Birds of Connecticut & Rhode Island Field Guide

WHAT’S NEW?

It is hard to believe that it’s been more than 20 years since the debut of this field guide. This critically acclaimed field guide has helped countless people identify and enjoy the birds that we love. Now, in this expanded third edition, Birds of Connecticut & Rhode Island Field Guide has many new and exciting changes and a fresh look, while retaining the same familiar, easy-to-use format.

To help you identify even more birds in Connecticut and Rhode Island, I have added 8 new species and more than 150 new color photographs. All of the range maps have been meticulously reviewed, and many updates have been made to reflect the ever-changing movements of the birds.

Everyone’s favorite section, Stan’s Notes, has been expanded to include even more natural history information. Compare sections have been updated to help ensure that you correctly identify your bird, and additional feeder information has been added to help with bird feeding. I hope you will enjoy this great new edition as you continue to learn about and appreciate our Connecticut and Rhode Island birds!

WHY WATCH BIRDS IN CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND?

Millions of people have discovered bird feeding. It’s a simple and enjoyable way to bring the beauty of birds closer to your home. Watching birds at your feeder often leads to a lifetime pursuit of bird identification. The Birds of Connecticut & Rhode Island Field Guide is for those who want to identify common birds of Connecticut and Rhode Island.

There are more than 1,100 species of birds found in North America. In Connecticut and Rhode Island there have been over 400 different kinds of birds recorded over the years. These bird sightings were diligently recorded by hundreds of bird watchers and became part of the official state records. From these valuable records, I have chosen 128 of the most common birds of Connecticut and Rhode Island to include in this field guide.

Bird watching, often called birding, is one of the most popular activities in America. Its outstanding appeal in Connecticut and Rhode Island is due, in part, to an unusually rich and abundant birdlife. Why are there so many birds in such small states? While Connecticut is only a little over 5,500 square miles (14,500 sq. km) and Rhode Island is just over 1,500 square miles (4,000 sq. km) they have a remarkable combination of varied habitats essential to many birds. Despite their small sizes, Connecticut and Rhode Island have over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of coastline, which is home to many ocean-loving birds such as the Great Black-backed Gull, the American Oystercatcher, and the Sanderling.

From the windswept shores of the Long Island Sound (Atlantic Ocean) to the Connecticut River Valley, Connecticut and Rhode Island are rich in natural habitat that is perfect for birds.

The states can be broken into several distinctly different habitats, each of which supports a different group of birds. Long-legged shorebirds, such as the American Oystercatcher, gravitate to the beaches of the Atlantic, while tiny bright-colored warblers, such as the Yellow-rumped Warbler, flit amongst the trees in western Connecticut and western Rhode Island forests.

Another natural feature of the region is the Connecticut River Valley. The forests in this transitional zone are typically deciduous trees (oaks and maples), and home to birds such as Scarlet Tanager and Great Crested Flycatcher.

Besides the varying habitat, the region also has its weather extremes. From the snowy winters of the northwestern portion of the states to the steamy summers of the coast, seasonal changes accompany a changing array of birds. Whether witnessing a migration of hawks in the fall or welcoming back the hummingbirds in the spring, bird watchers enjoy variety and excitement in Connecticut and Rhode Island as each season turns to the next.

OBSERVATION STRATEGIES: TIPS FOR IDENTIFYING BIRDS

Identifying birds isn’t as difficult as you might think. By simply following a few basic strategies, you can increase your chances of successfully identifying most birds that you see. One of the first and easiest things to do when you see a new bird is to note its color. This field guide is organized by color, so simply turn to the right color section to find it.

Next, note the size of the bird. A strategy to quickly estimate size is to compare different birds. Pick a small, a medium and a large bird. Select an American Robin as the medium bird. Measured from bill tip to tail tip, a robin is 10 inches (25 cm). Now select two other birds, one smaller and one larger. Good choices are a House Sparrow, at about 6 inches (15 cm), and an American Crow, around 18 inches (45 cm). When you see a species you don’t know, you can now quickly ask yourself, Is it larger than a sparrow but smaller than a robin? When you look in your field guide to identify your bird, you would check the species that are roughly 6–10 inches (15–25 cm). This will help to narrow your choices.

Next, note the size, shape and color of the bill. Is it long or short, thick or thin, pointed or blunt, curved or straight? Seed-eating birds, such as Northern Cardinals, have bills that are thick and strong enough to crack even the toughest seeds. Birds that sip nectar, such as Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, need long, thin bills to reach deep into flowers. Hawks and owls tear their prey with very sharp, curving bills. Sometimes, just noting the bill shape can help you decide whether the bird is a woodpecker, finch, grosbeak, blackbird, or bird of prey.

Next, take a look around and note the habitat in which you see the bird. Is it wading in a marsh? Walking along a riverbank? Soaring in the sky? Is it perched high in the trees or hopping along the forest floor? Because of diet and habitat preferences, you’ll often see robins hopping on the ground but not usually eating seeds at a feeder. Or you’ll see a Rose-breasted Grosbeak sitting on a tree branch but not climbing headfirst down the trunk, like a White-breasted Nuthatch would.

Noticing what the bird is eating will give you another clue to help you identify the species. Feeding is a big part of any bird’s life. Fully one-third of all bird activity revolves around searching for food, catching prey, and eating. While birds don’t always follow all the rules of their diet, you can make some general assumptions. Northern Flickers, for instance, feed on ants and other insects, so you wouldn’t expect to see them visiting a seed feeder. Other birds, such as Barn and Tree Swallows, eat flying insects and spend hours swooping and diving to catch a meal.

Sometimes you can identify a bird by the way it perches. Body posture can help you differentiate between an American Crow and a Red-tailed Hawk, for example. Crows lean forward over their feet on a branch, while hawks perch in a vertical position. Consider posture the next time you see an unidentified large bird in a tree.

Birds in flight are harder to identify, but noting the wing size and shape will help. Wing size is in direct proportion to body size, weight, and type of flight. Wing shape determines whether the bird flies fast and with precision, or slowly and less precisely. Barn Swallows, for instance, have short, pointed wings that slice through the air, enabling swift, accurate flight. Turkey Vultures have long, broad wings for soaring on warm updrafts. House Finches have short, rounded wings, helping them to flit through thick tangles of branches.

Some bird species have a unique pattern of flight that can help in identification. American Goldfinches fly in a distinctive undulating pattern that makes it look like they’re riding a roller coaster.

While it’s not easy to make all of these observations in the short time you often have to watch a mystery bird, practicing these identification methods will greatly expand your birding skills. To further improve your skills, seek the guidance of a more experienced birder who can answer your questions on the spot.

BIRD BASICS

It’s easier to identify birds and communicate about them if you know the names of the different parts of a bird. For instance, it’s more effective to use the word crest to indicate the set of extra-long feathers on top of a Northern Cardinal’s head than to try to describe it.

The following illustration points out the basic parts of a bird. Because it is a composite of many birds, it shouldn’t be confused with any actual bird.

Bird Color Variables

No other animal has a color palette like a bird’s. Brilliant blues, lemon yellows, showy reds and iridescent greens are common in the bird world. In general, male birds are more colorful than their female counterparts. This helps males attract a mate, essentially saying, Hey, look at me! Color calls attention to a male’s health as well. The better the condition of his feathers, the better his food source, territory, and potential for mating.

When male and female birds of the same species don’t look like each other, they are called sexually dimorphic, meaning two forms. Dimorphic females often have a nondescript, dull color, as seen in Indigo Buntings. Muted tones not only help females hide during the weeks of motionless incubation but also draw less attention to them when they’re out feeding or taking a break from the rigors of raising the young.

The males and females of some species, such as the Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, and Bald Eagle, look nearly identical. In woodpeckers, they are differentiated by only a red (sometimes yellow or black) mark; this mark may be on top of the head, on the face or nape, or just behind the bill.

During the first year, juvenile birds often look like their mothers. Since brightly colored feathers are used mainly for attracting a mate, young non-breeding males don’t have a need for colorful plumage. It’s not until the first spring molt (or several years later, depending on the species) that young males obtain their breeding colors.

Both breeding and winter plumages are the result of molting. Molting is the process of dropping old, worn feathers and replacing them with new ones. All birds molt, typically twice a year, with the spring molt usually occurring in late winter. At this time, most birds produce their brighter breeding plumage, which lasts throughout the summer.

Winter plumage is the result of the late-summer molt, which serves a couple of important functions. First, it adds feathers for warmth in the coming winter season. Second, in some species it produces feathers that tend to be drab in color, which helps to camouflage the birds and hide them from predators. The winter plumage of the male American Goldfinch, for example, is olive-brown, unlike its canary-yellow breeding color during summer. Luckily for us, some birds, such as the male Northern Cardinal, retain their bright summer colors all year long.

Bird Nests

Bird nests are a true feat of engineering. Imagine constructing a home that’s strong enough to weather storms, large enough to hold your entire family, insulated enough to shelter them from cold and heat, and waterproof enough to keep out rain. Think about building it without blueprints or directions and using mainly your feet. Birds do this!

Before building, birds must select an appropriate site. In some species, such as the House Wren, the male picks out several potential sites and assembles small twigs in each. The extra nests, called dummy nests, discourage other birds from using any nearby cavities for their nests. The male takes the female around and shows her the choices. After choosing her favorite, she finishes the construction.

In other species, such as the Baltimore Oriole, the female selects the site and builds the nest, while the male offers an occasional suggestion. Each bird species has its own nest-­building routine that is strictly followed.

As you can see in these illustrations, birds build a wide variety of nest types.

ground nest

platform nest

cup nest

pendulous nest

cavity nest

Nesting material often consists of natural items found in the immediate area. Most nests consist of plant fibers (such as bark from grapevines), sticks, mud, dried grass, feathers, fur, or soft, fuzzy tufts from thistle. Some birds, including Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, use spiderwebs to glue nest materials together.

Transportation of nesting material is limited to the amount a bird can hold or carry. Birds must make many trips afield to gather enough material to complete a nest. Most nests take four days or more, and hundreds, if not thousands, of trips to build.

A ground nest can be a mound of vegetation on the ground or in water. It can also be just a simple, shallow depression scraped out in earth, stones or sand. Killdeer and Horned Larks scrape out ground nests without adding any nesting material.

The platform nest represents a much more complex type of construction. Typically built with twigs or sticks and branches, this nest forms a platform and has a depression in the center to nestle the eggs. Platform nests can be in trees; on balconies, cliffs, bridges, or man-made platforms; and even in flowerpots. They often provide space for the adventurous young and function as a landing platform for the parents.

Mourning Doves and herons don’t anchor their platform nests to trees, so these can tumble from branches during high winds and storms. Hawks, eagles, ospreys, and other birds construct sturdier platform nests with large sticks and branches.

Other platform nests are constructed on the ground with mud, grass, and other vegetation from the area. Many waterfowl build platform nests on the ground near or in water. A floating platform nest moves with the