It’s already the last Saturday in April, can you believe it? Summer is just around the corner.
Did you recognize the bird from last week’s puzzler? Most people only hear this bird, singing loudly in the forest. If you’ve spotted one long enough to watch it, count yourself lucky. It’s an ovenbird, one of our largest North American warblers.
Can you guess how the ovenbird got it’s name? Since they spend much of their time on or near the ground, it’s not surprising that they build their nests their too, creating a dome-shaped nest made of grass, twigs, stem, bark and animal hair. The side entrance lets them sneak inside. If I ever get to find one in the wild, I’ll be sure and take lots of pictures so I can share it with you. For now, I’ve only read about them. I suspect they are just as hard to find as the bird itself. Have you ever found an ovenbird nest?
Ovenbirds have an olive-brown back, a white belly and a reddish-orange grown on the top of its head bordered by thick, black lines. Their eyes have white rings around them and their chest and sides are covered with black stripes and spots. Their legs are pinkish, red. Males and females are hard to tell apart since they look similar except that females are slightly duller in color.
Ovenbirds are omnivores, eating a variety of materials such as ants, beetles, butterflies, flies and other insects, as well as seeds.
Let’s check out another “mystery” bird; Here’s our next puzzler–#197.