Events 2009
International Dawn Chorus Day
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May 3 2009
Every European knows the sparrow, the falcon and the blackbird. But if asked to name a North American species, he would most easily recognize the eagle from the U.S. seal. The U.S. Embassy in Prague set up at the occasion of the International Day of Bird Singing (May 3) a presentation of ten most recognized birds of North America that can be seen or heard in cities and nearby wilderness. You’ll find a profile of one of these birds every Monday through Friday during the next two weeks.
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Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
The Greater Roadrunner is a signature bird of the desert Southwest. During the 20th century, its range expanded all the way to southern Missouri and western Louisiana. A ground-dwelling cuckoo, it feeds on snakes, scorpions, and any other small animal it can catch and subdue. Kids may know the species also like this. Listen to the Common Loon »
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Common Loon (Gavia immer)
The eerie yodel of the Common Loon is a symbol of the wild North. The territorial call of the male loon can be heard from lakes across Canada to the very northern United States. Migrating Common Loons occasionally land on wet highways or parking lots, mistaking them for rivers and lakes. They become stranded without a considerable amount of open water for a long takeoff. Listen to the Common Loon »
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American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
American Crows are familiar over much of the continent: large, intelligent, all-black birds with hoarse, cawing voices. They are common sights in treetops, fields, and roadsides, and in habitats ranging from open woods and empty beaches to town centers. They usually feed on the ground and eat almost anything – typically earthworms, insects and other small animals, seeds, and fruit but also garbage, carrion, and chicks they rob from nests. Their flight style is unique, a patient, methodical flapping that is rarely broken up with glides. Crows are rarely found alone. Listen to the American Crow »
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Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
A familiar parking lot gull, the Ring-billed Gull breeds primarily inland in North America. It can be found along the coasts, but many of these "seagulls" never see anything except fresh water all their lives. Young Ring-billed Gulls tested at only two days of age showed a preference for magnetic bearings that would take them in the appropriate direction for their fall migration. Listen to the Ring-billed Gull »
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Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)
One of the most common woodland birds of the East, the Wood Thrush is best known for its hauntingly beautiful song. A large and heavily spotted thrush, it is a bird of the interior forest, seldom seen outside the deep woods. Its susceptibility to cowbird parasitism has made it a heavily studied species. Listen to the Wood Thrush »
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Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
This common, large songbird is familiar to many people, with its perky crest; blue, white, and black plumage; and noisy calls. Blue Jays are known for their intelligence and complex social systems with tight family bonds. Their fondness for acorns is credited with helping spread oak trees after the last glacial period. Listen to the Blue Jay »
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Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They’re a perfect combination of familiarity, conspicuousness, and style: a shade of red you can’t take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest and warm red accents. Cardinals don’t migrate and they don’t molt into a dull plumage, so they’re still breathtaking in winter’s snowy backyards. In summer, their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds of the morning. Listen to the Northern Cardinal »
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Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
If you’ve been hearing an endless string of 10 or 15 different birds singing outside your house, you might have a Northern Mockingbird in your yard. These slender-bodied gray birds apparently pour all their color into their personalities. They sing almost endlessly, even sometimes at night, and they flagrantly harass birds that intrude on their territories, flying slowly around them or prancing toward them, legs extended, flaunting their bright white wing patches. Listen to the Northern Mockingbird »
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American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
The quintessential early bird, American Robins are common sights on lawns across North America, where you often see them tugging earthworms out of the ground. Robins are popular birds for their warm orange breast, cheery song, and early appearance at the end of winter. Though they’re familiar town and city birds, American Robins are at home in wilder areas, too, including mountain forests and Alaskan wilderness. Listen to the American Robin »
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Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
The national emblem of the United States, the Bald Eagle was threatened with extinction in the lower 48 states because of DDT (a type of pesticide) poisoning. Protection under the Endangered Species Act, together with reintroduction programs, brought populations up, and the species was reclassified as Threatened in 1995. By 1999, some were suggesting removing the eagle from the Endangered Species List. Listen to the Bald Eagle »
