Tag Archives: fun facts

Bird of the Week

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Bird of the Week: CLXV

My bird of the week is the Northern Cardinal with the scientific name Cardinalis cardinalis. We have a cardinal couple who have visited daily for more than a year. I’ve named the male “Red” and the female “Mrs.”

Yesterday, I had a close encounter with Red. I slept in and was late filling the bird feeder. As I sat drinking coffee by a window, Red flew a few inches from the window and stared at me. He flapped his wings hovering in place. I got the message. He sat above me on a tree branch as I filled the feeder and was the first bird to hit the feeder.

If Red wants food, he isn’t shy. Usually he sings loudly at me. But approaching the window for my attention was a first.

Cardinals are song birds and they have distinctive songs and calls. Here’s a LINK to their sounds from All About Birds.

Mrs. doesn’t have the bright red coloring of the males. Female cardinals are tan with olive tones and highlights of red-orange on their crest, tail and wings. Their bill is a bright coral. Males are typically brilliant red with a black mask. There is a rare genetic mutation that causes cardinals to be bright yellow. There’s only been a few sightings in the wild of yellow cardinals.

Cardinals are located in North America from the southwest, parts of Mexico across the US to the entire east coast. Their size, according to All About Birds, is length: 8.3–9.1 inches (21–23 cm) weight: 1.5–1.7 oz (42–48 g) and wingspan: 9.8–12.2 inches (25–31 cm).

Fun facts about Cardinals:

Male and female cardinals mate for life.

They are-non migratory and are year-round residents — even in the snow.

Cardinals are territorial and will chase other male cardinals away.

Early settlers in North America from Europe named the cardinals after Catholic cardinals because their bright red plumage reminded them of red robes worn by clergy.

Many people believe that cardinals represent a visit from a loved one who has passed away.

I’m thrilled to have Red and Mrs. take up residency in our backyard. I hope to see fledglings someday. But in the meantime, they are my favorite subjects to photograph.

Thanks to fellow blogger from Down Under Bushboy for suggesting I join the Bird of the Week challenge.

What facts about Cardinals were new to you? Do you have any to add?

Did you know….?

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I wanted to know more about my backyard buddies, so I looked up a few facts. I’m sharing them with you along with photos I took this week. I hope you enjoy them and they add a delight and smile to your day!

Papa Quail sits high above other quail on a bench on a raised patio. I love how there’s always one quail acting as a sentinel as his mate and covey eat on the ground. If he senses danger, he’ll call out.

This male House Finch beauty has been hanging out on our cactus statue the last few days. They are common in Arizona and eat seeds and have a beautiful song.

Although this guy looks like a chipmunk he’s a Harris’s Antelope Squirrel. I wonder how he got the name “antelope?” I learned that they regulate their temperature by “heat dumping” which is laying in the shade spread out on their tummy when they are overheated. They use their tail as an umbrella to create shade. They live in underground burrows that they dig under shrubs or trees.

I captured a White-Winged Dove and Mourning Doves at the Bird Buddy Feeder. Here are a few facts:

White-Winged Doves can fly 25 or more miles to find water. In the Sonoran Desert, they are able to obtain needed moisture from saguaro cactus fruit. When migrating they can travel in groups of up to 4000 birds to nesting sites.–Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

From Birds and Blooms about Mourning Doves:

They are gentle, quiet, and calming birds known for their soft cooing and for feeding on ground-scattered seeds, often helping clean up feeders. They are viewed as symbols of peace, love, and hope, often nesting on flat surfaces like planters, patio eaves, or windowsills.

Fun Cardinal Facts:

Photos below of Red, the male, and Mrs., the female half of the Northern Cardinal couple, who live in the wash behind our home.

Northern Cardinals are iconic, non-migratory songbirds known for their brilliant red plumage, distinctive crests, and year-round presence in North America. Both males and females sing, with females often singing from the nest to communicate with their mates. They are monogamous, highly territorial, and are the state bird for seven US states. — Birds and Blooms

Happy Friday! What are your weekend plans?

A week of saying “NO”

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I had a quick visit by a Harris’s Hawk the other day. I was writing an article for my HOA newsletter about Harris Hawks and my proofreading newsletter partner told me it’s Harris’s Hawks. It doesn’t seem grammatically correct, but I looked it up and that’s what it is.

I had a super busy week with an upcoming charity event that I’m responsible for creating the program plus all publicity. Then there’s the aforementioned HOA newsletter plus my photography reading and assignment.

I also had lots of social activities including traveling to a wedding this weekend, luncheons with speakers, my weekly zoom call and dinner out with friends.

So, to preserve my sanity and to do my work I started saying “No” to lots of social stuff. I realized I didn’t need to spend hours at luncheons listening to speakers. I didn’t have to sit for two hours on the zoom call. I did say yes to going out to dinner, since it was an early bday dinner. Our friends will be on vacation during my actual date of birth.

By saying “No” a few times, I got work done and I could breathe.

Here are some fun facts about Harris’s Hawks:

These social and intelligent raptors are known for their remarkable behaviors and unique characteristics.

Harris’s Hawks have dark brown plumage, with reddish-brown feathers on the wings and upper thighs. The upper tail coverts are almost black with a white rump and a white band on the tail. When viewed from underneath, the inner wings and underwing coverts are reddish-brown.

They are 18 to 23 inches long. They weight from 18 to 30 ounces.

Their wingspan is 40 to 47 inches.

Harris’s Hawks live in the United States and Mexico, but migrate to South America for the winter. Their migration is driven by the need for prey items, such as small mammals or reptiles, which cannot survive harsh northern winters.

Their diet consists of large insects, small mammals such as squirrels, desert cottontail, and mice. They may also prey on larger animals like great blue herons, jackrabbits, young wild turkeys, quail, or doves when opportunities arise.

In the wild, their lifespan is 10 to 12 years. 

 Harris’s Hawks possess excellent color vision, which is one of the best among animals. Their vision is so sharp that they can perceive details and colors, making them efficient hunters.

Young Harris’s Hawks typically remain with their parents for up to three years, forming strong family bonds and learning valuable hunting skills during this time.

When do you say no?

Quirky Quail Facts

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quail photo
Male Quail photo from my Bird Buddy.

I’m working on my community newsletter and my co-editor Sherry and neighbor Shirley put together fun facts about quail. I learned a lot of quirky things about quail I never knew before.

Here are the facts:

A group of quail is called a “covey.”

Males and females pair for life.

The male has a top knot plume that is actually six feathers together, and is used to intimidate other males.

Their food of preference is wild bird seed, followed by uncooked rice or sunflower seeds.

Nests are mostly in pots or window boxes, and are made by hollowing out the nest in dirt.

There can be a total of 7 to 28 eggs per nest, with the female laying 1 to 2 per day.  It is common for two females to share a nest, which is called “egg dumping,” and the female only sits on the nest after all the eggs are laid.

Eggs are speckled brown and arranged in a neat oval called a “clutch.”

Incubation is 25 days at a temperature of 100 degrees, and eggs are turned often.

Before hatching the babies peep inside the eggs.

They are born with a full coat of feathers, eyes wide open, and are able to feed themselves.

They all hatch on the same day and leave the nest immediately, usually in late June.                              

From MY HOA SPRING 2023 NEWSLETTER — Written by sherry and shirley

nest of quail eggs
This is the nest of quail eggs I discovered in a pot of Elephant Feed succulents. We’re up to at least 20 eggs now!

I told one of my friends I discovered this nest of quail eggs and she asked when I was going to “pick them.” I told her we’re letting them hatch and that I can’t wait to see the babies line up behind their mom and dad and follow them around our yard. They are so cute!

She said, “But quail eggs are so delicious.”

“I can buy them at the farmer’s market.” And I did!

A dozen quail eggs from the farmer's market.

These are the quail eggs I bought at our local farmer’s market. The vendor assured me these didn’t come from someone’s yard, but he buys them from a quail egg ranch. Somehow that makes it better. I can’t imagine stealing the eggs from the quail living in my yard!

hard. boiled quail eggs.

I asked the vendor at the farmer’s market what they tasted like and how to prepare them. He said most people hard boil them and put them in salads. He also said they taste exactly like chicken eggs.

I looked up how long to hard boil quail eggs and of course it’s much less time than chicken eggs. 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes. My friend was right — they are delicious!

Have you ever tried quail eggs? If so, what did you think about them?

Would you harvest quail eggs from your own yard? Why or why not?