Five interesting birds you might see at Cowboys & Angels
Hey Ya'll,
Warmer weather is upon us, and we've been enjoying watching all the critters on the property (at least when we're not getting flooded by those April showers). Kelli has been exercising her photography muscles and getting some great shots. We thought ya'll might enjoy seeing of the colorful birds that hang around Cowboys and Angels, so here's five of the most interesting birds we've seen so far and some tidbits about them. Note: not all this information is factual.
- American Goldfinch
- The patchy brown and yellow colors mean this goldfinch is in the middle of molting, replacing its dull winter feathers with their signature lemon-yellow plumage. American Goldfinches are in fact the only members of the finch family to fully molt each year.
- Goldfinch females build their nests so well, they are often watertight. We can only assume that they have exacting standards for wicker decor.
2. Black-Chinned Hummingbird
- May dive up to 100ft. in courtship displays or to defend their territory. That's like having to jump off a broadcast tower (or the Langfossen waterfall in Norway) in order to impress your date.
- Has the smallest known genome (as of 2011) of all reptiles, birds, and mammals. They're technically the simplest animals with 4 limbs, and we like simple out here.
3. Northern Cardinal
- The technical term for mostly eating seeds (as cardinals, and finches, which are closely related, do) is granivorous, which sounds far too close to the diet of a certain wolf from Little Red Riding Hood for my liking.
- The state bird of 7 states. Maybe that's why all their college football teams have the same colors.
4. Painted Bunting
- Many refer to its French name, "nonpareil," or "without equal" quite seriously. I was not aware that those in the know had such defined hierarchies for birds.
- Prefers "riparian" habitats, i.e. forested areas along a river, particularly when the surrounding land is open with few trees. I always the thought the term was "land down by the river," or "rope swing paradise."
5. Pain in the Butt (Bourbon Red Turkey, or "Red" as we call him)
- Simply must be the center of attention at all gatherings
- Wants to star in his own stage production
- Will ensure that you always get a picture of his good side
P.S. If you haven't already, check out the Audubon field guide for birds online, they have a "Songs and Calls" section on each bird's page that tries to translate bird songs into words. It looks like a stuffy British butlers trying to transcribe a drunken house party. Great stuff. This one is our favorite.
