Home-Patch Breeding Bird Activity

Even the most common bird species offer a wealth of fascination if you simply tune in to the minutia of their daily lives. Breeding season is fantastic for observing behavior, as bird activity is bustling. Our dedicated home-patch birding during the pandemic has allowed us to closely follow the progression of breeding activity in our neighborhood.
 
Spring breeding season kicks off with singing birds galore as they proclaim their fitness and territory to all within earshot.
 
Dark-eyed Juncos tend to sing for an extended time from exposed perches, like this male below.

 
This spring, Black-headed Grosbeaks are more abundant in our home-patch than past years. Lucky us! Listen below to the grosbeak’s beautifully rich and operatic song.

Wilson’s Warblers often sing on the move, but this cooperative bird perched in place for three song renditions before moving on.

 
Cassin’s Vireos are uncommon in our neighborhood, but one appears to be setting up shop this year. Listen below to its burry, lazily-paced, up-and-down song.

Once a male bird secures a territory and attracts a mate through song, it’s time for the next breeding phase of gathering material for a nest, often (but not always) done by the female.
 
Here’s a series we call “Bird Bills Bursting with Building Bits.”

Speaking of Black-headed Grosbeaks, we spotted this pair associating and eventually copulating in a Pacific madrone. Immediately after, the male perched side-by-side with the female for a short while.

At the end of March, we posted a Video of a Hard-Working Hairy Woodpecker. Over a week later, we spotted the male inside the new nest cavity again. Halfway through this video, he gives a loud “pik!” call and you can hear his mate respond in the distance.

 
We’ve encountered other cavity-nesters checking out potential sites. A historically popular telephone pole hole enticed this Violet-green Swallow to peek inside.

This teeny Pygmy Nuthatch checked out a tiny cavity in a redwood tree.

During breeding season, a bird carrying a bug in its bill is a sure sign of a successful hatching. A hidden Dark-eyed Junco fledgling likely got to feast on this doozy of a cricket!

Here’s a video of a young Dark-eyed Junco who popped up on a railing while begging in the direction of its nearby parents. Shortly after this video ended, an American Robin swooped down and dove directly at the junco fledgling, sending it diving for cover. What was that about!?

 
The Pacific Wren fledgling is one of our favorites – just look at this little grumpy-gus!

 
Nearby, an adult Pacific Wren moved conspicuously about, foraging for food for the fledgling and its two siblings. In this next video, the presumed male parent perches, looks about, and calls in their direction. He also performs a couple muted songs. You can hear the begging calls in the background as well – the high-pitched, repetitive “zee-zee“-s.

 
We love how densely spotted American Robin juveniles are. This adorable youngster waited patiently and quietly on a redwood branch.

Right now, we’re in the midst of a surge of Chestnut-backed Chickadee mini-me youngsters, like this one below. Unlike robins, a juvenile chickadee looks mostly like an adult, but if you get a glimpse of the bill, a giveaway is a yellow gape (the fleshy area where the top and bottom of the bill join at the base).

Young chickadees are noisy, but it only adds to their charm! If you’re familiar with the typical “chick-a-dee-dee” vocalization, the juvenile’s begging call is similar to the “dee-dee” part – only higher-pitched and extra whiny. Listen to an example below.

 

Closely observing the breeding cycles of our common birds is a great pleasure and a comforting perspective on the natural world. And, with the end result being more birds, our time spent watching them is all the more gratifying!
 
Have you noticed any breeding activity in your neighborhood recently?