraging yellow-rumped Warbler is quick-moving and appealingly colored. Both male and female are a sharp gray, with white on their wings and flashes of yellow on their rump (as the name suggests), sides, and face. Most striking about this bird is the large groups of them that spread across North America in the autumn season.
18. American Crow
The american Crow is a big black bird that can be found in forests, fields, river groves, and among human habitations. Interestingly, it is known to stand atop ant hills and allow ants to climb onto its feathers; this apparently discharges their formic acid and makes them more palatable for the crow to eat. Sadly, american Crow numbers have been substantially affected by the West Nile virus in North America. Infected birds die from West Nile in less than a week.
19. Pine Warbler
The pine Warbler is usually only found in pine forests in the eastern United States. The pine Warbler is the only warbler that heavily relies on seeds for food. It also has a much shorter migratory path than other related species. These birds have a trill-like song that can easily be confused with that of the chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina) and dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis).
20. Turkey Vulture
The turkey Vulture is a common sight, especially around roads, where they keep a sharp eye out for roadkill. Seeing these large birds in the sky can often make you take a second look to see if it’s an eagle or a hawk. Here’s one quick way to tell the difference. When in flight, a turkey Vulture will circle unsteadily, with its wings lifted to make a V shape. Though they are not appreciated, they do the dirty work of the animal kingdom by cleaning up the countryside as they scavenge.
