iowa wildlife series - iowa nesting birds

Iowa Association of Naturalists

Iowa Nesting Birds

Iowa Wildlife Series

Iowa Wildlife SeriesStudents need to be knowledgeable about and appreciate local wildlife in order to better understand thenatural environment. The Iowa Association of Naturalists has created this series of booklets to offer abasic understandable overview of Iowa wildlife. These booklets will assist educators in teaching studentsabout Iowa wildlife. The six booklets in this series are:

Iowa Mammals (IAN-601)Iowa Winter Birds (IAN-602)Iowa Nesting Birds (IAN-603)Iowa Reptiles and Amphibians (IAN-604)Iowa Fish (IAN-605)Iowa Insects and Other Invertebrates (IAN-606)

Editorial BoardText: Dan CohenIllustrations: Mark MüllerDesign and Layout: Dan Cohen, Writing and Publications ServicesPublished by: Iowa Association of Naturalists

The Iowa Wildlife Series is publishedby the Iowa Association of Naturalistswith major funding from the REAPConservation Education Board and theIowa Conservation Education Council(September 1998).

Review CommitteeCele Burnett, Consultant, E Resources Group, Inc.Dan Cohen, Naturalist, Buchanan County Conservation BoardDetra Dettmann-Easler, Camp and Program Director, Louisa County Conservation BoardJean Eells, Consultant, E Resources Group, Inc.Judy Levings, State 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Iowa State UniversityJim Pease, Extension Wildlife Specialist, Iowa State UniversityDiane Pixler, Naturalist, Marshall County Conservation BoardA. Jay Winter, Training Officer, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

The Iowa Association of Naturalists (IAN) is a nonprofit organization ofpeople interested in promoting the development of skills and educationwithin the art of interpreting the natural and cultural environment. IANwas founded in 1978 and may be contacted by writing the ConservationEducation Center, 2473 160th Rd., Guthrie Center, IA 50115, 515/747-8383.



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Iowa Nesting BirdsHome to nest

t’s a beautiful springmorning! Predawn lightsoaks through the bedroom

curtains and fills the room witha soothing, dim light, gentlywaking a sleepy head for thecoming concert. The musicbegins as a solo. Somewhere inthe neighborhood, a lonecardinal perches atop a tree andbegins singing. Within minutes,a chorus of singers, each withtheir own pitch and melody, addtheir voices to the morningconcert. The singing continues as the sun liftsfrom the horizon. For awhile, the music takes on achaotic and competitive tone as too many singersseem to crowd the backyard stage. Then slowlythe singers begin to diminish in intensity. Thegrand concert disperses with the starting of carsand lawn mowers, but music continuesthroughout the day as a series of solos and duetsfrom within the shrubs, trees, and grasses.

The morning music of spring is presented by birds,home to nest. Some of these birds travel greatdistances to arrive home in Iowa. Others remainin the Midwest year-round. The music is theirprelude to nesting and raising young. Eachspring, birds are an ever-present reminder ofrebirth and continuing cycles of life as their musicand fluttering work of building nests and raisingyoung surrounds us.

I


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Migration

Wildlife use a variety of strategies to survive coldtemperatures, deep snow, and lack of food duringwinter. For birds, these strategies consist of eitherenduring or fleeing from winter’s grasp. Thosebirds that endure winter are able to eat foods thatare available even after the leaves fall and the

water freezes. Covered with great featheryinsulation and equipped with a highmetabolism that burns like a small furnace,these birds are able to endure Iowa’ssometimes brutal winters.

Birds which feed on non-dormant insectsand worms or need open water migrate asthe food disappears and the water freezes.Some birds fly great distances to warmerwintering areas. This seasonal movement iscalled migration. It is easy to predict thosebirds which will migrate each fall by looking

at a bird species’ requirements for food and water.

There are several factors that determine when abird will migrate. Migration is a genetic trait ofcertain species of birds. Prior to migrating, thesebirds undergo hormonal changes that increasetheir fat layer and allow them to put on the weightneeded to sustain their migration. These changesand the impetus to migrate may be triggered bychanges in day length, weather, and other factors.

Birds migrate to increase their chance of survival.But migration is not always safe and easy. Birdsinvest a lot of food and energy in migrating.Before their fall or spring departure, they requirea lot of food to build up their energy reserves forthe long flight. While migrating, most birds re-quire stop-over areas where they can rest and feedin safety. One of the most amazing stop-over areas


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Ruby-throated hummingbirdPurple martinGray catbirdWood thrushRed-eyed vireoAmerican redstartBobolinkBaltimore orioleScarlet tanagerRose-breasted grosbeak

Common neotropical migrants

for migrating waterfowl is the DeSoto NationalWildlife Refuge located along the Missouri Rivernear Missouri Valley, Iowa. Each November, ahalf-million snow geese stop at the refuge to feedalong the river and in nearby fields.

Birds of two worlds

The dangers which face permanent residents maybe doubled for migratory bird species which aredependent on two habitats. This is especially truefor species which use habitats in separate places onthe globe.

In winter, many birds from the broad expanse ofthe United States and Canada congregate intomuch smaller areas in the tropics of Central orSouth America, or in Mexico. These neotropicalmigrants face with dangers that threaten theirIowa habitat in addition to the dangers thatthreaten their tropical wintering areas. Each acreof habitat in the tropics holds six or seven times asmany birds as each acre of nesting habitat in Iowa.Therefore, loss of tropical habitat has a profoundeffect on populations of neotropical birds nesting inIowa. Approximately 110 songbird species thatnest in the Midwest are neotropical migrants.Ten common neotropical migrantsare listed here.

Rose-breastedgrosbeak

Bobolink


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Bird courtship

Once the nesting season begins, bird behaviorchanges as birds seek nest sites and choose mates.For owls, hawks, and some other birds, this maybegin in winter. However, the majority of birdsbegin their nesting season in early spring.

Male and female birds form pairs for nesting onthe basis of courtship behaviors. Courtshipbehaviors are many and varied depending on thespecies, but most courtship behavior is initiated bya male that has successfully established a nestingterritory and is ready to start a family. Onceattracted to the male, the female often must stillbe won, requiring a second set of behaviors. Byaccepting or rejecting the male, the female usuallychooses whether or not the pair will form.

Many birds sing as a means both of declaring theirterritory to rival males and to solicit the attentionof arriving females. But some birds use othersounds. Ruffed grouse beat their wings to producea drumming sound. Woodpeckers drum theirbeaks on trees. Nighthawks dive at great speeds,producing a booming sound as the wind rushesthrough their wings.

Beautiful colors also are used in courtship.Brightly colored tanagers, buntings, and oriolesstrut their stuff. Robins display their brightorange breasts. Red-winged blackbirds displaytheir bright red shoulder patches. Kinglets showoff their crowns.

Once a male has attracted the attention of afemale, other courtship behaviors often are used to“convince” the female to be his mate. Cranes bowand dance before their mates. A woodcock circleshundreds of feet up into the air only to make a


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swooping dive back to the groundand his impressed mate. In somespecies of birds, such as cardi-nals, doves, chickadees, and eagles,the male will feed the female as acourtship gesture. Most territorialsongbirds simply attack every bird oftheir kind that enters their territory.Males are chased away, while somefemales retreat but remain in thearea. The male’s aggression soon changes to aseries of courtship flights and songs aimed atkeeping the female in his territory.

If courtship is successful, the male and femalemate and form a pair bond. This bond may lastonly a few minutes or may last years. Mostsongbirds remain paired while they raise theyoung. Ruffed grouse, however, break their bondonce mating is completed. Hummingbirds remaintogether for a few days after mating. Most ducksbond a few days before mating and then separateafterwards. However, geese, cranes, swans, andsometimes eagles will keep their pair bonds “untildeath do them part.”

Building a nest

All birds lay eggs that need to be incubated insome type of nest. Nests vary greatly depending onthe type of bird. Killdeers lay their eggs amongrocks on the ground. Orioles and hummingbirdsweave intricate baskets. House wrens pack theirnests with small twigs, while bluebirds build a nestof fine grass and hair. Regardless of nestdifferences, all nests must provide safe places forlaying eggs and raising young. Most nests areinconspicuous or camouflaged. Although layingexposed on a gravel sandbar, a killdeer’s eggs areso well camouflaged they are barely noticeable.

Woodcocks areknown for theirspectacular aerialcourtship displays.


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It is amazing to watch some birds construct theirnests. Depending on the species, it may be thefemale, the male, or both poking and stickingtogether a variety of materials. Each bird speciesconstructs its own particular architectural designusing specific materials. Depending on the type ofbird, grasses, twigs, branches, hairs, garbage,moss, lichen, mud, feathers, and thistle down arecommon building materials.

Some birds do not build their own nest but ratheruse the nest of another bird species. This nestparasitism is common with brown-headedcowbirds which never build their own nest.Cowbirds typically distribute their eggs in thenests of several other birds. They depend on thehosts to hatch and raise their young. In manycases, the host mother will spend so much timeand energy feeding the larger cowbird chick thather own hatchlings do not survive. Cowbirds are anative species that historically were less commonthan they are today. Nest parasitism evolved as anadaptation for the birds’ historic existencefollowing herds of bison. Their population hasgrown in modern times as they adapted to anagricultural landscape where large forests havebeen replaced by pastures and small woodlots.Cowbird nest parasitism is now an importantfactor in the population decline of some neotropicalmigrant species as well as song sparrows andother birds. Robins and catbirds, however, have areputation for being less gullible and usuallydiscard cowbird eggs.

Baltimore oriolesmake intricatebasket nests.

Brown-headed cowbirds


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Feeding the family

Once the nest is complete and the eggs have beenincubated, the real activity is about to begin. Fromthe moment the first hatchling cracks the shellwith its tiny egg tooth, raising a feathered familytakes constant work and attention. Baby birds,with their high metabolism and fast growthrate, are demanding. It is the altricial young,those that are born helpless and with only alight coating of downy feathers for warmth, thatrequire the most feeding and protection.Nearly all birds that nest in trees and shrubs,and some ground-nesting birds, are altricial. Amother robin may feed her offspring every 20minutes, from sunup to sundown -enough worms to stretch more than 11feet! Some birds, such as kingfishers,may eat more than their body weightin food per day! Although unable to flyor even walk, helpless hatchlings oftenmust compete with their siblings. Those chickswhich appear to be the most hungry, with theirmouths gaping straight up and voices peepingloudly, often are first to be fed.

Parents feed their offspring the most high-energyfood available. Many adult birds with a vegetablediet feed insects and other animal food to theirquick-growing young. Parents of altricial youngeither place food directly into the nestling’s openbeak or regurgitate food to their young. Allpigeons, including mourning doves, regurgitatefood, called pigeon “milk,” to their young.

Precocial young are those that hatch with thickfeathering and good eyesight. They quickly beginto walk on their own after hatching and may evenstart feeding themselves. It becomes the parent’sconstant duty to watch over the active chicks andprotect them from predators and other dangers.Some parents of precocial young have specialresponsibilities. Soon after hatching, young wood


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Iowa’s spring birds

ducks crawl out to the opening of their tree-cavitynest and leap into the air, falling as far as 50 feetto the ground. The female then leads the chicksthrough the woodland and sometimes across roads,yards, and other obstacles, to open water whereshe will continue to raise the ducklings.

Many species of colorful and vocalsongbirds nest in Iowa. Some of thesebirds travel hundreds or thousands of

miles to return as harbingers of spring. Thespring call of a robin or meadowlark marks the“official” beginning of the season. Other songbirdsare year-round residents which have endured thewinter. Cardinals are one of the first to beginstaking out territories. Males are heard singingout their borders as early as January. Goldfinchesare the latest songbirds to begin nesting, usuallywaiting for the availability of the downy seeds ofthistle and cattail to mature in July. Twentycommon birds which nest in Iowa are listed here.Refer to a field guide for more detailed lists,descriptions, ranges, and behaviors.

Wood duck hen leadingher ducklings


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Common birds of Iowa

Common name Distinguishing characteristics NestMourning dove A slim, gray and brown dove, more lightly A loose platform

colored near the head. The tail is long and of twigs oftentapered and shows white edges when the placed in anbird is flying. Length: 10.5” evergreen tree

Ruby-throated The smallest Iowa bird and the only A tiny cup attachedhummingbird hummingbird to nest in Iowa. They are to a twig with

iridescent green birds which rapidly flap spider silk; made oftheir wings, sometimes making a humming thin plant fiberssound. They also can hover or fly backwards. and lined withMales have a red throat. Length: 3” down

Northern flicker A large brown and buff-colored woodpecker Builds nest in a treewith black stripes and spots and a red mark cavity using noon the nape of the neck. Yellow wing shafts materialsare prominent when the bird is flying.Length: 10.5”

Eastern wood-pewee A small, gray bird with dark wings and a Small thick-walleda deeply notched tail. Males have white nest lined withwing bars and a distinctive, plaintive grasses, spider web,“pee-oo-wee” call. Length: 5.5” and hair; outside is

covered with lichen;placed in a maturetree on a horizontalbranch away fromthe trunk

Barn swallow A chattering bird with a dark metallic back, A mud nest oftenrust-colored throat and breast, and a deeply stuck to rafters andforked tail. Length: 6” ceiling corners of

sheds and barns

House wren A small, brown jittery bird with a stubby, A cavity nest pilederect tail. They often nest in backyards or with sticks andother places near people. Length: 4.5” lined with feathers

and bits of trash

Brown thrasher A rusty brown bird with a streaked, white Loose nest of twigsbreast and a long tail. Often repeats its and dry leavestwo-syllable phrases. Length: 10” placed on a loose

foundation of longertwigs; placed onthe ground or in alow shrub or vine.

Gray catbird A gray bird with a dark head, long tail, and Similar to cardinala rusty patch under the tail; song but with moreoften mimics other birds but contains leaves in the adistinctive cat-like call. Length: 8” foundation

Wood thrush Similar plumage as the brown thrasher but Similar to robinsmaller with a shorter tail, legs, and beak. but smaller andSong is a flute-like “gerald-deeeem.” lined with rootlets.Length: 7”

Brown thrasher

Graycatbird

Ruby-throatedhummingbird


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Common birds of Iowa continued

Common name Distinguishing characteristics NestAmerican robin A dark gray bird with a prominent orange A deep cup of mud

breast, white eye ring, and white streaked and grasses placedthroat. Length: 8.5” in a fork of branches

or on a ledge

Eastern bluebird A brilliant blue bird with a rusty orange A loose cup ofbreast and no crest feathers on the head. grasses in a treeFemales are duller than males. Length: 5.5” cavity or nest box

Red-eyed vireo A light gray-green bird with a white breast, A deep cup ofprominent eye stripe, a blue-gray cap, grasses coveredand red eyes. Length: 5” with spider silk and

lichens; placed inthe horizontal forkof a tree branch

House (English) A non-native bird which is actually a Uses a variety ofsparrow European finch. The male is easily grasses, twigs, and(non-native) identified by its black bib. Females trash placed in any

resemble native sparrows. Length: 5.5” available cavity

Brown-headed Males have a jet-black body and a brown Makes no nest;cowbird head. Females are entirely gray-brown. parasitizes nests of(see page 5) Length: 6.5” other birds

Red-winged blackbird Males are black birds with prominent red A loose cup ofshoulder patches. Females are brown with grasses, rushes, anda white streaked breast. Song is a loud, sedges often boundbrash “Noke-ah-rheee.” Length: 7.5” by milkweed fibers

and lined with finegrasses; often nestsin wet roadsides

Eastern meadowlark A colorful and vocal bird found in pastures Built on the groundand grasslands. Distinguished by its yellow in a small depressionbelly with a prominent black “V.” lined and coveredLength: 8.5” with grasses

Baltimore oriole An orange and black bird with a dark A hanging basketblack head. Females are not as brightly nest made of finecolored as the males but are still colorful. plant fibers, hair,Length: 7” or yarn that may be

high in a tree

Northern cardinal Males are bright red with crested head Loose nest of twigs,feathers and a black bib surrounding a bark, and leavesthick beak. Females are olive-brown. placed in shrubs orLength: 8” small trees

American goldfinch Males are bright yellow and black in the A cup of wovensummer and olive-colored in the winter. grasses lined withBoth sexes have black wings with white thistle or cattailside-bars throughout the year. Length: 4.5 down; usually in the

crotch of branches.

Song sparrow A small brown bird with a streaked breast A cup-shaped nestand black dot on the throat or breast. usually built on theLength: 5.5” ground using

grasses and leaves;lined inside withfine materials

Baltimoreoriole

Easternmeadowlark


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Waterfowl

A variety of ducks and geese nest in Iowa.Historically, north-central and northwest Iowawere part of the large prairie-wetlands mosaicknown as the prairie pothole region whichextended into Minnesota, the Dakotas, andCanada. The prairie pothole region is thecontinent’s most productive waterfowl area, wheremost ducks and geese are born and return to nest.Today, much of the northern Iowa wetlands havebeen drained and converted to agricultural or otheruses. Ducks and geese still return to the remain-ing wetlands. They also find places to nest alongrivers and ponds throughout the restof the state.

Most Iowa ducks are dabblerswhich feed by straining tiny plantsand animals from the water’ssurface. Mallards, pintails, and tealare dabbling ducks. Redheads andlesser scaup are examples of divingducks which often swim underwater for their food.The only tree duck in Iowa is the wood duckwhich nests in tree cavities near water. Grebesappear to be ducks but actually are in a separatetaxonomic group. Mergansers are fish-eatingducks which have long, slender beaks lined withtooth-like structures used to capture small preyfrom the water.

Today, Canada geese are among the most commonspecies of waterfowl in Iowa. For a long time,however, their honking calls were silenced.Unregulated hunting during the 1800s led to theextirpation of Canada geese from Iowa by 1910. Itwas not until the past decade that reintroductionefforts brought geese populations back to theirhistoric levels.

Blue-winged teal


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Common nesting waterfowl of Iowa

Common name Distinguishing characteristics NestPied-billed grebe A duck-like diving bird with lobed feet. Builds a floating nest

They are small, dark birds with short necks, of grasses, sedges,wings, and legs that require a long runway algae, and mudto take off from the water. Adults have a attached to reedsvertical stripe on their bills. Length: 9” and rushes

Canada goose The only goose which nests in Iowa. A large Built on ground or onbrown-gray goose with a black neck and a stump or muskrathead and distinctive white cheeks. lodge; a depressionWingspan: 50-68” lined with grasses,

sticks, reeds,cattails, and down

Mallard Males have an iridescent green head, white Grasses, cattails,neck ring, and rust-colored breast. Call is a reeds, and otherloud quack. Wingspan: 36” plants are used

to form a well-hiddennest; lined withfeathers

Blue-winged teal Males have a prominent white crescent on Built on dry groundthe sides of their heads. Both sexes have or on a muskratlight blue feathers on the forward part of lodge using grasses,their wings. Wingspan: 24” cattail blades, and

feathers woven into aloose basket

Wood duck Males are especially colorful with a Nests in tree cavities“slicked-back” head crest. The head is a or human-made nestdark, iridescent color with white stripes, boxes; eggs are laidred eyes, and a multi-colored beak. The on bits of wood orbody is equally colorful. Wingspan: 28” sawdust and down

The Iowa DNR Wildlife Diversity Program iscurrently working to reintroduce the largest andmost majestic waterfowl species in North Americato its former Iowa habitat. Trumpeter swans oncenested in Iowa but were extirpated by themid-1880s due largely to unregulated markethunting. By 1932, only 69 trumpeter swans wereknown to exist in the continental United States.But Iowa may once again be home to trumpeterswans. Carefully planned releases of young swansare hoped to lead to the establishment of 15 ormore pairs of wild nesting adult swans in Iowa bythe year 2003.

Common waterfowl which nest in Iowa are listedhere. Refer to a field guide for more detailed lists,descriptions, ranges, andbehaviors.

Iowa may onceagain be home totrumpeter swans.

Pied-billedgrebe


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Upland game birds

Turkeys, grouse, quail, and pheasants are strong-legged birds capable of running or flying. They areoften sought by Iowa hunters. Grouse and turkeyscommonly nest in woodlands while quail,partridge, and pheasants are more commonlyfound nesting in grass or shrubby areas and alongroadsides. The wild turkey is a reintroducedspecies that vanished from the state due toover-hunting by pioneer settlers and early markethunters. After several failed attempts at restoringturkey populations in Iowa, wild turkeys weresuccessfully reintroduced in the 1970s.Ring-necked pheasants are non-native birds thatwere released accidentally at the turn of the cen-tury. Today, pheasants are the most popular gamebird in Iowa. Iowa upland game birds which nestin Iowa are listed here. Refer to a field guide formore detailed descriptions, ranges, and behaviors.

Common nesting upland game birds of Iowa

Common name Distinguishing characteristics NestWild turkey A large dark bird with a dark, metallic A depression lined

brown body and a naked head. Distinctive with dry leavesbeard feathers are found on the breast of usually hidden undermales and sometimes on females. Length: 34” a log or shrub

Ring-necked pheasant Males are especially colorful with a dark A well-hidden(non-native) head, white neck-ring, and prominent red depression lined with

eye patch. The body may have various grasses, stems, andcolors of brown, red, and gold. Females leavesare mottled brown. Both sexes have longpointed tails. Length: 27”

Northern bobwhite A short, stocky bird with a short tail. A hollow in a tussockMales have a bright white throat and eye of dead or growingline. The body is mottled with brown and grasses; lined withwhite. Length: 8” grasses

Gray partridge A gray bird with a rusty fan-shaped tail. A depression filled(non-native) Partridge are slightly larger than bobwhite with grasses and

quail and often are found in flocks. stems and lined withLength: 10” finer grasses, soft

leaves, and feathers

Ruffed grouse Uncommon except in northeast Iowa. A hidden depressionRuffed grouse are brown birds with white under a log orbreasts and distinctive broad tails with another structure orblack tail bands. Males produce a drumming in dense shrubs;sound by beating their wings. Length: 14” lined with leaves

and feathers

Northernbobwhite


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Birds of prey

Hawks, falcons, owls, and eagles are birds whichhunt other animals. They are easily identified bytheir sharp talons and sharp, hooked beaks.Hawks are the most common birds of prey and aredivided into two groups. Accipiters are hawkswith long tails and short wings that are morecommon in wooded areas. Buteos are hawks thatsoar with large, broad wings and a broad, fannedtail. The largest buteos are the eagles. At thetime of Euro-American settlement, bald eagleswere common in the Midwest. However, pesticidepoisoning, habitat loss, and shooting of eaglescaused their populations to plummet, and ournational symbol was placed on the federalendangered species list. No eagle nests werereported in Iowa from 1908 to 1976. The banningof some dangerous pesticides, and protection ofeagles and their habitat, have resulted in anincrease in the bald eagle population in Iowa.Bald eagles are now commonly seen during thewinter below dams or in other areas of open waterwhere they search for fish and other food. Onlyrecently have large numbers of bald eagles begunto nest again in Iowa. In 1997, 58 nests werereported in Iowa - the most nests reported in thetwentieth century!

Falcons are birds of prey with long, pointed wingsand tails. They are fast, powerful fliers. Thefastest bird of prey is the peregrine falcon whichhas been clocked diving at speeds faster than 200mph. Although rare in Iowa, recent reintroductionattempts have been somewhat successful.Historically, peregrines were uncommon nesterson cliffs along the Mississippi River. Biologistshave released falcons from artificial nest sites atoptall buildings in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, andMason City. The falcons prey primarily on citypigeons. Hopefully, peregrines will migrate southin winter and return in spring to nest in Iowa.

Red-tailed hawk


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Some common birds of prey which nest in Iowa are listed here.Refer to a field guide for more detailed lists, descriptions, ranges,and behaviors.

Common nesting birds of prey in Iowa

Common name Distinguishing characteristics Nest

OwlsEastern screech owl A small rusty brown or gray owl with Builds no nest; lays

feather tufts or “horns.” Song is a wavery eggs in a tree cavity,trill. Wingspan: 22” abandoned

woodpecker holes, orin a bird house

Barred owl A medium to large owl with distinctive Commonly layseggsbrown bars on the breast, no feather tufts, in a tree cavity orand dark eyes. Song is a raucous hooting hollow treetop;sometimes sounded phonetically as “Who rarely builds an opencooks for you?” Wingspan: 44” nest; lined with pine

twigs

Great horned owl A large owl with feather tufts and fine Usually uses anhorizontal barring on the breast. Colors abandoned nest of amay vary but most are brown. Call is a red-tailed hawk orseries of low muffled hoots. Wingspan: 55” other large bird, ad-

ding a few feathersto line the nest

Hawks and eaglesRed-tailed hawk A common buteo of fields and woodland A flat, shallow

edges. Varies in color but adults have a platform of sticksdistinctive red tail. Wingspan: 48” and twigs placed

high in a tree; linedwith a variety ofsmaller materials

Cooper’s hawk A small accipiter with a mottled breast and A sturdy nest ofnarrow, rounded tail with distinct black sticks and twigsstripes. The more common, smaller lined with chips orsharp-shinned hawk is similar with a more flakes of bark fromsquare tail. Wingspan: 28” pine or oak trees

Bald eagle A large, dark bird that often is seen soaring Builds the largestwith flat outstretched wings. Adults attain nest, called an eyrie,their distinctive white head and tail feathers of any Northwhen they are approximately five years old. American bird.Juveniles are all dark and at a distance Pairs returns to thesometimes are confused with turkey vultures, same nest each year,which are about the same size, but fly with adding moretheir wings bent back in a “V” and have a material; a huge pilesmaller head. Wingspan: 80” of branches and

cornstalks placedhigh in the forks ofthick branches

FalconsAmerican A small, colorful, blue-gray bird with a Usually lays eggs inkestrel rusty back, white cheeks, and black tree cavities, old

whisker stripes. Common along woodpecker holes,roadsides. Wingspan: 21” or human-made

nest boxes commonalong interstates

Barred owl


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Wading and shorebirds

A variety of birds often are seen walking andstalking in Iowa rivers and streams or troddingthe shallow edges of ponds and lakes. Each havetheir own special adaptations for finding food fromthe water.

Herons, egrets, and bitterns are long-leggedwading birds which spear or grasp their food whilewading in shallow water. Rails and coots areshorter-necked birds which probe or dive for food

in shallow waters.

Many smaller shorebirds searchsandbars, beaches, and wetland

edges for food. They usually havelong legs for their body size andlong, slender beaks for probingand grasping insects andsmall aquatic animals.

Great blue heron


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Common nesting shorebirds of Iowa

A few common wading and shore birds which nestin Iowa are listed here. Refer to a field guide formore detailed lists, descriptions, ranges, and be-haviors.

Common name Distinguishing characteristics NestGreat blue heron A large, long-legged wading bird commonly A bulky platform

seen along rivers, streams, and marshy nest of sticks;areas. It is mostly blue-gray with a white sometimes nests offace and orange beak. Flies with its neck many birds are foundtucked back in an “S.” Wingspan: 70” in colonies, called

“heronies;” locatedin tall trees

American bittern A well-camouflaged, brownish bird of A platform of sedges,marshes and wet meadows. When grasses, reeds, anddisturbed, it stands motionless with its cattails usuallybeak pointed upward. Wingspan: 45” placed in marsh

plants a few inchesabove the water

American coot A black bird with a white beak often seen A floating platform ofswimming duck-like on ponds or lakes. marsh plants,Like grebes, coots have lobed feet. concealed by plants,Wingspan: 26” attached to standing

reeds and cattails

Killdeer A very common shorebird often seen in Female is famous forroadsides and along water, but also feigning an injury tocommon in grasslands and agricultural distract predatorsfields away from water. Easily identified away from its bareby its two neck bands and its “kill-deer” nest of pebbles andcall. Wingspan: 20” sparse grasses

located on thegroundSpotted sandpiper Often seen along rivers on sandbars. It is a Females often

brown bird with a white spotted breast and establish territoriesa tail which constantly bobs up and down. and males do most ofWhen flying, the head and wing tips are the incubating andpointed down. Wingspan: 13” raising of young.

Nest is a concealedsaucer-shapeddepression

Killdeer


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Attracting nesting birds

Birds have the samegeneral habitatneeds as all wildlife.

They are constantly in search of adequate suppliesof the right types of food; available structure toprovide safe shelter from the weather andpredators and materials for nesting; accessible andadequate supplies of water; and enough space tofind these necessary resources without exposingthemselves to danger. By planting certain types oftrees, shrubs, vines, and flowers, people are able toprovide good bird habitat. Some people augment

their backyard habitat with human-made nestboxes. By making special landscape deci-sions, the activity of wildlife can be experi-enced throughout the seasons.

Habitat is home

Birds are attracted toareas with the righttypes and arrangementof plants to suit theirhabitat needs for food andshelter. In natural areas, the types of birds differgreatly depending on the vegetation and presenceof water. The same is true for backyard habitats.

A well-planned backyard habitat provides food,shelter, water, and other habitat needs for avariety of birds throughout the seasons. Thisusually means that the area is landscaped using avariety of plants. Birds feed on specific foods, so avariety of food should be made available: fruits,berries, and seeds; nuts; buds and blossoms;nectar; insects; and aquatic plants are important

Cedar waxwings feedon a variety of berries.


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Birdhouses

Changes in habitat and the introduction of theEuropean starling and house sparrow have leftsome Iowa birds with fewer places to call home.This is especially true for some cavity-nestingbirds. People can help these birds by building nestboxes.

foods for certain types of birds. Plants andstructures that commonly provide importantfoods for Iowa’s nesting birds are listedbelow. More information about plants thatbenefit specific birds and other wildlife canbe found in books about attracting andlandscaping for wildlife listed in the UsefulResources section of this booklet.

Plants and structures for nesting birds in Iowa

Type of food Plants and structures Bird speciesFruits and berries serviceberry, dogwood, cardinal, catbird, robin,

gooseberry, wild rose, grosbeak, cedar waxwing,blackberry, wild grape, brown thrasher, vireo,crabapples, cherry, bluebird, wood thrush, oriolehawthorn, hackberry,viburnum

Acorns oaks blue jay, turkey, wood duck

Buds and blossoms maples, crabapples, catbird, robin, wood thrush,native honeysuckle grosbeaks, cedar waxwing

Nectar trumpet vine, columbine, hummingbird and orioleshollyhock, phlox

Insects oaks, dogwoods, hawthorn, woodpeckers, tuftedviburnum, brush piles, titmouse, nuthatches,pastures, areas near water chickadee, bluebird,

wood thrush, meadowlarks,killdeer

Aquatic plants and animals pond weeds, seeds of mallard and other ducks,emergent plants, small fish, geese, herons, kingfisher,amphibians, invertebrates and other wading and

shorebirds

Ruby-throated hummingbirdsfeed on nectar from columbineand other flowers.


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The most common nest boxes inIowa are for bluebirds, wood ducks,kestrels, and house wrens. At onetime, people thought wood ducksand bluebirds may become extinct.Today, the wood duck is a commonduck, and the numbers of easternbluebirds have grown to muchsafer levels. These species bothbenefited from extensive nest box

programs, as well as habitatprotection and pesticide management.

American kestrels are important predatorson rodents and insects, and extensivekestrel box programs have greatly in-creased the number of kestrels in Iowa. Atpresent, more than 740 nest boxes in 35counties are known to be maintained as

kestrel nest box trails. Many of the trails arealong highways and interstates where kestrels canhunt the grassy roadsides. The longest kestrelnest box trail is along Interstate 35, stretchingfrom the Minnesota to the Missouri borders.House wrens are easy to attract to a nest box neara home or garden, livening-up a home with theirconstant song and activity. Some people takespecial care in building decorative wren houses todisplay around their house.

Nest boxes can be used to attract a large variety ofwildlife. Nest box design plans for 48 species ofbirds and other wildlife can be found in the bookWoodworking for Wildlife listed in the UsefulResources section of this booklet. Ten generalrules for constructing and placing nest boxes arelisted here.

House wren in a bird house


Iowa Nesting Birds

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Basic nest box tips

1. Birdhouses require specificdimensions and entrance holes forspecific birds.

2. Provide a hinged side or roof sothe box can be easily checked andcleaned.

3. Most boxes should have drainand ventilation holes.

4. With the exception of wren houses which often arehung and allowed to dangle, nest boxes should be securelyfastened.

5. Do not put perches on any nest boxes. Perches invitesparrows and starlings.

6. There should be at least a two-inch overhang on thetop front edge of a nest box to keep rain out and helpprevent cats from reaching in over the top.

7. Do not use tin cans, milk cartons, or metal for a nestbox. They have poor insulation and heat up too quickly inthe sun.

8. When the nesting season is over, leave the side or frontopen to prevent mice from nesting during the winter.

9. The sides of a nest box should enclose the floor board tokeep water from seeping in through the sides.

10. Allow for the width of a saw blade when markinglumber for cutting.

Americankestrel


Iowa Nesting Birds

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Bird protection

All native birds are protected by Iowa law.With the exception of game birds, it isillegal to kill birds for sport or food. It also

is illegal to keep eggs, nests, or feathers from birdsor to keep them as pets. All native nongame

birds are protected by state and federal laws.However, special permits can be obtained bycertain agencies and organizations,including schools and nature centers, tocollect salvaged feathers and nests or birdskilled in accidents.

The most common statepermits issued to schools ornature centers are educa-tional project permits,wildlife salvage permits, andwildlife rehabilitationpermits. An educationalproject permit allows thepermittee to possess certaintypes and numbers of liveanimals for educationalpurposes. A wildlife sal-

vage permit allows permittees to salvage birdsand other animals which have died from accidentsor natural causes for educational purposes. Somenature centers have wildlife rehabilitationpermits that allow them to care for injured wild-life until they are healed and ready to be released,including hawks, owls, and other birds. In addi-tion to these state permits, federal permits arerequired for all migratory birds. This includesall birds except house sparrows, starlings, uplandgame birds, and pigeons.


Iowa Nesting Birds

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Keeping an eye out for the birds

People have a fascination for birds.Whether at our feeders, darting amongbushes and trees, creeping around treetrunks, or probing our lawns, birds arean important part of our lives. Manypeople across the state identify themselves asbirdwatchers. Some belong to groups such as theNational Audubon Society or Iowa Ornithologists’Union. Many others enjoy birds on their own, intheir own backyards, and in nearby wildlife areas.

There is much to be learned by watching birds.Bird banding is a method used by some birdwatchers to determine the status of individualbirds. Birds are caught in long nets and quicklycollected. Their age, weight, and other informationare recorded. A lightweight, coded metal braceletis carefully placed around a leg of each bird beforeit is released. By keeping careful record of birdscaught and re-caught, both professional andamateur ornithologists learn a lot about birds.

Amateur bird watchers also are involved involuntary bird surveys. The Iowa Ornithologists’Union coordinates spring bird counts and winterbirdfeeder surveys. The National AudubonSociety sponsors annual Christmas bird counts.Individuals or classes can join in the survey bycontacting the organizations and requestingsurvey forms. Keep an eye open for the birds.Watch their behavior. What are they doing? Whatare they eating? How do they move around andfind their food and water? Watch them build theirnests and raise their young. There are more than9,000 species of birds on Earth. More than 400have been sighted in Iowa, and approximately 150commonly nest in the state. How many species areleft for you to discover?

Banded blue jay


Iowa Nesting Birds

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An Illustrated Guide to Attracting Birds; Susan Warton, editor; Sunset Publishing Corporation,Menlo Park, CA; 1994.

The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds; John K. Terres; Alfred A. Knopf,Inc., New York, NY; 1980.

The Birdfeeder Book; Donald and Lillian Stokes; Little, Brown and Company, Boston, MA; 1987.Birds At My Feeder; Bobbie Kalman and Glen Loates; Crabtree Publishing Co., New York, NY; 1987.Birds In Iowa; Thomas H. Kent and James J. Dinsmore; privately published, Iowa City and Ames, IA;

1996.Birds of the Backyard; Video narrated by George Harrison; Company for Home Entertainment,

Suffield, CT; 1989.Birds of North America; Robbins, Bruun, Zim, and Singer; Golden Press, New York, NY; 1983.Birdwatching; Bob Hume; Random House, Inc., New York, NY; 1993.Feeding Wild Birds In Winter; Clive Dobson; Firefly Books, Ltd., Ontario, Canada; 1981.IAN Booklet Series; Iowa Association of Naturalists; ISU Extension Service, Ames, IA.

Iowa’s Nesting Birds (IAN-606); Iowa Wildlife Series; 1998.Keeping Iowa Wildlife Wild (IAN-402); Iowa Wildlife and People Series; 1996.Iowa Biodiversity (IAN-407); Iowa Wildlife and People Series; 1996.Adapting To Iowa (IAN-408); Iowa Wildlife and People Series; 1996.Iowa Woodlands (IAN-202); Iowa’s Biological Communities Series; 1993.Iowa Prairies (IAN-203); Iowa’s Biological Communities Series; 1993.Iowa Wetlands (IAN-204); Iowa’s Biological Communities Series; 1993.Iowa Waterways (IAN-205); Iowa’s Biological Communities Series; 1993.Iowa Habitat Loss and Disappearing Wildlife (IAN-101); Iowa Environmental

Issues Series; 1998.The Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas; Laura Spess Jackson, Carol A. Thompson, James J. Dinsmore, Bruce

L. Ehresman. John Fleckenstein, Robert Cecil, Lisa M. Hemesath, and Stephen J. Dinsmore;University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, IA; 1996.

Iowa’s Trumpeter Swan Restoration Program; Iowa Department of Natural Resources WildlifeDiversity Program, Boone, IA; 1997.

Landscaping For Wildlife; Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Minnesota’s Bookstore, St.Paul, MN; 1987; 1-800-657-3757.

North American Birdfeeder Handbook; Robert Burton; Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc.,New York, NY; 1992.

Peterson Field Guides: Birds’ Nests; Hal H. Harrison; Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA; 1975.Shelves, Houses, and Feeders For Birds and Animals; ISU Extension publication (NCR-338),

Ames, IAA Teacher’s Activity Booklet About...Iowa Birds; Linda R.F. Zaletel; Iowa Ornithologists’ Unionand

the Iowa Conservation Education Council, Ames, IA; 1997.Woodworking For Wildlife; Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Minnesota’s Bookstore, St.

Paul, MN; 1992; 1-800-657-3757.

Useful resources

Iowa Nesting Birds is one in a series of six booklets that are part of the Iowa Wildlife Series. Thebooklets in the series include:

Iowa Wildlife SeriesIowa Mammals (IAN-601)Iowa Winter Birds (IAN-602)Iowa Nesting Birds (IAN-603)Iowa Reptiles and Amphibians (IAN-604)Iowa Fish (IAN-605)Iowa Insects and Other Invertebrates (IAN-606)

The Iowa Association of Naturalists also has produced five other booklet series that provide readerswith a clear, understandable overview of topics concerning the Iowa environment and conservation. Thebooklets included in each of the other five series are listed below.

Iowa’s Natural Resource HeritageChanging Land Use and Values (IAN 501)Famous Iowa Conservationists (IAN 502)Iowa’s Environmental Laws (IAN 503)

Iowa Wildlife and PeopleIowa Wildlife Management (IAN-401)Keeping Iowa Wildlife Wild (IAN-402)Misconceptions About Iowa Wildlife (IAN-403)State Symbols of Iowa (IAN-404)Iowa Food Webs and Other Interrelationships (IAN-405)Natural Cycles In Iowa (IAN-406)Iowa Biodiversity (IAN-407)Adapting To Iowa (IAN-408)

Iowa PlantsIowa’s Spring Wildflowers (IAN-301)Iowa’s Summer and Fall Wildflowers (IAN-302)Benefits and Dangers of Iowa Plants (IAN-303)Iowa’s Trees (IAN-304)Seeds, Nuts, and Fruits of Iowa Plants (IAN-305)Iowa’s Mushrooms and Other Nonflowering Plants (IAN-306)Iowa’s Shrubs and Vines (IAN-307)

Iowa’s Biological CommunitiesIowa’s Biological Communities (IAN-201)Iowa Woodlands (IAN-202)Iowa Prairies (IAN-203)Iowa Wetlands (IAN-204)Iowa Waterways (IAN-205)

Iowa Environmental IssuesIowa Habitat Loss and Disappearing Wildlife (IAN-101)Iowa Air Pollution (IAN-102)Iowa Water Pollution (IAN-103)Iowa Agricultural Practices and the Environment (IAN-104)People, Communities, and Their Iowa Environment (IAN-105)Energy In Iowa (IAN-106)Iowa Waste Management (IAN-107)

√ Booklets may be orderedthrough the Iowa State

University Extension Service ata cost of $1.00 per booklet.When ordering, be sure to usethe IAN number to the right ofeach listed booklet title.Please send written orders andpayment to:

ISU Extension ServicePrinting and Publications BuildingIowa State UniversityAmes, IA 50011

This publication is printedon recycled paper.

iowa wildlife series - iowa nesting birds

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