Blue Collar Birds

Joe Meche is president of the North Cascades Audubon Society and also serves the chapter as newsletter editor and birding programs coordinator. He has been watching birds for more than 50 years and photographing birds and landscapes for more than 30 years. He has written more than 100 articles for Whatcom Watch.

When springtime rolls around in the Pacific Northwest, colorful migrants stage their annual return to nest and raise their young. When the neotropicals are about, our common birds seem to take an undeserved backseat. There are some birds that are so common that they are often overlooked, even when the migrants have returned to their wintering grounds. Is it simply the fact that they are so common that leads many of us to overlook and maybe even appreciate them less? Is there such a thing as a bird snob?

Many bird watchers go into the field and focus their attention on a select few birds that might be of interest to them for any number of reasons. All the while, common species are there for the viewing but are frequently ignored, often to the point of disdain; e.g., “It’s just a robin.” It’s almost as if certain birds aren’t worthy of lifting the binoculars for a better view. If you’ve seen one coot, what’s the point of seeing one more? We really shouldn’t be this way but to a great extent, we are – some of us more so than others. Every bird should be seen as the true wonder that it is. After all, how many of us can fly?

On many occasions, I’m reminded of something that David Sibley told me a few years ago when I took him out to do a bit of Whatcom County birding. After hearing me say several times that the birding would have been better if he had been here a month earlier, he said, “You know, I really appreciate a good house sparrow.” This one comment confirmed and fortified my own belief that every bird is special in its own way. Sure, we enjoy the exciting migratory species or rare bird that drops in now and then, but what about the regular and reliable species? What about the hard-working everyday birds that we see throughout the year? We could all come up with a short list of birds that fit into that category, given that birdwatchers are into lists of all sorts anyway.

Some of the local species that would top the list of common and sometimes unappreciated birds are mallards, glaucous-winged gulls, Steller’s jays, crows, robins, and even song sparrows, to name just a few. Let’s take a brief look at some of these common birds and see how and why they might merit closer looks the next time you’re in the field.

Mallards are easily the most familiar duck to everyone and perhaps the most numerous duck species in the world, living in temperate and subtropical zones around the globe. As with most bird species, the female lacks bright coloring so she blends in well with her surroundings during the nesting season. However, observe the male closely in good lighting and take note of the bright green, iridescent head, orange legs and feet, and the gleaming blue speculum bordered with black and white. The mallard might be widespread and common, but there’s nothing common about those vivid colors.

For just a bit of mallard trivia, when you see the curled tail feathers of the male, just remember the hairstyle from the 50s – the DA – and you’ll understand the origin of the name.

The large glaucous-winged gull is a common resident, the same gull that we see and hear everyday throughout the year in many parts of town. Gulls, as a rule, are generally unappreciated among birds but the variability between species and seasonal plumages make them living, breathing classrooms, and they’re very easy to study at length. They have become somewhat habituated to humans and are tolerant of close encounters. When other gulls come into town with their young and the adults are sporting their winter plumage, you’ll be hard pressed at times to make positive IDs.

Steller’s jays are native to western North America and our local counterpart to the eastern blue jay. These birds belong to the larger family of corvids, arguably the most intelligent of all bird species. These bold birds are quite photogenic with their deep blue and black plumage and a striking crest. The brash habits and unappealing voices of these omnivores often make them the target of contempt, especially when they take over backyard feeders. Aside from their harsh and distinctive calls, these jays utilize a variety of other vocalizations, including an imitation of a red-tailed hawk. This bit of trickery is intended to scare other birds away from feeders.

Crows are also members of the corvid family and their intelligence is well documented. While everyone is familiar with the caw-caw-caw call of crows, like jays they use a variety of vocalizations and even imitate noises of other animals. Crows form cooperative family groups with as many as fifteen individual birds which stay together for several years. Offspring from one nesting season usually stay with the family group to assist in raising new nestlings. In the evening, you might observe numerous crows heading for a communal night roost.

Although it’s been celebrated traditionally as the harbinger of spring, another bird whose numbers make it a common sighting throughout the year is the American robin. Robins are often the first birds we hear as part of the morning chorus, especially in the spring when robin territoriality is at its peak. The old saying of the early bird getting the worm is synonymous with robins, and you certainly see them on lawns everywhere – getting their worms.

They might not be the best looking birds on the block, but song sparrows have one of the finest and most recognizable medleys of songs in the spring. While you might have a problem – as I do – hearing the higher notes of kinglets and creepers, song sparrows provide a nice mid-range that always comes across loud and clear. Their songs can be complex and varied but they are always melodious and joyful as they stake out their territories. Their scientific name, Melospiza melodia, says it all.

In the mission statement of the North Cascades Audubon Society, one of the points that we stress is to “increase public appreciation of the values of wildlife, plants, and the natural environment.” It’s more important than ever to take nothing for granted as we travel down the road of life. Next time you’re out birding, check out all the birds and pay special attention to the common birds that are always out there, doing what they do – for our entertainment. §

“There are two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
      Albert Einstein