By Josey Gardner
While there are definitely less birds in the Northeast during the winter in comparison with the summer, there are still many birds to be found during the winter months in Connecticut. Some Connecticut birds do not migrate to warmer areas, instead choosing to brave the Northeast winter and stay in Connecticut all year round. The Greenwich Audubon Center is a great place to bird watch during the winter–our trails allow you to explore outside, and our learning center contains a large window next to our feeders so those more averse to the cold can bird watch from inside our main center building. But there are also many parks across Greenwich that are great for bird watching, such as the Bruce Park and Greenwich Harbor. A few of our favorite birds you might see in Connecticut during the winter months include Buffleheads, Wood Ducks, Long-eared Owls, and White-breasted Nuthatches.
Buffleheads are a crowd favorite among bird watchers. This funny-looking waterfowl is actually only in Connecticut during the winter months, from about November-April. They spend their time bobbing up and down in the water, so look for them in ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and along the coast. Females are muted grey-brown and white in color; males look white and black from a distance, but upon closer inspection their black feathers reveal a glossy, green and purple iridescent sheen. A great place to spot these fun birds is along the coastline of the Long Island Sound.
Wood Ducks are another colorful waterfowl that stay in Connecticut over the winter. Male Wood Ducks have stunning colors, full of glossy greens, reds, browns, and blacks. Female Wood Ducks are less colorful, but have a white patch around their eyes. Unlike Buffleheads, Wood Ducks aren’t often found in open water like coastlines, they are more often found in wooded marshes, ponds, and swamps.
Long-eared Owls are a bird of prey that can be found in Connecticut only in the winter months, as they return to the northern forests of Canada during breeding seasons. Like most owls, they are very secretive and hard to spot, because of their excellent feather camouflage that allows them to blend into trees and their silent movements. They also prefer to hunt and live in dense foliage and trees, making them even harder to spot. If you are lucky enough to spot one, they are identified by their namesake–their unmistakable long ear tufts. Though if you can’t see them, you still might be able to hear them–male Long-eared Owl hoots can be heard up to 1 kilometer (about 0.7 miles) away.
White-breasted Nuthatches are a much easier bird to spot, as they can be bribed to come to your yard with a well placed and well-filled bird feeders. They have a strong appetite for insects and large seeds. They get their name due to their habit of taking large seeds and nuts in their beaks, and whacking them against trees in order to release the nut or seed from its shell. Outside of bird feeders, White-breasted Nuthatches can usually be found in forests of deciduous trees.
These are just a select few of the many bird species that can be found in Connecticut and around Greenwich during the winter months. For those eager to see the common feeder birds during the winter, come to Feeder Watch Fridays at the Greenwich Audubon Center! Every Friday during the winter months, the Greenwich Audubon Center hosts a program to gather around our observation window and watch the winter birds that approach our feeders. Visitors will learn how to identify the various birds that arrive, and leave with an appreciation for the natural landscape and birds of Greenwich. Of course, feel free to visit the Greenwich Audubon Center and walk the trails to do some exploring on your own. Happy winter birding!
