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birds
Class Aves
This class is for the birds! Birds have scales on their feet, and feathers, which are just modified scales, covering their body. Birds lay eggs that require incubation and have hollow bones, allowing even large birds to weigh only a few pounds. Birds also have the best vision of all the vertebrates. The number of birds that frequent the salt marsh is extensive, so we decided to group the birds into four basic groups.
Birds of prey: Birds of prey, also called raptors, are any predatory bird that hunts and feeds on larger animals, such as mice, reptiles, fish, and other birds. Raptors have a hooked beak, sharp talons, and exceptional vision that allows them to see prey on the ground during flight.
Songbirds: Songbirds are known as “perching” birds, as their feet are specifically adapted to grip a perch, like a small branch. True to the name, they are well-developed vocally; each will have unique calls or songs. These songs are used for various communications. Most birds have a song solely for courtship.
Seabirds and Shorebirds: A seabird is any bird that spends most, if not all, of its life in the marine environment and has adapted to interact with, and get its nutrition from the ocean. A shorebird is any bird that frequents the shoreline; they generally have long legs and slender bills to probe sediment for prey. Gulls, terns, and skimmers have similar traits and behaviors, so are grouped together.
Wading birds: Wading birds can be found in fresh and saltwater habitats. On the coast, they are most often seen in tidal creeks, feeding along the creek banks, near oyster reefs, and on mud flats. They have long, thin legs to help them walk across soft, unstable mud, their bills are usually long and designed to probe soft sediments for prey, and their necks are usually long and sinuous.
Birds of Prey
Red-tailed hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Brown plumage above, white below; belly streaked with brown
Range: North America
Size: 48in (1.25m) wingspan
Habitat: builds nest with sticks and conceals it between branches of a tree
Fun Fact:
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Brown with white speckled breast, dark stripe across eyes
Range: North America, Alaska, south to Chile
Size: 55-70in (1.5m) wingspan
Habitat:
Fun Fact: dense, oily plumage allows deep dives for prey
American bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Brown body; white head, neck, and tail
Range: North America
Size: 70-90in (2m) wingspan
Habitat: nests in tall trees along shorelines
Fun Fact: white plumage will not develop until eaglet is at least three years old
Songbirds
Red-winged blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Males black with red and yellow spot on wings; females brown with red chin
Range: throughout U.S.
Size: 16in (41cm) wingspan
Habitat: fresh and salt marshes
Fun Fact: commonly seen in small flocks
Saltmarsh sparrow
Ammodramus caudacutus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Yellow face, gray patch over ear
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and upper Gulf of Mexico
Size: 7in (18cm) wingspan
Habitat: salt marsh
Fun Fact: nests often washed away by extreme tides
Belted kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Blue dorsally with white spots; females with red band on belly
Range: North America
Size: 23in (58cm) wingspan
Habitat: nests on banks
Fun Fact: courting males will feed females
Marsh wren
Cistothorus palustris
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Small brown, gray body; upturned tail; streaks on head and above eye
Range: North America coasts to Mexico
Size: 5in (13cm) wingspan
Habitat: hides in marsh grass
Fun Fact: heard more than seen
Seabirds and Shorebirds
Royal tern
Thalasseus maximus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Orange bill; gray body and black feathers on cap
Range: coasts of U.S., Atlantic coast of Africa
Size: 53in (1.25m) wingspan
Habitat: estuaries, beaches
Fun Fact: mating pair can find their chick in a crowd
Black skimmer
Rynchops niger
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Lower bill longer; white belly; red legs
Range: U.S. coasts, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico
Size: 42-50in (1.25m) wingspan
Habitat: estuaries, beaches, shell bars
Fun Fact: skims jaw on water surface to feed
Brown pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Head white, brown down the neck; long bill with pouch (gular)
Range: NC to FL and Gulf of Mexico
Size: 78in (2m) wingspan
Habitat:
Fun Fact: removed from endangered species list in 2009
Clapper rail
Rallus longirostris
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Thin with long legs and large feet; black and white bars on sides
Range: U.S. coasts to Peru and Brazil
Size: 21in (53cm) wingspan
Habitat: construct canopy over nests to conceal
Fun Fact: very secretive
Double-crested cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Black with yellow beak; long neck
Range: North America
Size: 48in (1m) wingspan
Habitat: fresh and coastal waterways
Fun Fact: will stand on banks with wings spread to dry
Laughing gull
Leucophaeus atricilla
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Orange bill, gray body
Range: Atlantic coast of U.S., Gulf of Mexico to South America
Size: 47in (1m) wingspan
Habitat: frequents beaches, marshes, landfills
Fun Fact: has a loud characteristic laughing-like call
Least tern
Sternula antillarum
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: White head and forked tail; orange bills with black tips
Range: Atlantic coast of U.S.
Size: 20in (51cm) wingspan
Habitat: estuaries, beaches and sandbars
Fun Fact: shakes water on eggs to cool them
American oystercatcher
Haematopus palliatus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Black heads with white breast; long, red bill
Range: U.S. coasts
Size: 35in (1m) wingspan
Habitat: sand and mud flats near oyster reefs
Fun Fact: form long-term bonds with mate
Wading Birds
Roseate spoonbill
Ajaja ajaja
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Pink body, white head; spoon-shaped bill; long pink legs
Range: SC to FL, Gulf of Mexico, tropics in Central and South America
Size: 50in (1.25m) wingspan
Habitat:
Fun Fact: sweeps bill back and forth to feed
Snowy egret
Egretta thula
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Bright white plumage with black legs and yellow feet
Range: North America and most of South America
Size: 39in (1m) wingspan
Habitat:
Fun Fact: competes for breeding areas through loud noise displays
Tricolored heron
Egretta tricolor
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Dark with red tint, white belly; long yellow legs
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S., Central to South America, Caribbean
Size: 37in (1m) wingspan
Habitat: coastline habitats
Fun Fact: will use foot to stir up sediment
White ibis
Eudocimus albus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Curved red bill; red legs; black wing tips
Range: southeast U.S., Gulf of Mexico, Central America
Size: 36in (1m) wingspan
Habitat: salt and fresh marshes; mudflats and grass fields
Fun Fact: nests and feeds in groups
Wood stork
Mycteria americana
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: White; black edges on wings and tail; head and neck naked
Range: SC to southern South America
Size: 60in (1.5m) wingspan
Habitat: habitat alteration put them on endangered species list
Fun Fact:
Yellow-crowned night heron
Nyctanassa violacea
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: White stripe behind eyes; yellow on crown
Range: Southeast, Central to northern South America
Size: 45in (1m) wingspan
Habitat: wetlands
Fun Fact: forages 15ft from other birds
Black-crowned night heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Black back; robust, pointed bill
Range: North, Central, and South America
Size: 47in (1m) wingspan
Habitat: salt and fresh wetlands
Fun Fact: will take care of any chick
Glossy ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Brown body; bill curved
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S., Gulf of Mexico, Central and South America, Africa
Size: 36in (1m) wingspan
Habitat: marshes, swamps, rice fields
Fun Fact: probes soft mud with bill
Great blue heron
Ardea herodias
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Blue-gray, black stripe over eye
Range: North and Central America to the northern tip of South America
Size: 80in (2m) wingspan
Habitat: salt and fresh marsh
Fun Fact: weighs 5-6 pounds
Great egret
Casmerodius albus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: White plumage, orange bill
Range: southeastern U.S., southern Canada
Size: 57in (1.5m) wingspan
Habitat: fresh and salt marsh
Fun Fact: mainly eats fish, but may eat amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals
Green heron
Butorides virescens
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Dark green back, gray wings
Range: U.S. coasts, Central America to northern South America
Size: 27in (69cm) wingspan
Habitat: swamps, marshes, reservoirs
Fun Fact: creates lures to entice small fish
Little Blue heron
Egretta caerulea
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: Body with purple tint; yellow eyes, black tip on bill
Range: Southeast interior and coast, Central and South America, Caribbean
Size: 41in (1m) wingspan
Habitat:
Fun Fact: “teeth” on toe to groom their plumage
