Iowa Winter Birds: Pine Siskin

pine siskin

When I started working for the Dickinson County Conservation Board five years ago, I didn’t know much about identifying birds. I could pick out a cardinal, a robin, a goldfinch and a bald eagle. I remember when I was watching the birds in the avian courtyard with a volunteer, and he pointed out a streaky Read More »

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Iowa Winter Birds: American Tree Sparrow

american tree sparrow

The American tree sparrow’s name is really misleading. European settlers named it the American tree sparrow because the chubby bird with a rust-colored cap and eyeline reminded them of the Eurasian tree sparrow, but Spizelloides arborea isn’t just American. It does spend its nonbreeding winter seasons in the U.S. and southern Canada, but it head Read More »

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