Mourning Dove

 This is the mourning dove. It is a brown bird, the male can have the purple-pink along its neck and breast for attracting mates. The female might be more brown than the male is. The physical appearance between the male and the female is different but only ever so slightly, although these birds are considered sexually dimorphic. The mourning dove is also monogamous, which means it mates for life. You can find a mourning dove in any semi-open habitats. This includes forest clearings, farmland, suburbs, prairies, and deserts. They will go pretty much anywhere other than deep forests. Male Length: 9.1-13.4 in (23-34 cm) Weight: 3.4-6.0 oz (96-170 g) Wingspan: 17.7 in (45 cm)  Female Length: 9.1-13.4 in (23-34 cm) Weight: 3.0-5.5 oz (86-156 g) Wingspan: 17.7 in (45 cm). The only different between the male and the female is the color and that the female would be slightly smaller. These birds are of least concern. Although these birds are hunted for fun in the U.S., they are still thriving with an estimated population of 183 million.

European Starling

 

    The European Starlings look like birds that rolled around in oil but these blacked spot songbirds were actually an evasive species. The Starling's Latin name is Sturnus Vulgaris which means "Common Starling".  This wonderful bird weighs 2-3.6 ounces and is 8.5 inches tall. The Starling can only live up to 2-3 years in wildlife but as a pet, they can live up to 20 years. The Starling also has a talent for mimicry for both mating season and protection by learning different sounds they can attract female starlings by combining songs and they also use these sounds to alert other birds of predators.  Starlings eat beetles, worms, spiders, seeds, berries, fruit, and etc. This is mainly because they can change their diet based on the seasons. Starling also love to live around people a lot so you can find them on lawns, farms, or on the city streets. Their status is least concered and there are more than 200 million all around the U.S and part of Canada. Starlings do small migration movements like moving a little bit south for warmth but most of the time they are chilling with us for all seasons.

Northern Cardinal

The Northern Cardinal, also known as the Redbird and it’s Latin name Cardinalis Cardinalis which means  crested thick-billed North American finch having bright red plumage in the male. The males are mostly red with a black face surrounding the bill. The Females are all brown with some red in the wings, tail and crest. It’s body length is 8.3-9.3 in, wing span 9.8-12.2 in, adult weight is 33.6-65g with the average being 44.8g. The Northern Cardinal does not migrate. In fact, they stay in the same area whether it is winter or summer. Northern Cardinals’ Habitats include woodland edges, thickets, suburban gardens, towns, desert washes. They eat weeds, sunflower seeds, grains and fruits. Their favorite food is seeds.  They are of least concern in terms of population with about 100 million globally. In the United States they are very protected because you can’t hunt them or have them as cage birds.

American Goldfinch

By Sandeep Singh

    Wow! This bird looks like Tweety from Looney Tunes. Well... close because this bird is actually the American Goldfinch. The American Goldfinch's Latin name is Spinus Tristis which means 'sad blackthorn.' This bird is so well known it has become the state bird of three states: New Jersey, Iowa, and Washington. Their size is around 4.3-5.5 inches and weight being around 0.39-0.71 oz. The male goldfinch is bright yellow in color while the female is brownish-olive. These birds do not migrate very often. You will only see these birds migrating from cold areas such as Canada. American Goldfinch's habitat are woodlands, roadsides, floodplains, gardens, and weedy fields. They stay in these areas because their main diet is based on grains and seeds. Very rarely they will eat small insects for a source of protein. Their status is of least concern because there are roughly 24 million in the world. Better for us, we don't have to worry about not being able to see these beautiful birds again. 

 

Isaac Ezirim 

American crow(Corvus brachyrhynchos) which means short beak.

Physical Description

Length: 15.8-20.9 inch,Weight: 11.2-21.9 ounces,Wingspan: 33.5-39.4 inches

Life span: 7-8 years (in the wild).

Behaviors

American Crows are very social, sometimes forming flocks in the thousands. Inquisitive and sometimes mischievous, crows are good learners and problem-solvers, often raiding garbage cans and picking over discarded food containers. They’re also aggressive and often chase away 

larger birds including hawks, owls and herons.

American crows spend most of the year living in pairs in small family groups and they usually mate for life. They remain loyal and stay with their respective mates year after year until and unless the mate is killed or it becomes incapable of mating any more.

migration

American Crows can be considered partially migratory. That is, some populations migrate, others are resident, and in others only some of the crows migrate. Crows in the southern parts of their range appear to be resident and not migrate.

habitat

According to allaboutbirds.org, American crow can be found at open woodlands, forests, agricultural fields, lawns, parking lots, athletic fields, roadsides, towns, and city garbage dumps.

food and diet

Seeds,Nuts,Fruits,Berries ,Vegetables ,Grains ,Eggs,Insects and meat and fat.;

status

Least concern(population increasing)

There are 27 million in the world

what hunts them 

hawks and owls

Hawks attack, kill and eat them during the day,Owls come after them at night when they are on their roosts,But crows also attack hawks and owls—though not to eat them.

Why it’s associated with death

Crows were associated with the Black Plague, the Great Fire of London, and the Civil War, when they would follow soldiers to the battlefield," explains Haupt with a warm existentialism. "This is why when we see crows in the city, they open up a whole mythology of death."

House Sparrow

 House Sparrow

By Myles Onion

This is an image of a House Sparrow, or Passer Domesticus, meaning house sparrow in Latin. An interesting fact about these birds is that their preferred habitat is in suburban or otherwise man made areas. House Sparrows are one of the most successful birds in the world, with their population including 8.2 billion individuals world wide making them least concerning. The house sparrow is a common bird, especially in North America. They are considered pests in the U.S. meaning it is legal to kill them, but this has not effected their numbers in significant ways. They eat fruits, berries, seeds, worms, and caterpillars. During courtship displays, the male will hop around the female with his tail feathers raised high and often bowing and chirping. They measure 5.5 to 7.1in in length, and weigh 0.5 to 1.4oz. 

Mallard Duck

 This is a mallard duck. A mallard duck is known in latin as "Anas Platyrhychos" which means flat nosed which relates to the shape of a duck's bill. An interesting fact about Mallard ducks is that male ducks are called drakes while female ducks are called hens. They also have different colored head's and beaks. This is due to the drakes eating more algae than the hens and therefore getting more colorful heads and beaks because of the catenoids found in the algae. Catenoids are pigments found in food sources for ducks like algae that make vegetables brightly colored. These ducks usually live in rivers, lakes, and woodland wetlands. This is because ducks love the water. Since ducks are omnivores, some of their preferred foods are Insects, Fruit, Seeds, Algae, Small Fish, Crustaceans, and many more. They are the least concerned when it comes to their status, they have a population of over 30 million. 

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

                     

                                                             by: Matheus Franca                                                        

        The Ruby throated Hummingbird, how truly magnificent! It's english name is the Ruby Throated Hummingbird, however, it's Latin name is Archilochus Colubris which means a kind of hummingbird that is flourished. It's length is 3-3.5 inches, wingspan can be up to 3.1-4.3 inches, and their weight varies on their sex. Males are 3.4 grams, while females which are the bigger ones are 3.8 grams. The physical difference is that the males have a red throat and the females have a white throat. Their diet consists of spiders, tiny flies, gnats, aphids, and nectar. They are able to eat food that is double their weight, which is impressive. Their predators are hawks, crows, roadrunners, owls, etc. In terms of mating, the female chooses one male that she trusts to defend the feeding territory. On the other hand, the male leaves the female and mates with several other female hummingbirds. The process may be funny or unusual, but it is very effective because their are less females than the males in the population. Their natural habitat are primarily in woodlands such as forests and the woods. They spend most of their time in the winter, however, migrate in warmer climates when it's time for breeding. Their population is least concern because their are 7 million hummingbirds worldwide! Yet, the population is increasing everyday.

Northern Mockingbird

 Northern Mockingbird 

By: Jonathan Benissan 

  The Northern Mockingbird also known as Mimus Polyglottos which means many-tongued mimic is a bird with many qualities. They are very overprotective when it comes to territory that they would attack anyone even there own reflection. They were given the name because they were able to mimic certain noises that include dogs and sirens. They have been found in some tropical places but they mostly live in forests edges, bushes, trees, and desert brushes. They like to eat beetles but they also eat ants, grasshoppers, caterpillars,  wasps, berries and, fruits but they get eaten by hawks, cats, owls, snakes, and scrub jays. They are the least concern when it comes to going extinct because there is a huge number of them.

Grey CatBird

Grey Catbird

By: Jonathan Souza 

    The Grey Catbird can be found around the northern eastern part of the United States, mostly in the Carolines. The Latin name of the Grey Catbird is Dumetella Carolinensis which means Thorny Thicket From the Carolines. The Grey Catbird tend to migrate mostly at night to breed mostly in the South Eastern part of the United States. They tend to live more in tree and bushy areas around farms. The Catbird like to eat berries, small insects like ants, true bugs, and crickets. They have to hide their eggs because many of get eaten by snakes, domestic cats, and hawks. Their population over the years are decreasing because of many habitat lost due to climate change.

Downy woodpecker

     Downy woodpecker got its name from Catesby. Both the male and female are the same size. The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker seen in eastern North America. They are black and white. The males have a red patch on the back of their head so its easy to tell the difference between the male and female. Peak mating time is in between April and May. They drum to find a mate or to announce territory. They don't migrate as much even in the winter. But some birds farther up north might come down south. Their habitat is anywhere from forest to backyards. They eat mostly insects but they also eat seeds and berries. Their population is at the least concern. They are not close to becoming extinct.

Red-Tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

By: Vicente Correia

    The red-tailed hawk is a common bird that is named for its cinnamon-red tail. Its Latin name is Buteo jamaicensis, which means buzzard-hawk that was first studied in Jamaica. It is often seen soaring in the sky or perching high up on trees, buildings, or telephone poles and lives in open country, woodlands, mountains, roadsides, and plains. The red-tailed hawk is dark on top and lighter underneath with a dark band across its chest. Its talons and sharp beaks are ideal for hunting animals such as rodents, snakes, and smaller birds. The red-tailed hawk is a top-notch predator with a highly efficient and effective strategy where it dive-bombs its prey with its talons outstretched. This hawk is an awesome bird that continues to thrive with its population at 2,000,000 and continuing to rise. 

Herring Gull

 The Herring Gull

By: Nathaniel Espaillat

 

       The Large Argentatus, Herring Gull, can be spotted mostly around coastal areas. The Latin version of Herring Gull which is Large Argentatus means "Large Silvery Bird." Herring Gulls live and will breed in coastal areas. They do migrate but Herring Gulls that arent breeding and the ones that are older tend to stay in colder areas, while the younger and the ones that are breeding migrate toward the warm areas. When Herring Gulls mate they usually do it around March and April and will lay their eggs in May. When they lay their eggs they will go to cliffs that are well hidden from their predators. They will also make their nest around supportive rocks so if its windy the windy wont blow the nest away. They tend to eat Fish, Crustaceans, Mollusks,  Marine Worms, and Sea Urchins. Since they stay at docks or board walks if they see food they will soar like a raptor get those little scraps of food. Herring Gulls are surprisingly counted as an endangered species, and their status is least concerning.

 

Turkey Vulture

 The Turkey Vulture, also known by its Latin name Carthates aura, is a large dark brown bird with a red bald head. It is 25.2-31.9 inches big and has a wingspan of 66.9-70.1 inches. They are social towards other turkey vultures and can be seen in flocks or groups. They have an imbalance in their flight which causes them to fly low, which they use as an advantage to detect carrion, dead animals. They are also able to detect carrion with their sense of smell, one of the best in the bird world. Turkey vultures prefer warmer climates and they can migrate as far as South America. They live in the Americas and their habitat is widespread, with the most common being the open country, next to a wooded area. The turkey vulture population is of least concern and there are thought to be 4.5 million worldwide. 

American Robin

                                                      

                This is an American Robin. Its Latin name is Turdus Migratorius which means thrush and migrate. An American Robin's length could go about 8-11 inches and can weigh 2.5-3 ounces. They only live for two years in the wild, however, they can go longer in captivity. The longest age that a robin lived was for 14 years! Since they only live for two years, they live in pairs during the entire breeding season and DO NOT mate for life. When it's time for spring, the male and the female that mated will return to the same territory and end up for another year. Yes, they do migrate, however, only a few have. They do prefer the cold climate which means they live in the northern areas. You can find them pretty much anywhere in your garden, yard, parks, golf courses, forests, etc. They are very common and are the least concerned to go endangered because there are about 320 million individuals in the U.S. They eat a variety of fruits and berries, insects, and earthworms. The insects they eat are beetles, caterpillars, and grasshoppers. Their diet consists of 40% insects that give them protein and 60% fruits and berries, giving them a variety of vitamins and minerals.