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[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Male house sparrows have a dark bib under their beak. It’s size and darkness represents a birds seniority in a flock (larger and darker bibs indicate and older and more dominant bird).

(House sparrow, male plumage)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Common starlings have iridescent feathers which appear to have multiple colorations depending on the angle of light hitting them.

(Common starling)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

House sparrows can digest starches (like breads), likely a result of their close association with humans.

(House sparrow, male plumage)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Male song sparrows sing 6 to 24 variations of the song sparrows classic 3 to 4 note song.

(Song sparrow)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Blue jays have been observed constructing tools to access food resources in tests.

(Blue jay)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

The red fox is the largest of the true foxes and widely distributed across the northern hemisphere.

(Red fox)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

House finches feed their brood exclusively plant foods, a rarity among bird species, which typically prioritize protein for their young.

(House finch, male plumage)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Common loons need 30 to 65 meters (90-200 feet) to take off and cannot take off from land.

(Common loon, juvenile)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Song sparrows typically learn and develop their songs based on their territorial neighbors.

(Song sparrow)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Dark-eyed juncos will often make contact calls (calls to determine other individuals locations) while foraging.

(Dark-eyed junco)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Canada geese are primarily herbivores, but sometimes they eat invertebrates and fish as well.

(Canada geese)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Passerine (perching) birds make up over 60% of discovered bird species.

(Song sparrows)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

American robins are actually a species of thrush making them more related to Eastern bluebirds than European robins.

(American robin)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Red-breasted nuthatches can walk on the underside of branches, hanging below them as they move.

(Red-breasted nuthatch)

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Wildlife Wednesday is something I’ve done at work since I started photography. It’s been a fun way to engage with coworkers and keep everyone moving forward when the midweek doldrums hit.

Now we at a Neighborhood Naturalist want to expand the circle! Follow the link and you can sign up for a weekly trip to the field with us, featuring new sightings or some of our old favorites along with a fact to go along with each photo. No ads or anything else!

If you like you can also sign up for our newsletter on the website, which has a new edition dropping later this month!

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

Bird species have been observed reacting to eclipses as though night has fallen, with nocturnal species beginning to forage and diurnal species pausing their feeding.

Have a great and safe eclipse day! 🌚🌝

(Song sparrow)