UVM 2022 Ornithology 7

Date: 04/24/22
Time: 6:58am- 7:15am
Location: Shelburne
Conditions: 40 degrees and partly sunny
Species List:
American Kestrel
-4 individuals (2 pairs)
Eastern Meadowlark
-2 individuals
Savannah Sparrow
-~3 individuals (only heard)
Field Sparrow
-~3 individuals (only heard)
European Starling
-4 individuals
Red-winged Blackbird
-2 individuals (males)
Northern Flicker
-1 individual
Barn Swallow
-~2 individuals
Wild Turkey
-5 indivuals
Pileated Woodpecker
-1 individual
Rock Dove
-2 individuals
Journal:
The main species that were singing were the sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, and European Starlings. The blackbirds had the most obvious display behaviors as they would puff up their feathers and display their red wing patches when singing. Maybe the strength of the song and visual display would entice females because it would demonstrate that the male was healthy. The different parts of the habitat supported species with different nesting needs. The Rock Doves and European Starlings were able to nest in the residential barn and house just down the road. There were large, wet fields with tall grasses to support the sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Eastern Meadowlark. In addition, there were sparse, large trees for the Pileated Woodpeckers, American Kestrels, and Norther Flicker. The Red-winged Blackbirds seem to be defending poor habitat compared to where I usually see the species singing. Usually I find them in abundance around ponds or wetlands. Those seem like better habitat the wet fields. Maybe this indicates that there is strong competition for wetland and pond habitat. Maybe they act similar to turtles and have semi-generational breeding grounds and that individual's parents were not very fit. The Rock Dove, as a feral species that frequents residential areas is likely using anything it can find in order to line its nest. That would include shiny trash, animal fur (like from a domestic dog), grasses or hay, and even feathers from themselves or other birds. They wouldn't have to go far at all to collect these materials as they could all be found on the farm that the individual had chosen.
Mini-activity:
The Red-winged Blackbirds and European Starlings were in a tree directly over my head. The songs coming from the sparrows however, were to close together to distinguish and often overlapped or would sing once and then stay silent for the rest of the time.