everyone is a birder
Summer is fully fledged (pun intended) which means it’s time for us to shift our focus away from spring migration and towards the birds we share our state with for the rest of this season.
For part 1 of our Summer Bird series, we gave you 4 Rare and Uncommon North Carolina Birds to Spot this Summer. For part 2, we want to highlight some of the interesting, fascinating, and down-right strange birds that make for excellent summer bird appreciation. These 4 birds are featured because of their quirks, standout presentations, and unbelievable talents.
Let’s jump in with a bird who’s apparent gift has sent one scientist into years of research….
It’s truly a pleasant surprise to spot the first bird on our list! They aren’t very common for North Carolina, clocking in at about 7,500 eBird sightings for the state. Although Veerys have been spotted in all three regions, they’re much more prevalent in the mountains.
Veerys are certainly adorable. They absolutely classify as birbs, some even borbs who floof. It’s hard to not fall in love with the Veery when you spot one hopping from branch to branch in a mountain forest.
But that’s not how they made it on this list….
Veeries are speculated to have an unusual talent: They seem to be able to predict the intensity of upcoming hurricane seasons with remarkable accuracy.
Christopher Heckscher had been studying Veeries for years when he started noticing their early summer behavior changes year-by-year. He found a relationship between their behavior and the intensity of that year’s upcoming hurricane season, and 2018 was a perfect example of their apparent skills. “The birds were saying bad season, and everyone else was saying below-average season. In the end, the birds were more accurate.”
Veeries reach their cutoff points where the decide to stop nesting for the year at different times each year. They “terminate the breeding season early in years more likely to produce major tropical storms.” (read Heckscher’s whole paper here.)
Heckscher couldn’t find any other apparent correlation, including temperature and other weather patterns. His findings are new, so he hopes to do more research to try to determine what signals Veeries are picking up on that trigger their decisions on nesting. “Whatever it is, they know by mid-May,” he says.
So, what do the Veeries’ behavior suggest about this upcoming hurricane season? Well, according to Heckscher, it currently seems like it’s going to be average, contradictory to most forecasts.
Most forecasts call for an active or above average 2020 #hurricaneseason. Based on what we’ve seen at our #Delaware study site, I can’t quite say the same. Here is the Veery prediction based on our data:
— Kitt Heckscher (@madthrush) July 23, 2020
“Average” #Hurricane season, ACE 80-130, 1-3 MHhttps://t.co/7FQGdF92h7
You can learn more about Veery hurricane prediction at Audubon or by checking out Heckscher’s paper based on his findings.
As mentioned before, if you want to try a spot a Veery, you’ll be best off in the mountains. Look for mixed forests with leafy understory, and listen for their whirring, descending veers:
With Veeries, you’ll need to be sure you’re not looking at another thrush. The song will certainly help with your confidence, but if you’re looking at a quiet bird, you’ll need to learn the nuances between the thrushes. Hermit Thrushes have more color variety in their feathers than the more uniform Veery. Swainson’s Thrushes are more olive-brown, although it’s unlikely to find one in North Carolina during the summer. Wood Thrushes have many more spots on their chests and are often larger than Veeries. Hopefully with a close enough look and a clear song, you’ll be able to confidently confirm you’re looking at a Veery.
Now if you do get to spot one this summer, take a moment to realize that you might be in the presence a weather-predicting genius. No pressure!
The next bird on our list is both strange and creative. Yes, the Green Heron is perhaps the most unique of all the herons, cranes, bitterns, and egrets of North Carolina.
These guys are one of the only bird species in the world that uses tools. They’ve learned to dip feathers, insects, and other enticing items just below the water surface to attract fish. Then, with their prey close, Green Herons can strike.
Thankfully, Green Herons aren’t particularly rare, so you have a good chance of being able to find one this summer. Their reported eBird sightings are the highest in July and August, and although there are more at the coast, they can be found all across state.
Wetlands are home for them, and you’ll have to look carefully to find them. Unlike easy-to-spot Great Blue Herons, Green Herons are smaller and like to stay at the edge of the water, often concealed in vegetation.
You won’t struggle with identifying the Green Heron since their stocky build and chestnut neck are unique to them. You might lose certainty if you’re looking at a juvenile, but they luckily sport the same dark cap as their fellow adults, a feature not found in similar birds.
We want to point out that although Green Herons are still abundant globally, their population is falling. From 1966 to 2014, they experienced a decline of 68%, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey cited at All About Birds. It’s uncertain what’s responsible for this, although it’s suspected to be habitat loss due to draining or development of wetlands. Thankfully, Green Herons are still common birds, but it’s important to be aware of population changes in species and the causes of these changes so we can prevent further decline of not only Green Herons but other wildlife that depend on wetlands and other habitat that’s often lost to human disturbance.
Now, Green Herons aren’t only fascinating due to their striking plumage and ability to use tools. We actually chose to highlight them primarily because of their incredible anatomy. Green Herons may appear plump and stumpy, but they are indeed still herons. See for yourself….
The second to last bird on our list is marveled by many nature enthusiasts across the state. Cedar Waxwings are beautiful to watch thanks to their stunning appearance and fascinating behaviors.
If you spot those flawlessly gradient feathers, that impressive winged eyeliner, and maybe that dot of red on the tip of a wing, you know you’re looking at none other than the Cedar Waxwing. There’s no other bird like it in North Carolina!
One behavior that makes them exciting to watch is their RAPID consumption of berries. A Cedar Waxwing can survive off of berries alone for months, an unusually long time to carry on without the protein of insects. And this snack is something they like to experience together, as you can see in this admirable group handing off a berry. “No, YOU can have it.”
Interestingly, one element of their berry eating habit is what has given them a spot on our list of fascinating birds. Cedar Waxwings eat so many berries that sometimes, they accidentally stumble on an overly-ripe patch of fermenting berries. This causes them to become, well, drunk!
The excitement of nesting season may be waning for most birds, but not for Cedar Waxwings. They can add a springtime element to birdwatching thanks to their late breeding season. Most couples don’t lay their first brood till mid or late June, and many lay a second later in the summer. This means you may be able to see Cedar Waxwing fledglings well into August.
You can spot Cedar Waxwings across the state, but they’re considerably more common in the mountains. Look for them in evergreens, near a river or pond, or of course, in a berry bush. Since they aren’t usually alone, search for flocks of birds smaller than robins but larger than chickadees.
You’ll likely hear the Cedar Waxwings before you spot them. They sound out very high-pitch calls:
If you hear this, see a flock, and get a glimpse of their unique feathers, you can be certain you’re looking at a Cedar Waxwing. Hopefully the ones you spot aren’t suffering from intoxication!
There are plenty of reasons to admire Killdeer. One thing we love about them is that they’re shorebirds that can be seen all over the state. In fact, someone on our team spotted one in a Target parking lot in Raleigh! Clearly, you can witness Killdeer in odd places, but they are more common at the coast.
Killdeer sure look edgy. They black stripes and red ring around their eyes make them stand out from other plovers. If you spot those double cheek bands and long beak, you can be certain you’re looking at a Killdeer.
Since they are not picky about surroundings, it will help to know some signs that a far away bird is a Killdeer. Listen for their call, kill-deer:
Then, see if you can spot them circling above you. With the sound of a call and a decent look at one once it lands, hopefully you can confidently confirm.
So, yes, it’s interesting that these guys are shorebirds that nest far from the ocean, but to claim a spot on this list, they needed more…
Turns out, Killdeer are excellent actors. A mother can put on elaborate displays of a fake an injured wing to lure predators away from her nest. The goal with this is a predator is more likely to go for her since an injured bird is an easy target. So if she can fake a broken wing and limp away from her nest, she can entice a predator far from her chicks. And she’ll even amp up her performance if it’s not sufficient.
This mom is sporting what seems to be a small feigned wing injury.
And this mom is certainly taking it up a notch!
These displays highlight just how incredible and fascinating birds can be. And they’re certainly a reminder to give birds their space, especially if they have chicks!
We’ve shown you 4 strangely fascinating birds to spot this summer. So, what’s the challenge?
Approach this summer like a scavenger hunt. See how many of these items you can cross off before Fall:
Remeber, the Summer Birding Series only has 2 rules:
We are Veery excited for you to get to some summer birdwatching! Before you hit the road or step into your backyard, enjoy one more little slice of wonder:
References
Audubon’s Are These Birds Better Than Computers at Predicting Hurricane Seasons?