Friends of Murphys Point Park

This bird is one of the many beautiful ducks of Canada and should just be arriving here this time of year on their breeding grounds where they will make their nests in trees. Wood Ducks are one of the easier ducks to identify because they have a unique shape with a boxy head on both the male and females and a bright colourful head and body on the males. The bill of the males is red, white, black and yellow and the rest of the face is glossy green with stark white patterning. Not only are these birds stunning, they also are very interesting nesters. Wood Ducks nest near water in cavities high up in trees, and when the eggs hatch the ducklings need to jump down and walk to the water. This sounds like no big deal, but the nests can be over 20m above the ground! It’s a good thing chicks leave the nest as soon as they hatch and are fluffy and small enough to break their fall!

These cute little birds are plump with a short tail and long bill along with a beautiful blue-gray back and rusty orange underside. They are always cheery and a treat to see in the winter! You may see them dextrously scaling up and down trees or hear their call which sounds like nasal laugh! They prefer conifer forests so watch for them around areas with lots of pine trees. They are found in the park year round but are typically more conspicuous in the winter, especially in years with lots of cones like this year!

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.