BIRD GUIDED WALK

Outline:
Introduction
Basics of Bird-watching
Bird Info along Fishhook Creek Nature Trail
Sound Maps
Bird Count
Bird Drawing
Osprey- Fish eagle, greater than 5 foot wingspan, white breast, curved wings when in flight, 2nd most widely
distributed raptor species after the peregrine falcon, fish make up 99% of its diet, vision allows them to detect
underwater objects while in mid-air from 10-40 meters above, feathers are oily so they dont get water-logged,
barbed pads on feet to hold slippery fish, large nests on top of trees like eagles, return to nests year after year, winter
in Mexico and South America and come back to Idaho in the spring
A CONVOCATION OF OSPREY
Mountain Bluebird- Idahos state bird, bright turquoise blue with a lighter underbelly, omnivores (plants and bugs)
but mostly insects, nest in pre-existing cavities or nest boxes, helped population return after a dip in 1963-2014 due
to decline in logging and suppression of wildfires, females are greyish-brown with some blue, hovers in the air
scouting for food
A HERMITAGE OF THRUSHES
Pileated Woodpecker/Downy Woodpecker- 9 woodpecker species in Central Idaho, Ill talk about 2, largest
woodpecker in North America (41-50 in L, 10.9 oz), black body with white wing linings, prominent red crest and
cap, found across the US into Canada and Mexico, forest habitat, drum on hollow trees to claim territory, dig
rectangular holes in trees to find ants (can cause trees to break in half), they will make up 16 holes in one tree to
allow for escape routes from predators, they peck around entrances to make sap run and prevent snakes and some
other predators from entering, group of woodpeckers is a crown
A CROWN OF PILEATED WOODPECKERS
Downy-smallest North American woodpecker, cavity nester
A DRUMMING OF WOODPECKERS
Sandhill Crane-Elaborate courtship displays to form mating pairs, oldest known living bird species, large wading
bird with grey body, white cheeks and red cap, black legs and feet, flies in V or straight line formation, diet is seeds
and cultivated grains, see them feeding along Hwy 75
A DANCE OR SWOOP OF CRANES
Hermit Thrush- across the US, summers in Idaho, beautiful clear musical call that you hear in the deep woods,
small greyish brown thrush with spotted chest, Walt Whitman describes the thrushes cal as a symbol of American
voice, ground nester in the east, tree nester in the west
A HERMITAGE OR MUTATION OF THRUSHES
Red-winged BlackbirdWestern Tanager-males brilliantly colored, females yellow, winters in Mexico, breeds farther north than any other
tanager (to the Yukon, northern Canada), coniferous woods, red pigment is acquired through diet of insects,
recorded on Lewis and Clarks expedition
A SEASON OF TANAGERS

Clarks Nutcracker- Jay found at high elevations near tree line, black wings, grey body, eats nuts and insects,
found in Rockies and Sierras, pouch under its tongue to carry seeds (28-90!) long distances where it hides them, can
find caches again later (good memory), named after Clark of L&C
A BALLET, JAR, OR SUITE OF NUTCRACKERS
PARLIAMENT OF OWLS, KETTLE OF HAWKS, SIEGE OF HERONS, RAFT OF DUCKS, PARTY OF BLUE
JAYS, CHIME OF WRENS, HOST OF SPARROWS, MURDER OF CROWS, GAGGLE OF GEESE