by Charly Mann

While the Painted Bunting can be found throughout Oklahoma and many other southern states, seeing one up close is a rare sight. Painted Buntings, like most other birds, usually make their home in the same area every year, and we have found four of five places of less than 20 acres near Bartlesville where we regularly first hear and then see them. We would love it if you would provide us with the location that you see these beautiful birds. Their population seems to be in decline, and there are several areas where we use to regularly find them that no longer have any of these birds.

This is our first post in Oklahoma Birds and Butterflies in over a year. We are taking more great bird and butterfly photos that ever, and have moved up from a 400mm to a 600mm lens, but just have not found the time to add more articles and pictures.

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Article and photos by Kathryn Mann

There are several colonies of Cliff Swallows that reside in Bartlesville from April through the end of August. The rest of the year these birds live in South America. They live in colonies and build magnificent nests from mud pellets that are usually located under bridges or the eaves of buildings. Local colonies can often contain more than 200 birds.

Cliff Swallow near the Pathfinder Pathway in Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Cliff Swallows are about 5 inches long and have a tiny bill. They have an iridescent blue black crown and their forehead is white or yellow brown. Their wings and tail are brown while their rump is yellow brown. They have a square-ended tail which makes them easier to distinguish from Barn Swallows and Purple Martins which otherwise look very similar. Their legs and feet are gray.

Cliff Swallow looking at me from its nest

Cliff Swallows feed off insects which they eat and capture in flight.

Cliff Swallows typically can live up to six years.

These are Cliff Swallow nests. They are gregarious birds and build their nests in colonies. 

Cliff swallow nests are usually close to rivers or other bodies of water because the mud near the embankments are ideal for their nests. Their nests are lined with grass.

Cliff Swallows are the “miracle” swallows that return on March 19th each year to the Mission San Juan Capistrano in California.

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Article and photos by Charly Mann

It is not unusual to encounter a Great Blue Heron at a pond or lake in Bartlesville. For several years one has made her nest in a tree along the Caney River across from the Pathfinder trail.

Great Blue Heron in Bartlesville Oklahoma getting set to go airborne

Great Blue Herons are almost four feet tall and have a wingspan of six feet. Most of their body is bluish-grey. They have a white face and crown and have a long black feather hanging from the top of their head.

Great Blue Heron flying above small pond hear my home

The Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in the United States and these magnificent creatures often live more than fifteen years.

Great Blue Heron looking for a meal

Great Blue Herons have long legs that they use to wade through the water where they catch fish and reptiles. They strike down into the water with amazing quickness when they spot their prey.

Great Blue Heron gliding through the air 

The Great Blue Heron flies with its neck folded and gives a loud squawk when it is alarmed. They can fly up to thirty miles per hour.

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Article and photos by Kathryn Mann

Perhaps no bird is easier to recognize than the all-black American Crow. They are a common sight throughout Oklahoma. I often see them in trees, fields, and even my local Wal-Mart parking lot. They usually feed on the ground and will eat almost anything including garbage, insects, seeds, frogs, carrion, and fruit.

American Crow in Bartlesville field having an early breakfast

American Crows are very social animals and are usually found in groups.

The American Crow's most common call is its loud "caw caw", but they can also mimic the voices of other animals including humans. I have heard several crows say "Hello", and one very clearly saying "I want to fly". It is illegal to keep crows as pets, but they are very trainable, loyal, curious, fearless, and highly intelligent, and people who have raised them say they are great companions though they do not like being placed in a cage. It is actually not uncommon for a wild crow to become comfortable enough with a human that a lifelong bond of friendship is formed. In many of these cases the crow will come in the person's house for food and visit, and wait on a particular tree in the morning to greet their friend when they come outside.

American Crows store excess food and can sometimes be seen burying it on the ground or hiding it in a tree hole.

This American Crow greeted me with a "caw caw caw" as I approached to photograph him

One American Crow lived almost 30 years, and many live longer than a decade.

American Crows are all black, even their legs and bill, but when they molt, their old feathers often look brown. Males and females look identical.

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Article and Photos by Charly Mann

One of my favorite birds to observe in my backyard or along the trails in Bartlesville is the Carolina Wren, but they are usually far too quick and nervous to get a picture of. They are exceptionally curious, rapidly searching a large area of a tree, fence, wall, or foliage for insects and seeds.

Carolina Wren visiting my backyard in Bartlesville

When one sees a Carolina Wren its tail is usually in an upright position, which means it is fully alert and active.

Carolina Wrens are small birds measuring only 5.5 inches in length and weighing just half an ounce. They have a slightly downward curved thin beak with a white streak extending from it over their eyes to the back of their head. They are brown on top with darker barred wings and tail. They are white underneath.

At least once a month I see a Carolina Wren sitting relaxed on this branch. Notice his tail is down.

They more resemble miniature helicopters than birds as they move about by rapid flapping of their short wings from branch to branch of a tree which is almost always accompanied by their constant "chirr-up" song.

When a Carolina Wren is relaxed it sings a long loud song that sounds like "come-to-me, come-to-me or chirr-up, chirr-up, chirr-up" which is repeated for several minutes.

Same branch as previous picture, but another day. This time I got a ten minute serenade by this Carolina Wren.

Carolina Wrens love to sing more than any other bird, and do so from dawn to well past sunset, and some have sung their song 3,000 times in a single day.

Carolina Wrens can live as long as six years.

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Photos and article by Charly Mann

The colorful head of a Northern Flicker

From time to time I am lucky enough to encounter a Northern Flicker walking along on the ground near me in a secluded open area of the woods off the Pathfinder trail in Bartlesville. These beautifully colored birds are woodpeckers, but spend much of their time in open areas along the edges of woods using their long tongue to snatch ants, termites, caterpillars, crickets, and grasshoppers.

Northern Flicker in a forest clearing in Bartlesville, Oklahoma

The Northern Flicker is about 12 inches in length and weighs 5 ounces. Their head is silver gray and brown with a red patch on the back. Males have a moustache streak of red or black, while females have a brown one or none at all. They have a black tail, white rump, and most of their torso is mottled brown and black, with many black spots on sides, lower breast and belly, and a black-barred brown back. Their feet and legs are gray.

Close-up of a male Northern Flicker

Though Northern Flickers do not feed in trees like most other woodpeckers, they do dig out cavities in trees for their nests.

Northern Flicker searching for an insect meal

Northern Flickers can live as long as 10 years.

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