|
Snowy Owl: Large, white owl with variable black bars and spots. The head is round and lacks tufts, eyes are yellow, and the bill is black. Feathered feet and toes provide protection from the arctic cold. Direct flap-and-glide flight with powerful, deep wingbeats. North America's only all-white owl.
|
|
|
Snowy Egret: This is a medium-sized, totally white egret with a long slender black bill and yellow lores. The eyes are yellow, the legs are black, and the feet are bright yellow. The head, neck and back have long lacy plumes during breeding season. The diet varies but includes crustaceans, insects and fish. Buoyant flight with steady fast wing beats. The sexes are similar.
|
|
|
Sanderling: This medium-sized sandpiper has dark-spotted, rufous upperparts and breast, white underparts and black bill, legs and feet. Wings have conspicuous white stripes visible in flight. Feeds on crustaceans, mollusks, isopods, worms, plants and insects. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats. Sexes are similar.
|
|
|
Spotted Sandpiper: This medium-sized sandpiper has olive-brown upperparts, white underparts with bold black spots, white eyebrow, barred tail and dull yellow legs. Wings have white stripes visible in flight. Low direct flight; wings flap in shallow arcs, producing clipped, stiff wing beats on drooping wings. Feeds mainly on small invertebrates such as midges and mayflies. Sexes are similar.
|
|
|
Smew: Small merganser, mostly white body except for black back, mask, breast bar, and V-shaped nape patch. Wings are dark with large white patches. Gray legs, feet. Feeds on fish, aquatic insects, and their larvae. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats. Flies in straight line or V formation.
|
|
|
Semipalmated Plover: This small plover has gray-brown upperparts, white underparts, a black face, collar and forehead and a faint stripe sometimes seen over the eye. It has a black-tipped orange bill, orange legs and feet and a brown tail with white edges. Wings have white stripes visible in flight. Feeds on insects, larvae and other invertebrates. Strong direct flight. Sexes are similar.
|
|
|
Snowy Plover: Small plover, pale brown upperparts, white underparts. Dark patches on either side of upper breast (partial breast band), behind eye, and on white forehead. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Wings have white stripes visible in flight. Dark tail has white edges. Dark gray legs and feet.
|
|
|
Solitary Sandpiper: This medium-sized sandpiper has pale-spotted, dark brown back and rump, white underparts with streaks on neck and sides, dark head and a bold white eyering. It has a black tail with conspicuous black-and-white barred edges; olive-green bill, legs and feet. Feeds on insects and insect larvae, spiders, worms and tadpoles. Direct flight is light and buoyant. Sexes are similar.
|
|
|
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper: This medium-sized sandpiper has dark brown upperparts and white underparts with faint olive-brown streaks on breast and sides. It has a rufous crown, white eye ring and dark brown wings. The tail is dark brown and pointed in flight. Feeds primarily on mosquito larvae but also takes mollusks and crustaceans. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats. Sexes are similar.
|
|
|
Spotted Redshank: Large sandpiper, mostly black body in summer except for white rump, white spots on wings, barred tail. Bill is red with black tip. Legs and feet are dark red. Winter bird (shown) has gray upperparts and white underparts. Feeds and forages on land or in shallow water by probing in mud, and sweeping bill back and forth. Swift direct flight when flushed.
|
|
|
Shiny Cowbird: Small blackbird with purple sheen on head, back, breast. Eyes are dark. Black bill, legs, feet. Forages on ground, walking with tail cocked above back. Eats insects, caterpillars, seeds and rice. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats. Travels alone or in small flocks.
|
|
|
Swallow-tailed Kite: The largest of North America kites, has black upperparts which contrast with white head and underparts. In flight it shows long pointed wings with black flight feathers and white wing linings. Has a 15-16 inch-long black tail with deep fork. The neck, breast and belly are white.
|
|
|
Snail Kite: A large bird, dark blue black overall with extremely hooked thin black bill with reddish base. In flight shows a white tail with broad dark distal band and narrow gray terminal band. Long legs are bright orange or red. Feeds on snails. Flies on slow shallow wing beats followed by glides.
|
|
|
Striated Heron: Small, stocky, gray heron, black cap, short black line below eye. Gray-black streaks on back. White throat, white and orange-brown streaks on breast. Medium, straight black bill. Medium, yellow legs and feet. Sexes similar. Juvenile black-brown with white and buff streaks on breast and crown, and buff edging to feathers in wings.
|
|
|