Bird of the Day - Pied-billed Grebe

Grebes are a fascinating group of ancient diving birds.  The modern grebes are said to go back 40 million years, and their ancestors are thought to go back 80 million years.

The pied-billed grebe is one of the smaller grebes found in Minnesota.  I have seen it throughout the eastern half of the state.

Other species of grebe I have spotted in Minnesota include many sightings of the red-necked grebe, and one sighting of the horned grebe.

Bird of the Day - Wild Turkey

 The bird of the day for today was the runner up for the national bird of the United States.  Benjamin Franklin wanted to wild turkey instead of the bald eagle.

 When I was growing up in the Twin Cities, I never saw a wild turkey.  They were even rare in far southern Minnesota.  Through very successful reintroduction efforts (since 1971 according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources), the wild turkey has spread across the bottom 2/3 of Minnesota.  It is now a common bird.

The pictures of this wild turkey male were taken in the Twin Cities.  There was a female nearby which he was trying to impress with this display.

Bird of the Day - Ring-billed Gull

One of the most common gulls in Minnesota is the ring-billed gull.  It is smaller than the herring gull (Minnesota's other extremely common gull), and has a distinctive black ring around the bill and yellow feet.  In the Arrowhead region of Minnesota, you are more likely to see the ring-billed gull in the inland lakes, and the herring gull by Lake Superior.

Bird of the Day - Canada Goose

One of the most common types of geese in the upper-midwest and Great Lakes regions is the Canada goose.  It is a large goose who likes lakes, ponds, fields, and golf courses.

Interestingly enough, the plural of Canada goose is Canada geese (not Canadian geese).  The ornithologists did not talk to the grammar experts before putting out the common name of this bird.

A great Canada goose movie is called Fly Away Home.  It is an inspirational birding movie where a father and daughter lead a flock of Canada geese from Ontario to the south-eastern United States with ultralight planes.  It's based off of real life experiments in which whooping cranes were led on their first migration with ultralights.

Bird of the Day - American Robin

One of the great symbols of spring is the American Robin.  This beautiful bird is a member of the thrush family, which includes such birds as: the veery, hermit thrush, wood thrush, and Swainson's thrush.

The American robin is named after the European robin.  They both have darker backs with red-orange breasts, but are not actually related to each other.  The European robin is smaller, and the red-orange color extends to the bottom of their faces.  Interestingly enough, the American robin is related to the European blackbird, and the European robin is related to the American blackbird.

Bird of the Day - Bald Eagle

Our national bird is the bald eagle.  Here are some interesting facts about this majestic bird:

1. The common and scientific names of the bald eagle refer to the white feathers.  "Balde" is the old English word for white.
2. The scientific name for the bald eagle is Haliaeetus leucocephalus.  Haliaeetus means sea eagle or fish eagle.  Leuco means white.  Cephalus means head.
3. Bald eagles do not get their full white head and tail until they are 3 - 5 years old.  In their first year, they totally lack the white head and tail as well as the yellow bill.
4. Bald eagles are known to have lived for 25 years in the wild, and 50 years in captivity.
5. A bald eagle can exert 400 lbs. of pressure with its talons.
6. Females are larger than males (reverse sexual dimorphism).
7. Females weigh up to 9 lbs. in Florida, and 16 lbs. in Alaska.  Larger animals generally do better in colder environments.
8. Bald eagle populations were decimated by hunting and D.D.T.  Until relatively recently, they were very rare.  They are now common, and their comeback has been a huge success story.
9. It is illegal to possess bald eagle feathers without a permit.
10. Lead is one of the biggest killers of bald eagles.  They often time get poisoned from hunter's gut piles which contain pieces of lead shot.  It is better for the eagles if hunters use copper shot.
11. Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be our national bird because he claimed the eagle was a scavenger and a coward.  
1. The eagle does scavenge, but also hunts and is skilled at catching fish.  
2. When eagles are choosing mates, they fly to high elevations, lock talons, and free fall.  The male who holds on the longest wins the affections of the female.  Based on that evidence, the eagles are neither pure scavengers or cowards.
12. A bald eagle can see a rabbit running about 3-miles away.  It has monocular and binocular visions, meaning it can look in two directions at once.
13. A great place to visit (after the pandemic) is the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota.  Many of the facts above are found on their website (https://www.nationaleaglecenter.org).
14. A fun way to watch bald eagles close up is on the Decorah Eagle Cam.  The website is https://www.raptorresource.org/birdcams/decorah-eagles/.  You can also link to several other great bird cams from that site.

Bird of the Day - Common Goldeneye

One of my favorite diving ducks to reside in the Arrowhead Region is the common Goldeneye.  They are especially beautiful in the Grand Marais Harbor in the late winter and early spring.

The male have a green head with a striking white spot behind the bill.  His bill and upper back are black, while his lower back and sides are white.  The eyes of both genders are a bright gold color.

Goldeneye females have brown heads, with a yellow tipped bill.  Her back and sides are grayish-brown with some white spots.

Goldeneyes as well as many other birds lose their bright plumage after the spring mating season.  This is the time to see them in their finest colors.

I took the goldeneye pictures for this article more than a month ago while I was is Grand Marais.