THE VERY NORTHERN PART OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AND VERMONT
(Covering Averill, Beecher Falls, Canaan, Clarksville, Colebrook, Columbia, Dixville Notch, Errol, Pittsburg, Stewartstown, and Stratford...)
The Great North Woods of New Hampshire and Vermont contains five diverse habitats for bird watching in one region. Our large tracts of forestland host many, many birds but some to note are listed here.
The open Lakes, Ponds and Rivers (our pristine northern waterways), have an abundance of nesting water birds, including the common loon, wood ducks, common and hooded mergansers.
Freshwater Marshland supports warblers, olive flycatchers, and rusty blackbirds.
Cultural Grassland that has been kept clear by grazing animals and/or fires has the eastern meadowlark and bobolink.
Mixed Forestland that has deciduous and coniferous trees support populations of bay breasted warblers and black-throated green warblers.
The Great Northern Boreal Forest is our unique habitat and has birds rarely seen elsewhere such as the Spruce Grouse, Canada jay, Boreal Chickadee, Lincoln's Sparrow, and Black-backed Woodpecker.
The full-grown wild turkey stands around 48"
and looks like a slender version of a domestic turkey,
--tail tipped with brown not white.
Found in open woodlands and forest,
the wild turkey has made a comeback from
near extinction in its traditional habitats. Wild turkeys
can be seen feeding in the corn fields on
Vermont Route 102 between Lemington and
Canaan. Feeding Wild Turkeys from your hand
can be dangerous. Their talons and beaks are lethal
weapons. This tom turkey is ballooning itself up;
a defense mechanism that precedes defending
its territory.
Picture courtesy of
Richard Bunnell
Owls are nocturnal birds of prey with a
noiseless flight; large heads with large eyes.
They eat mice, birds, and frogs.
The barred owl pictured here is 20".
It's a large stocky owl, gray brown with
cross barring on breast, and streaks on belly.
It lives in low wet swamps and forests.
Picture courtesy of
Larry and Blenda Rappaport
Loons are large submarine-like swimming birds with shorter necks than geese. A characteristic feature is their sharp pointed bills. In flight their outline is hunchbacked and gangly with big feet showing beyond the tail. A parent loon is between 28"-36"; strikingly patterned black and white in summer and breeds in our northern lakes and ponds. This bird is well-known for carrying chicks on parent's back. One of the sounds of our great Northern forests is its loud maniacal call
Pictures courtesy of
Scott and Chris Dearborn-Nottingham, NH
Woodpeckers are tree climbers with chisel bills.
Their tails act as props as they climb. The flight
of most species is undulating, several quick beats
and a pause. Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers are the
only white-backed woodpeckers. They are almost
identical in pattern - checkered and spotted with
black and white. The male birds have a red patch on the back of the head.
Picture courtesy
of Quimby Country Lodge and Cottages photo taken by Mary Gutsell
The hummingbird is the smallest of all birds.
They have long thin bills for sipping nectar
from flowers. The wing motion is so fast it looks
blurred. The ruby-throat male hummingbirds
are metallic green above with glowing red
throats; the females have white throats.
The ruby throat is the only eastern species
Picture courtesy of Quimby Country Lodge and Cottages - photo taken by Mary Gutsell
The jays are a brightly colored loud bird
between 11" - 13". The gray jay (Canada jay)
pictured here is a large friendly gray bird
of the cold north woods. It has a black cap
set on the back of its head and a white
forehead. These birds are known as camp
robbers because of their friendly nature.
Picture courtesy of Pete and Lainie Castine-Pittsburg, NH
The Ruffed Grouse is a ground dwelling
chicken-like birds, usually not seen until
it takes flight in an explosive whir. Grouse
have a fan shaped tail with a broad black
band near the tip. The ruffed grouse is easiest
to identify by it's distinctive drumming which
sounds like a motor starting up.
Picture courtesy of
The Glen and Tom Pepper
The Great Blue Heron is the largest wading
bird found in the U.S. Long legs, long neck
and pointed beak are the general characteristics
of this bird. In flight the Great Blue folds its
neck and trails its long legs and has a slow
bowed wing beat. They are found wading
in the shallows of any body of water.
Picture courtesy of The Glen and George Hall
This bird is not a native of North America. It is descended from stock brought in from
different parts of Europe. They are between
30 and 36 inches with a long, pointed tail.
The male has a red eye patch, brilliant green
head, and white neck ring. The body
is soft brown and russet.
Picture courtesy of Clifford Bunnell
This woodpecker is about 17 inches. Despite
its size this elegant woodpecker is adept at
keeping out of sight. Obtaining a close view
of one usually requires careful stalking. Its
presence is most easily detected by its loud,
ringing call and by its large, characteristically
rectangular holes in trees. This bird is black
with white neck stripes, white winged linings
and a very prominent red crest.
Picture courtesy of Clifford Bunnell
The Bald Eagle has a white face and tail on a brown body..It's legs are feathered half way down on their tarsus. They fly with deep strokes and soar on flattened wings. Primarily fish-eaters, Bald Eagles are rarely seen and generally frequent lake shorelines.
The Canada Goose has a black head and neck with a broad white cheek and long black neck. Geese swim with their necks straight up and fly, in a striking V-formations. They gather in large flocks after breeding and graze in open fields within common distance of bodies of water. They also feed in ponds. Their characteristic honking is well-known.
Picture courtesy of Lainie and Pete Castine
a/k/a
Timberdoodle
The Woodcock is a short-legged, short necked bird with a long bill. They're noctural by nature and live in moist woodlands, swamps and thickets. They allow a close approach then explode with whistling wings often startling those who venture close to them!
Picture courtesy of Lainie Castine
Bluebirds are generally the first migrant of spring. It is a thrush also, as the faintly spotted breast of the young testifies. Though a lot of other birds are blue, none have the chestcut brown breast of this species. Bluebirds are particularly attracted to a particular type of nesting box.
Picture courtesy of Lainie Castine
a/k/a
Moorhen
Gallinule's, or Moorhen's are a duck-like swimming bird that constantly bobs it's head while moving. They are slate gray with a prominent red bill with a yellow tip and red frontal shield. They are impartial to freshwater marshes and ponds with cattails and other aquatic vegetation. Their call is similar to a coot and they nest along shorelines using dead cattails, rushes and marsh plants to build platforms slightly above the water where they hatch out 9 - 12 buff-colored eggs with light brown spots on them. Several nests are built by the male and are used as dormitories for the young.
These warm-brown, crested birds are unique in their appearance especially when a flock is feeding on cherries or mulberries. Watch for the wide yellow band that tips the tail. The female is similar to the male and the young are streaked below.
Mallards are a marshland duck with a blue wing patch margined by two white bars. These marks identify it in any plumage. The green head and white neck ring are good field marks of the male. They take off in a vertical leap and feed by tipping in shallow water. The female is smaller than the male with mottled brown and buff colors.
Picture courtesy of Lainie Castine