There are 27 orders of birds but one has roughly half the species in the World. This would be the songbirds, called Passeriformes. Not all actually sing, and some non¬passerines also sing, but classification is based on structure, so that’s just a name and not cast in stone. Still, learning their songs and calls is very important! The largest family in the order is the warblers, and it is so diverse that some have evolved to resemble other families of songbirds, in really different niches. This Black-and-white Warbler seems to be trying to be a nuthatch, with its back pattern masterfully resembling the bark of trees like oaks. We’ll have at least one more PDF on warblers in November to include some wintering species (I haven’t seen a Yellow-rumped yet!).

What wrens lack in physical beauty they make up for in singing ability (although some species are quite colorful). This is our winter resident House Wren, a species that always seems to be fussing about something. They are ecologically separated from Carolinas in preferring open areas to the wooded haunts of their more colorful cousins. Habitat is very important to wrens, as Sedge Wrens like dry, bushy areas while Marsh Wrens prefer wet habitat lacking higher vegetation, Winter Wrens like wet areas with trees and Bewick’s Wrens go for arid country out West. Several other species only live out West and they are also more/less ecologically separated.

Blackbirds are a huge family that usually migrates within the North American Continent, often wintering in great numbers in agricultural fields and pastures. This means they are not the spring-fall migrants in the Deep South that so many species are who visit the Neotropics. Blackbirds are quite bright, males are often larger than females and have many examples of polygyny, when one male takes a harem of females. And it is certainly curious how many species have black males and brown females. This’s a Boat-tailed Grackle, told from Texas’ Great-tails by their brown irises. However, boat-tails back east have white irises, but there are no great-tails in those locations. Common Grackles throughout their range have white irises but their shortertails help separate them from the two larger species of grackles. Boat-tails are also fairly restricted in habitat to marshes (except in Florida’s Peninsula) and great-tails have a limited (though expanding) range.

Mimic thrushes are three groups of fairly large songbirds that often make calls similar to other birds. There are several mockingbirds in the Tropics, several thrashers out West and another catbird in the Yucatan. This is the Gray Catbird, a common mimic thrush found over much of the Country. All these are in Mimidae, a separate family from the true thrushes, which is Turdidae. Oh, fyi, while catbirds are crappy imitators, they actually make quite a plethora of notes, especially, it seems, in the fall migration.

Indigo Buntings are very common October migrants, especially after cold fronts. This may be a male but many males have extensive blue on their wings and tail in fall (as you shall see). I’m not sure what to make of these birds with greatly reduced blue; perhaps they are first-year males. BTW, buntings and grosbeaks often appear a bit crested, though certainly not to the extent of cardinals and some jays.

Fall male Indigo Buntings generally sport a fair amount of blue, though the majority is on their wings and tail. It is not uncommon for some birds to molt body feathers but not flight feathers, and each species molts in accordance to their annual needs. This species breeds all over the East and inches into the West in various places, sometimes hybridizing with species like Lazuli Buntings in wildlife facilities. Here, their offspring are known as “In-da-zoo” Buntings. Please don’t believe that last part. 😉 Abnormalities in avian color usually result in predation and loss of life. This Indigo Bunting is very light gray – almost white – and really stood out in the crowd. These kinds of abnormalities occur in many species of birds but I have most often seen them in flocks of abundant birds like robins & red-wings. However, amazingly, I’ve now photographed 6-7 Great-tailed Grackles with partial albinism (leucistic). Of course, light feathers would naturally show up more prominently in blackbirds.

Unlike Indigo Buntings, most finches remain in the Lower 48 in winter, largely because there’re plenty of seeds around to munch. Cardinals areactually nonmigratory, living on Galveston and apparently most ofthe time in our yard. Like buntings, grosbeaks and sparrows, this guy has a conical bill for seed-cracking, as well as destroying the tips of fingers of those (of us) who mist net them.

Northern Mockingbirds are (naturally) the North American species of the mockingbird genus (Mimus), although a Tropical Mockingbird appeared at Sabine Woods last spring. Curiously, there are three species on the Galapagos (!) and they often eat the afterbirth of seals and sea lions. There are a half-dozen mockers in the New World, but perhaps the greatest mimickers on Earth are the lyrebirds in Australia.

Vireos are caterpillar-eating songbirds that appear much like warblers but are heavier and have a hooked bill. This is the Philadelphia Vireo, a late-migrating species found spring and fall, headed toward the Tropics through Texas. The slight eye-stripe and yellowish chest separate it from its cousin, the Warbling, which migrates earlier. This is typical of similar species that nest further south.

Kinglets are Old World in origin, in the same group as the firecrests in Europe and Asia. This is the ubiquitous Ruby-crowned Kinglet, chattering everywhere in our woods from October through April. Those of you in the North would recognize their songs, beginning with three high-pitched, sustained whistles, but in the South, they just chatter all day long. Note the small bill, heavy white eyering and wing bar.

Grosbeaks are well-named, but use their massive beaks for berries and fruit as much as the large seeds they seem adapted for. Females are exquisitely colored for nest-sitting, the same as many finches. Those of you up North knowthis to be among the tamest of wild birds, but if you’re mist-netting, don’t EVER let one bite you! OMG!!!

Male RBGBs (as many of us call them) come in all stages of molt-migration, with this character about 60% into adult male plumage. This species is well-known for their loud, squeaky chirp, but saves their song for the breedinggrounds up North. They are closely related to the Black-headed Grosbeak of the West and have even hybridized on occasion. Both have a squeaky call that’s easy to learn and hard to forget.

Man, have we ever had a Red-breasted Nuthatch year! I have recorded exactly ONE (!) of these in 17 years on my property, butthis is one of 15 or so that’s visited here this fall, perhaps due to a shortage of food further north. Other nuthatches are less migratory but RBs are typical continental migrants (winter residents in the Deep South). That’s quite a bill for such a small bird!

Flycatchers are not closely related to other songbirds and really aren’t skilled singers. This is the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher that formerly nested in North Texas and southern Oklahoma. Now, along with their buddies the Western Kingbirds, they have spread out in our Country almost coast-to-coast, though not abundantly. Plus, those ofyou going on the South Florida trip with me in January will see them wintering there!

True sparrows are a large family of basically brown birds, though many have subtle colors and markings, making them quite attractive. This is the Swamp Sparrow, atypical wintering sparrow in the Deep South. The reddish-brown body and gray head ID them easily. They tend to live in thick areas, especially around water, and their phoebe-like chip often belies their presence.