Wildlife & Birds of Nova Scotia

KINGDOM ANIMALIA: VERTEBRATES

BIRDS

Birds are warm-blooded, which means they burn energy to keep their body temperatures at the same level. Their front limbs are modified into wings to allow them to fly. Their bodies are covered with feathers and their feet have scales. There are 174 different kinds of birds that breed every year in Nova Scotia. Another 62 species regularly pass through or stay in the province at certain times of the year. In addition, there are other species that have been seen on rare occasions.

COMMON LOON (Gavia immer)

Size
71-89 cm
(28-35 in)

Young
2, June - July

Diet
fish

Life Span 7.5 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year-round

The common loon is a large bird, almost 1 m in length and weighing as much as 5.5 kg. It is well known for its haunting call and its extraordinary ability to swim underwater. The loon's bill is long, black and pointed. In summer, the head and neck are mostly black. The breast is white and the back has a black-and-white checkerboard appearance. In winter, the bird is gray on the upper parts and white on the underparts. The adult has red eyes when it is in breeding plumage. Its feet are webbed and set so far back on its body that movement on land for nesting is very awkward. To get airborne, loons take a long, fast (up to 100 km/h) half-run, half-flight over water.

Loons are excellent swimmers and divers, frequently submerging for about a minute. Fishes such as perch are caught in underwater chases. Loons propel themselves underwater with their feet, using the wings to spurt ahead and turn. They also feed on crustaceans, molluscs, frogs, and vegetation.

Common loons breed across North America, as well as in Iceland and Greenland. Loons nest on the shores or small floating islands of lakes, usually larger than 40 ha. Large lakes may have two or more pairs of loons. The nest is a slight depression on decaying vegetation, such as a muskrat house.

Loons are committed parents, with at least one adult remaining to guard and feed the chicks at all times. Ten or 11 weeks must pass after hatching before the young are able to fly from their lake. Lake freeze-ups force birds to coastal areas for the winter. Sub-adult (second-year) birds remain on inshore salt water for a full year before reaching breeding status.

[Species Index]

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax auritus)

Size
60-75 cm
(23-29 in)

Diet
fish

Young
3-4, May-June

Life Span 17-23 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

Cormorants are dark, large water birds with long bodies and thick necks. Bills are long and hooked at the tip, and tails are long, wide, and wedge-shaped. The legs are set back on the body, so the birds stand very upright. When perching, the birds often hold their wings out to dry. Cormorants are excellent swimmers, usually diving underwater for 20 to 30 seconds while catching fishes. They eat any fish they can catch in marine or fresh water, feeding on cod, hake, pollock, herring, gaspereau, sculpins, trout, suckers, and eels.

In the Atlantic region, there are great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) and double-crested cormorants. Double-crested cormorants occur from Newfoundland to the interior of Alberta in both marine and freshwater areas. They are four times as numerous in the province as great cormorants. Double-crested cormorants migrate to Nova Scotia in mid-April to late May and leave between mid-September and late October. A number of great cormorants winter on the south shore or Nova Scotia, while others migrate further south to the Gulf of Maine.

Cormorants nest in colonies isolated from mammalian predators and close to a supply of fish. Numerous double-crested cormorant colonies are distributed along Nova Scotia's coastline, as well as several that are located on inland lakes. There is a small but well-known double-crested cormorant colony established on the piles of the old Pictou causeway. Nests are bulky structures of sticks, weed stalks, and seaweed. When trees are used for nest sites, they quickly die from the bird droppings.

[Species Index]

GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)

Size
110-130 cm
(43-51 in)

Diet
fish, amphibians

Young
3-5, May-June

Life Span 11 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

Members of the heron family vary in size, but all have elongated bodies with long necks and long, pointed bills. They fly with the neck folded onto the back and legs trailing. Members of this group that breed in Nova Scotia include two bitterns and two herons. The most common species is the great blue heron. At 1.3 m in height and with a wingspan of 2.3 m, the great blue is the largest and the most widespread heron in North America.

Aside from their size, great blue herons can be recognized by their long, yellow bill, blue-gray body, and white head with black feather patches that stretch into short plumes. They can be found in virtually all wetland environments, salt or fresh water. They fly with deep, slow wingbeats. Their stilt like legs allow them to wade in shallow waters where they spear fishes, frogs, salamanders, snakes, and insects.

Great blue herons winter from southern New England to northern South America. They arrive in Nova Scotia in late March. They form nesting colonies near the coast, often on islands, as well as some inland areas. Rough stick nests lined with vegetation are built high in trees and are used for several years. Softwood or hardwood trees may be used for nest sites. Colonies will shift locations as the heron dropping kill the nest trees.

Eggs may be laid as early as mid-April. Both parents feed the young, sometimes hunting up to 30 km from the nest. Young herons leave the nests by late July. In late summer, the birds often concentrate on tidal bays and mud flats.

[Species Index]

CANADA GOOSE (Branta canadensis)

Size
85-110 cm
(33-43 in)

Diet
plants

Young
4-6, May-June

Life Span 18-23 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

These large, abundant, and widespread geese are well known to most North Americans. Their habit of flying in V-shaped flocks, honking as they travel, makes them highly visible. A black head and neck with a white cheek patch and throat differentiates the Canada from other geese.

Canada geese breed across North American, with the largest races breeding to the south and east. Breeding Canada geese are not common in Nova Scotia but are in scattered locations. Most geese seen in the province are among the 100,000 birds that pass through as spring and fall migrants. There are also several thousand geese that spend the winter on the southern and eastern shores of Nova Scotia.

Family ties are very strong. Canada geese usually mate for life. Females incubate the eggs and males guard the nest. Both parents are aggressive in defending the nest and the young. The young birds fly south in autumn with their parents and do not separate until returning to the breeding locality. Migrating flocks are often made up of sever families that travel to specific breeding and wintering grounds each year.

Nesting occurs in lakes, marshes, and coastal bays, and often on islets or in muskrat houses for safety. Nests are depressions with an outer lining of sticks and an inner lining of down from under the chest feathers. Canada geese usually breed in small groups in open areas where predators can easily be seen, while the geese feed on grasses and sedges. Young birds eat mostly insects then start to graze on plants like the adults. Canada geese have adapted to feeding on cereal grains and green plants cultivated for agriculture.

[Species Index]

AMERICAN BLACK DUCK (Anas rubripes)

Size
50-63 cm
(20-25 in)

Diet
plants, insects

Young
6-12, May-June

Life Span 14-20 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, some migrate for winter

American black ducks are the most widespread and abundant species of duck in Nova Scotia. They have dark brown bodies, light brown heads, olive yellow bills, and orange red legs. Their wings have purple patches on the top edge and white linings underneath that flash as they fly. An interesting feature of this duck is the side breast feathers. Males have U-shaped markings, while those of females are V-shaped.

Black ducks breed throughout the Maritimes. Nests are located on the ground under dense vegetation in woods, in fields, on islands, and along streams. After hatching, the young immediately on aquatic insects. Adult foods vary and include seeds, aquatic vegetation, and small aquatic animals like mosquito larvae. Black ducks are fond of grains, wild rice, and corn.

Black ducks are found in virtually any salt or fresh water from ocean to streams, including ponds and marshes. In coastal areas, they spend most of the daylight hours on mud flats and in salt water and then fly into grain fields and freshwater marshes for the night. Black ducks readily adjust to urban environments and can often be seen feeding and resting in town parks.

[Species Index]

COMMON EIDER (Somateria mollissima)

Size
53-71 cm
(21-28 in)

Diet
shellfish

Young
4-6, May-June

Life Span 12 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year round

Common eiders are large, heavy (2 kg) sea ducks with long, sloping foreheads. Males are easily recognized because of their contrasting patches of black on the head, flanks, and tail, with white on the chin and back. Females have a rich brown plumage with dark bars on their sides. Eiders tend to fly slow, steady, and low over the ocean and often in a long line.

Eiders are among the most northerly ducks, breeding along coastlines in North American, Europe, and Asia from arctic regions south to France and Maine. Eiders winter from Labrador to Maryland, concentrating in Nova Scotia along the southwest coast. Eiders gather on the water in flocks or "rafts." Large flocks are often found on favourite feeding grounds, where several thousand birds may be seen diving for mussels, sea urchins, and other shellfish.

Adults return to breeding areas in April, which are mostly along the south and eastern shores of Nova Scotia. Males and non-breeding birds then move to the southwestern coast of the province for the summer. Females nest on islands free of predatory mammals, often in large colonies. Eider down, famous for is warmth, is collected from the lining of nests. Down is collected in some areas of Canada, but not in Nova Scotia. Ducklings are led to shoal waters around reefs and islands right after hatching, often jumping into rough and rocky waters. While feeding, females will take turns leaving their young in rafts with other birds, known as "aunts".

[Species Index]

HARLEQUIN DUCK (Histrionicus histrionicus)

Size
35-48 cm
(14-19 in)

Diet
insects, crustaceans

Young
5-6, May-June

Life Span unknown, likely 5-10 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate here for winter

Common in the Pacific, the harlequin duck breeds from Siberia to Alaska and winters from Korea to California. In the Atlantic, this uncommon sea duck breeds from Baffin Island to Labrador and winters from Labrador to New England. Harlequins do not breed in Nova Scotia, but there is an overwintering population of about 200 individuals.

Known by a variety of common names and for its unique appearance and behaviour, the harlequin is an elegant bird. "Lords and ladies" is a common term used to describe these ducks with their boldly patterned faces and bodies. Breeding males have a gray blue head with a white crescent, a gray blue body, chestnut sides, and white stripes on the back. Females are dark gray brown with two or three white spots on the head. Harlequins are short-billed, and small at 35 cm to 48 cm in length. Harlequins are short-billed, and small at 35 cm to 48 cm in length. In flight they are fast and agile, keeping low over the water. They have noticeably pointed tails.

Harlequins nest in clumps of bushes or rock crevices along fast-moving streams and rivers. In breeding habitat, they feed on the larvae of black flies, midges, and caddis flies. They are able to swim and walk underwater to search for food. Another local name is "rock duck:" because these birds inhabit the rough surf close to rocky coastlines when not breeding. They are often seen in winter with groups of eider ducks. Harlequins feed on small aquatic crustaceans that live in dense growths of kelp.

A combination of factors tends to keep harlequin duck numbers low. Sexual maturity is delayed for two to three years, only five to six eggs are usually laid, and breeding is easily affected by a fluctuating food supply. The small and apparently declining numbers led to designation in 1990 for the Atlantic Canada population as a species-at-risk.

[Species Index]

COMMON MERGANSER (Mergus merganser)

Size
53-68 cm
(21-27 in)

Diet
fish

Young
8-12, May-July

Life Span unknown

Activity Pattern diurnal, year round

There are three species of mergansers found in Nova Scotia and the rest of Canada: the hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus), the red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator), and the common merganser. All three species are diving ducks with spikelike bills and saw-edged jaws for catching fish. They are long, slender-bodied birds that fly with their bill, head, body, and tail aligned in the same plane.

Male and female common mergansers have thin red bills and white breasts and wing patches. They differ in that males have smooth black to green heads and lots of white on the body, while females have cinnamon brown heads with ragged crests and gray bodies.

Common mergansers winter from Newfoundland to Florida, mostly in open fresh waters. They breed in the boreal regions of Asia, Europe, and North America, as well as mountainous areas further south. They frequent freshwater streams, rivers, and lakes across Nova Scotia. Clear water is preferred for sight feeding on small fishes.

Hooded an common mergansers are more restricted to forested areas, as they both nest in tree cavities, unlike the ground-nesting red-breasted mergansers. Common mergansers have also been known to nest in buildings, holes in banks or cliffs, and under brush if suitable hollow trees or old woodpecker holes were not available. Ducklings are led to water immediately after hatching. Females with young often gradually move downstream to tidal waters.

[Species Index]

OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)

Size
53-62 cm
(21-24 in)

Diet
fish

Young
2-4, May-June

Life Span 18-21 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

The osprey is the provincial bird of Nova Scotia. These large birds of prey are found near water on all continents except Antarctica. They are smaller than eagles, but larger than hawks, with bodies 53 cm to 62 cm long and wingspans of 135 cm to 183 cm. They can be recognized from a distance by their large size, white underparts, and long wings with black marks at the crooks in their wrists. Ospreys are summer migrants to Nova Scotia, usually arriving in April. They are most common in coastal areas with shallow bays and estuaries but also frequent lakes with abundant fish.

Ospreys live almost exclusively on fish. Their feet have long, sharp talons, with flexible outer toes and horny spines that are adapted for catching and holding fish. Ospreys hunt over water, hovering in the air just before their spectacular feet-first dive, often fully submerging. They rise out of the water with their powerful wings, shake off the excess water, and carry off the fish in a streamlined head-first position. Along the coast they feed primarily on tomcod and flounder, and in fresh water they often catch suckers, perch, and gaspereau.

Nests are conspicuous, massive structures of sticks that are re-used from year to year. Nests are usually built close to water, but the birds will nest inland if necessary. Typically, nests are constructed in living or dead trees that are taller or somehow more obvious than surrounding trees. Ospreys will also nest on cliff tops or on the ground and use alternate nest sites such as power poles. Many ospreys have been successfully attracted to artificial nest platforms. In some areas, ospreys will nest in colonies an follow each other to supplies of fish.

Both parents feed fish to the young birds at the nest until they fledge in August. Ospreys from Nova Scotia will migrate in the fall to the southern United States, Central and South America. Adults will return here to breed the next summer, but sub-adults (second-year birds) will remain on the wintering grounds. There are currently about 400 breeding pairs of adults osprey in the province.

[Species Index]

BALD EAGLE (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Size
76-94 cm
(30-37 in)

Diet
fish, carrion

Young
1-3, May

Life Span 15-20 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year round

The bald eagle is an impressively large wildlife symbol to many people an can usually be recognized from a distance by its size. Eagles are almost 1 m long with wingspreads of 2 m to 2.5 m and weight 3 kg to 5.5 kg. Adult birds have the distinctive white heads and tails with yellow bills and feet, which contrast with their dark brown bodies. Immature birds are chocolate brown with varying amount of white on the body. They gradually show more white on their heads and tails each year, reaching full adult plumage at five years of age.

Bald eagles can frequently be seen soaring or perched over water where they swoop down to catch any available fish. Cod, flounder, and eels are common summer food items in Cape Breton, while tomcod are an important winter food source in central Nova Scotia. They also scavenge for a large portion of their diet, eating stranded or dead animals. In winter, they will try to take ducks such as mergansers.

Breeding sites are associated with large bodies of water such as lakes, river estuaries, and sea coasts. There are over 200 breeding pairs in Nova Scotia, with the highest concentration of nests around Bras d'Or Lake in Cape Breton.

Eagles will remain close to their nesting sites in fall and winter as long as they can feed. Wintering habitat includes open coastal or brackish water near river estuaries where the eagles can still catch fish and waterfowl. Bras d'Or Lake, Shubenacadie River, Minas Basin, and the South Shore region are well known wintering areas. In winter, bald eagles will also concentrate in agricultural areas such as the eastern Annapolis Valley, where farmers provide large numbers of eagles with dead livestock and poultry.

A mated pair often builds more than one nest in their nesting territory. They will use the same nesting area year after year, but may alternate between nests. Nests sites typically overlook water, although the nest may be located in a ravine over a kilometre from a shoreline. Nests are built 10 m to 1.3 m in diameter and 1.2 m thickness, with more sticks added each year. They can weight several kilograms an can be several metres deep. Courtship and nest building or repair occurs in late March and eggs are usually laid in April. Females do most of the incubating, but both adults feed the young at the nest until they can fly in late July.

[Species Index]

RED-TAILED HAWK(Buteo jamaicensis)

Size
48-61 cm
(19-24 in)

Diet
rodents

Young
2-4, April-May

Life Span 14-17 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year round

The red-tail is one of the most visible hawks in the province due to its size and relative abundance. These hawks vary greatly in feather colours, but are large birds. The buteo (type of hawk) outline of broad, rounded wings, broad tail, and stocky body is clearly visible in flight. Dark heads on all ages an the rusty red upper side of the adult tail distinguish this hawk from others. Immature birds have grayish brown tails with narrow, dark bands. Partially albino forms are seen occasionally.

Eastern red-tailed hawks are associated with open woodlands, fields, and cut overs. Open areas suit the hunting type of red-tails, which soar in wide circles or perch at the edge

of clearings. The bulk of a red-tail's diet consists of rodents. They also eat small birds, snakes, and frogs, and are capable of taking larger prey such as hares and grouse.

Some red-tailed hawks migrate to the United States in October. Overwintering birds include breeders that stay and some northern birds that migrate south to Nova Scotia. In winter these hawks often scavenge near farms and poultry plants.

Nests are built with large sticks and lined with finer materials. There may be two or three nests constructed close to each other, and the same pair will use one or more of these year after year. Hardwood forests are favoured as nest sites.

[Species Index]

PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus)

Size
38-54 cm
(15-21 in)

Diet
birds

Young
3-5, May-June

Life Span 15-20 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

Falcons are swift, powerful, and agile birds of prey known for their diving abilities. Their streamlined shape includes long, pointed wings and long, narrow tails. In Nova Scotia, there are three members of the falcon family: American kestrel (Falco sparverius), merlin (Falco columbarius), and the rare peregrine falcon. Peregrine adults are blue gray on the upper parts and white on the underparts with dark barring. Immature birds are brown on the upper parts and white on the underparts with dark streaking. Peregrine falcons of all ages have boldly marked, dark "moustache," and females are larger than males. An adult female is 46 cm to 54 cm and an adult male is 38 cm to 46 cm.

Peregrine falcons breed in most regions from Alaska to South America and Norway to Australia. They typically nest on cliff ledges near water and an abundant source of prey. They dig out hollows in rocks, gravel, and soil to keep their eggs from rolling off the cliff.

The peregrine falcon is one of the fastest birds in the world and is sometimes called the duck hawk. It feeds on songbirds, shorebirds, seabirds, pigeons, and ducks. In a dive after prey, or "stoop," the peregrine has been timed at speeds up to 290 km/h. Prey is often struck so powerfully by the large taloned feet that it is killed instantly in the air.

In the 1960's, peregrine falcon populations were virtually wiped out in eastern North America by the effects of pesticides, especially DDT. Peregrine falcons are designated as a species-at-risk in Canada. Re-introductions of captive peregrine nestlings were started in the Maritimes in 1982. Birds are now nesting in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. However, peregrine are migratory and may be exposed to pesticides in Latin American countries where they winter.

[Species Index]

RING-NECKED PHEASANT (Phasianus colchicus)

Size
50-90 cm
(20-35 in)

Young
8-15, May -June

Diet
plants, insects

Life Span 8 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year-round

Pheasants are large chicken like birds with long, sweeping, pointed tails. They are fast runners and strong flyers. The brightly coloured males are unmistakeable with their red face patch, white necklace, and shiny green, blue, or purple patches on their necks and backs. The main body colour of both sexes is golden brown, and they have long, bare legs. Females are smaller at 50 cm to 63 cm, while males are 75 cm to 90 cm long.

Pheasants inhabit farmland, using crop fields and strips of cover such as hedges, ditches, and patches of shrubs like wild rose and hawthorn. They feed on grain, seeds, fruit, and insects. Hens nest between late April and mid-July in fields or at the edge of wooded areas. Nests are depressions in the ground lined with grass or leaves and are well hidden by vegetation.

Pheasants are native to Asia and were introduced to Europe, New Zealand, and North America. A series of unsuccessful introductions to Nova Scotia took place between the mid-1800's and 1935, when a breeding population was established in the Annapolis Valley. Small local releases of pen-reared pheasants have allowed the bird to spread and become resident in scattered areas of western and central Nova Scotia. Their range is limited by snow cover on natural feeding areas in winter. In some ways, they are sustained by feeding stations. The young are particularly vulnerable to cold, wet weather, so mortality may be high.

[Species Index]

RUFFED GROUSE (Bonasa umbellus)

Size
40-48 cm
(16-19 in)

Young
9-12, May - June

Diet
plants

Life Span 8-11 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year-round

Ruffed grouse, often called partridge, are chicken like birds that are widespread, permanent residents throughout Canada and the United States. Two other species of grouse found in Nova Scotia include the introduced and uncommon Hungarian or gray partridge (Perdix perdix) and the relatively common spruce grouse (Dendragapus canadensis). Spruce grouse are usually in softwood-dominated forests of spruce, fir, or larch. Ruffed grouse associate mostly with hardwood and mixed wood areas. They are often in or near edges of thick cover, streams, openings, alder patches, and orchards. They feed on various plant parts such as buds, leaves, flowers, berries, and apples.

Ruffed grouse vary from mottled grays and browns to chestnut reds on the back with white underneath. The fan-shape tail has several small wavy bands, and one large black band at the end. When courting or defending its young, the bird will usually fan out its tail and raise its black neck ruffs, for which it is named.

Ruffed grouse are best known for their "drumming" courtship and territorial display frequently heard in spring and occasionally in fall. Males stand on logs or rocks and beat their wings forward rapidly. They produce a muffled thumping that quickens into a whir, like the sound of a motor starting . One male may mate with several females, who nest and raise young on their own. Nests are slight hollows in the ground lined with leaves and feathers, usually under trees, logs, rocks, or brush piles. Chicks follow the female and begin feeding on insects and leaves within hours after hatching. They can fly short distances by five to six days of age.

Ruffed grouse show several adaptations for survival. They switch from a summer diet of green plant parts to a winter diet of tree buds and shrubs, ensuring a relatively constant food supply. They develop feathers and horny growths on their legs to help them keep warn and to grasp branches in winter. In very cold temperatures they will dive under powdery snow to conserve heat. When avoiding predators, they may run or freeze in position, their mottled colour helping to hide them, or they may burst into rapid flight with a startling flutter of wings.

[Species Index]

PIPING PLOVER (Charadrius melodus)

Size
15-19 cm
(6-7.5 in)

Young
4, June

Diet
marine worms, insects

Life Span 8-11 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

The piping plover is a small, stocky bird with upper parts the colour of dry sand and a white rump patch visible in flight. Breeding adults have an orange base to their stubby black bill, bright orange legs, a black bar across the forehead, and a black ring around the neck. Winter birds and juveniles show only black on the bill, dull orange legs, and no black bands on the head or neck. The semipalmated plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) is a more common relative that has mud-brown upper parts the colour of wet sand and lacks the white rump patch.

Piping plovers breed on the shores of both fresh and salt water in the prairie provinces. Great Lakes region, and all four Atlantic provinces. They winter along coasts from Texas to North Carolina. Their name comes from the call notes, a constant piping that sounds like "peep" or "peep-lo." Like other plovers, they run in short starts and stops. The pale feathers blend into the open sandy shores where the birds feed and nest. In Nova Scotia, over half the nests are found along the South Shore. Piping plovers also nest on scattered beaches near Sydney, Antigonish, Pictou, Canso, and Halifax. In the early 1990's, the total number of nesting pairs was roughly 60.

Piping plovers return to their breeding grounds in late March or early April. A mated pair will form a depression in the sand above the high water mark, which may be lined with a few small stones or shell fragments. Both adults incubate the four eggs for about 25 days, and the young are mobile soon after hatching. All ages feed on marine worms, crustaceans, and insects that they pluck from the sand. Young birds can fly after about 30 days. Plovers often gather in groups on undisturbed beaches before they migrate south in August.

The population of piping plovers has declined drastically since the 1940's, and the species was declared a species-at-risk in the late 1980's. Several factors are contributing to the population decline along the Atlantic Coast. Shoreline developments have reduced the amount of coastal nesting and feeding habitat. Increasing human use of beaches has led to destruction of nests and of young by foot or vehicular traffic. As well, increasing garbage levels attract predators such as raccoons, skunks, and foxes. Both the eggs and young of piping plovers are so well camouflaged that they are difficult to detect. With excessive disturbance when predators, pets or humans approach, adults may desert the nest or try to lead intruders away with a broken wing display. Unattended eggs or young are susceptible to heat, predators, starvation, and stress.

[Species Index]

AMERICAN WOODCOCK (Scolopax minor)

Size
25-30 cm
(10-12 in)

Young
4, May

Diet
earthworms

Life Span 5-8.5 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

Woodcock occur in southern regions of Canada from Manitoba to Newfoundland. They migrate to all parts of Nova Scotia in March for the breeding season. They leave for the swamps of the southeastern United States in October or November. They are plump, short-legged, and have rounded wings.

The top of the head is crossed with dark bars and the underparts are reddish brown. The upper parts are mixture of rust, black, brown, and gray, similar to the colour of dead leaves. When nesting in early spring, females blend into the ground vegetation before new green growth emerges.

This is a bird with several unusual characteristics. Woodcock are technically shorebirds but live in upland areas. Regenerating fields and cut overs, moist mixed woods and hardwoods, and alder-willow swales are preferred habitats. Woodcock feed primarily on earthworms, so they require soft, moist soils for probing with their bills. Their long and slender bills have flexible tips that can open underground to grab worms. Their large, dark eyes provide keen vision while they are active at night.

Woodcocks are not often seen, but they are easily heard during spring courtship. Displays usually take place at dawn and dusk in open site with patches of young trees. While on the ground, males call with a distinctive nasal "peent." Every few minutes they fly up with twittering sounds produced by the wings, and do an erratic sky dance. Then they dive rapidly with low whistles that sound like kisses.

[Species Index]

HERRING GULL (Larus argentatus)

Size
58-66 cm
(23-26 in)

Young
3, May - June

Diet
omnivore

Life Span 15-18 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year-round

Three species of gulls breed in Nova Scotia; great black-backed gulls (Larus marinus), black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), and herring gulls. Several other specie are seen in the fall and winter. Herring gulls are the most abundant, widespread, and familiar gull in North America. They are often called seagulls, despite the fact that herring gulls rarely travel far from the coast and often inhabit inland areas.

Adult herring gulls are large, with white heads and chests, pale gray backs, and black wing tips with conspicuous white spots. Two features that are different from similar gulls are the pink flesh-coloured legs and an orange spot on the thick yellow bill. Juvenile gulls are dark brown, gradually showing less brown and more gray over four years as they reach breeding age.

Herring gulls tend to nest in coastal colonies of 20 to 200 pairs, often amidst cormorants or terns. Nests are depressions in the ground lined with grass, moss, or seaweed. They often feed on the eggs and young of other bird species nesting the same area. They are omnivorous birds and also eat insects, berries, fish, crab, shellfish, sea urchins, mice, and dead animals. The herring gull is a scavenger adapted to feeding on anything available at landfill sites, sewer outlets, poultry processing plants, and freshly ploughed fields.

[Species Index]

ROSEATE TERN (Sterna dougallii)

Size
35-40 cm
(14-16 in)

Young
2-3, June

Diet
fish

Life Span 7-9 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

The roseate tern is the rarest of the three terns that regularly breed in Nova Scotia. It nests on islands amidst colonies of common terns (Sterna hirundo) and arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea). All three species are the same size, have gray upper parts, white underparts, and a black cap. Roseate terns have longer tails and a black, rather than red, bill.

Roseate terns are a coastal species. They dive in shallow salt waters for fish, especially sand lance. In early to mid-June, they can be found in breeding colonies where they will lay two to three eggs in an unlined ground nest. The young are ready to migrate by late July or early August.

The few scattered and known nesting sites are on islands along the south and eastern shores of the province. There are estimated to be about 100 breeding pairs in Nova Scotia. Roseate terns also breed in other locations along the Atlantic coast south to Virginia, as well as from Britain to Africa, China, the Philippines, Australia, and some South Pacific islands. In the Americas, roseate terns winter from the West Indies to Brazil.

The number of roseate terns in eastern Canada may have always been small, but it is currently declining. Predation of eggs and young by gulls and human predation in wintering areas are important limiting factors. In Canada this bird has been designated as a species-at-risk.

[Species Index]

ATLANTIC PUFFIN (Fratercula arctica)

Size
29-35 cm
(11-14 in)

Young
1, July

Diet
fish

Life Span 21 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

Most people can immediately recognize a picture of a puffin. Fishermen call the puffin a "sea parrot" because of its large red, blue and yellow triangular bill. Both males and females have this distinctive bill. Other obvious features are the chunky black and white body, orange legs, and white face. Puffins are less conspicuous in their winter plumage with gray faces and darker, yellow-tipped bills and legs. The colourful outer bill sheath is shed each fall and grows back in the spring. A puffin's age can be estimated fairly accurately by the number of vertical grooves on the bill.

Atlantic puffins breed from Europe to Maine, with several million in Iceland. Most of the North American birds are in Newfoundland (270,000 pairs), with 850 pairs in New Brunswick, and only 70 pairs in Nova Scotia. Known colonies in the province are on the Bird Islands off Cape Breton, Pearl Island near Lunenburg, and the Tusket Islands near Yarmouth.

Puffins nest in island colonies, using ground burrows or rock crevices for protection from predators. Each mated pair only raises one young puffin. Adults feed the young at the burrows, where they remain until fledged, for safety from foxes, gulls, and other predators. Puffins have been linked to flying submarines, as they catch capelin and sand lance by underwater pursuit. They typically carry fish sideways in their bills, and can hold as many as a dozen at a time.

[Species Index]

BARRED OWL (Strix varia)

Size
43-60 cm
(17-23 in)

Young
2-3, April

Diet
voles, shrews

Life Span 9 years

Activity Pattern nocturnal, year-round

The two common large owls of North America are the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) and the barred owl. The barred owl is our most common owl. It has a large head, no ear tufts, and dark eyes (other owls have yellow eyes). This grayish brown owl is named for the barring across the neck and upper breast and has streaks running down the body. Its familiar nine-note hoot sounds like "who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all."

Barred owls reside year round in Nova Scotia. They inhabit mature woods, especially mixed woods near open areas such as lakes, streams, marshes, and fields. They prefer to nest in tree cavities, but will also use large stick nests of other birds. Barred owls will use artificial nest sites such as next boxes.

The young owls are fed at the nest by both adults for most of the summer. Barred owls generally hunt small prey with their relatively weak talons. Small mammals like voles and shrews are their main food sources. Other prey include frogs, salamanders, snakes, insects, fish, and earthworms.

All owls have special adaptations for night hunting. Their eyes can function in very low light conditions and their hearing is enhanced by the shape of their head. The leading edge of the flight feathers have a frayed edge that allows them to fly virtually without sound. Barred owls can occasionally be seen resting or even hunting in the daytime.

[Species Index]

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Archilochus colubris)

Size
8-9 cm
(3-4 in)

Young
2, June - July

Diet
flower nectar

Life Span 5 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

The only hummingbird to occur throughout most of eastern North America, the ruby-throated possesses the typical hummingbird characteristics of small size, rapid wingbeats, and nectar-feeding habits. Their tiny wings move so rapidly in flight (55 to 75 beats a second) that they produce a characteristic humming sound. They can fly rapidly forward, short distances backward, or remain stationary in the air as they feed. Both sexes are glossy green above, including the crown, and mostly white below. Adult males have brilliant metallic-red throats.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are seasonal migrants, arriving in the province early in May and flying south usually in August. They winter from Mexico to Costa Rica. They breed throughout Nova Scotia. The courtship display of the male includes a flight that looks like the swing of a pendulum. In this dive display, the male rises 3 m to 5 m on each side in a U-shape, with a loud buzz of the wings at the bottom of the arc.

Nests are built on tree limbs 3 m to 5 m above the ground. The nest cup is made of bud scales, plant down, and bits of lichen held together with spider silk. The two white eggs the size of large peas are incubated by the female for 16 days, then she feeds the young on the nest for 2 to 3 weeks and off the nest for up to a month.

Hummingbirds feed on small insects, tree sap, and especially nectar obtained from flowers. They may be found around gardens, orchards, and forest openings or edges. They are aggressive, defending the territory where they find their food. Their main requirements are flowers, which provide insects and nectar, and are located close to trees or tall shrubs for nesting, perching, and shelter.

[Species Index]

HAIRY WOODPECKER (Picoides villosus)

Size
22-26 cm
(7-10 in)

Young
3-5, May - June

Diet
insects

Life Span 7-13 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year-round

In Nova Scotia, there are two common black-and-white woodpeckers with white backs. Both species have a black eye stripe and "moustache," with a white eyebrow and line under the eye. Males have a small red patch on the back of the head, females have no red marks, and juveniles have red on the crown of their heads. The medium size (24 cm), longer-billed hairy woodpecker is often confused with the similar, smaller (15 cm) downy woodpecker.

Hairy woodpeckers reside year-round and breed throughout the province. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, from coniferous forests to hardwood swamps. They are more common in open woodlands than in dense forest or settled lands with few trees. Hairy woodpeckers are shyer than the downy and are seen less often near bird feeders and suburban areas.

The hairy's sharp "peek" calls draw attention, as do its loud drumming signals. Territories of this woodpecker species are around 8 ha, and individual birds may range more widely in a day. They forage mainly on trunks of trees and shrubs, feeding almost exclusively on insects.

Woodpeckers excavate their own nesting cavities in trees each spring. The hard outer bark helps protect nests from predators like raccoons. Hairy woodpeckers usually nest in live or dead aspens and birches within hardwood or mixed wood stands. Hairy woodpecker young are so noisy that their nests can usually be located by sound from a considerable distance. Cavities dug out by woodpeckers can later be used by other wildlife species such as flying squirrels and swallows.

[Species Index]

TREE SWALLOW (Tachycineta bicolor)

Size
12-15 cm
(5-6 in)

Young
4-6, May - June

Diet
insects

Life Span 5-9 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate for winter

The Latin bicolor aptly describes the two colours characteristic of this swallow species. A line that runs from the bill, below the eye, back to the tail separates two colours. Adult males have shiny, dark greenish blue upper parts, while adult females and juveniles have brown upper parts. Tree, bank (Riparia riparia), and cliff swallows (Hirundo pyrrhonota) are all about the same size, with slightly notched tails. The two largest swallows in Nova Scotia are the purple martin (Progne subis) and the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), which has a deeply forked tail.

Tree swallows winter in the southern United States and Central America, migrating north to breed from Alaska to Newfoundland. They are generally the first swallows to return to the province each spring. Some tree swallows die from cold and starvation, wet weather, or lack of insects in April or early May.

All swallows are streamlined, aerial insect eaters. Tree swallows tend to forage over water bodies, from bogs and marshes to lakes and streams. Flooded areas such as beaver ponds with their abundant supply of flying insects attract large concentrations of nesting birds. Tree swallows nest tree cavities and readily use artificial nest boxes. They line their nests with grass and feathers. Both sexes incubate the eggs and feed the young.

[Species Index]

BLUE JAY (Cyanocitta cristata)

Size
28-31 cm
(11-12 in)

Young
4-6, May - June

Diet
omnivore

Life Span 5-15 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year-round

Blue jays are familiar to everyone since they are noisy and brightly coloured birds with an unmistakable crest. They have an extensive repertoire of calls. Slightly longer than a robin, this jay is essentially blue on top with white underneath. It has white spots on the wing and tail and a black necklace.

Jays are part of the crow family, which also includes crows, ravens, and gray jays. One can tell Nova Scotia’s two jays apart quite easily, as the gray jay (Perisoreus canadensis) has a contrasting white and dark gray head, light gray body, and no crest. Bray jays associate with spruce and fir forests, while blue fays favour mixed and hardwood forests. Members of the crow family have the highest degree of intelligence among birds.

Blue fays eat fruit, invertebrates, insects, grains and acorns, as well as eggs and nestlings of other birds. They frequent settled areas, especially when bird feeders are available. While both types of jays store food, gray jays find most of what they hide, but blue jays horde more than they can relocate.

There is a tendency for blue jays to move southwards within Nova Scotia for the winter. Winter numbers vary considerably in the northeast from year to year. Blue jays breed from Alberta to Newfoundland, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. Blue jays are very secretive when nesting. Nests made of twigs and rootlets, lined with grass or feathers are usually placed 2 m to 8 m high in a coniferous tree.

[Species Index]

COMMON RAVEN (Corvus corax)

Size
56-67 cm
(22-26 in)

Young
3-5, March - April

Diet
omnivore

Life Span 24.5 yeears (captive)

Activity Pattern diurnal, year-round

Ravens are adaptable and wide-ranging birds breeding from Alaska to Eurasia to the mountains of Central America. They overwinter on most of their breeding range, as they do in Nova Scotia. The common raven is a large (56 cm to 67 cm), all-black bird similar to the smaller American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) (43 cm to 53 cm). Ravens have long, rounded wings, wedge-shaped tails, thick bills, and shaggy throat feathers. Crows have smaller bills and shorter, squared tails. Raven calls are hoarse, low-pitched croaks, quite different from the soft caws of a crow. Crows tend to jump directly int the air and fly with fast, continuous wingbeats. Ravens need to hop two or three times before they get airborne. Once in flight, ravens are amazing acrobats and will soar, dive, tumble, and roll.

Ravens are usually solitary or in pairs, while crows are often in flocks. Ravens mate for life, repairing and re-using their nests each year. Nests are made of large sticks and lined with soft materials such as moss, fur, and hair. Ravens will usually nest in coniferous trees, particularly spruce, or on cliff sides. Males, and occasionally offspring from previous years, help the females feed the nestlings.

Ravens tend to inhabit wooded areas, while crows prefer settled and agricultural areas. Ravens are omnivorous, eating virtually anything they can scavenge or catch. They may be seen in larger groups when edible wastes are easily available such as at garbage dumps.

[Species Index]

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE (Parus atricapillus)

Size
12-14 cm
(5-6 in)

Young
6-8, May - July

Diet
insects

Life Span 5-12.5 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year-round

Black-capped chickadees range from the southern Yukon to Newfoundland. These active little birds are present year-round throughout Nova Scotia. People can easily recognize their most distinctive call (“chicka-dee-dee-dee”) and appearance (black cap and bib on a gray-and-white body). The song of the male chickadee is actually a whistled “fee-bee,” with the first part stronger. They are the same size as the less common boreal chickadee (Parus hudsonicus), which has a brown cap.

Boreal and black-capped chickadees dig holes in the decaying tree stumps for nests. They will also use natural cavities, old woodpecker holes, and artificial nest boxes. The nest is formed inside the cavity with moss, hair, feathers, or vegetation. Black-capped chickadee females usually lay a first nest in late May and often again in June or July. Eggs are incubated for 13 days by the female, and then both adults feed the young at the nest for about 12 days.

Both species of chickadees are found across Canada. They inhabit virtually all forested regions, as well as urban areas. Black-capped chickadees live in hardwoods, mixed woods, and softwoods. Boreal chickadees tend to be in softwoods and mixed woods. Chickadees usually roam through woods checking branches for insects and insect eggs. Insects make up most of their diet, but they also eat seeds and small fruit.

[Species Index]

AMERICAN ROBIN (Turdis migratorius)

Size
23-28 cm
(9-11 in)

Young
4, May - September

Diet
earthworms

Life Span 4-11.5 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate in winter

Brick red breasts, dark gray backs, and yellow bills of adult robins are easily recognized as they move around lawns and fields. Juvenile robins quickly reach adult size, but are less vivid in colour with pale orange breasts and gray heads and bodies. Juveniles reveal the robin to be a member of the thrush family, as they have the characteristic black spots on their breast. Adults and juveniles both have white “spectacles” around the eyes, and adults here in the east have white edges to their tails.

Robins winter from southern Canada to Mexico. Fall flocks of migrating robins usually leave Nova Scotia in late October or early November. Robins are early risers each day and early spring migrants. Most people associate the first sighting of robins in late March with the arrival of spring, although a few birds overwinter in the province.

Robins breed throughout North America, from the northern tree line to the Gulf of Mexico. They usually build their nests 1 m to 5 m up in trees or bushes, but they also nest on the ground or in the recesses of buildings. Nests are made with bases of twigs or grasses, formed into a cup shape with walls of mud and lined with the fine grasses. The first set of four blue eggs are usually laid by late April. A pair of adults may raise two or three broods in a summer.

Feeding mostly on insects, worms, and fruit, robins live in a broad range of habitats. Woodlots and thickets from open woodlands and farms provide cover and nesting places, while open fields are ideal feeding sites. In residential areas, trees and shrubs are nesting and resting spots, while lawns are favoured hunting areas. Forest openings, edges, burns, and cut overs are preferred, while dense forest cover is not commonly inhabited.

[Species Index]

EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris)

Size
19-21.5 cm
(7.5-8.5 in)

Young
4-6, May - July

Diet
omnivore

Life Span 5-16 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, year-round

Starlings were introduced to New York City from Europe in 1890 and now number in the millions in North America. They breed from Mexico almost to the tree line in Canada. Northern populations migrate to southern Canada and the United States for winter. This common bird resembles a blackbird, but has a short, stubby tail and triangular wings. Breeding starlings have glossy black plumage with purple and green reflections, reddish brown legs, and yellow bills. In Autumn the bills are dark and white spots develop on the body feathers.

Starlings frequent rural and urban areas, adapting easily to meet feeding and nesting requirements. As omnivores, they feed mainly on insects and fruit, but they also readily consume human food wastes. They prefer open feeding sites such as pastures, fields, lawns, landfills, marshes, and shorelines. They also tend to restrict their nesting to open regions.

Starlings are cavity-nesters and may use tree holes, openings in building walls, cliff crevices, nest boxes, and rural mailboxes. Sticks or grasses are used to line the nest cavity. First nests are started in late April or early May, and often a second brood is raised in one season. They are aggressive and exclude other competitors such as flickers from nest sites.

Starlings can be seen from late summer through the winter because of their numbers and flocking behaviour. Dense flocks of starlings are noticeable for flying with precise manoeuvres like shorebirds. Large numbers of starlings, often in the thousands, form roosts on building ledges, under bridges, and in trees. Roosting birds keep up a chorus of whistles, clicks, clucks, squeaks, rattles, and gurgles. Wolf whistles are common, and starlings can also mimic some songbirds and waterfowl.

[Species Index]

YELLOW WARBLER (Dendroica petechia)

Size
11-13 cm
(4-5 in)

Young
4-5, June - July

Diet
insects, seeds

Life Span 5-7 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate in winter

Wood warblers are one group of small, active songbirds. They typically have small thin bills, feed on insects, and are brightly coloured. There are 22 wood warbler species that breed in Nova Scotia, including the yellow warbler. This bird breeds across Canada--from the tree line south to Peru-- and winters from Mexico to Peru.

This is the only warbler that is virtually all yellow in colour. Males have chestnut streaks on the breast, females have greenish yellow backs, and all have characteristic yellow patches on the short tail.

Yellow warblers live at the edges of different habitat types. They are often found in shrubs and thickets in wet areas, especially near alders and willows, and are common in towns and gardens. Nests made of plants, bark, and even cotton wool or twine on the outside are found in the forked branches of shrubs, 1 m to 2.5 m above ground. The inner cup of the nest has fine grasses, hair, and plant down such as dandelion fuzz.

Brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) often lay their eggs in yellow warbler nests. Cowbirds save energy and can produce greater numbers of young by using other bird species to raise their offspring. The warblers often seal off the nest layer containing cowbird eggs and start a new clutch of their own eggs.

[Species Index]

SONG SPARROW (Melospiza melodia)

Size
14-18 cm
(5-7 in)

Young
3-5, May - August

Diet
insects, seeds

Life Span 2.5-10 years

Activity Pattern diurnal, migrate in winter

Sparrows are generally small, brown and white in colour, and have dark streaks on the body. Song sparrows strongly resemble the other eight sparrows that commonly breed in Nova Scotia. On the song sparrow, the dark body streaks merge to form a dark spot on the breast. Two other characteristics are the habit of pumping the tail in flight and a cheerful melodious song.

The song begins with two or three loud notes “sweet, sweet, sweet” followed by a trill dropping in pitch, then several short notes that run down to the end of the song. This bird is a persistent songster, continuing into autumn well after most birds stop singing. Most song sparrows winter in the United States, with some in southern British Columbia, Ontario, and the Maritimes. Of the few overwintering individuals, some start weak songs as early as January. Migrants begin to sing as soon as they arrive in late March and early April.

Song sparrows are common and widespread across most of Canada and are abundant in Nova Scotia. They are found in waterside shrubbery, woodland edges, farmland thickets, hedgerows, and bushes near buildings. They feed on insects, seeds, and occasionally fruit. Song sparrows start their first nest in May, usually nesting in grass, but may place subsequent nests in low trees or shrubs later in the season.