Birds Page 8

Hepatic Tanager (rare)

A beautiful neotropical migrant. Seen during the spring and fall, but also spends summers in the area. They visit water gardens and can be seen along the falls trail at Bandelier.

Western Tanager

A beautiful neotropical migrant and common tanager of the area. They are usually seen during spring and fall before they settle into their nesting territory. They visit water gardens and fruit trees and are common along the falls trail at Bandelier.

Green-tailed Towhee

This summer bird has a much brighter orange crest compared to the Canyon Towhee. Will feed from seed scattered on the ground during the spring and fall.

Canyon Towhee

Very common throughout the year in all of Los Alamos. Quite capable of even hopping around the garage if you leave the door open! Makes up for his rather plain colors with incredible personality.

Spotted Towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus

18 - 22 cm. The male Spotted Towhee has a black hood, back, and wings, with white wing bars and spots. The tail is black with white edging on the outer feathers. Its breast and belly are white with bright rufous sides. The female has the same pattern, but she is brown where the male is black. Both sexes have red eyes. the towhee prefers forest edges. It is a ground feeder and needs a nearby haven of a thicket or underbrush. They scratch the ground for insects in a dance pattern named the "Towhee Shuffle", and they similarly rummage for seeds at platform feeders. They may stay all year in dense unkempt gardens. It lays 3 - 6 white eggs, with reddish-brown and lilac spots, in a loose cup nest near the ground in a dense bush such as cedar or juniper. Its latin name means "red-eyed chirper". Its song varies with a few introductory notes and usually ending with a long trill, such as drink-your-teeaaa or to-wheeee. They are attracted by millet, sunflower seed, cracked corn, thistle seeds, and suet.

Fairly common year round. They will eat from platform feeders.

Chipping Sparrow

A summer backyard bird in many areas including Los Alamos. In the summer has chestnut cap, white eyebrow and black eyeline.

White-crowned Sparrow

They will visit platform feeders in winter and are fairly common.

Rufous-crowned Sparrow

A long-tailed skulker of rocky, brushy hillsides and canyons. A small, year-round bird in Los Alamos.

Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis
(Slate-colored variant)

13 - 16 cm. The Dark-eyed Junco shows much geographical variation in color. The variety of the southern Rockies is grey all over with a reddish-brown back for both the male and female. It is a lively territorial bird. It is a ground dweller that feeds on seeds and small fruits in clearings of the coniferous forest. Juncos are commonly called "Snowbirds" because they herald winter and are often seen feeding on snow covered berry bushes and grasses. They travel in flocks with one leader. Members of a flock keep in touch with a constantly calling tsick or tchet. They lay 3 - 6 bluish or greenish eggs, with variegated blotches in a compact nest of rootlets, shreds of bark, twigs and mosses, lined with grasses and hair, placed on the ground protected by a rock ledge, a mud bank, tufts of weeds or a fallen log. They prefer eating seeds spilled on the ground: white proso millet, red proso millet, and cracked corn. They enjoy gardens gone to seed and having water nearby.

Very common in winter and will visit platform feeders. Photo shows "slate-colored" variant, which has a solid gray on the head, back and sides.

Dark-eyed Junco
(Gray-headed variant)

The Gray-headed Junco is a variant of the Dark-eyed Junco. This variant has a reddish patch on the back. Very common winter visitor at any bird feeder.

Dark-eyed Junco
(Oregon variant)

The Oregon Junco is a variant of the Dark-eyed Junco. This variant has a black or slate hood and chestnut back. Very common winter visitor at any bird feeder.

House Sparrow