The Mississippi Kite is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in the southern United States. This raptor gets its name from the Mississippi River valley where it can be commonly found during the summer months. The Mississippi Kite makes a loud, high-pitched sound that has been described as a shrill whistle. This vocalization is thought to be used for communicating with other kites and defending territory. Calls of the Mississippi Kite The most common vocalization of the Mississippi Kite is a loud, whistled “klee-klee-klee”. This call is often repeated in a series and is used by kites to…
Author: Peter Knight
The cactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) is a unique bird found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Known for its association with cacti and distinctive vocalizations, the cactus wren has many special adaptations that allow it to thrive in harsh desert environments. In this article, we will explore what makes the cactus wren special in terms of its appearance, habitat, diet, breeding behaviors, conservation status, and more. Quick facts about the cactus wren include that it has a brown body with white streaks, it builds nests inside cacti, its song is a loud and rolling “chur-chur-chur-chur,” and…
Seeing a black-billed magpie can have different meanings and superstitions associated with it depending on the context and who you ask. Magpies in general are seen by some as lucky and others as unlucky. The black-billed magpie specifically also has symbolic meaning for some Native American tribes. In this article, we’ll explore some of the history, folklore, and superstitious meanings around encountering a black-billed magpie. Brief Facts About Black-Billed Magpies Let’s start with a quick overview of some key facts about the black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia) to get better acquainted with this corvid species: The black-billed magpie is a mid-sized…
Parrots are known for their ability to mimic human speech and other sounds. This advanced vocal learning ability allows parrots like budgerigars, cockatiels, Amazon parrots, and African grey parrots to imitate a wide variety of noises and songs. But parrots don’t just randomly vocalize – there are certain songs and sounds they are naturally inclined to love singing. Songs with Whistles and Beeps Parrots love mimicking tunes that contain whistles, beeps, trills, and other mechanical sounds. This includes songs like: Pop goes the weasel The Andy Griffith theme song R2D2 sounds from Star Wars Beeps and blurps from microwaves and…
Yes, warblers are considered songbirds. Warblers belong to the family Parulidae, which is part of the larger group of perching birds called Passeriformes. All parulids are included in the songbird classification. Songbirds are a highly diverse group of birds that use their vocal organ, called a syrinx, to produce complex melodic sounds. Their ability to sing is a distinguishing feature that separates them from other avian groups. Over 4000 species from across the globe are considered true songbirds. Warblers share several traits with other songbirds. They have intricate vocal abilities and sing melodious songs and calls. They are small-to-medium sized…
Birds likely do feel some level of sadness or grief when their chicks or eggs are lost. While it’s impossible to fully know the emotional inner lives of other species, scientists have found evidence that birds exhibit behaviors associated with mourning when they lose their offspring. Do Birds Recognize Their Babies? In order to grieve the loss of their young, birds must first be able to recognize their own chicks. Research has shown that many bird species are able to identify their own offspring: Parent birds learn the unique begging calls of their chicks within just a few days to…
Cheyenne Bottoms, located in central Kansas, is the largest inland marsh in the United States. However, in recent years, this important wetland area has often been unusually dry. There are several factors that have contributed to the drying of Cheyenne Bottoms. Declining Water Inflows Cheyenne Bottoms depends on water flows from the Arkansas River to maintain its wetland ecosystem. There are three main sources of river water that fill the marshes: Walnut Creek Blood Creek Deception Creek These creeks channel water from the river into the wetland area. However, river flows have declined over the years due to drought, water…
Osprey makes high quality backpacks designed specifically for kids. Determining the right Osprey kids backpack for your child depends on their age, size, intended use of the pack, and the amount of weight they will be carrying. Osprey Kids Backpack Age Range Osprey categorizes their kids backpacks into the following age groups: Age 3-6 Age 5-10 Age 9-14 Age 13-18 However, it’s important to evaluate each child’s height, torso length, shoulder width, and strength when selecting the right size rather than strictly following age ranges. Here is an overview of each age range for Osprey kids backpacks: Age 3-6 The…
The sandwich tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) is a medium-sized seabird that breeds on beaches and islands in temperate and tropical areas around the world. The sandwich tern is known for its loud, distinctive call, which has been described as a “kirrick” or “kerrick.” This article will explore what the call of the sandwich tern sounds like, the contexts in which the call is used, and some of the possible functions of the call. What Does the Sandwich Tern’s Call Sound Like? The most well-known call of the sandwich tern is variously transcribed as “kirrick” or “kerrick.” This call is loud, grating,…
Lewis and Clark’s famous expedition across the western United States from 1804 to 1806 resulted in the documentation and discovery of many new plant and animal species. Among their observations were dozens of birds, both familiar and exotic to the explorers. Here we will highlight two of the avian species recorded during their monumental journey. The Western Meadowlark One of the most commonly observed birds along the Lewis and Clark trail was the Western Meadowlark. This medium-sized, brightly colored songbird breeds in open grasslands across much of western North America. The explorers first noticed these birds near present-day Kansas City,…