Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Note the season in which you noticed the bird. Red-throated loons only have red throats during the summer months. They live near bodies of water like lakes, and may be mistaken for ducks or geese from a distance. They have dark gray or black heads and necks with white underbellies and black or gray wings with white markings and white undersides. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are tiny birds that live throughout the United States. They feed on nectar from flowers and are most frequently seen during the spring and summer months. Their abdomens and undersides are normally white, but some males are a bright, iridescent green.
Look for woodpecking behavior. Several species of woodpeckers have red throats, black heads and white bottoms. These birds are frequently heard before they are seen and bore holes in trees with their long bills. Red-naped sapsuckers have black or red heads with black and white bodies and white abdomens. The males typically have more red along their throats than the females, and the red may extend partially down the bird's underside. They live in the western U.S. The yellow-bellied sapsucker has a similar appearance to red-naped sapsuckers but with hints of yellow along the underside of the abdomen. They reside primarily in the eastern and central parts of the U.S.
Observe the bird's behavior. The ruby-throated hummingbird constantly flaps its wings and flies very quickly. Red-throated loons frequently engage in territorial displays. They may life their neck vertically while extending their head downward, occasionally splashing water with their feet.
Look at the size and shape of the bird. Hummingbirds can easily be differentiated from other birds by their small size, while red-throated loons are large relative to other birds. Woodpeckers are often tall with relatively thin bodies. Two medium-sized birds, the robin and red-throated pipin, have red throats with black and white accents on their bodies. Male robins have chests and abdomens that are completely red, while female robins may only have red throats with white, brown or gray undersides. The red-throated pipit is drab in color with a black or brown head and white accents along the wings. Both species of birds are distributed throughout the United States.