Birds
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House Sparrow
(Passer domesticus)
Size: About 6" long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Anywhere there are buildings, there are house sparrows.
Description: Ubiquitous little brown birds. Males have bold black bibs.
House Finch
(Haemorhous mexicanus)
Size: About 8"
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia
Description: Like a house sparrow dipped headfirst into magenta ink. Sings an enthusiastic, musical, jumbled song.
American goldfinch
(Spinus tristis)
Size: 4-5 inches
Seasons: year-round
Habitat: neighborhoods and greenspaces throughout Philadelphia
Description: Breeding males are bright yellow with black wings and black foreheads. Females and males in winter have a tan background color instead of yellow and lighter forehead. Musical singers, with a call that sounds a bit like weeping
Song Sparrow
(Melospiza melodia)
Size: About six inches long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Greenspaces and greener neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia
Description: Brown bird with brown streaks on the breast with a dark spot in the middle of the breast, also thick stripes coming down from beak-like long mustache
Dark-Eyed Junco
(Junco hyemalis)
Size: About six inches long
Seasons: Fall-spring
Habitat: Parks, gardens, and forests throughout Philadelphia
Description: A dark gray sparrow with a lighter beak and underparts. They forage on the ground and then flash white feathers on the outside of their tails as they fly up into trees.
White-Throated Sparrow
(Zonotrichia albicollis)
Size: About six inches long
Seasons: Fall-spring
Habitat: Gardens, woods, and other greenspaces throughout Philadelphia
Description: Brown birds with gray underparts and bold head patterns: black stripes over the top of the head, a white throat, and small yellow patches between the eye and bill
American Robin
(Turdus migritorius)
Size: About 10" long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Nest in neighborhoods and grassy areas with some trees. Winter flocks use forests as well.
Description: Dark gray bird with an orange breast and a white eye-ring. In winter, they tend to move in flocks. Spring-summer, they spread out.
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European Starling
(Sturnus vulgaris)
Size: About 9" long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Close to buildings throughout Philadelphia
Description: The most common blackbird in urban areas. They walk with significant steps, and their short, somewhat triangular wings make them look like fighter jets in flight.
Northern Cardinal
(Cardinalis cardinalis)
Size: About 9"
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Neighborhoods and parks throughout Philadelphia.
Description: Females are tan with reddish wings and tails, males scarlet red, with a peaked crest on their head.
Pigeon
(Columba livia)
Size: About a foot long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia
Description: Variable plumage, but most are gray with dark wing bars, iridescent rose, and green plumage on the neck and head. Walk with strutting step. Strong flyers.
Mourning Dove
(Zenaida macroura)
Size: About 10"
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Green spaces and neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia.
Description: A tan/gray dove resembles a smaller, more delicate pigeon. Sing a song that can be confused with an owl, and take off with a whistling noise from their wings.
Chimney Swift
(Chaetura pelagica)
Size: About 5" long
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Nests in buildings. Flies throughout Philadelphia.
Description: Pointy wings in a stiff arc with a body like a cigar. Listen for chittering calls and then look up to see them.
Tree Swallow
(Tachycineta bicolor)
Size: About 5" long, 12" wingspan
Seasons: Spring-Summer
Habitat: Nest in holes in trees or artificial nest boxes and forage over water or open land such as fields and meadows.
Description: Malachite blue backs with white underparts.
Rough Winged Swallow
(Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
Size: About 5" long, 11" wingspan
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Nests in burrows or human-made holes near water. Forages in open areas, often near water.
Description: Brown swallow with lighter-brown underside
Barn Swallow
(Hirundo rustica)
Size: About 7" long with 12" wingspan
Seasons: Spring-Summer
Habitat: Build mud nests on ceilings of open human structures and forage in open areas, often fields, meadows, or over water.
Description: Shiny cobalt blue back with tawny or apricot underparts. Sharp-pointed wings with classic swallowtail (with long points on either side)
Gray Catbird
(Dumetella carolinensis)
About 9 inches
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Shrubs and low tree branches in gardens, forests, and other greenspaces throughout Philadelphia
Description: A slender gray bird with a dark cap. They get their name from their mewing call, but they also are musical singers, working other bird species' songs and other noises into their compositions.
Northern Mockingbird
(Mimus polyglottos)
Seasons: year-round
Habitat: Open areas with thickets, shrubs, and low trees. This includes neighborhoods and parks throughout Philadelphia.
Description: A long-tailed gray bird with darker wings and a dark stripe through the eye. It sings from prominent locations and incorporates other birds' songs (as well as different sounds) into its own.
Blue Jay
(Cyanocitta cristata)
Size: About 11 inches long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Throughout Philadelphia's greener neighborhoods and green spaces
Description: Beautiful blue bird with light underparts, black detailing on head, and a crest. Loud, harsh call.
Common yellowthroat
(Geothlypis trichas)
Size: About 4.5 inches
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Parks and other large greenspaces with dense, low vegetation, including marshes.
Description: Active, small bird with yellow throat and top of breast and otherwise mostly tan or gray. Males have wide black mask outlines on top with white. Females do not have the mask.
Magnolia Warbler
(Setophaga magnolia)
Size: About 5 inches
Spring and fall
Wooded greenspaces
In spring migration, males have gray and black backs, black masks, bright yellow bellies, black necklaces, and black streaks on belly. Females year-round and males in fall more-muted colors—black tail tip when seen from below.
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
(Setophaga coronata)
Size: About 5 inches long
Seasons: spring, fall
Habitat: Greenspaces throughout Philadelphia in migration
Description: A small active bird, in spring, males primarily gray, black, and white with yellow patches on either side of the chest, on the base of the tail, and on top of the head. White throat, black mask, black patch across top of belly, and black-streaked sides. Patterns of females and autumn males are very much muted.
Yellow Warbler
(Setophaga petetia)
Size: About 5 inches long
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Nest and forage along waterways
Description: Bright yellow bird with black eyes. Males have brown streaks on their breast
Red-Winged Blackbird
(Agelaius phoeniceus)
Size: About eight inches long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Breed in marshes and other green, open spaces.
Description: Males are black with a sizeable red-orange wing patch. Females are brown with darker streaks.
Common grackle
(Quiscalus quiscula)
Size: About 1 foot long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Forages on open ground or along waterways. Found throughout Philadelphia. In winter, large flocks can move through landscaped parks. Description: A black bird with iridescent feathers, white eyes, and a long tail that fans out towards the end.
American Crow
(Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Size: About 18" long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Throughout Philadelphia
Descriptions: Glossy black birds that loudly call "caw."
Northern Flicker
(Colaptes auratus)
Size: About 1 foot long
Seasons: year-round
Habitat: Parks and other green spaces with trees throughout PhiladelphiaDescription: Mostly gray birds with black speckles on the body, a crescent-shaped black collar at the throat, a white patch visible on the rump as they fly, and a small red patch on the nape of the neck. Males have a black moustache streak from the corners of beaks
Downy Woodpecker
(Dryobates pubescens)
Size: About 6 inches long
Seasons: year-round
Habitat: Forests, wooded parks, and neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia
Description: Small woodpecker, black and white back with white underparts and a small red patch on the back of the head. Often calls with toy-like squeaks as it moves from tree to tree.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
(Melanerpes carolina)
Size: About 10 inches long
Seasons: year-round
Habitat: Neighborhoods, parks, and other green spaces with trees throughout Philadelphia
Description: Tan belly through face, black-and-white speckled back, and wings, red from the nape of neck overhead to the base of the beak. The call is a short, quavering "churr."
Great Blue Heron
(Ardia herodias)
Size: About four feet tall
Seasons: year-round
Habitat: Wetlands and the edges of waterways throughout Philadelphia
Description: Tall gray wading bird with a long neck and dagger-like bill, dark cap
American Coot
(Fulica americana)
Size: About 16 inches long
Seasons: winter
Habitat: shallow water and marshes
Description: Mostly black with a light beak (more like a chicken's than a duck's). Swims with pronounced forward and back motion of head and neck.
Canada Goose
(Branta canadensis)
Size: A large goose, about 3' with a long neck
Season: Year-round
Habitat: Bodies of water and mowed grass throughout Philadelphia.
Description: Tan/gray goose with a long black neck and white stripe across the face. Fall and spring fly overhead in large V-shaped formations, honking/calling as they pass.
Mallard Duck
(Anas platyrhynchos)
Size: About 2' long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Bodies of water throughout Philadelphia
Description: Females are brown, and males are gray with a bright green head and neck. Both have a royal blue wing band—our most common duck.
Wood Duck
(Aix sponsa)
Size: About 20 inches long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Wooded wetlands and bodies of water
Description: Small duck that looks like it has a helmet. Females are mostly light gray with white eye rings extending back a tiny bit smaller helmet than males. Dark back, cinnamon breast and neck, tan flanks, dark back, and green head, all marked with bold white detailing.
Green-Winged Teal
(Anas crecca)
Size: About 14 inches long
Seasons: winter
Habitat: Shallow marshes and ponds
Description: Small duck. Males are gray with cinnamon heads and broad green stripes from the eyes to the back of the head. Females tan with dark mottling.
Pintail Duck
(Anas acuta)
Size: About 2 feet long
Seasons: winter
Habitat: Ponds and marshes
Description: Elegant duck. Females are mostly gray, and males have gray bodies with chestnut heads, white breasts with pinstripes up the back of the neck, a white base of the tail, and long, whip-like black tail feathers.
Bufflehead
(Becephala albeola)
Size: About 14 inches long
Seasons: winter
Habitat: Deepwater, particularly the Delaware River
Description: Females are brown with a lighter front and a small white patch below the eye. Males have white sides and fronts, dark backs, necks, and heads with large bright white head patches.
Lesser Scaup
(Aythya affinis)
Size: About 16 inches long
Seasons: Winter
Habitat: Deeper water (particularly rivers) around Philadelphia
Description: Females brown with black bill and a white band at the base of the bill. Males have a gray back, white sides, black chest, neck, and head. The head has a little bit of a point/peak.
Greater Scaup
(Aythya marila)
Size: About 20 inches long
Seasons: Winter
Habitat: Deeper water (particularly rivers) around Philadelphia
Description: Females brown with black bill and a white band at the base of the bill. Males have a gray back, white sides, black chest, neck, and head. The heads are rounded, unlike the lesser scaup.
Ringneck Duck
(Aythya collaris)
Size: About 16 inches long
Seasons: Winter
Habitat: Shallow water, particularly marshes like at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge
Description: Females are brown and gray with peaked heads and lighter eye rings, the base of the bill, and a small white ring around the bill. Males are dark with soft gray wings/sides and narrow white rings around the bill and at the base of the bill.
Gadwall
(Mareca strepera)
Size: About 20 inches long
Seasons: winter
Habitat: Shallow marshes and ponds
Description: Mostly gray/brown little ducks. Males have dark bill, females yellow.
Hooded Merganzer
(Lophodytes cucullatus)
Size: About 18 inches long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Bodies of water in Philadelphia
Description: Thin-billed duck with a prominent crest. Females cinnamon brown, males boldly marked: black backs with thin white stripes and a black head with a large white patch behind the eye.
Double-crested cormorant
(Nannopterum auritum)
Size: About 2.5 feet long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Rivers in Philadelphia
Description: Dark, swimming waterbird with a long neck, thin hooked beak, yellow flesh at the base of the beak, and short legs, often seen sitting near the water.
Ring-billed Gull
(Larus delawarensis)
Size: About 3.5' wingspan, about 20" long
Seasons: Fall-Spring
Throughout Philadelphia
Description: Mostly white gull with gray wings with black tips and a black ring around the bill
Turkey Vulture
(Cathartes aura)
Size: Huge. Wingspan nearly 6 feet
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Soars above green spaces and neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia.
Description: Large black birds that soar with wings tilted up slightly. Naked heads.
Cooper's Hawk
(Accipiter cooperii)
Size: 15-17 inches (females larger than males)
Seasons: Mostly winter
Habitat: Throughout Philadelphia in winter
Description: slender hawk with a relatively long tail. Adults gray cap and back with small orange bars on breast and red eyes. Immature hawks are mostly brown-backed with brown-streaked breasts and yellow eyes—an acrobatic flyer. It closely resembles a slightly smaller, sharp-shinned hawk.
Bald Eagle
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Size: Wingspan of about 7.5 feet
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Near water throughout Philadelphia
Description: Large raptor with white head and tail. Juveniles are uniformly dark brown.
Red-Tailed Hawk
(Buteo jamaicensis)
Size: About 2' long with 4' wingspan
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Parks and neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia
Description: A beefy raptor with dark spots on underparts patterned into a band across the belly. Often seen soaring or perched in trees or on buildings.
Osprey
(Pandion haliaetus)
Size: Wingspan about 5 feet
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Near and over water
Description: A large bird of prey dark brown above and white underneath, with a dark stripe running through eye and down neck.
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Size: About 10 inches long
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Open spaces, including fields as well as rowhouse neighborhoods. They are often seen perched on telephone wires or TV antennas.
Description: Small falcon, about the size of a mourning dove but with a more oversized head. They are marked with dark vertical bars on the face. Males are colorful with dark-spotted apricot breasts and apricot tails, blue-gray caps, and wings. Females are more muted and without the blue-gray color. Calls a series of high "Kiy! Kiy! Kiy!"
Peregrine falcon
Falco peregrinus
Size: About 14-19 inches long (males smaller than females)
Seasons: Year-round
Habitat: Throughout Philadelphia
Description: Slate gray back, light underparts with fine, short, black horizontal lines (immature birds with densely streaked breast and underparts). Dark helmet/mask. Fierce vibe. A typical call is a series of high, rising kak, kak, kak.