Park City's Magnificent Birds of Winter

“Gone away is the bluebird, here to stay is a new bird ...” We all recognize the lyrics from an old favorite holiday tune. Although the song may evoke feelings of nostalgia and childhood excitement, it is also a reminder that some birds are only seasonal visitors. Our exquisite Mountain Bluebird leaves our landscape as the weather cools and heads to warmer locales such as Mexico. In its place during the winter months, Park City residents are more likely to spy a variety of splendid birds including woodpeckers and hawks.

Wooing the Woodpeckers

According to Hillary White, a wildlife biologist for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, in addition to seeing cheerful chickadees, a handful of nuthatches and hearty sparrows this winter, Parkites will probably catch a glimpse of woodpeckers in their own backyards as most of Utah’s wood-peckers are considered year-round residents. The most common woodpecker varieties in our area are the Northern Flickers, Downy, and Hairy Woodpeckers. There are many reasons why these tree-boring residents are favorites among birders. Far from shy, they often visit feeders and are easy to identify because of their bold feather patterns and common red plumage on the head. Because of their unique anatomy, these birds are also perfect examples of adaptation. Their feet are designed for clinging and climbing on vertical surfaces, and the stiff tail feathers act as a brace against the sides of trees. Their bills are tough enough to bore through the thickest bark, and most species have an extremely long tongue which is barbed at the end and helps pull insects from tree crevices.

White explains that it is simple to entice these feathered wonders into a backyard by offering them a high-fat meal. “Many wintering birds, including woodpeckers, benefit from the high-energy and high-fat of suet when natural foods are in limited supply,” she says. “Insects make up a majority of the woodpecker’s diet. In the winter, insects are in short supply, and suet is a good winter substitute.”

During the colder months, birds slow down their metabolisms in order to burn fewer calories. This fatty meal helps birds sustain their body heat as temperatures plummet.

Local pet and bird specialty stores have inexpensive suet cakes and feeders that can be hung from a tree or post with little effort. “Suet feeders should be mounted or hung in elevated locations to discourage non-avian visitors,” White explains. She also recommends hanging them on a tree branch, as woodpeckers forage on tree trunks and drill on the wood as they search for insects, and are more likely to find the suet feeders as they groom the tree.

Owen Hogle has been a birder for over 40 years and opened his own wild bird store in 1993. He explains that many stunning native birds stay in the area during the winter. He claims there are three things all birds need in order to survive. “Food, shelter and water are all important, but the most critical of these for survival is water.” Hogle explains that it is quite simple to offer food to these wild beauties, and equally trouble-free to keep fresh water available throughout our frigid winter months. “Fresh water can be put out daily, or there are a variety of heaters and heated bird baths available,” he says. Specialized heaters can be purchased separately and safely used in an existing birdbath, or there are a variety of baths available with heaters built right in. These items can all be found at The Wild Bird Center and range in price from $20 to $80.

The toughest birds of prey stay put during our coldest months. Northern Harriers, Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles, Turkey Vultures and the American Kestrel are well-known, but the Red-tailed Hawk is likely the most common. “Red-tailed Hawks can soar for hours on end,” explains Sharon Dale, biologist and manager of the bird show at Salt Lake City’s Tracy Aviary. “I have been working with birds of prey for 13 years and Red-tailed Hawks are my favorite because of their intelligence and easy temperament.” Birders need only to look skyward to identify these raptors in flight because their rich, red tail feathers serve as a quick identifier.

According to Dale, there are many reasons for people to admire this fabulous raptor. To begin with, these animals are hearty survivors, making it possible for them to thrive during our coldest winters. Part of their success is based on their ability to become opportunistic hunters. “They will take almost any type of prey they can easily catch,” says Dale. Their main diet is small rodents, but they will also eat rabbits, squirrels, snakes, lizards, amphibians, small perching birds and even insects when the pickings are slim. Because of their ability to survive, they are the most common hawk found in the United States. “There have been estimates of over a million Red-tailed Hawks in North America,” says Dale.

Bird enthusiasts also have reason to appreciate these hawks for their unique plumage. According to Dale, these raptors have varied markings. “These birds are one of the most varied of the hawks in that their markings are sometimes said to be as unique as our fingerprints.” They range from almost completely tan to black with some lacking the distinct markings on their chest and, occasionally, the black stripe on the tip of the tail. Although these hawks are full-grown at eight weeks, they do not obtain the red tail until one year of age.

Parkites who want to catch a glimpse of these fabulous birds don’t need to travel far. Wide expanses, such as the Swaner Nature Preserve or the habitat that is visible from the Rail Trail and Highway 40 toward Heber City are common feeding grounds for these winged beauties. “They tend to hunt in open areas and simply sit and wait for prey to move,” explains Dale. “They have been known to stay in one place for over 80 percent of their day, waiting patiently because they do not need to, and rarely do, eat every day.”

Truly, there are countless birds flitting about Park City’s wintery mountain landscape, but the woodpeckers and Red-tailed Hawks are two of the most stunning. A simple road trip toward Heber City could put you in sight of a soaring Red-tail, and a peek from a kitchen window into a backyard that is stocked with suet and fresh water will most likely reward you with a glimpse of a woodpecker. Put on your warmest parka and take a ride or pull back the curtains and simply look outside—the birds await!

Writer C.J. Johnson is an avid birder and has ten pet birds at home.