Dark Eyed Junco

Dark Eyed Junco
[Junco hyemalis hyemalis]

I was so excited this morning to see a little slate-colored Dark Eyed Junco hopping by my fence! A sure sign winter is here, Dark Eyed Juncos are common throughout the Arctic and Canada in the summer, and migrate to much of North America during the winter.
Mark Catesby originally described these birds as snow-birds, and their scientific name "hyemalis" means "of the winter." There is no specific collective noun for them, but because they're snowbirds, let's call them a Flurry of Junco's!
At about 6 inches with a wingspan of 9 inches, these little specimens of the emberizidae are related to buntings and new world sparrows and look and act a lot like them from a distance. As there are many subspecies of Dark Eyed Junco's, with some confusing variation in plumage, you can spot the slate-colored ones by their overall gray coloring, and all Dark Eyed Junco's by their white beaks, white bellies, and white outer tail feathers, unmistakable when in flight.

Video : A Murmuration of Starlings

I want to apologize for having taken so long to post any new entries... I'm going to finish up with local birds & other wildlife soon, and then take a walk down memory lane and revisit all of the interesting and amazing creatures I've seen in Arizona!


For now, I want to share this amazing video of Starlings flocking in their native Ireland.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Virginia Opossum

Virginia Opossum
[Didelphis virginiana]

The Virginia Opossum is not just the only Opossum that is native to North America, it's the only Marsupial that is native to North America! A group of them is called a Posse of 'Possum! I usually see them late at night, as they are nocturnal animals.
Opossum are known for playing dead when being provoked, but with enough threatening, an Opossum can go into an almost coma-like state, with it's mouth open, tongue hanging out and all. This "playing possum" coma can last up to four hours!
Virginia Opossum can be as small as 21 inches or as large as 56 inches from their nose to their fur-less, prehensile tail! They have white faces, hairless ears, long snouts and grayish-brown coats. They have five "toes" on each very hand-like paw. Jacks and Jills (males and females) look alike.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel
[Sciurus carolinensis]


Native to the eastern and midwestern United States, these sturdy and adaptable squirrels have also been introduced to South Africa, Ireland, and England. In England and Ireland, they have overrun and displaced the Red Squirrel, a native species of both islands.
A group of Squirrels is called a Drey, and this is also the name given to the type of nests they build. I see Gray Squirrels at my bird feeders every morning... most likely trying to hoard as much as they can in their secret food caches!
They are about 16 to 22 inches from nose to fluffy tail. They are mostly gray, with some reddish fur, and a white underbelly. There are some variants, black tailed, white-furred, and black-furred (it's own melanistic subgroup, called the Black Squirrel). These variants are more usually seen in urban areas where they have less of a chance of predators spotting them.

Canada Goose

Canada Goose
[Branta canadensis]


Common throughout North America, the Canada Goose has migrated as far as northern Europe across the Atlantic Ocean, and Siberia, China, and Japan across the Pacific! Normally, though, they migrate south to the United States for winter, and spend their summers in Canada.
A group of them is called a Gaggle of Geese, from an Old Norse word for goslings, possibly mimicking the noise that geese make. Usually a Gaggle of Geese is seen flying overhead in standard V-formation, which allows Geese and other migratory birds to fly long distances by lowering wind drag.
The Canada Goose has a black beak, head, and neck, with a white "chinstrap", white chest, and gray to brown plumage over the rest of their bodies. They are 30 to 43 inches long with a 50 to 70 inch wingspan. Males and Females look alike.

Rock Dove

Rock Dove

[Columba livia]

What can I say about Pigeons? The most identifiable and one of the most common birds known to metropolitan and suburban areas, Pigeons are common in Europe, Africa, and Asia, and were introduced to North America in 1606.
Believe it or not, Pigeons descended from Rock Doves are raised as livestock, and have been for hundreds of years. Pigeon meat is called 'squab' and is still a part of the cuisine of many cultures, often it is considered a delicacy.
Rock Doves are about 13 inches long with a wingspan of about 26 inches. They are pale gray, with a dark gray head, green to purple iridescent neck, and two dark bands across their wings. Their feet and eyes are red. Pigeons also come in many colored variants, including white, brown, and pied (black and white dalmatian coloration).

House Sparrow

House Sparrow
[Passer domesticus]


The most widely distributed wild bird, House Sparrows are common throughout Europe and Asia, and, through accidental or intentional introduction, it is also found in Australia, Africa, and the Americas.
Not related to other North American sparrows, it is still one of the most common birds in North America... which is why these guys are sometimes easy to overlook. A group of them is called a Blight of House Sparrows... sadly, because they are so common, they're seen as a pest.
Slightly stocky, with a black mask and "bib" on the throat, white cheeks, reddish-brown necks, gray heads and underbellies, and brown wings with black and white streaks. Females and Juveniles are duller in plumage, and the girls lack the black mask and bib. They are about 6 inches with a wingspan of about 9 inches.