Every bird watcher and nature observer has his or her "lists." Here are mine for Birds, Insects, Mammals, Plants, Reptiles, and Crustaceans, complete with pull down menus.
BIRDS
Categorized by genus/species, placed chronologically by common name
American Coot
American Crow
American Flamingo*
American Goldfinch
American Kestrel
American Robin
American Tree Sparrow
American White Pelican
Bald Eagle
Baltimore Oriole
Barn Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Black-Capped Chickadee
Black Vulture*
Blue Jay
Blue-Winged Teal
Bobwhite
Brown Creeper
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Brown Thrasher
Bufflehead
Canada Goose
Canvasback
Cedar Waxwing
Chipping Sparrow
Common Grackle
Common Goldeneye
Common Redpoll
Cooper's Hawk
Dark-Eyed Junco
Double-Breasted Cormorant
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Goldfinch - See American Goldfinch
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Towhee
Eurasian Coot*
European Starling
Fox Sparrow
Golden-Crowned Kinglet
Gray Catbird
Graylag Goose
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Greater Flamingo*
Hairy Woodpecker
Harlequin Duck
Hermit Thrush
Herring Gull
Horned Lark
House Finch
House Sparrow
House Wren
Indigo Bunting
Killdeer
Lesser Scaup
Lincoln's Sparrow
Mallard (Domestic)
Mallard (Wild)
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Rough-Winged Swallow
Northern Shoveler
Orange-Crowned Warbler
Palm Warbler
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Red-Headed Woodpecker
Red-Tailed Hawk
Red-Winged Blackbird
Ring-Billed Gull
Ring-Necked Duck
Rock Pigeon
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
Scarlet Tanager
Solitary Sandpiper
Song Sparrow
Spotted Sandpiper
Swamp Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
White-Breasted Nuthatch
White-Crowned Sparrow
White-Throated Sparrow
Wild Turkey
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
INSECTS, ARACHNIDS, MYRIAPODS & GASTROPODS
Categorized by family, placed chronologically by common name
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura - also known as Urubu à tête rouge (French), Vautour (French), Zopilote Aura (Spanish), Aura cabecirroja (Spanish), Aura Gallipavo (Spanish), Kalkoengier (Dutch), Truthahngeier (German), Avvoltoio collorosso (Italian), Kalkongam (Swedish).
A very interesting (and HUGE) bird, the Turkey Vulture is almost shocking when seen “in person.” The size and the look of this bird are quite striking when one is out taking pictures of larks and buntings!
The Turkey Vulture uses its sense of smell to locate carrion. The part of its brain responsible for processing smells is particularly large, compared to other birds. Its heightened ability to detect odors allows it to find dead animals below a forest canopy.
Very cool!
Males and females look similarly (females a bit larger).
The Turkey Vulture is found in Iowa and the Midwest throughout the summer, and can be found in the Southern US (and parts of the southern-most areas of the Midwest) all year long.
Taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on July 4, 2007 in Oak Run (Dahinda), Illinois.
Very nice website! Nice photos.
I have just moved to Bettendorf from Europe and am a keen birdwatcher. Today I was in Burlington, IA at Starr’s Caves and saw a small warbler with an orange throat and black cap. The only thing I can identify from my field guide is a Blackburnian Warbler. Is this possible?
Wow!! It definitely could be a blackburnian warbler this time of year, as they come through here during migration. That would be a great find!
April 29th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
3
Cindy Schollaert Says:
For several hours above our pasture (north of Dixon Iowa) we spotted a huge flock of at least 30 birds….they appeared to be vultures. (dark, very broad wings…couldn’t see their heads much during flight) It was a freakish sight, for sure. They circled slowly in huge groups, and stayed in the area all afternoon. In fact, I’ve seen one again this morning. At one point, they all flew and perched on a cell phone tower. Is this common behavior to be in such a large flock? Otherwise, what could they have been.
Cindy - Turkey Vultures definitely do hang out in groups. This time of year they can often be seen in a large group sitting in a tree or other object getting sun and stretching their wings.
The best way to tell if they are turkey vultures when they are soaring is to look at the coloring under their wings (like the 3rd picture, above). The dark body with dark parts at the top of the wing, with all white lower wing parts often gives them away.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:51 am
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This blog is about: Iowa, Illinois, Midwest, United States, nature, wildlife, animals, birds, ornithology, insects, bugs, entomology, Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island, Moline, Quad, City, Cities
hello Moe,
Very nice website! Nice photos.
I have just moved to Bettendorf from Europe and am a keen birdwatcher. Today I was in Burlington, IA at Starr’s Caves and saw a small warbler with an orange throat and black cap. The only thing I can identify from my field guide is a Blackburnian Warbler. Is this possible?
Stephen Leese
April 27th, 2008 at 8:20 pmWow!! It definitely could be a blackburnian warbler this time of year, as they come through here during migration. That would be a great find!
April 29th, 2008 at 7:00 pmFor several hours above our pasture (north of Dixon Iowa) we spotted a huge flock of at least 30 birds….they appeared to be vultures. (dark, very broad wings…couldn’t see their heads much during flight) It was a freakish sight, for sure. They circled slowly in huge groups, and stayed in the area all afternoon. In fact, I’ve seen one again this morning. At one point, they all flew and perched on a cell phone tower. Is this common behavior to be in such a large flock? Otherwise, what could they have been.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:00 amCindy - Turkey Vultures definitely do hang out in groups. This time of year they can often be seen in a large group sitting in a tree or other object getting sun and stretching their wings.
The best way to tell if they are turkey vultures when they are soaring is to look at the coloring under their wings (like the 3rd picture, above). The dark body with dark parts at the top of the wing, with all white lower wing parts often gives them away.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:51 am