Winter Birding in Minnesota

 

A Long-eared Owl (Asio otus).
Hennepin County, Minnesota.

Minnesota in winter.  Even the thought is cold. But, Diane and I joined a small group that traveled to northern Minnesota in late January to look for birds.  We were seeking birds of the frozen north, birds that find Minnesota in winter a favorable clime.  Owls were a main attraction for us but we found much more. 

Our group of nine came from Florida, Michigan and North Carolina.  We were led by Kevin Burke of Ventures Birding Tours based in Asheville who led us for five days in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  In Minnesota we spent time around Minneapolis, Duluth, the Sax-Zim Bog and the north shore of Lake Superior near Two Harbors.  We also birded just across the state line in Superior, Wisconsin.

THE ENVIRONMENT

Hiking in the Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota. 
Trip leader, Kevin Burke is in the front.  
Photo courtesy of Kevin Burke. 

Our faithful 12 passenger van in the Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota. 

Sunrise over the Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota. 

Double sun-bows with sundogs.
Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota. 
Photo courtesy of Diane Coggin 

Frozen shoreline of Lake Superior.
Two Harbors, Minnesota. 

Blue ice in Lake Superior.
St. Louis County, Minnesota.

  

A brief snowstorm in the Sax-Zim Bog. Minnesota.

THE BIRDS  

Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus). 
Two Harbors, Minnesota.  

We found a group of Bohemian Waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus) feeding on European Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia) near the shore of Lake Superior.  Large flocks of these waxwings wander northern Minnesota in winter eating the last of the fruit.

Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea).  
Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota.

Common Redpolls (Acanthis flammea) are tiny finches found throughout Minnesota in winter. They forage in the woods and fields but also visit feeders.

Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni).  
Hennepin County, Minnesota. 

Hoary Redpolls (Acanthis hornemanni) are closely related to Common Redpolls and the two
may be lumped into one species soon.  Hoary Redpolls are seen much less frequently than the aptly named Common Redpolls. 

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus).  
Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota. 

The Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is the northern counterpart of the Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis).  These small birds are friendly and fearless. They are a common feeder bird and they cache seeds to eat later.

Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis).  
Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota.  

The Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) is a bold relative of the Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) who will often follow hikers in hopes of a handout.  The common name of this bird was changed from Gray Jay to Canada Jay in 2018.  This reversed the name change from Canada Jay to Gray Jay that took place in 1957.  For the record, the bird in this picture was NOT in Canada.

Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis). 
Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota.  

The Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) is a predatory songbird that feeds on insects, reptiles, small mammals and birds. It has a strong hooked beak but lacks the strong feet and talons of raptors. Instead, Northern Shrikes kill their prey by impaling them on thorns or barbwire.

Male Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator).
Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota. 

Pine Grosbeaks (Pinicola enucleator) are medium sized birds that make their living extracting seeds from the cones of pine and other conifers.  The male is bright red on the head and breast with dark wings and white wing bars. Female Pine Grosbeaks are yellowish green on the head and rump. Pine Grosbeaks also frequent bird feeders in winter. 

Male White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) feeding on
Tamarack (Larix laricina) cones.  
Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota. 

White-winged Crossbills (Loxia leucoptera) eat seeds from the cones of Black Spruce (Picea mariana) and Tamarack (Larix laricina).  These trees are abundant in the bogs and White-winged Crossbills use their crossed mandibles to removed the seeds.  The color pattern of male and female White-winged Crossbills is similar to that of Pine Grosbeaks.   

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo).
Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota. 

Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are found through much of of the United States.  They look strikingly different on a background of snow rather than in the understory of a forest where we usually see them. 

Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus).
Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota. 

Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) is one of the specialty birds of the bog we were seeking.  There is a lek in the bog where the birds show up even outside the breeding season.  It took three attempts at this site but we ultimately found one of these large, chicken-like birds. 

Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa).
Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota. 

The Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) is one of the main reasons people visit the Sax-Zim Bog in winter.

These giant owls have a wingspan up to five feet, striking yellow eyes and white feathers below the face that make a "bowtie". Great Gray Owls have a large facial disk that a funnels sound to the ears and helps this predator find rodents under the snow. 

Long-eared Owl.
Hennepin County, Minnesota.

On our first day we were lucky enough to see four Long-Eared Owls (Asio otus) perched in the same tree.  Most Owls are solitary but Long-eared Owls will roost in groups like the one we found.  They have yellow eyes and a prominent facial disc with bright orange patches.  The ears of Long-eared Owls are really tufts of feathers.  Several species of owls have ear tufts and they are thought to help the birds blend in with their surroundings.  Long-eared Owls use their acute sense of hearing to catch voles and other small mammals beneath the snow in winter. 

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus).
Douglas County, Wisconsin. 

The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is the iconic owl of the north and is another reason people travel to this area in winter.  These owls are unmistakable, they are large, white and have black markings.  Their bright yellow eyes peer from the white facial disk. Snowy Owls are found in the arctic in both the Old and New World.  Our group was fortunate to see three different Snowy Owls.  Two were near the airport in Superior, Wisconsin and the third was in the Sax-Zim Bog. The world population of Snowy Owls is declining but the reasons are not clear.  I will hazard to say global climate change is playing a major role.  

Minnesota in winter was a real experience.  As a southerner, I was very concerned about going to one  the coldest places in the country.  But, good advice from friends and Ventures Birding had us well prepared.  We had the proper equipment, an experienced guide and we had a marvelous time.  

The Life of Vultures

 

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) soaring. The underside of the
 primary and secondary feathers of Turkey Vulture wings are silver. 
Palm Beach County, Florida.

Vultures get a bad rap.  Their dark feathers and naked heads are not very appealing.  Their diet of carrion may even be appalling.  In western cultures vultures are viewed as ill omens, representing death, but ancient Egyptians held and Hindus still hold vultures to be sacred.  Vultures have a fascinating biology with adaptations for eating dead animals. They are masters of soaring.  Vultures can catch thermals and ride to high altitudes with little expenditure of energy.  From these great heights they scan the earth for their next meal.  Sometimes large number of vultures can be seen soaring together.  A group of soaring vultures is called a kettle.  The collective noun for a group of feeding vultures is, appropriately, a wake. 

A kettle of Turkey Vultures rising on a thermal.

Horry County, South Carolina. 

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) in flight.
The feathers at the tips of the wings are silver.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.  

Two species of vultures live in eastern North America, the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) and the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus). Vultures are raptors related to hawks and eagles.  Like hawks and eagles, vultures have hooked beaks for tearing their food. Unlike hawks and eagles that have powerful toes and talons for capturing and killing prey, vultures have weak toes with blunt talons because their prey is already dead. Both species of eastern North American vulture lack feathers on their heads and necks.  The bare head makes it easier to keep clean after feeding inside a dead animal.  Both Black and Turkey Vultures have perforate nostrils.  When viewed from the side you can see through the nostril.  

Turkey Vulture showing its perforate nostril. This species
of vulture has a highly developed sense of smell. 
Horry County, South Carolina. 

Turkey Vultures are large birds, with a wingspan of about 6 feet.  At a distance, Turkey Vultures appear black, but closeup they are dark brown.  The flight feathers of the wings are sliver beneath and the contrast with the rest of the wing is striking.   Turkey Vultures soar with their wings held up in a shallow vee, a dihedral, and rarely flap.  Turkey Vultures have naked, red heads. This gives the Turkey Vulture its name because it resembles the head of the Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo).  Unlike most birds, Turkey Vultures have a well-developed sense of smell.  They can detect a rotting animal by smell then zero in on their meal visually.  Natural gas pipeline companies use the Turkey Vulture’s sense of smell to help detect leaks in their lines.  Natural gas itself has no odor so the refiners add an odoriferous compound, ethyl-mercaptan, so the users of gas appliances can tell if there is a leak.  This chemical is also emitted by a rotting animal and a leak in a natural gas pipeline attracts Turkey Vultures.  A kettle of vultures above a pipeline can alert the gas company of a leak.

Turkey Vulture perched. Although Turkey Vultures
appear black in flight they are really dark brown. 
Palm Beach County, Florida. 

A pair of Turkey Vultures flying in formation. 
Vultures often congregate in large groups. 
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

Black Vultures are slightly smaller than Turkey Vultures with shorter wings and tails.  Black Vultures have less surface area for soaring, so they must flap more often than Turkey Vultures to stay aloft.  Black Vultures have black feathers and bare black heads.  They also have a patch of silver feathers near the end of their wings so are easy to distinguish from Turkey Vultures in flight. Black Vultures do not have the finely developed sense of smell of Turkey Vultures but what Black Vultures lack in sense of smell they make up for in aggressiveness.  Black Vultures often follow Turkey Vultures and displace them on a dead animal.  

Black Vulture in flight. 
Palm Beach County, Florida.

Black Vulture on the ground. 
Marion County, Florida. 

Vultures play an essential role in ecosystems.  They quickly dispose of carcasses and prevent the spread of disease. They can safely eat dead and even diseased animals because their digestive systems inactivate pathogenic microorganisms. Vultures quickly recycle nutrients in the environment and reduce greenhouse emissions.  A study of Turkey and Black Vultures in central Florida showed they can completely skeletonize a pig carcass in eight hours. 

Black Vultures feeding on carrion.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

While American vultures are experiencing a population increase, the vulture populations in India are crashing.  The number of Indian vultures has decreased by 90% in the last 40 years.  This population decline was caused by the use of an anti-inflammatory drug as a veterinary treatment for domestic animals.  While this medicine was beneficial to the domestic animals, it was lethal to vultures that would scavenge the treated animals. The decline in vulture population has caused social disruptions too.  The Parsis are a distinct ethnic group in India and they practice Zoroastrianism, a religion that originated in ancient Persia.  The traditional funeral practice of Indian Parsis is to place their dead on stone towers, the Towers of Silence, where vultures consume the deceased.  With the decline in vulture numbers the Parsis have modified the Towers of Silence to include solar concentrators to heat the remains and dry them as they are eaten by smaller scavengers like crows and kites.  While vultures could remove the flesh from a body in a day, the process now may take weeks.  Another side effect of the loss of vultures in India is an increase in other scavengers like feral dogs and rats.  These animals can transmit rabies and plague and are a public health hazard.  

A Black Vulture warily watching a group of humans.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

Despite their distasteful habits, vultures are interesting creatures that provide essential ecosystem services.  They are large birds and they are magnificent flyers that can inspire the viewer, at least from a distance.