Birds of AlabamaBirds of Alabama

By By Brandi Cain & Natesha Brandi Cain & Natesha

Fomby Fomby

The Yellow HammerThe Yellow Hammer The Yellow Hammer is The Yellow Hammer is

the State bird.the State bird. It can climb up the It can climb up the

trunks of trees and trunks of trees and hammer on wood like hammer on wood like other woodpeckers.other woodpeckers.

The flicker prefers to The flicker prefers to find food on the find food on the ground. ground.

Ants are its favorite Ants are its favorite food, and the flicker food, and the flicker digs in the dirt to find digs in the dirt to find them. It uses its long them. It uses its long barbed tongue to lap barbed tongue to lap up the ants. up the ants.

Ruby Throated Humming Ruby Throated Humming BirdBird

Common in spring, summer, and fall, and rare in winter in Gulf Coast regions.

Found in woodlands, gardens, along forest edges, and at feeders.

Low conservation concern.

Purple FinchPurple Finch

Purple finches Purple finches prefer open mixed prefer open mixed and pine forests and pine forests with abundant with abundant openings.openings.

The Purple Finch feeds on flowers and it often feeds on the seeds of fruit.

Scarlet TanagerScarlet Tanager

The scarlet tanager is one of the most brilliantly colored North American songbirds. 

The male plumage is a brilliant scarlet color with black wings and tail.

The female is an overall olive green color. 

Summer TanagerSummer Tanager A relative of the cardinal

Habitat is open, wooded areas

Adult males are rose red.

Females are orangish on the underparts and olive on top Eat insects, especially bees and wasps.

White Breasted Nut-White Breasted Nut-hatchhatch

Lives in mixed forests, suburbs, farm woodlots, towns, oak and pine

Common and widespread

Usually seen moving down tree trunk head first

Relatively tame

Eastern Wild TurkeyEastern Wild Turkey

Toms weigh 18-24 lbs.Toms weigh 18-24 lbs.

Hens weigh about 10 Hens weigh about 10 lbs.lbs.

Feathers are iridescent Feathers are iridescent

bronze, dark in males bronze, dark in males

Feather tips are rusty or Feather tips are rusty or light brown in femaleslight brown in females

Common in all Common in all seasons and seasons and regionsregions

Found in forests, Found in forests, open woodlands, open woodlands, wooded residential wooded residential areas, and parksareas, and parks

Low conservation Low conservation concernconcern

Blue Jay

Barn SwallowBarn Swallow

Found in many Found in many habitats with open habitats with open areas for foraging areas for foraging and structures for and structures for nestingnesting

Catches and eats Catches and eats flying insects often flying insects often low to groundlow to ground

Northern CardinalNorthern Cardinal Population and range of the Cardinal has increased over the last 200 years as a response to changes made by people

Cardinals like city park settings with bird feeders

The top picture is a female cardinal and the bottom is a male

Northern BobwhiteNorthern Bobwhite The bobwhite quail gets The bobwhite quail gets

its name from a its name from a "bobwhite" call "bobwhite" call

A small, but plump bird A small, but plump bird that measures 8-11 that measures 8-11 inches in length and inches in length and weighs around 6-7 weighs around 6-7 ouncesounces

Has a short, stout beak Has a short, stout beak and powerful feet and and powerful feet and clawsclaws

Eastern MeadowlarkEastern Meadowlark

Lives in pastures, Lives in pastures, meadows, grassy meadows, grassy fields, open country, fields, open country, country roadsides country roadsides

Prefers moist habitat Prefers moist habitat

Often seen singing Often seen singing from fence posts or from fence posts or utility wires. utility wires.

House SparrowHouse Sparrow

Lives in towns, Lives in towns, cities, suburbs, cities, suburbs, farms & ranchesfarms & ranches

One of the most One of the most abundant birds in abundant birds in North America.North America.

Brown Headed CowbirdBrown Headed Cowbird

Breeds in areas Breeds in areas with grassland with grassland and low or and low or scattered treesscattered trees

The Brown-The Brown-headed Cowbird headed Cowbird lays eggs in the lays eggs in the nests of many nests of many different species different species of birdsof birds

Belted King FisherBelted King Fisher One of the few One of the few

bird species in bird species in which the which the female is more female is more brightly colored brightly colored than the malethan the male

Road building Road building and digging and digging gravel pits, has gravel pits, has created banks created banks where where kingfishers can kingfishers can nest nest

ResourcesResources

Google.comGoogle.com OutdoorAlabama.comOutdoorAlabama.com Birdsinalabama.comBirdsinalabama.com