Diving Ducks Diving ducks earn their name from their hunting behavior. Depending on the species, these ducks can dive up to ten or more feet below the water in search of food. And they can hold their breath for a minute or longer. These ducks…
Egrets Egrets and herons both belong to the ardeidae family and share many of the same characteristics. Like herons, egrets are wading birds and colonize with a mixture of wading birds. Like herons, egrets live within trees or shrubs near marshes, ponds or any body…
Herons Herons are salt and freshwater birds that travel all over the western hemisphere in search of food and warm weather. These migratory birds reside in an array of waterfronts such as lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and swamps. Heron’s large wings make them strong fliers…
Eastern Screech Owl The screech owl (Megascops asio) is a very common but rarely glimpsed bird. This bird is known by many other common names including little horned owl, scritch owl and shivering owl. Often mistaken for a baby because of its small size, the…
Vultures There are two species of vultures found in Virginia: the turkey vulture and the black vulture. Vultures (some call them buzzards) are scavenging birds that feed on the remains of dead animals. The vulture has been perceived as a loathsome creature because of its…
Wild Turkeys The wild turkey (Meleagris gallapavo) is a large ground-feeding bird that is related to chickens, quail and pheasants. Turkeys prefer to live in open forests, the edges of forests or wooded swamps. They feed on seeds, grains, acorns and other nuts, berries and…
Brown Pelican During the warmer months, Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) can be seen flying in V formations over coastal waters or sitting on piers and pilings. Pelicans are large birds with a wingspan of 6 feet. Adults can grow to 4 ½ feet long and…
Bald eagle Our national bird, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is one of the largest raptors in Virginia with a wingspan of up to 8 feet. The female is larger than the male and can weigh up to 14 pounds. The large size and white…