Good morning, all. An unusual topic this morning, but sometimes the Dawn Chorus Topic Generator spits out the occasional odd or unusual subject. This morning it’s about birds we’d really rather avoid having in our yards or at our feeders. Depending on what part of the country you live in, your birds may vary from the ones I offer here. By all means, add yours to the list in the comments section.
I'm going to nominate the Brown-headed Cowbird, seen above, as the least wanted backyard bird. A brood parasite, these birds lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, and the foster parents often neglect their own hatchlings to care for their unwittingly adopted chick. I read that you should avoid feeding birds cracked corn or low-quality birdseed to help discourage Brown-headed Cowbirds.
The one in the photo above is a male individual hanging out in my platform feeder. He and his female mate, who is lighter in color but still has that deadly black eye, show up at my house from time to time. Now that I’ve moved to a new house (but in the same neighborhood) I hope to see even fewer of them. Are these birds you have in your area?
My next nominee for an undesirable yard bird is the ubiquitous European Starling. If you’re not familiar with the origin story of this bird, a quick refresher. All the European Starlings in North America descended from 100 birds set loose in New York's Central Park in the early 1890s. The birds were intentionally released by a group who wanted America to have all the birds that Shakespeare ever mentioned. European Starlings are now among the continent’s most numerous songbirds. For much of the year, they wheel through the sky and mob lawns in big, noisy flocks.
I’m fortunate that I don’t actually have starlings in my yard, but they are abundant at parks and the Home Depot parking lot in my town where they perch up at the top of these very tall structures that are some sort of electrical tower. They are easily identified by their calls which sound, to me anyway, like whistling. Listen here: www.allaboutbirds.org/…
Mourning Doves are up next. Maybe you love them, maybe you don’t, but they’re on this list because they are everywhere in my neighborhood. I’d have as many as a dozen at a time on my patio pecking at the seed I put out for the finches and sparrows. Frankly, I’m just tired of them. They take up all the space in the platform feeder and crowd out everyone else. My late mother really disliked them because of their long, mournful call. She found them depressing. I find them just too plentiful.
Despite the fact that the House Sparrow is declining in its native Eurasian range, this bird is invasive in many areas around the world. It’s so invasive in U.S. urban areas, you find these birds on city sidewalks, in parking lots, gas stations and backyards everywhere. The House Sparrow can be aggressive and will kill other birds in order to usurp their nesting cavities, which can severely endanger native birds. To discourage House Sparrows, eliminate open feeding areas. That’s easier said than done. Personally, I don’t have a problem with House Sparrows because I think the male House Sparrow is simply gorgeous. The colors, textures, and patterns in his plumage are unlike any other sparrow and I find him really striking. For this selfish reason, I always enjoy seeing these birds.
A big, brash blackbird, the male Great-tailed Grackle shimmers in iridescent black and purple, and trails a tail that will make you look twice. The rich brown females are about half the male’s size. Flocks of these long-legged, social birds strut and hop on suburban lawns, golf courses, fields, and marshes.
I took these photos in two different locations. The male photo (female in the background) was taken in a shopping center where the raucous cries of these birds directed everyone to pay attention to them — they are loud. The female photos were taken near a water treatment plant where birds of all types hang out. I encounter grackles fairly often when I go birding, but I’ve not had them show up in my yard. I suspect those of you in agricultural areas have more experience with grackles showing up where you don’t want them. If that’s you, tell us about your experience in the comments.
Lastly, let’s talk about a bird that is probably the most universally recognized bird in the world held (mostly) in low esteem by anyone who is an urban dweller or a suburban homeowner who frequents malls and shopping centers — the Rock Dove, otherwise known as the common pigeon. (Excluded here, of course, are the racing pigeons and other fanciful specimens that are revered by their aficionados.)
Most of us don’t have pigeons in our yards, for those of us who have yards, But for those of you who live in denser areas in cities and urban areas, pigeons (and their droppings) can pose real problems. I don’t know if any of us who frequent Dawn Chorus have dwellings where pigeons pose a problem, but certainly many areas do. Just look at that range map above. I was perplexed by that tiny white spot where they are absent in the West until I realized that the white spot is the Great Salt Lake.
Are you plagued by pigeons or any other of the species mentioned in this Dawn Chorus about Least Wanted Backyard Birds? Tell us in the comments if so. If not, feel free to share any other birdy observations that you’ve had since giddy thing’s excellent DC last week about murals featuring birds. I will be here on and off this morning as I have house guests from out of town, but please share your observations and feel free to use this as an open thread.