Birds | onsc

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Birding at ONSC and Beyond!

Birds are a lovely part of nature. Not only are they beautiful, but they are also fascinating to watch. Many naturalists enjoy birding, an activity where people go outside into nature to observe birds. Bird songs add another fun element to birding. Birds contribute greatly to the Ozark ecosystems, helping control insect populations, pollinate flowers, spread seeds for plant reproduction, and playing crucial roles in the food web as both predators and prey.

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Tips for Identifying Birds:

Judge the bird’s size and overall shape.
Look for its main color patterns and any unique features.
Note its behavior, especially any repeated movements.
Listen for its song and/or other calls.
Factor in its habitat.

What Birds Are You Likely to See at ONSC?

At Bird Feeders:

Year-Round Residents

Carolina Chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) love sunflower seeds, but they’re also skilled insect hunters, often hanging upside down to search for bugs under bark or in spiderwebs. In the winter, you’ll find them in groups known as Feeding Flocks, which often include Tufted Titmice, woodpeckers, and visiting winter birds.

Interestingly, chickadees are the leaders of these flocks—wherever they go, the rest of the birds follow.Chickadees are curious by nature, and birders can attract them by making “pishing” noises (just say “Shhh” with a “p” in front of it). If a chickadee responds to your pishing, other birds in the flock might follow, giving you the chance to see some unusual species traveling with them. Their song is a cheerful “fee bee fee bay,” while their alarm call, “chicka dee dee dee,” gives them their name.

"Carolina Chickadee with Pastel Blue Bokeh Background #2 of 2 #Flickr12Days" by Cindy Sue Causey is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Tufted Titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) are big fans of sunflower seeds, but they’re also versatile foragers, searching the trees and ground for acorns. Much like Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice are natural flock leaders. They sometimes gather in groups and will even scold birders who are making “pishing” noises in an attempt to attract them! Interestingly, other birds often join in the scolding, creating quite the scene. The Tufted Titmouse’s song is distinct and easy to recognize, sounding like a repetitive “Peter Peter Peter.”

"Tufted Titmouse [19/100]" by timsackton is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Downy Woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens) are frequent visitors to feeders, where they enjoy suet (a high-energy food made from hard fat around the kidneys and loins of beef or mutton, sometimes mixed with cornmeal or other ingredients) as well as sunflower seeds. These woodpeckers have a unique way of climbing—they use their stiff tails as props while they move up tree trunks in search of invertebrates. Describing the calls of woodpeckers can be tricky. The Downy Woodpecker makes a high-pitched, whinnying call.

"Male Downy Woodpecker" by ShenandoahNPS is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) are frequent visitors to feeders, where they enjoy suet (a high-energy food made from hard fat around the kidneys and loins of beef or mutton, sometimes mixed with cornmeal or other ingredients) as well as sunflower seeds. These woodpeckers have a unique way of climbing—they use their stiff tails as props while they move up tree trunks in search of invertebrates. Describing the calls of woodpeckers can be tricky. The Red-bellied Woodpecker is known for its distinctive “churrrr” or “kwirrrr” sound.

"Red-bellied Woodpecker" by AcrylicArtist is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) are impressive climbers that can move down a tree trunk just as easily as they can go up, using their strong feet as props. They enjoy suet but are also known to eat sunflower seeds at feeders. Their call is a distinctive, nasal “yank, yank,” making them easy to recognize by sound alone.

"White-Breasted Nuthatch" by http://www.naturespicsonline.com/ is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5.

American Goldfinches (Spinus tristis) are strict vegetarians, feasting on different seeds at bird feeders. They also enjoy thistle seeds and even line their nests with soft thistle down. In the fall, you'll often find them flocking to sycamore trees to eat the seeds from sycamore balls.

These goldfinches come in different colors depending on the season. In spring, the breeding males are a striking bright yellow with black-and-white wings and a black forehead, while females are a duller yellow beneath and olive above. In winter, the males turn solid brown with blackish wings and two pale wing bars.

The American Goldfinch’s songs are long and varied, but their calls often sound like “Chewy… chewy!” or the distinctive “potato chip.” When threatened, you might hear them say “bobee.”

"American goldfinch" by ibm4381 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are known for their large, powerful orange bills. Males and females have distinct coloring: males are a vibrant red, while females are pale brown with warm reddish tinges on their wings, tail, and crest. Both sexes have a black face and a striking red-orange bill. Cardinals enjoy eating sunflower seeds, suet, corn, and small seeds, which they pick from platform feeders or the ground. It's common to see adults leading fledglings to feeders, where the young birds beg for food.

The Northern Cardinal’s song is a series of clear, whistling notes that often sound like “wha cheer, cheer, purty, purty, purty” or “birdie, birdie, birdie.”

"Northern Cardinal" by Andy Morffew is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Non Year-Round Residents

Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea) are summer residents, coming to Arkansas to breed. They prefer cracked corn and other small seeds, which they forage from the ground or platform feeders. The striking bright blue males can often be seen singing from treetops during spring and summer, while the females are a more subdued brown with a whitish throat, faint streaking on the breast, and sometimes a hint of blue on their wings, tail, or rump.

The Indigo Bunting’s song is a distinctive double-note that moves down the scale, often sounding like “what! what! where? where? see it! see it!” or “Fire, fire, Here, here, Now, now.”

"Indigo bunting" by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina) are common in Arkansas during the spring and summer. Like Indigo Buntings, they forage on the ground and will visit feeders to eat seeds spread on rails. Sparrows can be tricky to differentiate, but good field marks for identifying Chipping Sparrows include a distinct dark line through the eye, a rufous cap, and a plain breast. Their gray rump is sometimes visible and helps to set them apart from similar species.

The Chipping Sparrow’s song is a long, dry trill that sounds almost like mechanical chips.

"Chipping Sparrow" by http://www.naturespicsonline.com/ is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus) are visiting migrants known for their large beaks, which are strong enough to crack open large seeds. They also eat insects. In the wild, these fairly large birds can be difficult to spot, as they often stay high in trees, hidden by foliage. Fortunately, they are much easier to see at feeders, where they readily eat sunflower seeds.

Males are striking, with black-and-white plumage and a brilliant red chevron extending from their black throat down the center of their breast. Females, on the other hand, are brown with heavy streaking and a bold whitish stripe above the eye.
Both male and female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks sing a melodious song similar to that of the American Robin, often sounding like “cheer-up, cheer-a-lee, cheer-ee-o, cheek.”

"Rose Breasted Grosbeak (male)" by .Larry Page is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Purple Finches (Haemorhous purpureus) are only found in the region during the fall and winter. Their powerful, conical beaks are larger than those of sparrows, making them well-suited for eating seeds. Consider yourself lucky if you spot a Purple Finch, as they are not as common as they once were. They do, however, visit feeders, especially in undeveloped areas or nature preserves.
Male Purple Finches are a pinkish-red color on the head and breast, blending with brown on the back and white on the belly. Female Purple Finches lack the red coloring and are streaked below, with strong facial markings, including a whitish eyestripe and a dark line down the side of the throat.

The Purple Finch’s song is a melodious warble with many varied phrases, sometimes sounding like “Hear me? See me? Here I am.”

"Purple Finch" by quinet is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Birds Not at Feeders, but Still Easy to See:

Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) are year-round residents, nearly the size of eagles with a wingspan reaching almost 6 feet. They play a vital role in nature by scavenging and consuming dead animals, which helps prevent the spread of disease. Their featherless, red heads contrast with their dark brown bodies and serve a practical purpose—keeping them clean from the messy meals they consume.

Turkey Vultures are master soarers, using thermals (updrafts of warm air) to glide effortlessly, conserving energy. They are often seen floating high in the sky on sunny afternoons. One of the easiest ways to identify them is by their distinctive "V"-shaped wing posture when gliding.

Unlike many other birds, Turkey Vultures lack the vocal organs to produce proper songs. Instead, they can make a low, guttural hiss when irritated, or occasionally, a low, nasal whine during flight.

"Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura)" by Joshua Tree National Park is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) are also scavengers, consuming dead animals, and are often seen soaring high in the sky. Compared to Turkey Vultures, they have shorter tails and wings, with distinctive white wingtips and a black, featherless head. Unlike Turkey Vultures, Black Vultures do not hold their wings in a “V” shape when gliding.

Black Vultures have a weaker sense of smell, so they frequently follow Turkey Vultures to locate food. They are highly social birds, often seen in groups.

Like Turkey Vultures, Black Vultures lack the vocal organs needed to produce songs.

"Black Vulture, Costa Rica" by D. Gordon E. Robertson is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are most commonly seen at ONSC from November through February, often soaring majestically overhead. Adults are easily recognizable by their striking white heads and tails. However, it takes an eagle four to five years to reach full maturity and develop this iconic appearance.

Interestingly, the Bald Eagle’s sounds are often misrepresented in movies and TV, where their calls are typically dubbed with the cry of a Red-tailed Hawk. In reality, Bald Eagles produce high-pitched whistling or piping notes that sound more like “kleek kik ik ik.”

"Bald eagle with fish" by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata) do visit feeders, but they are more often seen or heard scolding potential predators (including humans) to warn other birds and animals of danger. Sometimes, they give these alarm calls even when there’s no real threat, simply to startle others and create an opportunity to sneak some food. Blue Jays are known for their clever and mischievous behavior.

The Blue Jay’s call is heard more often than its song. Their typical call is a loud, jeering “jay jay,” though they are also known to mimic the calls of hawks. Their song, when heard, can sound like “queedle queedle” or “weedle eedle.”

"Blue Jay" by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) are large forest-dwellers, mostly black with striking white markings and a bright red crest. They forage by searching under bark, on snags, or on fallen logs for small invertebrates like ants and termites. If you come across a fallen log with deep, irregular holes, it's likely the handiwork of a Pileated Woodpecker.

Though they can be hard to spot, their presence is often given away by their loud “cuk, cuk, cuk” calls and their powerful drumming on trees.

"The Pileated Woodpecker Chase" by DaPuglet is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Birds More Challenging to See (But Well Worth the Effort!):

Hooded Warblers (Setophaga citrina), Kentucky Warblers (Geothlypis formosa), Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla), Northern Parulas (Setophaga americana), Black-and-white Warblers (Mniotilta varia), and Pine Warblers (Setophaga pinus) all breed in the Ozarks during the summer.

These small, insect-eating birds can be elusive. The first three species often forage close to the ground in tangles of vegetation, while Northern Parulas spend most of their time higher in the trees. Black-and-white Warblers search for food on leaves and tree trunks, and Pine Warblers, as their name suggests, spend most of their time in pine trees.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets (Regulus calendula) and Golden-crowned Kinglets (R. satrapa) are tiny forest birds that visit the Ozarks in the winter. They are easily recognized by the frequent fluttering of their wings. Both species have tiny beaks and relatively plain plumage, except for white wing-bars. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is distinguished by white eye-rings, and males show a brilliant red crown when excited. The Golden-crowned Kinglet, on the other hand, displays a bright yellow crown bordered in black.

Identifying Other Birds by Their Voices:

Sometimes, birds are heard but not seen, especially during the summertime when the deciduous trees are full and lush. Identifying birds by their voice is easier than you might think. Here are some common songs to help you recognize species in the area:

Ovenbirds are common in the ONSC woods during spring and summer, singing “Teacher! Teacher! Teacher!” with their voices growing louder as they go.
Black-and-white Warblers sound like a squeaky wheel, with a song that resembles “Weeesy, weeesy, weeesy.”
Eastern Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe) sing “Feebeee, feebeee” throughout the summer days.
Red-shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatus), the most commonly heard hawks at ONSC, have a distinct two-tone call. Don’t be fooled by Blue Jays, which are excellent mimics of hawk calls.
American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) are known for their familiar “Caw, caw, caw!”
Barred Owls (Strix varia) call out “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” during the night, and sometimes even in the daytime.
Eastern Whip-poor-wills (Antrostomus vociferus) call their name throughout summer nights.

For more help identifying birds by their songs and calls, check out these resources:

Stanford University: Bird Songs
A collection of bird songs and calls, providing audio examples for identification.
Smithsonian National Zoo: Bird Memory Phrases
Learn bird songs through easy-to-remember phrases that mimic the sound of common bird calls.
USDA Forest Service: Bird Sound Identification Guide
A detailed guide to bird sound identification, with examples of bird species commonly found in U.S. forests.

Download the ONSC Birding PDF ​