Local Birds

Few predators are more dangerous to your backyard birds than the Cooper's Hawk. Their short wings and long tail give them agility to chase down other birds.

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a migratory species of woodpecker that nests across the northernmost third of Pennsylvania.

I came across one of my favorite birds while driving west on a Pennsylvania highway this week: the beautiful Rough-legged Hawk.

Winter is challenging for small birds like Carolina Chickadees, which weigh less than half an ounce, and Golden-crowned Kinglets, which weigh even less.

You're likely seeing many House Finches visiting your bird feeders this time of year. They're gregarious, so you often see them in flocks of 4 to 20 birds.

Winter is the best time of the year to see the Yellow-rumped Warbler in the Susquehanna Valley. Some spend the winter as far north as Canada.

Freshly fallen snow can be a great birding opportunity. Birds like Horned Larks that live in fields are usually pretty hard to find.

Next to the highways, hawks find easy hunting perches like utility poles, wires, and fences. They sit and watch from their perches for prey like voles and mice.

Chickadee identification is a challenge, but the good news is that you can enjoy your chickadees without knowing which is which.

I had a fun surprise last week. I watched from my car as two male Ring-necked Pheasants came strutting out of the bushes into a gravel parking lot.