Redhead and Canvasback

A quick trip over to Agua Caliente Park (which is four miles from us) produced a single Redhead and a Single Canvasback -- amidst a hundred or more ducks. Both are diving ducks as opposed to the myriad of dabbling ducks often found at Agua Caliente. So it takes a more careful search to find.

Sometimes confused at a distance, here you can clearly see the differentiating features and colors. The Canvasback has a longer, straighter, and black bill vs the somewhat upturned, shorter, gray bill with black tip on the Redhead. You can also see that the Canvasback has a darker head than the Redhead. The back of the Canvasback is lighter in color than in the Redhead.

Canvasback

Redhead

Redhead and Canvasback

Warblers of Southern Arizona: Yellow Throated Warbler

Continuing my series on Warblers of Southern Arizona, in alphabetical order, next up and last:

Yellow Throated Warbler

Distinctive Identification Marks: large high-contrast warbler with elongated profile; gray back; bright yellow chin, throat, and breast; strongly contrasting black cheek patch, lores, white under eye arc; heavy white supercilium; white wing bars separate black patch; white neck stripe; bright white underparts; long white tail;

Frequency: Casual in Arizona (15 records in Arizona)

Season: Winter

Range: Eastern United States

Habitat:

Tree Tops

Mid Tree

Nests:

Breeds in pine forest, sycamore, and riparian woodlands;

Placed high in trees;

Open nests of bark, grasses, and weed stems; lined with hair and feathers;

Feeding Behavior:

Gleaning: perched bird takes prey from branch

Eats insects and spiders

General Behavior:

Creeping

Skulking

Where to Find: last two years in Patagonia Town Center;

Chance of Finding: 25% when/where reported; otherwise not likely

in mesquite tree

in walnut tree

perched

Warblers of Southern Arizona: Yellow Breasted Chat

Continuing my series on Warblers of Southern Arizona, in alphabetical order, next up:

Yellow Breasted Chat

Note: There is debate on whether the Yellow Breasted Chat should be classified as a "Warbler"

Distinctive Identification Marks: Large heavy bill; high contrast yellow throat and breast; heavy white eyerings; black lores; largest warbler; long gray tail; 

Frequency: Uncommon 

Season: April through September

Range: Throughout the United States

Habitat:

Lower Tree and Brush

Brush

Ground

Nests:

Bulky cup of grasses, leaves, bark, weed stems, lined with finer grasses; placed in dense shrubs.

Feeding Behavior:

Gleaning: perched bird takes prey from branch

Hawking: perched bird takes prey from air

Pouncing: perched bird takes prey from ground or stream

Eats small invertebrates and fruit

General Behavior:

Creeping

Walking

Very active; constant movement

Where to Find: San Pedro River; Patagonia Sonoita Creek; Empire Gulch

Chance of Finding: Very secretive; more often heard than seen; 10% in season and preferred habitat

Warblers of Southern Arizona: Yellow Warbler

Continuing my series on Warblers of Southern Arizona, in alphabetical order, next up:

Yellow Warbler

Distinctive Identification Marks: plain yellow face with dull yellow eyering; black eye; stout dark bill; variable red streaking on breast; yellow edges on wings; low contrast between underparts and back in southwest;

Frequency: Common

Season: March through September

Range: Throughout the United States and Canada

Habitat:

Mid Tree

Lower Tree and Brush

Wide range from dry scrub to marshes, to forests; from lowlands to 9,000 feet

Nests:

Nests in shrubs or small trees, usually 10 feet off the ground; 

Feeding Behavior:

Gleaning: perched bird takes prey from branch

Diet includes midges, caterpillars, beetles, bugs, and wasps

General Behavior:

Walking (hopping) along small branches

Very active; constant movement

Usually in the tops of shrubs and small trees

Where to Find: San Pedro River, Santa Cruz River, Empire Gulch, Mount Lemmon, Madera Canyon, Pena Blanca Lake

Chance of Finding: 25% in season and preferred habitat

Warblers of Southern Arizona: Wilson's Warbler

Continuing my series on Warblers of Southern Arizona, in alphabetical order, next up:

Wilson's Warbler

Distinctive Identification Marks: black cap; yellow underparts with olive back; small bill which is black on top and pale below; pink legs; brighter yellow supercilium; long dark tail; 

Frequency: Common

Season: Spring and Fall

Range: Throughout the United States and Canada, though more common in the West

Habitat:

Lower Tree and Brush

Nesting:
Nests on ground at the base of a shrub; open cup lined with grass

Feeding Behavior:

Gleaning: perched bird takes prey from branch;

Occasional Hawking;

Easts mostly insects but occasional berries

General Behavior:

Hovering

Very active; constant movement

Where to Find: Riparian habitats in all of the Madrean Sky Island Mountains.

Chance of Finding: 60% in season and preferred habitat.

Male

Female

1st Year

On Ground

In Tree

In shrub

Warblers of Southern Arizona: Virginia's Warbler

Continuing my series on Warblers of Southern Arizona, in alphabetical order, next up:

Virginia's Warbler

Distinctive Identification Marks: grayish back and head; complete white eyering; variable yellow breast; yellow base of tail; long thin gray tail; chestnut crown patch (seldom seen); 

Frequency: Uncommon

Season: April to September

Range: Southwestern United States

Habitat:

Mid Tree

Lower Tree and Brush

Nesting:
Nests are well concealed and little is known; often on steep hillside

Feeding Behavior:

Gleaning: perched bird takes prey from branch

General Behavior:

Hovering

Very active; constant movement

Where to Find: Mount Lemmon

Chance of Finding: usually in small numbers and uncommon makes it a difficult find; best chance is looking where recently reported. At best 10%.