Rare birds of MichiganRare birds of Michigan

By Anthony CerveraBy Anthony Cervera

Pacific LoonPacific Loon • Size: 58-74 cm(23-29 in.).Size: 58-74 cm(23-29 in.).

• Wingspan: 110-128 cm (43-Wingspan: 110-128 cm (43-50 in.).50 in.).

• Long body, rounded head Long body, rounded head and nape, relatively thin, and nape, relatively thin, pointed bill, dark flanks.pointed bill, dark flanks.

• Call: Hoarse croak often Call: Hoarse croak often repeated.repeated.

• Food: fish and aquatic Food: fish and aquatic invertebrates.invertebrates.

Tricolered Tricolered HeronHeron

• Size: 60- 70 cm(24-28 Size: 60- 70 cm(24-28 in.).in.).

• Wingspan: 95 cm(37 Wingspan: 95 cm(37 in.).in.).

• Long, slender neck Long, slender neck and bill, dark neck and bill, dark neck and back, white belly.and back, white belly.

• Food: Fish, Food: Fish, crustaceans, reptiles, crustaceans, reptiles, and insects.and insects.

• Call: Soft, nasal Call: Soft, nasal moaning. moaning.

Glossy ibisGlossy ibis• Size: 48-66 cm( 19-Size: 48-66 cm( 19-

26 in.).26 in.).• Long, down curved Long, down curved

bill, long dark legs, bill, long dark legs, body all dark.body all dark.

• Call: Nasal Call: Nasal moaning “urm”. moaning “urm”. Croaks and rattles Croaks and rattles at breeding at breeding colony.colony.

• Food: fish, and Food: fish, and frogs. frogs.

King eiderKing eider• Size: 47-64 cm( 19-25 Size: 47-64 cm( 19-25

in.)in.)• Male: bold black-and-Male: bold black-and-

white with brightly white with brightly colored head. Black colored head. Black body, white chest , light body, white chest , light blue crown and nape, blue crown and nape, greenish face, and greenish face, and bright red-orange bill bright red-orange bill with large round orange with large round orange knob outlined with knob outlined with black.black.

• Female: brown with lack Female: brown with lack barring.barring.

• Call: a “croo croo Call: a “croo croo croooo”.croooo”.

• Food: crustaceans, Food: crustaceans, worms, and mollusks. worms, and mollusks.

Mississippi Mississippi kitekite• Size: 34-37 cm(13-Size: 34-37 cm(13-

15 in.)15 in.)• Long, narrow Long, narrow

pointed wings, long pointed wings, long black tail, head black tail, head pearly gray, body pearly gray, body darker grey. Pale darker grey. Pale patch on rear edge patch on rear edge of wings, as seen of wings, as seen from above.from above.

• Call: a high thin, Call: a high thin, whistled whistled “phee,phew.”“phee,phew.”

• Food: small Food: small mammals and mammals and insects. insects.

RuffRuff• Size: 22-26 cm.Size: 22-26 cm.• Wingspan: 46-49 Wingspan: 46-49

cm.cm.• Call: no Call: no

information information found.found.

• Food: insects Food: insects and earthworms.and earthworms.

Long-tailed Long-tailed JaegerJaeger

• Size: 28cm.Size: 28cm.• Call: “phew Call: “phew

phew phew”.phew phew”.• Food: lemmings Food: lemmings

Rufous Rufous hummingbirdhummingbird

• Size: 7-9 cm(3-4 Size: 7-9 cm(3-4 in.).in.).

• Wingspan: 11 Wingspan: 11 cm(4 in.).cm(4 in.).

• Red throat and Red throat and dull red body.dull red body.

• Call: buzzy sharp Call: buzzy sharp chirps.chirps.

• Food: nectarFood: nectar

Say’s Say’s phoebephoebe

• Size: 7cm(17 in.).Size: 7cm(17 in.).• Long black tail, Long black tail,

black bill, feet and black bill, feet and legs black, fly legs black, fly catches from catches from exposed perch.exposed perch.

• Call: “pit-tsee-Call: “pit-tsee-eur”eur”

• Food: flying and Food: flying and terrestrial insects. terrestrial insects.

Scissor-tailed Scissor-tailed flycatcherflycatcher

• Size: 22-37 cm (9-15 Size: 22-37 cm (9-15 in)in)

• Dark wings and tail. Dark wings and tail. White outer tail White outer tail feathers tipped with feathers tipped with black. Throat and black. Throat and chest white. Bright chest white. Bright pink underwings pink underwings visible in flight. Legs visible in flight. Legs black. Bill black. Eyes black. Bill black. Eyes black.black.

• Call: Song a sharp and Call: Song a sharp and raspy "pup, peroo.“raspy "pup, peroo.“

• Food: insectsFood: insects

Bell’s vireoBell’s vireo • Size: 11-12 cm (4-5 in)Size: 11-12 cm (4-5 in)• Wingspan: 18 cm (7 in)Wingspan: 18 cm (7 in)• Small songbird. Drab Small songbird. Drab

gray to greenish above. gray to greenish above. White to yellow below. White to yellow below. One prominent wingbar One prominent wingbar and a more faint one and a more faint one above it. Faint white above it. Faint white eyering.eyering.

• Call: Song a loud, Call: Song a loud, jerky, unmusical set of jerky, unmusical set of phrases, first ending on phrases, first ending on ascending note, then ascending note, then descending note. descending note. "Cheedle-cheedle-"Cheedle-cheedle-cheedle-chee, cheedle-cheedle-chee, cheedle-cheedle-cheedle-chew.“cheedle-cheedle-chew.“

• Food: Insects and Food: Insects and spiders. spiders.

Blue Blue GrosbeakGrosbeak

• Size: 15-16 cm (6-6 in) Size: 15-16 cm (6-6 in) • Wingspan: 28 cm (11 in)Wingspan: 28 cm (11 in) • Medium-sized songbird. Medium-sized songbird.

Large silver-gray bill. Large silver-gray bill. Male deep blue with two Male deep blue with two brown wingbars. Female brown wingbars. Female mostly brown with two mostly brown with two brown wingbars.brown wingbars.

• Song is a long Song is a long continuous musical continuous musical warble, similar to that warble, similar to that of Indigo Bunting but of Indigo Bunting but without paired phrases. without paired phrases. Call is a low buzzy Call is a low buzzy "bzzt" or a loud metallic "bzzt" or a loud metallic "tink.“"tink.“

• Food: Insects, other Food: Insects, other invertebrates, and invertebrates, and seeds. Gathers in rice seeds. Gathers in rice fields during migration.fields during migration.

Painted Painted BuntingBunting• Size: 12-13 cm (5-5 Size: 12-13 cm (5-5

in)in)• Small, bright finch. Small, bright finch.

Male unmistakable Male unmistakable with red chest, blue with red chest, blue head, and green head, and green back. Female bright back. Female bright greenish yellow. Bill greenish yellow. Bill short and thick. Tail short and thick. Tail of medium length. of medium length. Bill and feet blackish. Bill and feet blackish. Eyes dark brown. Eyes dark brown.

• Call: Song is high-Call: Song is high-pitched, thin, and pitched, thin, and sweet, consisting of sweet, consisting of short phrases of short phrases of variable pitch. Call is variable pitch. Call is a soft rising chip. a soft rising chip.

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