What's in Flight
June, 2019
Spring is a beauty pageant in the park with all the rainbow colored migrants arriving from southerly climes like Mexico, the Tropics and South America. To celebrate the profusion of birds recently spotted in the park, What’s in Flight is dedicating this month’s post to images of some of the most stunning and unusual-looking ones seen this May.
Summer Tanager
Deborah E. Bifulco
The Summer Tanager is one of the most coveted bird sightings in New York City. Birding expert Gabriel Willow thinks the one sighted near the 89th Street park entrance was blown off course and arrived further North than its usual destination.
Indigo Bunting
Deborah E. Bifulco
Male birds are in their most vibrant plumage in the Spring to attract a mate. This Indigo Bunting turns a dull brownish-color with patches of blue by fall.
Baltimore Oriole
Deborah E. Bifulco
The Baltimore Oriole is one of the first migrants to arrive in the city. ‘Orioles have one of the most complex woven nests. They weave a pouch that resembles a hanging sock,’ says Robyn Bailey, project leader of NestWatch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Cedar Waxwing
Deborah E. Bifulco
Cedar Waxwing detail
Deborah E. Bifulco
Male and female Cedar Waxwings have the same beautiful plumage; a pale yellow belly, black mask, yellow tips and sometimes also red tips on their tail and a prominent crest. The female’s crest and body tend to be slightly smaller.
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Greg Schechter
To date, birders have counted over 124 species of birds in our park. Carl Schurz Park is on the ebird.org list of global birding hotspots.
Prairie Warbler
Deborah E. Bifulco
Warblers are the favorite bird of Kaitlyn Parkins, the conservation biologist at New York City Audubon. ‘The males look like little jewels dripping from trees,’ she says. ‘Female warblers ‘wear’ the bird equivalent of camouflage, so they won’t be spotted on their nest or feeding their chicks.’
American Kestrel
Nathan Rupert
American Kestrel
Jan Davis Ruthig
The American Kestrel is North America’s smallest falcon and one of the most colorful birds of prey.
Scarlet Tanager
Deborah E. Bifulco
The male Scarlet Tanager is an unmistakable flash of color with his scarlet body and black wings, but the female Scarlet Tanager blends into the foliage with her olive-yellow body.
Blackburnian Warbler
Richard Phillip Nelson
Another coveted sighting for New York birders is the petite Blackburnian Warbler with its flame orange face and intricate black and white patterning on its body.
Wilson's Warbler
Deborah E. Bifulco
At ground level in the park you might notice only sparrows, robins, pigeons and grackles, but flitting high up in the trees (notably the oaks, linden, ginko and tulip trees) are a host of colorful birds.
American Redstart
Hal Trachtenberg
American Redstarts have been gathering nesting materials to breed in our park.
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Deborah E. Bifulco
Most warblers weigh just 0.2-0.5 ounces and are just a couple of inches long.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Deborah Bifulco
The song of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak sounds like an American Robin. ‘But listen for an extra sweetness, as if the bird had operatic training,’ says the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Purple Finch
Deborah E. Bifulco
The Purple Finch looks as if someone dipped a Song Sparrow in raspberry jam. This pretty finch is a year round resident in our park and often seen near the 89th Street entrance.
Magnolia Warbler
Deborah E. Bifulco
Black-and-white Warbler
Terry Collins
Warblers have a strong and complex song. Due to their Lilliputian size they are constantly foraging for seeds and insects.
Barn Swallow
Dr Barry Pinchefsky
Barn Swallow collecting mud
Dr Barry Pinchefsky
Barn Swallow in flight
Dr Barry Pinchefsky
A flock of Barn Swallows is nesting in the park near the Ferry Terminal. They are frequently seen flying near Gracie Mansion and taking mud from puddles to build their nests.
Double-crested Cormorant
Dr Barry Pinchefsky
Double-crested Cormorant
Gregory Smith
Seen close-up, this fishing bird is quite beautiful with its striking aquamarine eyes, a mouth that’s bright blue on the inside, orange-yellow skin and a shimmering black body.
Words: Lucie Young
Images: Deborah E Bifulco, Dr Barry Pinchefsky, Richard Phillip Nelson, Terry Collins, Hal Trachtenberg, Gregory Smith, Greg Schechter, Nathan Rupert, Jan Davis Ruthig,
Links:
Find the complete list of birds sighted in Carl Schurz on ebird.org
Learn about birds, their songs and how to identify them on Allaboutbirds.org
For more on the nesting habits of birds Nestwatch.org