Most Unusual Birds US

Antillean nighthawks are known for their long wings and white wing bars. During the summer they inhabit coastal marshes in Florida. They have distinctive “peent” calls sounding at dusk. These birds have flight patterns and show off aerial displays. Antillean nighthawks catch flying insects on the wing, mainly foraging near dawn and dusk or sometimes at night with a full moon.

Apolomado falcons are birds of prey flying across the skies of the southwestern US. They have long pointed wings and vibrant plumage with bold patterns of slate gray, russet, and white. They inhabit open landscapes such as grasslands and deserts. These falcons prey on insects and small birds. Conservation efforts are underway to ensure their survival.

Bachman’s sparrows have melodic songs. They inhabit open pine woods in the southeastern US. These birds have brown and gray plumage and blend in with their surroundings. They are interesting to see during the breeding season when male birds actively sing. Bachman's sparrows forage on the ground for plant seeds and arthropods.

Baird’s sparrows have distinctive yellowish faces and streaked backs. They inhabit the open prairies of the northern US. Their coloring provides for great camouflage among grasses. During breeding season they sing out with melodious songs. Baird’s sparrows are omnivorous and can eat both animals and plants. These predominantly vegetarian birds usually forage for food on the ground.

Black rails are the smallest of the rail family and inhabit the salt marshes of the southeastern US. They have black bodies and piercing red eyes. They are known for their distinctive ‘kik-kik-kerr’ calls. Their diet includes seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks.

Buff-collared nightjars have brown and buff plumage and are masters of camouflage. They inhabit the deserts of Arizona. During the nighttime, their calls can be heard through the night. Buff-collared nightjars mainly eat nocturnal flying insects. Their diet includes moths, beetles, and other insects. They forage by sitting on a perch or by flying out to catch insects midair or by flying up from the ground. This feeding behavior helps control insect populations, making them significant in their ecosystem.

California condors have a wingspan of nearly ten feet and are a majestic sight flying across the skies. Unfortunately, they are endangered birds and primarily found in California and Arizona. These birds dine on carrion and play an essential role in the ecosystem by finishing off carcasses.

Elegant terns are interesting birds with slender orange bills and graceful wings. They inhabit the coastal beaches of California. These birds are known for their social colonies, aerial acrobatics, and distinctive calls. Elegant terns primarily eat small fish and crustaceans but also feed heavily on northern anchovies. Their diet consists mainly of marine life, which they catch by plunge-diving into the sea.

Florida scrub jays are known for their vivid blue coloring. They are the only bird species native to Florida and inhabit scrubby flatwoods. These birds have a friendly demeanor and distinct calls. Florida scrub-jays primarily eat insects, acorns, and small animals. A significant part of their diet, they can harvest and bury 6,000 to 8,000 acorns annually for later use.

Gunnison sage-grouses are captivating birds in Colorado. They are known by their striking plumage and fan-like tails. These birds inhabit sagebrush areas. It is amazing to experience their elaborate mating dance. Gunnison sage-grouse are omnivores; they feed on forbs, leaves, buds, flowers, beetles, ants, and grasshoppers. Where habitats are fragmented, they forage and roost in fields of alfalfa, beans, and wheat.

Henslow’s sparrows have olive-green faces, finely streaked chests, rust-colored wings, and short dark forked tails. They inhabit Midwestern prairies, preferring tall grasses. Their presence signifies a healthy prairie ecosystem, encouraging conservative efforts. They breed in grasslands, wet meadows, and shrubby fields and migrate to marshes and open pine woods in the southeastern United States. Henslow's sparrows mainly eat insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars but also spiders and snails. In winter they feed on seeds and some berries.

Ivory-billed woodpeckers are large birds with striking black and white plumage. They inhabit the dense swamps of Arkansas.  They prefer thick hardwood swamps and pine forests with large numbers of dead and decaying trees. Ivory-billed woodpeckers are diurnal birds; they spend their nights in individual roost holes, which are often reused.  They are omnivores preferring beetle larvae, but they also eat the fruit of the southern magnolia, pecans, acorns, hickory nuts, and poison ivy seeds. They also feed on wild grapes, persimmons, and hackberries.

Kirtland’s warblers are small songbirds migrating between Michigan and the Bahamas. These birds have distinctive yellow bellies and gray backs. They prefer young jack pine forests. Kirtland’s warblers enjoy the berries of lantana, a common shrub, and will also eat the berries of black torch and snowberries.

Mangrove cuckoos are birds with distinctive curved bills and soft gray and yellow plumage. They inhabit mangroves in Florida. Their distinctive calls can be heard resonating through dense mangrove forests. Mangrove cuckoos primarily eat insects and small reptiles.

Red-cockaded woodpeckers inhabit mature pine forests in the southeastern US. These birds are known for their cooperative breeding behavior and live in family groups. They have unique black caps and white cheek patches. Their presence signifies a healthy, well-managed ecosystem. Red-cockaded woodpeckers primarily eat insects and arthropods. They occasionally dine on seeds and fruits from plants like pine, poison ivy, and blueberries.

Sprague’s pipits are grassland songbirds known for their distinctive aerial display flights. They are primarily found in the northern Great Plains, inhabiting grasslands. These are migratory birds spending winters in the southwestern US and northern Mexico. They are a buffy brown with darker streaking, slender bills, and pinkish to yellow legs.  Sprague’s pipits eat various insects, spiders, and seeds. The adults are almost entirely insectivorous and feed the young on insects as well during the breeding season,

Whooping cranes are among the tallest birds in North America. They are recognized by their white plumage and graceful stance. Cranes migrate between Canada and the coastal marshes of Texas. They inhabit wetlands. Their distinctive calls can be heard across marshes. Whooping cranes are diurnal, roosting at night on the ground. They are omnivorous and eat a range of wetland animals. In the winter clams and blue crabs; in the summer aquatic invertebrates, frogs, small fish, and berries. During migration, they mainly eat waste grain from agricultural fields.

Yellow rails are birds with striped brown and yellow plumage. They inhabit wetlands and are most active at dawn and dusk. Conservation of wetland habitats is crucial for their survival. Yellow Rails primarily eat invertebrates and plant matter.