Volume 42, Number 2,
February 1996:
Backyard Birds

Text-only version

ISSUE HOME PAGE

ABOUT THIS ISSUE
- about KSN
- about the author

IN THIS ISSUE
- introduction
- what do you need to go birding?
- some common backyard birds
- house finch
- American robin
- house wren
- European starling
- house sparrow
- black-capped chickadee
- northern cardinal
- ruby-throated hummingbird
- blue jay
- gray catbird
- purple martin
- downy woodpecker
- eastern bluebird
- Baltimore oriole
- American goldfinch
- the Kansas winter bird feeder survey
- acknowledgment
- owls

SLIDESHOW
View all images in this issue.

Backyard Birds
by Marvin Schwilling

BALTIMORE ORIOLE
Few birds are more colorful than the adult male Baltimore oriole perched atop a tall tree in full sunlight. Their rich orange body glows like a living ember. When you add the black of the head, back, wings and central tail feathers, the white wing bar and feather edging on the wings and the orange outer feathers near the end of the tail, the bright contrasting pattern is unique.

Look for the Baltimore oriole high up in the shade trees in residential areas of towns and suburbs. Their song is a distinctive rich melodious whistle. The song varies slightly from bird to bird but retains the oriole quality. They construct a deep well-woven gourd-shaped nest attached to the very tips of high, drooping branches where it swings gently in the wind.

Next: American Goldfinch