Yellow-Headed Blackbird

The Yellow-headed Blackbirds are a beautiful marsh-dwelling blackbird. in the west.  The male
adult has a bright yellow head, darker in winter, with a black mask. Females are a brownish with a supercilium and breast.  They have a whitish throat with throat with dark lateral stripes, plus a yellow malar stripes above them.

There was a increase in their population in the 70's  Local droughts can alter their numbers.  They breed in deep water wetlands of cattail, rushes or Phragmites.  They forages in adjacent grasslands or farmland.

The photos were taken in Cibola Wildlife Refuge near Blythe, CA, that is some 17,267 acres.

Ferruginous Hawk

The Ferruginous Hawk, Buteo regalis, is a large bird of prey.    It  belongs to the broad-winged buteo hawks.
An old colloquial name is "Ferrugineous Rough-leg", due to its similarity to the closely related Rough-legged Hawk.

Sexes are similar in plumage, but females are larger and show more pigmentation on legs.
There two morphs.  The dark morphs are not seen often.  The light birds are more common seen.

That choose open perches, man made or natural.

I think Carol got my problem solved.










DesertDale took these photo at Cibola Wildlife area.

Sandhill Crane

 Sandhill Crane at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge.  There must have been thousands of them, plus other kinds of birds.  They are very social,  stay in large flocks. 

 They nest around marshes.  At migration and winter they do feed on waste grain in open fields.  Their flight is graceful.  Their necks and legs outstretched and holding their wings mostly above the body. 

Their plumage is gray to white overall.  Adults have a  bare fore crown patterned of red and black.  The juveniles have mostly cinnamon-brown feathered heads and necks.


 

Burrowing Owl

DesertDale's photos for today. 
This is a Burrowing Owl looking out his hole.  They are a nocturnal .  They hunt insects , small mammals and birds.  They nests single or in small colonies.  They are a ground dweller, have long legs,unlike other small owls.  Greatly reduced in much of the northern Great Plains.

They often perches at the entrance   to its burrow.
This was found at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge.  It about 20  miles, south of Blythe.

Enjoy the info.  Kitfoxgal

Peregrine Falcon

 

DesertDale even had the pleasure of seeing a Peregrine Falcon, a rare bird that was almost wiped out by DDT by the 60's.for

It is known for its speed, grace and power in the air.  Someone has said they have been  clock  going 200 miles a hour.   It has been found on every  continent.  It has been known as the "Duck Hawk" in North America.  It is seen around water .

 

They primarily on birds taken in flight.  At time they will even feed on a bat or rodents.   They are a raptor with long pointed wings and a medium-length tail.  When sitting their wing go almost to their tail.

 

They nests on the Alaskan and Canadian tundra, and is the longest-distance migrant.     They  were almost wiped out by DDT by the 60's.

These photos was take at the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona.

Enjoy.  Kitfoxgal

Green-Winged Teal

 The Green -Winged Teal has a small compact body, rounded head.  Their bill are short and thin.
The male has a chestnut head with a green patch a white bar on each flank.  Females has a dull body and head, with a black bill with dull orange edges and a pale line on the sides of the undertail coverts and a white belly.
They are common and wide spread.

DesertDale took this photo at El Cajon.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

Green-Tailed Towhee 12-15-2013

DesertDale took this morning on our bird walk at Eastside Wetlands.

 

The Green-Tailed Towhee is a ground loving bird.  They often are found in the open to feed.  Their upper parts and tail are olive,  fading to a whitish  belly.  Their crown is a reddish, white loral spot , throat is white, dark stripes .

They are fairly common .  They breed in dense brush. They are uncommon the west coast.  Winter central Mexico.

 

Enjoy the post.  Kitfoxgal