Experience history.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins Nesting from the Arctic Circle south to Mexico, the little Yellow Warbler is one of North America’s most widely distributed birds. Winters are spent in the tropics of Central and South America. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins. The nasal call of the White-breasted Nuthatch is commonly heard throughout the year, and especially, in winter, around bird feeders offering black oil seed and suet. In summer, they prefer insects and spiders. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins Tree Swallows typically arrive along the lakeshore in early April. They are cavity nesters and the swallow boxes found throughout Colonel Sam Smith Park are in great demand. They especially like open areas near water that provide a good supply of flying insects. Unusual among swallows, they will also eat berries. This adaptation allows them to survive a cold spell when other insect eaters may not. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins Males arrive first on territory. Females build feather-lined nests for their 4-7 eggs, and, following incubation by the female alone, both parents feed a diet of insects to their nestlings. Southward migration begins as early as July. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins As with all North American aerial forgers, their numbers (although still relatively high) have dropped dramatically in recent years due to loss of habitat and the ever-increasing use of pesticides. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins This little sparrow is widely found throughout much of Canada and boasts one of the most melodious songs ever to grace a marsh. Sweet, sweet, sweet, merry, merry cheer! At Colonel Sam Smith Park, visitors will encounter many Song Sparrows especially when hiking past the willows along the shore of the marina and near the wetland lookout. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins The sighting of a Snowy Owl at Colonel Sam Smith or any of the other lakeshore parks causes great excitement even among non-birders. In years when winters are particularly harsh and lemmings, their food of choice, are scarce in their northern territory, the owls move farther south (known as an irruption) in search of other prey such as ducks. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins Considered by many ornithologists to be the most numerous land bird in North America, Red-winged Blackbirds are some of the earliest migrants to return in the spring. They are sexually dimorphic—males are glossy black with vibrant red wing flashes called epaulets, while females have drab brown and cream colouration that provides superb camouflage at nesting time. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins Their favourite habitat is along the shore of freshwater marshes where females alone weave bulky cup-like nests of grass and reeds. Males are polygynous, i.e. they mate with as many as 10 females and aggressively defend multiple sites at once. Their loud oh-kee-ree call serves as a warning to intruders including other birds, raccoons, and mink. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins Both parents feed the nestlings (females do the bulk of the work) and youngsters leave the nest approximately 11-14 days after hatching. Depending upon local conditions, two to three clutches may be raised each year. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins The Red-tailed Hawk is a medium sized bird of prey that breeds throughout most of North America, including metro Toronto. These birds may be observed throughout the year and are easily identifiable by their brick red tails. They have broad wings and soar effortlessly on high. A variety of colourations (morphs) exist throughout North America in shades ranging from very dark to extremely light. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins The nest is a large bowl of sticks lined with softer materials such as bark, pine needles and leaves. It may be built high in a tree or, if available, on the ledge of a cliff. Both sexes participate in the construction. Red-tailed Hawks are monogamous and may return to the same nesting location for many years. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins Although commonly considered a bird of more northern marshes and coastal areas, the beautiful Red-necked Grebe has recently begun to nest in increasing numbers at Colonel Sam Smith Park. Several pairs of these birds aggressively vie for the nesting platforms that are found floating in the marina. Many remain for the winter when their feathers become a non-descript gray. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins Their courtship display is pure ballet. Pairs may rise up above the surface of the water chest to chest with crests raised and heads swaying from side to side as they perform their mating dance. While loudly wailing, they simultaneously clasp on to a piece of vegetation as they glide over the water. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins The Red-breasted Merganser is often described as a large, long bodied, thin necked duck with a serrated (hence their nickname of “saw-bill”), long, thin, orange and slightly upturned bill. The bill adaptation provides extra grip when catching the fish that are its main food. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins Cardinals have steadily extended their range northward and now southern Ontario enjoys the beauty of these birds year round. The dashing red male is complemented by a female clad primarily in tones of brown and cream with subtle red accents. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins At Colonel Sam Smith Park, look for them in brushy areas that not only offer some cover and safety, but also serve as their favourite nesting locations. Starting as early as January, when days are lengthening, the males begin to sing in order to defend their territory. Females tend to sing during the breeding season before nesting begins. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins Although beautiful, elegant and a darling of the Russian ballet, the Mute Swan is not a native North American bird. They were originally imported from Europe to add an ornamental touch to public parks and the estates of the wealthy. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins This elegant duck’s summer range is circumpolar. It breeds in Arctic tundra pools and marshes and along high latitude seacoasts in North America, Europe and Russia. In Ontario, it may be found nesting on the shores of Hudson’s and James Bay. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins The House Finch is native to the southwestern United States. Because of its beautiful song, it was illegally imported to the east by pet shop owners in New York. In order to avoid prosecution, shop owners released the birds into the wild in 1940. Since then, the birds have thrived, expanded their territory and are now commonly found in southern Ontario. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins The sighting of a Horned Grebe at Colonel Sam Smith Park or anywhere else in Metropolitan Toronto is very significant, as these birds are on the federal government’s Species at Risk Public Registry. Based upon data gathered from annual surveys, their population has decreased by approximately 45% since the 1960’s. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins Great Egrets are tall pure white birds with black legs and a yellow bill. Their numbers in Ontario are small at present, although mixed-species communal colonies complete with large stick nests have been established in recent years on islands in the Great Lakes. On-going studies conducted by the Government of Canada indicate that their numbers may be increasing. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins This slim, perky, long-tailed gray denizen of thick brushy areas may be identified sight unseen by its habit of mewing like a cat. It is also a master mimic and can make a surprisingly extensive variety of sounds. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins These handsome subtly-coloured ducks are mostly found on inland waters. Although their populations in eastern Canada are much less than those in the Prairie Provinces, we are fortunate to observe them regularly along the lakeshore in Toronto. Look for the black rumps of the males and for the white wing speculum (coloured wing patch) of both sexes for clues to identification. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins Downy Woodpeckers are the smallest and most common woodpecker in eastern North America. They may be observed all year round. Although both sexes have black and white feathers, males have a bright red cap that differentiates them from the females. They are often confused with the similarly-coloured, but much larger Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus). Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful of our North American birds, the black-masked, crested Cedar Waxwing takes its name from the red waxy projections found on their secondary wing feathers. The number of projections may vary with the age and sex of the bird and are suspected to be of value for attracting a mate. Older males have more of them, while females have fewer. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins Although it nests farther to the north, this dapper little diving duck is quite commonly spotted along the shore of Lake Ontario and in the marina at Colonel Sam Smith Park most commonly during migration times and over the winter months. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins Searching for this tiny brown mite as it spirals vertically up the trunks of larger trees can often be a daunting task. Its colouration resembles a piece of bark and provides superb camouflage. On the way up, it seeks out insect eggs, spiders, beetles and other desirable morsels. A Brown Creeper’s short legs, sharp claws and long tail prop are more suited for upward mobility. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins These medium-sized sparrows are quite easy to identify. Look for a rusty cap, a long thin notched tail, plain gray belly with dark central breast spot and a bi-coloured bill (black upper bill and yellow lower). In colder weather they often fluff their feathers and make themselves appear plumper that usual. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins Long thought to be our first bird of spring, Robins are now regularly observed throughout the winter in sheltered locations such as in the ravines of metro Toronto. Unable to find the stereotypical earthworm as food, they search for locations with berry, crabapple and cherry trees. They are probably our most recognizable and beloved birds. Click on the link for a full description.

Photograph by Sandra C. Hawkins This smallest North American falcon’s former name was “Sparrow Hawk”. The sexes are easily identified by their differences in colouration (sexual dimorphism). Males have blue wings and those of the female are brown. Both have vertical black markings on the side of their head that are often called “mustaches” or “sideburns”. Click on the link for a full description.