Fern Hill Wetlands Bird Identification
Located in Oregon's Washington County in the city of Forest Grove, the Fern Hill Wetlands feature pond and marshland with 25 regular species of geese, swans and ducks, and as of 2010, a resident bald eagle. Other birds make migratory visits throughout the year, such as Virginia rails and cinnamon teals in the summer, red-shouldered hawks in the fall and peregrine falcons and merlins in the winter.
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Trumpeter Swan
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Year-round residents of the Fern Hill Wetlands, trumpeter swans have a black bill that is grayish-black at the base and pink at the tip. Ducklike in appearance but with long, straight necks, trumpeter swans have a white body with legs that are a grayish-pink with yellow, gray or dull black spots. Considered the largest water fowl in North America, the trumpeter swan is easily spotted and heard, with its call resembling a nasal-sounding horn.
Greater Scaup
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Regularly found in the Fern Hill Wetlands, greater scaup are medium-sized ducks that can be identified by their blue-colored, black-tipped bill and rounded head. Male greater scaup have a black head, chest and rear end with gray sides that are black on the tips and white in the center; females are brown in color and have a white patch on the face and at the bill's base. The cry of a greater scaup also depends on the sex of the bird; males make a soft whistle, and females emit hoarse "arr-arr-arr" sounds.
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Semipalmated Sandpiper
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Seen near the shores of the Fern Hill Wetlands, the semipalmated sandpiper is a shorebird that visits from July through November from the Arctic, where it breeds before going to South America in the winter. Both male and female semipalmated sandpipers have somewhat long legs and bills; short necks; and black legs, rear ends and tails. A smaller-sized sandpiper, the semipalmated has only a few markings on its chest, and its bill may droop downward at the tip. The call of a semipalmated sandpiper is a loud "cherk" noise.
Cinnamon Teal
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A summer visitor to the Fern Hill Wetlands, the cinnamon teal is a small duck that is brightly colored with light blue patches on its wings. The male cinnamon teal has a red head and body, red eyes, and a white-tipped bill, while the female is gray-brown in color with brown and green wings. Female cinnamon teals evenly space their loud quacks, while males make series of "chuk" sounds.
Eurasian Wigeon
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Eurasian wigeons are found in American and Canadian lakes and rivers, with the Fern Hill Wetlands home to this species of duck year-round. Both male and female Eurasians are medium-size with dark, reddish-colored heads, a buff-colored crown, gray sides, a black rear end that is streaked with white, and white-streaked wings. The call of the female is a quack, while the male's voice is high and scratchy-sounding with a "whe-o" call.
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References
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- Photo Credit juvenile Merlin, portrait image by Lars Lachmann from Fotolia.com
