Birds are so unique! Their chirping and colorful feathers are quite pleasant. Their presence in the environment makes nature look even more beautiful. Every bird has some of the other astonishing features. Today, I will unveil the wide variety of beautiful birds of Canada.
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Birds have some distinctive features like wings. Wings make them different from the other organisms on earth. Moreover, they have a body that is so light in weight that it makes flying possible. Birds are found in all parts of the bird, and each type of bird is unique in its way.
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Birds might seem to be popular only due to their beauty. But the truth is that they are an extremely important part of our ecosystem. They even help to disperse seeds, which is an essential step for pollination.
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The following are some of the rarest Canadian birds that you must know about.
Prothonotary warblers are beautiful birds. They had first appeared in the 1940s, and their news started spreading and wide. These birds migrate all over the world every year. They breed in Ontario and then travel to a wide variety of around the world.
They go to the eastern United States, West Indies, and some western states. The sad part is that this small bird has lost its habitat. It has become one of the rarest birds of Canada. A wide variety of Warblers are found in British Columbia and Southern Canada. They include the Leaf Warbler and New World Warbler.
2. Citrine Wagtail
Motacilla citreola is also known as a citrine wagtail. It is a small bird in the Motacillidae family. It is one of those Canadian birds that cannot be spotted very often in the country. Citrine means yellowish color. The name of the bird thus tells us a lot about the color of the bird, yellow.
Citrine wagtails are generally sylphlike, and their length is around 5-7 centimeters long. A major feature that can help you find them easily is the continuous wagging of the tail. The blue or black color on the upper side is commonly found in the males, along with white color on their remiges.
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Other than these characteristics, citrine wagtails have yellow color on their body. It is spread all over except for their brownish little heads. The yellow color in their underparts is commonly seen diluting with white color.
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These birds make nests and lay 4-5 eggs. Motacilla citreolas are insectivorous birds. They generally prefer areas like bogs and meadows for habitat. These are migrating birds. They have been spotted in different areas of the bird but are not seen as much as the other birds. Wagtails are also found in parts of British Columbia and Southern Canada.
3. Henslow’s Sparrow
Henslow’s sparrow is a small bird that breeds in wet and shrubby fields. John James Audubon named it in honor of John Stevens Henslow. It belonged to the passerelle family. These birds have a brownish color. They generally have a crown-like structure on their heads. Initially, these birds were classified as a part of Emberiza [genus]. They were known as Henlow’s bunting in those days.
An adult Henslow’s sparrow is expected to have streaked underparts. They are brown, along with a white belly and a white neck. Their wings have a rusted color. They have a brownish short bill. Above all these features, they also possess a short, forked tail, which is quite dark in color.
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An average Henslow’s sparrow builds nests are situated close to the ground. They can be either open or closed. Nests of these brown birds can be found in grassy areas in small colonies. These birds are continually decreasing in number. It is primarily due to the loss of habitat. Hence, Henslow’s sparrows have become one of the infrequent Canadian birds. Other varieties like the House Sparrow and Eurasian Tree Sparrow are found in Southern Canada.
4. Snow Goose
As the name suggests, a snow goose is a beautiful white bird and is explicitly found in North America and British Columbia. It is one of the uncommon birds of Canada. The scientific name of snow goose is Anser caerulescens. A snow goose generally has a length of 22-33 inches and has a wingspan of about 4.5 feet! They have a strong, short bill.
These precious snow-colored birds are known for their white plumage. However, a wide variety of snow geese have been noticed to have darker colors. When this difference was first found, scientists declared that they were different species. Later, these two types of birds had distinctive colors yet belonged to the same species.
A unique feature of these pretty birds is that they are an indicator of the changing seasons. Â They fly towards the south during wintertime. Their flocks are recognized due to the shape V. They have a completely vegetarian diet. Grains are an essential part of their diet.
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The time when winter ends is when they fly North for breeding. They are seen flying toward the tundra region. During this time, they lay 2-6 eggs for the whole year.
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There has been a drastic decline in the number of snow geese. In 1916, the hunting of this species was banned. There sudden disappearance in the environment. Strict measures have been taken to save the snow geese since then.
5. Cackling Goose
The cackling goose is a bird that belongs to the genus Branta of black geese. It is the next on the list of the occasionally spotted Canadian birds. These birds have a remarkable resemblance to the Canadian geese.
Cackling geese lay 2-8 eggs per year with an average 25-28 days incubation period. This bird species is said to have several subspecies. They include the small cackling goose, Moffitt Canada goose, and dusky Canada goose. Aleutian cackling goose is also a sub-species. A cackling goose is a small bird that has a triangular-shaped body. It has a triangular, short bill. Cackling geese are frequently spotted in British Columbia.
Icy Canada
6. Barnacle Goose
The next among the rare Canadian birds are the Branta leucopsis. It is also known as the Barnacle goose. Barnacle geese belong to the Branta genus of black geese. They are recognizable due to their black plumage.
These birds are medium-sized birds. They are generally 55-70 centimeters long and have a wingspan of 130-145 centimeters’. The face and the belly of an average barnacle goose are usually white, and a part of the head is black.
When barnacle geese are migrating, Canadian birds fly in a V-shaped structure. While they fly, their silver-grey underwing linings are vividly visible. Barnacle geese give utmost importance to safety. They build their nests in mountainous and rocky regions away from predators.
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These Canadian birds are often parts of famous stories and legends. There is a legend that narrates that this species of bird were born of driftwood.
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The agreement on the conservation of African-Eurasian migratory waterbirds was an independent organization. It was formed to conserve bird species that migrated between Europe and Africa. This policy now extends up to the Canadian archipelago and parts of the middle east also. This auspicious treaty applies to the Barnacle goose.
7. Trumpeter Swan
The Cygnus buccinator or trumpeter swan is the heaviest North American bird. It is one of the rarely spotted Canadian birds. These trumpeter swans can be recognized due to their white plumage and have a huge wingspan.
The breeding habitats of these Canadian birds are shallow ponds and serene lakes. They are also found in wide and slow rivers, marshes, and intact wetlands. These birds fly in a V-shaped flock and are non-migratory.
8. Blue Jay
The blue jay is a passerine bird in the family of Corvidae. It is one of the beautiful Canadian birds that are occasionally spotted. There are four recognized subspecies of the blue jay. These birds breed in both deciduous and coniferous forests.
The blue jay is a bird that mainly feeds on nuts and seeds. Besides, small vertebrates might also be a part of their diet at times. These birds build an open nest on trees, and both genders do this nest construction.
A blue jay lays 2-7 eggs, bluish or light brown, and can commonly be recognized by the brown spots. The children of a blue jay generally remain with their parents for 1-2 months.
9. Ring-Necked Duck
The Aythya collaris is also known as the ring-necked duck. is a diving duck found in freshwater ponds and lakes and is one of the infrequent Canadian birds. The scientific name of this duck has originated from a Greek word. It is mentioned in books by authors like Aristotle and is referred to as an unidentified seabird.
A ring-necked duck can vary from small to large, and the male birds resemble the Eurasian tufted duck. It is observed that the body size of the male birds is slightly larger than the females. As the name already suggests, it has two white rings surrounding its grey bill. It gives the bird an exceptional appearance.
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These birds have shiny angular heads with black backs. Some other distinctive features of this bird include white lines on its wings. They also have pretty yellow eyes. Ring-necked ducks are omnivores. They get their food by diving into water bodies. Young ducklings, however, are dependent on worms, leeches, midges, and snails.
10. Surf Scote
The Melanitta perspicillata, surf scoter, is a huge sea duck. It is a rare Canadian bird. These birds generally breed in Canada and Alaska.
The male surf scoters are black and have some white patches on their body. The patches are found on their nape and head. The females are slightly browner. The female looks like a small bird. Mussels and benthic invertebrates are the essential parts of their diet. Scoters generally migrate to places with a temperate environment. It is suitable for them in the winter season.
These Canadian birds usually have a vulnerable period during July or August. That is when they shed their flight feathers and become flightless. Before the shedding of the flight wings, they undergo a complete body molt. This week’s phase of the year lasts for around four weeks. During this time, the vivid colors of their body gradually get replaced with dull colors.
11. Black-Capped Chickadee
By Paul Roedding on Shutterstock
The Black-Capped Chickadee is a North American songbird. The Black-Capped Chickadee is the provincial bird of New Brunswick, Canada. As the name suggests, it has a black cap. It also has a bib on its face with white sides. It has a black, short bill. It has a gray back and tail. The Black-Capped Chickadee looks similar to the Carolina Chickadee. But it is larger and has wings with white edges. Moreover, the Black-Capped Chickadee is the state bird of Massachusetts and Maines in the United States.
12. Northern Cardinal
By Bonnie Taylor Barry on Shutterstock
The Northern Cardinal is known as the redbird. It is a beautiful songbird with a crest on its head. The Northern Cardinal feeds on seeds, fruits, and insects. It has a beautiful crimson body with a black mask on its face. Females have a gray face mask. The Northern Cardinal has a loud, clear whistle that it uses to mark its territory.
13. Downy Woodpeckers
By Steve Byland on Shutterstock
Downy woodpeckers are the smallest woodpecker species in North America. They are very similar to hairy woodpeckers. Downy woodpeckers have a white underside. The back is black with white spots on the feathers. Downy woodpeckers are known for their short pik-call. They produce drumming sounds as they peck into trees.
The Bald Eagle is the national bird of the United States of America. The Bald Eagle actually has a white head. It has a bright yellow beak and brown feathers. The toes of the Bald Eagle have large talons. It is mainly found in the United States, Canada, and Alaska.
Urbanization has had some positive effects on the world. Several exotic birds are losing their homes and going extinct. Caging birds is another unacceptable practice that many people follow. All of us need to understand that saving birds is our duty as human beings. People should realize this before all the Canadian birds and the other birds in the world go extinct.
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