Hudsonian Whimbrel (Numenius hudsonicus) Family: Scolopacidae By Colleen McDonough, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician With a long, curved bill designed for catching crabs in their burrows, Hudsonian Whimbrels are a joy to watch on their wintering grounds. The species Whimbrel was recently split into Hudsonian Whimbrel and Eurasian Whimbrel based on genetic differences between American […]
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Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) Family: Rallidae By Robert Buckert, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This week’s beak is held by the smallest rail in North America. Similar in size to a sparrow, the Black Rail is one of the most highly sought-after and difficult species to spot, proving infamously elusive as it buries itself in […]
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Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) Family: Ardeidae By Colleen McDonough, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician The Reddish Egret is North America’s rarest (and likely most eccentric) heron. An array of fast-paced and erratic hunting movements makes these birds stand out boldly among other wading species. Reddish Egrets are found almost exclusively near saltwater and brackish wetlands, […]
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American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliates) Family: Haematopodidae By Spencer Poling, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This week’s Beak of the Week, the American Oystercatcher, is one that would be difficult to confuse with any other species in the area. Oystercatchers, family Haematopodidae, are known to frequent coasts around most of the world and for their bright […]
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Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) Family: Laniidae By Colleen McDonough, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician The Loggerhead Shrike, nicknamed “butcherbird”, is a songbird with unexpected carnivorous tendencies. Similar in size to a cardinal, shrikes are mostly gray with a black eye mask, hooked bill, and white wing patches visible in flight. The Loggerhead Shrike is one […]
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Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) Family: Parulidae By Theresa Kelly, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This week’s Beak of the Week may be more easily recognized by its common name — Cape May Warbler — but its taxonomic species tigrina is a more apt descriptor. Adults boast a bright yellow face, breast, and belly, with […]
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Green Heron (Butorides virescens) Family: Ardeidae By Nick Minnich, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This week’s Beak is often referred to as “daggerlike,” a perfect tool in the hunt for fish and amphibians. Green Herons are a short, compact heron who often prefer to stand on water’s edge vegetation as opposed to wading in the […]
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Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) Family: Vireonidae By Nick Minnich, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician The Yellow-throated Vireo is one of the most striking North American vireos, with its bright yellow throat and breast plumage, broad yellow spectacles around the eyes, and gray wings with two bold white wingbars. Often, this bird frequents forest-edge habitat and […]
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Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) Family: Passerellidae By Theresa Kelly, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This Beak of the Week has a very expansive range and an incredible array of plumages. The Dark-eyed Junco is a medium-sized sparrow, possessing the short, conical bill and rotund body shape common to its family. Their coloring varies greatly by […]
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Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) Family: Anatidae By Theresa Kelly, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This week’s Beak of the Week, the Ring-necked Duck, earned both its common and scientific name (collaris) from the chestnut collar on its black neck. Decidedly difficult to make out in the field, they are better identified by other traits. The […]
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