Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Anhinga

As can be best determined, the Anhinga no longer breeds in Oklahoma, but once did so.  Foremost authority on breeding birds, data from the late George Miksch Sutton listed this bird as a breeder in 1937 in McCurtain County, most likely at Red Slough WMA which did not exist then.  After a period of time, the bird was sighted by a well-known biologist at Red Slough in 1974, when it was first recorded on eBird, still observed recently as a species.

There were later breeding records in Sequoyah County from 1971 to 1972(last seen as a species in 2014 via eBird), and at Little River NWR from 1991-1993( last seen May of 2018 as a species via eBird).

The snake-bird is uncommon, and found in wooded swamps, as well as along canals and ponds.  They tend to form small groupings, roosting in trees over water.  It has the attributes of both diving and water birds, which serve it well.  They are often confused with cormorants, but are much larger and have a thinner build.

                                                                 Male Anhinga
                                                      Estero Llano Grande, TX 2017

Male water crows are beautiful in breeding plumage with green lores, a black crest and silver offsets on the wings and upper back.  The body appears to look like a glossy greenish black.   While submerged in water, often the head and bill are the only parts of the bird seen.  The tail is used as a fan-shaped rudder.

As breeding birds, they are colonial with nests no greater than a dozen, anywhere from six to twenty feet over water.  Branches, twigs and leaves are used for construction from substrate to lining.  Nest sites are sometimes reused over the years.

These monogamous birds breed in their second or third year.  Males establish territory by taking old nests or building new framework.  They will display upon these structures by bowing, wing-waving, and feather ruffling.  Females respond to the nest and repeat this behavior.  Pairing occurs shortly thereafter, as well as copulation.  The male will gather nesting material and the female places it where she will.  A few days later after construction is complete, egg laying begins.  Hatchlings are bald, but begin to gain a tan down in a couple of weeks, followed by a white one.

These neotropical migrants only migrate if in the extreme north and south of their ranges.

Hanging Out In the Lower Rio Grande Valley with the Birds:

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2017/02/representatives-of-days-3-through-5-in.html

My Photo on eBird Explore

https://ebird.org/species/norbob

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Yellow-headed Blackbird

The Yellow-headed Blackbird offers a harsh, unmusical utterance, even harsher than the Red-winged Blackbird, sounding quite like a rusty hinge.  They will roost and nest within thick, reedy marshes.  Sometimes these flocking birds will mix with other blackbirds to forage for invertebrates and seeds in pastures and fields, where they can obtain sufficient food in both arenas.  They can be found often in cow pastures where refuse from the animals is readily found to attract a variety of insects and flies.

Perhaps one of the most beautiful of blackbirds, the male of the species boasts a bright yellow head, throat, and breast with white primary wing coverts.

They are colonial nesters in marshes west of the Great Lakes, with the nest being attached to vegetation in marshes.  They often sit upon cattails to keep intruders out of their little piece of real estate by displaying and announcing their territorial rights, and often nest with Red-winged Blackbirds.  Breeding males usually have eight females at their disposal for breeding purposes and females will often mate with males in adjacent territories.  They have a cooperative relationship with Forster's Terns to mob predators or give alarm calls.  Yellow-heads may still be breeding in Texas County, OK, and are generally a new breeding species.

In winter, they often migrate to Mexico and the southwestern US, joining large flocks with other birds.  Northern wintering populations are mostly males, while the southern group is usually females.

An interesting feeding technique is opening their bills in the ground like a post hole digger to unearth food and they will also overturn stones for the delectables underneath.

For Views of the Yellow-headed Blackbird and Other Species:

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2017/05/pre-and-post-storm-events.html

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2017/04/springs-migrants-have-been-dropping-in.html

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2016/07/alls-quiet-before-proverbial-storm-not.html

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Rufous-crowned Sparrow

A large, stocky sparrow that is uncommon on arid rocky hillsides or canyons with patches of grass and sparse shrubs.  It is usually solitary unless mated and will not flock.  Much more common in southwestern states like Arizona, it is becoming much less common in Oklahoma.  Its most likely observation spot is either at Black Mesa, Black Mesa State Park, or the Wichita Mountain NWR in the Sunset picnic area in western and southwestern Oklahoma, respectively.

Known for the dark lateral throat striping, the red rear eyeline, pale malars, and split rufous crown with plain gray breast and ground dwelling behavior, it appears to resemble a towhee phylogenically.  It also has a husky descending chatter that seems like it is more mumbled than clear.

                                                           Rufous-crowned Sparrow
                                                          Santa Rita Lodge, AZ 2018

With isolated populations and from twelve common subspecies up to another six more possible,  its populations are often very isolated from one another.

They are insectivores during the spring and summer, then rely on seeds for the winter.

Nests are often predated upon by snakes and a number of mammals, to which the sparrow has adopted a few defense mechanisms.  It uses the drooping wing like the Killdeer, falling from a bush, and the "rodent" run voicing a drawn out alarm call, where all three habits take predators away from the nest.

Its breeding area is a sparsely vegetated scrubland.  The males are very territorial and guard their breeding grounds throughout the year.  When a nest site has been chosen, they will usually rely upon it for many years.  A single brooder, but a clutch replacer when necessary, this species is a victim of the Brown-headed Cowbird.

Rodenticides are also a problem for this species, namely warfarin, since they spend so much of their time on or near the ground.

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Louisiana Waterthrush

Having a sweet, clear and musical song, this uncommon bird seeks standing water undergrowth in wood swamps where bald cypress, cottonwood, tupelo, weeping willow, etc. are found.  The migrants of spring will be within dense brush adjacent to water.  These are one of the early birds in spring to arrive, and they look for bubbling springs in the remotest of habitat to perch to sing their lovely, lilting song.

This thrush-like new world warbler breeds in the eastern part of Oklahoma, enjoying many wet areas.  It it has a plain brown back with a white belly and a streaked breast with buff flanks.  The bright white eyebrow will separate this bird from the almost identical Northern Waterthrush, which also is seen in the area in summer.   It bobs while it walks, like the Spotted Sandpiper.

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/08/oklahoma-breeding-bird-species-profile_15.html

                                                             Louisiana Waterthrush
                                                            High Island Texas, 2015

When establishing territory, the male will sing nonstop, but when he finds a mate, his singing is then restricted to the morning.  Breeding habitat is near running water and dense vegetation to build a nest in a mud bank, in a rock crevice or within roots of trees.  This behavior is very similar to the American Dipper.  https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/07/species-profile-american-dipper.html

The warbler forages in leaf litter seeking ground insects, or salamander and small fish if the insects are rare.  They also depend upon flies, aquatic insects, and mollusks.

They are a declining species due to loss of habitat, channelization of rivers, impounding streams to create reservoirs, and pollution.  It is also threatened by logging, excessive irrigation, urbanization, and gas drilling.

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Northern Parula

In springtime, this delightful small wood warbler can be seen actively moving in upper tree branches seeking insects.  The Northern Parula, about the size of a kinglet, is one of those wee birds.  This multicolored delicate bird likes moist deciduous evergreen or mixed woods.  It can be found near any body of water and beard or Spanish moss is necessary for nesting.  Spanish moss will be found in the forests of the South, while beard moss grows in the northern areas.

This is usually a mid- to upper-story canopy bird that hovers for insects, but usually remains out of sight.  It is similar to a chickadee clinging to branches upside down.  They are actually quite friendly and tame when encountered.

                                                                  Northern Parula
                                               South Padre Island Convention Center, 2014

A breeder of the east, Northern Parula families are readily found in eastern Oklahoma.  The female is a pendulum nest builder in their favored moss of the region.  Sometimes clumps of vegetation and tangled vines are used for nest building.  At times the female will build a concealing veil above and around the nest, so it might only be visible from under it.  It takes about four days to build.  Though she is the sole incubator, she leaves the nest quite often to forage.  Both sexes feed the young, but the greater share is done by the female.

The original name for the Northern Parula was the Finch Creeper.   The species is known to hybridize with the Yellow-throated Warbler, and the offspring are called Sutton's Warbler.  They are extremely rare

One of the earliest spring migrants for warblers, this New World Warbler is found on the breeding grounds in April or May, with fall migration from September through mid-October.

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: House Wren

This upbeat and cheerful, bubbly sounding wren is common in dense, moist brushy patches, overgrown gardens, and thick hedgerows.  It has a thin, small eyebrow and is faintly barred with pale underparts.

Nesting in the northern segment of Oklahoma, it avoids drier uplands, choosing both natural and artificial nest cavities.  Dense, heavy woodlands are preferred for both living and breeding.

The most common wren has about the widest range of any song wren and besides nesting in the usual wren spots, has even been known to nest inside occupied houses.

                                                                   Marsh Wren
                                                             Boomer Creek, 2015

Fond of spiders and insects, as well as insects more inclined to be on the wing, it will also consume snail shells for calcium and grit.

Males usually arrive upon breeding grounds about nine or ten days before females, and the immatures are shortly after the adult males.  Males will nest in the same territory or not far from it.  Females like to return to the previous nesting areas, so the male will have plenty of possible sites for her to choose from.  Almost half of the males will have a second mate within his territory, and about the same chance for him pairing with the same original individual the next season.

Musician wrens are very competitive for females while courting and will displace a rival about half the time.  He will even go so far as to destroy the eggs and nestlings of another pair.  Being known for puncturing the eggs of other species, the House Wren does it merely for survival of the species, and perhaps to increase food sources.

Nesting cavities will have a one inch diameter entrance with a twig bottom substrate.  Nest cups are made with feathers, grass, and other soft material.  The species is double-brooded.

Who was around the House Wren today?

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-secret-of-wood.html

                                                     House Wren, Gray Eastern Subspecies

                                                  Three Lakes area, Miami-Dade County, FL