Vashon's Visiting Songbirds

Beginning with gratitude...

Dennis Paulson
- Netta Smith, Gregg Thompson, Steve Mlodinow, Damon Calderwood, and a few others
Alan Huggins (BBEAR & EOB classes)
Ed Swan & his book The Birds of Vashon Island
- innumerable birders, photographers & members of the Vashon nature community
Bird Songs of the Pacific NW CD (Geoffrey Keller & Gerrit Vyn)
Sibley Guide to Birds (David Sibley)
a plethora of wonderful online resources
Ezra Parker

The 5 Ws of Bird Identification

Who?

which type of bird?

What?

behavior / feeding method / song?

Where?

location and habitat?

When?

time of year?

Why (not)?

why is it not the most abundant, common species?

Who? which type of bird?

uncertain

What? behavior / feeding method / song?

fast, gliding flight with occasional rapid turns and banks, occasionally dipping down and skimming the surface of water = swallow

all dark above (hard to see color) and unmarked white below = probable Violet-green or Tree Swallow

Where? location and habitat?

Mukai Pond, Island Center Forest, Vashon; riparian habitat

When? time of year?

late March

Why (not)? why is it not the most abundant, common species?

VG Swallow is the only species listed in March and is fairly common.

data collected + visible field marks = most likely ID

Family Trochilidae

(Hummingbirds)

technically, not a songbird (different development of the vocal organ in oscines)
active & acrobatic in flight; can hover, fly backwards, forwards, upside down; body can fly positioned vertically vs. horizontally
named for humming noise created by incredibly fast wingbeats
iridescent plumage
very long bill & tongue for specialized feeding on nectar at flowers; also feeders, sap from sapsucker wells & insects
very small legs & feet used for scratching or perching, not walking

Rufous Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufus

Rufous Hummingbird

arrival may coincide with salmonberry/currant blooms
male performs courtship dive for female
male's wing feathers are modified to produce trill or buzz
wide range of suitable habitats
earliest arrivals from Mexico in mid-February
latest records in September

Rufous Hummingbird

call: "chase" call is a buzzy zeee-zeee-zeee-chuppity-chuppity-chup also, chip notes

aerial display: male dive display with wing buzz is a stuttering, humming dit-dit-dit-deeer

Rufous Hummingbird

male

Rufous Hummingbird

female

Family Tyrannidae

(Flycatchers)

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Contopus cooperi

Olive-sided Flycatcher

most arrive from Central or South America in May & depart in August
has the longest migration route of any NA flycatcher, with birds nesting as far north as Alaska and as far south as Bolivia
utilizes clearings, forest openings and edges
eats flying insects by sallying out from an exposed snag, typically at the top of a tall conifers, often returning to the same spot
often stake out territorial boundaries by calling repeatedly from the top of a snag or tall tree

Olive-sided Flycatcher

song: a penetrating, whistled quick-free-beer

Ed's book transcribes as whut, whee year

dawn song & atypical song:

call: p ip-pip-pip call notes & twitter

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Western Wood-Pewee

Contopus sordidulus

Western Wood-Pewee

most arrive from South America in May & depart in September
open forest, forest edge & riparian woodlands provide suitable breeding habitat
eats flying insects by sallying from an exposed perch, often returning to the same or nearby location

Western Wood-Pewee

song: a burry, descending pee-er

dawn song: a continuous, burry a-phee-a-reet, pee-er, a-phee-e-reet, pee-er...

call: a burry e eeep

Western Wood-Pewee

Willow Flycatcher

Empidonax traillii

Willow Flycatcher

most arrive from Mexico, Central or South America in May & depart in September
prefer brushy, new-growth area, particularly with alders
primarily eats flying insects; occasionally eats berries
probably breeds here, but have yet to confirm with evidence

Willow Flycatcher

song: primarily FITZ-bew phrases, along with occasional similar sounding fizz-bew and creet notes

(similar to a sneeze)

call: common call is a thick, dry whit

Willow Flycatcher

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Empidonax difficilis

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

most arrive from Mexico in April & depart in September
coniferous or deciduous forest; wooded lots
cavity nester, but known to nest on porches & above light fixtures
exclusively insectivorous
easily the most abundant flycatcher on Vashon
typically remains hidden; rarely lingers in open areas

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

song: composed of 3 elements: pe-SEET , ptick , and seet

(notes higher and thinner than other NW Empidonax sp.)

dawn song: delivered in a rapid, continuous fashion

call: male call is strongly up-slurred psea-eet

(similar to a human attention whistle -- e.g., hailing a cab)

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Contopus sp.

inconspicuous or absent eye ring
less prominent wing bars
overall brownish or gray coloration

Empidonax sp.

prominent eye ring
prominent wing bars
overall greenish or yellowish coloration

Family Vireonidae

(Vireos)

slightly larger than most warblers; dull coloration
feed by gleaning; bill slightly hooked
4 species recorded on Vashon (Hutton's is the only resident)

Warbling Vireo

Vireo gilvus

Warbling Vireo

most arrive from Mexico or Central America in April & depart in September
habitats include bushy, deciduous growth and riparian settings
builds nest in forked limb of tree
a persistent and repetitive singer; easy to hear, tricky to see
seemingly a very prolific breeder on Vashon
distinguished from Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hutton's & Cassin's Vireo by lack of wingbars

Warbling Vireo

song: an undulating, husky warble

call: a buzzy, nasal eeeee- ah ; also a soft vit

Warbling Vireo

Family Hirundinidae

(Swallows)

Purple Martin

Progne subis

Purple Martin

most arrive from South America in April & depart in September
???
???

Purple Martin

song: a rich, liquid warble of bubbling notes interspersed with grating or clicking sounds

call: alarm call is a burry zeeert

Purple Martin

male

Purple Martin

female

Purple Martin

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Barn Swallow

most arrive from Central or South America in April & depart in September
???
???

Barn Swallow

song: a long sequence of continuous, squeaky warbles punctuated by dry, grating rattles

call: commonly heard call is a husky vit or vit-VEET

Barn Swallow

Violet-green Swallow

Tachycineta thalassina

Violet-green Swallow

most arrive from CA, Mexico or Central America in March & depart in September
???
???

Violet-green Swallow

call: t ypical vocalization, given singly or in pairs, is a sharp, chirping chee or chee-chee

( du ring breeding season at dawn, long series of these calls are given in flight near nesting areas )

call & song: chee-chee calls and songs

call: chee calls and up-slurred creaky notes

Violet-green Swallow

Family Turdidae

(Thrushes)

family includes such well-known and loved species as American Robin & Western Bluebird
???
???

Swainson's Thrush

Catharus ustulatus

Swainson's Thrush

most arrive from Mexico or Central America in May & depart in September
very easy to hear; tricky to see
???

Swainson's Thrush

song: a rolling, flute-like song which spirals upwards

call: a clear, ringing queep ; given most frequently during migration

call: a whit call; often given by alarmed birds and frequently given during the breeding season

call: a whit-burrr call is also given in alarm

Swainson's Thrush

Family Bombycillidae

(Waxwings)

Cedar Waxwing

Bombycilla cedrorum

Cedar Waxwing

actually year-round on Vashon, but we see a large influx of breeding summer migrants
some birds arrive from southern US, Mexico or Central America in May & depart in October
???

Cedar Waxwing

call: typical call is a high-pitched, drawn-out, hissy whistle

call: another typical call is a high-pitched, rapidly trilled whistle

Cedar Waxwing

immature

Vashon's Visiting Songbirds

Vashon's Visiting Songbirds – The 5 Ws of Bird Identification – Rufous Hummingbird

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Vashon's Visiting Songbirds – The 5 Ws of Bird Identification – Rufous Hummingbird

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