Field Journal Entry #3

Field Journal Entry #3

Date: March 8, 2024
Start time: 15:43
End time: 16:51
Location: Centennial Woods Natural Area (44.475362, -73.188345)

Temperature: 45°F
Wind speed/direction: 4 mph N
Precipitation: 0”
Habitat(s): mature conifer stands, mixed hardwoods, fields, streams and wetlands

Species List:
Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

Today’s fieldwork took place in Centennial Woods to observe some of the ways birds communicate and interact with one another. At the entrance, I ran into a familiar flock of Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) that I had run into the week before. I noticed that they were foraging, picking whatever berries, seeds, or buds were left on the bush-like foliage. Moving like this would probably generate more heat than sitting still while the looked for more food for caloric intake. I was a little frustrated at first because it seemed to me at first that they weren’t interacting with each other which is what I needed them to do for this field journal. However, not too long after, I heard the call of an American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and that’s when I realized that they were communicating the whole time - the little chirps and whistles they were doing beforehand and, of course, the recognizable alarm call once the crow came into play, It was interesting to think about because, as a human, I would have assumed that they were acting as individuals. Still, by vocalizing, they were communicating to each other and other birds in the area about perhaps territory or potential threats. When thinking about the plumage of these two species, they contrast quite greatly. The black plumage of the American crow is very recognizable. I usually see crows flying large distances rather than hopping around foraging like the chickadee. The black feathers would be advantageous to them because melanin strengthens their feathers so they are able to fly farther distances than resident songbirds like the chickadee. In comparison, the chickadee’s plumage is much thicker than the crow’s, providing more insulation during the harsh Vermont winters. Their gray, tan, white and black plumage may provide some degree of camouflage as these birds spend a lot of time foraging or in the cavities of stags. I did try the “spishing” but I think I may have been doing it wrong because all it did for me was scare the birds that I was observing away. If done correctly, maybe this mimics the call of other songbirds similar to the “Magic Tape” used to lure curious chickadees to a mist net.

Publicado el marzo 9, 2024 03:45 MAÑANA por noxgiordano