How to Spot a Verdin

The Verdin, a small songbird of the North American southwest, is the only member of the Ramizidae family that lives in North America. With its brightly colored face and very vocal tendencies, identifying a Verdin is not very difficult; just follow these steps and, hopefully, you'll be able to see one.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Spot a Verdin in the southwestern United States from southern California to parts of central Texas and into central Mexico. The Verdin lives in the desert near areas of desert scrub and thorny vegetation.

2. Look at the small size of this songbird. The Verdin measures only 3.5 to 4 inches in length and has a wingspan ranging from 6.5 to 7 inches across. Verdins weigh between .2 and .3 oz.

3. Take note of the Verdin's gray upperparts and pale gray underparts. It has a yellow colored face and throat, although the male Verdins have a brighter yellow coloring than females. The tail is dark in color and has a short and rounded shape. The Verdin's pointed wings have a gray coloring and small red shoulder patches, which may not always be visible.

4. Listen to the sounds of the very vocal Verdin. The call of the Verdin is quick and resembles "tea-nip." The song of the Verdin sounds like a whistled "tswee-swee". You can listen the sounds of the Verdin on the What Bird website.

5. Watch the Verdin in flight, although they typically only fly for short durations, the Verdin is a weak flyer and appears to be fluttering during flight. They alternate periods of pulling their wings close to their bodies with fast shallow wing beats during flight.

Resources

• Listen to a Verdin.