Bird Identification

[The Hammer]

Do you live in a place with birds?
Does non-social media tweeting confuse you?

Can't tell the difference between a Spotted Towhee and a Bald Eagle ?

Have I got THE App for you!

BirdNET

Backed by the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, this app allows you to record the bird calls around you, and bounce them off the universities internal database of birds.

 

[Jose Fly]

I'm fortunate enough to have a home that is in some excellent bird habitat. My oldest daughter, who recently moved out to go to college, keeps telling me how much she misses walking through our woods and hearing all the birds. Funny how you sometimes don't notice those things until they're gone.

Just yesterday, I heard a grey catbird mimic a hawk's screeching! At first I thought it was an injured hawk, so I walked into the back looking for it. But before long, there was the catbird sitting on a branch, screeching away. Crazy!

 

[Valjean]

Cornell's the world authority on ornithology. They've got some great identification keys, and field guides.

Ordinary Google Lens will identify birds, insects, plants, cars... all sorts of things, though.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

This is not a bird, but a demon in disguise:

Most other birds are birds, however, and are ok. But not the Western Scrub Jay. They're nasty, mean, and they have a very harsh, almost industrial sounding squawk that they will continually let out as long as any other living thing is nearby.

 

[The Hammer]

Cornell's the world authority on ornithology. They've got some great identification keys, and field guides.

Ordinary Google Lens will identify birds, insects, plants, cars... all sorts of things, though.

Google also steals all your data and info.

 

[The Hammer]

This is not a bird, but a demon in disguise:

Most other birds are birds, however, and are ok. But not the Western Scrub Jay. They're nasty, mean, and they have a very harsh, almost industrial sounding squawk that they will continually let out as long as any other living thing is nearby.

I think she's cute.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I think she's cute.

They are very definitely very pretty birds. But the pretty begins and stops at the feathers.

 

[Bear Wild]

I'm fortunate enough to have a home that is in some excellent bird habitat. My oldest daughter, who recently moved out to go to college, keeps telling me how much she misses walking through our woods and hearing all the birds. Funny how you sometimes don't notice those things until they're gone.

Just yesterday, I heard a grey catbird mimic a hawk's screeching! At first I thought it was an injured hawk, so I walked into the back looking for it. But before long, there was the catbird sitting on a branch, screeching away. Crazy!

Since I moved into where I live 3 years ago I have become amazed at the conversations of the birds around me. I will just sit and listen to the cardinals talk to each other for hours. I can now recognize at least 12 different calls of the blue jays including one like you catbird. Some sound like a flute, some I cannot describe, some are classic blue jay. There are about 8 of them that visit every day and I am trying to watch while I listen as the go through so many different sounds, trying to see what they are doing with each vocalization. They definitely are calling to each other with different vocalizations and different responses. Truly amazing.

 

[Bear Wild]

The dove - Why did it become the symbol of peace??? Where I live they are the most greedy aggressive birds that visit. The chase off all other birds and even each other while sitting on top of a bird feeder for hours to try and keep other birds from getting food.

The dove of peace is clearly a propaganda ploy from some religion.

 

[The Hammer]

The dove - Why did it become the symbol of peace??? Where I live they are the most greedy aggressive birds that visit. The chase off all other birds and even each other while sitting on top of a bird feeder for hours to try and keep other birds from getting food.

The dove of peace is clearly a propaganda ploy from some religion.

"The dove has been a symbol of peace and innocence for thousands of years in many different cultures. In ancient Greek mythology it was a symbol of love and the renewal of life and in ancient Japan a dove carrying a sword symbolised the end of war. Early Christians portrayed baptism accompanied by a dove, often on their sepulchres and in the story of Noah in the Bible, when the flood waters receded, Noah sent out a dove which returned with an olive leaf, to show that the Biblical flood was over and that life had returned to Earth. Ever since, in the Christian faith, the dove has symbolised deliverance and God’s forgiveness.

Pablo Picasso made the dove a modern symbol of peace when it was selected as the emblem for the World Peace Congress in 1949. The dove became a symbol for the peace movement and the ideals of the Communist Party. "

All symbols are form of propaganda I think
The History Press | Peace symbols through history

 

[Shadow Wolf]

One of my favorite birds, the raven:

All symbols are form of propaganda I think
The History Press | Peace symbols through history

As much as I want to debate that, I do like the broken rifle symbol. It looks quite suitable for a universal symbol of recognition.

 

[The Hammer]

One of my favorite birds, the raven:

As much as I want to debate that, I do like the broken rifle symbol. It looks quite suitable for a universal symbol of recognition.

Any of the Corvid family are great. Super intelligent, and fun birds.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Any of the Corvid family are great. Super intelligent, and fun birds.

Scrub Jays are corvids. They're such terrible bullies they even bully crows despite being much smaller. Family cats and dogs and other animals are subject to attack. The eggs and babies of other birds, including other scrub jays, are subject to eating. And the conquer and claim backyard bird sanctuaries for the Hell's Birds Motorbeak Club. And from then on they are very territorial and aggressive, and they have this relentless and hideous screeching squeak. Especially when they are being territorial. They have one screech that sounds like some electric industrial scratching sound, and there's one around here who sounds like a bird version of Gollum wailing. Crows, by comparison, sound like the fine symphonies of Mozart. (this is all specific to the Western Scrub Jay)
But, the interesting thing about them is despite their extreme aggression towards even each other, they do work together. I've seen and heard examples of this. And if one finds another one dead, the one who found the dead one will let out of a cry to summon other scrub jays to a funeral that will last a day or two. (if a nuclear bomb is detonated here, that is what happened)
I wonder how that goes paying their respects? Sorry you're dead, man. Nothing personal when I invaded your home and gobbled your kids and traumatized your mate. Nature, dominance, less competition for my own kids and all. Rest in peace, bro."
But I have to admit, easily one of the most pretty and beautiful birds I've ever seen, if not the most beautiful. Truly, the pictures do not fully capture just how beautiful this bird really is. But it's equally horrendous to have around.

 

[Valjean]

Google also steals all your data and info.

Yikes! Good point.

 

[Jose Fly]

Since I moved into where I live 3 years ago I have become amazed at the conversations of the birds around me. I will just sit and listen to the cardinals talk to each other for hours. I can now recognize at least 12 different calls of the blue jays including one like you catbird. Some sound like a flute, some I cannot describe, some are classic blue jay. There are about 8 of them that visit every day and I am trying to watch while I listen as the go through so many different sounds, trying to see what they are doing with each vocalization. They definitely are calling to each other with different vocalizations and different responses. Truly amazing.

It's fascinating how many different calls some birds have for different situations too. I recently found out that the chickadees here will make their warning call longer or shorter, depending on how big the threat is. Going by that, it seems like I'm a bigger threat when I have the dog with me than when I'm by myself.

I don't know where you're at, but here the fluty call comes from the Swainson's Thrush. They mostly call at dusk too. They're easy to hear, but difficult to see!