Birds of Virginia

Although Virginia is a small state, it is home to many famous birding locations such as The Great Dismal Swamp, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, and the Chickahominy River Marsh. The Great Dismal Swamp is home to the federally endangered Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel as well as 58 other species of birds.

The Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge provides protection to breeding Harlequin Ducks, as well as over 300 species of birds. The Chickahominy River Marsh is home to 19 different species of birds including the nationally endangered Ridgway’s Rail. Virginia birding lovers will have many great places to enjoy bird watching in Virginia.

What Are the Most Common Birds In Virginia?

Virginia is known for being a rich and diverse state, home to the most popular state bird, the cardinal. Still, there are many other birds that call Virginia home. Here’s a list of some common birds in Virginia:

What Are the Most Common Backyard Birds in Virginia?

If you live in Virginia, learning about the birds that visit your backyard can be a fun, easy way to get closer to nature. Keep your eyes peeled in the Spring and Summer months for these amazing backyard birds that are common in Virginia.

What Are the Large Birds Found in Virginia?

Birds are such fascinating creatures, with so many different sizes, shapes, and colors. But why do we always pay close attention to the largest ones like the Eagles and Hawks? It is probably because they are easiest to spot and create a sense of awe whenever we see them. The largest birds you can spot in Virginia are:

What Are the Common Birds of Northern Virginia?

If you’re new to the Northern Virginia area or just want to brush up on your bird knowledge, look no further! Here’s a list of common birds found in Northern Virginia, with some video links included as well-

What Are the Common Birds of Virginia Beach?

Virginia Beach is a great place for bird watching, but it is important to remember no to get too close to nesting birds and disturb them when you see these feathered friends.

The bird species most commonly found in and around Virginia Beach are:

What Are the Summer Birds in Virginia?

There are many different types of birds that visit and stay in the United States during the summer season, such as species of migratory birds and small songbirds. The most common birds to be seen in Virginia in the summer months are:

Now that you have a good general understanding of what kind of birds you might meet if you are in Virginia lets us look at some of them in greater detail-

Cardinal

A northern cardinal is a song bird in the Cardinalidae family. The northern cardinal is a moderately sized finch-like bird, approximately six inches long and weighing about an ounce. The northern cardinal can have the appearance of being smaller or larger depending on where they live; for example, if they exist in areas with shorter shrubs or trees, they appear to be smaller than if they are living in areas with very tall evergreens.

The male and female birds have different appearances. The male’s feathers are red and the female’s feathers are brownish-red with streaks of yellowish color; however, when males and females are juvenile birds this difference is not apparent.

No species of bird is more closely associated with the history, culture, and natural beauty of Virginia than the cardinal. This colorful songster is known as Virginia’s State Bird.

The northern cardinal is not picky about what it eats. It will eat almost any kind of seed from seeds on the ground to seeds found on trees and shrubs. During winter months, when food sources are limited, the northern cardinal can be spotted eating spiders on tree branches or catching insects off of tree trunks and branches. The northern cardinal also eats small invertebrates such as snails, slugs, and worms. Its diet mainly consists of berries in summer months; it prefers elderberries over other types of fruit.

Northern cardinals have been found to live in a wide range of habitats from plains to dense forests, but most of the time they prefer thick shrubs. They usually live in open areas with tall trees or bushes so the males can build their nests on top of the shrubs. In some cases when it is windy or rainy, they may build their nests underneath rocks or between small branches. When northern cardinals build their nests they can take several hours to complete and contain twigs, mud, and grass. Northern cardinals usually find their own materials for building their nests, even though sometimes they may steal from others’ nests if there is not enough materials around.

Swainson’s Thrush

Swainson’s Thrush

This fantastically secretive bird stops people in their tracks each year when it arrives from the south for the warm season and begins sounding its other-worldly song. The musician’s ear detects a couple of grace notes followed by an ethereal series of rising triplets, all rendered in a most unusual, wheezy, electronic-sounding voice.

This is a somewhat plain looking bird with a dusty top half and spotted breast. Pacific coast birds are ruddier than inland ones, but the overall appearance of this fowl is sedate when compared to his relative, the brilliant orange and black Varied Thrush who was with us in the winter.

Swainson’s Thrush measures, on average, 7″ from his strong beak to his tail. He has a prominent cream colored eye ring and a very soft, blurry look to his plumes. He forages on the ground for both insects and berries and builds a cup-shaped nest of twigs, leaves, roots and moss. 3-5 blue eggs are typical of this bird. The birds maintain a very small territory, making it possible for the birder to be surrounded by serenading male Swainson’s Thrushes in a single large yard or on a short creekside path.

In addition to their rising mechanical call, they also give a single flute-like note frequently. Mornings and evenings are the best time to attend this free concert by the sea.

Swainson’s Thrush is proof that you must never judge a bird by it’s ‘cover’. Who would ever guess that this sedate looking fellow would be such an audacious caroler?

Barn & Tree Swallows

With their diamond shape and fabulous colors, swallows are easy for even beginning birders to identify. But then, you need to be able to look closely to determine which swallow you’ve sighted. I am using the Barn and Tree Swallows because my observation has led me to conclude that these are our two commonest swallows in Virginia.

Color and shape are going to be our two most important fieldmarks for distinguishing between these birds. The striking, bi-color blue and white of the Tree Swallow and the blue, red and orange of the Barn Swallow rival the hummingbird for sheer iridescence. They seem to flash and twinkle as they swoop through the sky like miniature kites. Note also the undersides of the birds, as this is how you will most commonly see them, flying overhead.

But what about when you’re staring up into a bright sky at a swallow-like bird and cannot see its color well because of the sun in your eyes? Studying shape is the answer! It is the tails of swallows that tell me who they are, even when they are very high. Both Barn and Tree Swallows have forked tails, but just take a gander at the scissor-like feathers on the tail of that Barn Swallow. No other North American swallow has a tail with such a pronounced fork to it, and such pointed end tips.

By contrast, the tail of the Tree Swallow is more rounded and stubby. The wings of the Barn Swallow also appear more slender and pointed when compared to the broad wings of the Tree Swallow.

The average Tree Swallow measures about 5 3/4″, and the Barn Swallow is about one inch longer. Both birds twitter in flight, and the juveniles of both species are duller in color.

Unlike the spring/summer visitor, the Barn Swallow, Tree Swallows are apparently year-round residents in Virginia, but I want to share that I rarely see them until the spring begins to warm up. Once it does, go to just about any pond, marsh or other body of water and you are almost sure to see these birds.

Both species line their nests with feathers, but the Barn Swallow makes his nest of mud in the eaves of buildings, and the Tree Swallow builds his in a woodpecker hole or nesting box. Providing nesting boxes for Tree Swallows can truly assist this species in the difficulties it faces trying to find a vacant cavity for its family to live in.

Competition for such sites can be fierce and if you would like to promote the local Tree Swallow population, why not offer a box for them? You’re sure to enjoy the observation opportunities this will afford you! Both species lay some 4-6 white eggs.

Whether you prefer the sapphire and diamond splendour of the Tree Swallow or the parrot-like plumes of the Barn Swallow, look for mixed flocks of these graceful little gems for the rest of the sunny season.

White & Golden Crowned Sparrows

White & Golden Crowned Sparrows

White-crowned Sparrow the most common sparrow in Virginia, and his bold black-and-white striped head make identification a snap for even beginning birders. Birds along the Pacific have a lovely yellow bill, though their relations in other parts of the U.S. have a pink one.

White-crowned does have a narrower yellowish stripe on top of his head than the Golden-crowned. However, this isn’t a terribly good field mark to pass on to another birder. Rather, look at the bills! The White-crowned youngster has a yellow bill, and the Golden-crowned youngster has a grey bill.

The White-crowned Sparrow has a dark eye stripe, right across his face. The Golden-crowned Sparrow does not. So, to repeat that. Yellow bill + eye stripe = White-crowned Sparrow. Grey bill + no eye stripe = Golden-crowned Sparrow.

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula was one of the first birds I was able to identify at a glance as a child. The most distinctive marking on this small, grey/brown bird is his head patch. It is hard to do justice to the exact hue of his crown, which I would liken to the throat of an Allen’s or Rufous Hummingbird. Ruby is a good word…rubies are pinkish, magenta-red…not the fire red of garnets.

However, the difficulty with using the red crown as a field mark is that it is only visible when the light is hitting the bird at a certain angle – again, rather like a hummingbird. In addition to this, female Ruby-crowned kinglets lack the regal crown, though in every other respect they closely match their mates.

Because of this phenomenon, it is the extremely pronounced white eye ring that has become, for me, the touchstone for identifying the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. I know of no other Virginia bird of this size (3 1/2″ to 4 1/2″) with so large a white circle ringing his large, onyx eye. If I were teaching a new birder how to spot this fowl, this would be the mark I would tell them to look for.

The underbelly of this kinglet is a blend of soft lemon, fawn and white hues, and his top side is a soft cocoa-grey. Look for black and white barring on the wings and a black tail. He is easy to distinguish from the Yellow-rumped Warbler once you know the markings. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a winter visitor to Virginia, and according to my bird guide books, he shares territory with a permanent resident – the Golden-crowned Kinglet.

The kinglet’s movements are of interest. He flits rapidly from perch to perch, flicking his tail, and I have observed him hover, exactly like a hummingbird, beside the trunk of my apple tree, investigating the holes left behind by the Red-breasted Sapsucker.

Despite his minute size, I would not classify this winter neighbor as a shy bird, and I have stood within inches of him many times. Get quiet enough in your own movements to have this experience of drawing near to the birds you observe. It’s a delight.

He is an insect eater, and can be seen in both evergreen and deciduous trees, balancing on the merest of twigs. He can also hang upside down, like a Bushtit, when he chooses to. The kinglet weaves an oblong nest with high walls, with a roof hole. The cozy home is suspended from a branch. The nest is filled with feathers and other soft matter and 5-11 cream, speckled eggs are lain.

Dark-Eyed Juncos

Dark-Eyed Juncos

Tthere are currently 6 recognized sub-species of Juncos in the United States. Perhaps the thing I have become most fond of in Juncos is the pleasure they give in flight. All at once, the earth-toned birds flash up from the ground, their tails beribboned with streamer-like white feathers. Watch for these if you have yet to add a Junco to your lifelist, and the streamers will help you confirm your identification.

Female Juncos are paler, duller versions of their husbands, and they lay 3-6 pale blue, mottled eggs in a nest made of a wide variety of materials, protected by a rock ledge, log or weeds. You will find them both in forests and in backyards. Their call is a repeated zick and they also make trilling sounds.

Purple Finch and House Finch

Purple Finch and House Finch

These 6″, talkative little birds get their name from their habit of hanging around houses. They build their nests in the eaves of buildings or in trees, and their warbling, liquid song is a constant around the bird feeder. Despite their familiarity, however, House Finches can pose a puzzle for beginning birders who catch sight of a bird with an extreme amount of red on its head and chest.

It’s true, many of them do have a tremendous amount of red and the color can be so intense, but if you were to see one standing side by side with a real Purple Finch, you’d instantly observe the difference.

The red of the House Finch can best be described as crimson. A real firecracker color. The head and a small portion of the chest are the main tinted areas of this bird, and in shape, he is slender and long. The Purple Finch is actually the same length, but his more compact build gives him a chubbier, sturdier appearance. And when it comes to colors, there is a marked difference.

The best description I’ve heard of the Purple Finch is that he looks ‘dipped in strawberry’. From head to tail, he is an irridescent magenta color that simply glows. Purple may be a misleading description for this bird. When I think of purple, I think of the color of a plum or a violet or a purple gumdrop…not really the jewel-tone magenta of this bird.

The House Finch has the dusty brown colors, but the brown of the Purple Finch’s wings has been washed in a watercolor-like infusion of strawberry. The bellies are different as well, with pink tones creeping into the streaking on the Purple and plain brown on the House.

Unlike the House Finch, Purple Finches are not really drawn to human dwellings, preferring wooded areas. Purple Finches prefer to nest high up in conifer trees, and both species lay between 3-5 pale blue eggs. The females of both species are brown and white birds, and the facial markings of the female Purple Finch are more pronounced and defined. The song of the Purple Finch is somewhat like the House Finch’s, but less varied in pitch. Both birds are year-round Virginia residents.’

The American Goldfinch

The American Goldfinch

The American Goldfinch measures only 4 1/2″ – 5″ from head to tail, with a wingspan of 9″. The female lacks the black crown, and shows more muted shades of yellow, olive and tan. In winter, the male is less brilliant in hue, but I am still seeing a few black-capped males as late as December, though they are supposed to lose these in the cold months.

The American Goldfinch is a year-round Virginia bird. Look for them in your own garden, in parks and especially in pasture lands where they sit in the openings of barbed-wire fences. While feeders are an excellent way to invite goldfinches to your yard, your surest way is to leave weeds unmown along your fences, should you be so fortunate as to have a bit of land. I would say that any habtitat containing the combination of a wire fence and tall weeds makes me automatically look around for American Goldfinches.

One of the distinctive features of this bird is its scalloped flight pattern. Up and down it skips in short swoops as it flies, and this is generally accompanied by its wonderful flight song which, if you wanted to replicate it with a musical instrument, would require a slide whistle or a violin. To my ear, it sounds as though he does an octave-wide slide from upper D to lower D and then back to upper D again, following the up and down swoop of flight. Pretty neat!

American Goldfinches build tidy, cup-shaped nests of grass, plant down and bark in trees or bushes. They lay 3-6 light blue eggs.

Red-Shouldered Hawk and The Red-Tailed Hawk

Red-Shouldered Hawk and The Red-Tailed Hawk

The Red-tailed Hawk is generally larger (19″-25″ from head to tail with a wingspan of up to 54″). The smaller Red-shouldered Hawk stands 17″-24″ with a wingspan of up to 48″. Needless to say, the adult Red-tailed Hawk has a red tail and the Red-Shouldered features a rust patch at the top of its wing.

However, anyone who has gone out hawk watching knows that seeing these birds in the wild is a very different thing from looking at an illustration of them on a blog or in a bird guide. It’s because of this very fact that I want to give you a couple of quick tips for identifying these 2 hawks out in nature, whether they are perched or flying.

No other large Virginia raptor has the color combination and pattern of the adult Red-shouldered Hawk. If you see a vivid rust face and body combined with black and white striped or checkered wing tips and tail, you are looking at a Red-shouldered Hawk.

Upon closer inspection, there are pale, thin stripes across the breast and belly of this bird, and these stripes are bigger and blotchier on the duller, browner juvenile bird. I hope you have the opportunity to get up-close to a Red-shouldered Hawk at some point in your birding career, but for more distant viewing, just remember, you’re looking for a big bird with that intense orange in the front and black/white checks or stripes in back.

Unless you see an adult in flight, his hallmark red tail is often invisible. Yes, if you see that crimson tail fanned out as a big hawk soars overhead, chances are you’ve identified the Red-tailed Hawk, but it’s usually not that simple. As a rule of thumb, Adult Red-tailed Hawks display the following characteristics:

  • Brown wings and back of head
  • Face a bit more golden or cinnamon
  • Light buff bib
  • Red Tail

However, it’s very important to mention here that there are dark morphs of this bird that are so dark brown as to appear almost black. And, then there are the young birds. If you see a big dark brown raptor with a very bright white bib, it’s likely a juvenile of this species.

Scrub Jay

Scrub Jay

This large, powerful bird is a member of the crow family. Its’ strong beak enables it to crack nutshells very adeptly. Bird identification is made easy by its size, blue coloration, and long tail. Scrub Jays lay 3 to 5 eggs, which are spotted, in a cup made of twigs hidden well in dense shrubbery or trees. Though the Scrub Jay tends to be very quiet near its nest, it is outspoken elsewhere and simple to spot.

A glimpse of this bird through bird watching binoculars will show the birder that Scrub Jays have a necklace-like marking around their neck. You may also observe Scrub Jays taking a big hand in local ecology by burying many more acorns that they consume, thus planting oak forests.

Scrub Jays are very territorial, only mildly social, and do rob other birds’ nests. This enables them to vary their diet as needed. Scrub Jays are excellent parents, and patient bird watching will show you the young Scrub Jay being closely accompanied by his parents wherever he goes.

During such outings, their conversation, consisting of constant, hoarse rasps from the young and more powerful squawks from the adults, is interesting to listen to as the young demand to be fed. Easy to identify and memorable in appearance, the Scrub Jay’s common appearance in suburban gardens often makes it one of the first birds which beginning bird watchers become familiar with.

Chestnut-Backed Chickadee

Chestnut-Backed Chickadee

North America is home to 6 kinds of chickadees: Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, Black-capped Chickadee, Mexican Chickadee, Boreal Chickadee and Grey-headed Chickadee, the first one being the prettiest in my opinion.

Measuring at some 4 1/2″ – 5″ from head to tail, his rufous back and sides set him apart from all of his relations. Look for him in forest and gardens, very often in flocks. The preferred nesting method is to excavate a rotten tree stump and then line the hole with soft moss or with hair. 5-8 cream colored eggs are common. He is a year-round bird in Virginia, but to my observation, seems most abundant and visible in the cold months of the year. I always eagerly expect visiting flocks to neighborhood conifers in October or November.

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

One of North America’s largest owls, the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) is just under 24 inches in length, has a wingspan of 44 inches and weighs just over 3 pounds. The Great Horned forages mostly from a perch, typically from dusk to dawn, and feeds on rabbits, rodents and similarly-sized mammals.

Sometimes called the tiger owl or ‘hoot owl’, the familiar evening or pre-dawn call of the Great Horned is a muffled, repetitive and rhythmic hoo-oo hoo hoo hoo, suggestive of a Mourning Dove. The owls make a variety of other sounds and calls, as well, including growls, shrieks and barks. Courting females will answer a male’s beckoning ‘hoot’ with an unexpected ‘mee-ow’, sounding like a treed cat.

Mostly monogamous, Great Horned Owls nest in abandoned hawk nests or build their own using sticks and bark. Nests can be found in a wide variety of locales, including trees, cactus, logs, rocks and the understructure of highway overpasses. Two to three eggs, measuring over two inches, are typical, with an incubation up to a month.

The semialtricial young are cared for by both parents, and fledge in a month or more, as well. Other than those birds living in the farthest northern areas, Great Horned Owls are non-migratory. Known as well to Native Americans, representations of these owls can also be found in petroglyphs.

The species name (virginianus) originated with early European settlers in the Virginia colonies. The owl has no ‘horns’, but the prominent feather tufts above its eyes resemble horns, accounting for its common name.

During the day, Great Horned Owls seek cover deep in thickly-leaved trees, and their mottled coloration helps camouflage them. However, birders still find them, mostly because of their size. In addition, the birds occasionally open their eyes, and the large yellow cat-like irises are a giveaway.

The Great Horned Owl is found in all of the Canadian provinces (and is the official provincial bird of Alberta) as well as all 49 of the continental United States. South of the border, Great Horneds are resident throughout Mexico, parts of Central America and much of South America, including Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Distinguished by its size, vivid yellow eyes, high-tufted ‘horns’ and hooting call, it is one of the most commonly recognized owls in the hemisphere.

Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vulture

There are many large, carrion-eating vultures, but the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) has a rather unique appearance with its featherless, red head. As it flies at great heights, casting its shadows across valleys and hillsides, it also presents a rather intimidating view, but the Turkey Vulture is a gentle, family-oriented creature serving an important role in ecology by disposing of carrion that could spread disease if left on the roadsides.

The Turkey Vulture has a six-foot wingspan with black and gray feathers presenting a rather intimidating sight as it flies overhead. It can glide for long periods of time on its pointed wings that form a shallow V shape.

It has weak, slightly-webbed, chicken-like feet with blunt talons, suitable for running across the American prairie land, but not suitable for carrying or lifting its food. It does not take to flight easily and appears to stumble across the ground before flight.

A female Turkey Vulture is slightly larger than her mate. An adult averages 32 inches long, weighs 3 pounds. It has a downy, red head convenient for its rather messy task of cleaning the meat from carcasses. When it has completed its meal, the Turkey Vulture will sit in the sun so any remaining bits of food will dry and fall off of its head. It is often seen standing with its wings spread.

This also serves to bake bacteria off the wings and other parts of the body. A juvenile Turkey Vulture has a gray head and black beak, gradually growing into its adult colors. Its plumage is dark brown, with silver or white lower flight feathers.

It makes few sounds-only hisses and grunts-but has impeccable hearing. It also has a keen sense of smell and flies just low enough to catch the sent of decaying carrion. The Turkey Vulture will also lower its body temperature at night to the point of hypothermia and it can use its fat reserves to survive for weeks without food or water.

Eastern Screech Owl

Eastern Screech Owl

Eastern screech Owls (Otus asio) are the only common small species owl found commonly in the eastern states. These birds grow to about 8.5 inches in length, and come in three color phases: red, brown, and gray. Each phase has the primary color on the back, wings, and sides and back of the head. The chest of each bird has markings of the phase color over white.

These birds have small ears, and resemble very small, stout great horned owls. Screech Owls eat primarily mice and rats, and they usually nest in holes in trees. They are found in every state east of the Rockies. Eastern screech owls have a few calls, but the most notable is the eerie neighing sound, which sounds like a horse’s neigh in a high pitch, that starts very high and lowers in tone.

Although there are a few other types of owl that come into the eastern states, those above are the most frequent inhabitants. Common species of owls of the eastern states all have similar feeding habits, despite differences in size and appearance.

Laughing Gull

Laughing Gull

The laughing gull (Sterna atricilla) is a small gull that is very common on the Atlantic coast. This gull averages about 16.5 inches in length. Breeding laughing gulls have black heads with red bills, blue-gray backs and wings, and white undersides, but the black fades to white on their heads in late fall, and stays light in winter and early spring.

Juvenile birds look like the adults during the colder, nonbreeding months, except they have brown wing feathers. Like other gulls, laughing gulls eat fish, crustaceans, and squid (dead or alive), and any food scraps or trash that they can find. These sea gulls can be found everywhere from New Foundland to South America, and they can be heard calling “ka ka ka ka kaaa kaaaaa kaaaaa, kiew.”

Ring-Billed Gull

Ring-Billed Gull

During colder months, the ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) can be found everywhere on the East Coast. It has a white head, pale gray back and wings, and a noticeable black, vertical stripe across the front of the bill. It grows to a length of about 17.5 inches, and can be heard calling “k-heeer.”

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

The herring gull (Larus argentatus) is a larger gull that reaches an average length of about 25 inches. The herring gull has a white head, white underside, pale gray back and wings (with black wing tips, like most gulls), and a yellow beak with a red mark toward the front on the lower portion. Juveniles are brown.

The herring gull is found on the Atlantic coast from Virginia to the north year round, and in the winter on the coast of the Southeastern US and Gulf. It is also found at times in every inland state, and on the Pacific coast. Herring gulls call “kaaw,” or “kloo.”

Great Black-Backed Gull

Great Black-Backed Gull

The great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) reaches an average length of about 30 inches, and often weighs about 4 lbs. It is similar in appearance to the herring gull, but it is larger, and has a dark blue-gray back and dark wings. Its head and underside is white, and it has a yellow bill with a red mark toward the front on the lower mandible.

Juveniles are mottled, with brown and white markings all over. Found along the northern Atlantic coast year round, the great black-backed gull occupies the rest of the East Coast in winter. These gulls can swallow fish that weigh over 1 lb, and often eat the remains of fillet fish bodies. They can be heard calling a deep “gawp.”

King Rail

King Rail

The King Rail is fairly big, plump, has an under sized tail, spherical winged and lives close to the earth near sloughs. It reaches a height of about 15 inches tall at adulthood. The female King Rail weighs about 1 1/2 pounds and the male is a trifle heavier. The males and females may differ in size, but alike in color. The King Rail doesn’t change color because the seasons change and they have a wing span of about 24 inches.

The back of the King Rail is black, with brownish yellow stripes. Their wings have some chestnut red coloring. The chest and stomach are rust colored too. Their head is light rust colored with a dusky colored cap and back of the neck. Their chin and throat are white in color and the part of their body between their hips and ribs have bars with white and dark brown stripes.

Their bill is long, slightly curved downward, with the top beak dark and the lower beak a brownish color. The King Rail’s legs are colored brownish yellow. It often flicks its short tail, exposing a hidden white rear end. Most people see these birds walking because it seldom takes to the wing.

The back of a juvenile King Rail is black, with dark brownish yellow stripes. The head is pale gray-brown, with the crown of its head and the back of their neck dark with pale buff markings. The young bird’s chin and throat are whitish with its chest and stomach colored a pale gray brown.

The flanks on a juvenile have a broad gray brown and white striping. Their bill and legs are the same color as an adult. The top of their wings are darker than the adult King Rail. The stomach of a young bird is white and the barring on its flanks is less clear than on an adult.

People often confuse Young King Rails for Black Rails. The not as big Virginia Rail has a reddish bill and increased difference between the gray chops and the cinnamon lower parts. The King Rail is very similar as an adult to the Clapper Rail.

Adults are easily differentiated from East Coast Clapper Rails by their rich chestnut head, neck and lower body parts without contrast between the cheeks and trunk feathers. The red upper wings detach King Rails from all families of the Clapper Rail.

Northern Bobwhite Quail

Northern Bobwhite Quail

Northern Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus) are small quail familiar to residents of the eastern United States and southern Ontario in Canada. Traveling in coveys of several families, they were once common in areas of brushy vegetation, open woodland, and mixed tall grasses, and might be seen cautiously crossing exposed areas between one grassy or brushy area to another, one by one. Grasses, used for cover, nesting sites, and food, are important to the survival of the species.

The loss of grassland in the birds’ habitat has caused a significant decline in Northern Bobwhite Quail-land has been cleared and used for growing agricultural crops and grazing livestock, and for building. In Ontario, the Northern Bobwhite is now listed as “at risk,” while the species is designated “near threatened”.