Owls and Vutures

Owl and Vulture: Description

Owls

Class: Aves (Birds)  

Order: Strigiformes (Owls)

Family: Tytonidae (Barn Owls) or Strigidae (Typical Owls)

•Description: Large round head with forward- facing eyes, sharp downward-facing beak, female can be up to 25% bigger than males.

•Owls are Birds of Prey that have great vision and hearing. Talons and beak are strong.

•Pellets are regurgitated after meals and contain indigestible parts of prey. 

Eastern Screech Owl

 http://www.houstonaudubon.org/default.aspx?act=newsletter.aspx&category=Bird%20Gallery&newsletterid=302

•Megascops asio

•Small, nocturnal owl.

•2 color morphs: grey phase and reddish-brown phase

•Adult (grey): facial disks white with grey-brown mottling, black border. Yellow iris. Grey-green beak

•Juvenile (grey): like adult but indistinct stripes and bars more patterned with white tips of feathers.

•Adult (red): cinnamon instead of grey

•Juvenile (red): greyish brown, bars and stripes less pronounced than adult.

•Fast flying  with broad wings  and head tucked in while in flight.

 

 Barred Owl

http://duncraft.atom5.com/barred-owls-3542.html

•Strix varia

•Medium sized gray to brown with horizontal barring on the chest and vertical barring on the stomach.

•Round head with white/brown facial disk with brown trim.

•Eyes are brown and the beak is yellow.

•They have a long tail 

•         Male and female plumage appears very similar.

Barn Owl 

http://www.owl-pictures.com/barn_owl.html

•Tyto alba

•Upper body light grey with small dark lines and dull spotting on feathers.

•Underparts are white

•The facial disk is white with a brown edge and brown markings near the front of the eyes.

•Off white beak with yellowish-white to brown feet.

•Females and juveniles have more spots.

•         Females and males are about the same size.

Great Horned Owl

 http://www.oregonzoo.org/Cards/BirdsOfPrey/greathornedowl.htm

•Bubo virginianus

•First seen in the Virginia Colonies

•Vary in color from a reddish brown to grey or black and white

•Eyes are large with yellow to orange color

•Underside is light grey with dark bars and a white band of feathers on the upper breast

•Feathers form tufts that look like “horns”

•Large feet have feathers that reach to the ends of toes

•Juveniles  appear similar to adults

•Females are  about 15% larger

 

Vultures 

•Consist of New World and Old World

•Some have an unusually bald head that does not require much clean after eating.

•7 extant species of New World

•Many species are endangered

•Found on every continent except Australia  and Antarctica.

Black Vulture

http://www.arkive.org/american-black-vulture/coragyps-atratus/ 

•Order: Falconiformes.

•Family: Cathartidae. (New World vulture).

•Scientific Name: Coragyps atratus

•Large size

•White patch at tip of broad wings

•Dark gray wrinkled head lacking feathers

•Prefers soaring on thermals

•Juvenile does not have wrinkled skin.

Turkey Vulture 

 http://www.calliebowdish.com/TurkeyVulture.htm

•Order: Falconiformes.

•Family: Cathartidae. (New World vulture).

•Scientific Name: Cathartes aura.

•Large, dark coloration, wings broad, long tails, wings held slightly elevated when in flight.

•Dark brown with a red head that lacks feathers, pale bill.  Feathers near the wingtips and edge are more lightly colored.

 

Thursday Lab 2/23/12 Trip to Newport News Park

Downy Woodpecker

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Downy_Woodpecker/id/ac

·         Smaller woodpecker

·         Straight powerful bill

·         Checkered black and white pattern

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Newport News Park 2/23/12

·         Round head

·         Black and white striped down back

·         Red cap and nape with white patches near wingtips

Brown Creeper

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown_Creeper/id/ac

·         Small, brown and white streaked underparts

·         Long bill and tail

Tufted Titmouse

Newport News Park 2/23/12

·         Large head and eyes, thick neck and body

·         Crest

·          Greyish on top and white under with a rust colored area around the flanks

White-breasted Nuthatch

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-breasted_Nuthatch/id/ac

·         Small with large head

·         Gray-blue on back and white face

·         Black or gray cap that looks like a hood

Bald Eagle

Newport News Park 2/23/12

·         Large size with long broad wings

·         White head and tail over brown body

·         Yellow bill

Double-crested Cormorant

Newport News Park 2/23/11

·         Large dark colored diving bird

·         Long neck and blunt or hooked tipped bill

Ring-billed Gulls

Newport News Park 2/23/12 (Juvenile: Bottom)

·         Small gull with rounded head

·         Yellow or pink bill has black ring

·         Females also have pink legs in addition to their bill

Mallards (Male and Female)

Newport News Park Mallards (Male:Top, Female: Bottom)

·         Large duck

·         Male: Green shiny head and gray body

·         Female: mottled brown

Pied-billed Grebe

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pied-billed_Grebe/id/ac

·         Small, Brown head and body

·         Small head with short, thick bill

American Coot

Newport News Park 2/23/12

·         Black body, diving bird

·         White bill with dark mark near the tip

·         White stripe on sides under the tail

Ring-necked Duck

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ring-necked_Duck/id/ac

·         Medium size, diving

·         Male: Blueish bill with white ring close to black tip, mostly black with gray sides, white stripe on shoulder

·         Female: Tan and gray, white around eye

American Robin

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/id/ac

·         Large size

·         Long legs and tail

·         Gray-brown color with rust orange color on underparts

Carolina Chickadee

Noland Trail 2/09/12

·         Very small with short neck and large head

·         Black cap and bib with gray wings and long gray tail

American Wigeon

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Wigeon/id/ac

·         Medium size

·         White crown on males with green patch behind eye

·         White patch in wings

·         Black rear with white surrounding

Canada Geese

Newport News Park 2/23/12

·         Large, with long neck and webbed feet

·         Bill is wide and flat

·         Dark head, white cheeks, light brown breast, and brown back

Great Egret

 

 Sandy Bottom 2/1/12


Large size, white
Long skinny, black legs

Hermit Thrush

Newport News 2/23/12

·         Robbin like shape

·         Brown body with reddish long tail

·         Spots on throat smudging to chest

Yellow-belied Sapsucker

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/id/ac

·         Medium woodpecker with red crown and throat

·         White stripe on side

·         Disorganized black and white bars running down back

Eastern Bluebird

Newport News Park 2/23/12

·         Small thrush with a large round head and thick body

·         Wings are long, while body is a vibrant blue on top and light orange on throat and chest

·         Bill is short

While Leaving

Tundra Swan

 http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tundra_Swan/id/ac

·         White all over

·         Straight neck, long in length

·         Black extends from bill to cover the face

Mute Swan

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mute_Swan/id/ac

·         All white large body

·         Neck long like the tundra swan but curved

·         Bill is orange in contrast to its black face