Bird of the Month
Cedar Waxwing
by John Shackford Recently I received notecards as a gift, with small copies of Audubon paintings on the front. Of the 4 different paintings featured, … Read more
Great Blue Heron
by John Shackford To me there is something a bit eerie and other-worldly about the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). A.C. Bent, in his species … Read more
Harris’s Sparrow
It was the middle of January 1958 and our family was moving from North Carolina to Oklahoma City. I was 16 and my siblings and … Read more
Pine Warbler
For a change of pace, this month I would like to talk about a nemesis bird—one that keeps getting away. Scattered records in central Oklahoma … Read more
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
A few weeks ago my wife Melissa had an immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) hit her office window (NW 63rd & Classen). The bird jumped … Read more
Blue-headed Vireo
By John Shackford The Solitary Vireo (Vireo solitarius) used to be considered to have several subspecies, including 3 that could be found in Oklahoma. Recently … Read more
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
A.C. Bent, in Life Histories of North American Flycatchers, Larks, Swallows, and their Allies (reprint edition, 1963), speaking of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus), said … Read more
Chimney Swift
by John Shackford Until this year Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) have nested regularly in our chimney; we are feeling a bit guilty because we have … Read more
Purple Finch
by John Shackford In its online write-up about the Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus), Cornell University states: “The Purple Finch is the bird that Roger Tory … Read more
Oklahoma Hummingbirds
by Mark Howery, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Three species of hummingbirds are regularly found in Oklahoma. Two species, the Ruby-throated and the Black-chinned, nest … Read more
Hairy Woodpecker
by John Shackford The Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) is told from the Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) by having a longer, heavier bill, and an extra … Read more
Spotted Towhee
by John Shackford Although the Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) and Eastern Towhee (P. erythrophthalmus) are closely related, they are currently classified as separate species. The … Read more
Ring-billed Gull
The Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) is one of our most common winter birds, at least by Christmas Bird Count standards. At a total of 10,936 … Read more
Greater Roadrunner
Greater Roadrunner. I’ll bet you are already smiling—remembering Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoons. The Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus), is actually a member of … Read more
Eastern Screech-Owl
by John Shackford Dr. George M. Sutton stated in his book Birds Worth Watching (1986) that the Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio) “is so common in … Read more
Purple Martin
By John Shackford Most of us who have grown up in the eastern U.S. learned that the arrival of the American Robin and the Eastern … Read more
Pileated Woodpecker
By John Shackford The Pileated Woodpecker has a name to stumble over—is it pie-lee-ated or pill-ee-ated? A trip to the online Merriam-Webster Dictionary shows that … Read more
Hermit Thrush
By John Shackford Maybe not for you, but Hermit Thrushes in central Oklahoma in winter just don’t compute right for me—and I like it. Growing … Read more
Golden-crowned Kinglet
by John Shackford Golden-crowned Kinglets should be arriving in Oklahoma about now, from their breeding grounds to the north. Have you ever seen a male … Read more
Loggerhead Shrike
By John Shackford Some birds have a little extra something that leads most of us to agree that this is a species with charisma. The … Read more
Prothonotary Warbler
By John Shackford The Prothonotary Warbler is a beautiful ray of “sunshine” in watery woods. A.C.Bent, author of the old standard, Life Histories of North … Read more
February 2008: Mourning Dove
By John Shackford With Valentine’s Day just past, it seems fitting to discuss doves. The “dove and olive branch” is one of the most recognized … Read more
Eastern Phoebe
by John Shackford The promise of spring comes in a number of ways—the first dandelion bloom; a scratch of henbit; an unusually warm, balmy day, … Read more
Eastern Bluebird
by John Shackford “The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) is one of North America’s best-loved birds.” This is the (very true) beginning sentence in the March, … Read more
Sandhill Crane
By John Shackford There is a wild sound we sometimes hear in the spring in central Oklahoma that says so much about wildness. It is … Read more
Yellow-rumped Warbler
By John S. Shackford The Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata), according to the 1986 “OOS Date Guide,” can be found in central Oklahoma from October 6-May … Read more
Nashville Warbler
By John S. Shackford Welcome back from summer break. Birdwise we are already well into fall migration. Let me ramble a bit. Spring and fall … Read more