Top 20 Most Common Bird in Belchertown
Set within the picturesque region of Belchertown, a plethora of bird species, marked by vibrant hues and unique calls, adorn the skies. The diverse habitats, from serene wetlands to lush woodlands, contribute to the rich avian variety here. Key species here include the iconic Red-tailed Hawks, lively Warblers, and cunning Fox Sparrows, providing a captivating glimpse into the 20 common bird species of this area.
Most Common Bird
1. Black-capped Chickadee
This small songbird is the most common garden bird in Canada and the northern USA, and also one of the most scientifically studied birds in the world. Able to produce more than 15 complex sounds, the black-capped Chickadee can easily confuse predators with its calls. It's a clever, skillful, and adaptable bird—it can retrieve hidden food after a month and it's able to fly even when its body temperature drops.
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. 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.
4. 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.
5. Downy Woodpecker
The smallest woodpecker in North America, the downy Woodpecker is almost identical to the Hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus), but it's significantly smaller and has a shorter bill. It inhabits woods and wooded areas, but is also regularly encountered in urban environments. It often visits birdfeeders, which is an unusual behavior among woodpeckers.
6. American Robin
The american Robin is the most common, and largest, thrush in North America. It's a bird of striking colors, including its vibrant, red-breasted plumage and pale blue eggs. It likes to feed on summer fruit and berries, but worms play an important role in its diet as well. This songbird is a state bird of Connecticut, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Its cheery song is considered one of the first signs of spring.
7. Song Sparrow
The song Sparrow can be found low to the ground in vegetation and thickets in nearly all habitat conditions, including suburban areas. They are frequent visitors to home birdfeeders but can also be seen foraging for food on the ground. Their appearance can differ across the 24 known subspecies, but all of them tend to only make short, fluttery flights.
8. White-breasted Nuthatch
The white-breasted Nuthatch is the largest nuthatch in North America, but it's still a relatively small bird. It's a monogamous species and the pair usually nests in tree cavities. The white-breasted Nuthatch prefers old deciduous woodlands. When in search of food, it creeps along the trees up and down, relying on its strong legs, rather than using a tail for additional support like woodpeckers do.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. Red-winged Blackbird
One of the earliest spring harbingers in North America, the red-winged Blackbird migrates in enormous flocks. Gathered in these large groups, the songbirds produce a loud cacophony. The red-winged Blackbird is an opportunistic omnivore. It feeds on numerous insect species, keeping pests under control, but due to its preference for crops and berries, the red-winged Blackbird is sometimes considered a pest itself.
13. Eastern Phoebe
The eastern Phoebe is a familiar songbird in North America. It often nests in urban areas, particularly around buildings and bridges. It can be seen on exposed perches, constantly moving its long, dark tail. The species is partially migratory, with the northern populations migrating south. They return early in spring, being one the first messengers of warmer weather.
14. Grey Catbird
The grey Catbird is a medium-sized songbird commonly found among thickets and dense shrubs, where it searches for berries and insects. Named after its cat-like call, the grey Catbird is actually able to produce numerous complex sounds. It can mimic the calls of other birds, frogs, and machines much like its close relatives, the mockingbirds.
15. 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.
16. Dark-eyed Junco
One of the most common birds of North America, the dark-eyed Junco lives in flocks in open forests, but it's very common in urban areas. This a highly variable species consists of at least five subspecies. This ground bird is often seen during winter, so it's sometimes called the "Snowbird," although it shares the nickname with the Snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis).
17. 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.
18. 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).
19. Common Yellowthroat
The common Yellowthroat is an inquisitive bird that spends most of its time in marshes and wetlands. The male performs a unique flight song as it rises into the air on its fluttering wings. Sadly, because they are innately curious and tend to pop out into the open whenever they hear a noise, many adult common Yellowthroats fall prey to carnivorous birds like Loggerhead shrikes, as well as fish—one common Yellowthroat was found inside the stomach of a largemouth bass!
20. White-throated Sparrow
The pretty little white-throated Sparrow has sharp markings on its face along with its white throat and crown. Its wavering, whistling call sounds, to some ears, like its homeland's anthem, “Oh Canada.” There are two color forms of the white-throated Sparrow: white-crowned and tan-crowned. The white-crowned are known to be more aggressive, and the males of both crown colors prefer the white-crowned females.
