The Most Iconic Birds of Christmas

Can anyone really argue that there is a more iconic bird of Christmas in North America than the strikingly scarlet Northern Cardinal?  With brilliant crimson plumage that both matches red holly berries and contrasts beautifully with evergreen foliage and white snow, the cardinal seems to embody everything in the natural world that is beautiful in wintertime - and by extension, Christmastime. 

But, there may be more than one iconic winter bird out there that deserves to grace wintery Christmas cards and the December page of the calendar.  

Join me in a little festive bird-related fun as I muse over a few additional species that I wouldn't mind seeing crafted into Christmas tree ornaments, shaped into sugar cookies, and emblazoned on Christmas sweaters!

A somewhat wintery Northern Cardinal... in Texas. 
Hands down, the most iconic bird of Christmas in North America!


As indisputably beautiful as Northern Cardinals are, in their dashing little red winter coats, bird lovers in the western United States are left out of this bit of holiday joy: Cardinals are found only as far west as the Great Plains in the north, and eastern Arizona in the south, leaving the rest of the west bereft. 

Enter juncos.  Well known "snowbirds" across most of the continental U.S., Dark-eyed Juncos move south and downslope from their coniferous homes in the fall to spend the winter at backyard feeders in every state.  These sweet little sparrows are found in a variety of "races" (or color patterns), from the widespread all-gray Slate-Colored race, to the more restricted Oregon race that is most familiar here in the west.  They are undoubtedly one of our most beloved winter songbirds, and for many, a bird associated with Christmas!

Pink-sided Dark-eyed Junco, Yellowstone National Park. 
The OG Snow Bird (per Audubon himself).

Chickadees are another widespread group of backyard birds that are familiar at winter bird feeders across the U.S.  Darling, dashing and daring, these little dynamos are a delight to watch all year long!

While the typical Christmas card chickadee is the Black-capped Chickadee or Carolina Chickadee (two species which look pretty much identical), birders in the west are not to be left out!  Here, we enjoy both Chestnut-backed (in the Pacific Northwest) and Mountain Chickadees.  And, for the hardy birders who brave the cold of Minnesota's famed Sax-Zim Bog, Boreal Chickadees may be added to their Christmas Bird Count list as well.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee, California. 
Most likely to meet you under the mistletoe.

It's hard to think of the winter birding scene in North America without remembering our winter finches, those delightful seed-eaters that move in unpredictable patterns largely determined by cone crops.  (Every year, the "Winter Finch Forecast" attempts to predict their current population and movements!)  

Red Crossbill, Grand Teton National Park. 
The original Christmas tree ornament.

With several species in this category to choose from, there is a winter finch for almost everyone: Pine Grosbeak and Evening Grosbeak; Purple Finch and Cassin's Finch; Red Crossbill and White-winged Crossbill; Redpoll and Pine Siskin.  Which one is on your Christmas wish list this year??

Purple Finch, California.
One of North America's many winter feeder-visiting fringillids.

And while they're not actually finches, I would throw Red-breasted Nuthatches into the category of winter nomads as well, since they too are seed-eaters that move in irruptive seasonal patterns.  Oh, and probably nomadic, berry-eating Cedar Waxwings and Bohemian Waxwings should be considered also!

Cedar Waxwing, California. 
Not holly berries, but still beautiful!

In many places with open water, winter is "weird duck season," and while ducks may not exude particularly Christmassy feels, swans a-swimming and geese a-laying certainly do, thanks to a certain 16th century carol!  Here in California's Central Valley, many thousands of geese and Tundra Swans flock to their ancestral wintering grounds in incredible numbers, blanketing wetlands with white feathers and the only "snow" we are likely to see.  

Tundra Swans, California. 
"Seven swans a-swimming..."

And, since anything about the North woods tends to feel wintery and therefore Christmassy too, I would put loons in the winter waterfowl category as well.  (Though whatever you do, don't let the loons think for a second that you've lumped them in with lowly ducks and geese!)

Common Loon, Acadia National Park. 
The sound and soul of the North Woods.


Surely woodsy woodpeckers must be on the list of iconic birds of Christmas too, right?  I mean, look at this guy: The Pileated Woodpecker is a veritable lumberjack who comes with his own Santa hat!!  North America is home to twenty-two species of woodpeckers to choose from, drumming away in diverse habitats from remote boreal bogs to your very own backyard!

Pileated Woodpecker, Acadia National Park. 
Nature's own Little Drummer Boy.


Also in the category of "high mountain birds that evoke the spirit of Christmas in the wintery woods," I nominate White-tailed Ptarmigan, Clark's Nutcracker and Canada Jay.  We should probably throw in some owls, too.  Great Gray Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl spring readily to mind as excellent Christmas card candidates.

White-tailed Ptarmigan, Rocky Mountain National Park.
Because when was the last time you saw a partridge in a pear tree??



Clark's Nutcracker, Crater Lake National Park.
Russian ballet at its finest.


Canada Jay, Mount Rainier National Park.
The most charming mountaineer.  Eh?


And of course, all things related to snow are fair game as well.  Especially Christmassy are Snow Bunting and Snowy Owl (or, for those of us in California, we make do with Snow Geese and Snowy Egrets!)  

Snow Bunting, Half Moon Bay, California.
Like a little feathery "toasted marshmallow."  Perfect with a mug of hot chocolate.


In Europe, the adorable European Robin is the avian poster child most often chosen to grace Christmas cards, giving them a delightfully bucolic, Old World feel.

Speaking of Europe, is there anything more catchy than singing of two turtle-doves and a partridge in a pear tree?  Recall that this well-loved (or at least well-known) song also includes references to swans, geese, calling-birds and French hens!  Check out this article, from BBC Wildlife, which makes the case that the gifts given each day in the famous carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas, all refer to a different type of bird!  (I like this version!)

What did I miss?  Which birds are most iconic to you during winter and Christmastime?

Happy Christmas!

Comments

Post a Comment

You Might Also Like:

Birds of the Desert: Residents & Spring Migrants

Image
Nearly everyone knows the desert as a barren, desolate land of extremes: high heat, low precipitation; little available food and water; prickly, spiny, unfriendly plants growing in a sea of rocks and sand as far as the eye can see.  But for those who stop and look closer, the desert reveals itself as the beautiful, incredible, mesmerizing place it truly is, teeming with unexpected life. Juvenile male Costa's Hummingbird visiting chuparosa blooms next to our campsite in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. I particularly love the desert in the spring, when the annual wildflowers, cacti, flowering trees and shrubs are all in bloom.  (I've experienced the desert in the searing 120 degree heat of summer, and the rainy, even snowy cold of winter... and spring wins every time!)  Eric and I just returned from a week in the Colorado desert, exploring the imperiled, accidental Salton Sea (more on that coming soon), the vital wetlands of the Sonny Bono Salton ...
Read more

A Shorebird Primer: Godwits, Curlews, Willets and Whimbrels

Image
For those of us living in the Great Central Valley, autumn is the time to head to the coast.  Of course, there is no bad time to visit California's magnificent coastline.  But as the heat and haze of summer drag on in the Valley, the sea becomes increasingly tantalizing: September and the onset of autumn bring sunny weather and an abundance of migratory seabirds and shorebirds to our coast. A new birder visiting California's Central Coast will undoubtedly be met with a splendid array of very confusing birds.  Among these are small shorebirds like  "peeps" (sandpipers), Sanderlings and various  plovers .  But the larger birds can be just as confusing, until you learn a few distinguishing features.  Four large shorebirds that are commonly seen (and commonly confused) along California's Central Coast are Godwits, Curlews, Willets and Whimbrels. Marbled Godwit (upper left), Whimbrel (upper right), Long-billed Cu...
Read more

Joshua Tree Woodlands: A Tale of Sloths, Moths and the Trees that Need Them

Image
In 1844, early California explorer John C. Fremont gave a somewhat scathing review of Joshua trees when he wrote, "...their stiff and ungraceful form makes them to the traveler the most repulsive tree in the vegetable kingdom."  Rather unkind, don't you think?  But when Joshua trees were formally described by scientist William Trelease in the 1890's, he noted that Joshua Trees are "the most attractive of all the Yuccas."  I am inclined to agree with this sentiment, and must disagree most heartily with Lieutenant Fremont! I, for one, adore Joshua Trees, with their whimsical shapes and great ecological significance!  If you struggle with plant identification, the iconic Joshua tree, hallmark of the Mojave Desert, is a good place to start.  With densely spiked tufts protruding from the ends of gangly arms stretched towards the heavens, this looks like a plant straight from a Dr. Seuss book....
Read more

Birding in Adverse Weather Conditions: Wind and Rain

Image
Though I often extol the virtues and merits of winter in the Central Valley , especially when it comes to birding, the whole truth is that we experience "bad" weather also, just like anywhere else.  But even when the winter weather rolls in, the birds are still out there!  And sometimes, despite our best planning efforts, a birding day happens to coincide with crummy weather.   In that case, what's a birder to do?  Usually, we go birding anyway!   Birders far more intrepid than I regularly brave the ice and snow of northern winters to see their favorite birds, so perhaps you should look to them for real tips on winter birding!  For those of us in the valleys of California, the worst weather we see - wind and rain - is really comparatively mild.  Birding on an extremely windy day! I don't know of anyone who actually likes birding in the rain.  But I would argue that birding in the wind is just as aggravating as trying to bird in the rai...
Read more

All The Ducks!

Image
On a recent birding trip to Merced National Wildlife Refuge, I tallied up a list of sixteen different species of ducks.  Only a few more species, around twenty in total, are expected in the Central Valley of California's freshwater marshes during the winter, so I consider that to be an excellent day for ducks! North American ducks are broadly separated into two categories, largely based on their methods of foraging for food.   Dabbling ducks , also known as "puddle ducks," tend to frequent shallow water, where they are commonly seen tipping bottoms-up to feed on plant matter and invertebrates in the water and on the muddy bottom.  They are most at home in water, but walk easily on land as well, as their legs are positioned near the center of their bodies.  The wings of dabbling ducks are relatively large, which allows them to take off from the surface of the water, straight up into their air.  Dabbling ducks almost all nest on the ground, near water....
Read more

Winter Gulls: The Great I.D. Challenge

Image
Gulls are a fun challenge for birders, from beginners to experts.  A few things make gulls an interesting study: they are large and conspicuous in their open habitats, so they are easy to see, easy to put a scope on, and easy to watch and study for long periods of time.  Furthermore, gulls are almost always identifiable as gulls; none of this confusing warbler/vireo/kinglet nonsense! And yet, gulls are almost impossibly difficult!  (Though perhaps not nearly as difficult as Empidonax flycatchers!) An intimidating scene to many a birder: a mixed flock of gulls.  I see five different species of gull here. Oh, and one American Coot in the background. One of the reasons they are so complicated is most gull species take two or three years to achieve adult plumage, and go through multiple molts in a year.  So, you may be looking at three or four gulls together that look like four completely different species, when they are actually just different ages (...
Read more