Bird Of The Week

Ruddy Duck

(Oxyura jamaicensis)

Trust me, you'll know if you've seen one or not. With its blue bill, black cap, white chin and chestnut body there is no other bird that can compare. The first time you see one, you have to blink several times and/or rub your eyes to make sure you're not seeing things.

But when you rub your eyes, it does disappear. You begin to think of how odd that duck was, when, fifteen seconds later, it pops back into your sight again. By now, you're slightly confused. Then you see its head dip into the water and it dives deep into the water. You know for certain that you're seeing something real.

Do you want to see this unique bird? Do they live around you? 

In Canada, Ruddy Ducks are around only the summer and are found from Manitoba to the Rockies. Their habitat? Marshes, especially one that border lakes and ponds. (Oak Hammock Marsh is a good hot-spot) You won't find one anywhere else unless it's in the air.

Facts

Wingspan: 56-62 cm (22-24.4 in)

Length: 35-43 cm (13.8-16.9 in)

Weight: 300-850 g (10.6-30 oz)

Food: Omnivore. Eats most aquatic insects and crustaceans. May also eat water weeds.

Habitat: Marshes, especially ones that border lakes and ponds.

http://christophermartinphotography.com/tag/ruddy-duck/

http://www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/ruddy_duck

Bird Of the Week - Pileated Woodpecker

https://www.flickr.com/photos/26522901@N08/3941637894

https://www.flickr.com/photos/56326961@N03/5302443080

Pileated Woodpecker

(Dryocopus pileatus)

Maybe you've seen one maybe you haven't. But if you have, you have agree that it is quite an amusing bird and is the largest (known) woodpecker in North America, nearly the size of a crow!

If you want see one or, if you want to see one again, your best bet is to check out the forests which spread from the Rockies into Northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, into most of Manitoba and Ontario, southern Quebec and nearby the shores of the Pacific Ocean all the way down to Florida. But Pileated Woodpecker's also appear in sub-urban areas, provided that you have enough trees. So if you live on the sub-urban prairies, don't expect to sport one.

Facts

Wingspan: 66-75 cm (26-30 inches)

Length: 40-49 cm (16-19 inches)

Weight: 250-350 g (8.8-12.3 oz)

Food: Omnivore. According to scientists studies, 40-97% of their diet consists of carpenter ants. They will occasionally visit bird feeders for suet/seed.

Habitat: Large dead trees in coniferous, pine or mixed forests. Seen in suburbs in the East.

Hi

Hello a bird fans and lovers. I am slightly experienced in this blog making business from my old conjoining blog with one of my bird friends (JC Birds+) but this is the only one I've done on my own so I'm excited to see what will happen in future.

There will (almost) every week, be four different posts and can be found in the 4 Feathers page (hence my name). These weekly posts will include Weekly What Bird Wednesday (WWBW), Feathers On Friday (FOF), Bird Of The Week (BOTW) (which will be posted on Monday's), and Tuesday's Tips (TT).

For WWBW, I will provide you with a picture of a hidden or hard to identify bird and you will give your answers in the comments below the post. Feathers of Friday will just have photos of what I've been seeing this past week bird wise. Bird of the Week will be posted with (nearly) all the facts that you could possibly know about the bird. Tuesday's Tips, hence its name, will give you tips on multiple birding topics; hot spots, techniques, feeding, breeding, etc.

If I can (hopefully) get enough followers/viewers I would love to start contests.

P.S. I may not get all four feathers done regularly for the first couple weeks since I need to get the hang of handling a blog on my own.

~ Colin van Delden