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The Eastern Wood Pewee is a member of the Tyrant Flycatcher family. This family is named for its distinct foraging habit. Flycatchers pluck insects out of the air midflight, using short flights from a perch. They are quick and nimble flyers. The Eastern Wood Pewee is a neotropical migrant, wintering in South America and breeding throughout the eastern part of the U.S. While its conservation status in North Carolina is secure, the short-term global population indicates numbers are declining. Though the reason for this decline is not clear, there is speculation that white-tailed deer populatations reduce the intermediate canopy that Eastern Wood Pewee exploits. This reduction in habitat is thought to negatively affect Pewee population density. Its song is a plaintive "PEEEE-a-weee." Song Link |
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The Tufted Titmouse is a common and year-round resident of the eastern U.S. Titmice are loyal visitors to feeders. Their conservation status in North Carolina is secure and the short-term global trend shows their range to be expanding northward, perhaps due to short-term global warming or to increased availability of food, at birdfeeders provided by people, during the winter months. Titmice exploit a variety of food sources, from insects and spiders to small fruits and seeds. Titmice are cavity nesters and rely on snags for breeding. Often times Titmice can be seen in mixed flocks with Chickadees. The song of the Titmouse sounds like "peter-peter-peter." Song Link
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Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)
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The Yellow-throated Vireo is a neotropical migrant to the Southeastern U.S. Its conservation status in North Carolina is apparently secure while theshort-term global trend shows numbers to be increasing. This vireo forages in the middle or upper story of the canopy in mature pine and deciduous forests. The foraging habit of the Yellow-throated Vireo is distinct. It will stalk deliberately along a branch, thoroughly exploring each spot of leaf and bark for insects. This is distinct as many other songbirds forage by actively hopping from perch to perch. These vireos will also eat Sassafras berries and wild grapes. This bird is sensitive to forest fragmentation. Its nest, like many other songbirds, has been known to be parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds. Its song is a series of slurred pitch changes. Song Link |
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The Hooded Warbler is in the family of Wood Warblers. Many of these active little birds are brightly colored and the Hooded Warbler is no exception. This striking bird has a secure conservation status in North Carolina and its short-term global trend shows numbers to be increasing. The Hooded Warbler is a long-distance neotropical migrant that migrates across the Gulf of Mexico. This warbler forages for insects optimally in dense understory with sparse ground vegetation. It also nests in the shrubby undergrowth. The Hooded Warbler is rarely higher than 4.5 meters off the ground. Its song is a clear whistled "ta-wit ta-wit ta-wit tee-yo." Song Link |
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The Red-eyed Vireo is a common and widespread bird throughout much of the U.S. This neotropical migrant has a breeding range that extends from Alaska to Florida. Winters are spent in South America. Its conservation status is secure in North Carolina and its short-term global trend shows its numbers to be increasing. This solitary bird forages for insects and berries in a mixed canopy. When it encounters a large prey, the Red-eyed Vireo will sometimes kill it by beating it against a branch. This bird is more often heard than seen as it sings all day. Its density increases with more mature stands of forest. Their density is also greater in the interior of the forest. Its song is a series of simple, rapid, whistled phrases. Song Link |
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The Great Crested Flycatcher is a neotropical migrant that can be found in the treetops. Like other flycatchers, this bird flies out from a perch to pluck insects out of the air. Great Crested Flycatchers will also eat fruits such as mulberries and pokeberries. Their conservation status in North Carolina is secure and the short-term global trend shows their numbers to be stable. Their breeding habit is a cavity nest in mature mixed pine and hardwood forests. While the cavity nest deters Brown-headed Cowbirds, it is vulnerable to aggressive European Starling competition. This species has also been know to exploit the edges of forests to forage for insects. Its song is a series of clear alternated phrases while its call is a strong ascending "quee-eep." Song Link |
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The Wood Thrush is a common bird throughout the Eastern U.S. with a complex and lovely song. Though reeding Bird Survey data shows numbers to be declining, the Wood Thrush does have a secure conservation status in North Carolina. These neotropical migrants are very susceptible to cowbird parasitism. Wood Thrushes rely on a moist deciduous understory for nesting and foraging. These birds forage on the ground for insects and fruit. The song of the Wood Thrush has been called haunting and beautiful. It is a loud and far-reaching, liquid song of several phrases, each note ending in a trill. Song Link |
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The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a neotropical migrant who is more often heard rather than seen. While this bird is endangered in California, its conservation status is secure in North Carolina. The short-term global trend indicates that the Yellow-billed Cuckoo's numbers are declining. This is perhaps due to forest fragmentation and direct habitat loss. This Cuckoo is a canopy gleaner of large quantities of big insect prey, including hairy caterpillars and cicadas. Breeding often coincides with appearance of these insects. Cuckoos will occasionally lay eggs in other birds' nests and are occasional victims of cowbird parasitism as well. The song of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a knocking type sound "ku-ku-ku-kddowl-kddowl." Song Link |
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The American Goldfinch is a brightly colored and familiar bird throughout the U.S. It is a local migrant within the country and a year-round resident of North Carolina. The Goldfinch's conservation status is secure in the state and short-term global trends show numbers to be stable. The American Goldfinch feeds on seeds, especially from thistles. They are common visitors to feeders throughout the year. The song is a series of pleasant warbling notes. Song Link |
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Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)
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The Yellow-rumped Warbler is one of the most common warblers in the U.S. This warbler's conservation status is under review in North Carolina. Yellow-rumps can be found throughout the Southeast during the winter months. These birds spent their breeding season in the conifer forests of Canada and Alaska. This is the only warbler that is able to eat the waxy fruit of Bayberry and Wax Myrtle. Yellow-rumps have a wide variety of foraging techniques they flycatch, hover, glean insects from foliage, and hop along the ground in search of food. These birds may also drink tree sap. The song of the Yellow-rumped Warbler is a slow musical trill. Song Link
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Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis tricha)
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The Common Yellowthroat is a masked warbler typically found in dense understory. The Yellowthroat can be found in brushy dense thickets from wetlands to pine forests. Yellowthroats rely on this understory for breeding and foraging. These birds are year-round residents here and migrants to more northerly regions. Though their conservation status is secure in North Carolina, Breeding Bird Survey data indicates that there has been a significant decline throughout the Eastern U.S. Yellowthroats, like many warblers, are insectivores. They glean insects from foliage throughout the understory. These birds are much more frequently heard rather than seen. The song is a distinct "witch-i-ty witch-i-ty witch-i-ty." Song Link |
