# Wild Bird Guide > Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA > Generated by All in One SEO Pro v5.0.4, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. ## Posts ### [Blue-gray Gnatcatcher](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/blue-gray-gnatcatcher/) **Published:** April 30, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Weighing less than a third of an ounce, the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is smaller than almost all other Pennsylvania birds. **Content:** One of our smallest birds has [returned on spring migration](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/get-ready-for-spring-bird-feeding/). Weighing less than a third of an ounce, the **Blue-gray Gnatcatcher** is smaller than all other Pennsylvania birds, except for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and the [Golden-crowned Kinglet](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/surviving-winter-golden-crowned-kinglets/). This active little [insect eater](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tiny-bug-eaters-blue-gray-gnatcatcher/) spends its time searching for food on the leaves of deciduous trees. Despite its name, it actually doesn’t eat many gnats. Its favorite foods include spiders and a variety of insects like leafhoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. As gnatcatchers look for prey, they constantly flash the white patches on their tails from side to side, which may help to startle insects and reveal their hiding places. The overall gray color of gnatcatchers, coupled with the white patches on the tail and their behavior, gives the gnatcatcher the nickname “[tiny mockingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-mockingbird/)” – mockingbirds weigh 6 to 8 times more than gnatcatchers. Gnatcatchers will even mimic the calls of other birds, a behavior for which mockingbirds are famous. Despite those similarities, mockingbirds and gnatcatchers are not closely related. There are 18 species of gnatcatchers in the world, all in the Western Hemisphere. The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is the most widespread in North America, and it’s also the only migratory gnatcatcher. You can find them nesting across most of the United States and Mexico, plus southern parts of Ontario and Quebec. They migrate south in the winter, and are found in the southern United States, Mexico, Cuba, and parts of Central America. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** blue, gray **Bird Family:** Gnatcatchers **Birds:** Blue-gray Gnatcatcher --- ### [Winter Blackbird Flocks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/winter-blackbird-flocks/) **Published:** March 6, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Our local blackbirds spend most of the winter in farm fields. The flocks can number in the tens of thousands, primarily a mix of three native blackbird species. **Content:** Our local blackbirds spend most of the winter in farm fields. The flocks sometimes number in the tens of thousands, primarily a mix of three native blackbird species (**Red-winged Blackbirds**, **[Common Grackles](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/protect-your-bird-feeders-from-common-grackles/)**, and **Brown-headed Cowbirds**) as well as non-native **[European Starlings](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/european-starlings/)** (starlings are not members of the blackbird family, but you often find them flocking with blackbirds). Winter blackbird flocks [travel in groups](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) to eat up corn and other grains that were lost on the ground during the fall harvest. At night they roost in patches of forest near farm fields. If snow or ice covers the ground, many of these blackbirds find their way back to our yards to visit the bird feeders in large numbers. I spent some time watching this large flock of blackbirds a few weeks ago. It’s mesmerizing to see such a large group of birds taking off together and circling in unison. With such a large flock, you can occasionally find less common blackbird species like [Rusty Blackbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/rusty-blackbirds/), or even blackbirds that are usually found in the western United States, like Yellow-headed Blackbirds and Brewer’s Blackbirds. I didn’t see any rare birds this time. The most exciting part of that birding outing was the end, when a pair of Peregrine Falcons swooped into view. The entire flock of blackbirds took off together, avoiding the falcons as each made several attempts to capture a blackbird. Within a few minutes, there wasn’t a blackbird in sight as the flock disappeared over a nearby hill. The unsuccessful falcons perched in a distant tree, resting up for future hunting attempts. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, red **Bird Family:** Blackbirds **Birds:** Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird --- ### [Surviving Winter: Golden-crowned Kinglets](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/surviving-winter-golden-crowned-kinglets/) **Published:** January 22, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Winter is challenging for small birds like Carolina Chickadees, which weigh less than half an ounce, and Golden-crowned Kinglets, which weigh even less. **Content:** There’s a reason many species of birds fly south and leave Pennsylvania after summer ends. Despite the dangers of a long journey, it’s worthwhile for those birds to migrate so they can avoid the challenges of our winters. Birds don’t store a lot of fat on their bodies, so our local songbirds need to eat as much food as they can to maintain their fast metabolism to keep their bodies from freezing. Winter is especially challenging for small birds like **[Carolina Chickadees](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/carolina-chickadee-vs-black-capped-chickadee/)**, which each weigh less than half an ounce, and **Golden-crowned Kinglets**, which weigh about half as much as a chickadee. During a rough winter, we may lose half or more of our chickadees and kinglets. Birds have some interesting adaptations that allow them to survive cold weather. First and foremost, feathers are remarkably good at insulation. When a bird looks fat during the winter, it’s actually just fluffing up its feathers to create a thicker layer of protection. Most birds have feet and legs that are not protected by feathers. The feet of birds can be as cold as 30 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to their body temperature of about 105 degrees. To prevent heat loss, blood flowing towards the bird’s feet heats the blood returning to its body from the feet. Without that adaptation for cold feet, most birds would lose so much heat that they wouldn’t survive the winter. Chickadees and kinglets [live in flocks during the winter](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/), and that behavior may help them find enough food. They are inquisitive and persistently check for any source of food. When one bird finds some caterpillars, clusters of insect eggs, or sunflower seeds in a bird feeder, the whole flock may benefit. At night, chickadees avoid the wind and precipitation by roosting in tree cavities, [nest boxes](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/time-to-put-out-nest-boxes-eastern-bluebirds/), or winter roosting boxes. Kinglets don’t often use cavities, but the flock will roost together in a thick coniferous tree, usually pressed up against each other on one branch to trap more heat. Chickadees greatly benefit from well-stocked [bird feeders](https://order.wbu.com/mechanicsburg/bird-feeders) during cold weather. Their favorite foods include sunflower seeds (especially without shells), Bark Butter, suet, and peanuts. Kinglets rarely visit feeders, but when they do they’re most likely to come for [Bark Butter](https://york.wbu.com/bark-butter-with-calcium). Both birds need water to bathe and keep those insulating feathers in good condition, so consider adding a [heated bird bath](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/helping-your-birds-in-the-coldest-part-of-winter/). **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, gray, white **Bird Family:** Chickadees & Titmice, Kinglets **Birds:** Carolina Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet --- ### [Backyard Bird Feeding Starter Guide](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/backyard-bird-feeding-starter-guide/) **Published:** December 4, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Bird feeding is one of the most rewarding ways to connect with nature. Read our bird feeding starter guide to get started today. **Content:** Bird feeding is one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to connect with nature. For most homes near our Central Pennsylvania stores, creating a backyard feeding station can bring colorful songbirds right to your window. We have a wide variety of solutions for backyards of all sizes. If you’re just getting started, this guide will cover the basics of attracting birds, choosing the right products, and setting up your space for success. ## Start with the right feeders The type of feeder you choose determines which birds are most likely to visit. Tube feeders are excellent for finches and chickadees, while hopper feeders [attract cardinals](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-attract-cardinals/), grosbeaks, and sparrows. [Platform feeders](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/tray-feeders-a-favorite-bird-feeder-for-your-backyard-birds/) invite a wide variety of species, including ground-feeding birds like [Mourning Doves](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/mourning-doves/). For beginners, a mix of these options ensures diversity in your backyard. - Tube feeders – great for small seed blends like sunflower chips or Nyjer. - Hopper feeders – versatile and attractive to any feeder bird. - Suet feeders – provide high-energy food for woodpeckers and nuthatches. ## Choose fresh, high-quality seed Not all bird seed is created equal. Bargain blends often contain fillers like milo or cracked corn that many birds simply discard. At Wild Birds Unlimited, our fresh seed selection is formulated to [attract the widest variety of birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/attracting-more-birds/) in our region, ensuring nothing goes to waste. Our bird foods are ordered fresh every week and carefully chosen for quality. Unlike many store-bought mixes that contain fillers such as cracked corn, oats, milo, or red millet, our blends are free from waste ingredients. Every recipe is selected by us, with the right seeds and proportions to attract the birds native to this region. ## Don’t forget water and shelter Food is important, but birds also need reliable sources of water and safe places to rest. Adding a birdbath helps keep birds hydrated, especially during dry spells. Native shrubs, trees, and nesting boxes create shelter and encourage birds to return year-round. When food, water, and shelter are all present, your backyard becomes a welcoming habitat. ## Recommended starter products - Wild Birds Unlimited EcoTough Classic Hopper Feeder - Wild Birds Unlimited Advanced Pole System for feeder setup - Wild Birds Unlimited Bird Bath for fresh water - Wild Birds Unlimited Seed Cylinder or Seed Blend for versatile feeding ## Tips for success Consistency is key when you’re just starting out. Keep feeders full, [clean them regularly to prevent mold](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/), and position them near natural cover like trees or shrubs. Avoid placing feeders too close to windows to reduce the risk of collisions. Over time, you’ll notice patterns in which species visit and what types of food they prefer. Ready to welcome birds into your life? Stop by your local Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop for expert advice and the best selection of feeders, food, and accessories to get started. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds --- ### [Fall Bird Feeding: What to Do When Birds Eat Less](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/fall-bird-feeding-tips/) **Published:** October 3, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Birds will come to bird feeders at all times of the year, but be prepared to see a slow-down in their food consumption over the next few weeks. **Content:** Birds will come to bird feeders at all times of the year, but be prepared to see a slow-down in their food consumption over the next few weeks. This is the harvest season for birds, when there is an abundance of natural food available, lessening your birds’ need for the food you provide. Here are some tips to get the most out of [your backyard birds this fall](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/fall-bird-feeding/): - **Don’t stop feeding the birds!** The best way to get consistent bird activity in your yard is to reward your birds each time they visit. If birds come to your yard and find nothing to eat, you’ll become a lower priority. - **Put out less bird food.** Bird food, especially seed, will stay fresher stored in a cool, dry place than it will in your bird feeders. Fill your feeders only part way. You can use a serrated knife to cut seed cylinders in half. Wait until bird activity starts to increase again before increasing the amount of food you provide. - **Clean your bird feeders.** This slower time of year is a great time to [give your feeders a thorough cleaning](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/). Wash them with warm, soapy water, then rinse with a 10% bleach solution. Rinse again with fresh water, then let the feeder dry completely before adding food. You can skip the bleach step if you’re using an EcoClean feeder. - **Offer suet.** This is a great time of year to emphasize suet products like Suet Balls, Suet Cakes, Bark Butter, and Bark Butter Bits. Suet products remain fresh longer than most bird seed, but during this period of slower activity, you can cut suet cakes in half until bird activity increases. Additionally, you may attract a new kind of bird to your yard, because many of the migrating songbirds passing through our area like suet. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** black, white **Bird Family:** Woodpeckers **Birds:** Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch --- ### [Gray Catbirds: How to Attract Them to Your Feeders](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/gray-catbirds-2/) **Published:** September 18, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Melissa and I love watching Gray Catbirds at our feeders each summer. They're not the most colorful of birds, but they're energetic and social. **Content:** Melissa and I love watching **Gray Catbirds** at our feeders each summer. They’re not the most colorful of birds, with a mostly gray body, black cap, and patch of rust-colored feathers at the base of the tail, but they’re energetic and social. You can encourage catbirds to visit your feeders with their favorite foods: Bark Butter and Bark Butter Bits, [mealworms](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/), jelly, and sunflower chips. They also love berries, so plant native shrubs to supplement your feeders. Their favorite fruits include serviceberry, winterberry holly, dogwood, and native viburnums like arrowwood. In our yard, we’ve had a whole family of catbirds, most of them juveniles, visiting the elderberry bush in our front yard during the last few weeks. Gray Catbirds have a useful skill that most other birds don’t share. They are able to [recognize the eggs of Brown-headed Cowbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/gray-catbirds/). Cowbirds are parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. The cowbird nestlings typically hatch earlier than the eggs of the host species, and the nestlings are larger and more aggressive than their “foster siblings.” Catbirds solve the problem from the start by pushing the cowbird egg over the edge of the nest. Unfortunately, we won’t get to enjoy catbirds for much longer this year. They’ll soon migrate, flying south or east towards the coast. Looking back over the last thirteen years of bird data from my yard, the average date for my last Gray Catbird sighting is October 8 (their average return date in the spring is April 26). Along the Atlantic Coast, you can find catbirds wintering as far north as Cape Cod. Others move to warmer areas along the Gulf Coast, and some travel even farther, flying across the Gulf of Mexico to the Yucatan Peninsula and Central America. Very small numbers of catbirds can be seen in Pennsylvania during the winter, but they’re so scarce that I usually only see a “winter catbird” once every five years or so. Like most songbirds, the average lifespan of a catbird is between two and four years. However, the oldest known catbird lived nearly 18 years. It was banded, meaning researchers placed a metal ring on its leg with a unique identification number. It was first captured and banded in New Jersey the year I was born. It was last seen in Maryland a few months before I graduated high school. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, gray **Bird Family:** Mimic Thrushes **Birds:** Gray Catbird --- ### [Gray Catbirds: The Songbirds That Spot Cowbird Eggs](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/gray-catbirds/) **Published:** September 5, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Melissa and I love watching the Gray Catbirds that visit our yard every summer. **Content:** Melissa and I love watching the **Gray Catbirds** that visit our yard every summer. As a member of the same family as the [Northern Mockingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-mockingbird/), catbirds have an impressive song repertoire, and they’re relatively social and intelligent. They are one of the only birds that can recognize when their nest has been parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds. They will usually reject a cowbird egg, pushing it out of the nest. Gray Catbirds nest across most of the United States and southern Canada from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Mountains. They’re common in the Susquehanna Valley from late April through early October. During the winter, some catbirds stay in the United States, mostly along the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic Coast, as far north as Cape Cod. They’re rare in southeastern Pennsylvania in the winter. Other catbirds fly much farther south, with some flying across the Gulf of Mexico to southern Mexico, Central America, and some islands in the Caribbean Sea. Catbirds eat a variety of insects and spiders, as well as fruit. You can [attract more catbirds to your yard](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/gray-catbirds-2/) by providing their favorite foods, including Bark Butter, [mealworms](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/), suet, jelly, and sunflower chips. To cater to their love of fruit, try planting native dogwoods or native viburnums like southern arrowwood. Native berries tend to have a higher fat content than the berries that grow on non-native plants. Fat is an important energy source during migration to catbirds and other migrating birds. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, gray **Bird Family:** Mimic Thrushes **Birds:** Gray Catbird --- ### [Louisiana Waterthrush](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/louisiana-waterthrush/) **Published:** July 18, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The slurred whistles of the Louisiana Waterthrush are quite loud so that other waterthrushes can hear them over the constant noise of water rushing over rocks. **Content:** One of the Susquehanna Valley’s lesser known breeding birds can be found singing emphatically along forested streams. The slurred whistles of the **Louisiana Waterthrush** are quite loud so that other waterthrushes can hear them over the constant noise of water rushing over rocks. A pair of waterthrushes will defend a section of the stream, building a nest on the steep stream banks, often hidden under a fallen log or in the exposed roots of a fallen tree. Waterthrushes are more often heard than seen, but if you find them they are a lot of fun to watch. They spend most of their time near the ground, often on exposed rocks within the stream itself. They’re in constant motion, running or leaping from rock to rock, or making short flights over wider parts of the stream as they search for insects to eat. Even when a waterthrush perches, it keeps moving, because they constantly move the whole back side of their body in an up-and-down motion, like a fidgety dance. In fact, their scientific name *motacilla* means “moving tail.” There are two species of waterthrushes, which, despite the name, are members of the warbler family, not the thrush family. The Louisiana Waterthrush nests across most of the eastern United States, including the Susquehanna Valley. The Northern Waterthrush nests across Canada and a bit of the northeastern United States. It visits the Susquehanna Valley during spring and fall migration, but you’d need to go farther north or west to find them nesting in Pennsylvania. Both waterthrushes migrate and spend the winter in Mexico, Central America, northern South America, and on Caribbean Islands. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, white **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Louisiana Waterthrush --- ### [Get Ready for Spring Bird Feeding: Updated for 2026](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/get-ready-for-spring-bird-feeding/) **Published:** April 8, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Get ready for spring bird feeding! Migrant birds will arrive soon in our area, replacing winter birds like Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows. **Content:** **Updated for April 2026** It looks like we’re finally done with frigid winter days. Spring is here, and there are no freezing temperatures in the 10-day forecast. Get ready for spring! Migrants will arrive soon, replacing winter birds like Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. Tree Swallows are already being seen across our area, especially along the Susquehanna River. They’ll be followed soon by Chipping Sparrows. In late April and early May, watch for Northern House Wrens, Baltimore Orioles, [Ruby-throated Hummingbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/hummingbirds-will-be-back-this-month/), and Gray Catbirds. Brightly colorful birds like Indigo Buntings and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks might also visit your feeders in May. Follow these steps to be prepared for the birds arriving in your yard this spring (or just passing through on their way north): - **[Thoroughly clean your bird feeders](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/).** It’s important to keep feeders clean to protect the health of your birds and prevent the spread of diseases. Wash feeders in warm, soapy water, then soak in a 10% bleach solution. Rinse all the bleach off your feeders, then let them air dry before adding seed. - **[Make sure your nest boxes are ready](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/time-to-put-out-nest-boxes-eastern-bluebirds/) ASAP.** Songbirds aren’t building nests yet, but they’re definitely checking out the available real estate. Boost your chances of hosting nesting birds by making sure your nest boxes are ready to go. Lots of birds use nest boxes, including bluebirds, wrens, chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers, and Tree Swallows. - **Meet your birds’ nutritional needs as they prepare for nesting season.** Provide fresh bird seed, suet, [mealworms](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/), and Bark Butter. Your birds will benefit most from extra protein and calcium as nesting season approaches, and extra calories are beneficial as they migrate. - **Have your binoculars close at hand.** Many birds visiting your yard haven’t been there since last fall. If you’re lucky, you may see a species in your yard for the first time ever. Be ready to get a close look with a pair of binoculars. [Wild Birds Unlimited](https://wildbirdguide.com/about-us/) sells a variety of binoculars that are perfect for bird watching. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** blue, white **Bird Family:** Swallows **Birds:** Gray Catbird, Tree Swallow --- ### [Adaptations: American Robin](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/adaptations-american-robin/) **Published:** August 6, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** This week we visited Monticello, the historic site and former home of Thomas Jefferson, and met "Rob," an enterprising American Robin. **Content:** This week we visited Monticello, the historic site and former home of Thomas Jefferson. One of the neat things we saw was an active archaeological site where professionals were looking for artifacts prior to construction of a new walking path. We got to see “Rob,” an **American Robin** who was also checking out the site. According to one of the archaeologists, Rob discovered months ago that the dig site is a great place to look for earthworms. As you can see, he’s comfortable hopping right up next to people to find food. Robins aren’t the only birds that can adapt to new food sources. A remarkable example was seen in England in the 1920s in the Blue Tit, a relative of our [chickadees](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/carolina-chickadee-vs-black-capped-chickadee/) and [titmice](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmouse/). Back when it was common to have milk delivered at the front door each morning, the tits learned to hang from the top of the bottle to drink the cream off the top. The milkmen countered that behavior by adding a foil lid to the milk bottles, but then the Blue Tits learned to pierce the foil. It was a classic example of social learning in birds, as some tits learned the new trick just by watching others. Unfortunately for the tits, their free meals ended with the end of daily milk deliveries, as grocery stores and modern refrigeration became more common. Another example can be found on the other side of the world on the Galapagos Islands. One species of “Darwin’s finches” evolved the ability to use tools. No woodpeckers are found on those islands, but this finch uses small twigs and cactus spines to probe into crevices and holes in wood and bark in search of their insect prey. That behavior is especially useful during droughts, when other food is harder to find. That species has a very appropriate name – Woodpecker Finch. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, orange **Bird Family:** Thrushes **Birds:** American Robin --- ### [Migrants Return: Broad-winged Hawks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/migrants-return-broad-winged-hawks/) **Published:** April 17, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** I saw a small flock of hawks flying over the car as I drove home from work last week. I suspected they were likely Broad-winged Hawks. **Content:** I saw a small flock of hawks flying over the car as I drove home from work last week. Because I was driving, I couldn’t look closely enough to identify them as I drove down the highway, but I suspected they were likely Broad-winged Hawks. No other hawks in Pennsylvania are as likely to be flying in a flock, and this is the right time of year for them to return after their long migration. A few minutes later I arrived at my house, and there was a Broad-winged Hawk perched in the cherry tree next to my driveway, and another in my next-door neighbors’ maple. I spent the next ten minutes birdwatching in my front yard, and saw at least nine more Broad-winged Hawks flying overhead. Broad-winged Hawks are related to [Red-tailed Hawks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/red-tailed-hawk-in-lancaster/), but they’re much smaller, only about the size of a crow. Unlike most Red-tailed Hawks, Broad-wings are long-distance migrants. They nest across most of eastern North America, then fly to northern South America, Central America, and a few Caribbean Islands (especially Cuba and Puerto Rico) for winter. As they head south during fall migration, Broad-winged Hawks are the most numerous raptor species. At [Hawk Mountain Sanctuary](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/hawks-and-highways/), north of Hamburg, PA, 5 to 12 thousand of these hawks are recorded most years. If you go to Hawk Mountain in late September when the wind conditions are just right, you could see 3 to 4 thousand in a single day! Although still abundant, Broad-winged Hawk populations have declined over the past four decades. Their nesting range has contracted, and they have disappeared as a breeding bird across parts of southeastern Pennsylvania and eastern Maryland. Population declines are likely related to loss of the large patches of contiguous forest that Broad-winged Hawks need to breed. They may also be susceptible to environmental contaminants because they tend to eat more amphibian prey than our other local hawks (toads are a favorite prey in spring). Additionally, Broad-winged Hawks may face challenges far from here in their winter range, or in important habitats they use during migration. Spring is one of the best times of year to see Broad-winged Hawks in the Susquehanna Valley. If you see a hawk flying overhead, look for a thick band of white across the middle of the tail, a relatively dark-colored breast, and dark edges around the wings. As these hawks settle down to nest, they will spend most of their time high in trees in dense forest canopies. Once nesting starts, they’ll be hard to see until they take to the skies again to migrate in September. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, gray **Bird Family:** Hawks & Eagles **Birds:** Broad-winged Hawk --- ### [Canada Jays - Whiskey Jacks](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/canada-jays-whiskey-jacks/) **Published:** June 19, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** On a recent trip, we got great looks at a pair of Black-backed Woodpeckers (we found their nest!) and a family of Canada Jays, commonly known as Whiskey Jacks. **Content:** I just returned from a family vacation to Vermont. One of the highlights for our whole family was an early morning drive to a bog in the northeastern corner of the state. That bog is a great place to look for moose, one of which we saw from the car during the drive. Even more exciting for me, the bog is home for some birds that are usually found much farther north. There were a few rare species we weren’t able to find, like Spruce Grouse and Boreal Chickadee, but we got great looks at a pair of Black-backed Woodpeckers (we found their nest!) and a family of Canada Jays. Canada Jays are in the same family as Blue Jays, but they’re much more adapted to living in cold climates. They’re remarkably well insulated with their thick, fluffy feathers. The females lay eggs in late winter, many weeks before most other songbirds attempt to nest in Canada. The female jay needs to work hard to keep her eggs warm with temperatures as low as negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Researchers have found that a female Canada Jay will spend 98% of her time incubating eggs, leaving the nest for only a couple minutes every 3 to 4 hours. Males don’t help with incubation. The male may bring some food to the female as she sits on the nest, but often only once per day. During their nesting season, there is not much food to be found. Canada Jays are remarkably good at finding what little food is available. They also have a neat trick to prepare for winter. In spring, summer, and fall, they work hard to find food to store, or “cache” for later. They have evolved to produce large quantities of sticky saliva, which they use to adhere food to the bottoms of branches or under flakes of bark. They need to be careful to hide their food high enough in trees, because several feet of snow accumulates each winter. We saw only a single juvenile Canada Jay with two adults. Canada Jays often lay 2 to 5 eggs for each nesting attempt. By early June, the most dominant of the juvenile jays will often drive off its siblings, leaving it with all of its parents’ attention. That juvenile will stay with the parents all winter, and may even stick around to help feed next year’s young after they leave the nest. The “orphaned” juveniles that have been driven away often seek out other adult Canada Jays. A pair of jays that was not successful nesting will often adopt an orphaned juvenile, and the three birds will live as a family until next year. Due to their inquisitive nature and the way they steal food from humans, Canada Jays were often associated with the Algonquian trickster god Wisakedjak. To this day, that association persists in a common nickname for the Canada Jay – the Whiskey Jack. Many Whiskey Jacks have learned to investigate gun shots, in case there is a fresh deer carcass to peck at. They will enter tents or cabins or ride on canoes to see if any food is available to steal. They’ve even been seen plucking bacon out of a pan cooking over a camp fire. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** gray **Bird Family:** Crows, Ravens, & Jays **Birds:** Canada Jay --- ### [Eastern Bluebird Fledglings](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/eastern-bluebird-fledglings/) **Published:** June 12, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Three Eastern Bluebird fledglings have been visiting my bird feeders regularly. Young bluebirds are primarily brown birds with whitish spots. **Content:** Three Eastern Bluebird fledglings have been visiting my bird feeders regularly during the past week. [Fledglings are young birds that have left the nest](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/finding-fledglings/), but are still being cared for by their parents. My fledglings have frequently been accompanied by an adult male, almost certainly their father. Unlike the brightly colored adults, young bluebirds are primarily brown birds with whitish spots. You can usually distinguish males from females by more bright blue color in their wing and tail feathers. By fall, these young birds will molt most of their brown feathers and replace them with new feathers. After molting, they’ll look more like adults. A few weeks after these bluebird fledglings have left the nest, they’ll be off on their own. Their parents will likely start over with a new nest to raise another brood of offspring. That process usually starts with the male adding a bit of grass to a [nest box](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/time-to-put-out-nest-boxes-eastern-bluebirds/) while displaying for the female. She’ll then finish making the nest, lay 2 to 7 eggs, and incubate the eggs herself. A successful pair of bluebirds can raise three broods in a single breeding season. Although the fledglings visiting my yard in June will soon be independent, that’s not always the case with young from broods later in the nesting season. Juvenile bluebirds that hatch in July or August will often spend the entire winter with their parents before finding their own territories in the spring. I like reflecting on that in the middle of the winter when a half dozen bluebirds visit my feeders. It’s neat to think about that family connection across seasons as my bluebirds prepare for spring. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** blue, gray, white **Bird Family:** Thrushes **Birds:** Eastern Bluebird --- ### [Kingbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/kingbirds/) **Published:** November 20, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Kingbirds are flycatchers, and flying insects make up the majority of their diet. For that reason, you're not likely to see one visit a bird feeder. **Content:** For only the third time ever recorded, a **Gray Kingbird** is being seen in Pennsylvania. It’s been catching insects near a grain silo in southern Lancaster County, just north of Octoraro Reservoir. One of the other two Gray Kingbirds in Pennsylvania was seen in 2004 at a Christmas tree farm in Chester County (only 14 miles away from the current bird, as the kingbird flies), and another was photographed in 2020 in Bucks County near the New Jersey border. This kingbird had me thinking about one of my college birding adventures back in 2004. I jumped in the car with some Penn State friends early on a Tuesday morning. We drove down to Chester County and got a good look at the Gray Kingbird at the Christmas tree farm. From there, we drove west to Caledonia State Park to see a Varied Thrush, a species from western North America that had been visiting the feeders at the park’s nature center. We finished our day watching for a Snowy Owl from the side of a road in northern Franklin County. The owl was a no-show, but it was still a great day. A different species of kingbird, the **[Eastern Kingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/eastern-kingbird/)**, is a common bird in Pennsylvania between late April and early September. This time of year, Eastern Kingbirds have migrated to their winter home in the western Amazon Basin in South America. Eastern Kingbirds nest across most of eastern North America, with some getting as far west as Washington and British Columbia. Gray Kingbirds are usually found on islands in the Caribbean or in northern South America. A few nest as far north as Florida. [Kingbirds are flycatchers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/flycatchers-and-phoebes/), and flying insects make up the majority of their diet. For that reason, you’re not likely to see one visit a bird feeder. Watch for Eastern Kingbirds next spring in grassland or farmland. They often perch on utility wires while watching for prey to capture. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** brown, gray **Bird Family:** Flycatchers **Birds:** Eastern Kingbird, Gray Kingbird --- ### [Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/downy-hairy-woodpeckers/) **Published:** September 25, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Melissa and I have had a male Hairy Woodpecker and a female Downy Woodpecker visiting our feeders regularly this week. **Content:** Melissa and I have had a male **Hairy Woodpecker** and a female **Downy Woodpecker** visiting our [bird feeders](https://mechanicsburg.wbu.com/our-advanced-pole-system) regularly this week. It’s neat to see the dramatic size difference between the two birds when they happen to be present at the same time. The Downy Woodpecker is our smallest woodpecker, measuring barely larger than a Carolina Wren. Hairy Woodpeckers are nearly the size of a Blue Jay. Overall size can be deceptive when you don’t have the birds side-by-side, so also take note of how much longer the Hairy Woodpecker’s bill is relative to the size of its head. The large bill gives them a “big-nosed” appearance. These two look-alike birds were named for the texture of the white feathers that grow on their backs between their wings. They were named all the way back in the 18th century by Carl Linnaeus, a biologist from Sweden who is often called the father of modern taxonomy. Linnaeus designed the initial structure of the system we use to classify and name all organisms, from bacteria to pine trees to Downy Woodpeckers. Interestingly, Linnaeus named Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers without ever seeing one. The names are based on written descriptions provided by an American biologist. Both of these woodpeckers visit feeders in the Susquehanna Valley at any time of year. Like other woodpeckers, their favorite foods are suet, suet balls, Bark Butter and Bark Butter Bits, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and [mealworms](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/). Watch for them and Pennsylvania’s other five woodpecker species: [Red-bellied Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/red-bellied-woodpeckers/), Red-headed Woodpecker, [Pileated Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/north-americas-biggest-woodpecker-pileated-woodpecker/), Northern Flicker, and [Yellow-bellied Sapsucker](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-bellied-sapsucker/). **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, white **Bird Family:** Woodpeckers **Birds:** Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker --- ### [Keep Track of Birds Visiting Your Yard with a Yard List](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/keep-track-of-birds-visiting-your-yard-with-a-yard-list/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Many birders keep several lists of birds. One of my favorite lists to keep is my yard list, which includes birds I can see from my yard or that visit my yard. **Content:** Many birders keep several lists of birds. The most important is a life list, the list of all species of birds they’ve seen. The life list can be broken down into more specific lists, documenting birds seen in a particular country, state, or county, or in a certain month or year. One of my favorite lists to keep is my **yard list**, which includes birds that visit my yard, plus birds that I see from my yard. If you started listing the species you see in your yard, you’d probably be surprised at the diversity of your local bird community. I started keeping track of my yard list in the fall of 2012, and I added 38 species by the end of the year. After a year of counting the list was at 65. I added my 100th species in March of 2016 when a pair of Wood Ducks flew over the yard. The more species you add, the harder it gets to find new species. After adding #145, an Acadian Flycatcher, in September 2023, I had to wait more than two years to add any new species. I got lucky in late 2025 and saw #146, a Golden Eagle circling overhead on Halloween, and #147, a Greater White-fronted Goose flying by with some Canada Geese a few days before Christmas. If you’d like to keep a list, consider using the free [eBird](https://ebird.org/about/ebird-mobile) app. I’ve learned a lot about the birds in my yard using that tool. For example, I know to watch for [Rose-breasted Grosbeaks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/rose-breasted-grosbeaks/) during the first week of May as they arrive in our area on spring migration. I can see that [Ruby-throated Hummingbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/hummingbirds-will-be-back-this-month/) visit between mid-April and early October, but August and September are by far the best time to see them. [Dark-eyed Juncos](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/singing-juncos-dark-eyed-junco/) are on the opposite end of the calendar, arriving in the fall in the first week of October, and departing before the end of April. Here is a list of the top ten most common birds in my yard during the month of January: 1. White-throated Sparrow 2. Northern Cardinal 3. American Crow 4. Dark-eyed Junco 5. Carolina Chickadee 6. House Sparrow 7. American Robin 8. House Finch 9. Carolina Wren 10. Canada Goose **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** brown **Bird Family:** Ducks, Geese, & Swans **Birds:** Greater White-fronted Goose --- ### [Singing Juncos: Dark-eyed Junco](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/singing-juncos-dark-eyed-junco/) **Published:** March 12, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** One of my favorite signs of spring starting each year is the soft, faintly musical, trilling song of the Dark-eyed Junco. **Content:** One of my favorite signs of spring starting each year is the soft, faintly musical, trilling song of the **Dark-eyed Junco**. Juncos have the nickname “snowbird” in many parts of the country, because they are only present during the winter. In the Susquehanna Valley, they [start showing up in October](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/changing-of-the-guard-dark-eyed-junco/), then they’re mostly gone by late April. Through most of their time in our region, juncos don’t sing. A few start in late February. By late March, I hear juncos singing every morning from all around my neighborhood. The spring songs of juncos indicate that their hormones are starting to change as they prepare to migrate and start the nesting season. Although juncos are gone during the summer, some stay close by. They are common in forests in the northern half of Pennsylvania. A few may nest in northern Dauphin County or at the highest elevations in Cumberland and Franklin counties each year. Outside our state, you can find Dark-eyed Juncos nesting in the highest parts of the Appalachian Mountains as far south as Georgia. We can enjoy juncos for a few more weeks as winter comes to an end and spring begins. They are one of the easiest birds to attract to a [backyard feeding station](https://york.wbu.com/advanced-pole-system), but they don’t often visit the bird feeders themselves. Watch for them on the ground beneath your feeders, picking up seed dropped by other birds. They eat a variety of seeds, including sunflower and safflower seeds, but their clear favorite is white proso millet. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, white **Bird Family:** Sparrows **Birds:** Dark-Eyed Junco --- ### [American Black Duck](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/american-black-duck/) **Published:** March 5, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Look closely at a flock of Mallards this time of year, and you might find a similar species, the American Black Duck. **Content:** Look closely at a [flock of Mallards](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/wasted-effort-mallard/) this time of year, and you might find a similar species, the **American Black Duck**. Black Ducks are closely related to Mallards (they frequently hybridize), and they look a lot like female Mallards. As their name suggests, Black Ducks are much darker in color overall, with a paler face and a yellowish-green bill. Also watch for the speculum, a patch of colorful flight feathers on the wing of many ducks. A Mallard’s speculum (male or female) is blue with white edges. The speculum of an American Black Duck is purple with no white edges. Another difference is found on the bottom of the wing, where American Black Ducks have a bold white patch of feathers, seen only when they fly or stretch their wings. Unlike the common Mallard, American Black Ducks are scarce in Pennsylvania during the breeding season. Most fly farther north, with some breeding along the shores of the Hudson Bay in Canada. They also nest in beaver ponds throughout the forests of southeastern Canada, in the Great Lakes region, along the St Lawrence River in Canada, and along the Atlantic Coast from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. American Black Ducks are a conservation concern. For example, the Chesapeake Bay used to host around 200 thousand Black Ducks each winter. That population dropped to less than 40 thousand by 2005 due to overhunting, habitat destruction, and increased rates of hybridization with Mallards. Canada and the United States passed stricter hunting regulations in the 1980s, which helped slow population declines. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has been working for years to restore habitat in the Bay, with a goal of increasing the winter population to over 100 thousand birds. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, yellow **Bird Family:** Ducks, Geese, & Swans **Birds:** American Black Duck, Mallard --- ### [Flycatchers and Phoebes](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/flycatchers-and-phoebes/) **Published:** August 29, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Across North and South America, no family of birds has more species than the 441 species of Tyrant Flycatchers. **Content:** **Flycatchers and Phoebes** Across North and South America, no family of birds has more species than the 441 species of [Tyrant Flycatchers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/the-bane-of-birdwatchers-flycatchers/) (the hummingbird family is in second place with 363 species). The name “tyrant” comes from the aggressive way that many species of flycatchers attack larger birds that enter their territories. Tyrant Flycatchers are found only in the Western Hemisphere, although there are a few other families commonly called flycatchers in other parts of the world, including the Old World Flycatchers and the Monarch Flycatchers. One of the most common flycatchers in Pennsylvania is the **[Eastern Phoebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/eastern-phoebe/)**. I photographed the phoebe in the photo above outside the research building at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Historically, most phoebes nested on cliff ledges. They have adapted to nest on bridges and on the sides of buildings. I found the phoebe nest in the photo below on the side of a storage shed. Most flycatchers fly far to the south in the winter because Pennsylvania gets so cold that there are few flying insects available. Eastern Phoebes are hardier than most flycatchers. They can survive on fruit when insects are unavailable, so most stay in the southeastern United States during the winter, rather than flying to Central or South America. Here in the Susquehanna Valley, we sit just at the northern edge of the Eastern Phoebe winter range, so you may occasionally see a phoebe in the winter. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, gray **Bird Family:** Flycatchers **Birds:** Eastern Phoebe --- ### [Crossbills](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/crossbills/) **Published:** July 11, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Red Crossbills are one of Pennsylvania's least studied breeding birds. To find nesting crossbills, you usually need to head north. **Content:** **Red Crossbills** are one of Pennsylvania’s least studied breeding birds. To find nesting crossbills, you usually need to head north. Most of eastern North America’s Red Crossbills nest in Canada or in states bordering Canada. You can also find smaller nesting populations of Red Crossbills in the higher elevations of the Appalachian Mountains to our south in West Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Within Pennsylvania, they’re few and far between, with small populations in the north-central part of the state. Crossbills, members of the finch family, are the only birds in the world in which the two parts of their bills (called mandibles) cross, with the tip of the lower mandible extending above the upper mandible. This unique feature is an adaptation that allows crossbills to specialize in prying open the scales of pine, spruce, or fir cones to access seeds. Crossbill bills are so specialized that different species and subspecies show a broad range of bill sizes, allowing them to efficiently eat the seeds from a wide variety of coniferous trees. North America is home to four of the world’s six species of crossbills. The Red and White-winged Crossbills are found primarily across northern North America and Eurasia. The Cassia Crossbill is found only in a small area in Cassia County in southern Idaho. The endangered Hispaniolan Crossbill is found only at high elevations in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, where they rely on seeds of the endangered Hispaniolan Pine as their main source of food. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** red, yellow **Bird Family:** Finches **Birds:** Red Crossbill --- ### [The "Bane of Birdwatchers": Flycatchers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/the-bane-of-birdwatchers-flycatchers/) **Published:** June 13, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Empidonax flycatchers are called the bane of birdwatchers because they are so hard to identify. Learn which clues help tell them apart. **Content:** Bird identification can be challenging, but few birds are [trickier to identify than flycatchers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/flycatchers-and-phoebes/) in the genus *Empidonax* – the genus is often called the “bane of birdwatchers.” These birds, nicknamed “empids,” represent 14 species worldwide, five of which visit Pennsylvania each year. All of Pennsylvania’s empids are small, mostly gray to olive in color, with two bars of lighter color on each wing. They are often distinguished from one another by very subtle features, such as the thickness and shape of the ring of light-colored feathers bordering each eye. Sometimes, identification of which species of flycatcher you’re seeing is impossible. This is the best time of year to tell them apart, because they nest in different habitats and sing different songs. For the five Pennsylvania species: - **Yellow-bellied Flycatcher** (top photo) – mature coniferous forests. - **Acadian Flycatcher** (second photo) – mature deciduous forests. - **Alder Flycatcher** (I’ve never photographed this species) – dense shrubby wetlands, especially along forest edges. - **Willow Flycatcher** (third photo) – shrubby open wetlands. - **Least Flycatcher** (fourth photo) – deciduous or mixed forests. The Willow, Acadian, and Alder Flycatchers can be found nesting each year in the Susquehanna Valley. Yellow-bellied Flycatchers nest in Pennsylvania, but only in the northeastern corner of the state. Least Flycatchers pass through on migration, but fly up to Canada and northern New England to nest. Like most North American flycatchers, all of the empids will fly south in the fall. Depending on the species, you can find them wintering anywhere from Mexico to southern South America. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, green **Bird Family:** Flycatchers **Birds:** Acadian Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher --- ### [Mourning Doves](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/mourning-doves/) **Published:** April 11, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** I came across a juvenile Mourning Dove this week in my yard. It had only been a day or two since it left the nest. **Content:** I came across a juvenile **Mourning Dove** this week in my yard. It had only been a day or two since it left the nest. You can recognize the juvenile in the photo above (versus the adult in the photo below) by its scaly, ruffled appearance. Adults have feathers that are more evenly grown without lighter edging to the feathers, giving them a more sleek, clean look. If you saw them side-by-side, you’d also notice that the juvenile’s tail is shorter. Mourning Doves are common across the mainland United States, as well as in southern Canada and Mexico. During the winter they’re also found in most parts of Central America. We see them all year in the Susquehanna Valley, where they are the only native species in the pigeon family, not counting the extinct Passenger Pigeon. Rock Pigeons, also known as “city pigeons,” are native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. Surprisingly for such common, widespread birds, Mourning Doves have a remarkably short average lifespan. While many songbirds like [cardinals](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-cardinals/) and goldfinches often live for three to five years, the average lifespan of a Mourning Dove is only about one year. They make up for a short lifespan by producing lots of young doves – they start nesting earlier than most small birds and continue nesting into late summer and early fall when almost all birds have started migrating or preparing for the winter. During the nesting season, they lay two eggs at a time, and they can start a new nest every month. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray **Bird Family:** Pigeons & Doves **Birds:** Mourning Dove --- ### [Finding Fledglings](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/finding-fledglings/) **Published:** June 18, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Read this advice from Dan with things you can do to help fledglings, which are young birds that have left the nest but still receive help from their parents. **Content:** A baby songbird, called a nestling, typically lives for a few weeks in its nest after hatching from its egg. When it’s ready, the nestling leaves the nest, and is now called a fledgling. It’s considered a fledgling as long as it still receives food and protection from its parents, which usually lasts another one or two weeks. Fledglings are usually close to adults in overall size, but with underdeveloped wing and tail feathers, small tufts of downy feathers, and pale coloration near the base of the bill. The best way to get a look at a fledgling is to watch the behavior of its parents. I first found this adult **[Gray Catbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/gray-catbirds-2/)** on the edge of a patch of forest. It was clearly agitated, raising its tail in the air and persistently calling. It came much closer to me than I would expect for a catbird. It was trying to distract me so that I wouldn’t notice its fledgling sitting a few bushes to the right. As you can see, this catbird fledgling was so young and inexperienced that it didn’t seem to realize how to hide properly. It was sitting even closer to me than the adult and barely seemed to notice my presence. It’s understandable that the adult catbird gets agitated when it sees a potential threat to its fledgling. These weeks as a fledgling will likely be the most dangerous part of this young catbird’s life. Its lack of experience in avoiding predators and finding food, plus the physical limitations presented by its still developing muscles and feathers, make it particularly vulnerable. [There are a few things you can do to help fledglings](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/what-to-do-if-you-find-a-baby-bird-on-the-ground/). First, give them space. My total time watching these catbirds lasted less than two minutes. Rather than try to get closer for more photographs, I moved away to give them space and limit the stress I was causing. You may be able to pick up a very young fledgling, but you should only do so if you need to move it a short distance from a dangerous location like a road. In addition to giving them space, many fledglings benefit from easily accessible food at bird feeders. They especially love foods high in protein to help them grow feathers. Feathers are mostly composed of a protein called keratin, the same protein that makes up your hair and fingernails. High-protein foods include [mealworms](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/), peanuts, suet, Bark Butter, and the new FeatherPro Superblend. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** black, gray **Bird Family:** Mimic Thrushes **Birds:** Gray Catbird --- ### [Phoebes Return: Eastern Phoebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/eastern-phoebe/) **Published:** April 9, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** A fun sign of spring is the persistent song of the Eastern Phoebe, which returns to the Susquehanna Valley each year during the month of March. **Content:** A fun sign of spring is the persistent song of the **Eastern Phoebe (pronounced “fee-bee”), which returns to the Susquehanna Valley each year during the month of March. The phoebe got its name from that song, as it sounds like it is repeatedly saying its own name. [These flycatchers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/flycatchers-and-phoebes/) are drably colored, but they have a lot of character and they’re fun to watch. Like other flycatchers, they often perch prominently, watching for flying insects that they capture on the wing. Phoebes are constantly in motion, [bobbing their tail up and down](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/palm-warbler/) while sitting on their perch. All species of flycatchers leave Pennsylvania during the winter. There are very few flying insects here during our coldest months, so they fly south to warmer climates. However, the Eastern Phoebe doesn’t fly nearly as far as the other flycatchers. Almost all of our flycatchers head to the tropics in southern Mexico, Central America, or South America. Eastern Phoebes spend the winter in the southeastern United States and northern Mexico. They winter regularly as far north as Maryland and Delaware, so every once in a while you might even find one here in Pennsylvania. In nearly three decades of birding in Pennsylvania, I’ve seen two winter phoebes, one in State College in 2003 and another in Lancaster County in 2023. With 442 species, the Tyrant Flycatcher family is the most diverse family of birds in the world. They are found exclusively in North and South America. [Six flycatcher species](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/the-bane-of-birdwatchers-flycatchers/) nest in the Susquehanna Valley each year, including the Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Wood-Pewee, [Eastern Kingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/eastern-kingbird/), Great Crested Flycatcher, Acadian Flycatcher, and Willow Flycatcher. After the phoebe’s arrival in March it is typically a month or more until the other five species arrive in late April or early May. Four more species are primarily migrants in our region, passing through each spring and fall – Alder Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, and Olive-sided Flycatcher. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray **Bird Family:** Flycatchers **Birds:** Eastern Phoebe --- ### [Life Bird: Virginia's Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/life-bird-virginias-warbler/) **Published:** April 2, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** I was excited to learn that another birder had found a Virginia's Warbler in PA. It's the first time that species has ever been reported in Pennsylvania. **Content:** When a birder sees a species of bird that they’ve never seen before, they call it a life bird. I’ve been birding in Pennsylvania now for more than three decades, and it’s gotten very difficult for me to see life birds in the state. That’s why I was so excited this weekend to learn that another birder had found a **Virginia’s Warbler** in Montgomery County. That’s not just a new bird for me – it’s the first time that species has ever been reported in Pennsylvania. Within minutes of arriving, I joined dozens of other birders as we enjoyed great looks at the little bird as it actively foraged in the bushes and vines of a hillside right next to the parking area. Virginia’s Warblers are typically found nesting in steep-sloped, dry forest habitat in the Rocky Mountains, especially in the Four Corners states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. It migrates to southwestern Mexico during the winter. This species wasn’t discovered until just before the Civil War, and it remains one of the least studied warbler species in the United States. Long-distance migrants sometimes fly in the wrong direction. It’s likely that the Virginia’s Warbler visiting Pennsylvania arrived last fall after taking the wrong course in fall migration. If that’s the case, it’s remarkable it was able to survive the cold, snowy winter we just had. There are a few close relatives of Virginia’s Warbler that you can find in Pennsylvania each year. Its closest relative is the Nashville Warbler (also pictured), which nests in the northern half of Pennsylvania. The two species have a similar pattern of coloration, with yellow on the throat and beneath the tail, plus a subtle patch of dark orange on the crown of the male. Compared to Virginia’s, Nashville is more colorful, with a yellow breast and belly, as well as greenish wings. Nashville and Virginia’s Warblers are also in the same genus as Orange-crowned Warbler and Tennessee Warbler, both of which pass through each year during spring and fall migration. The name of the [Virginia’s Warbler](https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Virginias_Warbler/overview) has nothing to do with the state of Virginia. The man who discovered the species in New Mexico in 1858 requested that the bird be named after his wife. Virginia’s Warbler is one of five warblers that were named after women. The Blackburnian Warbler was named in 1785 for Anna Blackburne, an English botanist. In the 1860s, Grace’s Warbler was named for the discoverer’s sister, Lucy’s Warbler for the daughter of the discoverer’s friend, and Adelaide’s Warbler for the discoverer’s daughter. Adelaide’s Warbler could have had a much longer name, because that woman’s full name was a mouthful – Maria Antoinette Adelaide Florentia del Carmen Swift Washburne. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** gray, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Nashville Warbler, Virginia's Warbler --- ### [Great Egret](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/great-egret/) **Published:** March 26, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** I saw my first Great Egret of the year this week. Egrets leave our area during the winter, flying closer to the coast where unfrozen water is easier to find. **Content:** I saw my first **Great Egret** of the year a few days ago. Unlike the larger Great Blue Heron, egrets leave our area during the winter, flying closer to the coast where unfrozen water is easier to find. The Susquehanna Valley is by far the best place in Pennsylvania to see Great Egrets. They are more abundant along the Susquehanna River than in any other part of the state. Watch for them between mid-March and early November. Egrets are long-legged, long-necked predators that hunt in shallow waters of wetlands, ponds, streams, and along the edges of rivers. Egrets will eat almost any animal they can find. They eat more fish than anything else, but they regularly eat crustaceans, insects, amphibians, snakes, and turtles. Egrets have even been seen eating small mammals and birds. Although they’re large birds, standing 37 to 41 inches tall, Great Egrets are noticeably smaller than their large cousin, the Great Blue Heron. Some Great Blue Herons can be over 50 inches tall. What I find remarkable is how lightweight these large birds are. They’re more than half my height (I’m 5’9″), but a Great Egret weighs barely more than two pounds! Birds are surprisingly lightweight due to their hollow bones and a series of air sacs within their bodies. The air sacs also help absorb extra oxygen to support their fast metabolism. Great Egrets are cosmopolitan, nesting on all continents but Antarctica. However, that may change in the future. There are enough differences between four subspecies of the Great Egret that it could be split into two or more species in coming years. If a split occurs, our Great Egrets could be renamed as Western Great Egrets or American Egrets. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** white, yellow **Bird Family:** Egrets, Herons **Birds:** Great Egret --- ### [Cooper's Hawk: A Backyard Predator](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/coopers-hawk-a-backyard-predator/) **Published:** February 19, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** Few predators are more dangerous to your backyard birds than the **Cooper’s Hawk**. Their short, round wings and long, rudder-like tail give them great agility to chase down other birds in flight. Cooper’s Hawks’ favorite targets include doves, jays, and robins, but they’ll also capture smaller birds as well as a variety of mammals like squirrels and chipmunks. These hunters are usually silent, but listen for the alarm calls of songbirds as they warn each other that a hawk is nearby. I’ve spoken to many people over the years who are concerned about the presence of a hawk in their yard. It’s certainly not a pleasant thought that the birds we love may get captured and eaten by a predator. However, it’s important to remember that Cooper’s Hawks themselves are fascinating, native birds. A hawk in your yard is a good sign that you’re providing high quality habitat to your birds. Provide [native shrubs and other cover](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/is-your-backyard-safe-for-birds/) for your songbirds so they have a safe place to hide from hawks. Hawks may temporarily reduce activity at your [bird feeders](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/backyard-bird-feeding-starter-guide/) as the smaller birds in your yard hide elsewhere. Given time, the hawk will move on to search for prey in other areas. Cooper’s Hawks represent a conservation success story. Historically, they were vilified as pests and aggressively hunted prior to their protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918. Many states in the eastern United States had them listed as Threatened or Endangered through most of the 1900s. Since the 1970s, this species has expanded its range and adapted to live in suburban habitats. They’re now fairly common across the United States, southern Canada, Mexico, and parts of Central America. Cooper’s Hawks are year-round residents in the Susquehanna Valley. The Cooper’s Hawk was named for naturalist William Cooper in the early 1820s. Cooper didn’t name the species himself. It was named in his honor by fellow naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte, a nephew of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The [American Ornithological Society](https://americanornithology.org/american-ornithological-society-will-change-the-english-names-of-bird-species-named-after-people/) announced in 2023 that it would rename all bird species with eponymous names (eponymous means it was named after a person). Due to its strong association with suburbs, one suggestion I’ve heard for a new name for Cooper’s Hawk is “Town Hawk.” **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, gray **Bird Family:** Hawks & Eagles **Birds:** Cooper's Hawk --- ### [Helping Your Birds in the Coldest Part of Winter](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/helping-your-birds-in-the-coldest-part-of-winter/) **Published:** January 29, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Bird feeding is beneficial to your birds year-round, but the coldest part of winter is your opportunity to help them when they need it the most. **Content:** Bird feeding is beneficial to your birds year-round, but the coldest part of winter is your opportunity to help them when they need it the most. Birds have very little fat on their bodies so that they can remain lightweight for flight. They rely on their feathers for insulation and their [lightning-fast metabolism](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/surviving-winter-golden-crowned-kinglets/) to generate the heat they need to survive. Keep them warm by providing Food, Water, and Cover. ## Food Birds spend most of their time eating or looking for food during the winter. They need to eat enough to fuel their metabolism, plus some extra to build a small fat reserve. That small amount of fat will keep their heart beating and blood pumping at night while they wait for sunrise. Focus on food rich in fat and calories, including suet, Bark Butter, Bark Butter Bits, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and tree nuts. You can find all of those ingredients together in some Wild Birds Unlimited blends like **No-Mess Plus** and **TreeNutty Plus**. Add a weather guard to your feeder so snow doesn’t block your birds’ access to the food. ## Water Many people are surprised to see birds bathe on a cold winter day. Despite the low temperatures, it is essential that they keep their feathers in good condition. Try using a **bird bath deicer** or providing a **heated bird bath**. Offering open water during the coldest part of winter can be a lot of fun, because you have the potential to see a wide variety of birds that may not have access to water elsewhere. ## Cover When they’re not eating, and especially at night, birds seek shelter from wind and precipitation. Some will roost in **[nest boxes](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/time-to-put-out-nest-boxes-eastern-bluebirds/)**, so keep your boxes up even though it’s not nesting season. Provide some extra insulation on the bottom of your nest boxes with some pine needles, straw, or leaves. Other birds like to use a dense bush or tree, especially conifers like cedar or pine. They may even use brush piles or discarded Christmas trees. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** olive, yellow **Bird Family:** Finches **Birds:** American Goldfinch, Fox Sparrow --- ### [Hawks and Highways](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/hawks-and-highways/) **Published:** December 11, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** The [Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in York, PA](https://york.wbu.com) sits right next to Route 30, with a fence and 60 feet of grass between the parking lot and the busy highway. That noisy strip of grass is actually a great habitat for a few species of raptors. Although hawks may initially be wary of the movement and sounds from passing vehicles, they quickly adapt to take advantage of premium hunting opportunities. 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. Rodent populations tend to be high near highways because of the food found in trash thrown from passing cars. The raptors that hunt near roads are usually the ones that like to eat rodents and other mammals. Most roadside hawks in the Susquehanna Valley are [Red-tailed Hawks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/red-tailed-hawk-in-lancaster/). Red-shouldered Hawks are more common near forested wetlands. Another roadside raptor in our area is a small falcon called the American Kestrel, which often eats more insects than rodents, especially during the summer. There is actually a common hawk in South America that spends so much time along roads that its official name is the Roadside Hawk. During my time working as a biologist at [Hawk Mountain Sanctuary](https://www.hawkmountain.org/), we took advantage of how visible hawks can be from the road with a biweekly raptor road survey. My coworker drove a set 34-mile loop at about 10 miles per hour. I sat in the passenger seat and recorded all of the raptors we could see. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, red **Bird Family:** Hawks & Eagles **Birds:** American Kestrel, Red-shouldered Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks --- ### [Tufted Titmouse](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmouse/) **Published:** October 23, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Tufted Titmouse is among the cutest of our backyard birds. Their crest makes them seem very expressive. **Content:** The **Tufted Titmouse** is among the cutest of our backyard birds. Their large dark eye is surrounded by white feathers, giving them the appearance of having cartoonishly large eyes. Their crest makes them seem very expressive, with the crest raising higher when they are agitated or excited. Their name is a combination of the root “tit,” meaning something small, and the adjective “maisa,” meaning little or tiny. Because the “mouse” part of the name is not related to the rodent of the same name, the plural of titmouse should technically be titmouses. However, practically everyone (myself included) uses the plural titmice. Tufted Titmice are nearly, but not quite, endemic to the United States (endemic means that they are found *only* in a particular region). Years ago, they were found in the United States and northern Mexico, but that changed in 2002 when researchers realized that the titmice in Mexico and southern Texas were a different species, the Black-crested Titmouse. Titmice are still not endemic, though, because their range has expanded northward into parts of southern Ontario and Quebec. The northern range expansion is partly due to changing climate, but largely due to the bird feeders offered by our Canadian neighbors. Titmice are omnivorous, eating a wide variety of insects, spiders, seeds, and fruit. They’ve even learned to check roads during the fall to eat pieces of acorns crushed by passing cars. Watch for titmice at any time of year in the Susquehanna Valley. They visit feeders year-round, but they’ll visit more frequently [when the weather gets colder](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/helping-your-birds-in-the-coldest-part-of-winter/) when insects and spiders are harder to find. They work hard to cache food, hiding it for later use. [Encourage titmice to visit your yard by offering their favorites](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/attracting-more-birds/), including peanuts, sunflower seeds, suet, and [Bark Butter](https://mechanicsburg.wbu.com/bark-butter-with-calcium) and Bark Butter Bits. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, white **Bird Family:** Chickadees & Titmice **Birds:** Tufted Titmouse --- ### [Keeping Clean: House Sparrows](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/keeping-clean-house-sparrows/) **Published:** August 28, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** I found this flock of House Sparrows in a patch of dust along the side of the road at the beginning of August. It was an entertaining scene. **Content:** It’s critically important for birds to take good care of their feathers. They use their feathers not just to fly around to find food and avoid predators, but also to keep their body temperature at an appropriate level. It may come as a surprise then that some birds spend time rolling around in dust or sand, but it actually improves feather quality. After making a small depression, a bird presses its belly into the dust, fluffs up its feathers, and shakes itself back and forth to get the dust moving across all parts of its body. The particles of dust help align the barbs of the bird’s feathers and reduce built up moisture, oil, and dandruff on its skin. It also can shake loose parasites like lice, mites, and fleas. I found this flock of **House Sparrows** in a patch of dust along the side of the road at the beginning of August. It was an entertaining scene, with a chaotic mix of at least twenty sparrows flinging dust in all directions, plus juveniles fluttering their wings to beg adults for food. The whole flock scattered each time a car drove by, but they were back at it less than a minute later. In addition to dust bathing, birds care for their feathers by bathing in water, using [bird baths](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/), puddles, the shallow edges of lakes, or even the morning dew that forms on leaves and grass. Many birds also use sun bathing, which encourages the parasites to move to shaded parts of the body where they are easier to remove. Sun bathing is also important just because of the energy provided by the heat of the sun, warming the bird’s body while allowing it to conserve the energy it gains from its food. Many songbirds use an additional method to care for their feathers, called “anting.” The bird will allow ants to crawl over its body (or sometimes it will pick up the ants and place them on its body). The ants attack many of the parasites found under the bird’s feathers. Some birds will crush the ants and rub the dead ants on their feathers, using the formic acid produced by the ant as a deterrent to parasites. When ants are not available, some birds have found other sources of acid to protect their feathers, including beetles, mealworms, and sumac berries. In urban habitats, they’ve even been seen using coffee, chocolate, or even cigarette butts. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, brown, gray **Bird Family:** Old World Sparrows **Birds:** House Sparrow --- ### [Yellow-crowned Night Heron](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-crowned-night-heron/) **Published:** August 21, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** A juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron turned up along the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. Learn how to identify this uncommon heron. **Content:** This juvenile **Yellow-crowned Night Heron** was a pleasant surprise. I was bird watching along the Susquehanna River, and when I turned back to the car I found the heron perched on the hood, right in front of the driver’s seat. Yellow-crowned Night Herons tend to be fairly approachable, so I was able to take several photographs before it flew away to land on the banks of the river. Yellow-crowned Night Herons are uncommon in Pennsylvania. They are primarily a tropical species that are found mostly in coastal areas in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Sea. They can also be found year-round in southern Florida and along parts of the Gulf Coast. During the nesting season, they migrate north along the Atlantic Coast, with small numbers nesting far from the ocean. [A single nesting colony is active in Pennsylvania](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/rare-herons-yellow-crowned-night-heron/), high in the trees above a residential area in northern Harrisburg. That colony was right across the river from the heron that visited me. A closely related species called the Black-crowned Night Heron nests in two separate colonies in our state, one in York and the other in Ephrata. The adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron photographed here was actually taken with the Black-crowns in Ephrata, as if it was visiting its cousins. The change in color from juvenile to adult feathers is dramatic, from brown stripes to a beautiful pattern of gray, black, white, and yellow. Despite their name, Yellow-crowned Night Herons are active both day and night. They eat many small animals, like frogs and fish, but they specialize in catching and eating crabs. For crabs with large claws, they pick up the crab by the claw and vigorously shake the crab until its arm is torn off. The juvenile heron that landed on my car left a regurgitated pellet (undigestible parts of their prey are regurgitated, just like owls do with the fur and bones of their prey). The pellet seemed to be mostly composed of the exoskeletons of crayfish. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, gray, yellow **Bird Family:** Herons **Birds:** Yellow-crowned Night Heron --- ### [Virginia Rails](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/virginia-rails/) **Published:** July 31, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Virginia Rails are not rare in Pennsylvania, but seeing one is always special. They are more often heard than seen. **Content:** Have you heard the expression “thin as a rail?” Most people think the word rail refers to a metal or wooden pole, but it is actually based on a bird called a rail. Most of the world’s 150+ species of rails are “laterally compressed,” meaning that they have a very thin profile if you look at them head-on. That shape helps them push through dense wetland vegetation like cattails. I found a few **Virginia Rails** a few months ago in a large wetland in western Pennsylvania. In addition to their laterally compressed shape, Virginia Rails are further adapted for squeezing through tight vegetation with a flexible backbone and durable feathers on the front of their head to resist wear. Additionally, they have long toes to distribute their weight, allowing them to more easily walk on soft mud and floating vegetation. Virginia Rails are not rare in Pennsylvania, but seeing one is always special. They are more often heard than seen, because they are secretive and rarely emerge from thick vegetation where they live. If you find a rail out in the open, they will usually run back into hiding. They may also dive under water to escape, using their wings as paddles. Because they are so hard to observe, we still don’t know many of the details of how Virginia Rails live. We do know that they are monogamous, and that they build several “dummy” nests in addition to the nest in which they lay their eggs. Usually they lay 8 or 9 speckled eggs, but they have been known to lay as many as 13. The young are precocial, meaning they are able to leave the nest within hours of hatching. They can’t fly yet, but they have a full coat of fluffy black down feathers and they can follow their parents and learn how to find food. To find these sneaky birds, your best chance is to learn their grunting calls. Visit a large wetland at dawn or dusk, when they’re most active. You’ll be looking for a mostly brown, gray-faced bird with a long red bill. They measure about 9 to 10 inches in length, which is slightly smaller than a Blue Jay. In the Susquehanna Valley you’ll need to search in spring, summer, or fall, because they migrate to wetlands closer to the Atlantic Ocean during winter. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, gray **Bird Family:** Rails **Birds:** Virginia Rails --- ### [Protect your Bird Feeders from Common Grackles](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/protect-your-bird-feeders-from-common-grackles/) **Published:** July 3, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Common Grackles can bully smaller birds at your feeders in spring and early summer. Learn how to protect your bird feeders from them. **Content:** You’ve likely had lots of Common Grackles visiting your feeders during spring and early summer. They cause a lot of frustration because they can be aggressive towards other feeder birds, they eat a lot, and they travel in flocks. Fortunately for your birdseed budget, we’ve nearly reached the end of “grackle season.” Although grackles live in the Susquehanna Valley all year, their impact on bird feeders is most noticeable during their nesting period between mid-March and mid-July. From later this month until late next winter, most of our grackles will gather in agricultural areas, often flocking with other species like Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and [European Starlings](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/european-starlings/). In addition to annoying us backyard bird feeders, Common Grackles are also a major agricultural pest, causing tens of millions of dollars of damage each year, especially to corn. Grackle populations greatly increased across North America during the last couple centuries as vast tracts of land were cleared for agriculture. Today, the grackle population is actually in steep decline, probably due to efforts to control their numbers in agricultural areas. Despite the headaches they cause for backyard bird watchers and farmers, Common Grackles are a fascinating native songbird. They are social birds, and about as clever and adaptable as Blue Jays. Take a few minutes this week and watch them interact with each other. There are a couple steps you can take to limit your grackles’ impacts on the other birds at your feeders. - Use the [Eliminator Squirrel-proof Bird Feeder.](https://lancaster.wbu.com/eliminator-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder) Its spring can be adjusted so that larger birds like grackles and starlings can’t easily access the bird seed. - A cage can be added to some bird feeders. With cage openings of 1 1/2 inches, smaller birds like finches, chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches can access the feeder. Squirrels and larger birds can’t get in. - Offer food in a large [tray feeder](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/tray-feeders-a-favorite-bird-feeder-for-your-backyard-birds/) separated from your other feeders by at least 20 feet. Grackles are pretty large, so most will prefer the large tray and spend less time visiting your other feeders. - Use safflower, a [bird seed](https://lancaster.wbu.com/no-mess-seed-blends) that most grackles, starlings, and squirrels don’t like. Safflower is a favorite of birds like [Northern Cardinals](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-cardinals/), [House Finches](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/house-finches/), Mourning Doves, and Tufted Titmice. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** black **Bird Family:** Blackbirds **Birds:** Common Grackle --- ### [Northern Parula](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-parula/) **Published:** June 5, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** I had fun last month watching a Northern Parula (a migratory warbling bird) in my favorite tree, the large white oak in my backyard. **Content:** I had fun last month watching a Northern Parula in my favorite tree, the large white oak in my backyard. Parulas are a type of migratory warbler. Most nest in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. In the winter, they’re in eastern Mexico and on most Caribbean Islands, with a few sticking around on the southern tip of Florida. Most songbird migration is finished for this spring, and most warblers have passed through and flown to forests to our north. Unlike most species of warblers, some Northern Parulas stick around in our area to nest in the Susquehanna Valley. Even for a warbler, Northern Parulas are small. They measure less than five inches from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail. They weigh only about a third of an ounce. In breeding plumage, the males have a bright yellow throat and a yellow and orange breast above a white belly. The head, wings, and tail are mostly blue, but a yellowish green back gives it one of its nicknames, the blue yellowback. White feathers line the top and bottom of the eye, a feature called a partial eye-ring. Northern Parulas typically nest in beard moss, which is a lichen in the genus Usnea that hangs like a beard from tree branches (they often use Spanish moss in the southeastern United States). Through the first half of the Twentieth Century, the Northern Parula population decreased dramatically across Pennsylvania as air pollution killed much of the beard moss. Happily, passage of environmental regulations like the 1963 Clean Air Act has improved air quality and allowed beard moss to grow again, and the number of Northern Parulas nesting in the Keystone State has been steadily increasing since the 1970s. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** blue, white, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Northern Parula --- ### [Brewster's Warbler | Golden-winged Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/brewsters-warbler-golden-winged-warbler/) **Published:** May 29, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** This "Brewster's Warbler," or Golden-winged Warbler, showed up in a natural area in eastern York County a few weeks ago. **Content:** This “Brewster’s Warbler” showed up in a natural area in eastern York County a few weeks ago. You often see quotes around this bird’s name because Brewster’s Warbler is not actually the name of a true bird species. This bird was initially thought to be a separate species, but it was discovered in the 1870s that it’s actually a hybrid of two closely related birds, the Golden-winged and Blue-winged warblers – remarkably, the genetic code of these two species is 99.97% similar. I managed to get photos of those birds this month as well, although they didn’t pose as cooperatively as the Brewster’s. Prior to the arrival of European settlers in North America, it’s thought that Golden-winged Warblers were found primarily in the northeastern United States, while Blue-winged Warblers nested in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The range of the Blue-winged Warbler expanded rapidly across the eastern United States as forests were cleared for agriculture and timber harvests. There is one other species in the same genus as these two warblers, the mysterious Bachman’s Warbler of the southeastern United States. Sadly, Bachman’s Warblers have not been seen since the early 1960s, and they’re almost certainly extinct. Golden-winged Warblers are becoming less and less common. Since the 1960s, their population in Pennsylvania has declined by more than 90%. As our forests mature, they are losing the more open, scrubby vegetation they need to breed. Additionally, hybridization with the more common Blue-winged Warbler is having a negative effect on their numbers. Even with their decline, Pennsylvania hosts about a third of the Appalachian Mountains breeding population of Golden-winged Warblers. It’s important that we protect these birds here in the core of their range. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** gray, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Blue-winged Warbler, Brewster's Warbler --- ### [Yellow-throated Vireo](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-throated-vireo/) **Published:** May 22, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Yellow-throated Vireo is the most colorful of Pennsylvania's six vireo species. Learn how to identify it by its yellow throat and spectacles. **Content:** With its yellow throat and bright yellow “spectacles,” the Yellow-throated Vireo is the most colorful of the six vireo species that can be seen in Pennsylvania each year. However, you often don’t see that color because these vireos spend most of their time out of sight up in the leafy branches of trees. Most of my Yellow-throated Vireo observations are of birds that I hear but never see. They have a buzzy, lazy sounding song, but they sing persistently throughout the day, unlike most songbirds that are quiet through the warmer parts of the afternoon. With an estimated Pennsylvania nesting population of about 96 thousand, Yellow-throated Vireos are much less common than the familiar Red-eyed Vireo, which has a statewide nesting population of about 5.6 million birds. The other Pennsylvania vireos include the Blue-headed (540 thousand), [Warbling](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/warbling-vireo/) (160 thousand), White-eyed (68 thousand), and Philadelphia (doesn’t nest in Pennsylvania, but passes through during migration) vireos. Look for Yellow-throated Vireos along the edges of large patches of mature forest. Like most of our nesting songbirds, they rely on large numbers of caterpillars to feed to their nestlings. Those caterpillars rely on the native plants they have evolved to eat. In particular, Yellow-throated Vireos are often found in forests dominated by native oaks and maples. It’s no accident that the Yellow-throated Vireos that stop in my yard in the spring always visit my favorite tree, which is a large native white oak. Unfortunately, Yellow-throated Vireos represent a cautionary tale on what happens when they lose access to caterpillars during the nesting season. These birds were once fairly common in the tree-lined streets of small cities across eastern North America. Many cities increased use of insecticides in the early 20th century in an attempt to eliminate the beetles that spread Dutch Elm Disease, which was killing many of the trees planted in urban landscapes. Native caterpillars were killed along with the beetles, and Yellow-throated Vireos vanished from our cities. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, yellow **Bird Family:** Vireos **Birds:** Yellow-throated Vireo --- ### [Yellow-throated Warbler: Yellow-throats vs Yellowthroats](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-throated-warbler-yellow-throats-vs-yellowthroats/) **Published:** May 15, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Yellow-throated Warblers nest high in sycamores along Pennsylvania rivers. Learn how to tell them from the Common Yellowthroat by plumage, habitat, and range. **Content:** A few weeks ago I photographed a Yellow-throated Warbler for the first time. They are hard to get a good look at because they’re not particularly common in our area and they’re active, mobile songbirds that spend most of their time far from the ground on the branches of sycamore trees. I finally had one perch long enough for me to capture this image. Yellow-throated Warblers are common nesting songbirds across the southeastern United States. Pennsylvania sits along the northern limits of their range. They are fairly common in southwestern Pennsylvania, and I saw them regularly near my parents’ house south of Pittsburgh. In southeastern Pennsylvania, they are concentrated along major rivers, especially the Susquehanna, Schuylkill, Delaware, and Lehigh (which is where I found this bird). Don’t confuse Yellow-throated Warblers with a different warbler species called the Common Yellowthroat. Both have bright yellow feathers on their throat, but overall they’re quite different. Yellow-throated Warblers have a bluish-gray back, white belly, and bold white and black markings on the face, breast, and wing. Male Common Yellowthroats are mostly olive-colored with a black “raccoon mask,” edged on the top with white. Female Yellow-throated Warblers look very similar to the males – female Common Yellowthroats lack the black mask of the male. Habitat is also a good clue for which bird you’re looking at. Yellow-throated Warblers nest high in sycamore trees along rivers. Common Yellowthroats are much more common, and you can find them in bushes along the brushy edges of fields throughout the Susquehanna Valley. In the next article, I’ll introduce you to another “yellow-throat” I came across this spring, the [Yellow-throated Vireo.](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-throated-vireo/) **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-throated Warbler --- ### [Water Witch: Horned Grebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/water-witch-horned-grebe/) **Published:** March 20, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The third week of March is the peak of migration for Horned Grebes in the Susquehanna Valley. Horned Grebes have lots of cool nicknames, like "Water Witch." **Content:** The third week of March is the peak of migration for **Horned Grebes** in the Susquehanna Valley. They’re on their way north from their winter range along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as on major rivers in the southeastern United States. They will nest in marshes and small ponds far to the northwest, mostly in Canada and Alaska. Horned Grebes are also common across most of Asia and Europe. Horned Grebes have lots of cool nicknames, including Devil-Diver, Hell-Diver, and Water Witch, for their ability to quickly drop under the surface of the water. The Water Witch nickname may also be related to their blood-red eyes and wailing calls. However, I’ve never heard a Horned Grebe call during more than three decades of birding. They are almost always silent while they’re here in Pennsylvania – they usually only vocalize near their nests up north. The official name of Horned Grebe refers to yellow tufts of feathers that grow on the sides of the head. The grebe in my photos is in its winter plumage, so it doesn’t yet show those distinctive yellow feathers. Grebes are remarkably well adapted for life on the water. They eat, sleep, and mate on the water, build floating nests, and carry their young on their backs as they swim. They feed by quickly diving under the water to capture fish. A Horned Grebe can be underwater for as long as three minutes at a time (although usually they’re only under for a minute or less), and can move several hundred feet before breaking the surface. To help propel them through the water, their [legs are positioned so far back on their bodies](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/our-weirdest-bird-pied-billed-grebe/) that they can’t stand or walk upright on land. In fact, the scientific genus name for this species, *Podiceps*, is based on the Latin words for “buttocks-foot.” **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, white **Bird Family:** Grebes **Birds:** Horned Grebe --- ### [Brown Creeper](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/brown-creeper/) **Published:** January 9, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Winter is the best time of year to see my wife's favorite bird, the Brown Creeper. I found one in my backyard on the morning of New Year's Day. **Content:** Winter is the best time of year to see my wife’s favorite bird, the Brown Creeper. I found one in my backyard on the morning of New Year’s Day. Creepers are sneaky little things. They look like a little moving piece of bark and have a very soft, high-pitched call. Watch for them moving up along the trunks and large branches of trees (they don’t descend head-first like [nuthatches](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/irruptive-migrant-red-breasted-nuthatch/)). After climbing high in a tree, they’ll often fly back to the base of the same tree, then work their way back up following a different route as they search for insects and spiders hiding in the bark. The photo below shows a better view of what a creeper looks like. There are nine species of creepers in the world, most called “treecreepers.” Almost all treecreepers are found in Asia, with two species in Europe. The Brown Creeper is the only species of creeper in all of North America. Brown Creepers nest in a variety of forest habitats across North America, as far north as Alaska and Quebec, and as far south as mountainous parts of Central America. Brown Creepers were actually the bird that inspired the invention of Bark Butter. In addition to using Bark Butter on a feeder, you can spread it directly on tree trunks where creepers spend most of their time. Bark Butter’s not just for creepers, though. More birds have been seen eating Bark Butter than any other type of bird food – 161 species in the United States so far! **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown **Bird Family:** Creepers **Birds:** Brown Creeper --- ### [Out-of-Season Visitor: Chipping Sparrows](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/out-of-season-visitor-chipping-sparrows/) **Published:** December 26, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Chipping Sparrows are common backyard sparrows, but they are not in the Susquehanna Valley all year. Learn when to expect them. **Content:** Just last week when I wrote about [Song Sparrows](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/song-sparrows/), I mentioned that other common backyard sparrows like **Chipping Sparrows** aren’t here in the Susquehanna Valley all year long. As it happened, my son Eddie and I found five Chipping Sparrows in York County the day after I sent that email. Chipping Sparrows are reported 10-40% of the time by birders in our area during the spring and summer, but less than 1% of the time between late November and early March. This time of year, most Chipping Sparrows are in the southeastern United States. The Chipping Sparrows we found were part of a mixed-species flock foraging in some bushes along the road. There were dozens of [Dark-eyed Juncos](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/singing-juncos-dark-eyed-junco/), a handful of White-throated Sparrows, a Northern Cardinal, and nearly a hundred European Starlings. Birds often flock together in winter to gain protection from predators like [Cooper’s Hawks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/coopers-hawk-a-backyard-predator/). In addition to having more birds watching for danger, it’s harder for hawks to target any specific bird when the flock flies together. Check out the differences in the plumage of the sparrow I photographed in December this year versus the bird below that I photographed years ago during the spring. The December sparrow is in its non-breeding, or “Basic,” plumage, with narrow dark streaks on the crown. The April sparrow below shows the Chipping Sparrow’s breeding, or “Alternate,” plumage, with bright rust-colored crown feathers and a pale strip above each eye. Like most songbirds, Chipping Sparrows replace most of their feathers once or twice each year through a process called molting. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, orange **Bird Family:** Sparrows **Birds:** Chipping Sparrow --- ### [Song Sparrows](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/song-sparrows/) **Published:** December 19, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Song Sparrows are one of the Susquehanna Valley's most common, and most commonly overlooked, bird species. They also happen to be one of my favorites. **Content:** **Song Sparrows** are one of the Susquehanna Valley’s most common, and most commonly overlooked, bird species. They also happen to be one of my favorites. It’s easy to dismiss them as “little brown birds,” but a closer look reveals a striking pattern of dark brown streaks on the breast, a white belly, and a striped pattern of dark brown and pale gray on the head. Song Sparrows are named for their beautiful song, recognizable by three emphatic introductory notes, and sometimes described as “*Maids, maids, maids, put on your tea kettle-ettle-ettle*.” The other abundant native sparrows in our yards are not with us year-round. Right now White-throated Sparrows and [Dark-eyed Juncos](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/singing-juncos-dark-eyed-junco/) are common, but they’ll fly north in April and May to breed elsewhere. The [Chipping Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/out-of-season-visitor-chipping-sparrows/) is common here during the nesting season, but right now most are waiting out the winter far to the south. During all parts of the year, you can see more native sparrows at your feeders by offering their favorite food, White Proso Millet. You can spread millet directly on the ground, where sparrows like to forage, or choose a seed blend that contains millet (like our best seller, No-Mess LM). Most birds that regularly come to feeders prefer other seeds to millet, so they toss the millet to the ground where the sparrows will find it. The [invasive House Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/keeping-clean-house-sparrows/) is abundant here all year, but despite its name it is in a different family of birds (sometimes called the Old World Sparrows). Unlike our native, or “New World” sparrows, House Sparrows are [cavity nesters](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/primary-cavity-nesters-nuthatch-northern-flicker-and-more/), competing with bluebirds, woodpeckers, and other native cavity nesters for nest sites in trees and nest boxes. House Sparrows are also more likely to visit your feeders in large flocks, and they’ll eat practically any type of bird food you provide. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown **Bird Family:** Sparrows **Birds:** Song Sparrow --- ### [Little Kings: Ruby-crowned Kinglet](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/little-kings-ruby-crowned-kinglet/) **Published:** December 12, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Ruby-crowned Kinglets are tiny, active songbirds. Learn how to find and identify them in your yard and local natural areas. **Content:** I make a point of going bird watching every day. Sometimes that means a fun trip to a beautiful natural area, sometimes it’s watching birds in my backyard as my dog chases her tennis ball. During the winter, when the sun sets so early, my daily birding is sometimes just exploring the small patch of bushes and trees next to the parking lot behind the [Mechanicsburg Wild Birds Unlimited](https://mechanicsburg.wbu.com/map). A few days ago that’s all my schedule allowed. It was cold and windy, and there were few birds to be seen, but I managed to find seven species, including a solitary Blue Jay perched in a tree, a [Mourning Dove](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/mourning-doves/) and 26 [European Starlings](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/european-starlings/) flying overhead, a distant Bald Eagle circling high in the sky, and the usual vultures (two Black Vultures and ten [Turkey Vultures](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/clean-up-crew-common-raven-and-turkey-vulture/) today), roosting on the cell phone tower south of Carlisle Pike. The highlight that day was a tiny **Ruby-crowned Kinglet** (to give you an idea of how tiny – [a kinglet weighs about half as much as a goldfinch](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/surviving-winter-golden-crowned-kinglets/)). I found it in some thick bushes in a gully, sheltered from the worst of the wind. It was energetically hopping from branch to branch, apparently trying to determine how much of a threat I was. He perched long enough for me to take the photo above. You can see the little patch of red feathers on the top of his head that give the species its name. Only the males have those red feathers, but they’re usually out of sight, covered by olive-colored feathers (check out the male kinglet in the photo below). When Ruby-crowned Kinglets get really excited or agitated, they raise the feathers on top of their head and it looks like a red flame. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, one of Pennsylvania’s smallest birds, nest across most of Canada’s forests, in the mountains of western North America, and in northern New England. A single kinglet nest can contain as many as 12 eggs, more than any other North American songbird. We see Ruby-crowned Kinglets in the Susquehanna Valley here from mid-September through early May, especially in October and April, when large numbers are migrating through Pennsylvania. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, red **Bird Family:** Kinglets **Birds:** Ruby-crowned Kinglet --- ### [Northern Cardinals](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-cardinals/) **Published:** December 5, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Northern Cardinal may be the most recognizable backyard bird in the Susquehanna Valley. **Content:** The **Northern Cardinal** may be the most recognizable backyard bird in the Susquehanna Valley. Males are often bright red. Females are a warm brown color with red highlights on the wings, tail, and head. Both sexes have a black mask pattern on the face with a thick orange bill. Cardinals also stand out as one of our few species of crested birds, along with Blue Jays and [Tufted Titmice](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmouse/). Northern Cardinals have adapted to thrive alongside humans. They are regular visitors to bird feeders, where their [favorite foods are sunflower and safflower seeds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/attracting-more-birds/). As bird feeding has become more popular, and as our winters have become milder, Northern Cardinals have been expanding their range northward. In the early 1900s, cardinals were common in Pennsylvania but were only found nesting in two of New York’s 62 counties, and they were extremely rare in New England. Today, Northern Cardinals are common throughout New York and New England, and they’ve moved into southern parts of Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick. With a name like Northern Cardinal, you may wonder if there is a Southern Cardinal. There’s no bird with that name, but there are two species of cardinals you can find farther south. The Pyrrhuloxia, a gray cardinal with a bent-looking yellow bill, lives in northern Mexico and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. The Vermilion Cardinal, a vibrantly red bird with a dramatically tall crest, is found in a small area of northern South America in Venezuela and Colombia. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, red **Bird Family:** Cardinals **Birds:** Northern Cardinal --- ### [Skulker: MacGillivray's Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/skulker-macgillivrays-warbler/) **Published:** November 28, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** A few days ago a birdwatcher found a MacGillivray's Warbler less than ten miles from my house. **Content:** A few days ago a birdwatcher found a **MacGillivray’s Warbler** less than ten miles from my house. My son and I spent a rainy hour searching for it on Thanksgiving morning. We heard it calling within five minutes of arriving, but it took the full hour before we got a decent look at it. I was lucky to have my camera up for the photo above, because that was the only time it perched in the open, and it was there for less than two seconds. MacGillivray’s Warblers are called “skulkers,” a term for birds that hide in dense vegetation and are very difficult to see. MacGillivray’s Warblers are usually found nesting in the western United States, from New Mexico to northern California, all the way north to southern Alaska and the Northwest Territories in Canada. In winter, they fly to western Mexico and parts of Central America. On rare occasions, they get lost during migration and end up in Pennsylvania. This is only the second MacGillivray’s Warbler I’ve seen – one showed up in Dauphin County in 2013. MacGillivray’s Warbler was named by the famous American ornithologist John James Audubon for his friend William MacGillivray, a Scottish ornithologist. Like other North American birds that were named after people, the name of the MacGillivray’s Warbler will eventually be changed. New names I’ve seen suggested for this species are Thicket Warbler and Brook Warbler, references to the streamside thickets where they nest in western North America. Although MacGillivray’s Warblers are rare in our state, there are four closely related warblers that are found every year in Pennsylvania, including the [Common Yellowthroat](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-throated-warbler-yellow-throats-vs-yellowthroats/) (see photo below), one of our most common breeding warblers. The other three are Kentucky Warbler, Mourning Warbler, and Connecticut Warbler. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** gray, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Common Yellowthroat, MacGillivray's Warbler --- ### [Tea-kettle Tea-kettle Tea-kettle: Carolina Wren](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tea-kettle-tea-kettle-tea-kettle-carolina-wren/) **Published:** November 7, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Carolina Wren is the most common wren in the Susquehanna Valley. Learn to recognize its loud tea-kettle song and where to find this noisy bird. **Content:** Small and sneaky, but very noisy, the **Carolina Wren** is the most common wren in the Susquehanna Valley. Their loud songs and calls are a year-round part of the chorus of nature sounds in your yard. I recognize their song as sounding like a loud “*tea-kettle tea-kettle tea-kettle*,” although in my sons’ science class they learned it as “*cheeseburger cheeseburger cheeseburger*.” In addition to their classic song, Carolina Wrens have a diverse repertoire of chattering calls, clicks, and whistles. Carolina Wrens are non-migratory, so the wrens you see in your yard this winter are likely the same birds that nested in your neighborhood a few months ago. Male Carolina Wrens defend a nesting territory year-round, and often remain paired with the same female for many years. They’re social little birds and often chatter to each other throughout the day. Males and females look very similar, but males are slightly larger, with thicker legs and a longer bill. Two other species of wrens are common in backyards in Pennsylvania, the Northern House Wren and the Winter Wren. You can tell Carolina Wrens apart from those other wrens by their size – it’s substantially larger – and by the bold white stripe of feathers above each eye. The other two species of wrens migrate. Northern House Wrens are common in the Susquehanna Valley from mid-April to mid-October. Look for Winter Wrens between early October and early April. Carolina Wrens are the most likely of our wrens to visit bird feeders. They love [mealworms](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/), Bark Butter, Bark Butter Bits, suet, fruit, and seeds with no shells. The wren in the photo below was enjoying a Hot Pepper No-Mess Seed cylinder in my backyard on a rainy day last fall. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown **Bird Family:** Wrens **Birds:** Carolina Wren --- ### [Nature's Clean-up Crew: Vultures](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/natures-clean-up-crew-vultures/) **Published:** October 31, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures often gather in flocks. Learn how to tell these two common Pennsylvania vultures apart. **Content:** A flock of vultures was perched behind the Mechanicsburg store when I got to work earlier this week. Most were **Black Vultures**, but a few **Turkey Vultures** were also present. You’ve probably heard that a flock of crows is often called a murder of crows. A flock of vultures has three traditional names, depending on what they’re doing. These vultures, sitting together in a group, are a committee of vultures. If they were flying together, they’d be a kettle of vultures. My favorite is the term for vultures gathered around a dead animal – a wake of vultures. [Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures are the only two species](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/clean-up-crew-common-raven-and-turkey-vulture/) of vultures found in Pennsylvania. Unlike most birds, Turkey Vultures have a great sense of smell, which they use to locate dead animals to eat. Black Vultures lack that strong sense of smell, relying on their sharp vision. In addition to looking for dead animals, Black Vultures keep a close eye on Turkey Vultures. If they see that a Turkey Vulture found a carcass, they quickly fly there themselves to try to steal part of the meal. Black Vultures are very social. Breeding pairs stay together year-round, and often for life. Adult vultures continue to feed their young for eight months after the eggs hatch, much longer than most other species of birds. They join up at communal roosts at night, perching with many other vultures, many of which are close relatives. One important benefit of the communal roost is that vultures that didn’t find food can follow those that did on the following day. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black **Bird Family:** Vultures **Birds:** Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture --- ### [Big Baby: Sandhill Crane](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/big-baby-sandhill-crane/) **Published:** July 5, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Several weeks ago I found a Sandhill Crane sitting on the ground on the far edge of a wetland. **Content:** Several weeks ago I found a **[Sandhill Crane](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/birds-of-heaven-sandhill-cranes/)** sitting on the ground on the far edge of a wetland. It was sitting in the same place two weeks in a row, so I suspected it was on a nest. The crane on the nest could have been a male or female, because both parents take time incubating eggs. I paid extra close attention on my next visit, because I had never seen a recently hatched crane in person. The photo above shows both parents with a two-week-old juvenile. You can recognize the male crane on the left because males are larger than females. I only ever saw the one young crane. It’s likely that this baby crane has no siblings, because crane parents usually separate the young when two hatch from the same nest. The female usually leaves the nest with the first crane to hatch, while the male cares for the second hatchling. It’s not fully understood why the parents separate the juvenile cranes, but it may be to prevent aggression between the siblings, or to decrease the chance that both juveniles are lost in one predator attack. Unlike songbirds that need to stay in the nest to grow for several weeks after hatching, Sandhill Crane juveniles leave the nest the same day they hatch, sometimes within a few hours. They can’t fly, but they hatch with a full coat of downy feathers and the ability to start walking around and learning how to find food. Cranes grow fast – the juvenile crane in the photograph will look like an adult and reach its full height of 3.3 to 3.9 feet by the coming winter. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** brown, gray, red **Bird Family:** Cranes **Birds:** Sandhill Crane --- ### [Leucistic Turkey](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/leucistic-turkey/) **Published:** June 20, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** My son Eddie spotted this leucistic Wild Turkey last week while our family was on vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. **Content:** My son Eddie spotted this leucistic **Wild Turkey** last week while our family was on vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. Leucism is a general term for a condition in which animals lack some or all of the pigmentation typical for their species. The leucistic turkey has a frosted, gray appearance. Compare it to the more typical Wild Turkey in the photo below. We found the typical turkey just a few hundred feet down the path from the leucistic turkey. Wild Turkeys are common year-round across much of the United States and northern Mexico. A few are found as far north as southern Canada. Turkeys were rare in the eastern United States a century ago, due to both over-hunting and habitat destruction. Thankfully, their population bounced back due to reintroduction of turkeys from other parts of the country, restoration of forest habitat, and enforcement of hunting regulations. Turkeys are omnivorous, but they’re primarily plant eaters, preferring nuts, berries, and seeds. They eat smaller quantities of animal prey, especially insects and snails. For such a large bird, Wild Turkeys have a surprisingly short average lifespan of only 3 to 5 years. They make up for their short lives with a high reproductive rate – a single turkey nest often includes 12 to 14 eggs. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown **Bird Family:** Pheasants & Turkeys **Birds:** Wild Turkey --- ### [Kites in the Sky](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/kites-in-the-sky/) **Published:** May 30, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Mississippi Kites usually nest in the southern United States. Read about a western Pennsylvania sighting and how to identify this raptor. **Content:** I was excited to see a **Mississippi Kite** last week while I was looking for birds in western Pennsylvania. Mississippi Kites usually nest in the southern United States, from Arizona to South Carolina. In winter, they fly all the way south to Paraguay, as well as parts of southern Brazil and northern Argentina. Birds that migrate such long distances occasionally overshoot their destination or fly in the wrong direction, so I felt lucky to be in the right place at the right time. This is the first Mississippi Kite I’ve seen in Pennsylvania, and the last time I saw that species was nearly two decades ago in Texas. Mississippi Kites are pretty small for raptors, only about the size of a crow. Their favorite prey includes insects, small mammals, and songbirds. Unlike the raptors that are common in Pennsylvania, Mississippi Kites usually don’t bother to perch after they catch prey. They bend their head down and eat while still flying. In addition to the Mississippi Kite, there are four other species of kites in the United States. All four of those species are mostly found in South America, but you can see White-tailed Kites in the western United States, Snail Kites in Florida, Hook-billed Kites in the southern tip of Texas, and **Swallow-tailed Kites** along the Gulf Coast, in Florida, and as far north as South Carolina. I saw the Swallow-tailed Kite in the photo below while it was flying far outside its normal range. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** gray **Bird Family:** Hawks & Eagles **Birds:** Mississippi Kite, Swallow-tailed Kite --- ### [Yellow Warblers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-warblers/) **Published:** May 16, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Yellow Warblers are such a bright yellow that they seem to glow. I've been seeing a lot of them this week. **Content:** **Yellow Warblers** are such a bright yellow that they seem to glow. I’ve been seeing a lot of them this week. They’ve recently returned from their winter range in Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. They’re one of the most widespread species of warblers in the world, nesting across most of North America. In Pennsylvania, Yellow Warblers are the third most abundant warbler species with a population of approximately 765 thousand, following only the Common Yellowthroat (1.2 million) and the Ovenbird (1.6 million). Like all warblers, Yellow Warblers are primarily insectivores. In fact, they are in the genus *Setophaga*, which means “insect eater.” Their diet is almost exclusively insects, especially midges (small flies), caterpillars, and beetles. They mostly capture their prey by picking insects off the surfaces of plants, but they sometimes fly from a perch to capture a flying insect. Yellow Warblers do not often visit feeders, but they’re one of over 160 species of birds known to eat Bark Butter. Not all yellow warblers are Yellow Warblers. The bird in the photo below is a yellow warbler, but it’s a different species called a **Prairie Warbler**. Note the distinctive facial pattern and the bold black streaks on its sides and flanks. Prairie Warblers nest in parts of the eastern United States, with just a few in southern Ontario. In winter, they live in Florida and on several Caribbean Islands. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Northern Yellow Warbler, Prairie Warbler --- ### [Tiny Bug-Eaters: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tiny-bug-eaters-blue-gray-gnatcatcher/) **Published:** May 2, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Many birds are returning to our area this time of year, including flycatchers, warblers, vireos, and this Blue-gray Gnatcatcher I photographed last week. **Content:** A lot of insectivorous birds leave Pennsylvania during the winter when there are few insects and spiders to be found. Many are returning to our area this time of year, including [flycatchers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/the-bane-of-birdwatchers-flycatchers/), warblers, vireos, and this **[Blue-gray Gnatcatcher](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/blue-gray-gnatcatcher/)** I photographed last week. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers nest throughout the eastern and southwestern United States and most of Mexico. In winter, they’re mostly found in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Cuba, and along the southern edge of the United States. Gnatcatchers are one of our smallest birds, weighing only 5 to 7 grams. You would need about 378 gnatcatchers to equal the weight of a 5-pound bag of bird seed! As their name implies, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are bluish gray in color. The bird in the photo above is an adult male, which you can tell by the black “angry eyebrows” pattern above its eyes. When a gnatcatcher flies, you’ll see white edges on its tail, similar to the pattern of a [junco](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/singing-juncos-dark-eyed-junco/) tail. Their tail is long for such a small bird, accounting for nearly half of the body length. Gnatcatchers are found only in the Western Hemisphere. The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is the only species that comes to Pennsylvania. Three other species are found in the western United States, and another 13 are found in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Recent research has shown that the gnatcatchers are closely related to wrens, like the Northern House Wren in the photo below. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray **Bird Family:** Gnatcatchers **Birds:** Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern House Wren --- ### [Helping Your Birds this Fall](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/helping-your-birds-this-fall/) **Published:** September 26, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Fall is hard on birds. Help them with high-fat foods, safer windows, lights off at night, fewer pesticides, native plants, and cats kept indoors. **Content:** This is a challenging time of year for your birds. Many are recovering from the physiological demands of laying eggs, defending a territory, feeding hungry nestlings, and molting to replace their feathers. Those nestlings that hatched this year are now mostly on their own, searching for their own food and safety as the evenings start to get cooler. Some birds are undertaking epic migrations to reach warmer climates and escape the coming winter. Birds like the Blue Jay in the photo are already caching – hiding excess food so they can find it again during a time of need. Here are some tips on how you can help birds thrive this fall: - **Provide high-quality bird food.** This time of year, focus on bird foods that are high in protein and fat, like Sunflower Seeds, Peanuts, Suet, Bark Butter, and Bark Butter Bits. - **[Make windows safer](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/is-your-backyard-safe-for-birds/).** This is a particularly dangerous time of year for birds colliding with windows. Many of the birds in our area are migrants who may not be familiar with your yard. Stop by the store to see options available to make your windows more visible to the birds. - **Turn off the lights.** Exterior lighting can be a dangerous distraction for migrating birds, which often rely on the natural lights of the night sky for navigation. - **Reduce pesticide use.** Most pesticides are not safe for birds. Some directly kill birds, while others kill birds when they eat insects that have been exposed to pesticides. Even if birds never come into contact with the pesticide, they are harmed because pesticides kill the insects they need for food. - **Keep cats indoors.** Outdoor cats kill billions of birds annually in the United States alone. Migrants and young birds are particularly vulnerable. - **Drink bird-friendly coffee.** Many of the birds migrating through your yard are on their way to the Tropics. By drinking Smithsonian-certified Bird Friendly coffee, you can ensure that some high quality habitat is available to them this winter. - **Reduce lawn – use native plants.** Native plants support healthy populations of the insects needed by many of your birds. You might not be able to make a big change in your yard, but every native plant you add will continue to benefit your birds for years to come. - **Keep your leaf litter.** Many of the caterpillars that your birds will rely on next year spend the winter in the leaves that fall from your trees. Whenever possible, leave leaves where they fall. If you rake up your leaves, find a place in your yard to keep them so that nesting birds will find a lot to eat in the spring. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** black, red, white **Bird Family:** Woodpeckers **Birds:** Blue Jay, Pileated Woodpecker --- ### [Thrushes](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/thrushes/) **Published:** March 7, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Thrushes are medium-sized songbirds with medium-sized bills, large heads, and strong legs. **Content:** Thrushes are medium-sized songbirds with medium-sized bills, large heads, and strong legs. Most thrushes focus on eating insects, spiders, and worms, and they spend a lot of time on the ground looking for their food. As a group, they’re known for their beautiful whistling songs. Worldwide, thrushes are found on every continent except for Antarctica. There are 175 species, of which eight visit Pennsylvania each year. - Three species are in the state year-round: Eastern Bluebird, **[Hermit Thrush](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/hermit-thrush/)**, and **[American Robin](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/adaptations-american-robin/)**. - Three species nest in the state but spend the winter in the tropics: [Veery, Wood Thrush, and Swainson’s Thrush](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/forest-thrushes/). - Two species are only seen as they pass through during spring and fall migration: Gray-cheeked Thrush and Bicknell’s Thrush. You’re probably already pretty familiar with bluebirds and robins. You may also see Hermit Thrushes in your yard this time of year. Watch for a bird that is shaped like a robin but with a shorter bill. The Hermit Thrush has a white breast with bold black spots, a brown back, and reddish-brown feathers on the wings and tail. Like robins, they’re likely to spend much of their time on the ground. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, white **Bird Family:** Thrushes **Birds:** American Robin, Hermit Thrush --- ### [North America's Biggest Woodpecker: Pileated Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/north-americas-biggest-woodpecker-pileated-woodpecker/) **Published:** March 14, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Pileated Woodpecker is North America's biggest woodpecker. Learn how to identify this crow-sized forest bird and where to look for it. **Content:** Every encounter I’ve had with the **Pileated Woodpecker** has been special. I saw them somewhat regularly in my forested backyard where I grew up, just south of Pittsburgh. I don’t have as many trees in the landscape surrounding my current home in Lancaster, so I’ve only found them in my yard twice in the last 14 years. Pileated Woodpeckers require patches of forest with many large trees where they can find a suitable nesting cavity and enough of their favorite natural foods: beetle and ant larvae. You can also attract them to your yard with [suet, tree nuts, and Bark Butter](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/attracting-more-birds/). Since the likely extinctions of the [Ivory-billed Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/pileated-woodpecker-camping-visitor/) of the southeastern United States and the Imperial Woodpecker of western Mexico, the Pileated Woodpecker is now the largest woodpecker species in North America. Their size allows them to perform many valuable functions in our forests. For example, they break down dead and dying trees into smaller pieces, accelerating decomposition and adding nutrients to the soil. Additionally, they [create nest cavities large enough](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/primary-cavity-nesters-nuthatch-northern-flicker-and-more/) for use by some other wildlife species like Eastern Screech-Owls and Wood Ducks. Finally, what’s the answer to the age old question: What is the correct way to pronounce “pileated?” Some people start the name with “pie” while others say “pill.” I’ve always been partial to “pill,” but *both* pronunciations are technically correct. What does “pileated” mean? The scientific name of the Pileated Woodpecker is *Dryocopus pileatus*. The name derives from ancient Greek words meaning “tree breaker” and “capped.” **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, red, white **Bird Family:** Woodpeckers **Birds:** Pileated Woodpecker --- ### [Time to Put Out Nest Boxes: Eastern Bluebirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/time-to-put-out-nest-boxes-eastern-bluebirds/) **Published:** March 21, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** If you want to see Eastern Bluebirds nesting in your yard this year, you should make sure you have a nest box set up ASAP. **Content:** If you want to see **Eastern Bluebirds** nesting in your yard this year, you should make sure you have a nest box set up ASAP. Bluebirds are already looking for where they want to build a nest this spring. I’ve been watching a battle this week among bluebirds, [House Sparrows](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/keeping-clean-house-sparrows/), and Tree Swallows, all trying to claim one of the two nest boxes I have in my front yard. Unfortunately, the House Sparrows are uncontested in controlling the box in my back yard. Bluebirds benefit from having food available near their nest box, but you don’t want the box to be too close to your feeders. It’s not good for your bluebirds to have too many other birds right next to their nest. In addition to [mealworms](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/), bluebirds love Bark Butter, Bark Butter Bits, suet, fruit, and sunflower chips (on their own or in a blend like No-Mess). **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** blue, orange **Bird Family:** Thrushes **Birds:** Eastern Bluebird --- ### [Changing of the Guard: Dark-eyed Junco](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/changing-of-the-guard-dark-eyed-junco/) **Published:** March 28, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Dark-eyed Juncos leave the Susquehanna Valley for nesting grounds to the north by mid-April. Learn how spring migration changes your yard. **Content:** April and May are months of transition for birds in the Susquehanna Valley. Some of our familiar winter birds will be departing to nest to our north. For example, you’re much less likely to see a **[Dark-eyed Junco](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/singing-juncos-dark-eyed-junco/)** in your yard after the middle of April. They nest north of us and in the Appalachian Mountains to our west. A few weeks after the juncos leave we’ll say goodbye (for now) to other common winter birds like White-throated Sparrows and Golden-crowned Kinglets. Other winter birds that aren’t here during the summer include Winter Wrens, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Pine Siskins, and Purple Finches (not to be confused with the much more common [House Finches](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/house-finches/)). As we lose our winter birds, we’ll gain several bird species that live south of us during the winter. Among the common yard birds, Tree Swallows and **Chipping Sparrows** are already returning. Over the course of April and early May we’ll also see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Brown Thrashers, [Gray Catbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/gray-catbirds-2/), House Wrens, Eastern Towhees, Baltimore Orioles, and Indigo Buntings. Depending on how much native vegetation you have growing in your yard, many of those birds might be nesting right outside your home this summer. In addition to all those migratory birds, remember that many species are found in the Susquehanna Valley all year, including most woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebirds, American Robins, [Carolina Chickadees](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/carolina-chickadee-vs-black-capped-chickadee/), Tufted Titmice, Carolina Wrens, White-breasted Nuthatches, Song Sparrows, and Northern Cardinals. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** gray, white **Bird Family:** Sparrows **Birds:** Chipping Sparrow, Dark-Eyed Junco --- ### [Hummingbirds will be Back This Month](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/hummingbirds-will-be-back-this-month/) **Published:** April 4, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Get your hummingbird feeders ready! Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are working their way north on their annual spring migration. **Content:** Get your hummingbird feeders ready! **Ruby-throated Hummingbirds** are working their way north on their annual spring migration. Many have departed their winter homes in Mexico and Central America. They’re common right now throughout the southeastern United States, including Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. They’re starting to show up in Tennessee and North Carolina. You can see them a little earlier along the Atlantic Coast – there are lots of hummingbirds near Virginia Beach, and a few have already been spotted in Cape May, New Jersey. I recommend having your feeder set up by April 15. You’re not likely to see a hummingbird until the last week of April, but you have a better chance of attracting them if you have your feeder filled and waiting when they arrive. **Offer your hummingbirds a mixture of one part table sugar to four parts water, with no red dye, brown sugars, or honey.** It’s important to [clean your feeder](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/) and change the nectar every day or two, even if you’re not seeing hummingbirds. Nectar will taste bad to the hummingbirds before it looks bad to you. By the time it looks bad, it can be dangerous for the hummingbirds to drink. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** green **Bird Family:** Hummingbirds **Birds:** Ruby-throated Hummingbird --- ### [The Biggest Songbird: Common Raven](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/the-biggest-songbird-common-raven/) **Published:** April 18, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Common Raven is the largest songbird in the world. Learn how to tell ravens from crows by size, tail, bill, call, and flight, plus where they live. **Content:** I enjoyed watching some aerial acrobatics above the [York](https://york.wbu.com) store a few weeks ago. An **American Crow** was dive-bombing a much larger **[Common Raven](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/clean-up-crew-common-raven-and-turkey-vulture/)**. This behavior is called mobbing, and it often involves flocks of birds like crows or jays attacking larger birds like ravens, hawks and eagles. The behavior is thought to be an instinctual reaction to the larger birds’ tendency to eat the eggs or young of the smaller species. Crows and ravens are related and they look similar, but there are several ways to tell them apart. Common Ravens are larger than crows and they have a longer tail and thicker bill (compare the two birds in the photo above). The raven’s call is deeper and rougher, sounding more like a *croak* than the classic *caw* of the crow. When they fly, ravens flap less frequently than crows, using their wider wings to glide. Common Ravens also perform barrel rolls, spinning in the air. I watched the raven in the photo above do several barrel rolls to avoid the diving crow. The Common Raven is the largest-bodied songbird on the planet. You can find them across most of North America and as far south as Guatemala and Honduras. They also live across most of Europe and Asia and in parts of northern Africa. My favorite raven encounter was captured in the photo below, when I found a Common Raven holding an entire ham sandwich in its bill. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black **Bird Family:** Crows, Ravens, & Jays **Birds:** Common Raven --- ### [Warbler Migration: Palm Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/warbler-migration-palm-warbler/) **Published:** April 25, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Warbler migration peaks in early May, but some earlier migrants are common in April, including this Palm Warbler I found in Lebanon County last week. **Content:** The New World Warblers are a remarkably diverse family of birds, with 115 species in North and South America. About half of the warblers live year-round in the Tropics, but the other half fly north into North America for the breeding season. Although such a long migratory journey can be perilous, our migratory warblers brave the journey to earn some particular benefits during the nesting season, including: - More space: North America is much bigger than Central America and South America. Migratory warblers have room to spread out and set up territories to ensure that they can find enough food to feed their nestlings. - Fewer competitors: The Tropics are famously teeming with life. There are not as many other birds competing for food for birds that fly farther north. - More time: The farther you get from the Equator during the Northern Hemisphere summer, the more daylight you get during each day. Migratory warblers have more time to search for the caterpillars needed by their demanding nestlings. Warbler migration peaks in early May, but some earlier migrants are common in April, including this **[Palm Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/palm-warbler/)** I found in Lebanon County last week. Palm Warblers don’t nest here, so they’re just passing through. In winter, they live in parts of Central America, on several islands in the Caribbean Sea, and near the Atlantic and Gulf coasts in the southeastern United States. Most of them nest in southern Canada, but you can find them breeding in the United States in northern Maine and near Lake Superior in Wisconsin and Michigan. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** red, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler --- ### [Birds of Heaven: Sandhill Cranes](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/birds-of-heaven-sandhill-cranes/) **Published:** May 9, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Sandhill Cranes nest in only a few places in Pennsylvania. Learn how to identify these tall birds and where to see them in the western part of the state. **Content:** I’ve been enjoying some time this year watching birds in western Pennsylvania near one of the only places in the state where cranes nest. Cranes are rare in the Susquehanna Valley, but they’re common year-round in the extensive swamps and farm fields west of Grove City and Slippery Rock, only about 15 miles from the Ohio border. I photographed these **[Sandhill Cranes](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/big-baby-sandhill-crane/)** a few months ago as they prepared to land in a farm field to look for food. Sandhill Cranes are omnivores, meaning that they eat parts of plants as well as animal prey. They spend some time searching wetlands and meadows for insects, small mammals, reptiles or amphibians. They also like crayfish, snails, and the eggs or nestlings of songbirds. They have adapted to find grains in harvested farm fields, especially corn. Natural plant foods include berries and the tubers (thickened parts of the roots) of some plants. Cranes are sometimes referred to as “birds of heaven” due to their elegant appearance and graceful flight. There are only 15 species of cranes worldwide, with some species occurring on every continent except for South America and Antarctica. North America hosts two crane species, including the Sandhill Crane and the endangered Whooping Crane. In our area, herons like Great Blue Herons and [Great Egrets](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/great-egret/) are much more common than cranes. They’re easy to tell apart when they’re flying. Herons fly with their necks folded into an “S” shape (see photo below), while cranes fly with their necks straight. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, gray, red **Bird Family:** Cranes **Birds:** Great Blue Heron, Sandhill Crane --- ### [Our Weirdest Bird?: Pied-billed Grebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/our-weirdest-bird-pied-billed-grebe/) **Published:** May 23, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Pied-billed Grebe is the most common grebe in Pennsylvania and a truly odd bird. Learn what makes grebes so weird. **Content:** I found a grebe nest a few weeks ago, which was a first for me, and it reminded me of how weird grebes are. The most common grebe in Pennsylvania is the **Pied-billed Grebe** (“pied” is an old word meaning black-and-white). The first thing you might notice in the photo above is how wet it is around the grebe’s nest, and that’s because they build *floating* nests. A pair of grebes can work together and build their floating nest in just a few days. Like the floating nest, a lot of a grebe’s weirdness comes from its adaptation to an aquatic life. [Grebes’ legs are located so far back](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/water-witch-horned-grebe/) on their bodies that they’re unable to walk or stand upright. The positioning of their legs allows them to dive under water and propel themselves quickly through the water to capture prey like fish, insects, and crayfish. They can move extra fast due to their lobed toes – each toe is wide like a little paddle, unlike duck toes that are connected with webbing. Each toe folds into a narrow, bladelike shape when moving forward, so the grebe doesn’t get slowed down as it resets for another thrust of its legs. Perhaps the weirdest fact about grebes is who their relatives are. Recent studies have shown that the birds most closely related to grebes are the flamingos! **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray **Bird Family:** Grebes **Birds:** Pied-billed Grebe --- ### [Savannah Sparrows](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/savannah-sparrows/) **Published:** June 6, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Savannah Sparrows are fairly common across most of North America. Learn how to identify this sparrow and where to look for it. **Content:** This **Savannah Sparrow** posed nicely for me last week. They’re fairly common across most of North America, but I don’t usually get so close to them with my camera. They’re pretty skittish, and they usually fly away to hide in tall clumps of grass when a person approaches. Even if the grass is only a few inches tall, a Savannah Sparrow can vanish the moment it reaches the ground. More often than not, I find Savannah Sparrows by hearing their soft, buzzy song. Savannah Sparrows nest in grassland habitats across the northern United States and most of Canada, all the way up to the Arctic northern limits of Canada and Alaska. They’re most common here in the Susquehanna Valley during the nesting season in spring and summer. During the winter they migrate to the southern United States, Mexico, and Cuba. In fact, they’re named after the city Savannah in Georgia, where they are common in winter. The Susquehanna Valley is right at the northern edge of their winter range. Like other grassland sparrows, Savannah Sparrows like to eat small seeds, as well as some berries, insects, and spiders. You can recognize a Savannah Sparrow by its almost white breast and belly, marked with boldly contrasting streaks, and by the hint of yellow behind its bill and above its eye. Unless you have large grassy fields near your house, the Savannah Sparrow would be a very infrequent visitor to your yard. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, yellow **Bird Family:** Sparrows **Birds:** Savannah Sparrow --- ### [Fledgling Swallows](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/fledgling-swallows/) **Published:** June 27, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Fledglings have left the nest but still get parental care. Learn how long Barn Swallow parents care for their young. **Content:** [Fledglings are birds that have left the nest](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/finding-fledglings/) but are still being cared for by their parents. Adults may care for their young for many months after they leave the nest for large birds like eagles and condors, but small birds like these **Barn Swallows** typically receive only a couple weeks of additional care before they’re on their own. We found several fledgling Barn Swallows, as well as [a few nestlings](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/what-to-do-if-you-find-a-baby-bird-on-the-ground/), in the rafters outside the visitor center in Cherokee, North Carolina. You don’t have to drive all the way to North Carolina, because they’re a common breeding bird here in the Susquehanna Valley. Barn Swallows nest across all of the contiguous United States, except for some areas in the Desert Southwest. They also nest in northern Mexico, southern Canada, and southern Alaska. Across the Atlantic Ocean, you can find them nesting all across Europe and Asia, from Portugal and the United Kingdom to Japan and northeastern Russia. During winter, North America’s Barn Swallows fly to southern Mexico, Central America, and all across South America. Unlike other long distance migrants, some Barn Swallows actually nest again in South America, where their summer coincides with our winter. Like other swallows, Barn Swallows eat almost nothing but flying insects. Watch for them over wetlands, ponds, and grassy fields where there are many insects to capture. They build their nests out of mud and grasses, often in the rafters of barns. In Europe, they’ve been nesting in human-built structures for more than 2,000 years. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** blue, orange **Bird Family:** Swallows **Birds:** Barn Swallow --- ### [Red-bellied Woodpeckers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/red-bellied-woodpeckers/) **Published:** July 25, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** I've been enjoying seeing a fledgling Red-bellied Woodpecker visiting my feeders during the last two weeks. **Content:** I’ve been enjoying seeing a [fledgling](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/finding-fledglings/) **Red-bellied Woodpecker** visiting my feeders during the last two weeks. You can recognize it as a fledgling by the complete lack of red feathers on its head. Adult females have a bright red nape (the back of the head). Adult males have that red nape, plus red across the top of the head to the base of the bill. Like [most other woodpeckers in Pennsylvania](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/downy-hairy-woodpeckers/), Red-bellied Woodpeckers are mostly non-migratory. You can see them year-round in your yard, and there’s a good chance the woodpecker you see in June is the same one visiting your feeders in December. They nest in cavities, either in a dead or dying tree, or in a [large bird house](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/time-to-put-out-nest-boxes-eastern-bluebirds/). In fact, the cavities created by Red-bellied Woodpeckers can be important nesting and roosting sites for many other animals, including titmice, chickadees, bluebirds, and small mammals like mice and squirrels. Although they have a lot in common with other woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers show a few differences that make them stand out. For example, they spend very little time drilling into wood for insect prey. They’re more likely to spend their time looking for seeds, acorns, fruit, or insects that are not hiding inside a tree. This difference is noticeable at bird feeders as well. Most of your woodpeckers will focus on your suet feeders when they visit your yard. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are far more likely to visit your seed feeders. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, red, white **Bird Family:** Woodpeckers **Birds:** Red-bellied Woodpecker --- ### [Peeps (not the Easter candy): Sandpipers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/peeps-not-the-easter-candy-sandpipers/) **Published:** August 1, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Fall migration is underway, and some of the earliest migrants are shorebirds like these Least Sandpipers I found last week. **Content:** Fall migration is underway, and some of the earliest migrants are shorebirds like these **Least Sandpipers** I found last week. As their name suggests, Least Sandpipers are tiny. They weigh in at 0.7 to 1.0 ounce, about the same as a [Tufted Titmouse](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmouse/), or less than half the size of a [European Starling](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/european-starlings/). There are several species of very small sandpipers that are collectively called “peeps,” for their diminutive size and soft, high-pitched calls. Least Sandpipers live remarkable lives. Like most other sandpipers, they nest far to the north in the Canadian tundra. Some spend the winter in the southern United States and Mexico, but many fly all the way to northern South America. Look for Least Sandpipers in very shallow water with patches of exposed mud. They’re easiest to find here during their fall migration between late July and early October. Smaller numbers pass through on spring migration in May. One other species of peep is visible in the photo above. Check out the cluster of five birds in the upper right corner of the photo. The bird farthest to the left in that group of five is a closely related species called a **Semipalmated Sandpiper**. It is a little more lightly colored, and if you look really close you can see that it has black legs compared to the yellow legs of the Least Sandpipers. Lastly, its bill is shorter and straighter with a more blunt tip. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, white **Bird Family:** Sandpipers **Birds:** Least Sandpiper --- ### [Fluffball: Green Heron](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/fluffball-green-heron/) **Published:** August 8, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** A juvenile Green Heron hatches in a stick nest over a shallow wetland. See this fluffy chick and learn about the life of this small heron. **Content:** This little fluffball is a juvenile **Green Heron**. It hatched from an egg only a few weeks ago, in a stick nest built on a tree branch overhanging a shallow wetland. For the next week or so, it will stay in or near the nest tree, with its parents bringing food several times each day. After that it will start following its parents around, learning how to find food for itself. Within about a month, it will be on its own. The adult in the photo below was only about 50 feet away and may be one of the fluffball’s parents. You can find Green Herons in most wetland habitats across Pennsylvania in the summer, especially where there are thickets of dense vegetation. Unlike the familiar Great Blue Heron, Green Herons spend less time out in the open, so you’re more likely to see them when they fly across the wetland. Green Herons are small, only about one tenth as heavy as a Great Blue Heron, or about the same weight as two [Mourning Doves](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/mourning-doves/). Green Herons are a fairly common breeding bird in Pennsylvania, but their population in the state has declined by about 15 percent since the 1960s. The stream and wetland habitats they use are abundant, and there is actually more wetland habitat in the state than there was 60 years ago. However, many stream and wetland habitats are of lower quality due to pollution from agriculture and acidic drainage from coal mines. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, green **Bird Family:** Herons **Birds:** Green Heron --- ### [European Starlings](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/european-starlings/) **Published:** August 15, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** You're probably seeing many young European Starlings in your yard this time of year. **Content:** You’re probably seeing many young **European Starlings** in your yard this time of year. Very young starlings have mostly grayish tan feathers, unlike the glossy black feathers of the adults. Whole families of starlings often descend on bird feeders during late summer, as the juveniles follow their parents and learn how to find food for themselves. Starlings may be frustrating this time of year, but they’ll be less of a nuisance as the weather cools off this fall. Most starlings spend the fall and winter in farm fields with [mixed flocks of blackbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/winter-blackbird-flocks/), including Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and [Common Grackles](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/protect-your-bird-feeders-from-common-grackles/). In the meantime, you can limit their access to food using cages over your feeders or resetting the tension on your Eliminator Squirrel-proof Bird Feeder. There are a few food options that starlings don’t like, such as Safflower and Simply Suet. European Starlings are native in Europe, northern Africa, and the western half of Asia. All of North America’s 200 million starlings are descendants of fewer than 100 starlings that were intentionally introduced in New York City in the early 1890s. Starlings are intelligent, adaptable birds, and they’ll eat almost anything, allowing them to thrive where people live. It took only a few decades for them to spread across North America in the early 20th century. In addition to North America, there are introduced populations of European Starlings in New Zealand, southeastern Australia, South Africa, and in parts of Argentina and Uruguay. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, brown **Bird Family:** Starlings **Birds:** European Starling --- ### [Sue the Grouse](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/sue-the-grouse/) **Published:** August 22, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** My wife Melissa and I just celebrated our anniversary. That reminded me of a trip we took to Wyoming years ago on our anniversary. **Content:** My wife Melissa and I just celebrated our anniversary. That reminded me of a trip we took to Wyoming years ago on our anniversary. That morning, I was delighted to see a **Dusky Grouse** walking around right outside our cabin. It was a surprise because of how secretive most grouse are, and I felt lucky to see one at all that week. It turns out I shouldn’t have been surprised. That particular grouse visited our cabin every day. By the end of the week it was walking inside the cabin and perching on the back of a couch. Melissa named the grouse Sue. The Dusky Grouse is a non-migratory species, living year-round in the Rocky Mountains. You can find them as far north as Yukon Territory in Canada and as far south as Arizona and New Mexico. At 2.5 to 2.8 pounds, the Dusky Grouse weighs about twice as much as Pennsylvania’s official state bird, the Ruffed Grouse. The Dusky Grouse is part of a large family of pheasant-like birds, with 186 species found on all continents except for Antarctica and South America. Three members of the family are found in Pennsylvania, including the native [Wild Turkey](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/leucistic-turkey/) and Ruffed Grouse, and the introduced [Ring-necked Pheasant](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/ring-necked-pheasant/). The Northern Bobwhite, which is much less common in Pennsylvania than it used to be, is part of a closely related family, which includes 33 species called New World Quails. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** brown **Bird Family:** Pheasants & Turkeys **Birds:** Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey --- ### [Brown Thrashers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/brown-thrashers/) **Published:** September 12, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Eight species of thrashers nest in the United States, but only one is found east of the Mississippi River. **Content:** **Brown Thrashers** Eight species of thrashers nest in the United States, but only one is found east of the Mississippi River. Other than parts of southern Canada, **Brown Thrashers** live exclusively in the United States. They nest all across the eastern United States and as far west as southeastern Alberta and eastern Texas. During winter, they migrate to the southeastern United States, staying as far north as southern Maryland. Brown Thrashers are common year-round in Georgia, where they are the official state bird. They were also the inspiration for the name of the Atlanta Thrashers, a professional hockey team. Brown Thrashers are fairly common nesting birds here in the Susquehanna Valley. Search for them in brushy hedgerows or dense shrubby areas within forests. Much like their relative, the [Northern Mockingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-mockingbird/), thrashers have a beautiful, whistled song. Learning their song is the best way to find them, because they spend the majority of their time on the ground, hidden by leaves and branches. In the spring, they specialize in finding ground-dwelling insects. This time of year, they’ve shifted their focus to berries and other fruit as they prepare to migrate. I got a close-up photo of the thrasher below after seeing it get blown out of the air by a passing vehicle. The bird was momentarily stunned and was sitting in the middle of the road. I picked him up to keep him from getting run over. It had recovered by the time I took a few pictures, and I watched it fly away into the bushes. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown **Bird Family:** Mimic Thrushes **Birds:** Brown Thrasher --- ### [Hairbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/hairbirds/) **Published:** October 17, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** It's really starting to feel like fall. In addition to the cooler weather, there have been some major changes in our local bird communities. **Content:** It’s really starting to feel like fall. In addition to the cooler weather, there have been some major changes in our local bird communities. Just this week, I’ve come across several birds that only live in the Susquehanna Valley during the winter, including Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Brown Creepers, [Golden-crowned Kinglets](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/surviving-winter-golden-crowned-kinglets/), [Dark-eyed Juncos](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/singing-juncos-dark-eyed-junco/), and White-throated Sparrows. Almost all of our “summer birds,” including warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and swallows are gone. Other species, like the **[Chipping Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/out-of-season-visitor-chipping-sparrows/)** in the photo, will be gone soon. Chipping Sparrows are one of the most common native sparrows across all of North America, nesting as far north as Alaska and Quebec, and as far south as Guatemala and Honduras. In winter they shift to the south and are mostly found in Mexico and the southeastern United States. A few stay farther north, especially along the coast. They’re common in the Susquehanna Valley for most of the year, from early March to early November. A few are often spotted in the winter in Pennsylvania, especially in milder winters. One of the old nicknames for the Chipping Sparrow was the “hairbird,” because they were often seen taking horse hair to use in their nests. That nickname was popular until the early 20th century. As more Americans started using cars to get around and horses became less prevalent in everyday life, fewer people saw Chipping Sparrows flying around carrying horse hair. Over time, the nickname faded into the past. You can find Chipping Sparrows in suburbs, along woodland edges, and in open woodlands like city parks or picnic areas with large trees. They are small and active, jumping around on the ground in search of small seeds and insects. They often visit birdfeeders, where sunflower seeds are their favorite food. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, gray **Bird Family:** Sparrows **Birds:** Chipping Sparrow --- ### [Pine Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/pine-warbler/) **Published:** October 18, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Pine Warblers nest across most of the eastern United States, as well as parts of southeastern Canada, almost exclusively in forests dominated by pines. **Content:** **Pine Warblers** nest across most of the eastern United States, as well as parts of southeastern Canada, almost exclusively in forests dominated by pines. They’re fairly picky about their habitat – not only do they require pines, they strongly prefer certain types of pines. In Pennsylvania, they like red pine, pitch pine, and Virginia pine. You don’t usually find them using the more common eastern white pine. The Pine Warbler nesting range in Pennsylvania is mostly in the Appalachian Mountains. Their breeding population in the state is relatively small, with only about 90,000 birds. For comparison, five species of warblers in the state have breeding populations of over one million birds each (Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, [American Redstart](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/migrants-departing-american-redstarts-and-cape-may-warblers/), [Yellow Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-warblers/), and Chestnut-sided Warbler). Unlike most of North America’s wood warblers, Pine Warblers don’t migrate to the Tropics during the winter. In winter, they live across the southeastern United States, as far north as southeastern Virginia and southern Delaware. A very small number are observed in Pennsylvania each winter. Another Pine Warbler oddity, as compared to other warblers, is their ability to digest seeds. Almost all warblers eat mostly insects and spiders, often supplemented by fruit during migration. Pine Warblers are primarily insectivorous during the summer, but as winter approaches their digestive system changes to allow them to eat seeds. That trait likely evolved to allow them to eat pine seeds, but it also means that Pine Warblers are the most likely warbler to visit your bird feeders. They’ll eat sunflower seeds, white proso millet, peanuts, and suet. Their favorite is Bark Butter. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Pine Warbler --- ### [Butter-Butts: Yellow-rumped Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/butter-butts-yellow-rumped-warbler/) **Published:** October 24, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Yellow-rumped Warbler, nicknamed the Butter-Butt, has a bright yellow patch at the base of its tail. Learn how to identify it. **Content:** The **Yellow-rumped Warbler** has one of my favorite bird nicknames. Each Yellow-rumped Warbler has a patch of bright yellow feathers low on its back, right above the base of the tail. Many birders call them “butter-butts.” Those yellow feathers are easy to see as these active, acrobatic warblers jump and fly from branch to branch in search of food. Most other warblers fly far away from Pennsylvania during the winter, seeking tropical climates rich with insects and other foods. [Yellow-rumped Warblers are actually a winter bird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-rumped-warblers/) for us here in the Susquehanna Valley. They survive our winters by being good at eating many different types of food. Their winter menu consists of a wide variety of fruit, insects, tree sap, and seeds. Fruit may be the most important winter food for Butter-butts. They are the only species of warbler that can digest the waxy fruit of bayberries and wax myrtles, which allows them to live in winter as far north as Nova Scotia. In fact, the original name for the Yellow-rumped Warbler was Myrtle Warbler. Other favorite native fruits include red cedar, Virginia creeper, poison ivy, and dogwood. They also visit bird feeders, especially for Bark Butter, Bark Butter Bits, and suet. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** blue, brown, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Yellow-rumped Warbler --- ### [Arctic Visitors: Snow Buntings](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/arctic-visitors-snow-buntings/) **Published:** November 14, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** This past weekend I was able to photograph Snow Buntings for the first time. These sparrow-like birds visit Pennsylvania in small numbers each year. **Content:** This past weekend I was able to photograph **Snow Buntings** for the first time. These sparrow-like birds visit Pennsylvania in small numbers each year. They’re so rare that I sometimes miss seeing them at all for several consecutive years. The difficulty I’ve had finding these birds made it delightful to have two buntings calmly searching for seeds less than twenty feet from me. I enjoyed watching them for a few minutes before they took off together and flew away. Snow Buntings are a “holarctic” species, meaning that they nest in a ring around the Arctic Circle, including the northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. Their breeding grounds are so far north that trees aren’t able to grow there. When Snow Buntings visit Pennsylvania during the winter, they seek out similar treeless habitats, including [large farm fields](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/field-birds-horned-larks/) and the rocky shores of large lakes. Their brownish winter plumage makes great camouflage – check out the photo below to see how well the two buntings blend in with the rocks. Snow Buntings only molt once each year, but the brown parts of their feathers wear off during the winter, exposing their bright white breeding plumage in the spring. Male Snow Buntings in Pennsylvania leave early enough to get back to their nesting areas in northern Canada by early April. Often temperatures there are still as low as *negative* 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The females won’t join them for several weeks, but males must race north to claim a nest site. Unlike most other songbirds, Snow Buntings build their nests deep in crevices between large rocks, sheltered from the wind and snow. To protect their eggs from the cold rock, Snow Buntings build thick nests insulated with their own feathers, other birds’ feathers, and fur from mammals like Arctic foxes and Arctic hares. Once she lays eggs, the female must incubate the eggs constantly to protect them from the cold. She rarely risks leaving the nest and survives on food brought by her mate. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** black, brown, white **Bird Family:** Buntings & Longspurs **Birds:** Snow Bunting --- ### [Hermit Thrush](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/hermit-thrush/) **Published:** November 21, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Hermit Thrush is one of six lesser-known thrushes in Pennsylvania, all brown forest birds with speckled breasts. Learn how to identify it. **Content:** Almost everyone is familiar with Pennsylvania’s two most common species of [thrushes](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/thrushes/), the [American Robin](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/adaptations-american-robin/) and the Eastern Bluebird. There are actually six other species of thrushes in Pennsylvania, all of which are brown forest-dwelling birds with speckled breasts, like the **Hermit Thrush** I photographed last week. Three of our brown thrushes are fairly common nesting birds in parts of Pennsylvania, including Hermit Thrush, [Wood Thrush](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/forest-thrushes/), and Veery. The Swainson’s Thrush is a rare breeder in northern parts of the state. The other two species, Gray-cheeked Thrush and Bicknell’s Thrush, nest far to the north, but can be found during spring and fall migration. Most of our brown thrushes fly far to the south during the winter. The Hermit Thrush is the only species that sticks around all winter with the American Robins and Eastern Bluebirds. Hermit Thrushes are able to stay here by changing their diet with the season. During the summer, they eat insects and spiders, plus the occasional small snake or salamander. In winter, they eat a lot more fruit when their animal food is harder to find. Even though they eat fruit during the winter, evidence shows that they always prefer insects when they’re available. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, white **Bird Family:** Thrushes **Birds:** Hermit Thrush --- ### [Waxwings](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/waxwings/) **Published:** January 2, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Cedar Waxwings travel in flocks and gather to eat fruit, even in trees at a mall parking lot. Learn how to find and identify these striking birds. **Content:** My sons and I were taking care of some last-minute Christmas shopping last week when we came across a flock of **Cedar Waxwings** eating some cherries in trees bordering the parking lot of the mall in Lancaster. Cedar Waxwings nest across the northern half of the United States and the southern third of Canada. During the winter they shift to the south and can be found as far south as Costa Rica and as far north as the southern edge of Canada. They’re here in the Susquehanna Valley year-round. Waxwings mainly eat insects during the nesting season. They’re able to stay this far north in the winter because they change their diet and eat mostly fruit. Waxwings get their name from little red tips on their secondary wing feathers that look like little drips of wax (they’re actually made of keratin, the same protein that all feathers are made of). There’s no red “wax” on the waxwing in the photo above because it’s so young – it just hatched from its egg this past summer. You can see some red tips on the feathers of three of the birds in the photo below. There are only three species of waxwings in the world, so we’re lucky to have one here in Pennsylvania. I’ve never seen a Bohemian Waxwing, which nests in northwestern North America, plus all across Eurasia from eastern Russia to Scandinavia. I got to see and even hold some Japanese Waxwings while working as an intern at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh back when I was in high school, but I’ve never made the trip to eastern Asia to see them in the wild. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, yellow **Bird Family:** Waxwings **Birds:** Cedar Waxwing --- ### [Virginia Nightingale: Northern Cardinal](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/virginia-nightingale-northern-cardinal/) **Published:** January 30, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Northern Cardinals are one of our most beloved backyard birds. They're known by many nicknames, including red-bird and Virginia Nightingale. **Content:** **[Northern Cardinals](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-cardinals/)** are one of our most beloved backyard birds. They’re known by many nicknames, including red-bird and Virginia Nightingale (a reference to their beautiful songs). The popularity of cardinals extends nationwide, where they are the mascot for professional baseball and football teams, as well as the sports teams for at least 15 colleges, and they’re the state bird for seven states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Cherokee people have a legend to explain how cardinals got their bright color. In the tale, a mischievous raccoon spread mud over the eyes of a sleeping wolf. When the wolf woke up, it couldn’t see, and it cried out for help. A small brown bird came to the wolf’s aid and pecked away the dried mud so the wolf could see. As a reward, the wolf gave the bird a puddle of beautiful red paint. The brown bird coated its feathers with the bright color, being careful not to get paint in his mouth (the only part of a male cardinal that isn’t red). He then sang to his mate so that she could share the red paint, but there was only enough left to coat parts of her wings and tail and the crest of feathers on her head. Cardinals were named for the males’ red color, the same color as the robes of a select group of bishops in the Roman Catholic church. Those bishops’ title is based on the Italian word *cardo*, which means hinge, because many of the Pope’s decisions hinged on the actions of those important church officials. Northern Cardinal also has a very easy-to-learn scientific name: *Cardinalis cardinalis*. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, red **Bird Family:** Cardinals **Birds:** Northern Cardinal --- ### [Swimming Clowns: Harlequin Ducks](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/swimming-clowns-harlequin-ducks/) **Published:** February 6, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** My son Eddie and I got up early one morning this week to see a rare bird that was reported a few hours to the north: the Harlequin Duck. **Content:** My son Eddie and I got up early one morning this week to see a rare bird that was reported a few hours to the north. This **Harlequin Duck** is likely a representative of a very small winter population of fewer than 2,000 ducks that spend the winter on the East Coast of the United States and Canada. To see a Harlequin Duck in our area, you usually need to visit the Atlantic Ocean during the winter, or go far north to the Maritime Provinces of Canada during the summer. You can also find them in Greenland and Iceland. A separate population lives on and near the Pacific Ocean in western North America and eastern Asia. I’ve seen Harlequin Ducks only once before in my life, nearly 20 years ago on a trip to New Jersey with my college birding friends. During all seasons of the year, Harlequin Ducks live in rough, choppy water amongst large rocks. In the nesting season, they dive into the rapids of fast-moving rivers. In winter, they live along rocky coastlines, diving into turbulent water as waves crash against the shore. They use their excellent swimming skills to find crustaceans, insects, and fish eggs where most other birds can’t go. Because of their rough-and-tumble lifestyle, they often suffer broken bones. Harlequin Ducks get their name from harlequins, clown-like performers in traditional Italian theater. Their scientific name *Histrionicus histrionicus* reflects that as well, as histrionic refers to overly dramatic theatricality. They’re also known for calling to each other with cute squeaky sounds, giving them the nickname “sea mouse.” **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** blue, orange **Bird Family:** Ducks, Geese, & Swans **Birds:** Harlequin Duck --- ### [Clean-up Crew: Common Raven and Turkey Vulture](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/clean-up-crew-common-raven-and-turkey-vulture/) **Published:** February 13, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Common Ravens and Turkey Vultures are about the same size and share roadkill, but ravens also eat insects, grain, fruit, and eggs. Learn how the two compare. **Content:** I am often asked which bird I like best, but I love them all and find it difficult to pick a single favorite. However, the **[Common Raven](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/the-biggest-songbird-common-raven/)** is a serious contender for the top spot. Ravens are intelligent, adaptable birds that will eat just about anything. The raven I found last week was sharing a road-killed deer carcass with a flock of **[Turkey Vultures](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/natures-clean-up-crew-vultures/)**. As you can see, ravens are huge, about the same size as the vultures. In fact, the Common Raven is the largest species of songbird in the world. Common Ravens have a very large range. They’re found across most of North America, almost all of Europe, parts of northern Africa, and most of Asia. In that vast area, they use just about every available habitat from grasslands and forests to the Arctic tundra. In Pennsylvania, they’re more common in the forests of the Appalachian Mountains, but smaller numbers live in the Susquehanna Valley as well. Unlike the vultures, Common Ravens don’t specialize in eating dead animals. They also eat large insects like grasshoppers, grains, fruit, and the eggs of other birds. In addition to the birds in the photo, there were a couple more Turkey Vultures and another Common Raven perched on a building nearby. As I prepared to leave, I noticed that there was a Red-shouldered Hawk (my first for 2025) perched on a utility pole across the road. As I watched, an adult Bald Eagle landed on the same pole, causing the hawk to fly away. All said, it was a very entertaining five minutes of unplanned birding as I travelled between the York and Mechanicsburg stores. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black **Bird Family:** Crows, Ravens, & Jays **Birds:** Common Raven, Turkey Vulture --- ### [Tundra Swans](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tundra-swans/) **Published:** February 27, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** There are only seven species of swans in the world, and two of them are native to North America. By far the most common is the Tundra Swan. **Content:** There are only seven species of swans in the world, and two of them are native to North America. By far the most common is the **Tundra Swan**, which numbers in the thousands in the Susquehanna Valley in February and March. The larger Trumpeter Swan is more common to the west, although a few show up in Pennsylvania each year. To identify swans, watch for their entirely white plumage and long necks, which are held straight in flight. Tundra Swans are one of North America’s heaviest flying bird species, weighing in between 13 and 20 pounds. For reference, Great Blue Herons weigh only about 5 pounds, and the largest Bald Eagles are about 14 pounds. The heaviest flying bird in North America is the Trumpeter Swan, at about 26 pounds. Some male Wild Turkeys weigh as much as Tundra Swans, but they rarely fly more than a few hundred feet. Unlike turkeys, Tundra Swans fly very long distances. The swans that visit the Susquehanna Valley spent the winter along the Atlantic Coast, mostly between North Carolina and New Jersey. They’re passing through now, on their way to their nesting grounds in the tundra of northern Canada. Most Tundra Swans don’t make this long journey alone. In addition to flying in large flocks, most Tundra Swans have a partner. Early in life, Tundra Swans form a pair bond with a mate, and the two often stay together for their entire lives. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** white **Bird Family:** Ducks, Geese, & Swans **Birds:** Tundra Swan --- ### [Rusty Blackbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/rusty-blackbirds/) **Published:** March 27, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** You may think the birds in these photos are Common Grackles, but they're actually Rusty Blackbirds, much less common members of our native blackbird family. **Content:** You may think the birds in these photos are [Common Grackles](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/protect-your-bird-feeders-from-common-grackles/), but they’re actually **Rusty Blackbirds**, much less common members of our [native blackbird family](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/winter-blackbird-flocks/). A Rusty Blackbird is much smaller than a grackle, with a shorter tail and a more slender bill. They’re about the same size as a Red-winged Blackbird. They get their name from the rust-colored tips of the new feathers they grow each fall. Those feather tips wear off over the course of the winter, changing their color to glossy black. You can still see hints of the rust color on the back of the blackbird photographed in the mud. Most of the year, Rusty Blackbirds eat insects, spiders, and snails, often captured in wetlands or the edges of streams. During the winter they also eat grain, seeds, and fruit. They visit bird feeders, but only rarely. Rusty Blackbirds spend the winter across the eastern United States, especially along the Atlantic Coast and in the lower Mississippi River Valley. In the summer, they nest in forested wetlands across Canada and Alaska (farther north than any other North American blackbird), with a few nesting as far south as Maine and the Adirondack Mountains in New York. Unfortunately, Rusty Blackbirds are at the center of one of North America’s most puzzling bird mysteries. Their population has declined by 85 to 95 percent since the 1970s, and no one is sure why. Hypotheses include loss of forested wetlands in the eastern United States, breeding habitat degradation due to climate change, or poisoning (the poison is often meant for other birds like [European Starlings](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/european-starlings/)). Additionally, many Rusty Blackbirds show unexpectedly high concentrations of mercury in their blood. There are still an estimated 6.8 million Rusty Blackbirds in North America, but that is all that remains of more than 100 million in the mid 1900s. Rusty Blackbirds are classified as a “Common Bird in Steep Decline,” and teams of researchers around the country are focused on figuring out what is happening to these birds, and how we might be able to help them. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, brown **Bird Family:** Blackbirds **Birds:** Rusty Blackbird --- ### [Bonaparte's Gulls](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/bonapartes-gulls/) **Published:** April 3, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** March and April are the best months to see Bonaparte's Gulls in the Susquehanna Valley. Like many other birds, they're on their way north this time of year. **Content:** March and April are the best months to see **Bonaparte’s Gulls** in the Susquehanna Valley. Like many other birds, they’re on their way north this time of year. After spending the winter across the southeastern United States and on islands in the Caribbean Sea, they’re migrating to the coniferous forests of Canada. The nesting season is brief in Canada. Bonaparte’s Gulls lay their eggs in June, and by the end of July many will already start migrating south. There are 54 species of gulls in the world, and the Bonaparte’s Gull is the only one that nests in trees. As they head north, [Bonaparte’s Gulls](https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bonapartes_Gull/id) often fly along major rivers like the Susquehanna. At the peak of migration, you may see several thousand together in the same flock. You can recognize them from Pennsylvania’s other gulls by their small size, thin bills, graceful flight, and the white feathers on the front of their wings. As they fly, they frequently swoop low to the water, capturing invertebrates and small fish to eat. Bonaparte’s Gulls were named for Charles Lucien Bonaparte, who was an ornithologist who lived in the United States for eight years and worked with the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. His work was important in helping other ornithologists to categorize and formally name the birds of North America. Bonaparte’s father was Lucien Bonaparte, the younger brother of Napoleon, Emperor of France. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, white **Bird Family:** Gulls **Birds:** Bonaparte’s Gull --- ### [Black-throated Green Warblers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/black-throated-green-warblers/) **Published:** August 14, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Listen in Pennsylvania's forests during the summer, and you may hear the persistent song of the Black-throated Green Warbler. **Content:** Listen in Pennsylvania’s forests during the summer, and you may hear the persistent song of the **Black-throated Green Warbler**. Their buzzy song often sounds like they’re saying *trees trees I love trees*. Like many forest birds, these warblers are more often heard than seen. If you see one, watch for their mostly yellow face, greenish crown and back, and bold bars of white on each wing. Although they’re called Black-throated Green Warblers, it’s only the adult males that have a fully black throat. The feathers on the throats of females and young birds are mostly white. Although they’re not common nesters in the Susquehanna Valley, you can find Black-throated Green Warblers across most of the state. Out of more than two dozen warbler species that nest in our state, they’re the seventh most abundant, with an estimated population of about 710 thousand (our most abundant warbler is the Ovenbird, with a population of about 3.2 million). In September and October they’ll fly south to Mexico, northern South America, and some islands in the Caribbean. A few will spend the winter as far north as the southern tips of Texas and Florida. When I was a kid learning my birds, Black-throated Green Warblers were one of the first birds I learned to identify after I ventured beyond my backyard. After being interested in birds for several years, I was fortunate to learn how to really go about identifying birds from the assistant director of a camp where my family vacationed each year. This species often brings back memories of those early days of discovery in the forests of southern Somerset County. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, green, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Black-throated Green Warbler --- ### [Irruptive Migrant: Red-breasted Nuthatch](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/irruptive-migrant-red-breasted-nuthatch/) **Published:** September 4, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Red-breasted Nuthatches are irruptive migrants. Learn their nasal call and why these small birds may visit your bird feeders this winter. **Content:** I heard the distinctive nasal call of a **Red-breasted Nuthatch** this week in York County. After checking for other birders’ observations on the eBird website, I saw that many people across the Susquehanna Valley have been reporting that species. Those sightings are an indication that Red-breasted Nuthatches will probably be [visiting our bird feeders this winter](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/helping-your-birds-in-the-coldest-part-of-winter/). In some years, that’s not the case. Red-breasted Nuthatches are irruptive migrants, meaning that they don’t migrate the same distance or to the same areas each year. When enough food is available farther north, they stay there through the winter. The local effect of that migration pattern is that Red-breasted Nuthatches are fairly common some winters, and almost entirely absent in other years. I’ve kept close track of the birds in my yard since 2012, and they’ve visited my feeders in five of the last thirteen winters, most recently the winter of 2022-23. It looks like we might be due for another visit from these neat little birds. Like the more common White-breasted Nuthatch (which lives in the Susquehanna Valley all year), Red-breasted Nuthatches spend a lot of time walking head-first down the trunks of trees. The Red-breasted is smaller, with a call that is more nasal and higher-pitched. They particularly like peanuts and [Bark Butter](https://lancaster.wbu.com/bark-butter-with-calcium), as well as sunflower seeds, suet, Bark Butter Bits, and [mealworms](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/). Keep your [bird feeders](https://york.wbu.com/bird-feeding-innovations-wbu-classic-hopper-feeder-advanced-pole-system) stocked and your binoculars ready! **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, orange, red **Bird Family:** Nuthatches **Birds:** Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch --- ### [Eared Grebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/eared-grebe/) **Published:** September 11, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** In many parts of the world, Eared Grebes are common and easy to find. There are populations around the world, including one that nests in western North America. **Content:** In many parts of the world, **Eared Grebes** are common and easy to find. There are several populations around the world, including one that nests in western North America and migrates to the Pacific Coast and Mexico during the winter. There are also Eared Grebes across eastern Europe and central Asia, in eastern China and Japan, and a non-migratory population in southern Africa. Eared Grebes are more abundant worldwide than any of the other 18 species of grebes. One of the places they’re not found is in eastern North America, so I took the opportunity last week to drive north to the Lehigh Valley to see one that showed up in a small lake in a gated residential community. It was the first Eared Grebe I saw since one showed up at Memorial Lake State Park in Lebanon County 13 years ago. It was too far away for a good photo, but it’s the only time I’ve ever photographed this species. The body of an Eared Grebe changes dramatically throughout the year. After migrating, its digestive organs grow in size, allowing it to process food much faster and double its weight by adding fat. At the same time, its flight muscles become so weak that the grebe loses its ability to fly. During those times, it uses the lobed toes of its feet to swim and dive to find food and escape predators. Some Eared Grebes may be unable to fly for more than three quarters of the year. When it comes time to migrate, the grebe rapidly converts its fat reserves to powerful flight muscles as its digestive tract shrinks prior to a long, nonstop migratory flight. Although Eared Grebes are rare here, three species of grebes are reported each year in Pennsylvania, especially during their spring (March to April) and fall (October to early December) migrations. The [Pied-billed Grebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/our-weirdest-bird-pied-billed-grebe/) is the most abundant, followed by the [Horned Grebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/water-witch-horned-grebe/), which is a close relative of the Eared Grebe. Much smaller numbers of Red-necked Grebes are also seen each year. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** black, white **Bird Family:** Grebes **Birds:** Eared Grebe, Horned Grebe --- ### [Killdeer](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/killdeer/) **Published:** October 9, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** This week, my son Eddie and I enjoyed watching a flock of 40+ Killdeer flying over a farm field near Lebanon, right at the northern edge of their winter range. **Content:** Migration continues. This week my son Eddie and I enjoyed watching a flock of more than forty **Killdeer** flying over a farm field near Lebanon. Killdeer are common throughout the Susquehanna Valley all summer, but flocks of ten or more are more likely during spring and fall migration. Some of the Killdeer in our area right now may have nested as far north as the shores of the Hudson Bay in Canada. We live right at the northern edge of the Killdeer winter range, although relatively few stay this far north in a harsh winter. From December to early March, you’ll have an easier time finding them to the south or closer to the Atlantic Coast. The Killdeer is a species of plover, which is a type of shorebird. As you would expect, most shorebirds, like [sandpipers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/peeps-not-the-easter-candy-sandpipers/) and other kinds of plovers, are much more common closer to the shore. Small numbers of shorebirds migrate through Pennsylvania each spring and fall, but the Killdeer is one of the few that stay here to nest. You can find them on the shore, but they also live in mowed fields, muddy edges of ponds and lakes, wetlands, and even places like construction sites or the gravel rooftops of large buildings. When Killdeer are around, you’ll often hear them before you see them. They are named for their call, in which they sound like they are yelling their name in a loud whistle. Some of the earlier names for this species include Noisy Plover and Chattering Plover. Identify a Killdeer by the two bold black lines that cross its breast (other North American plovers have one stripe or no stripes on the breast). When they fly, watch for their long, tapered wings, with a central line of white running from the body to the tip of the wing. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, brown, white **Bird Family:** Plovers **Birds:** Killdeer --- ### [Red-tailed Hawk in Lancaster](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/red-tailed-hawk-in-lancaster/) **Published:** October 16, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** I've had fun watching this photogenic Red-tailed Hawk this week right outside the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in Lancaster. **Content:** I’ve had fun watching this photogenic **Red-tailed Hawk** this week right outside the [Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in Lancaster, PA](https://lancaster.wbu.com/). It seems to be focused on trying to capture one of the many [House Sparrows](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/keeping-clean-house-sparrows/) that live in the bushes around the parking lot. Red-tails are sit-and-wait predators. They find a high perch and carefully watch for unsuspecting prey before diving from above. Check out this hawk’s outstretched talons as it dove from one of the overhead light fixtures into a bush. The curved bill of a hawk may look like a formidable weapon, but its sharp talons and powerfully muscled feet are the main tools it uses to capture prey. I was mildly surprised to see this hawk putting so much effort into catching sparrows. Although Red-tailed Hawks will eat practically any animal small enough to capture, they heavily focus on mammals like mice, voles, rats, and rabbits. Songbirds are smaller and harder to catch, and Red-tails typically show a preference for the largest available prey. With so many House Sparrows in the parking lot, perhaps it was just too hard to resist. Songbirds have much more to fear from some of our other hawks, like [Cooper’s Hawks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/coopers-hawk-a-backyard-predator/) and Sharp-shinned Hawks, which are better adapted to capture small birds. Look for Red-tailed Hawks in mostly open habitats like grassland, farmland, or parks. They need some large trees or utility poles to use as hunting perches. [They also thrive along highways](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/hawks-and-highways/), where rodents are attracted to the side of the road to find trash thrown from car windows. Once near the road, the rodents are exposed and easy to see in the mowed grass. It’s a great time of year to see Red-tailed Hawks in the Susquehanna Valley. We have more Red-tails here between October and March because we host some hawks that migrate here from nesting grounds in Canada. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, red **Bird Family:** Hawks & Eagles **Birds:** Red-tailed Hawk --- ### [Ring-necked Pheasant](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/ring-necked-pheasant/) **Published:** October 30, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** 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. There may be no other bird in Pennsylvania that rivals the intricate, colorful plumage of a male pheasant, accented by the bright red skin on its face, bold white collar, and the long striped tail. They barely reacted as I rolled my window down and pointed my camera lens in their direction. Although Ring-necked Pheasants are a familiar bird here in Pennsylvania, they’re not native to our continent. Until recent centuries, they were only found across southern Asia, from China and Korea to the southeastern edges of Europe. Today there are hundreds of millions of pheasants worldwide, and they live in North and South America, Europe, New Zealand, and even Hawaii (in addition to their original range in Asia). This remarkable range expansion was accomplished by people capturing pheasants and introducing them to new areas, largely because of their popularity with hunters. In North America, pheasants were first introduced in 1882. They’ve done quite well here overall, and they’re found across most of the United States and southern Canada, especially in the Midwest and northern Great Plains. However, Pennsylvania’s population is no longer self-sustaining. Almost all pheasants you see these days in Pennsylvania were raised in captivity, then released for hunting. The two pheasants that posed for me fall into that category. You can tell by the way they walked out into an open parking lot right in front of me. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown **Bird Family:** Pheasants & Turkeys **Birds:** Ring-necked Pheasant --- ### [Carolina Chickadee vs Black-capped Chickadee](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/carolina-chickadee-vs-black-capped-chickadee/) **Published:** November 13, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Chickadee identification is a challenge, but the good news is that you can enjoy your chickadees without knowing which is which. **Content:** I often hear all of our local chickadees referred to as “Black-capped.” However, we have two species of chickadees in Pennsylvania, and the **Carolina Chickadee** is actually far more common in our Susquehanna Valley region than the **Black-capped Chickadee**. Carolina Chickadees are common across the southeastern United States, including south-central and southeastern Pennsylvania at the northern edge of their range. Black-capped Chickadees are found across a larger area, including the northern half of the contiguous United States, the southern half of Canada, and parts of Alaska. Black-capped Chickadees are also found in the highest elevations of the Appalachian Mountains as far south as Georgia. So which chickadee is visiting your feeders? Unless you live north of Harrisburg, the vast majority of your chickadees will be Carolinas. Black-capped Chickadees visit in small numbers during harsh winters. For example, in the fourteen years I’ve been keeping records of the birds in my yard, I’ve hosted a Black-cap in only four years. The easiest way to identify chickadees is by sound, with the Carolina Chickadee giving a higher-pitched, longer, and more variable call. If you get a good look, watch for a bolder white “hockey-stick” pattern on each wing of the Black-capped Chickadee. Black-caps also have a sharper, more contrasting transition in color where the white cheek meets the gray back. Black-capped Chickadees are very slightly larger and subtly more colorful. Chickadee identification is a challenge, but the good news is that you can enjoy your chickadees without knowing which is which. Both are regular visitors at bird feeders, [especially in cold weather](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/helping-your-birds-in-the-coldest-part-of-winter/). [Attract them with their favorites](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/attracting-more-birds/), like sunflower chips, Bark Butter, Bark Butter Bits, peanuts, and suet. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black **Bird Family:** Chickadees & Titmice **Birds:** Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee --- ### [House Finches](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/house-finches/) **Published:** January 1, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** 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 four to twenty birds. According to Project FeederWatch, a program that tracks birds at feeders during the winter, House Finch is the ninth most commonly reported species in our region. The only bird species reported more frequently are [chickadees](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/carolina-chickadee-vs-black-capped-chickadee/) (Carolina and Black-capped are counted together in Project FeederWatch), [Dark-eyed Junco](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/singing-juncos-dark-eyed-junco/), [Northern Cardinal](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-cardinals/), Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Mourning Dove, White-breasted Nuthatch, and American Goldfinch. House Finches were not always so common in the Susquehanna Valley. As their scientific name mexicanus suggests, they are native to most of northern Mexico as well as the desert southwest of the United States. A small number were released on Long Island in 1939, and that population eventually grew and spread across most of North America. A big part of their successful spread is due to how they thrive around people, nesting in suburban habitats and eating at bird feeders. There are now more than 800 thousand House Finches nesting in Pennsylvania each summer, compared to only about 100 thousand of the closely related, and native, Purple Finch. House Finches were also introduced in Hawaii all the way back in 1870. They’re now found on all of Hawaii’s major islands, and in some areas they make up more than 10% of all birds. Female House Finches are relatively plain looking brown birds with faint streaks of darker brown on the breast and belly. The males are a bit more colorful, with a splash of strawberry-colored feathers on the face, breast, and rump. Female House Finches are attracted to males with larger and brighter patches of colorful feathers. At the feeders, House Finches dominate American Goldfinches, choosing the best food and perches. In turn, House Finches are dominated by [House Sparrows](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/keeping-clean-house-sparrows/). **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, red **Bird Family:** Finches, Pheasants & Turkeys **Birds:** House Finch --- ### [Attracting More Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/attracting-more-birds/) **Published:** January 15, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Wild Birds Unlimited is here to help with a few species-specific tips to help you with attracting more birds to your yard. **Content:** Our customers at [Wild Birds Unlimited](https://wildbirdguide.com/about-us/) love to share stories about the wide range of species they see right outside their windows! Each bird visitor has unique preferences for food, feeders, and habitat. So, how do you attract your favorite bird species? We are here to help! By tailoring your setup to their needs, you can transform your backyard into a year-round haven for the birds you love most. Here are a few species-specific tips to help you attract more variety to your yard. If you don’t see your favorite bird here, visit us today for personalized advice! ## Cardinals [Northern Cardinals](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-cardinals/) are a favorite for their brilliant red plumage and cheerful songs. They prefer feeders with sturdy perches like hopper or [tray feeders](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/tray-feeders-a-favorite-bird-feeder-for-your-backyard-birds/). Offer them black oil sunflower seed or safflower seed, which cardinals crack easily with their strong beaks. Try sunflower chips for a no-mess option. Placing feeders near shrubs or trees gives cardinals quick cover from predators. ## Finches Goldfinches and House Finches are attracted to Finch Blend. This is best served in tube feeders with small ports. They also enjoy sunflower chips in mesh feeders. Watch during the winter, and you may see some less common finches, like Purple Finches and Pine Siskins. Keep feeders clean and stocked to encourage flocks to return throughout the year, especially during migration. ## Woodpeckers Woodpeckers love high-protein, high-fat foods such as suet cakes and tree nuts. Place suet feeders on a tree trunk or in a feeder on our Advanced Pole System for easy access. (You may also spot nuthatches and chickadees enjoying the suet alongside the woodpeckers!) ## Hummingbirds Though they migrate south in early fall, during warmer months you can [attract hummingbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/hummingbirds-will-be-back-this-month/) with nectar feeders. Fill them with a simple solution of one part sugar to four parts water. It’s important to [clean hummingbird feeders frequently](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/) to prevent spoilage. Native flowering plants like bee balm, touch-me-not, and salvia also provide natural nectar sources. ## Seasonal adjustments Different species visit at different times of year, so rotating food and feeders can maximize your success. In fall and winter, add suet and choose seed blends high in fat and calories to support your birds in the cold weather. In spring and summer, provide extra protein and calcium for your nesting birds. ## Expert help close to home Every backyard is unique, and local bird populations vary by region. The best way to fine-tune your setup is to visit your local [Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop](https://wildbirdguide.com/about-us/). Our experts can recommend the right products for attracting your favorite species and provide tips for making your backyard a reliable, safe stop for birds all year long. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** red **Bird Family:** Finches, Woodpeckers **Birds:** Downy Woodpecker, Purple Finch --- ### [Rough-legged Hawk](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/rough-legged-hawk/) **Published:** February 5, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** I came across one of my favorite birds while driving west on a Pennsylvania highway this week: the beautiful Rough-legged Hawk. **Content:** I came across one of my favorite birds while driving west on PA-283 this week. I was pretty sure I saw a Rough-legged Hawk [perched near the highway](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/hawks-and-highways/), but I couldn’t safely stop. After reaching the next exit, I worked my way back east on the back roads and was rewarded with great views of this Arctic beauty. Rough-legged Hawks nest across most of the Arctic Circle in the tundra of northern Canada and northern Alaska. You can also find them in Scandinavia and northern Russia. Throughout their nesting range, they hunt small mammals like lemmings and voles in open, treeless habitat. They build nests on cliffs or occasionally on artificial structures like communication towers and buildings. They live so far north that the sun never sets during their breeding season. When winter approaches, Rough-legged Hawks migrate south. They fly past the dense coniferous forests of Canada and seek open, treeless habitats more similar to the tundra where they breed. They wait out the winter in southern Canada and across much of the United States. They’re scarce here in Pennsylvania, because most Rough-legged Hawks in eastern North America stay farther north in Quebec, Ontario, and Michigan. Like other birds, Rough-legged Hawks need to eat a lot of food to keep their metabolism fueled to keep their body warm. They need about five small mammals each day to survive. There is some evidence that they can see the ultraviolet light that reflects off the urine of rodents so they can focus their hunting in areas with large rodent populations. While they’re here in the Susquehanna Valley, Rough-legged Hawks spend most of their time perched on the tiny upper branches of isolated trees surrounded by large fields. They watch for prey from their high perch. They will also sometimes hover in place above fields, flapping like an American Kestrel. If snow cover makes rodents difficult to find, they may eat carrion like road-killed deer. Rough-legged Hawks are closely related to three hawk species that nest in Pennsylvania: [Red-tailed Hawk](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/red-tailed-hawk-in-lancaster/), Red-shouldered Hawk, and [Broad-winged Hawk](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/migrants-return-broad-winged-hawks/). They are one of three hawk species in North America that are “booted,” meaning that their legs are feathered down to their toes. The other two booted hawks are the Golden Eagle and the Ferruginous Hawk. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, white **Bird Family:** Hawks & Eagles **Birds:** Rough-legged Hawk --- ### [Yellow-bellied Sapsucker](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-bellied-sapsucker/) **Published:** February 12, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a migratory species of woodpecker that nests across the northernmost third of Pennsylvania. **Content:** Pennsylvania is home to [seven species of woodpeckers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/downy-hairy-woodpeckers/), and six of them can be found year-round in the Susquehanna Valley. The seventh is the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a migratory species that nests farther to the north. Sapsuckers nest across the northernmost third of the state. They arrive in the Susquehanna Valley on fall migration in September, and they’re fairly common in our area until mid-April. Overall, they are doing quite well in Pennsylvania, with a breeding population five times greater than in the 1960s. The easiest way to identify a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is by the vertical white stripe on each folded wing (it’s barely visible in these two photos). Adult male sapsuckers have a patch of red feathers on the top of their head, plus a red throat. Females look almost the same, but with a white throat. The feathers of immature sapsuckers are mostly mottled brown, with black and white wing and tail feathers. A sapsucker with mottled brown feathers is less than a year old. Young sapsuckers will replace those brown feathers by molting in May or June. They’ll have their first set of adult feathers in time for their first nesting season as adults. If you have some larger trees in your yard, you probably have sapsuckers visiting during the winter. Watch for them on the trunks or large branches of trees. [They also visit bird feeders](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/attracting-more-birds/). Like other woodpeckers, their favorite foods include Bark Butter, Bark Butter Bits, suet, peanuts, and tree nuts like walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and cashews. Some seed blends like No-Mess Plus and TreeNutty Plus offer many of those ingredients together in one bag. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, red, white **Bird Family:** Woodpeckers **Birds:** Yellow-bellied Sapsucker --- ### [Ross's Goose vs Snow Goose](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/rosss-goose-vs-snow-goose/) **Published:** February 26, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Each year in late winter and early spring, tens of thousands of Snow Geese pass through our area. Some Ross's Geese are undertaking a similar journey. **Content:** Each year in late winter and early spring, tens of thousands of **Snow Geese** pass through the Susquehanna Valley. They’ve left their winter range along the Atlantic Coast to travel to their nesting grounds in northern Canada, inside the Arctic Circle. A much smaller number of **Ross’s Geese** are undertaking a similar journey. Ross’s Geese look a lot like Snow Geese, almost entirely covered with white feathers, except for black flight feathers on their wings. Although the color is similar, Ross’s Geese are much smaller than Snow Geese and have shorter, stubbier bills. Most Ross’s Geese weigh about three pounds, while Snow Geese typically weigh over four pounds, with some over seven pounds. In some parts of the country, you can find flocks of Ross’s Geese numbering in the thousands. The main reason Ross’s Geese are so much less abundant in the Susquehanna Valley is because we don’t live along one of the major flyways they use for migration. Relatively few Ross’s Geese winter along the Atlantic Coast. Those that do are mostly found in the Chesapeake or Delaware bays, or in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Most Ross’s Geese winter in the southern Great Plains or in the Mississippi Valley from southern Illinois to the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Texas. Another significant population winters in the Central Valley of California. During the breeding season, Snow Geese nest across most of Arctic Canada. Ross’s Geese are more concentrated, with more than 90% of their population nesting within the Ahiak Migratory Bird Sanctuary in the Nunavut Territory. Ahiak is Canada’s largest federally owned natural area. At 15.5 million acres, it’s just over half the size of Pennsylvania. The populations of both Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese have been increasing in recent decades. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** black, white **Bird Family:** Ducks, Geese, & Swans **Birds:** Ross's Goose, Snow Goose --- ### [Northern Mockingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-mockingbird/) **Published:** March 19, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Spring is one of the best times to hear the song of the Northern Mockingbird. They sing during all seasons, but their songs are more complicated in spring. **Content:** Spring is one of the best times of year to hear the song of the **Northern Mockingbird**. They sing during all seasons, but their songs are more complicated and exuberant in spring as the nesting season approaches. Mockingbirds are light gray in color, with darker tail and wing feathers. When they fly, watch for a patch of white on each wing and strips of white on the outer edges of the tail. Mockingbirds were named for their beautiful repertoire of vocalizations. They repeatedly mimic the calls and songs of other birds with a rolling, musical cadence. Unlike most songbirds, mockingbirds continue learning new songs for their entire lives. A single mockingbird may know more than 200 songs! Mockingbirds’ singing abilities once made them popular as pets in the United States. Some mockingbirds were sold in the early 1800s for as much as $50, which is equivalent to about $1,700 in today’s money. It is no longer legal to keep mockingbirds (or any other native North American birds) as pets in the United States. Mockingbirds occasionally visit feeders, especially for Bark Butter, Bark Butter Bits, [mealworms](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/), suet, fruit, jelly, and sunflower chips. While it’s usually fun to have a mockingbird visit your yard, they do sometimes cause frustration. They can be aggressive and will sometimes defend feeders and prevent other birds from approaching. If that happens in your yard, your best bet is to spread your feeders out. Offering feeders in several locations makes it very difficult for a mockingbird to defend each feeder. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, white **Bird Family:** Mimic Thrushes **Birds:** Northern Mockingbird --- ### [Palm Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/palm-warbler/) **Published:** April 16, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** This week I came across a different kind of "tail-pumper" with a flock of Palm Warblers passing through on migration. **Content:** Last week I wrote about [Eastern Phoebes](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/eastern-phoebe/) and mentioned their tail-pumping behavior. They persistently move their tail up and down like a kid who just can’t sit still. This week I came across a different kind of “tail-pumper” with a flock of **[Palm Warblers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/warbler-migration-palm-warbler/)** passing through on migration. Just like for the phoebe, the tail-pumping behavior of the Palm Warbler can be a really useful identification clue. There are no other warblers in eastern North America that tail-pump so regularly. Palm Warblers also spend more time on or near the ground than most other warblers. Palm Warblers were first discovered on Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where there are many palm trees. Many Palm Warblers spend the winter on Caribbean Islands and in eastern Mexico, but the majority stay in the southeastern United States (a few may even winter as far north as southeastern Pennsylvania). In winter, they use more open habitats, unlike the forested habitats preferred by most types of warblers. During the summer, they fly farther north than almost any other species of warbler. They nest in bogs within the vast coniferous forests of Canada, far from the nearest palm tree. Palm Warblers are fairly common with an estimated population of about 13 million. Unfortunately, they do face several threats. They appear to be particularly susceptible to collisions with cell phone towers and other tall structures with lights. Hundreds can be found dead around some towers after a single night during the peak of migration. Additionally, fragmentation of forests in Canada for timber harvesting and peat mining exposes this ground-nesting species and its eggs to predation by raccoons, grackles, and crows. Surprisingly, forest clearing in the Palm Warbler’s winter range may actually benefit this species due to its preference for less forested habitat during that time of year. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** red, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Palm Warbler --- ### [Rare Herons: Yellow-crowned Night Heron](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/rare-herons-yellow-crowned-night-heron/) **Published:** April 23, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Of the seven species of herons that nest each year in Pennsylvania, the Yellow-crowned Night Heron is one of the least common. **Content:** Of the seven species of herons that nest each year in Pennsylvania, the **Yellow-crowned Night Heron** is one of the least common. There are typically fewer than 20 nests in the state each year, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission classifies this species as Endangered. We’re lucky here in the Susquehanna Valley, because this fascinating bird is easier to find here than anywhere else in the state. We are located along the northern edge of the breeding range for Yellow-crowned Night Herons. Globally, these herons are fairly abundant, especially in coastal areas. In eastern North America they nest from Massachusetts all the way to southern Brazil, including most Caribbean Islands. On the Pacific Coast they can be found from Mexico south to northern Peru. Yellow-crowned Night Herons were more widespread in the Susquehanna Valley a few decades ago, with nesting colonies along the Conestoga and Little Conestoga rivers in Lancaster County, as well as on Conodoguinet Creek in Cumberland County and Yellow Breeches Creek on the border of Cumberland and York counties. Most of those nest colonies have now been abandoned, likely due to a decrease in water quality as a result of runoff pollution. Pollution leads to a decrease in the abundance of crayfish, the preferred prey of these herons in Pennsylvania (in coastal areas they specialize on crabs). The only current nesting colony in the state is in an urban residential neighborhood within the city of Harrisburg. When I visited Harrisburg’s [Yellow-crowned Night Heron colony](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-crowned-night-heron/) a few weeks ago, it was interesting to talk to some of the residents and get their thoughts on having a few dozen herons perched in the trees above their road and homes. I got the sense that they were proud to share their neighborhood with such distinctive birds. The comments were mostly positive, but every single person mentioned how large the birds’ droppings are. They’re careful about where they park their cars. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** black, gray, yellow **Bird Family:** Herons **Birds:** Yellow-crowned Night Heron --- ### [Forest Thrushes](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/forest-thrushes/) **Published:** June 4, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Pennsylvania's two most abundant thrushes, American Robin and Eastern Bluebird, are common backyard birds that live in our state year-round. **Content:** [Pennsylvania’s two most abundant thrushes](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/thrushes/), [American Robin](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/adaptations-american-robin/) and [Eastern Bluebird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/eastern-bluebird-fledglings/), are common backyard birds that live in our state year-round. Both species prefer open habitats and frequently visit bird feeders. Other thrushes prefer forests, where they are much more difficult to see. As a group, they’re famous for their beautiful whistled songs. Two forest thrushes nest in the Susquehanna Valley – **Wood Thrush** and **Veery**. The sweet whistles of Wood Thrushes can be heard in most large, mature forests in our area. The Veery looks similar to a Wood Thrush, but lacks the bold, dark spots that cover the latter’s breast. Instead, the Veery has much finer and more lightly colored spots on the upper breast and throat. It doesn’t sing with the same clear whistles as the Wood Thrush, but instead gives a spiraling, ethereal melody that echoes through the forest. Amazingly, each Veery can sing a duet with itself. Songbirds create sound with a syrinx, a two-chambered structure connected to both lungs. Veeries sing a higher-pitched song with one side of their syrinx and a lower pitch with the other. Wood Thrushes nest throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, then fly south to Mexico and Central America for the winter. Pennsylvania and West Virginia are at the heart of their breeding range. We’re closer to the edge of the breeding range for Veeries. They’re mostly found north of us in New England and southern Canada. Smaller numbers get as far west as Vancouver. Veeries migrate a much longer distance than Wood Thrushes, flying 4 to 6 thousand miles each fall to winter in southern Brazil. In addition to the four thrushes that nest in the Susquehanna Valley, you can see four more at other times of the year. Three of those thrushes, Swainson’s, Gray-cheeked, and Bicknell’s thrushes, pass through on migration in spring and fall. [Hermit Thrushes](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/hermit-thrush/) are here during migration too, but many of them stay here all winter as well. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, white **Bird Family:** Thrushes **Birds:** Veery, Wood Thrush --- ### [American Oystercatcher](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/american-oystercatcher/) **Published:** July 9, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The American Oystercatcher is one of the most charismatic and distinctive birds inhabiting coastal habitats in the Americas. **Content:** The **American Oystercatcher** is one of the most charismatic and distinctive birds inhabiting coastal habitats in the Americas. They live close to the ocean in South America, Central America, Mexico, most Caribbean islands, and on the eastern coast of the United States. The American Oystercatcher is one of twelve species of oystercatchers found worldwide. Six of those species look a lot like the American. The other six have almost entirely black plumage, including the Black Oystercatcher of western North America. Oystercatchers have a uniquely shaped bill that allows them to feed on bivalves like oysters, clams, and mussels. They use their sharp bill like a knife to quickly slice through the muscle that holds closed the two halves of the bivalve. With the muscle severed, the bivalve is unable to close the two halves of its shell, allowing the oystercatcher to eat its soft insides. Although American Oystercatchers seem like a fairly common bird if you look in the right habitat, their population is surprisingly small. Based on a 2000 estimate, their nesting population in all of North America totals only about 10 thousand birds. For comparison, there are more than a dozen bird species in Pennsylvania with a nesting population greater than a million birds. The coasts of Virginia and the Carolinas are particularly important areas for oystercatchers. Biologists are currently researching American Oystercatchers to develop a plan to protect oystercatchers and their habitat. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, red, white **Bird Family:** Oystercatchers **Birds:** American Oystercatcher --- ### [Pileated Woodpecker: Camping Visitor](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/pileated-woodpecker-camping-visitor/) **Published:** July 16, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker that lives in Pennsylvania. It's quite likely the largest woodpecker in North America as well. **Content:** The **Pileated Woodpecker** is the [largest woodpecker that lives in Pennsylvania](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/north-americas-biggest-woodpecker-pileated-woodpecker/). It’s quite likely the largest woodpecker in North America as well, but that was not always the case. A substantially larger species called the Ivory-billed Woodpecker was once found in mature forests in the southeastern United States. Unfortunately, the last confirmed sightings of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in the United States were in 1938. A smaller population persisted in Cuba, but the species hasn’t been confirmed there since 1948. The two Pileated Woodpeckers in these photos visited my family in June while we were tent camping in Maryland. They arrived together and foraged on some dead trees and fallen logs, searching for their preferred prey – carpenter ants and the large grubs that chew through rotting wood. Pairs of Pileated Woodpeckers often mate for life. They’re non-migratory and they may live for about ten years, so the same two birds will share a territory for several years. If either dies, the survivor will usually attract a new mate for future breeding seasons. Pileated Woodpeckers are fairly common in the Susquehanna Valley, but you’ll only find them in areas with large trees. Younger forests with smaller trees don’t provide tree trunks thick enough for [nest cavities](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/primary-cavity-nesters-nuthatch-northern-flicker-and-more/). Additionally, such forests have less of the dead and dying wood where woodpecker food is abundant. I used to see Pileated Woodpeckers in my backyard several times per week while I was growing up south of Pittsburgh. I’ve been in my home in Lancaster County for 16 years now, and we haven’t had a single Pileated Woodpecker visit. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, red, white **Bird Family:** Woodpeckers **Birds:** Pileated Woodpecker --- ### [Wasted Effort: Mallard](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/wasted-effort-mallard/) **Published:** July 30, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Like most birds, Mallards don't incubate their eggs non-stop. They average more than 22 hours per day on the nest, but they take breaks throughout the day. **Content:** My son Eddie noticed a well-hidden duck sitting in Ed & Grace’s native plant garden, only a few feet away from where their driveway meets the road. She blends in so well that it can take a minute to find her even if you know where to look. We soon learned that she was sitting on a nest with seven white eggs. Like most birds, Mallards don’t incubate their eggs non-stop. They average more than 22 hours per day on the nest, but they take a few breaks throughout the day to get food and water. Unfortunately, the breeding season has not been a success for Eddie’s Mallard. We’ve reached the end of July, and she’s still incubating the same eggs on the nest next to the driveway. The incubation period for Mallard eggs is three to four weeks. Assuming she was just starting on the day Eddie found her, she should have been [leading ducklings away from the nest](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/mallard-ducklings/) in late June. The fact that her eggs haven’t hatched means they never will. Eggs can fail to hatch for several reasons. Just like people, wild birds can have fertility issues. This Mallard’s eggs may not have been viable when she laid them. Additionally, an adult bird can make mistakes after the eggs are laid. They can crack eggs if they’re not careful, or leave them unattended for too long when the air temperature is too hot or too cold. I suspect that Eddie’s Mallard eggs may have failed during the heat wave we experienced in early June. Her nest didn’t fail due to a lack of effort. She persisted on her nest through some miserably hot weather, and then survived the violent wind storm on July 4th, which left the area littered with fallen trees and large branches. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown **Bird Family:** Ducks, Geese, & Swans **Birds:** Mallard --- ### [Eastern Kingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/eastern-kingbird/) **Published:** August 6, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Last week I came across several juvenile Eastern Kingbirds as I was leaving the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in York. **Content:** Last week I came across several juvenile **Eastern Kingbirds** as I was leaving the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in York. There were at least three of them, perched on utility wires and a nearby tree. An adult kingbird was there as well, collecting fruit and visiting each juvenile to feed them. [Kingbirds are fairly common nesting birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/kingbirds/) in the Susquehanna Valley. A pair of kingbirds works together during the summer to raise their young. The female builds the nest, then lays three or four eggs (rarely two or five) in early June. For the next two weeks, the female incubates her eggs. Males don’t incubate the eggs, but they do keep watch at the nest site when the female needs to leave to find food. After the eggs hatch, both parents work hard to find enough food for the fast-growing nestlings. They mainly feed them insects, especially beetles, wasps, grasshoppers, and dragonflies. Later in the summer, they eat fewer insects and more fruit. Adult kingbirds continue caring for their young for several weeks after they leave the nest. Eastern Kingbirds spend so much time caring for their young that they’re only able to nest once each year. By early September, kingbirds will leave Pennsylvania on fall migration. They move fairly quickly to western parts of the Amazon Basin in South America, where they form flocks and mostly eat fruit. Next spring, they’ll take their time flying back north. Their spring migration is slower so they can take advantage of the abundant ripe fruit available in Central America during the spring dry season. Watch for them to return to the Susquehanna Valley next spring in late April. They often return to the same breeding territory to pair up with the same mate from the previous year. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, white **Bird Family:** Flycatchers **Birds:** Eastern Kingbird --- ### [Scarlet Tanager](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/scarlet-tanager/) **Published:** July 24, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Scarlet Tanagers are easier to hear than see. Learn their raspy, robin-like song, the CHICK-burr call, and how males and females differ. **Content:** Melissa and I just got home from five nights of tent camping with our sons in Maryland. One of my favorite parts of sleeping in a tent is waking up surrounded by singing birds. Early morning is the most common time for most songbirds to sing, and we call that part of the day the “dawn chorus.” On this trip, one of the most persistent songsters was a Scarlet Tanager that I think may have been nesting right there in the campground. Male Scarlet Tanagers are stunning, mostly covered with bright red feathers but with jet black wings. Females and young birds have mostly yellowish green feathers, with brighter yellow on the throat, and with darker (but not black) wings. The adult males are also yellowish green during the winter. In the photo, you can see that this male has already replaced a few of his red feathers with the yellowish green of his winter plumage. Last week, I wrote about the [Rose-breasted Grosbeak](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/rose-breasted-grosbeaks/), which has a song similar to that of a robin, but longer and sweeter. Scarlet Tanagers also sound a bit like a robin, but shorter with a rougher, raspier sound. The grosbeaks have the nickname “robin with voice lessons” while the tanager is called the “robin with a sore throat.” Even more noticeable than the Scarlet Tanager’s song is its distinctive call, an intense “CHICK-burr.” It’s important to learn the sounds of Scarlet Tanagers, because despite the male’s distinctive appearance, you rarely see them. They spend almost all of their time out of sight in the canopies of our forests. You don’t have to travel far to see Scarlet Tanagers – they nest throughout the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, including here in the Susquehanna Valley. Look for them between late April and early October. In a few months they will migrate thousands of miles to spend the winter in northwestern South America. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, green, red **Bird Family:** Cardinals **Birds:** Scarlet Tanager --- ### [Another Non-Native Bird: Eurasian Collared-Dove](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/another-non-native-bird-eurasian-collared-dove/) **Published:** April 10, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Eurasian Collared-Doves spread across the U.S. after a 1974 Bahamas pet store release. See how they differ from Mourning Doves and where to find one in PA. **Content:** You’re likely familiar with the three most common non-native birds in North America, the [House Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/keeping-clean-house-sparrows/), [European Starling](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/european-starlings/), and Rock Pigeon. Here in Pennsylvania, you might not have heard of the **Eurasian Collared-Dove**. They look a bit like a [Mourning Dove](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/mourning-doves/), but they’re larger, lighter in color, and don’t have the long, pointed tail of our native dove. They get their name from the black feathers that look like half of a collar around the back of their neck. Like other non-native birds, there is concern that Eurasian Collared-Doves could have a negative impact on North America’s native birds, especially other doves like Mourning Doves and White-winged Doves. A hundred years ago, Eurasian Collared-Doves were found across most of southern Asia, and as far west as the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. Then, starting in the 1930s, these doves rapidly spread across Europe and northern Africa, adapting to the open habitats and abundant food produced by industrialized agriculture. In 1974, a few Eurasian Collared-Doves escaped a pet store in the Bahamas during an attempted burglary. The owner of the shop eventually released the remaining doves, about 50 birds. In only a few short decades, that small population of released pets increased and spread across the islands of the Caribbean Sea, throughout Central America and Mexico, and across most of the United States. You can now find them nesting as far north as Alaska. Despite such a remarkable range expansion, Eurasian Collared-Doves remain scarce in Pennsylvania, as well as much of the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. If you want to see one in our state, your best bet is to visit an established population near Greencastle in southern Franklin County, near the Maryland border. I usually see them each year in the small town of Shartlesville in northern Berks County, just off Interstate 78. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray **Bird Family:** Pigeons & Doves **Birds:** Eurasian Collared-Dove --- ### [Is Your Backyard Safe for Birds?](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/is-your-backyard-safe-for-birds/) **Published:** February 20, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Bird feeding can help backyard birds or expose them to new threats. Learn simple changes that keep the birds at your feeders safe. **Content:** Bird feeding done right can be a great help to your backyard birds. Done wrong, bird feeding may expose birds to new threats. Show your birds you care by adopting some simple changes to keep them safe. ## Keep your feeders clean *Dirty or wet bird feeders can host diseases and parasites that can make your birds sick.* - [Experts recommend that feeders are thoroughly cleaned every few weeks](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/). - Wash feeders with soap and a feeder brush. Rinse thoroughly, then submerge the feeder in a bucket with a 10% bleach solution for a few minutes. Rinse thoroughly and let the feeder dry completely before refilling. - Wild Birds Unlimited EcoClean feeders do not require the bleach rinse. Our state-of-the-art EcoClean feeders have a silver ion finish that impedes the growth of bacteria, mold, mildew, and fungus. - Discard wet seed, which is much more likely to host bacteria and parasites. - Add a weather guard to keep your seed dry. ## Limit opportunities for predators *Bird feeders concentrate many birds in a small space. [Predators like hawks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/coopers-hawk-a-backyard-predator/) and cats can learn to take advantage of these communal gatherings.* - Provide cover, such as bushes and trees, near your bird feeders so your birds can escape when they feel threatened. - Keep household cats indoors. Cats kill billions of songbirds every year in the United States alone. ## Minimize window collisions *Birds may not recognize reflective surfaces like windows as an obstacle to avoid. A fast-flying bird can injure or kill itself if it strikes too hard.* - Place bird-safe decals on the outside of your windows so birds will recognize the hazard. Stop by the store for details. - Place feeders greater than 10 feet from windows, or within 3 feet of windows. The space in between is a Danger Zone in which birds are more likely to be injured by a window strike. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** red **Bird Family:** Finches **Birds:** Hairy Woodpecker, Purple Finch --- ### [Misleading Colors: Downy Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/misleading-colors-downy-woodpecker/) **Published:** January 16, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** From some angles a Downy Woodpecker looks mostly black. Learn what colors and markings to look for to identify this common backyard bird. **Content:** I photographed the **Downy Woodpecker** in the photo above in the white oak in my back yard on New Year’s Day. From that picture, someone unfamiliar with Downy Woodpeckers might think they’re mostly black. The photo below shows the same bird less than a minute later, facing into the sun. It was a good reminder of how colors can be misleading when identifying birds. You can identify Downy Woodpeckers by shape. No other Pennsylvania woodpecker is so small, with such a short, stubby bill. When you get a good look at their color, watch for a white back between two black wings. The only woodpeckers with that pattern are the Downy and the much larger [Hairy Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/downy-hairy-woodpeckers/). This woodpecker is a female – a male would have a red spot on the back of its head. Downy Woodpeckers are North America’s smallest and most common woodpecker, with an estimated population of 13 million. They’re also the most common woodpecker in the Susquehanna Valley. Downies are almost entirely non-migratory, so the Downy Woodpeckers in your yard now are likely the same ones that nested nearby last summer. [Attract them with their favorite foods](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/attracting-more-birds/): Bark Butter, suet, sunflower seeds, and peanuts. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, white **Bird Family:** Woodpeckers **Birds:** Downy Woodpecker --- ### [American Tree Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/american-tree-sparrow/) **Published:** January 23, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Winter is the best time to see American Tree Sparrows in Pennsylvania. Learn how to identify these flocks in weedy fields. **Content:** Winter is the best time of year to see **American Tree Sparrows** in Pennsylvania. I came across a flock of over 60 last week in some weedy fields north of Pittsburgh. You can find this species in the Susquehanna Valley, but they’re more common in the northern half of Pennsylvania. I’ve seen them in my yard, but not often. In more than twelve years keeping close track of my yard birds, I’ve seen three American Tree Sparrows, one each in March 2014, March 2015, and February 2021. If one visits your yard, you’ll likely see it on the ground searching for millet with other sparrows like White-throated Sparrows and [Dark-eyed Juncos](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/singing-juncos-dark-eyed-junco/). American Tree Sparrows are not well named. They nest in Canada and Alaska, so far north that trees can’t grow. Although they occasionally perch in trees or shrubs during the winter, they spend the majority of their time in open field habitat. The American Tree Sparrow got its name because it superficially resembles the Eurasian Tree Sparrow (a close relative of the [House Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/keeping-clean-house-sparrows/)), which nests in trees. Although American Tree Sparrows are abundant, their population has declined by more than 50% since the 1970s. The reasons for the population decline are not known for sure, but a strong hypothesis is that their habitat has changed. In parts of their winter range, they have less of the weedy field habitat they rely on, either due to changing agricultural practices or the growth of forests. Less is known about the breeding season, because very few people live that far north. However, Arctic regions are disproportionately affected by global climate change, so American Tree Sparrows may be struggling there as well. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, orange **Bird Family:** Sparrows **Birds:** American Tree Sparrow --- ### [What To Do If You Find a Baby Bird on the Ground](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/what-to-do-if-you-find-a-baby-bird-on-the-ground/) **Published:** May 28, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Learn what to do if you find a baby bird on the ground. Discover how to identify fledglings and nestlings and when a bird truly needs help. **Content:** I often get calls this time of year from people who have found a baby bird in their yard. In most cases, the person calling is concerned and wants to know what they can do to help the bird. Here are a few tips to know what to do, or if you should do anything at all. ## What should you do if you find a fledgling? More often than not, the best thing you can do for a baby bird is nothing. Most baby birds that you find on the ground are fledglings, not nestlings. [Fledglings are young birds that have left the nest](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/finding-fledglings/) (leaving the nest is called fledging), but are still being cared for by their parents. Although fledglings are more vulnerable than adult birds, this stage of life is a natural part of their growth. The most important resource for fledglings is the care provided by their parents, so it’s best not to interfere. For very young fledglings that can’t yet fly, you can help by picking them up and placing them on a nearby perch in a bush or tree. Getting a very young fledgling off the ground keeps them safer from some predators like cats and snakes. ## What should you do if you find a nestling? If you find a nestling, there are a few actions you can take to help. First, put it back in the nest. If the nest has been destroyed or you can’t find it, put the nestling in a basket or cardboard box near where you found the bird. If possible, place your replacement “nest” off the ground in the branches of a bush. Just like a fledgling, the best chance a nestling has is to continue to receive care from its parents. ## How can you tell the difference between a fledgling and a nestling? How can you tell if a bird is a fledgling or a nestling? Feathers cover most or all of the body of a fledgling, and they have long flight feathers on their wings and tail (although those feathers are often not fully grown). Nestlings show much more bare skin because they have fewer feathers. If they do have feathers covering their body, the feathers are often not fully developed and look fuzzy. Many of the feathers on a nestling are “pin feathers,” which are spike-shaped feathers that are just beginning to grow. Additionally, fledglings are more likely to notice you and react to you, and are often physically capable of running or flying away if you approach. ## When does a baby bird need help? **When to do more.** There are two situations where young birds may benefit from being captured and removed from their natural habitat: ### Orphaned nestlings 1\. Orphaned Nestlings. If nestlings or very young fledglings no longer have parents, they need help. Nestlings can lose their parents if the parents die or if they become so stressed that they abandon the nest. You can determine if the parents are no longer around by watching a nest or baby bird for a full hour (make sure you’re not close to the nest, or your presence may keep the parents from visiting). If no parents visit in an hour, they likely never will. ### Serious injury 2\. Serious Injury. If any bird appears to have a cut or a broken bone, or if they seem lethargic or unresponsive more than twenty minutes after [running into a window](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/is-your-backyard-safe-for-birds/), it’s time to help. ## What should you not do if you find a baby bird? **What not to do.** Do not attempt to provide food or water to an orphaned or injured bird. Remember that any contact with a bird causes it stress – don’t handle a bird unless you’re sure it needs your help. ## How should you help an orphaned or injured baby bird? **What to do.** Place the orphaned or injured bird in a cardboard box with the top folded over. For young nestlings, you can include a bottle of hot tap water wrapped in a towel to provide warmth. They also benefit from being placed on a towel or old t-shirt. Place the box in a warm, dark, quiet place. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible for guidance on the next steps. The [Pennsylvania Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators](https://pawr.com/) offers a list of wildlife rehabilitators near you in Pennsylvania. ## Frequently asked questions about baby birds ### Should I help a baby bird I found on the ground? Most baby birds found on the ground are fledglings that are still being cared for by their parents. In many cases, the best thing you can do is leave the bird alone. ### Can I put a baby bird back in its nest? Yes. If you find a nestling, the first step is to return it to the nest whenever possible. ### How can I tell if a baby bird is injured? A bird may need help if it has a visible cut or broken bone, or if it appears lethargic or unresponsive. ### Should I give food or water to an orphaned baby bird? No. Do not attempt to provide food or water to an orphaned or injured bird. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for guidance. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** gray, green, red **Bird Family:** Vireos **Birds:** Red-eyed Vireo --- ### [Field Birds: Horned Larks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/field-birds-horned-larks/) **Published:** December 18, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Freshly fallen snow can be a great birding opportunity. Birds like Horned Larks that live in fields are usually pretty hard to find. **Content:** Freshly fallen snow can be a great birding opportunity. Birds like **Horned Larks** that live in fields are usually pretty hard to find, because they’re often far away and their camouflage helps them blend in with the brownish winter grass. After snow falls, larks and other field birds often concentrate near roads, where snow plows scrape away the snow and make it easier to find food. Even when they’re far from the road, field birds lose their camouflage when the ground is covered with snow. The best birding opportunity comes when fresh manure is spread on a snowy field. The insects that are attracted to the manure are a favorite food of field birds. Field birds can be a lot of fun to watch. They often move around in large flocks, and there are almost always birds in motion. Looking through a flock of about a thousand Horned Larks, I was able to find some less common winter visitors like [Snow Buntings](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/arctic-visitors-snow-buntings/) and Lapland Longspurs, birds that nest far to the north in the Arctic Circle. Eventually, the flock scattered and flew out of sight when a Northern Harrier (a hawk adapted to open field habitats) appeared over the crest of a hill. Plenty of other neat birds can be seen in field habitats, including songbirds like American Pipits, owls like Snowy Owls and Short-eared Owls, and raptors like [Rough-legged Hawks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/rough-legged-hawk/), American Kestrels, and Merlins. Horned Larks are our most abundant field bird in the Susquehanna Valley. They’re named for some horn-shaped feathers, which are faintly visible in the close-up photo. No birds have true horns, only feathers that are somewhat horn-shaped. We have several North American birds named for their “horns,” including Great Horned Owl, [Horned Grebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/water-witch-horned-grebe/), and Horned Puffin. There’s also a whole family of birds (more than 60 species) in Africa and Asia called hornbills. Hornbills look a bit like toucans, with large, horn-shaped bills. The most famous hornbill is Zazu, Mufasa’s advisor in the Disney movie The Lion King. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, gray **Birds:** Horned Lark --- ### [Yellow-rumped Warblers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-rumped-warblers/) **Published:** December 25, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** There are 27 species of warblers that nest in Pennsylvania, plus another 9 species that breed farther north but pass through our state during spring and fall migration. Almost all of those warblers fly far to the south in winter. Some stay in the southern United States, but many fly to Mexico, Central or South America, or islands in the Caribbean Sea. The lone exception is the **[Yellow-rumped Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/butter-butts-yellow-rumped-warbler/)**, and winter is actually the best time of year to see them in the Susquehanna Valley. The reason most warblers depart when it gets cold is that they rely on insects and other arthropods for the majority of their diet. Insects are also important to Yellow-rumped Warblers while they are nesting during the summer, but they have adapted to eat mostly fruit when insects become unavailable. They are the only warblers that are able to digest the natural waxes in berries like bayberries or myrtles. Thanks to that adaptation, some Yellow-rumps spend the winter as far north as coastal areas in eastern Canada. Yellow-rumped Warblers can be found nesting across the northern half of North America, plus as far south as Mexico in the West. With an estimated population of about 170 million, it is likely the most abundant of the world’s 116 warbler species. Pennsylvania has a breeding population of about 90 thousand, mostly concentrated in the northern half of the state. The breeding population in the state has doubled since the 1980s. Yellow-rumped Warblers visit bird feeders occasionally. Their favorite foods include [Bark Butter](https://lancaster.wbu.com/bark-butter-with-calcium), sunflower chips, and suet. You can also make your yard attractive by planting native bushes to provide fruit during the winter. Some of the best plants for Yellow-rumped Warblers include red cedar, viburnums like arrowwood, and dogwoods. Like your other birds, they benefit from access to open water during the winter, so you may see them bathing in or drinking from a [heated bird bath](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/helping-your-birds-in-the-coldest-part-of-winter/) when natural sources of water freeze. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** Yellow-rumped Warbler --- ### [Rose-breasted Grosbeaks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/rose-breasted-grosbeaks/) **Published:** July 17, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are a common forest-nesting bird across most of Pennsylvania during late spring and summer. **Content:** Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are a common forest-nesting bird across most of Pennsylvania during late spring and summer. The Susquehanna Valley and other parts of southeastern Pennsylvania are some of the only parts of the state where few nest. In our area, we usually get to see them in the first couple weeks of May as they migrate north, then again during the month of September as they head back south. Increase your chances of seeing a grosbeak by offering sunflower or safflower seed in a [tray or hopper feeder](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/tray-feeders-a-favorite-bird-feeder-for-your-backyard-birds/). Grosbeaks nest across the northeastern United States and southeastern and south-central Canada. During the winter, they live in Central America, northern South America, and on islands in the Caribbean Sea. Last month I came across several singing Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in a part of the state where they nest. Grosbeaks have a beautiful song – it has a sing-song pattern like the song of an [American Robin](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/adaptations-american-robin/), but it’s more musical and has a sweeter whistle. One of the nicknames for Rose-breasted Grosbeaks is “the robin with voice lessons.” Males and females look very different, but both sing. Nesting is a true team effort. Both sexes build the nest, incubate the eggs, brood the nestlings, and bring back food for their young. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are one of seven species in Pennsylvania in the cardinal family. [The Northern Cardinal itself](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-cardinals/) is a bit of an oddball within that group because it’s the only non-migratory species. With an estimated Pennsylvania breeding population of 400 thousand, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are less abundant than three of the other “cardinals,” the Indigo Bunting (3.0 million), Northern Cardinal (2.8 million), and [Scarlet Tanager](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/scarlet-tanager/) (1.2 million). Less common members of the family include Blue Grosbeaks (less than four thousand), and two rare species, Summer Tanager, and Dickcissel. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, red, white **Bird Family:** Cardinals **Birds:** Rose-breasted Grosbeak --- ### [Warbling Vireo](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/warbling-vireo/) **Published:** May 8, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** If you take a walk during the spring in a forested area near one of our streams or rivers, there is a good chance you'll hear the song of the Warbling Vireo. **Content:** If you take a walk during the spring in a forested area near one of our streams or rivers, there is a good chance you’ll hear the song of the Warbling Vireo. [Like other vireos](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-throated-vireo/), they sing persistently throughout the day, sometimes even while sitting in their nest. Their song is a soft, raspy, pleasant sounding warble. In a book about the birds of California published in the early 20th century, the author described it as “fresh as apples and sweet as apple blossoms.” Listen for Warbling Vireos here in the Susquehanna Valley between mid-April and mid-September. After that, they’ll migrate to their winter range in western Mexico and northern Central America. Although it’s easy to hear Warbling Vireos in the right habitat this time of year, it can be a bit more challenging to get a good look at them. They spend most of their time in the branches of trees, often hidden by leaves. As you can see in the photos, they’re mostly gray in color, with a lighter breast and belly, sometimes tinged with pale yellow. There is a pale stripe of white above each eye. The most colorful parts of these birds are their legs and feet, which are bluish-gray. Like other vireos, Warbling Vireos are mostly insect-eaters. One study found that over 95% of their diet consisted of insects, especially caterpillars and adult moths and butterflies. Spiders made up another 2%, with plant matter like berries accounting for the final 3%. Vireos are described as “leaf gleaners,” meaning they mostly find the insects they eat on the leaves of trees. They’re very deliberate when they look for food, carefully checking the surfaces of all leaves in reach before moving on to a different branch to try again. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray **Bird Family:** Vireos **Birds:** Eastern Warbling Vireo --- ### [Mallard Ducklings](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/mallard-ducklings/) **Published:** June 26, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** We had one of the cutest yard birds visit our family's backyard last week when a female Mallard brought her three Mallard ducklings to their stream. **Content:** We had one of the cutest yard birds visit our family’s backyard last week when a [female Mallard](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/wasted-effort-mallard/) brought her three Mallard ducklings to their stream. The mother duck was keeping a close watch over her ducklings, because this is the most dangerous part of their lives. They can’t fly or defend themselves, and there are many predators for them to avoid, including cats, dogs, large fish, snapping turtles, and minks. The main threat they faced in Ed & Grace’s yard was a bullfrog that lives in their stream. Most backyard birds, especially our woodpeckers and songbirds, have altricial young, meaning they hatch from the egg blind, have very few feathers, and require a lot of effort just to lift their heads to beg for food. Mallard hatchlings are referred to as precocial – they hatch with a full coat of down feathers and are walking around the nest within a few hours of hatching. The morning after the nestlings hatch, the mother leads her young away from the nest, never to return. They all walk to a nearby body of water like a stream or pond. In extreme cases, “nearby” can be more than a mile. After about a month, Mallard ducklings start to look a lot different as they grow contour feathers to cover their down. They still can’t fly until they’re about two months old. Unfortunately for Mallards, they are still a target for predators after reaching adulthood. Raptors like Great Horned Owls and Peregrine Falcons seek them out. During the nesting season, the females are also susceptible to mammals like raccoons, foxes, and minks, because of the time they spend sitting on the ground to incubate their eggs. That extra predation pressure on females means that you’ll actually see more males than females during the fall and winter. Being a mom can be a perilous job. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, yellow **Bird Family:** Ducks, Geese, & Swans **Birds:** Mallard --- ### [Black Tern](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/black-tern/) **Published:** July 10, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Most terns and gulls are white, often with gray and black wings. A Black Tern stands out as one of the few with mostly black feathers. **Content:** I grew up in western Pennsylvania, and last month I briefly visited the “Main Pond” of the Imperial Grasslands, one of my favorite birding spots in Allegheny County. Unfortunately, it’s changed a lot since I was learning about birds there decades ago. I remember the pond surrounded by an immense grassy field, crisscrossed by gravel roads. This time I parked my car on the side of a wide paved road to see that the grassland had been replaced by a forest of large warehouses. Despite the artificial surroundings, the pond was still there, and it still occasionally attracts rare or uncommon birds like the Black Tern I had come to see. Most terns and gulls are white, often with gray and black wings. Black Terns stand out as one of the few with mostly black feathers, at least during the breeding season (their belly, breast, throat and parts of the head are white in their winter plumage). Also unlike most other seabirds, Black Terns nest in freshwater marshes, where they eat both fish and insects. They have a distinctive way of flying, with deep, stiff wingbeats (almost like a butterfly) and an erratic, zig-zag flight pattern. Black Terns nest across the northern United States and southern Canada, then migrate to coastal areas in northern South America and western Mexico for the winter. A separate population nests from eastern Europe to western Russia and Kazakhstan, then lives along the Atlantic Coast of Africa during winter. In Pennsylvania, your best chance of seeing Black Terns is from May to early June during spring migration or in the fall between August and early September as they fly south. They can show up anywhere across the state, but they’re never common here, and they don’t stay for long. Black Terns are listed as an Endangered Species by the state of Pennsylvania. They sometimes nest in the state, but in very small numbers and only in Erie and Crawford counties in the northwestern corner of the state. The Western Hemisphere population of Black Terns has declined by more than half since the start of the Breeding Bird Survey in 1966. The decline is likely due to degradation or destruction of the marsh habitats these birds need for nesting. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** black **Bird Family:** Terns **Birds:** Black Tern --- ### [Tufted Titmice and West Nile Virus](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmice-and-west-nile-virus/) **Published:** October 15, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Tufted Titmice are one of our cutest and most charismatic backyard birds. Their large dark eyes and pointed crest make them seem very expressive as they actively search for food in tree branches or at your bird feeder. **Content:** **Tufted Titmice** are one of our cutest and most charismatic backyard birds. Their large dark eyes and pointed crest make them seem very expressive as they actively search for food in tree branches or at your bird feeder. Watch for them to visit in small flocks of two to eight birds. Unfortunately, these cute little birds are highly susceptible to infection by West Nile Virus, which first appeared in North America in New York in 1999. Many of our songbirds can be infected by West Nile Virus, including American Crows, Blue Jays, [Northern Cardinals](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-cardinals/), and [Carolina Wrens](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tea-kettle-tea-kettle-tea-kettle-carolina-wren/). Compared to most other species, however, titmice do not handle the virus well. An experiment in 2013 showed that about a quarter of Carolina Wrens died when exposed to the virus, but the death rate in Tufted Titmice was 100 percent. What can you do to help Tufted Titmice? Limit West Nile Virus transmission in your yard by controlling the vector by which it spreads – mosquitoes. Eliminate standing water in buckets or other containers and make sure you [fill your bird bath each day with fresh water](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/). Avoid using pesticides to control mosquitoes, because you’ll also kill many of the bugs that your titmice rely on for food. It’s also helpful to your titmice (and other songbirds) to keep your bird feeders filled with [fresh, high-quality bird food](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/fall-bird-feeding/). As winter approaches, offer foods with extra fat and calories to help them stay warm in the cold weather. Great options include Bark Butter and Bark Butter Bits, suet, sunflower chips, peanuts, and tree nuts (check out the No-Mess Plus or TreeNutty Plus blends). **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, gray, white **Bird Family:** Chickadees & Titmice **Birds:** Tufted Titmouse --- ### [How to Clean Bird Feeders and Bird Baths](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/) **Published:** May 21, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Giving food and water to your backyard birds provides additional calories and nutrients. Learn how to clean bird feeders and bird baths with this helpful guide. **Content:** Providing food and water for your backyard birds can be a great help to them, giving them easy access to additional calories and nutrients so that they can focus on finding enough food for their fast-growing nestlings. Keep feeders and baths clean. Follow these simple steps to [keep your birds safe](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/is-your-backyard-safe-for-birds/) this summer. The following recommendations are based on information provided by experts at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. ## How often should you clean bird seed feeders? [**Seed Feeders**](https://lancaster.wbu.com/eliminator-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder) should be cleaned every two weeks. Start by removing any old seed or loose debris, then wash the feeder with warm water and dish soap. Scrub the feeder with a brush, because there should be no remaining residue of old food. Well-designed bird feeders can be disassembled so that all parts of the feeder can be cleaned. After rinsing off the soap, rinse the feeder with a 10% bleach solution. Thoroughly rinse off the bleach, then let your feeder dry completely before reassembling the feeder and adding new seed. I like to have two of each feeder I use. That allows me to hang one immediately while I wash the other. ## How to clean EcoClean bird feeders [**EcoClean Feeders**](https://lancaster.wbu.com/ecoclean-feeders-and-accessories) include silver ion that impedes the growth of mold, bacteria, mildew, and fungus. Clean EcoClean feeders using the method described for seed feeders, but you can skip the bleach step. EcoClean feeders are only available at Wild Birds Unlimited. ## Cleaning hummingbird and oriole nectar feeders **Nectar & Jelly Feeders** are great options to attract [hummingbirds and orioles](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/hummingbirds-will-be-back-this-month/). Those foods go bad more quickly than seed, so the food should be replaced every two days, or every day if the high temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse the feeder well with hot water to remove any residues of old food. Use a feeder port brush to clean the narrow ports through which birds drink the nectar. At least once per month, clean the feeder with a 10% vinegar solution. Rinse off the vinegar before use. Be careful when selecting a new hummingbird feeder – many hummingbird feeders are not designed to be easy to clean. You should be able to easily access all inner parts of the feeder. ## How often should you clean bird baths and fountains? **Bird Baths & Fountains** should be scrubbed and refreshed with new water every three to five days, or more frequently during hot weather. Clean your bath with a 10% vinegar solution once per month. Cleaning with very hot water and a scrubber brush can help control algae. Fountains can be powered by your home’s electricity or by a built-in solar panel. The moving water in fountains is attractive to birds, prevents mosquito larvae from living in the water, and slows the growth of algae. You can also limit the growth of algae in baths or fountains by adding a disc of pure copper and by positioning the bath in a location where it doesn’t get a lot of direct sunlight. ## Frequently asked questions about cleaning bird feeders and bird baths ### How often should bird feeders be cleaned? Seed feeders should be cleaned every two weeks. Nectar and jelly feeders need more frequent attention, with food replaced every two days or every day when temperatures are above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. ### Can dirty bird feeders make birds sick? Dirty feeders can allow old food, residue, mold, bacteria, mildew, and fungus to build up. Cleaning feeders regularly helps keep your backyard birds safer. ### Is vinegar safe for cleaning bird baths? Yes. A 10% vinegar solution can be used to clean bird baths once per month. Rinse the bath before adding fresh water. ### Should hummingbird feeders be cleaned every day? The food in hummingbird feeders should be replaced every two days, or every day when the high temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse the feeder well with hot water and clean the feeding ports carefully. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** black, gray **Bird Family:** Mimic Thrushes **Birds:** Gray Catbird --- ### [Feeding Mealworms to Your Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/) **Published:** May 14, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Bluebirds, catbirds, wrens, robins, and warblers often skip seed. Learn how feeding mealworms can bring these insect-eating birds to your yard. **Content:** ## Which birds eat mealworms? Not all of your birds are seed-eaters. Some birds, like [bluebirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/eastern-bluebird-fledglings/), [catbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/gray-catbirds-2/), wrens, robins, warblers, and many others, are more likely to visit if you offer insects. The easiest insect food to offer to your birds is mealworms. Mealworms are not true worms, but the larva of a flightless insect called the darkling beetle (sometimes it’s just called the mealworm beetle). Insects like mealworms are an excellent source of protein and calcium, the two nutrients birds need the most during the nesting season. ## Live vs. dried mealworms You can attract birds with live or dry mealworms. Live mealworms will always be your birds’ preference, but they are more costly and need to be stored in the refrigerator. Any live mealworms not used within a month should be given something to eat. To feed them, take them out of the refrigerator, remove the lid of their container, and add a piece of a vegetable (I usually use a chunk of carrot or sweet potato). Give your mealworms about 12 hours to eat, then remove any remaining vegetable pieces, replace the lid, and put them back in the refrigerator. Dried mealworms are much easier to use. They cost quite a bit less and have a shelf life of a few years, if stored in a cool, dry place. The lack of moisture in the mealworms is not an issue for adult birds. They can easily supplement the missing water with a visit to your bird bath or a nearby stream. However, young birds that have not yet left the nest only get water from the food brought by their parents. Provide that water during the nesting season by soaking your dried mealworms before putting them out for your birds. The songbird nesting season in our area typically runs from late March through early August. ## Best feeders for mealworms You can use a variety of [feeders](https://lancaster.wbu.com/our-advanced-pole-system) for mealworms, including [tray feeders](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/tray-feeders-a-favorite-bird-feeder-for-your-backyard-birds/), cup feeders, or mesh feeders designed for peanuts. You can even use specialized bluebird feeders that prevent larger birds from accessing the food. If you want to offer mealworms to your birds, but don’t have space for a new feeder, consider mixing mealworms with your seed blend in an existing feeder. When I add mealworms to my [No-Mess Plus blend](https://lancaster.wbu.com/no-mess-seed-blends), I call it my “nesting blend.” Mealworms are already included in some blends like Bluebird Bugberry Blend and Cardinal Confetti Blend. They’re also an ingredient in some seed cylinders and suet cakes. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** blue, red, white **Bird Family:** Thrushes **Birds:** Eastern Bluebird --- ### [Fall Bird Feeding Tips from Wild Birds Unlimited (Updated for 2026)](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/fall-bird-feeding/) **Published:** August 12, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** At Wild Birds Unlimited, we can help you get the right food and feeders for fall bird feeding. Get your backyard birds prepared for the colder months ahead. **Content:** As the days grow shorter and the temperatures start to dip, fall becomes a critical season for backyard birds. The abundance of summer insects and natural food sources starts to dwindle, leaving many species searching for a reliable source for their next meal. At Wild Birds Unlimited, we can help you get the right food and feeders for this time of year. We can help you get your backyard birds prepared for the colder months ahead. ## Fresh bird seed for the season Fall is a time when birds need energy-rich foods as they molt and prepare for winter. At Wild Birds Unlimited, our [fresh bird seed selection](https://york.wbu.com/quality-seed-blends) is of the highest quality and is ordered fresh every week! With no grains or fillers, our quality bird seed is designed to provide the nutrition birds need most this time of year in our area. Options like sunflower seeds, safflower, and specialty blends attract a wide variety of species, from chickadees and cardinals to finches and woodpeckers. Choosing fresh, high-quality seed ensures that your feeders remain popular stops in the neighborhood and that the birds benefit from the best possible nutrition. ## Set the stage with the Advanced Pole System Creating an inviting and [versatile feeding station](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/backyard-bird-feeding-starter-guide/) is easy with the [Advanced Pole System (APS)](https://lancaster.wbu.com/our-advanced-pole-system). This customizable setup allows you to place multiple feeders, birdhouses, and accessories in one spot, tailored exactly to your yard. You can add a squirrel baffle to your APS setup to deter squirrels and other pests while giving birds a safe place to feed. Its modular design means you can adjust your feeding station as the seasons change, making it a perfect solution for fall when birds are flocking together in greater numbers. ## See your visitors up close with the Smart Wi-Fi Bird Feeder with Camera One of the joys of fall bird feeding is the chance to watch different species as they migrate or prepare for winter. The [Smart Wi-Fi Bird Feeder with Camera](https://mechanicsburg.wbu.com/bird_feeder_with_camera) brings the experience to life by letting you see and record your backyard visitors in real time. With this smart bird feeder, you can identify new species, share videos with friends, and enjoy seeing the birds from the comfort of your home. Our customers love this product, and it’s the perfect upgrade for the fall season! Plus, it’s a fun way to keep kids engaged with nature as the weather cools. ## Additional fall feeding tips In addition to providing the right food and feeders, [a few extra steps can make your yard more bird-friendly this fall](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/fall-bird-feeding-tips/): - [Keep feeders clean and free from mold or debris](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/), especially after rainy days. - Add a [heated birdbath](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/helping-your-birds-in-the-coldest-part-of-winter/) or regularly refresh water sources to ensure birds stay hydrated as natural sources freeze. - Leave seed heads on flowers like coneflowers or sunflowers for natural foraging opportunities. - Offer suet cakes for woodpeckers, nuthatches, and other insect-loving birds who need extra protein and fat. ## Bring more birds to your backyard Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA is here to help care for your backyard birds in the cooler months (and all year round!). By offering fresh bird seed, setting up a versatile feeding station with the Advanced Pole System, and exploring the [Smart Wi-Fi Bird Feeder with Camera](https://lancaster.wbu.com/bird_feeder-with_camera) or our [Smart Wi-Fi Bird House with Camera](https://lancaster.wbu.com/birdhouse_with_camera), you’ll be supporting your feathered friends while enjoying a front-row seat to watch the birds! Visit your local [Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop](https://wildbirdguide.com/about-us/) this fall to find everything you need to get started. From expert advice to the best products for the season, we’re here to help you make your backyard a destination for birds all autumn long. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds --- ### [Migrants Departing: American Redstarts and Cape May Warblers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/migrants-departing-american-redstarts-and-cape-may-warblers/) **Published:** October 10, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The peak of this year's fall songbird migration has now passed, but there are still some beautiful birds passing through. **Content:** The peak of this year’s fall songbird migration has now passed, but there are still some beautiful birds passing through. I photographed these two warblers last week at Wizard Ranch Nature Preserve, which is managed by the Lancaster Conservancy. There was so much bird activity there that I never got more than a few hundred feet from the parking area. Many of our small, insect-eating birds leave during the winter for the Tropics, where insects are abundant year-round. With an estimated breeding population of 1.5 million, **American Redstarts** are the fourth most abundant of Pennsylvania’s nesting warblers. The only warblers with larger breeding populations are the Ovenbird (3.2 million), Common Yellowthroat (2.4 million), and [Yellow Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/yellow-warblers/) (1.6 million). As winter approaches, they are migrating to northern South America, Central America, and most Caribbean Islands. Unlike redstarts, **Cape May Warblers** do not nest in Pennsylvania at all. During the summer, the closest breeding population of Cape May Warblers is in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York, but almost all members of this species nest farther north in Canada. They appear briefly in the Susquehanna Valley each year in the spring and fall. They also appear briefly in Cape May, New Jersey, the town after which they were named. Most of them spend the winter in the Caribbean, especially Cuba, Hispaniola, the Bahamas, and the Florida Keys. Even though most warblers are only with us for a small portion of the year, we can still help them by [planting native plants](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/helping-your-birds-this-fall/) to provide them with more food during their journey. [Use decals on the outside of your windows](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/is-your-backyard-safe-for-birds/) to break up their reflection and keep your windows safe for birds. Also, keep in mind that many of our migratory songbirds live in the winter where coffee is grown, so you can support their winter habitat with Smithsonian-certified Bird Friendly Coffee. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, yellow **Bird Family:** Warblers **Birds:** American Redstart, Cape May Warbler --- ### [Tray Feeders: A Favorite Bird Feeder for Your Backyard Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/tray-feeders-a-favorite-bird-feeder-for-your-backyard-birds/) **Published:** October 2, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** The new Hey There Mr. Chickadee Feeder is a type of tray-based bird feeder. Tray feeders can be fun. They are usually your birds' favorite type of feeder. **Content:** The new **Hey There Mr. Chickadee Feeder** is a type of **tray feeder**. Tray feeders can be a lot of fun to use because they are usually your birds’ favorite type of feeder. It’s easy for your birds to perch on a tray and then it’s simple for them to locate and retrieve their favorite food. You’ll also get a lot of enjoyment out of a tray feeder, because you’ll get a better look at the birds than on most other feeders. Additionally, tray feeders are versatile, allowing you to put out almost any type of [bird food](https://lancaster.wbu.com/quality-seed-blends) to attract a wide variety of birds. Your birds love tray feeders, but they do come with a few limitations. One is that they don’t hold much food – expect to fill them more frequently than other types of feeders. Many also lack weather protection, so it’s a good idea to hang them below a [weather guard](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/helping-your-birds-in-the-coldest-part-of-winter/) to keep your bird food fresher. Some tray feeders, called fly-through feeders, have a built-in weather guard that is connected to the tray itself. These photos are a few of my favorites featuring tray feeders. The female **[Northern Cardinal](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-cardinals/)** took to the Hey There Mr. Chickadee feeder within days of me hanging it outside. She looks scruffy because she’s molting. She’ll benefit greatly from the high protein content in the TreeNutty Plus blend as she grows new feathers that will keep her warm this coming winter. I put out whole peanuts on a larger tray feeder, and we love watching a family of **Blue Jays** visit to cache peanuts for later use. Finally, you can see that the **Pine Siskins** were enjoying the weather guard as well as their bird seed, giving them a break from the rain on a wet day. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** brown, red **Bird Family:** Cardinals **Birds:** Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal --- ### [Primary Cavity Nesters: Nuthatch, Northern Flicker, and More](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/primary-cavity-nesters-nuthatch-northern-flicker-and-more/) **Published:** July 23, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Many species nest in cavities, which can occur naturally as holes excavated in trees. Cavity nesting provides many benefits for birds. **Content:** Many species nest in cavities, which can occur naturally as holes excavated in trees. Cavity nesting provides many benefits, including protection from cold weather and precipitation, concealment from predators, and a single opening from which adult birds can defend their eggs or nestlings. One of the only disadvantages of relying on cavities for nesting is that there are often many birds competing for a limited number of cavities. Most of our local cavity nesters are classified as secondary cavity nesters, meaning that they use cavities, but don’t have the ability to make them. That’s where primary cavity nesters come in. They not only use cavities, but they also create them. In Pennsylvania, primary cavity nesters include all seven of our woodpecker species. At one end of the scale, the small cavities created by [Downy Woodpeckers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/downy-hairy-woodpeckers/) benefit small songbirds like chickadees and wrens. Our largest woodpecker, the [Pileated Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/pileated-woodpecker-camping-visitor/), provides nesting sites for Eastern Screech-Owls and Wood Ducks. Three other birds can be considered primary cavity nesters in Pennsylvania. One is the tiny [Red-breasted Nuthatch](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/irruptive-migrant-red-breasted-nuthatch/). Its larger cousin, the White-breasted Nuthatch, relies on other birds to excavate its nest sites, but the Red-breasted sometimes makes its own. The other primary cavity nesters are Bank Swallows and Belted Kingfishers, which dig tunnels in exposed dirt along the banks of streams and rivers. They might be more accurately called primary burrow nesters. Encourage cavity nesting in your yard by retaining dead or dying trees. Dead wood is softer, so it’s preferred by most primary cavity nesters. You can also supplement your backyard habitat by maintaining [bird houses](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/time-to-put-out-nest-boxes-eastern-bluebirds/), which are essentially artificial nest cavities. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, red, white **Bird Family:** Woodpeckers **Birds:** Northern Flicker, Red-headed Woodpecker --- ### [Goodbye for Now: Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/good-bye-for-now-ruby-throated-hummingbird/) **Published:** September 17, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** September is the best month to see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds here in the Susquehanna Valley. **Content:** September is the best month to see **Ruby-throated Hummingbirds** here in the Susquehanna Valley. Our hummingbirds are moving around a lot and searching for extra calories as they prepare for their long migration. Right now, we have hummingbirds that nested in our area this year, plus the young that hatched from their eggs, plus some early migrants from farther north. There are more hummingbirds here right now than at any time of year. Get ready for that to change. By the end of the month, almost all Ruby-throated Hummingbirds will leave our state. If you’re lucky, you might see one during the first week of October. Keep your feeder out and [filled with fresh nectar](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-clean-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/) to help your hummingbirds find the food they need. In fact, it’s best to leave your feeder out for at least two weeks after your last hummingbird sighting. Keeping your feeder out late can be a great help to a struggling hummingbird that is migrating late. By the end of October, they’ll reach their winter range in Mexico and Central America, except for a small number that spend the winter in southern Florida. Many will make a daring, non-stop flight across the Gulf of Mexico. Be ready to [put your feeders back out in the middle of April](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/hummingbirds-will-be-back-this-month/) so the hummingbirds will find them when they return in the spring. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, green, white **Bird Family:** Hummingbirds **Birds:** Ruby-throated Hummingbird --- ### [Mississippi Kite](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/mississippi-kite/) **Published:** August 20, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** A pair of Mississippi Kites have been living at Wildwood Lake Park near Harrisburg for the last two weeks. **Content:** A pair of **Mississippi Kites** have been living at Wildwood Lake Park near Harrisburg for the last two weeks. This species is rare in Pennsylvania, and birders have flocked from across the state to get a look. [A few Mississippi Kites are seen in the state every year](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/kites-in-the-sky/), but usually they are only seen briefly as they fly overhead. Having a pair living in the same location for weeks is a rare treat. Mississippi Kites are almost as long (bill to tail) as Peregrine Falcons, but the falcons weigh more than twice as much as the 8- or 9-ounce kites. Most Mississippi Kites subsist mostly on flying insects, especially beetles, grasshoppers, and cicadas. They will also take some vertebrate prey, including frogs, lizards, snakes, and rodents. They often build their nests next to wasp nests. The wasps don’t bother the kites, but they provide defense against predators like raccoons and fox squirrels that try to eat the kites’ eggs or nestlings. Mississippi Kites nest across the southern United States, especially in the Southeast and in the southern Great Plains in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. A small number nest as far north as Virginia and Maryland in the area surrounding Washington, DC. I saw one of these kites for the first time a few decades ago while visiting my aunt and uncle in El Paso, Texas. I got lucky a few years ago and had one fly overhead while I was conducting a bird survey in western Pennsylvania. These kites are only present in the United States for about half the year, from April to September. They migrate thousands of miles to spend the winter in southern South America, in Paraguay and parts of southern Brazil and northern Argentina. On their southbound migration in fall, almost all Mississippi Kites will pass by the Veracruz migration watch site in Mexico, where observers record hundreds of thousands of Mississippi Kites each year. Counters at Veracruz once recorded more than 76 thousand in a single day! As a point of reference, counters at the famous Hawk Mountain Sanctuary watch site in Pennsylvania record fewer than 20 thousand hawks of all species in their entire four-month count. **Categories:** Chasing Rare Birds **Bird Color:** black, gray **Bird Family:** Hawks & Eagles **Birds:** Mississippi Kite --- ### [Alarm Calls: Cooper's Hawk](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/alarm-calls-coopers-hawk/) **Published:** August 13, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Have you ever been listening to birds singing and calling, then heard multiple birds abruptly change their calls? **Content:** Have you ever been listening to birds singing and calling, then heard multiple birds abruptly change their calls? I experienced that last week while loading merchandise into my car behind the Lancaster store. There is a patch of brush and trees behind the store where I saw several Northern Cardinals, [Gray Catbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/gray-catbirds/), and House Sparrows. They were moving around in the bushes and calling frequently. Suddenly, all movement stopped and the birds got quiet. I looked up to see a young **Cooper’s Hawk** fly through the trees and land on the building. As soon as the hawk landed, most of the songbirds began low pitched, chattering calls, and every songbird I could see had stopped looking for food and was carefully watching the hawk. What I saw and heard is part of the songbirds’ strategy to [protect themselves against hawks](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/coopers-hawk-a-backyard-predator/). They react differently to a flying predator than to one that has perched. A flying hawk is an immediate threat, attempting to use the element of surprise to capture their prey. Birds often use high-pitched alarm calls when they see a flying hawk. The high pitch makes it difficult for the hawk to pinpoint the location of the calling bird. When other birds hear those high-pitched alarm calls, they dive for cover and then stop moving, trying to avoid notice. After the hawk lands, it has lost the element of surprise, and the songbirds’ alarm calls change. Perched predators elicit lower pitched calls, often with a rough, chattering quality. When birds hear that type of alarm call, they often leave their hiding places to get a good look at where the predator is sitting. Many birds, especially social species like chickadees, titmice, and [mockingbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-mockingbird/), may actually start diving at the hawk and attacking it – a behavior called mobbing. If the mobbing is successful, the hawk will fly away and try hunting in a different area. From the perspective of the hawk, songbird alarm calls can make it very difficult to find a meal. Everywhere they go, they’re observed by a network of vigilant birds ready to announce the presence of a predator. The information spread by these songbirds travels much faster than the hawk itself. With so much working against hawks, it seems remarkable that they ever catch a songbird. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown, white **Bird Family:** Hawks & Eagles **Birds:** Cooper's Hawk --- ### [Elegant (and Invasive): Mute Swan](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/elegant-and-invasive-mute-swan/) **Published:** October 8, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Mute Swans have been one of the most popular birds in Europe and Asia for hundreds of years. **Content:** **Mute Swans** have been one of the most popular birds in Europe and Asia for hundreds of years. In addition to being used as food, they were often kept as pets by the wealthy or nobility to show off to their neighbors. That practice continued in North America during European colonization. [Mute Swans are not native to North America](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/another-non-native-bird-eurasian-collared-dove/), but Europeans brought them. To this day, you often see Mute Swans swimming on ponds in office parks and golf courses. The Mute Swans you see here in the Susquehanna Valley are typically owned by someone or may be the offspring of someone’s pet. The species has not established a self-sustaining breeding population in this area. However, that’s not the case in the Great Lakes region. Mute Swans there have taken advantage of the extensive wetland habitats and their ability to live close to humans. There are now tens of thousands of swans nesting there each year, especially in Michigan and Ontario. They also benefited from the absence of native Trumpeter Swans, which were extirpated from the Great Lakes in the early 20th century due to overhunting. Although Mute Swans are beautiful and fun to watch, they are causing significant harm to ecosystems in the Great Lakes. Each swan can eat more than five pounds of vegetation each day, damaging the habitat needed by native waterfowl like ducks and geese. Mute Swans are also competing with efforts to reintroduce the native Trumpeter Swan to the Great Lakes. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** black, orange, white **Bird Family:** Ducks, Geese, & Swans **Birds:** Mute Swan --- ### [Flocks: Pros & Cons](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) **Published:** October 1, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Why do some birds group together in flocks while others spend more time alone? It often comes down to two main factors - what they eat, and what eats them. **Content:** Why do some birds group together in flocks while others spend more time alone? It often comes down to two main factors – what they eat, and what eats them. The main benefit that most birds gain from living in flocks is a reduced risk of being captured by a predator. They’re protected in four ways: - **Dilution** – Each bird in a flock has a lower chance of being captured by a predator just because there are so many other options for a predator to choose. - **Confusion** – Predators usually try to single out an individual to capture. The complicated movements of the flock make it hard to stay on target. - **Vigilance** – Birds in flocks can spend more time searching for food and less time scanning for predators. As long as a few birds are watching, they can alert the entire flock when danger is detected. - **Defense** – Some flocks gang up on predators to chase them off. Birds in flocks also have an easier time finding food, when food is abundant but clumped in limited locations. For example, [blackbirds find grain](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/winter-blackbird-flocks/) and other seeds in agricultural fields during the winter, or [sandpipers may find a beach](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/peeps-not-the-easter-candy-sandpipers/) teeming with small insects to eat. Birds get this benefit in locations where there is so much food that the whole flock can eat. Flocking doesn’t come without some disadvantages. If there’s not quite enough food to feed a flock, the flock members will start competing with each other, and some will break off alone or in smaller flocks to look for food elsewhere. If food is very scarce or too spread out, then flocks may never form in the first place. Flocks also increase the spread of diseases and parasites among birds. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** black **Bird Family:** Crows, Ravens, & Jays **Birds:** American Crow --- ### [Chimney Swifts](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/chimney-swifts/) **Published:** September 24, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Chimney Swifts spend almost every waking moment airborne, zipping around in the sky to capture flying insects. **Content:** **Chimney Swifts** spend almost every waking moment airborne, zipping around in the sky to capture flying insects. They’re quite common in the Susquehanna Valley, but they’re among our most overlooked birds. I often hear their chattering calls before I see swifts. When you see them, you can recognize them by their distinct shape – they look like a cigar strapped to a boomerang. As their name suggests, Chimney Swifts often nest in large chimneys. Both male and female swifts use their sticky saliva to hold sticks together in a cup shape against the inside of the chimney. The easiest places to find swifts are in large towns and small cities, where there are many chimneys and plenty of insects to eat. The total population of swifts likely increased over past centuries as more and more buildings were constructed. Unfortunately, swift populations have been consistently declining since the early 2000s, likely due to a decline in their insect prey. Swifts will be leaving soon. They can be found in the Susquehanna Valley between mid-April and early October. They show up in the spring [about a week before hummingbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/good-bye-for-now-ruby-throated-hummingbird/), then depart about one week later than hummingbirds in the fall. After nesting across the eastern United States and parts of southeastern Canada, swifts migrate to northwestern South America for the winter, where they capture insects flying over the Amazon Rainforest. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** brown **Bird Family:** Swifts **Birds:** Chimney Swift --- ### [How to Attract Cardinals](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-attract-cardinals/) **Published:** September 10, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Northern Cardinals are one of our most recognizable and charismatic backyard birds. Here are some tips to follow if you want to see them visit more often. **Content:** **Northern Cardinals** are one of our [most recognizable and charismatic backyard birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/northern-cardinals/). Here are some tips to follow if you want to see them visit more often. - **Offer the right food.** Your cardinals’ favorites are sunflower and safflower seeds, especially sunflower chips. They also enjoy peanuts, [mealworms](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/feeding-mealworms-to-your-birds/), berries, and Bark Butter. - **Use a cardinal-friendly feeder.** Cardinals are larger than many of your other feeder birds, and they’re not good at clinging like nuthatches and woodpeckers. Try putting seed in a [tray or hopper feeder](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/tray-feeders-a-favorite-bird-feeder-for-your-backyard-birds/) with an easy perch. If cardinals aren’t comfortable on your feeders, they may still visit your yard. However, they’ll spend more time searching for food on the ground and you won’t see them as well. - **Provide cover.** Because cardinals spend most of their time close to the ground, they benefit from low shrubs or dense flower beds where they can hide from predators. Bushes are also a great place for your cardinals to build a nest. They construct a cup-shaped nest out of thin twigs, grass, pine needles, and other plant material. They don’t use nest boxes. - **Fill your bird bath with clean, fresh water.** All birds benefit from easy access to water. Consider making your water even more attractive by adding a solar or electric fountain. - **Plant native vegetation.** Even though the majority of a cardinal’s diet consists of seeds and berries, nearly a third of their diet is insects and other arthropods. Native plants host a wide variety of native insects, especially the caterpillars that are a crucial source of fat and calories for cardinal nestlings. Cardinals are non-migratory, so you can see them in your yard at any time of year but fall and winter are the best times to see flocks of cardinals. During the nesting season (late April through early August), you’re likely to see only a single pair of cardinals visiting your feeders. Like most songbirds, cardinals are territorial and won’t allow other cardinals in their territory. Defending a territory is necessary for many birds so they can ensure that they have enough food for their nestlings within an easy flying distance. Now that the nesting season has ended, watch for flocks to form. **Categories:** Feeding & Caring for Birds **Bird Color:** black, orange, red **Bird Family:** Cardinals **Birds:** Northern Cardinal --- ### [Greater Yellowlegs](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/greater-yellowlegs/) **Published:** September 3, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Last week I wrote about a sandpiper called a Lesser Yellowlegs, which has a robin-sized body, but with very long yellow legs. **Content:** Last week I wrote about [a sandpiper called a Lesser Yellowlegs](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/lesser-yellowlegs/), which has a robin-sized body, but with very long yellow legs. You may have guessed that there is another sandpiper called a **Greater Yellowlegs**. Like Lesser Yellowlegs, Greaters pass through each fall and spring, visiting exposed muddy areas and flooded fields. Even though Greater Yellowlegs stand about three inches taller and weigh about twice as much, it can be challenging to tell them apart from Lesser Yellowlegs by size alone. The size of a bird can be difficult to judge if it’s not standing near something you can use as a reference. When the two sandpipers stand close to each other, the size difference is obvious. The more reliable method to identify these two species is to look at the shape and relative size of the bill. Lesser Yellowlegs have a thinner, shorter bill. Greater Yellowlegs have a thicker, longer bill that bends slightly upward near the tip. Both yellowlegs forage for insects, crustaceans, and other arthropods by wading into shallow water. Greater Yellowlegs are more likely to spend time catching fish. After locating a fish, the yellowlegs will quickly run forward to chase it down, often diving head first into the water to make the catch. **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, white, yellow **Bird Family:** Sandpipers **Birds:** Greater Yellowlegs --- ### [Lesser Yellowlegs](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/lesser-yellowlegs/) **Published:** August 27, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Excerpt:** Shorebird migration is one of the highlights of late summer. Several species of sandpipers and plovers pass through Pennsylvania each fall on their way south. **Content:** Shorebird migration is one of the highlights of late summer. Several species of [sandpipers and plovers](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/peeps-not-the-easter-candy-sandpipers/) pass through Pennsylvania each fall on their way south. One fairly common species is the **Lesser Yellowlegs**, a medium-sized sandpiper with distinctive long yellow legs. They stand tall on those legs, but they weigh only about as much as an American Robin. Like other sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs spend much of their time looking for food. They use their bill to probe for a wide variety of insects, crustaceans, and other arthropods. Their long legs allow them to wade deeper into the water to access foods unavailable to smaller shorebirds. You usually find Lesser Yellowlegs walking in water half as deep as their legs are long. Occasionally, they’ll wade in belly-deep, or even swim when their legs can’t reach the bottom. Lesser Yellowlegs breed across northern Canada and Alaska during the summer. During the winter they live along the Atlantic Coast, in the southern United States, and in wet habitats across Central and South America. In Pennsylvania, watch for them on spring migration in April and early May. They’re easier to find in fall migration, between July and October. You can find them along the shallow edges of ponds, on exposed wet muddy areas, and in flooded fields with short vegetation. It may seem odd for such a small bird, but Lesser Yellowlegs were once hunted for food. So many were shot in the early 20th century that scientists at the time commented on a dramatic drop in their population. Hunting sandpipers became illegal in the United States in 1927, and the population rebounded. Although Lesser Yellowlegs are fairly common today, their population has been dropping again – down more than 50 percent over the last 50 years. Causes of the decline include habitat loss, exposure to pesticides, and hunting (thousands are still shot each year on several Caribbean islands and in northern South America). **Categories:** Local Birds **Bird Color:** gray, white, yellow **Bird Family:** Sandpipers **Birds:** Lesser Yellowlegs --- ## Pages ### [Home](https://wildbirdguide.com/) **Published:** February 21, 2023 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Content:** Tufted Titmice and West Nile Virus Tufted Titmice and West Nile Virus Tufted Titmice are one of our cutest and most charismatic backyard birds. Their large dark eyes and pointed crest make them seem very expressive as they actively search for food in tree branches or at your bird feeder. Elegant (and Invasive): Mute Swan Elegant (and Invasive): Mute Swan Mute Swans have been one of the most popular birds in Europe and Asia for hundreds of years. Flocks: Pros & Cons Flocks: Pros & Cons Why do some birds group together in flocks while others spend more time alone? It often comes down to two main factors - what they eat, and what eats them. Chimney Swifts Chimney Swifts Chimney Swifts spend almost every waking moment airborne, zipping around in the sky to capture flying insects. Goodbye for Now: Ruby-throated Hummingbird Goodbye for Now: Ruby-throated Hummingbird September is the best month to see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds here in the Susquehanna Valley. How to Attract Cardinals How to Attract Cardinals Northern Cardinals are one of our most recognizable and charismatic backyard birds. Here are some tips to follow if you want to see them visit more often. Recent Articles [Oct 15: Tufted Titmice and West Nile Virus](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmice-and-west-nile-virus/) [Oct 8: Elegant (and Invasive): Mute Swan](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/elegant-and-invasive-mute-swan/) [Oct 1: Flocks: Pros & Cons](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) [Sep 24: Chimney Swifts](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/chimney-swifts/) [Sep 17: Goodbye for Now: Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/good-bye-for-now-ruby-throated-hummingbird/)   - [![American Crows in Maryland (September 2026).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/260907-AMCR-scaled.jpg "American Crows in Maryland (September 2026). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/category/feeding-caring-for-birds/) Feeding & Caring for Birds - [![Tufted Titmouse in York County (October 2026).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/261005-TUTI-b-scaled.jpg "Tufted Titmouse in York County (October 2026). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/category/local-birds/) [Local Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/category/local-birds/) - [![Mississippi Kites in Dauphin County (August 2026).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/260807-MIKI-b-scaled.jpg "Mississippi Kites in Dauphin County (August 2026). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/category/chasing-rare-birds/) [Chasing Rare Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/category/chasing-rare-birds/) - [New Articles](https://wildbirdguide.com/new-articles/) Tufted Titmice and West Nile Virus Tufted Titmice and West Nile Virus Tufted Titmice are one of our cutest and most charismatic backyard birds. Their large dark eyes and pointed crest make them seem very expressive as they actively search for food in tree branches or at your bird feeder. Elegant (and Invasive): Mute Swan Elegant (and Invasive): Mute Swan Mute Swans have been one of the most popular birds in Europe and Asia for hundreds of years. Flocks: Pros & Cons Flocks: Pros & Cons Why do some birds group together in flocks while others spend more time alone? It often comes down to two main factors - what they eat, and what eats them. Chimney Swifts Chimney Swifts Chimney Swifts spend almost every waking moment airborne, zipping around in the sky to capture flying insects. Goodbye for Now: Ruby-throated Hummingbird Goodbye for Now: Ruby-throated Hummingbird September is the best month to see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds here in the Susquehanna Valley. How to Attract Cardinals How to Attract Cardinals Northern Cardinals are one of our most recognizable and charismatic backyard birds. Here are some tips to follow if you want to see them visit more often. - [Feeding & Caring for Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) ## [Flocks: Pros & Cons](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) - [Local Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/north-americas-biggest-woodpecker-pileated-woodpecker/) #### [North America’s Biggest Woodpecker: Pileated Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/north-americas-biggest-woodpecker-pileated-woodpecker/) - [Chasing Rare Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/crossbills/) #### [Crossbills](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/crossbills/) [![Advertisement banner for Vortex binoculars with the slogan 'Bring birds into focus' and lifetime guarantee.](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Binoculars-728x90-2.jpg "Binoculars-728x90 - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/ads/binoculars-728x90/) ### newest articles - [![Tufted Titmouse in York County (October 2026).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/261005-TUTI-b-scaled.jpg "Tufted Titmouse in York County (October 2026). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmice-and-west-nile-virus/) [Local Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmice-and-west-nile-virus/) #### [Tufted Titmice and West Nile Virus](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmice-and-west-nile-virus/) Tufted Titmice are one of our cutest and most charismatic backyard birds. Their large dark eyes and pointed crest make them seem very expressive as they actively search for food in tree branches or at your bird feeder. [read more](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmice-and-west-nile-virus/) - [![Mississippi Kites in Dauphin County (August 2026).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/260807-MIKI-b-scaled.jpg "Mississippi Kites in Dauphin County (August 2026). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/mississippi-kite/) [Chasing Rare Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/mississippi-kite/) #### [Mississippi Kite](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/mississippi-kite/) A pair of Mississippi Kites have been living at Wildwood Lake Park near Harrisburg for the last two weeks. [read more](https://wildbirdguide.com/chasing-rare-birds/mississippi-kite/) - [![American Crows in Maryland (September 2026).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/260907-AMCR-scaled.jpg "American Crows in Maryland (September 2026). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) [Feeding & Caring for Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) #### [Flocks: Pros & Cons](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) Why do some birds group together in flocks while others spend more time alone? It often comes down to two main factors - what they eat, and what eats them. [read more](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) [![Ad for the Bird Savings Club: members save every day on fresh bird food, with 15% off and member specials.](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Club-300x250-2.jpg "Club-300x250 - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/ads/savings-club-300x250/) [![Ad image showing a bird feeder hanging from a curved streetlamp against a blue sky, with the slogan 'The Advanced Pole System' and 'Looks great, stays straight!'](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/APS-300x600-1.jpg "APS-300x600 - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/ads/advanced-pole-system-300x600/) --- ### [Bird Search](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-search/) **Published:** March 23, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Content:** Use the search box or choose one filter above to explore birds, families, and colors. --- ### [About Us](https://wildbirdguide.com/about-us/) **Published:** November 3, 2024 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Content:** # About Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA ![](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/about-us.jpg "about-us - Wild Bird Guide") We are a specialized hobby shop providing a wide variety of products for backyard bird feeding. We make every effort to understand your specific needs, answer all your questions, and share information with you about the hobby. Our **SERVICE**, **QUALITY** and **SELECTION** make us uniquely different than online retailers and other stores in the area offering bird feeding supplies. We are a **FAMILY-OWNED and** **OPERATED** business. As franchise owners, we are able to offer exclusive Wild Birds Unlimited products at competitive prices. We appreciate your business and want to make it easy for you to do business with us. Every member of our staff has been thoroughly trained and certified as a **BIRD FEEDING SPECIALIST**. We are ready and available to answer all your bird feeding questions. Dan Hinnebusch, **ORNITHOLOGIST AT WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED**, is a member of the family (the owners’ son-in-law) and a vital part of the Wild Birds Unlimited business. Dan manages all of our stores, provides educational seminars and bird walks, and often accepts invitations for off-site presentations throughout the Susquehanna Valley. **OUR BIRD FOODS ARE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND ALWAYS FRESH**. Our bird seed blends have no grains or fillers (like cracked corn, oats, milo, or red millet) – ingredients often found in other stores’ blends that reduce the cost but end up as waste on the ground. As owners, we have selected the ingredients to include in each blend – knowing the right seeds and quantities for the birds in this area. We are so confident in the design and quality of our feeders and accessories that many carry a **LIMITED LIFETIME GUARANTEE**. All repairs and replacements are completed on the premises. **Stop by one of our locations TODAY and experience a different kind of backyard bird feeding store!** We look forward to hearing about the birds in your backyard. ![](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/about-us.jpg "about-us - Wild Bird Guide") We are a specialized hobby shop providing a wide variety of products for backyard bird feeding. We make every effort to understand your specific needs, answer all your questions, and share information with you about the hobby. Our **SERVICE**, **QUALITY** and **SELECTION** make us uniquely different than online retailers and other stores in the area offering bird feeding supplies. We are a **FAMILY-OWNED and** **OPERATED** business. As franchise owners, we are able to offer exclusive Wild Birds Unlimited products at competitive prices. We appreciate your business and want to make it easy for you to do business with us. Every member of our staff has been thoroughly trained and certified as a **BIRD FEEDING SPECIALIST**. We are ready and available to answer all your bird feeding questions. Dan Hinnebusch, **ORNITHOLOGIST AT WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED**, is a member of the family (the owners’ son-in-law) and a vital part of the Wild Birds Unlimited business. Dan manages all of our stores, provides educational seminars and bird walks, and often accepts invitations for off-site presentations throughout the Susquehanna Valley. **OUR BIRD FOODS ARE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND ALWAYS FRESH**. Our bird seed blends have no grains or fillers (like cracked corn, oats, milo, or red millet) – ingredients often found in other stores’ blends that reduce the cost but end up as waste on the ground. As owners, we have selected the ingredients to include in each blend – knowing the right seeds and quantities for the birds in this area. We are so confident in the design and quality of our feeders and accessories that many carry a **LIMITED LIFETIME GUARANTEE**. All repairs and replacements are completed on the premises. **Stop by one of our locations TODAY and experience a different kind of backyard bird feeding store!** We look forward to hearing about the birds in your backyard. [![wild birds unlimited in lancaster pa](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/459.jpg "Wild Birds Unlimited of Lancaster - Wild Bird Guide")](https://lancaster.wbu.com) ## Lancaster, PA 1947 Fruitville Pike, Foxshire Plaza Lancaster, PA 17601 Across from Starbucks **(717) 208-6881** [Wild Birds Unlimited of Lancaster](https://lancaster.wbu.com) [![wild birds unlimited in mechanicsburg pa](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/471.jpg "Wild Birds Unlimited of Mechanicsburg - Wild Bird Guide")](https://mechanicsburg.wbu.com) ## Mechanicsburg, PA 6391 Carlisle Pike Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 Silver Creek Plaza, Next to REI **(717) 697-9000** [Wild Birds Unlimited of Mechanicsburg](https://mechanicsburg.wbu.com) [![wild birds unlimited store in york pa](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/482.jpg "Wild Birds Unlimited of York - Wild Bird Guide")](https://york.wbu.com) ## York, PA 2820 Whiteford Road, Suite 3 York, PA 17402 Next to Christmas Tree Hill **(717) 851-8020** [Wild Birds Unlimited of York](https://york.wbu.com) --- ### [Our Stores](https://wildbirdguide.com/our-stores/) **Published:** May 15, 2026 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Content:** # Our Stores in Lancaster, Mechanicsburg, and York [![wild birds unlimited in lancaster pa](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/459.jpg "Wild Birds Unlimited of Lancaster - Wild Bird Guide")](https://lancaster.wbu.com) ## Lancaster, PA 1947 Fruitville Pike, Foxshire Plaza Lancaster, PA 17601 Across from Starbucks **(717) 208-6881** [Wild Birds Unlimited of Lancaster](https://lancaster.wbu.com) [![wild birds unlimited in mechanicsburg pa](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/471.jpg "Wild Birds Unlimited of Mechanicsburg - Wild Bird Guide")](https://mechanicsburg.wbu.com) ## Mechanicsburg, PA 6391 Carlisle Pike Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 Silver Creek Plaza, Next to REI **(717) 697-9000** [Wild Birds Unlimited of Mechanicsburg](https://mechanicsburg.wbu.com) [![wild birds unlimited store in york pa](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/482.jpg "Wild Birds Unlimited of York - Wild Bird Guide")](https://york.wbu.com) ## York, PA 2820 Whiteford Road, Suite 3 York, PA 17402 Next to Christmas Tree Hill **(717) 851-8020** [Wild Birds Unlimited of York](https://york.wbu.com) --- ### [Daily Savings Club](https://wildbirdguide.com/daily-savings-club/) **Published:** January 30, 2025 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Content:** ![wild birds unlimited daily savings club card](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/daily-savings-club.jpg "Daily Savings Club Card - Wild Bird Guide") ## **Members save money EVERY day on the freshest bird food in town!** - Save 15% on ALL Bird Food EVERY Day - Earn $10 OFF BirdBuck Coupon for every $200 spent – that’s 5% on ALL Purchases - Take advantage of Club Member specials on bird food and other merchandise - Receive invitations to our popular Club Member *ONLY* Bird & Wine lecture series hosted by Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist for Wild Birds Unlimited - Attend other Club Member *ONLY* events ## **Stop in today and join the Club!** [![wild birds unlimited in lancaster pa](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/459.jpg "Wild Birds Unlimited of Lancaster - Wild Bird Guide")](https://lancaster.wbu.com) ## Lancaster, PA 1947 Fruitville Pike, Foxshire Plaza Lancaster, PA 17601 Across from Starbucks **(717) 208-6881** [Wild Birds Unlimited of Lancaster](https://lancaster.wbu.com) [![wild birds unlimited in mechanicsburg pa](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/471.jpg "Wild Birds Unlimited of Mechanicsburg - Wild Bird Guide")](https://mechanicsburg.wbu.com) ## Mechanicsburg, PA 6391 Carlisle Pike Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 Silver Creek Plaza, Next to REI **(717) 697-9000** [Wild Birds Unlimited of Mechanicsburg](https://mechanicsburg.wbu.com) [![wild birds unlimited store in york pa](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/482.jpg "Wild Birds Unlimited of York - Wild Bird Guide")](https://york.wbu.com) ## York, PA 2820 Whiteford Road, Suite 3 York, PA 17402 Next to Christmas Tree Hill **(717) 851-8020** [Wild Birds Unlimited of York](https://york.wbu.com) --- ### [New Articles](https://wildbirdguide.com/new-articles/) **Published:** March 15, 2023 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Content:** - [![Tufted Titmouse in York County (October 2026).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/261005-TUTI-b-scaled.jpg "Tufted Titmouse in York County (October 2026). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmice-and-west-nile-virus/) [Local Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmice-and-west-nile-virus/) #### [Tufted Titmice and West Nile Virus](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmice-and-west-nile-virus/) Tufted Titmice are one of our cutest and most charismatic backyard birds. Their large dark eyes and pointed crest make them seem very expressive as they actively search for food in tree branches or at your bird feeder. [read more](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/tufted-titmice-and-west-nile-virus/) - [![Mute Swans (adult and juvenile) near Lake Ontario in New York (September 2026).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/260927-MUSW-scaled.jpg "Mute Swans (adult and juvenile) near Lake Ontario in New York (September 2026). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/elegant-and-invasive-mute-swan/) [Local Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/elegant-and-invasive-mute-swan/) #### [Elegant (and Invasive): Mute Swan](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/elegant-and-invasive-mute-swan/) Mute Swans have been one of the most popular birds in Europe and Asia for hundreds of years. [read more](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/elegant-and-invasive-mute-swan/) - [![American Crows in Maryland (September 2026).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/260907-AMCR-scaled.jpg "American Crows in Maryland (September 2026). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) [Feeding & Caring for Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) #### [Flocks: Pros & Cons](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) Why do some birds group together in flocks while others spend more time alone? It often comes down to two main factors - what they eat, and what eats them. [read more](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/flocks-pros-cons/) - [![Chimney Swifts flying above Dan & Melissa’s yard (May 2021).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/210519-CHSW-scaled.jpg "Chimney Swifts flying above Dan & Melissa’s yard (May 2021). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/chimney-swifts/) [Local Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/chimney-swifts/) #### [Chimney Swifts](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/chimney-swifts/) Chimney Swifts spend almost every waking moment airborne, zipping around in the sky to capture flying insects. [read more](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/chimney-swifts/) - [![Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Dan & Melissa’s yard (July 2023).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/230719-RTHU.jpg "Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Dan & Melissa’s yard (July 2023). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/good-bye-for-now-ruby-throated-hummingbird/) [Local Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/good-bye-for-now-ruby-throated-hummingbird/) #### [Goodbye for Now: Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/good-bye-for-now-ruby-throated-hummingbird/) September is the best month to see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds here in the Susquehanna Valley. [read more](https://wildbirdguide.com/local-birds/good-bye-for-now-ruby-throated-hummingbird/) - [![Northern Cardinal (female) with American Goldfinches in Dan & Melissa’s yard (February 2026).](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/260222-NOCA-female-scaled.jpg "Northern Cardinal (female) with American Goldfinches in Dan & Melissa’s yard (February 2026). - Wild Bird Guide - Wild Bird Guide")](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-attract-cardinals/) [Feeding & Caring for Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-attract-cardinals/) #### [How to Attract Cardinals](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-attract-cardinals/) Northern Cardinals are one of our most recognizable and charismatic backyard birds. Here are some tips to follow if you want to see them visit more often. [read more](https://wildbirdguide.com/feeding-caring-for-birds/how-to-attract-cardinals/) 1[2](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-cron.php/page/2/?doing_wp_cron=1792843523.1795749664306640625000)[Next](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-cron.php/page/2/?doing_wp_cron=1792843523.1795749664306640625000) Load More Posts ![](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/300x600.jpg "300×600 - Wild Bird Guide") --- ### [About The Author](https://wildbirdguide.com/about-the-author/) **Published:** March 16, 2023 **Author:** Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited **Content:** ### Dan Hinnebusch, Ornithologist at Wild Birds Unlimited ![](https://wildbirdguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/dan-hinnebusch-full.jpg "dan-hinnebusch-full - Wild Bird Guide")Dan’s passion for birds is built on more than three decades of recreational birding experience and a strong interest in the natural world. His goal is to learn something new every time he goes outside. Dan rarely leaves the house without his binoculars and has a keen awareness of nature around him. Dan earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife sciences at Penn State University.  He completed his master’s degree in wildlife sciences at the University of Tennessee where he studied grassland birds—specifically Henslow’s Sparrows. The population of Henslow’s Sparrows dropped by more than half between 1966 and 2015. Henslow’s Sparrows are listed as an endangered or threatened species in 16 states. Dan has more than 10 years of experience as a professional wildlife biologist and environmental scientist, including four years with Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Throughout the year, he teaches classes about birds and ecology at Cedar Crest College for Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Dan also completes bird studies throughout Pennsylvania for a local consulting firm to determine if planned construction projects will impact endangered or threatened birds. Dan participates locally in the Breeding Bird Survey, an annual international count of birds at selected points to monitor changes in bird populations. He volunteers to collect data for the Third Pennsylvania Bird Atlas, a 5-year effort to map out the bird diversity of Pennsylvania. He hosts club member only events—including bird walks and monthly bird seminars. Dan is frequently asked to present off-site seminars for various groups throughout central Pennsylvania. Dan is also the Area Manager for the Wild Birds Unlimited stores in Lancaster, Mechanicsburg and York. Dan along with his wife, Melissa, and their two boys enjoy family bird walks and camping—any activity that gets them close to nature. His boys, Eddie and Andy, share Dan’s insatiable desire to learn about animals, plants and insects. --- ## Categories ### [Local Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/category/local-birds/) **Description:** Identify the birds at your feeders and in your neighborhood with profiles of Pennsylvania backyard birds, including their songs, habits, and feeding tips. --- ### [Feeding & Caring for Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/category/feeding-caring-for-birds/) **Description:** Practical bird feeding advice: what to offer, how to clean feeders and bird baths, and how to keep backyard birds safe and healthy through every season. --- ### [Chasing Rare Birds](https://wildbirdguide.com/category/chasing-rare-birds/) **Description:** Follow along on rare bird chases and life bird finds, from Virginia's Warbler to the Yellow-crowned Night Heron, plus tips for finding your own. --- ## Bird Color ### [brown](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-color/brown/) **Description:** Browse Pennsylvania birds with brown feathers, with photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [gray](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-color/gray/) **Description:** Browse Pennsylvania birds with gray feathers, with photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [yellow](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-color/yellow/) **Description:** Browse Pennsylvania birds with yellow feathers, with photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [black](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-color/black/) **Description:** Browse Pennsylvania birds with black feathers, with photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [white](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-color/white/) **Description:** Browse Pennsylvania birds with white feathers, with photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [red](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-color/red/) **Description:** Browse Pennsylvania birds with red feathers, with photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [blue](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-color/blue/) **Description:** Browse Pennsylvania birds with blue feathers, with photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [orange](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-color/orange/) **Description:** Browse Pennsylvania birds with orange feathers, with photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [green](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-color/green/) **Description:** Browse Pennsylvania birds with green feathers, with photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [olive](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-color/olive/) **Description:** Browse Pennsylvania birds with olive feathers, with photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ## Bird Family ### [Sparrows](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/sparrows/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Sparrows family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Warblers](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/warblers/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Warblers family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Woodpeckers](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/woodpeckers/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Woodpeckers family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Mimic Thrushes](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/mimic-thrushes/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Mimic Thrushes family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Flycatchers](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/flycatchers/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Flycatchers family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Pheasants & Turkeys](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/pheasants-turkeys/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Pheasants & Turkeys family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Swallows](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/swallows/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Swallows family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Cranes](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/cranes/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Cranes family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Finches](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/finches/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Finches family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Sandpipers](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/sandpipers/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Sandpipers family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Herons](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/herons/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Herons family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Starlings](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/starlings/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Starlings family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Vultures](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/vultures/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Vultures family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Wrens](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/wrens/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Wrens family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Buntings & Longspurs](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/buntings-longspurs/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Buntings & Longspurs family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Thrushes](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/thrushes/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Thrushes family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Cardinals](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/cardinals/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Cardinals family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Kinglets](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/kinglets/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Kinglets family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Waxwings](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/waxwings/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Waxwings family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Creepers](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/creepers/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Creepers family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Hawks & Eagles](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/hawks-eagles/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Hawks & Eagles family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Grebes](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/grebes/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Grebes family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Gnatcatchers](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/gnatcatchers/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Gnatcatchers family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Crows, Ravens, & Jays](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/crows-ravens-jays/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Crows, Ravens, & Jays family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Pigeons & Doves](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/pigeons-doves/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Pigeons & Doves family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Hummingbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/hummingbirds/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Hummingbirds family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Ducks, Geese, & Swans](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/ducks-geese-swans/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Ducks, Geese, & Swans family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Blackbirds](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/blackbirds/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Blackbirds family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Gulls](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/gulls/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Gulls family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Vireos](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/vireos/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Vireos family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Terns](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/terns/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Terns family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Rails](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/rails/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Rails family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Old World Sparrows](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/old-world-sparrows/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Old World Sparrows family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Nuthatches](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/nuthatches/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Nuthatches family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Plovers](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/plovers/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Plovers family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Chickadees & Titmice](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/chickadees-titmice/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Chickadees & Titmice family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Egrets](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/egrets/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Egrets family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Oystercatchers](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/oystercatchers/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Oystercatchers family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ### [Swifts](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird-family/swifts/) **Description:** Pennsylvania birds in the Swifts family, with photos, key facts and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited. --- ## Birds ### [Chipping Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/chipping-sparrow/) **Description:** Chipping Sparrow in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [American Redstart](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/american-redstart/) **Description:** American Redstart in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Cape May Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/cape-may-warbler/) **Description:** Cape May Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Downy Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/downy-woodpecker/) **Description:** Downy Woodpecker in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [White-breasted Nuthatch](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/white-breasted-nuthatch/) **Description:** White-breasted Nuthatch in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Pileated Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/pileated-woodpecker/) **Description:** Pileated Woodpecker in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Blue Jay](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/blue-jay/) **Description:** Blue Jay in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Pine Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/pine-warbler/) **Description:** Pine Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Brown Thrasher](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/brown-thrasher/) **Description:** Brown Thrasher in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Gray Catbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/gray-catbird/) **Description:** Gray Catbird in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Eastern Phoebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/eastern-phoebe/) **Description:** Eastern Phoebe in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Wild Turkey](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/wild-turkey/) **Description:** Wild Turkey in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Barn Swallow](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/barn-swallow/) **Description:** Barn Swallow in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Sandhill Crane](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/sandhill-crane/) **Description:** Sandhill Crane in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Red Crossbill](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/red-crossbill/) **Description:** Red Crossbill in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Louisiana Waterthrush](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/louisiana-waterthrush/) **Description:** Louisiana Waterthrush in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Red-bellied Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/red-bellied-woodpecker/) **Description:** Red-bellied Woodpecker in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Least Sandpiper](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/least-sandpiper/) **Description:** Least Sandpiper in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Green Heron](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/green-heron/) **Description:** Green Heron in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [European Starling](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/european-starling/) **Description:** European Starling in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Dusky Grouse](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/dusky-grouse/) **Description:** Dusky Grouse in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Yellow-rumped Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/yellow-rumped-warbler/) **Description:** Yellow-rumped Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Black Vulture](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/black-vulture/) **Description:** Black Vulture in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Turkey Vulture](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/turkey-vulture/) **Description:** Turkey Vulture in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Carolina Wren](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/carolina-wren/) **Description:** Carolina Wren in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Snow Bunting](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/snow-bunting/) **Description:** Snow Bunting in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Hermit Thrush](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/hermit-thrush/) **Description:** Hermit Thrush in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [MacGillivray's Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/macgillivrays-warbler/) **Description:** MacGillivray's Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Common Yellowthroat](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/common-yellowthroat/) **Description:** Common Yellowthroat in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Northern Cardinal](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/northern-cardinal/) **Description:** Northern Cardinal in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Ruby-crowned Kinglet](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/ruby-crowned-kinglet/) **Description:** Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Song Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/song-sparrow/) **Description:** Song Sparrow in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Cedar Waxwing](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/cedar-waxwing/) **Description:** Cedar Waxwing in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Brown Creeper](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/brown-creeper/) **Description:** Brown Creeper in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [American Tree Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/american-tree-sparrow/) **Description:** American Tree Sparrow in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Yellow-bellied Flycatcher](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/yellow-bellied-flycatcher/) **Description:** Yellow-bellied Flycatcher in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Acadian Flycatcher](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/acadian-flycatcher/) **Description:** Acadian Flycatcher in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Savannah Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/savannah-sparrow/) **Description:** Savannah Sparrow in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Mississippi Kite](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/mississippi-kite/) **Description:** Mississippi Kite in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Swallow-tailed Kite](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/swallow-tailed-kite/) **Description:** Swallow-tailed Kite in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Pied-billed Grebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/pied-billed-grebe/) **Description:** Pied-billed Grebe in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Northern Yellow Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/northern-yellow-warbler/) **Description:** Northern Yellow Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Prairie Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/prairie-warbler/) **Description:** Prairie Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Great Blue Heron](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/great-blue-heron/) **Description:** Great Blue Heron in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Blue-gray Gnatcatcher](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/blue-gray-gnatcatcher/) **Description:** Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Northern House Wren](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/northern-house-wren/) **Description:** Northern House Wren in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Palm Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/palm-warbler/) **Description:** Palm Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Common Raven](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/common-raven/) **Description:** Common Raven in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Mourning Dove](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/mourning-dove/) **Description:** Mourning Dove in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/ruby-throated-hummingbird/) **Description:** Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Dark-Eyed Junco](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/dark-eyed-junco/) **Description:** Dark-Eyed Junco in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Eastern Bluebird](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/eastern-bluebird/) **Description:** Eastern Bluebird in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [American Robin](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/american-robin/) **Description:** American Robin in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Harlequin Duck](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/harlequin-duck/) **Description:** Harlequin Duck in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Purple Finch](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/purple-finch/) **Description:** Purple Finch in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Hairy Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/hairy-woodpecker/) **Description:** Hairy Woodpecker in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Tundra Swan](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/tundra-swan/) **Description:** Tundra Swan in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Red-winged Blackbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/red-winged-blackbird/) **Description:** Red-winged Blackbird in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Common Grackle](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/common-grackle/) **Description:** Common Grackle in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Tree Swallow](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/tree-swallow/) **Description:** Tree Swallow in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Horned Grebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/horned-grebe/) **Description:** Horned Grebe in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Bonaparte’s Gull](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/bonapartes-gull/) **Description:** Bonaparte’s Gull in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Rusty Blackbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/rusty-blackbird/) **Description:** Rusty Blackbird in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Eurasian Collared-Dove](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/eurasian-collared-dove/) **Description:** Eurasian Collared-Dove in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Broad-winged Hawk](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/broad-winged-hawk/) **Description:** Broad-winged Hawk in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Eastern Warbling Vireo](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/eastern-warbling-vireo/) **Description:** Eastern Warbling Vireo in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Yellow-throated Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/yellow-throated-warbler/) **Description:** Yellow-throated Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Yellow-throated Vireo](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/yellow-throated-vireo/) **Description:** Yellow-throated Vireo in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Brewster's Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/brewsters-warbler/) **Description:** Brewster's Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Blue-winged Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/blue-winged-warbler/) **Description:** Blue-winged Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Northern Parula](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/northern-parula/) **Description:** Northern Parula in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Canada Jay](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/canada-jay/) **Description:** Canada Jay in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Mallard](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/mallard/) **Description:** Mallard in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Black Tern](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/black-tern/) **Description:** Black Tern in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Rose-breasted Grosbeak](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/rose-breasted-grosbeak/) **Description:** Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Scarlet Tanager](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/scarlet-tanager/) **Description:** Scarlet Tanager in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Virginia Rails](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/virginia-rails/) **Description:** Virginia Rails in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Black-throated Green Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/black-throated-green-warbler/) **Description:** Black-throated Green Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Yellow-crowned Night Heron](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/yellow-crowned-night-heron/) **Description:** Yellow-crowned Night Heron in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [House Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/house-sparrow/) **Description:** House Sparrow in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Red-breasted Nuthatch](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/red-breasted-nuthatch/) **Description:** Red-breasted Nuthatch in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Eared Grebe](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/eared-grebe/) **Description:** Eared Grebe in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Killdeer](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/killdeer/) **Description:** Killdeer in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Red-tailed Hawk](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/red-tailed-hawk/) **Description:** Red-tailed Hawk in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Tufted Titmouse](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/tufted-titmouse/) **Description:** Tufted Titmouse in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Ring-necked Pheasant](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/ring-necked-pheasant/) **Description:** Ring-necked Pheasant in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [House Finch](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/house-finch/) **Description:** House Finch in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Carolina Chickadee](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/carolina-chickadee/) **Description:** Carolina Chickadee in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Black-capped Chickadee](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/black-capped-chickadee/) **Description:** Black-capped Chickadee in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Gray Kingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/gray-kingbird/) **Description:** Gray Kingbird in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Eastern Kingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/eastern-kingbird/) **Description:** Eastern Kingbird in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Red-tailed Hawks](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/red-tailed-hawks/) **Description:** Red-tailed Hawks in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Red-shouldered Hawks](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/red-shouldered-hawks/) **Description:** Red-shouldered Hawks in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [American Kestrel](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/american-kestrel/) **Description:** American Kestrel in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Horned Lark](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/horned-lark/) **Description:** Horned Lark in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Greater White-fronted Goose](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/greater-white-fronted-goose/) **Description:** Greater White-fronted Goose in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Golden-crowned Kinglet](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/golden-crowned-kinglet/) **Description:** Golden-crowned Kinglet in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [American Goldfinch](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/american-goldfinch/) **Description:** American Goldfinch in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Fox Sparrow](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/fox-sparrow/) **Description:** Fox Sparrow in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Rough-legged Hawk](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/rough-legged-hawk/) **Description:** Rough-legged Hawk in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Yellow-bellied Sapsucker](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/yellow-bellied-sapsucker/) **Description:** Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Cooper's Hawk](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/coopers-hawk/) **Description:** Cooper's Hawk in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Ross's Goose](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/rosss-goose/) **Description:** Ross's Goose in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Snow Goose](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/snow-goose/) **Description:** Snow Goose in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [American Black Duck](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/american-black-duck/) **Description:** American Black Duck in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Northern Mockingbird](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/northern-mockingbird/) **Description:** Northern Mockingbird in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Great Egret](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/great-egret/) **Description:** Great Egret in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Virginia's Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/virginias-warbler/) **Description:** Virginia's Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Nashville Warbler](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/nashville-warbler/) **Description:** Nashville Warbler in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Red-eyed Vireo](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/red-eyed-vireo/) **Description:** Red-eyed Vireo in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Wood Thrush](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/wood-thrush/) **Description:** Wood Thrush in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Veery](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/veery/) **Description:** Veery in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [American Oystercatcher](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/american-oystercatcher/) **Description:** American Oystercatcher in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Northern Flicker](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/northern-flicker/) **Description:** Northern Flicker in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Red-headed Woodpecker](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/red-headed-woodpecker/) **Description:** Red-headed Woodpecker in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Lesser Yellowlegs](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/lesser-yellowlegs/) **Description:** Lesser Yellowlegs in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Greater Yellowlegs](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/greater-yellowlegs/) **Description:** Greater Yellowlegs in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Chimney Swift](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/chimney-swift/) **Description:** Chimney Swift in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [American Crow](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/american-crow/) **Description:** American Crow in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. --- ### [Mute Swan](https://wildbirdguide.com/bird/mute-swan/) **Description:** Mute Swan in Pennsylvania: key facts, photos and articles by ornithologist Dan Hinnebusch of Wild Birds Unlimited of Central PA. ---