Wren (Carolina)

The Carolina Wren creeps around vegetated areas and scoots up and down tree trunks in search of insects and fruit. It explores yards, garages, and woodpiles, sometimes nesting there. 

This wren often cocks its tail upward while foraging and holds it down when singing. Carolina Wrens defend their territories with constant singing; they aggressively scold and chase off intruders.

In summer it can seem that every patch of woods in the eastern United States rings with the rolling song of the Carolina Wren. This shy bird can be hard to see, but it delivers an amazing number of decibels for its size. Follow its teakettle-teakettle! and other piercing exclamations through backyard or forest, and you may be rewarded with glimpses of this bird's rich cinnamon plumage, white eyebrow stripe, and long, upward-cocked tail. This hardy bird has been wintering farther and farther north in recent decades.

Photographed in the wild, Kissimmee, FL

Warbler (Northern Parula)

A small warbler of the upper canopy, the Northern Parula can be found in two rather distinct populations. The southern population nests primarily in hanging Spanish moss, while the northern population uses the similar-looking old man's beard lichen. 

Pairs often return to same nesting site year after year. Males sing during migration and throughout nesting season, even when feeding young. Built solely by the female, but the male accompanies her on trips to the nest.

Pairs often return to same nesting site year after year. Males sing during migration and throughout nesting season, even when feeding young. Nest: Placed usually in a hollow excavated in hanging tree lichens (Usnea) or Spanish moss, 4-50' above the ground.

Photographed in the wild, Kissimmee, FL

Toucan (Ivory-billed Aracari)

This is one of the smallest members of the Aracaris and considered a medium sized toucan with an average weight of 5.3 ounces and closely related to the Green Aracari. The Ivory-billed Aracari ranges over western Amazonia, they forages alone, in pairs, or in small groups of up to five, and takes a variety of fruits, especially figs and catkins, but also catches flying insects. 

Aracaris generally roost socially throughout the year. Up to five adults and their fledged offspring sleep in the same hole with their long tails folded over their backs.

Photographed at Discovery Cove, Orlando, FL 

Woodpecker (Pileated)

The Pileated woodpecker is about 15 inches in length and is the largest woodpeckers found in North America. Common in Ontario where I live, yet this is the first time I have seen or photographed...and it is in Florida.

It has a black body, a red crest, white stripes on its neck and black and white stripes on its face. It has yellow bristly feathers over its nostrils that keep out wood chips. It has a long, sticky tongue; a long, sharp pointed bill and yellow eyes. Males and females are similar, but males have a red forehead, and females have a gray to yellowish brown forehead. 

The pileated woodpecker lives in coniferous and deciduous forests in Canada from British Columbia east to Nova Scotia. It can be found in most areas of the eastern United States.

Photographed in the wild, Kissimmee, FL

Woodpecker (Jamaican)

This woodpecker is endemic to Jamaica. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. The Jamaican Woodpecker is a little larger than the red-bellied woodpeckers and it is protected by the Wildlife Protection Act.

Size: 10–11 inches and the top of head and nape of neck are brilliant red, while the remainder of the head is white. The mantle, back and wings are black, narrowly barred with white. The breast and abdomen are yellowish-brown, with an orange patch in center of lower abdomen. The tail is black. The red on the head of the female covers only a portion of the crown, but also extends to the nape of the neck

Photographed in Ochos Rios, Jamaica near the Rockland bird sanctuary Nov. 2015

Titmouse (Tufted)

This rather tame, active, crested little bird is common all year in eastern forests. It is related to the chickadees, and like them it readily comes to bird feeders, often carrying away sunflower seeds one at a time. Tufted Titmice look large among the small birds that come to feeders, an impression that comes from their large head and eye, thick neck, and full bodies. The pointed crest and stout bill help identify Feeders may be helping it to expand its range: in recent decades, Tufted Titmice have been steadily pushing north.

Besides gleaning trees and shrubs for arthropods, it spends more time on the ground searching leaf litter than do chickadees and most other titmouse species.

Photographed in the wild, Kissimmee, FL