Birds of ACLT > Forest Birds of Concern
Forest Bird Species of Concern
The following birds were identified in Summer Birds of the Parker's Creek Watershed as species of interest and/or concern according to various bird conservation organizations and agencies, such as National Audubon and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. List is in alphabetical order by common name.
Information for each species includes: common name of the bird, scientific name of the bird, size of the bird, preferred habitat for nesting, location and description of nest, earliest and latest egg dates in Maryland, and safe dates, which are dates between which bird may be nesting if in the proper habitat.
Egg dates are from the Field List of the Birds of Maryland, Maryland Avifauna Number 2, Maryland Ornithological Society, Third Edition, May 1996, by Marshall J. Iliff, Robert F. Ringler, and James L. Stasz. Safe dates are from the Second Maryland/DC Breeding Bird Atlas Project Handbook, 2002-2006, Maryland Ornithological Society.
Acadian Flycatcher - Empidonax virescens (6 inches)
Heavily wooded bottomlands, tall moist deciduous uplands; nest is suspended from fork at end of small branch; nest heights: 3' - 30', mean 10.2'; nest is shallow cup of twigs, grass, etc., with hanging strands; egg dates: 5/23 - 8/3; safe dates: 5/25 - 8/5. Photo by Bill Hubick.
American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla (5 inches)
Deciduous forests with extensive understory; nest is in fork / crotch of small tree; nest height: 4' - 40', mean 18'; nest is compact cup of plant fibers, grass, etc.; egg dates: 4/ 25 - 6/17; safe dates: 6/10 - 7/2. Photo by Bill Hubick.
American Woodcock - Scolopax minor (11 inches)
Early forest succession, thickets near damp areas; nests on ground with little vegetation, bare ground near brush edge; nest height: 0' (ground); nest is shallow depression lined with leaves; egg dates: 2/25 - 5/25; safe dates: 4/15 - 8/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Barred Owl - Strix varia (20 inches)
Deciduous and mixed mature forests, wooded swamps; nests in natural cavity of large tree, sometimes old nest; nest height: 8' - 60', average 20' - 30'; no nest, unless using other species' old nest; egg dates: 3/10 - 5/26; safe dates: 1/15 - 8/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia (5 inches)
Mature deciduous or mixed forests with tall trees, often hillside, nest is usually on ground; against tree, shrub, in roots, crevice; nest height: 0' (ground); nest is cup of leaves, coarse grass, etc.; egg dates: 5/15 - 6/19; safe dates: 5/15 - 7/25. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Brown Creeper - Certhia americana (5 inches)
Usually coniferous forest, dead trees with loose bark; nest is concealed under loose bark; nest height: 5' - 23', mean 10'; nest is loose cup of twigs, wood fibers, moss; egg dates: ?; safe dates: 5/15 - 8/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Chuck-Will's-Widow - Caprimulgus carolinensus (12 inches)
Dry coniferous or mixed woods with little underbrush; nests on ground; nest height: 0' (ground); eggs on dry leaves; egg dates: 5/9 - 7/8; safe dates: 5/1 - 8/10. Photo by George Jett.
Hairy Woodpecker - Picoides villosus (9 inches)
Extensive deep woods, mostly deciduous; excavates cavity in dead deciduous trees or dead limbs; nest height: 9.5' - 85', most 12' - 20'; nest cavity 10" - 15" deep, 4 1/2" wide, entrance ca. 2 1/2" wide; egg dates: 4/16 - 4/29; safe dates: 3/15 - 8/31. Photo by George Jett.
Hooded Warbler - Wilsonia citrine (5 1/4 inches)
Dense underbrush in extensive mature deciduous woods; nest is in small shrub, sapling, or tangle of vines; nest height: 1' - 10', mean 3'; nest is small cup of grasses on base of dead leaves; egg dates: 5/21 - 7/30; safe dates: 5/25 - 7/25. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Kentucky Warbler - Oporornis formosus (5 1/4 inches)
Dense damp undergrowth in moist deciduous forest; nests on ground; at base of tree, under ferns, in tangle; nest height: 0' (ground); nest is loose cup of grass, stems; egg dates: 5/16 - 7/31; safe dates: 5/25 - 7/15. Photo by George Jett.
Louisiana Waterthrush - Seiurus motacilla (6 inches)
Near running streams in deciduous or mixed woods; nest is usually tucked into stream bank under roots, ferns; nest height: 0' (ground); nest is cup of moss, decayed leaves, grass, etc.; egg dates: 4/18 - 6/11; safe dates: 5/1 - 7/10. Photo by Paul Conover.
Northern Parula - Parula americana (4 1/2 inches)
Mature, extensive floodplain forests, moist uplands; nest is usually in poison ivy vines (Spanish moss elsewhere); nest height: 1' - 50', mean 22'; nest is long (pendant) cup of moss or twigs, grasses; egg dates: 5/15 - 6/14; safe dates: 6/1 - 8/15. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Ovenbird - Seiurus aurocapillus (6 inches)
Open extensive forest, usually flat, needs leaf litter; nests in open in depression on ground, constructs cover; nest height: 0' (ground); nest is domed cover of leaves, grasses, etc., with opening; egg dates: 5/7 - 7/16; safe dates: 5/20 - 8/5. Photo by Arlene Ripley.
Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus (18 inches)
Mature forests, swamp forest, some woodland edges; excavates cavity in dead wood; nest height: 12' - 60', mean 36'; cavity is 10" - 24" deep, 6" - 8" wide, entrance 3.5" wide; egg dates: 4/18 - 6/?; safe dates: 3/15 - 8/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Prothonotary Warbler - Prothonotaria citria (5 1/2 inches)
Swampy lowland forest with standing water, floodplain forests; nests in natural cavity, woodpecker or chickadee cavity, nest box; nest height: 1' - 20', mean 4.7'; cavity is about 2" by 1 1/2", nest is cup of twigs, moss, leaves, etc.; egg dates: 5/1 - 6/23; safe dates: 5/10 - 7/20. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus (6 inches)
Extensive tall deciduous forests, smaller woods, wooded suburbs; nest is suspended from horizontal fork of small branch; nest height: 2' - 50', mean 12'; nest is rounded cup of vine stems, grasses, spider webs; egg dates: 5/9 - 7/31; safe dates: 6/1 - 7/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Red-shouldered Hawk - Buteo lineatus (15-19 inches)
Bottomland forests along streams; nest is at crotch or fork of large branch in deciduous trees; nest height: 20' - 90', average 52'; nest is platform of sticks, twigs, lined w/leaves, pine needles; egg dates: 3/4 - 5/31; safe dates: 5/10 - 8/20. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Scarlet Tanager - Piranga olivacea (7 inches)
Extensive tall deciduous forest, esp. oak, sometimes mixed; nest is well out on horizontal branch; nest height: 7' - 70', mean 25.7'; nest is shallow loose cup of twigs, grass, stems, etc.; egg dates: 5/12 - 8/1; safe dates: 5/25 - 8/10. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Summer Tanager - Piranga rubra (7 inches)
Dry open pine woods, mixed dry uplands, pine-oak woods; nest is well out on lower horizontal branch; nest height: 7' - 60', mean 15'; nest is flimsy-looking shallow cup of stems, leaves, grass, etc.; egg dates: 5/24 - 7/13; safe dates: 6/5 - 8/10. Photo by George Jett.
Whip-poor-will - Caprimulgus vociferous (9 1/2 inches)
Dry deciduous woods with little or underbrush; nests on ground in area with fragmented light; nest height: 0' (ground); lays eggs on dry leaves; egg dates: 4/24 - 7/13; safe dates: 5/10 - 7/15. Photo by Jeffrey A. Spendelow.
Wood Thrush - Hylocichla mustelina (8 inches)
Floodplains, moist deciduous woods, also more open woodlots; nest is in sapling or small tree, at fork or saddling small branch; nest height: 2.5' - 42', usually 5' - 8'; nest is bulky cup of dead leaves, mud, grass, often paper, cloth; egg dates: 5/7 - 7/29; safe dates: 5/25 - 8/20. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Worm-eating Warbler - Helmitheros vermivorus (5 1/4 inches)
Hillsides and ravines in extensive deciduous forests; nests on ground in dead leaves, usually at base of tree or shrub; nest height: 0' (ground); nest is cup of skeletonized, decayed leaves, lining hair moss stems; egg dates: 5/29 - 6/7; safe dates: 5/20 - 7/20. Photo by Arlene Ripley.
Yellow-throated Vireo - Vireo flavifrons (5 1/2 inches)
Near clearing or water in moist deciduous or mixed forests; nest is at end of high horizontal forked branch; nest height: 10' - 50', mean 27.4'; nest is cup suspended from fork, of plant fiber, lichen, webs; egg dates: 5/9 - 7/21; safe dates: 5/25 - 8/15. Photo by Bill Hubick.
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