Friends of Murphys Point Park

Another beautiful winter bird around here is the Evening Grosbeak. These large, chunky birds can be mistaken for a large goldfinch from a distance but up close you will notice the giant bill and striking colour difference between their white wings, yellow body, brown head and yellow head stripe. They often travel in large flocks with both males and females. Females have the same pattern as males but have more muted colours. This species had declined for years but has surged in the last couple of years in response to increases in their summer food, spruce budworms.

Pileated woodpeckers are a large, striking birds that stand out in a forest any time of year. Being about the size of a crow, black and white with a bright red crest, there’s not much a pileated woodpecker can be confused with. Males and females can be distinguished by whether or not they have a red “whisker” – the side of the male’s face behind the bill has a big red streak whereas the females do not. These birds also are important habitat creators and many species use their old nest holes as homes!