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Black Capped Chickadee 13-15 cm all year

These very curious year round residents keep the forest around the HICOP's bird feeders alive. In the winter they can be enticed to land on an outstretched hand if it contains sunflower seeds. Bring your own seed or ask us for some.

Dark-eyed Junco 14-17 cm winter

This winter visitor is one of Ontario's most common birds. It is a ground feeder so it is most often seen scrounging underneath the bird feeders for seed dropped by perching birds.

Downy Woodpecker 15-18 cm all year

We have seen two pairs of Downys and one of the larger Hairy Woodpeckers at our feeders. The Downey is probably the tamest of all the woodpeckers and they seem quite tolerant of us.

photo courtesy of John Christie

Hairy Woodpecker 19-24 cm all year

These are often confused with their smaller cousins the Downy Woodpecker. Woodpeckers have long tongues that are often cut and torn on the suet bags hung by good meaning humans. Care must be taken when selecting mesh bags for home made suet bags.

Pine Siskin 11-13 cm all year

The pine siskin is rarely seen in the bush but is easily coaxed to feeders. We have seen a number of them at the feeder. They can be confused with sparrows but the bright yellow in the wings and tail is a giveaway.

Red-breasted Nuthatch 11 cm all year

Nuthatches are fun to watch because they come to the feeder like a rocket. They flip empty shells aside to get at a good one and in doing so they help tidy up the feeders. They quickly grab a good seed and speed off again. These can be differentiated from their white breasted cousins by their red underside and the black slash across their eye.

White-breasted Nuthatch 15 cm all year

The white breasted nuthatch is another common visitor to our feeders. Both nuthatches are easily spotted on tree trunks because of their habit of going head first down the trunk. Unlike their red-breasted cousins these have a white underside and no black across their eyes.

Tree Sparrow 15-16 cm winter

These sparrows are common at feeders in winter but they migrate north for the summer. They look very much like a field sparrow but they are easily identified by the black dot on their breast.

American Goldfinch 11-14 cm all year

Goldfinches are another common visitor to our feeders. Their yellow colour adds a nice brightness to the feeders during a rather drab winter. Flocks of Goldfinches fly in a distinctive undulating pattern. They love dandelions and that is likely why I have so many Goldfinches around my home.

photo courtesy of John Christie

Red Bellied Woodpecker 23-27 cm all year

This is the rarest of Ontario's woodpeckers so it was a treat to see one near our feeder. Their head and breast feathers are so soft that they almost look like fir. It is often considered a pest because it eats fruit as well as the bugs and seed commonly eaten by other woodpeckers.

photo courtesy of John Christie

Northern Cardinal 19-23 cm all year

Cardinals are one bird that is easily identified by most people in southern Ontario. The male with its bright red plumage is easily spotted from a long way off. A male and female cardinal remain together year round and can often be heard calling to each other in the winter.

photo courtesy of John Christie

American Robin 25 cm summer

Everyone looks to the arrival of Robins in March as a sure sign that spring is here. They are one of our most recognized birds and they can often be seen hopping around lawns looking for grubs or worms.

Song Sparrow 14 - 18 cm all year

The song sparrow is one of our most vocal birds. Their intricate songs can be heard throughout the camp. They are summer visitors but bird feeders sometimes entice them to stay all winter.

Multi-striped Birdseed Stealer (a.k.a. chipmunk)

There are two of these thiefs living near the HICOP and we would be upset at the amount of seed that they steal if they weren't so cute. I hope to be hand feeding this guy before the next snowfall.

photo courtesy of John Christie

White Throated Sparrow 17 - 18 cm all year

These are most common in summer months but can occasionally be found in winter in our area. Their call sounds like Dear Sweet Canada Canada Canada.

Red Winged Blackbird 18 - 24 cm summer

These birds nest in cattails and can be found in wetlands from mid March on. The male flashes brilliant displays of red as he defends his territory from intruders.

Blue Jay 28 - 31 cm all year

Blue Jays are large and aggressive enough to chase squirrels and even cats from backyard feeders. They terrorize smaller birds but we nevertheless enjoy seeing these beautiful and vocal visitors.

photo courtesy of John Christie

House Sparrow 14 - 17 cm year round

These birds were introduced to North America in the 1850s to control insect populations but it was later discovered that they are largely vegetarian. They are not related to other North American Sparrows and they are only found in urban areas.

Indigo Bunting

The male is an iridescent blue but the female is often confused with a sparrow. They are most often found in hedgerows and tree margins.

photo courtesy of John Christie

Tree Swallow

These are common birds at our nest boxes and they eat flying insects so we do like having them around. They can be seen swooping around in the fields and meadows as they feed.

photo courtesy of John Christie

Rose Breasted Grosbeak

These birds like deciduous forests, suburbs and old orchards. The female looks like a very large purple finch but her beak gives her away. The male is easily identified by his very bright rose breast.

photo courtesy of John Christie

Eastern Bluebird

Bluebirds like farmland and abandoned orchards. We have been trying to attract these pretty little birds back into camp and this year have been succesful in one of our new boxes.

photo courtesy of John Christie

Stripe Socked Yellow Goofus (a.k.a. Big Bird)

This bird frequents urban areas but there has been at least one rumoured siting in camp. This has not been confirmed but the youth that claims to have seen it says "You have to believe me because I am a Scout". We cannot argue with that logic so they are being included in the camp list.

House Wren

These birds are aggressive and will often drive other birds from nest boxes. The male house wren will build a number of nests and the female will pick one and finish it. This quickly fills many of our boxes with nests that will never be used. House wrens are nesting in the box on the side of the HICOP.

photo courtesy of John Christie