Least Grebe

The Least Grebe was first reported in the state on Dec. 14, 1947, in Baton Rouge. Subsequent to that sighting, the only other report of the species that I am familiar with took place in Cameron Parish, at Mud Lake, on Feb. 11, 1978. The bird shown here was filmed in a more reliable location for the species, at Santa Ana NWR in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

The Western Grebe

The Western Grebe is a large, beautiful black and white waterbird of the western U.S. and Canada. It is a rare species in Louisiana, and is not seen every year. Sightings are generally on larger lakes or along the coast. The very closely related Clark's Grebe has not yet been reported from Louisiana, but any suspected Western Grebe should be carefully checked to eliminate that species. The primary difference between the two is found in the color of the feathers around the eyes. On Western Grebes the eyes are completely surrounded by blackish feathering, while on Clark's, the white feathering of the cheeks extends up to touch the eyes. This Western Grebe was filmed in California.

Cory's Shearwater

Cory's Shearwater is an regular visitor to Louisiana'a offshore waters, but not every pelagic trip finds one, and the one day high count for the species is probably only 2-3 birds. Given the vast amount of open water, it is difficult to guess exactly how common this and other strictly pelagic species are. This bird was photographed on a May trip out of Venice, Louisiana.

Masked Booby

The Masked Booby is a regular but uncommon species off the Louisiana Gulf Coast. The three birds pictured here were photographed near an offshore oil rig 60 miles out of the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi on Sept. 16, 1995. Although most of the records pertain to SE LA, Masked Boobies are probably also regular off the SW coast.

Northern Gannet

The Northern Gannet is a fairly common winter visitor off the Louisiana Gulf Coast, although it is usually found out of sight of land. The bird pictured here was found ashore during a Christmas Bird Count in Cameron Parish.

Brown Pelican

The Brown Pelican, state bird of Louisiana, was extirpated as a breeder in the state by 1962. The catastrophic decline of the species is thought to have been the result of pesticide buildup in the waters along the coast. However, as a result of reintroductions begun in southeastern Louisiana in 1968, the Brown Pelican has undergone a major comeback and is again becoming common along the entire coast of the state.

Magnificent Frigatebird

Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbills are common nesters and winterers in the southwestern marshes of the state, and recently have begun to nest further inland (e.g. Lake Martin, St. Martin Parish). In summer, thousands of spoonbills invade the inland crawfish ponds, along with Wood Storks, ibis, egrets and herons.

Green Heron

Adult Male Closeup

head viewed from directly behind

Great Scaup

Greater Scaups are greatly outnumbered by Lessers in Louisiana, but in any large flock of Lessers, a Greater or two can often be found.

Adult Male Portrait

Lesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup are abundant winterers in Louisiana, often seen by the tens of thousands offshore, and found in good numbers in deeper ponds inland as well.

King Eider

White-tailed Hawk

The White-tailed Hawk is of casual occurence only in Louisiana, having been reliably recorded from the state only 4 times: Nov. 18, 1888, Calcasieu Parish. (imm., specimen); Jan. 19, 1972, Bastrop, Morehouse Parish, (sight record only); Dec. 1995-Jan.? 1996 (subadult, documented with photos, etc.), and Dec. 1996 (the individual portrayed here - almost certainly the same bird as the previous winter), adult bird, near a landfill near Welsh, Jeff Davis Parish. These individuals presumably wandered to the state from Texas, the nearest point in their breeding range to Louisiana. Before the destruction of the vast coastal prairies of Louisiana, this species' breeding range might conceivably have included the southwestern part of this state.

Harris' Hawk

Sora

Sandhill Crane

A rare species in the state until recently, the Sandhill can now be found in small flocks in the Cheneyville, Welsh, and Holmwood areas. The birds pictured here were filmed by Dave Patton in an unlikely place--a soon-to-be-developed field in the middle of Lafayette. These 4 birds, two adults and two young, made a short migratory stopover on the morning of November 18, 1996, showing that anything is possible with birds.

Black-bellied Plover

Black-bellied Plover Also known as "Grey Plover". Black-bellieds have much larger bills, and black axillaries (in all plumages) which are easily seen on a bird in flight. They are also usually more plain-faced than American Golden Plover, with less conspicuous supercilia.

American Golden Plover

American Golden Plover is an abundant spring migrant, arriving as early as late February. At this time, most of these birds are barely beginning their molt into alternate plumage. By May, when the last of them are passing through the state, many are in full alternate plumage. Fall migrant Golden Plovers are rare, and should be checked carefully to eliminate the possibility of their being Pacific Golden Plovers.

Snowy Plover

Snowy Plover is a rare nester (one record) and uncommon winterer in the state. It is found strictly coastally, and seems to prefer sandy beaches, while the similar Piping Plover seems equally comfortable on either sand or mud flats. Two major differences allow quick separation between Snowy and Piping: the legs of the Snowy are grayish, while those of Piping are orangish; and the bills of the two birds are of different shapes, long and slender in Snowy, shorter and stubbier, almost parrot-like in Piping.

Semipalmated Plover

Greater Yellowlegs

Upland Sandpiper

Marbled Godwit

Semi-palmated Sandpipet

Semipalms migrate through the state in huge numbers in spring, late summer and fall. Despite old references which state that this species is common in winter, it is actually unknown at that season.

Western Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper is the most common "peep" in Lousiana through most of the year. Aside from a period between mid-to-late April and early July, Westerns are abundant in South Louisiana.

Least Sandpiper

Least Sandpiper is common in the state for most of the year, the exception being a short span of about a month from late May to early July. Although Leasts are usually lumped with Westerns and Semis in field guides, they actually seem like smaller versions of Pectorals, or White-rumpeds. With their thin, downcurved bills, brownish mantles and breasts, and picking style of feeding, these birds seem very similar in all but size.

White-rumped Sandpiper

The White-rumped Sandpiper is somewhat like a large Least or small Pectoral Sandpiper. It has a fairly long, curved bill, streaked breast, and often feeds by picking. It is, however, dark-legged, and of course has a white rump. The white rump also separates it from Baird's, which it resembles in terms of profile. The lower mandible of the White-rump is orangish, sometimes extensively. In alternate plumage, it has large dark feather centers on the scapulars, but much smaller dark areas on the wing coverts. The contrast between these feathers stands out, as does the pale fringing of the upperpart feathers, which give the bird a checkered look.

Baird's Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpipers are rarities in Louisiana, although it's possible that a few sneak through every year among the millions of shorebirds that stop on migration in the ricefields of the state. The only documented sightings to date are in a narrow window from late April to early May.

Ruff

Parasitic Jaeger

The Parasitic Jaeger is rare in Louisiana, although with more winter trips into the Gulf it might prove to be more common than it is now considered. This picture, although blurry, shows the the elongated, spiky tail shape that of the species fairly well.

Pomarine Jaeger

The Pomarine Jaeger is the most common jaeger in Louisiana, and it is occasionally visible from shore. Scanning the large flocks of gulls that tag along behind shrimp trawlers is a good strategy for locating this bird, as jaegers tend to engage in conspicuous aerial chases hoping to force other birds to drop whatever food they've managed to scavenge. Jaegers can be a nightmare to identify, but if you happen to see an adult with its full set of tail feathers, or even better, find one on the beach that allows close approach (as this one did on a Texas beach), it should be much easier to put a name to the bird.

Little Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Although the first Louisiana sighting of this species was not made until 1981, reports of Lesser Black-backed Gulls have increased over the following years to the point where it will soon no longer be classed as a rarity. One or more can usually be found throughout much of the year on the beaches of Cameron Parish. Many field guides note a difficulty in separating 1st year birds of this species from 1st year Herring Gulls, but young Lesser Black-backeds are actually fairly easy to pick out in a flock of young Herrings. The feathers of the back on birds of this age are generally much darker in the centers than in same-aged Herrings, giving a distictinctly darker-backed look to the LBBG. The profile of the perched bird is also much more slender, as the folded wings extend further past the tail than in Herring. Lesser Black-backeds are generally smaller than Herrings. Older age classes have darker gray (not black) mantles than Herring, a shade of gray which is very similar to the mantle color of Laughing Gulls. Identification of this species has been made a little less straightforward by the appearance in Louisiana of birds believed to be Kelp Gulls, and by the assumed hybridisation of Kelp and Herring Gulls on the Chandeleur Islands. Kelp Gulls should have a much blacker back than LBBG. Kelp X Herring Gulls (as well as Great Black-backed X Herring), however, would probably be a close match for Lesser Black-backed.

Great Black-backed Gull

This photo is of a bird filmed on April 14, 1996, on Rutherford Beach, Cameron Parish. As the inner primaries of the bird were in the process of molting, I assume that the bird is roughly a first-summer bird beginning its molt into second-winter plumage.

Black-legged Kittiwake

Black-legged Kittiwake is a rarity in Louisiana. It may be more common offshore than records indicate, as there have been few offshore trips during the winter, when it would probably be most common. Most state records of this species are of individuals that have been observed from the shore. To my knowledge, the majority of these records are of first-year birds. Young Black-legged Kittiwakes can be separated from similar species (Bonaparte's, Sabine's, and Little Gull) by the combination of yellowish bill, black legs, and black carpal bar and outer primaries forming a dark zigzag line across its upperwings.

Sandwich Tern

Bridled Tern

Black -billed Cuckoo

Black-billed Cuckoos are uncommon spring and fall migrants through the state, more common (or at least better detected) some years than others. The red orbital ring, bluish bill with a black base, small white tips to the tail feathers, and lack of a rufous flash in the primaries in flight are diagnostic points in separating this bird from Yellow-billed Cuckoo. As cuckoos are secretive, often only one of these features will be apparent, but for the most part, any one is usually sufficient. However, I have seen juvenile Yellow-billeds that show a completely dark bill. There is at least one documented breeding record of this species for the state, from the Atchafalaya Basin. In addition, a rehabber in Lafayette raised a brood of Black-billeds in a nest that was left on her doorstep. The origin of the nest is unknown.

Barn Owl

Green Violetear

Although its range extends from Mexico south into South America, the Green Violet-ear has not been recorded as a breeder in the United States. Nonetheless, rarely a year goes by without multiple sightings in widely scattered locales in the eastern U.S, and even Canada. As a vagrant, this species is most expected in the hill country of central Texas. Elsewhere, the species is pretty much a "lottery bird". more info...

Broad-billed Humming bird

Identification of Broad-billed Hummingbirds would hardly seem to be a problem. Adult males are so wildly colorful that the only real problem is singling out a field mark. One of the better features to key in on is the reddish bill, a character shared by few other hummers in the U.S. The dark forked tail separated from the dark belly by white undertail coverts creates a pattern that is another excellent point of separation from most other U.S. hummers. The final clue becomes obvious when the sunlight hits: the sparkling blue gorget glows against the rich dark green of the upperparts and belly. more info...

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

The breeding range of the Buff-Bellied Hummingbird barely reaches the U.S. along the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. However, the wintering range of the species takes in most of the western and northern U.S. Gulf Coast. Along the Gulf Coast in winter, identification is usually not much of a problem. Very few hummers can be mistaken for a Buff-bellied. more photos...

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Ruby-throats are of course the most common hummers in Louisiana, at least from March to October. They arrive in early March and are mostly gone by the last week of October. A very few overwinter. more photos...

Black-chinned Hummingbird

more photos...

Callipe Hummingbird

Although the calliope is the smallest of u.s. hummers, size alone is a hard quality to judge in a group of birds known for being diminutive. the calliope, however, is small not only in overall size, but also in its individual parts: its bill, and especially its tail are noticeably short relative to those of our other hummers. nonetheless, calliope can easily be confused with many other hummers. more info...

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

This western species rarely makes it to Louisiana, although the number of wintering birds which have been detected in the state has increased within the past few years. This increase is probably as much a result of an increase in expertise in separating this species from more common hummers by enthusiasts as it is a true increase in numbers. more info...

Rufous Hummingbird

Breeding in the pacific northwest from southern oregon all the way north to alaska, this is the northernmost breeding hummer in the world. their wintering grounds are still a bit of a mystery, as rufous are thought by some to keep moving along a huge migratory path throughout the non-breeding season. records of rufous from the eastern u.s. date back a century, but it seems that the rufous has become a regular winter resident of the southeast only within the past few decades, with perhaps a few hundred present at gardens and feeders each winter, mainly in the gulf states. rufous is by far the most likely hummer to be encountered in the southeast in winter.

Allen's Hummingbird

Allen's Hummingbird is a very rare winterer in Louisiana, although the total number present in any given year is unknown due to their close similarity to Rufous Hummingbird.

Red-naped Sapsucker

This bird, found on Feb. 22, 1994 at Acadiana Park, Lafayette, showed a deep red nape concolor with the crown and throat, with red flecks scattered within the black of the border of the throat patch, and discrete white stripes on the back. This record is pending acceptance of the La. Bird Records Comm.

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Olive-sided Flycatchers are rare spring, and uncommon fall migrants. In the fall, they are among the earliest of migrant passerines, normally passing through the state in August and September. Although some sources list the lower mandible color as dark or horn, many of the fall migrants here have distinctly orange lower mandibles. Probably because of the extreme heat at the time of their fall passage, they also seem much sleeker than field guides suggest, and often perch with their mouths open, panting.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are probably the easiest Empidonax flycatchers to identify (which isn't saying much). Their broad, yellow-orange lower mandible separates them from all but Acadian and "Western" Flycatchers. They most resemble "Western"-type Flycatchers, being very greenish above and yellowish below, but the eyering on Yellow-bellied is much less extensive than in Cordilleran or Pacific-Slope. The underparts of Yellow-bellieds are distinctive as well, with a smudgy greyish-green wash over the chin, throat and upper breast, and yellow on the belly. There is also a small spot of clear yellow showing through in the the middle of the throat. The head in profile sometimes shows a collapsed crest, as if the crown feathers are too long to stand upright. Worn birds of course pose problems.

Acadian Flycatcher

The Acadian Flycatcher is a big-billed Empidonax that resembles Yellow-bellied and "Western-type" flycatchers. It is usually paler and less yellowish below than any of those species. Its bill is pale yellow beneath, compared to the bright orange-yellow of "Westerns". The malar area of Acadians is a very pale green, paler than the crown and auriculars. The eyering is usually very narrow, and sometimes difficult to see.

Alder Flycatcher

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

The Pacific-slope Flycatcher, the West Coast representative of the "Western" Flycatcher superspecies, is a rarity in Louisiana. Standard field marks for "Western", such as teardrop-shaped eyering, yellow-orange lower mandible and greenish upperparts coupled with yellowish underparts still apply, but separating Pacific-slope Flycatcher from Cordilleran Flycatcher creates a new challenge. In terms of separating these two species from their closest lookalikes, Acadian and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, look for the distinctive eyering.

Say's Phoebe

Eastern Kingbird

Vermilion Flycatcher

Why the Vermilion Flycatcher turns up in fair numbers in Louisiana every winter, well to the east and north of its breeding range, is a mystery. However, at least a few dozen seem to be found every year in scattered locations around the state. Usually, the birds arrive in October and are found near bodies of water surrounded by trees that offer perches for flycatching. Brightly colored adult males attract the most attention, but many of the less brilliant females and young males (such as the one pictured here) also winter here.

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Not too long ago, Ash-throated Flycatchers were assumed to be casual to rare in Louisiana, but with more birders now afield it has become apparent that this species is regular in small numbers in the state each winter. Although it bears a resemblance to the summer resident Great Crested Flycatcher, the two are generally not present at the same times of year. Another complication in identifying Ashthroats arises from the presence of the much rarer Brown-crested Flycatcher. The more extensive, flaring dark tip to the otherwise reddish outer tail feathers (shown above) is the best clue when identifying Ashthroats.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

The incredible Scissor-tailed Flycatcher can be found in Louisiana in all seasons: in summer as an uncommon breeder in scattered locations in the western half of the state, as a fairly common spring and fall migrant, and even as a rare but regular winter resident.

Fork-tailed Flycatcher

The Fork-tailed Flycatcher can finally be crossed off of the "next birds to be found in LA" lists! On Nov. 15, 1996, Gary Broussard happened upon the bird pictured here, in Vermilion Parish, about 11 miles south of Crowley.

Tree Swallow

Clark's Nutcracker

A new bird was added to the state list when Mac Myers, Curt Sorrells, and Phillip Wallace went out on February 9, 1997, to search the pines for crossbills and found a Clark's Nutcracker instead. There were apparently a number of eastwardly extralimital records in the winter of 1997, including at least 5 records from Texas, and one report from as far east as Iowa.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Mountain Bluebird

This picture is of the first state record of Townsend's Solitaire, a bird found in Fall 2003 by Rob Dobbs.

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Gray-cheeked Thrushes migrate through the state in spring and fall, but are much more common in the fall. Gray-cheeked is a heavily spotted thrush, with the spotting especially dense and dark from the chin to the juncture of the throat and breast, and then becoming dense but very diffuse down to the level of mid-breast. Gray-cheeked Thrush is a species that can be confusing for a number of reasons, starting with the fact that it most often frequents shaded areas where poor lighting can make field marks hard to discern. Gray-cheekeds resemble a few other thrushes as well, although in most cases ID is straightforward given a good look.

Swainson's Thrush

Swainson's Thrush is a common migrant through the state in spring and fall. Among the group of thrushes with spotted breasts, the Swainson's is among the easiest to ID, by the suffusion of buffiness on its auriculars, eye-ring, and lores. Generally the buffiness and the eye-ring are fairly easy to see; while on Gray-cheeked Thrushes you may think that you see an eye-ring, on a Swainson's, it's almost always obvious. Swainson's is also generally warmer brown above than Gray-cheeked. It can be told from Hermit Thrush by face pattern, lower contrast between tail and mantle color, and from Veery by its more heavily spotted underparts.

Hermit Thrush

Sprague's Pipit

Sprague's Pipit seems to be a species that field guide artists have a problem with. Most portray it as though it were a grassland version of a Water Pipit. In reality, the Sprague's resembles the Water Pipit very little in features or habitat preferences. With its small head and long neck atop a plump body the color of dry grass, Sprague's is reminiscent of a minute Buff-breasted or Upland Sandpiper. In terms of habitat, it seeks out the same short grass situations as those two shorebirds, rather than the wet, bare fields or beaches that Water Pipits frequent. An interesting contrast can be seen on Rutherford Beach, in Cameron Parish. There, a small group of Sprague's can be found every year, feeding in the well-grazed grasslands adjacent to the beach. Occasionally, Water Pipits can be seen within just a few feet of a Sprague's, but on the open sand at the Gulf's edge.

Loggerhead Shrike

Bell's Vireo

In Lousiana, Bell's Vireo is a rare (apparently intermittent) breeder, a rarely observed fall migrant, and a rare winterer. Breeding has been noted in the past in the extreme northwestern corner of the state, and also near Monroe, but neither of these areas has sustained a population for more than a few years. There are 6 fall records, extending from August 26 to September 26. The 13 winter records extend from 4 November to Mar 9, although this last date may pertain to an early spring migrant. The bird pictured here was present from Feb 25-Mar 5, 1995, near Kaplan, Vermilion Parish.

Solitary Vireo

Solitary Vireo is a fairly common but not always conspicuous winter resident in SW Louisiana. The earliest migrants generally begin to arrive by late September; from this time, they are present through about mid-April. Solitary Vireo is a somewhat late migrant, and their numbers may possibly peak in December (Remsen et al., 1996). Winterers are generally gone by late March, though migrants continue to pass through the area in small numbers through early April. The extreme fall date is Sept. 4, though the next earliest arrival is a Sept 20 record that may pertain to the western "Cassin's" subspecies. The extreme late date for spring is a bird recorded on May 11.

Philadelphia Vireo

Philadelphia Vireo is a common late spring migrant along the coast, and common fall migrant both inland and coastally. Fall migration extends from late September to November, peaking in October. Spring migration dates extend from April 20 to May 21, with a peak in late April-early May. Philadelphia Vireos are encountered frequently along the coast during the peak of their spring passage, especially during "fallouts", but spring records north of the coast are almost nonexistent. (Remsen et al. 1996). Although vireos are generally seen feeding by gleaning insects from leaves, Philadelphia Vireos have been observed feeding on the fruit of Virginia Creeper, (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), in Southwestern LA in fall. At least two Philadelphias were observed making frequent visits to one such vine from October 12-18, 1994, at Acadiana Park, Lafayette.

Golden-winged Warbler

The Golden-winged Warbler is a species that seems to be harder and harder to find each year. Part of this is presumably due to the fact that Golden-wings are losing out in competition to closely related Blue-winged Warblers, with hybrids produced in areas where both species occur. Nonetheless, Louisiana birders are likely to see at least few Golden-wings every year in Spring and Fall migration. The female pictured here (showing the bright wing patch that gives this species its name) was filmed during Spring Migration.

Orange-crowned Warbler

Tropical Parula

The Tropical Parula nests no closer to Louisiana than the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. It occurs in Louisiana strictly as a rarity.

Chestnut-sided Warbler

The Chestnut-sided Warbler is a common to abundant Spring and Fall migrant through Louisiana. During Spring fallouts, hundreds may be seen in a day's birding along the coast. Despite its occasional abundance, its beauty and the variety of colors it possesses in Spring, it drifts northward through the state in relative obscurity due to its small size. In Fall, its colors are muted substantially, and it attracts even less notice. If only more people would open their eyes!

Cape May Warbler

Cape May Warblers are rare spring migrants. They seem to enter the state via the same pathway as Black-throated Blue Warblers, Black-whiskered Vireos and Gray Kingbirds, i.e., on strong winds blowing west from the West Indies during migration. Under such conditions, presumably, a few are dispersed slightly west of their normal West Indies-Florida route. Cape Mays are more common in the eastern half of the state, in such areas as Grand Isle, but can also be found in most years in coastal Cameron Parish.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

The Yellow-rumped Warbler is not only the most common warbler in Louisiana, from late October to late March it probably outnumbers any other bird species here. It can take advantage of almost any habitat and feeding style, whether that means picking at the mud near the edge of a marsh like a sandpiper, flycatching like a phoebe, or hovering like a hummingbird. It is equally common in urban and rural settings and can be detected by its chip even when it can't be seen. Amazingly, if you were to poll the people of Louisiana, most would tell you they have never seen one! This may not be too surprising, as these warblers wear their drab winter plumage (which can be seen in the bird in the picture on the left) through most of their stay. Only in March and April do they begin to molt into their brighter breeding colors.The Yellow-rumps found in Louisiana (such as the banded bird in breeding plumage coming to the peanut butter feeder in the picture on the right) are the white-throated "Myrtle Warblers." The yellow-throated "Audubon's Warbler" is rare at best in the state.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Even among the warblers, a group known for their beautiful colors, the Blackburnian Warbler with its flame-orange throat is in a class by itself. At coastal migration hotspots from mid-April through May, when a birder utters a gasp of amazement, it's likely to be followed by, "male Blackburnian!" No picture or field guide can do it justice. Away from the coast in Spring, however, Blackburnians are less commonly encountered. A good bet, however, is to search for pecans or hickories in flower. Among the migrants that sometimes flock to these trees, a Blackburnian can often be found. Females (such as the one pictured here) are less brilliantly tinted, but still display enough of the Blackburnian pattern to be identified.

Palm Warbler

Palm Warblers are common to abundant Spring and Fall migrants, with a few remaining throughout the winter. The majority of our migrants, such as the bird pictured here, are the drabber "Western" Palm Warblers, although a few of the brighter "Yellow" Palms can be found here as well.

Cerulean Warbler

Although Lowery, in 'Louisiana Birds', lists the Cerulean Warbler as a "fairly common, occasionally abundant" spring migrant, in my experience, it is uncommon to spot more than a few of these on a good birding day along the coast at that season. I have never encountered a big fallout of this species, and my all-time daily high is certainly fewer than five. Ceruleans are early fall migrants, beginning to pass through the state by mid-July on their way south.

Prairie Warbler

Northern Waterthrush

Northern Waterthrush is a common spring and fall migrant, generally passing through the state later in those seasons than Louisiana Waterthrush. The two waterthrushes can be extremely similar. Good things to look for to separate Northern from Louisiana include (generally) much more densely streaked underparts, fairly uniform off-white ground color beneath in Northern compared to very whitish ground color on the breast and throat with buffy flanks and undertail in Louisiana. The throat is streaked on Northern, unstreaked white on Louisiana. The bill of Northern is noticeably smaller than that Louisiana, and the legs are not as bright of a pink. The eye-stripe of Northern is usually dingy and narrows behind the eye in Northern, and is whitish, and flares behind the eye in Louisiana. The eye-stripe differences aren't always as pronounced as field guides suggest, unfortunately.

Louisiana Waterthrush

Summer Tanager

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Dickcissel

Clay-colored Sparrow

Clay-colored Sparrows are rare but regular migrants through SW Louisiana, recorded most frequently in Cameron Parish. There are also winter records from Vermilion and Lafayette parishes. The bird pictured here was filmed on the 1994 Lafayette CBC. In terms of separating Clay-coloreds from Chippings, a good look at the face will usually suffice. The Clay-colored has a combination of a distinct malar stripe, a well-defined, bordered auricular area, and by the absence of a dark loral stripe.

Lark Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird

Bronzed Cowbird

The Bronzed Cowbird is unfortunately becoming more common in Louisiana, especially in the southeast. Orchard Orioles are said to have been the primary victim of the Bronzed Cowbird's nest parasitism; in many places Orchard Orioles have now disappeared, and the cowbirds have purportedly switched to Cardinals and other common songbirds. The bird pictured here (adult male, closeup) was filmed in Cameron Parish, where this species is uncommon.

Brown-headed Cowbird

The Brown-headed Cowbird is an abundant bird in Louisiana, and is probably growing more abundant with each breeding season. Despite the bad reputation of the cowbird, it can be fun to scan through the giant winter flocks of these birds in search of Shiny and Bronzed Cowbirds.

Shiny Cowbird

Baltimore Oriole

"Northern Oriole" has again been separated into "Baltimore" and "Bullock's" Orioles. In Louisiana, the Baltimore is the common species, whereas Bullock's is a rarity observed most frequently in winter.