Gilligallou's Blog — bird identification

This week we’re featuring the stunning Rough Legged Hawk. While this bird spends most of its time in the arctic it can be found in this area during migration. Mainly residing along large bodies of water and fields. They can be spotted from their boldly patterned plumage and large broad wings and can most commonly be found hovering over fields searching for their prey.  If you’re looking to spot this wonderful raptor, continue reading for details on where and how to identify them both physically and vocally.  Identification The Rough Legged Hawk can easily be identified by their boldly patterned...

One of the earliest mating seasons of all the birds here in North America, these birds have already begun the process of selecting a mate. While many birds are polygamous in their mate selection from year-to-year, common ravens are typically monogamous in nature, often selecting a mate for life. For this reason, common ravens will not actually breed until they are between two and four years of age, making this whole process even more amazing to behold.

In addition to our chickadees, nuthatches and winter finches, owls are an absolute favourite of ours and many others. This is a great time of year to grab a friend or two, head out into the field and organize your own owl prowl and see what kind of species you can find here in the greater Ottawa area.

With well over 100 different New World species to choose from here in North America, there is no shortage of opportunities to interact with these fascinating birds and if you ask us, you’d be hard-pressed to find another group as interesting. But what is it that makes these birds so special…so unique?  Well, there’s plenty! With this in mind, let’s break down some common warbler characteristics that make them so special to us here at Gilligallou.