Category: Birding Challenge

Birding 101: Rainy Lake Birding for Beginners

3/23/2020

Birding is a hobby you can take with you anywhere. Even some of the coldest, most remote places in the world have various types of birds that live or migrate there seasonally. It’s a hobby you can bundle into two: hiking and birding, boating and birding, four-wheeling and birding, to name a few. If you’re outside, look to the sky and listen carefully. This hobby changes with the seasons, bringing new species of birds to new locations for an array of colors, sizes, and sounds.

At Rainy Lake, it’s easy to slow down and notice the sounds and sights you might otherwise miss. The warmer temperatures in the spring mean birds that migrate south return to mate, nest, and settle in for a beautiful summer. With more bird activity and a greater chance to see rare birds that are out to socialize, April is a great time to hone your birding technique. Grab a pair of binoculars, get outside, and look or listen for a few of our favorites.

By Color:

Northern Cardinal: The male Northern Cardinal is easy to spot thanks to its vibrant red feathers with dark black accents. Though small, it’s not easily missed against the brown and green backdrop of early spring. Females also have pink/red wings but may be easier to miss than their male counterpart.
Blue Jays: On a clear blue day, these birds may be tougher to spot. With grey bellies and bright sky-blue feathers, they stand out on budding tree branches in early spring. They are larger than the Northern Cardinal and often louder. It’s hard to miss a Blue Jay call, so follow the sound and you’ll be able to locate this brilliant blue bird.
American Goldfinch: Nothing says spring like an array of bright yellow feathers. The American Goldfinch is hard to miss with its cheerfully vivid yellow body and dark black feathers. Males are significantly brighter while females tend to blend in with the brown branches.
Baltimore Orioles: With blazing orange bellies and black heads, male Baltimore Orioles are easy to spot. Their female counterpart, though not as bright, still have yellow-orange bodies and brown wings which make them noticeable amidst budding green branches.

By Sound:

Mourning Doves: This might be a common bird that you hear in and out of the city, but Mourning Doves have a very distinct call. Chances are you’ll hear them before you see them due to their dull brown and tan bodies. However, their heads and necks have an opalescent, peach glow that adds to their beauty. Listen carefully and take notice of these stunning, singing birds next time you’re outside.
Black-Capped Chickadee: Easily mocked by many, the Black-Capped Chickadee has a distinct call that almost sounds repetitive. But what many don’t know is that the longer the cry, the greater the threat. For Black-Capped Chickadees, their call is about survival. Listen close to observe next time!
Bald Eagle: You will likely hear this bird before you see it. Frequently perched high above open prairies and fields, this bird of prey has a piercing, loud call. Once endangered, this bird can be frequently seen soaring above open bodies of water and land in search of food.
Northern Mockingbird: We couldn’t talk about bird songs without mentioning the mockingbird. Known for its repetitive nature, the Northern Mockingbird sticks to its tune. Cross your fingers for a song you like and listen closely for the same verse over and over.

We’ve named just a few common spring-time birds here at Rainy Lake, but consider taking our birding challenge and download a printable list of birds you can scout for next time you’re outside. Want to encourage birds to visit your yard? Check out these tips from Minnesota DNR for bird feeding in the spring!

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Rainy Lake Birding Challenge

5/4/2018

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Looking for a challenge? A birding challenge? We invite you spot these birds in the Rainy Lake area. Comment below with the bird(s) you found, and the approximate location of the sighting.

Printable Checklist

DUCKS, GEESE & SWANS
❑ Snow Goose
❑ Canada Goose
❑ Trumpeter Swan
❑ Tundra Swan
❑ Wood Duck
❑ Gadwall
❑ American Wigeon
❑ American Black Duck
❑ Mallard
❑ Blue-winged Teal
❑ Northern Shoveler
❑ Northern Pintail
❑ Green-winged Teal
❑ Canvasback
❑ Redhead
❑ Ring-necked Duck
❑ Greater Scaup
❑ Lesser Scaup
❑ Surf Scoter
❑ White-winged Scoter
❑ Black Scoter
❑ Long-tailed Duck
❑ Bufflehead
❑ Common Goldeneye
❑ Hooded Merganser
❑ Common Merganser
❑ Red-breasted Merganser
❑ Ruddy Duck
GROUSE
❑ Ruffed Grouse
❑ Spruce Grouse
❑ Sharp-tailed Grouse
LOONS
❑ Common Loon
❑ Red-throated Loon
GREBES
❑ Pied-billed Grebe
❑ Horned Grebe
❑ Red-necked Grebe
❑ Western Grebe
PELICANS
❑ American White Pelican
CORMORANTS
❑ Double-crested
Cormorant
HERONS, BITTERNS
❑ American Bittern
❑ Great Blue Heron

❑ American Tree Sparrow
❑ Chipping Sparrow
❑ Clay-colored Sparrow
❑ Vesper Sparrow
❑ Savannah Sparrow
❑ Le Conte's Sparrow
❑ Fox Sparrow
❑ Song Sparrow
❑ Lincoln's Sparrow
❑ Swamp Sparrow
❑ White-throated Sparrow
❑ Harris' Sparrow
❑ White-crowned Sparrow
❑ Dark-eyed Junco
❑ Lapland Longspur
❑ Snow Bunting
CARDINALS & ALLIES
❑ Rose-breasted Grosbeak
❑ Indigo Bunting
BLACKBIRDS
❑ Bobolink
❑ Red-winged Blackbird
❑ Eastern Meadowlark
❑ Western Meadowlark
❑ Yellow-headed Blackbird
❑ Rusty Blackbird
❑ Brewer's Blackbird
❑ Common Grackle
❑ Brown-headed Cowbird
❑ Baltimore Oriole
FINCHES
❑ Pine Grosbeak
❑ Purple Finch
❑ Red Crossbill
❑ White-winged Crossbill
❑ Common Redpoll
❑ Hoary Redpoll
❑ Pine Siskin
❑ American Goldfinch
❑ Evening Grosbeak
OLD WORLD SPARROWS
❑ House Sparrow

VULTURES, HAWKS
& EAGLES
❑ Turkey Vulture
❑ Osprey
❑ Bald Eagle
❑ Northern Harrier
❑ Sharp-shinned Hawk
❑ Cooper's Hawk
❑ Northern Goshawk
❑ Broad-winged Hawk
❑ Red-tailed Hawk
❑ Rough-legged Hawk
❑ Golden Eagle
FALCONS
❑ American Kestrel
❑ Merlin
❑ Peregrine Falcon
❑ Gyrfalcon
RAILS & COOTS
❑ Yellow Rail
❑ Virginia Rail
❑ Sora
❑ American Coot
CRANES
❑ Sandhill Crane
PLOVERS
❑ Black-bellied Plover
❑ American Golden-plover
❑ Semipalmated Plover
❑ Piping Plover
❑ Killdeer
SANDPIPERS & ALLIES
❑ Greater Yellowlegs
❑ Lesser Yellowlegs
❑ Solitary Sandpiper
❑ Willet
❑ Spotted Sandpiper
❑ Upland Sanpiper
❑ Whimbrel
❑ Hudsonian Godwit
❑ Marbled Godwit
❑ Ruddy Turnstone
❑ Sanderling
❑Semipalmated Sandpiper
❑ Western Sandpiper
❑ Least Sandpiper
❑ White-rumped Sandpiper
❑ Baird's Sandpiper
❑ Pectoral Sandpiper
❑ Dunlin
❑ Long-billed Dowitcher
❑ Wilson's Snipe

❑ Swainson's Thrush
❑ Hermit Thrush
❑ Wood Thrush
❑ American Robin
❑ Varied Thrush
MOCKINGBIRDS &
THRASHERS
❑ Gray Catbird
❑ Northern Mockingbird
❑ Brown Thrasher
STARLINGS
❑ European Starling
PIPITS
❑ American Pipit
WAXWINGS
❑ Bohemian Waxwing
❑ Cedar Waxwing
WOOD-WARBLERS
❑ Golden-winged Warbler
❑ Tennessee Warbler
❑ Orange-crowned Warbler
❑ Nashville Warbler
❑ Northern Parula
❑ Yellow Warbler
❑ Chestnut-sided Warbler
❑ Magnolia Warbler
❑ Cape May Warbler
❑ Black-throated
Blue Warbler
❑ Yellow-rumped Warbler
❑ Black-throated
Green Warbler
❑ Blackburnian Warbler
❑ Pine Warbler
❑ Palm Warbler
❑ Bay-breasted Warbler
❑ Blackpoll Warbler
❑ Black-and-white Warbler
❑ American Redstart
❑ Ovenbird
❑ Northern Waterthrush
❑ Connecticut Warbler
❑ Mourning Warbler
❑ Common Yellowthroat
❑ Wilson's Warbler
❑ Canada Warbler
TANAGERS
❑ Scarlet Tanager
SPARROWS & ALLIES
❑ Eastern Towhee

❑ American Woodcock
❑ Wilson's Phalarope
GULLS & TERNS
❑ Franklin's Gull
❑ Bonaparte's Gull
❑ Ring-billed Gull
❑ Herring Gull
❑ Caspian Tern
❑ Common Tern
❑ Black Tern
PIGEONS & DOVES
❑ Rock Pigeon
❑ Mourning Dove
CUCKOOS
❑ Black-billed Cuckoo
❑ Yellow-billed Cuckoo
OWLS
❑ Great Horned Owl
❑ Snowy Owl
❑ Northern Hawk Owl
❑ Barred Owl
❑ Great Gray Owl
❑ Long-eared Owl
❑ Short-eared Owl
❑ Boreal Owl
❑ Northern Saw-whet Owl
GOATSUCKERS
❑ Common Nighthawk
❑ Whip-poor-will
SWIFTS
❑ Chimney Swift
HUMMINGBIRDS
❑ Ruby-throated
Hummingbird
❑ Rufous Hummingbird
KINGFISHERS
❑ Belted Kingfisher
WOODPECKERS
❑ Red-headed Woodpecker
❑ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
❑ Downy Woodpecker
❑ Hairy Woodpecker
❑ Three-toed Woodpecker
❑ Black-backed
Woodpecker
❑ Northern Flicker
❑ Pileated Woodpecker
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
❑ Olive-sided Flycatcher
❑ Eastern Wood-pewee

❑ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
❑ Alder Flycatcher
❑ Least Flycatcher
❑ Eastern Phoebe
❑ Great Crested Flycatcher
❑ Eastern Kingbird
SHRIKES
❑ Northern Shrike
VIREOS
❑ Blue-headed Vireo
❑ Warbling Vireo
❑ Philadelphia Vireo
❑ Red-eyed Vireo
JAYS & CROWS
❑ Gray Jay
❑ Blue Jay
❑ Black-billed Magpie
❑ American Crow
❑ Common Raven
LARKS
❑ Horned Lark
SWALLOWS
❑ Purple Martin
❑ Tree Swallow
❑ Northern Rough-winged
Swallow
❑ Bank Swallow
❑ Cliff Swallow
❑ Barn Swallow
CHICKADEES
❑ Black-capped Chickadee
❑ Boreal Chickadee
NUTHATCHES
❑ Red-breasted Nuthatch
❑ White-breasted Nuthatch
CREEPERS
❑ Brown Creeper
WRENS
❑ House Wren
❑ Winter Wren
❑ Sedge Wren
❑ Marsh Wren
KINGLETS
❑ Golden-crowned Kinglet
❑ Ruby-crowned Kinglet
THRUSHES
❑ Eastern Bluebird
❑ Townsend's Solitaire
❑ Veery
❑ Gray-cheeked Thrush

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Birding 101: Rainy Lake Birding for Beginners

Rainy Lake Birding Challenge

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