Tweet. Tweet. We hear them all year long, but do we know who’s doing the singing? Anne Swaim, executive director of the Saw Mill River Audubon Society, gives us the lowdown on 12 of the most common birds that call Westchester home.
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PILEATED WOODPECKER
Wingspan: 26–30 in*
Weighs: 9–12 oz*
The largest woodpecker in most of North America—nearly as large as a crow—the pileated woodpecker has a raucous call and may be seen in our suburban forests.
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RED TAILED HAWK
Wingspan: 45–52 in
Weighs: 24–46 oz
The most common bird of prey in Westchester can be seen year-round perched in trees along the parkways or soaring overhead.
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WOOD DUCK
Wingspan: 26–29 in
Weighs: 16–30 oz
Considered one of the most beautiful birds in North America, this shy and secretive bird may be seen in wooded ponds and lands in the County; it nests inside hollow trees.
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GREAT BLUE HERON
Wingspan: 66–79 in
Weighs: 4.6–5.5 lbs
The largest and most common heron in North America, the great blue heron can be seen year-round in Westchester if there is open water on lakes, ponds, and reservoirs.
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CEDAR WAXWING
Wingspan: 9–12 in
Weighs: 1 oz
The beautifully colored cedar waxwing travels in flocks, visiting hollies and other berry sources.
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EASTERN BLUEBIRD
Wingspan: 10–13 in
Weighs: 1 oz
This is our state bird which has made a big comeback in recent decades thanks to the placement of nesting boxes in open areas. It may be seen year-round in county parks with open fields.
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HOUSE WREN
Wingspan: 6-7 in
Weighs: 0.4 oz
The wren graces backyards and gardens with its loud and cheerful song wherever nest boxes are provided and more than pays the rent by eating many insect pests.
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BALTIMORE ORIOLE
Wingspan: 9–12 in
Weighs: 1 oz
The real sign of full spring in Westchester is the annual return of the orioles from their winter homes in the tropics. They can
be found in Westchester parks and many backyards, especially near water.
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RUBY-THROATED HUMMINBIRD
Wingspan: 3–4 in
Weighs: .2 oz
The County’s smallest bird, the only hummingbird species usually seen in New York, arrives around mid-May and departs around mid-September. If you’d like attract them, plant brightly colored (especially red), nectar-rich flowers and hang hummingbird feeders.
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WILD TURKEY
Wingspan: 49–57 in
Weighs: 5.5–24 lbs
The return of the wild turkey to New York is considered a success story in wildlife conservation. Wild turkey populations in New York have increased from an estimated 2,000 in 1959 to more than 65,000 in 1990.
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RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER
Wingspan: 13-17 in
Weighs: 2-3 oz
This beautiful woodpecker often comes to bird feeders for seed in the winter. The red-belly has increased its range from the South into the Northeast since the 1970s.
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NORTHERN CARDINAL
Wingspan: 10–12 in
Weighs: 2 oz
One of the most popular birds and easiest to recognize; before the 20th century, cardinals were found only south of New York.
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*The wingspan and weight is rounded out and based on the male of the species.
