Description: This species is named for a red or cinnamon colored ring at the base of the neck that is difficult to observe as it usually carries is head and neck very low. Sometimes called the ring-billed duck for the two white rings on its gray beak. Males have angular black head and black back. The underparts are white and there are white lines on the wings. The eye is yellow. The adult female has a grayish brown angular head and body with a dark brown back. Females have brown eyes, surrounded by a white ring.

Ecology: Mainly takes aquatic plants including pondweeds, sedges, algae and grasses. May also take aquatic insects and mollusks. Nest is usually on a hummock on dry ground. Rarely on a mat of floating vegetation. Nest is shallow bowl of grasses, sedges, weeds, lined with down. 8-10 eggs incubated by the female only for 25-29 days. Female leads chicks to water within a day of hatching. Usually remains in marsh and vegetation, avoiding open water. Fledge at 50-55 days.

Nantucket: A winter visitor to Nantucket. Most often seen around the Great ponds, particularly Long pond. Will also use salt marsh areas and smaller ponds.

Greater Scaup - Aythya marila

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Look for a blue beak and yellow eyes. The male has a dark head with a green sheen, a black breast, a light back, a black tail, and white underparts. Males lower flanks are vermiculated gray or checkerboarded gray. Male has a more rounded head than female. Females have a brown body and head, with white wing markings like those of the male but slightly duller. Both male and female have gray legs and feet.

Ecology: Diet varies by season. Winter diet is mostly mollusks. Mussels, clams, oysters and snails are preferred. In the summer breeding grounds in the far north to the arctic, the diet is mostly vegetation including pondweeds, sedges, grass and some insects. Nests very close to water or shorelines. May sometimes nest in small colonies. Nest is a shallow depression in collected vegetation lined with down. 7-9 eggs incubated by the female only for 24-28 days. Females lead chicks to water within a day of hatching. Two or more broods bay join, tended by females. Fledge at 40-45 days.

Nantucket: A winter visitor to Nantucket. Can be seen in larger bodies of water such as great ponds and in harbors. Greater Scaup are an arctic species, found around the whole northern hemisphere from the arctic and tundra in summer to the temperate areas in winter.

Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Closely related to Greater Scaup with a very similar appearance. Debate as to whether it is an independent species or sub-species of Greater Scaup. Lesser Scaup are about 10% smaller. Males have a purple sheen to the head. Males also have a little tuft on the back of the head that is absent in the Greater Scaup. Females have amber colored eyes, whereas Greater Scaup females have yellow eyes.

Ecology: Diet and nesting very similar to Greater Scaup. May eat more vegetation, pondweeds and sea lettuce in the winter, but still reliant on mollusks. 9-11 eggs incubated by the female only for 21-27 days. Let to water by female shortly after. 2 or more broods may join and are looked after by several or all the females. Capable of flight around 47-54 days.

Nantucket: Appears to use less open habitat than the Greater Scaup and tends to use more sheltered areas. Lesser Scaup are far more likely to be found at inland and freshwater sites in winter. They will also use sheltered bay but are rarely seen at sea. Lesser Scaup are endemic to North America.

Surf Scoter - Melanitta perspicillata

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The male is black with a white patch on the head and the nape of the neck. The bill is larger, bulkier and more well patterned then other scoters with orange, red, yellow and white. The eye is pale blue, almost white. The female appears a more brown-to-dark brown color and a black bill with green and blue.

Ecology: Diet is mostly mollusks. Also takes crustaceans, aquatic insects, marine worms and small fish. May also eat pondweeds and sedges. Nest is built by the female, usually some distance from water. Nest site is under dense trees or in very dense grass. A shallow depression lined with down. 5-9 eggs incubated by the female only. Incubation time and time to fledging are not well known.

Nantucket: Spends the winter in open oceans and in bays. Will also use harbors and marina areas. Also regularly seen on the ferry crossing. Can be seen from most any coastal vantage point from November to March. Frequently mixes with other sea duck species, especially eiders and scoters.

White-winged Scoter - Melanitta deglandi

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The larger of the two scoter species. Males are black with white around the eyes and inner flight feathers. The beak is heavy and long with an orange yellow front. Male has pale blue eye. The female is browner to dark brown.

Ecology: Diet is mostly mollusks. Also takes crustaceans, aquatic insects and small fish. May also take sea lettuce and pond weeds. Nests from northern Canada to Alaska. Nest on the ground close to water in dense brush. Also nests on small islands. 9-10 eggs incubated by the female only for 25-30 days. Chicks leave the nest shortly after hatching and tended by the female. Fledge between 50 and 80 days.

Nantucket: Winters in oceans and other marine environment. One of the more common sea duck seen in Nantucket Sound on the ferry crossing in winter. Can also be seen from any beach or bluff from November to March.

Long-tailed Duck - Clangula hyemalis

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Variable appearance as it goes through a complex molting process. Breeding males have conspicuous long pointed tail feathers. The beak is dark gray with a pink bank. In winter, the male has a dark cheek patch with a white head and neck, a dark breast and mostly white body. In summer, the male is dark on the head, neck and back with a white cheek patch. The female has a brown back and a relatively short pointed tail. In winter, the female's head and neck are white with a dark crown.

Ecology: At sea, the diet is mainly mussels, clams, periwinkles, crustaceans, and small fish. Will also take pondweeds and grasses. Breeds in the very far north in the arctic. Nest is on dry ground with cover; rock of vegetation. Nest constructed of available plants and grasses and lined with a lot of down. 6-8 eggs incubated by the female only for 24-29 days. Leave nest soon after hatching and fledge at 35-40 days.

Nantucket: A winter visitor to the coasts of Nantucket. Favors oceans, and very large bodies of water. Only occasionally in lakes and ponds. Sconset Bluff and Low beach are good areas to see Long-tailed ducks. Also, regularly seen in Nantucket Sound.

Bufflehead – Bucephala albeola

• Federal Status: Not Listed State
• Status: Least Concern

Description: The unusual puffy shape of the male’s head, lead to them being called buffalo-head which over time became Bufflehead. They are a small duck and males are mostly black and white with green and purple heads and distinctive grey beak. Females are black and grey with white patches behind the eye.

Ecology: Bufflehead mostly breed in central and northwest Canada. Females choose nest holes in trees, usually former Flicker nests cavities, around 10 feet above ground. Nests are lined with down only. 8-10 eggs are incubated by the female only and hatch at around 29-31 days. The brood leave the nest after 1-2 days. Chicks are tended by the female only but can feed themselves. Flight is around 50 to 55 days. Summer diet is mainly freshwater insects. Winter diet is manly mollusks, but mostly snails. When on the ocean, the diet is mostly crustaceans.

Nantucket: A common winter visitor to Nantucket. Mostly seen in ponds, they can also be seen in the harbor and in Nantucket sound.

Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The species is named for the characteristic golden yellow eye. The head is iridescent dark green with a white patch under the eye. The beak is black. The back is dark colored brown to black and the neck and underparts are white. Females have a brown head and a mostly gray body. The legs and feet of both are orange.

Ecology: Omnivorous. Mostly eats crustaceans, crabs, mollusks, amphipods and other aquatic insects. Will also take pond weeds and other vegetation. The preferred nesting location is a tree cavity, though will also use nest boxes. Nest is made from wood chips in the nest cavity, lined with down. Where nests are scares, females may lay eggs in each other’s nests. 8-11 eggs are incubated by the female only for 30 days. Chicks jump from the nest 1-2 days after hatching and are led by the female to water. Flight is achieved around 60 days.

Nantucket: Breeds to the north in Taiga habitats and winters in coastal areas and inlands waterways in temperate regions. Nantucket is an ideal wintering grounds. Can use also most any aquatic habitat on Nantucket from ponds to ocean. Utilizes just about all aquatic habitat on Nantucket from ponds to ocean.

Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: It has a long thin bill that is serrated. The feathers on the back of the head look like spines. The males have a dark head with a green tinge. The neck has a white ring and a rusty brown breast. The back is black, and the underparts are white. Females have a rusty brown head and gray body.

Ecology: Diet is mostly fish. Nests in dense vegetation near water. Nest is a simple shallow depression lined with down. Females sometimes lay eggs in each other’s nests or in other duck’s nests. 7-10 eggs are incubated by the female only for 29-35 days. Female leads chicks to water the day after hatching. Chicks mostly eat aquatic invertebrates. Chicks fledge around 60 days.

Nantucket: A winter visitor on to Nantucket and can be found in harbors and bays, particularly Madaket Harbor. Also, can be see regularly off the south shore.

Cormorants

Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: An all-black bird with bare orange colored facial skin. Eyes are green, if you get close enough to see. Develops a small double crest of black and white feathers in the breeding season.

Ecology: The nest is a platform of sticks and other material. Usually on a cliff island or isolated beach. 3-4 blueish white eggs, incubated for 28-30 days. Chicks usually leave the nest at 3-4 weeks and waddle around the colony area. First flight at 5-6 weeks and independent at 9-10 weeks. Feeds in fresh water, brackish water and marine environments. Forages for fish and other aquatic life including crabs, crayfish, shrimp, eels, salamanders, frogs etc.

Nantucket: Cormorants were extirpated in the 1940’s to the 1960’s. The species was recorded in the area again in the 1970’s, but it was some time before they began to breed on Nantucket again. Cormorants began nesting on the east Jetty reflector in the early 2000’s. Over the next few years they attempted to set up colonies in other location including Muskeget, before setting up an annual breeding location on Coatue in 2013. They can now be spotted in almost all coastal and harbor waters.

Loons & Grebes

Red-throated Loon - Gavia stellate

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The smallest of the loons. Sexes are similar in appearance. Breeding plumage is dark grey head and neck with narrow black and white stripes on the back of the neck, a triangular red throat patch and white underparts. The non-breeding plumage is plainer with the neck and much of the face white, the top of the head and back of the neck grey, and considerable white speckling on the dark back.

Ecology: Diet is mostly fish. Prefers cod and herring in the winter at sea. May also take crab, shrimp and mussels. Nest is close to shore on in floating vegetation. Nest is constructed by both and is a heap of vegetation that is added to as required. 2 eggs incubated by both adults for 24-29 days. Leave nest within a day of hatching. Fledge at around 50 days.

Nantucket: Breeds in the arctic and winters in the coastal waters from Maine to Florida. Can be spotted from most Nantucket beaches and Sconset Bluff is a good place to see large numbers.

Common Loon - Gavia immer

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Special Concern

Description:Also known as the “Great Northern Diver” - a sea bird that dives for fish and floats low on the water. It has a thick black bill and red eyes. The head is black with black and white collars on the neck. The wings and back are black with white spots that makes it appear checkered. They have grey webbed feet. They have a loud wailing and mournful call.

Ecology: Usually feeds on small fish up to about 10 inches long, including fresh water, estuarine and marine fish. Will also take crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic insects and even frogs. Sometimes known to eat pondweed and algae. Nest is a mound of grass, reeds and twigs very near water. Two olive colored eggs with black are brown spots hatch after 24-31 days. The chicks leave the nest within 1-2 days and can swim. It takes 2-3 days to learn to dive. Fed by adults and will also ride on adults' backs. Able to fly at 10-11 weeks.

Nantucket: Can be seen in any coastal waters, harbor or pond on the island from October to April. Depending on available fish, large numbers can be seen from Sconset Bluff. Juvenile loons can often be seen year-round. On the ferry crossing Nantucket Sound is another good place to see Common Loons. The species returned to breed in central Massachusetts in 1975 after a 100-year absence.

Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Endangered

Description: A small, stocky bird with a short neck and a chicken-like beak. The beak is mainly gray and has a thick black band during the breeding season. They are mostly gray-brown with a darker head and back. They also have a white underside to the tail. The feet are not webbed, rather have long lobed toes for swimming and walking on floating vegetation.

Ecology: Diet is mainly aquatic insects, crustaceans, small fish, leeches with small amounts of mollusks, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, spiders. May also take a small amount of aquatic plants. Nest built by both adults. It is a dense mass of plant material, usually floating or sometimes built up from bottom, anchored to standing vegetation. 4-7 eggs are incubated by both adults for about 23 days. Chicks can swim soon after hatching. Will also ride on parents back.

Nantucket: Preferred habitat is ponds with emergent and floating vegetation. Rarely uses slow rivers and coastal habitats. Has been recorded in all of the Great Ponds on Nantucket and many of the smaller ponds. Nantucket and Madaket harbors also have some records. Monomoy Creek and the Madaket Ditches also are good places to find this species. Migrates to southern states for winter. Endangered due to historic hunting and habitat loss. Feathers were historically used in hats and ear muffs.

Alcids

Common Murre - Uria aalge

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: In breeding plumage is has black on the head, back and wings. The underparts are white. It has a thin dark pointed bill and a small rounded black tail. The wintering birds around Nantucket has white on the face with a black line from the eye.

Ecology: Diet is mainly fish with herring, cod and sandlance being preferred. Will also take squid, crustaceans and marine worms. Nests from Newfoundland northwards. Nests in colonies on cliffs and other bare sites. No nest, eggs laid on bare rock. One egg incubated by both parents for 28 to 37 days. Leave nest and a capable of swimming at 15-25 days. Capable of fright around 60 days.

Nantucket: Cape Cod and Nantucket are at the southern end of the typical winter range. Climate change affects this species in two ways. Stronger winter storms may force populations further south. Warmer ocean waters may drive this species further north as they seek colder waters. This means more movement and stress. Most sightings from Nantucket in mid-winter from cliffs and high vantage points.

Razorbill - Alca torda

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Razorbills are black on the head, neck, back, and feet during breeding season. The underparts are white. A thin white line also extends from the eyes to the end of the bill. Outside of the breeding season the throat and face behind the eye become white, and the white line on the face fades.

Ecology: Diet is mostly fish with sandlance and herring favored. Will also take crustaceans and marine worms. Nest in colonies. Nests in crevices, under boulders and on cliff ledges. Nest is a space collection of pebbles and grass, or no nest. 1 egg is incubated by both adults for 32-39 days. Fed by both parents and fledges around 20 days.

Nantucket: Seen around Nantucket in winter only. Best place to look is Sconset Bluff. Usually far out to sea. May also wash ashore after storms.

Gannets

Northern Gannet - Morus bassanus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A large, wandering, pelagic bird. Color is white with dark brown to black wing tips. The head and neck are yellow, more so in the breeding season. The long, heavyset beak is pale gray with black edges. The eyes are pale blue surrounded by black skin. Sexes are very similar.

Ecology: Feed on fish by diving head first with wings folded back into schools of fish. Herring, Cod, Pollock and Menhaden are favorites. Also forages by swimming under water. Nests from Newfoundland as far south as Maine. Nests on rocky ledges and outcrops, sometimes on flat ground in large colonies. Nest, built mostly by males contains seaweed, grass, mud and other debris held together with guano. 1 egg incubated by both adults for 42-46 days. Both adults regurgitate food for chick. About 90 days before it can fly.

Nantucket: This wanderer is mostly seen around Nantucket in the winter months, and usually far out to sea. Find a vantage point like the Sconset Bluff. Sconset bluff and Great Point are good places to see these majestic birds. Sometimes present in large numbers if chasing large shoals of fish.

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers

Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricilla

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Breeding adults have a black head with prominent white upper and lower eyelids. Non-breeders have variable amounts of smudgy coloring on the head. Adults have white underparts with a white tail and rump. The wings and back are dark grey, with black wingtips. The bill is red when breeding, blackish with sometimes a faintly reddish tip when non-breeding. Their legs are reddish when breeding or blackish in non-breeding birds.

Ecology: Diet is mainly crustaceans, fish and insects. Laughing Gulls are notorious nest predators and feed on eggs of piping plovers and least terns during nesting season. Horseshoe crab eggs also attract large numbers of Laughing Gulls. Nests in colonies and is sometimes associated with other gulls or terns. Nests on the ground in grass or scrub. Nest is a shallow scrape lines with twigs, grass, seaweed or other debris. 3 eggs incubated by both adults for about 20 days. After hatching, chicks wander from the nest and hide in surrounding vegetation. Fed by both adults. Fledge at around 35 days.

Nantucket: Breeds in two colonies in Massachusetts at Monomoy on Cape Cod and on Plymouth Beach. There was a colony on Muskeget up until 1972, when it was washed out, and the colony moved to Monomoy. Potential breeding sites on Nantucket. Usually seen on Nantucket feeding or loafing in coastal or harbor waters during the summer.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus fuscus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Similar appearance to Great Black-backed Gull. Key difference is (1) its smaller, (2) the back is slate gray or lighter in color and (3) the legs are yellow. It is smaller than a herring gull too. In winter, the head turns gray.

Ecology: Omnivorous. Scavenges in towns, arounds docks and at dumps. Main diet is fish, crustaceans, insects, mollusks, marine worms, small birds, chicks, eggs, rodents and will also take seaweed, seeds and berries. Breeds in Northern Europe from Ireland to the Russian arctic. Nests on the ground in colonies. Nest is a mound of grass, seaweed and debris. 3 eggs incubated by both adults' hatch after 24-27 days and fledge around 35 days.

Nantucket: Does not breed in North America. A visitor to the North America from Europe with the largest numbers in winter. Is spreading is winter and breeding range. In 1920’s was first recorded breeding in Iceland. Later spread to breed in Greenland in large numbers. Once a rare winter vagrant in North America, it is now present year-round from Newfoundland to Florida and to the Great Lakes.

Glaucous Gull - Larus hyperboreus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Considered the second largest gull. Adults are pale grey above, with a thick yellow bill. Breeding adults are mostly white with gray wings and back. No back. The legs are pink. Outside of breeding, adults have gray on the head and neck. Takes 4 years to reach maturity and the immature gulls often appear almost completely white.

Ecology: Omnivorous and opportunistic. Fish, crustaceans, mollusks, marine worms, sea urchins and insects. Will also take birds, eggs, berries, seaweed, carrion. Often scavenges refuse around towns, fishing boats. Nests in colonies in the arctic. Nests on rocky outcrops and cliffs. Both adults built the nest. Nest is a mound of grass, seaweed and other debris. 3 eggs incubated by both adults for 28 days. Fed by both parents. Flight at around 45 days.

Nantucket: Long Island, NY is the southern limit of the winter range. Massachusetts and Nantucket get gets a modest influx of these annual winter visitors. Most records are from Sconset and eastern part of Nantucket, with some records from ponds and Nantucket Harbor. They can occasionally be found at fields inland mixed with flocks of other Gulls and have been regularly observed at Great Point.

Great Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: World’s largest gull. It has a black to gray-black back. The head, neck and underparts are white. It has a heavy yellow beak, with a red spot on the lower mandible. The legs and feet are pink. Young and juvenile gulls go through three different color form molts before maturity.

Ecology: Omnivorous and opportunistic. Carrion, fish, mollusks, crustaceans, marine worms, insects, rodents, berries, eggs, chicks and adult birds it can swallow. Nests in colonies, sometimes mixed with Herring Gulls. Nest is on the ground and built by both adults. It is a mound of vegetation and debris, mostly grasses and seaweed, and has a large depression. 2-3 eggs incubated by both adults for about 28 days. Fed by both parents and capable of flight at 50-55 days.

Nantucket: A large, heavy gull not usually present in town. Present throughout the year and on most beaches and open waters. The nest colonies at Great Point and Coatue are some of the largest in the state, with over 150 mixed breeding pairs of Great Black-backed and Herring gulls observed in one colony alone. This is a special species that is in decline primarily due to habitat loss.

Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

• Federal Status: Not Liste
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The most numerous large gull species. Adults are crisp white with gray wings and black wingtips dotted with white. Legs are pink in all seasons and ages. During the non-breeding season, the head has extensive gray streaking. Young birds go through four different color phases each year, gradually lightening until their fourth year when they have finally reached their adult plumage. Herring gulls can live up to 20 years.

Ecology: Diet of the Herring gull is like the Great Black-backed Gull as they occupy the same ecological niche. Can often be observed dropping shellfish from great heights onto pavement to crack open the shells. Opportunistic and notorious for stealing food from humans in urban areas, sometimes right out of people's hands. Nest is on the ground and built by both adults. It is a mound of vegetation and debris, mostly grasses and seaweed, and has a large depression. 2-3 eggs incubated by both adults for about 28 days. Fed by both parents and capable of flight at 50-55 days.

Nantucket: Present throughout the year and on most beaches and open waters, especially north shore, Smith’s point, and Great Point.

Iceland Gull - Larus glaucoides

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Like the Herring Gull and also to the Glaucous Gull when immature. Smaller and daintier than both species with mostly white wingtips. Rounded head and small bill. Birds of the eastern population are usually paler than birds of the western population.

Ecology: Omnivorous and opportunistic. Mainly eats fish scooped from the surface but will also eat many other marine foods ranging from zooplankton to carrion to berries and plants in the summer. Will also raid the nests of other birds like the Thick-billed Murre. They are a northern bird and nest only in the arctic in colonies of 50 to 100 nests in rocky cliffs. Clutch size varies from 1-4 eggs that take 24-26 days to hatch. Chicks fledge within 52 days.

Nantucket: A smaller gull that is occasionally seen in small numbers mixed with other gull species. Can usually be spotted in late winter at Great Point.

Least Tern - Sternula antillarum

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Special Concern

Description: America’s smallest tern, the Least tern is gray and white with a black cap and yellow legs and beak.

Ecology: They typically nest on sandy beaches and wash over areas. They nest from early May to July, sometimes in large colonies. Their nests are a shallow scrape in open sand or in thin beach grasses and can have 1-3 eggs. Eggs are incubated for 21 to 23 days and chicks fledge between 20 to 22 days. Adult terns plunge head first into shoals of small fish such as sand lance and herring, though will also take crustaceans and insects.

Nantucket: The noisy screech of the tern is a sure sign that summer has arrived on the island. Some of the favorite nesting areas are on Great Point, Coatue, Smith Point, Eel Point and Low Beach. They are also a regular summer sight around the Jetties and Nantucket Harbor, and throughout the south shore.

Roseate Tern - Sterna dougallii

• Federal Status: Endangered
• State Status: Endangered

Description: A thin black beak with a red base. It has a black cap that includes the eyes in summer. Shorter winged than other terns. Upper wings are pale gray and underparts are all white. Long flexible tail streamers. Tail streams that extend beyond the wings when wings folded. Red to orange legs. It has a pinkish hue to the breast that gives the species its name.

Ecology: Diet is mostly fish. Sand lance and small herring are staples. Nests in colonies, sometimes with Common Terns. Nest is a shallow scrape on bare sand. Sometimes nests under cover of grass or other vegetation. Rarely nests in abandoned burrows. 1-2 eggs incubated by both parents for 21-26 days. Fed by both parents. Fledge at 27-30 days. Stay with parents for another 2 months after fledging.

Nantucket: A regular summer visitor to Nantucket, but is not known to breed here. Feeds in all marine waters around Nantucket in the summer.

Common Tern - Sterna hirundo

• Federal Status: Not Liste
• State Status: Special Concern

Description: Beak can be mostly black with a red base or mostly red with a black tip. Black cap that includes the eyes. The upper parts are dray and the underparts are white to pale gray. Rump and tail are white. Tail streamers are the same length as the wings when wings folded. Legs dark red to black. Sexes are very similar.

Ecology: Mostly fish. Will take whatever small fish are available. Also know to take crustaceans, particularly shrimp. Also, insects, small squid and marine worms. Nest is a scrape on open sand or among low vegetation. Sometimes lined with plant material. 1-3 eggs incubated by both parents for 21-25 days. Fledge at 22-28 days and remain with parents for another 2 months.

Nantucket: A regular summer visitor to Nantucket, but not a current nesting species on the island, despite suitable habitat. Feeds around the islands marine waters throughout the summer. sometimes aggregates in large numbers around Smith’s Point, Eel Point and Great Point as these are used as staging areas prior to migration south in the later summer and early fall.

Black Skimmer - Rynchops niger

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The beak is a key feature, with the lower mandible being much longer than the upper mandible. The base of the beak is red and black towards the tip. Breeding plumage is a black crown, nape, wings and upper body. The forehead and underparts are white. It has unique eyes among birds having vertical pupil like a cat. The legs are red.

Ecology: Diet is mostly fish that swim close to the surface. Dips its lower mandible into the water to “skim” fish from the surface as it flies along. Like many shorebirds, the nest is a shallow scrape in the sand on the upper part of beach. 4-5 eggs are incubated by both adults for 21-23 days. Parents regurgitate food for chicks. Fledge around 24 days.

Nantucket: Black Skimmers are summer visitors the ocean waters around Nantucket. They currently do not breed here. The closest breeding populations are on Martha’s Vineyard. Mostly seen feeding around Muskegest and Tuckernuck, and the south shore from Smith’s Point eastwards. Also uses Nantucket Sound and other protected and sheltered waters.

Black Tern - Chlidonias niger

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A tern that is easy to spot when mixed in with flocks of other terns. Body is an ashy gray color with a dark black head, belly, and bill. There is a light white patch on the rear of the bird. Legs are a dark red/pink color. It is only slightly larger than the least tern.

Ecology: Diet is mostly small fish and marsh insects that they will pursue in a swallow-like fashion, diving and pursuing them in swift flight. Black terns do not tend to dive as deeply as other tern species to catch fish, preferring to scoop them from the surface. Prefers to nest on patches of dead, floating vegetation such as muskrat platforms. A single egg is laid that hatches within 21 days. The chick will fledge within 18-24 days. Population is rapidly declining in many areas of the world as wetland habitats are converted and destroyed.

Nantucket: The black tern is one of the more uncommon visitors to Nantucket but can be observed typically towards the end of the breeding season as birds finish rearing their young and begin to move around.

Shorebirds

American Oystercatcher - Haematopus palliatus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Special Concern

Description: A distinctive and recognizable shorebird with black and white plumage and an impressive orange beak used to open mollusks.

Ecology: Oystercatchers mature at 3-4 years old. The nest is a shallow depression in sand and among dunes. 1-4 eggs are incubated for around 24-28 days. The down covered chicks leave the nest shortly after hatching and can fly at about 35 days old. Parents feed chicks for 2 months. The bulk of the diet is mollusks such as oysters and mussels as well as clam, limpets, starfish, sea urchins, and worms.

Nantucket: When Oystercatchers first arrive in April, they can be found on just about any beach or estuarine part of the island. Soon the pairs bond and make territories in familiar areas such as Polpis Harbor, Smith’s Point, Eel Point Coskata and Coatue for example.

Black-bellied Plover - Pluvialis squatarola

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Black-bellied Plovers are also known as Gray Plovers. The face and neck are black with a white border. The face, breast and belly are black. They have spotted black and white on the back and wings. The rump is white. The tail is white with black barring. The bill and legs are black.

Ecology: Diet is mainly mollusks, crustaceans, insects and marine worms. Nests in the northern tundra and Arctic. Nests on dry ground or on a hummock. Male makes a rough scrape and female lines it grasses. 4 eggs are incubated by both parents for approximately 26 days. Chicks are precocial, leaving the nest soon after hatching and can feed themselves. Adults use a broken wing display to lure predators away from nest and chicks. Chicks capable of flight around 40 days.

Nantucket: Breeds in the Arctic and Tundra. Outside of the breeding season, can be found in coastal and tideland habitats from New England to Argentina on the Western Atlantic. In winter they also range south to Chile, South Africa, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Can be seen on Nantucket from August to April, with peaks in those respective months as they pass through. Madaket Harbor and Head of the Harbor are good places to look.

Piping Plover - Charadrius melodus

• Federal Status: Threatened
• State Status: Threatened

Description: Piping plover is a small sandy colored shore bird with orange/yellow legs and a bill with black rings. Piping plovers are just a little bigger than a sparrow and a hard to spot on the beach as they blend into their environment very well. They are named for the piping calls that are the signal for spring on our shoreline.

Ecology: It nests above the tide line on sandy beaches. Nests are a simple scrape in the sand, usually in open sand or in sparse grass to moderately dense beach grasses and dune vegetation. Nesting starts from mid-March to early May, usually with about four eggs that hatch in 27-28 days. Chicks can walk around and forage within hours of hatching and able to fly at about 25-35 days. Piping plovers feed on small crustaceans, marine worms, flies and other bugs from the shore line.

Nantucket: Piping plover are the main reason that the beaches are fenced. They like to nest above the high tide line and below the dune line, which is the same area that we like use the beach. The main flock arrived in early April and can be found on the large ocean facing beaches with neighboring sand dunes and calmer wetlands behind them. Places likes Jetties Beach, Smiths Point and Coatue are good places to look for Piping Plovers.

Killdeer - Charadrius vociferous

• Federal Status: Not Liste
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: It has a short, black beak and a red eye ring. It has a black cap and white brow to the beak. It has a white chin color and a black neck color, both go around to the back of the neck. Below that is a white and black breast stripes. The upper parts are brown to rufous and the underparts are white. The female face mask is more brown than black.

Ecology: Grassland insects such as beetles, caterpillars, and spiders with coastal invertebrates also taken. Feeding behaviors is to run a few steps, pause and peck at food item, and repeat. Nests on the ground in open grassy areas on bare soil or gravel. Nest is a shallow scrape lined with grass, pebbles or other fine debris. 4 eggs incubated by both adults for 24-28 days. Chicks leave nest after hatching and can feed themselves. Tended by both parents. Fledge at around 25 days.

Nantucket: Preferred habitats are open grassy areas, fields, airports, mudflats and coastal areas. Usually conspicuous. Best known for its song, when it calls its own name. Open grass areas such as Smooth Hummocks and Head of the Planes are preferred. Sometimes on golf courses on island.

Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The semipalmated plover is a small plover with orange legs, an orange ring around the eye, and darker brown plumage than the piping plover. Bird has a dark neck band and brow.

Ecology: Nests in a variety of habitats in the Arctic, ranging from pebbles to tundra heath to sand, almost always near water and in areas with low or sparse vegetation. Likes to forage on mudflats in the breeding season but is often found on beaches during migration. Eats small invertebrates like spiders, fly larvae, marine worms, small crustaceans, and snails. Lays 2-5 eggs that hatch within 23-25 days.

Nantucket: Semipalmated plovers can be seen especially in late summer and fall during migration. Pocomo is a good area to see larger numbers as well as Coatue and Great Point.

Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description:A medium to large wading bird. It had a long bill with a downward curve at the tip. Longer beak in females than males. It is generally a brown to gray brown color. Lighter color on the underside. Dark brown crown.

Ecology: Preferred habitat is seashores, mudflats and marshes where is uses it long beak to pick up crustaceans in water or probe the surface of sediments for insects, mollusks or crustaceans. Does not probe deeply. Nest is a shallow depression in lined with moss on slightly razed ground in the tundra. 4 eggs incubated by both parents for 24-28 days. Leave the nest soon after hatching and can feed themselves. Flight at around 40 days.

Nantucket: A group of around seven subspecies. The subspecies Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus breeds around northeast Canada, and winters from Newfoundland to the Caribbean. Mostly seen on Nantucket as a passage migrant, though the occasional bird hangs around from time to time.

Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A small stocky wader in the sandpiper family. Breeding birds have reddish-brown upper parts and black markings. The head is mainly white with black streaks on the crown and a black pattern on the face. The breast is mainly black apart from a white patch on the sides. The rest of the underparts are white.

Ecology: Omnivorous and possibly opportunistic. Will eat most anything on the shoreline. Insects, mollusks and crustaceans are staples. Depending on season and location, will also take barnacles, worms, seeds, berries, spiders and small fish. May also scavenge at dumps or on carrion. Usual nest site is among vegetation and is a shallow scrape lined with leaves. 4 eggs are incubated by both parents for 22-24 days. Both parents tend to the young. Female may leave. Flight at around 20 days.

Nantucket:The ruddy turnstone is named for its habit of “turning” over stones as it forages for food. This bird can be found on just about any local coastline during migration times, especially the fall migration.

Sanderling - Calidris alba

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Sanderlings are often mistaken for piping plovers, however they are larger with a long black bill and forage differently. While piping plovers forage in a robin-like manner, abruptly running and stopping in turns, sanderlings are in continuous motion as they run toward and away from waves. They are most frequently seen in non-breeding plumage with pale grey head and back. The breeding plumage is a rufous color and the head and best ca be brick red. The belly and underparts of adult birds is always white. The beak and legs are always black.

Ecology: Nests only in the high Arctic tundra. Nest is a shallow scrape lines with leaves. 3-4 eggs hatch at 24-31 days and fledge at about 17 days old. Diet is mainly sand crabs and other invertebrates in the tideline which can also include amphipods, isopods, marine worms and small mollusks. The feeding behavior of running up and down the beach between waves is often described as looking like a clockwork toy.

Nantucket: Small fast footed shore bird, seen running up and down beaches in wave intervals to feed in wet sand. Most often seen on high wave intensity shores, mostly on south facing part of the island, less so on north shore. Sanderlings breed in the high Arctic tundra and winter as far south as Peru and Argentina. Nonbreeding birds can be seen on Nantucket through the summer. Spring and fall migrations see large increases of Sanderlings. Only absent from Nantucket in the depths of winter.

Short-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus griseus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Breeding birds are dark brown on top and reddish underneath. The winter plumage is mostly gray. The legs are yellow. The beak is long and a slight downward curve at the tip.

Ecology: Probes wet sand and mud with its bill for crustaceans, mollusks and marine worms. Also takes seeds and pondweeds. Nests in bogs, tree clearings and tundra habitat in Canada and Alaska. Sometimes near water, but also great distance from water. Nests by creating a depression is grass or moss lined with leaves and grasses. 4 eggs incubated by both adults for about 21 days. Chicks mostly tended to by the male.

Nantucket: A passage migrant that uses Nantucket as a resting place. Madaket is a particularly good place to find them in May and September. Most calm bays and coastal wetlands such as Folger Marsh and Monomoy Creek are also good places to look.

Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: It has long yellow legs and a long, thin, dark bill which has a slight upward curve. The beak appears longer than the head. The body is grey-brown on top and white underneath. The neck and breast have dark brown streaks. The rump is white.

Ecology: Forages in shallow water for insects, small fish, crustaceans and marine worms. Nest on the ground close to water, usually nests to a log or other windbreaker. Nest is a shallow depression in moss lined with some grass. 4 eggs are incubated by both parents for 23 days. Chicks leave the nest and can feed themselves soon after hatching. Flight at around 20 days.

Nantucket: Breeds in northern Canada and winters from Delaware through to South America. Passes through Nantucket on its way to these grounds. Sand and mud shores around Madaket and Nantucket harbors are favored.

Willet - Tringa semipalmata

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Willets have a shortish, heavy but straight beak. They have a distinct white patch between the eyes and beak that links to a narrow whitish eye ring. The plumage is grey above with a white rump, and white below. The underparts are white. The legs are grey. In breeding plumage, the bird shows brown barring on the upperparts. Nonbreeding birds are plainer.

Ecology: Wades through shallow water and mudflats looking for insects, crustaceans, marine worms. Crabs, particularly Fiddler crabs are a favorite. Nests on the ground in dense grassy areas within sight of water. Nest is shallow depression with grass bent down to form foundation, lined with finer grasses. 4 eggs incubated by both parents for 22-29 days. Chicks leave the nest within a day of hatching and are taken by parents to feed in marshy areas. Both parents tend young, though female leaves after about 2 weeks. Fledge at around 28 days.

Nantucket: Breeds on Nantucket, mostly around Smith Point, Eel Point, Great Point and Coatue. These remote locations make it difficult to find. When found, it can be a particularly noisy bird as it attempts to distract predators and people that approach its nest area.

Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Key difference to the Greater Yellowlegs is the beak is shorter. Otherwise similar appearance. Beak appears to be about the same size as the head. The beak is slim, strait and uncurved. The breast is streaked, and the flanks are finely marked with short bars.

Ecology: Forages in very shallow water and takes pray from just below the surface. Mainly takes insects, small fish and crustaceans. Also takes beetles, dragonfly nymphs and terrestrial insects. Nest on the ground in open dry habitats, close to a feature such as a log or tree stump for wind protection. Nest is a shallow depression lined with grass. 4 eggs incubated by both parents for 22 days. Leave the nest to feed themselves soon after hatching. Able to fly around 20 days.

Nantucket: Breeds in northern Canada and winters from North Carolina through to South America. Passes through Nantucket on its way to these grounds. Sand and mud shores around Madaket and Nantucket harbors are favored.

Herons & Allies

American Bittern - Botaurus lentiginosus

• Federal Status: Special Concern
• State Status: Endangered

Description: Overall, this bird appears chestnut brown. The bill, legs and feet are yellow to green color. The eyes are surrounded by yellowish skin. The iris is pale yellow. The throat down to the belly is cream white with chestnut stripes. The back and upper parts are chestnut brown with black and gray speckles.

Ecology: Diet is mostly fish, eels, frogs, crayfish, crabs, salamander and snakes. Will also take aquatic insects. Nest is in dense vegetation, in shallow water. Nest is built by the female and is a platform of cattails, reed and grasses lined with finer grasses. A male may mate with 1-3 females in his territory. 3-5 eggs are incubated by the female only for 24-28 days. Raised by female only. Feeds chicks partly digested items by regurgitating. Leave nest after 1-2 weeks and a fed by female up to 4 weeks old. Capable of flight around 50 days.

Nantucket: A solitary bird. More often heard than seen. It makes a low booming or gulping sound. It has suffered due to habitat loss and habitat degradation. Occasionally sighed or heard around dense vegetation around Nantucket. Favorite spots are around Hummock Pond, Long Pond and Miacomet Pond. Will also use brackish and saline water sites use as Folger’s Marsh and Monomoy Creek.

Great Blue Heron - Ardea Herodias

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Very long neck and legs. Large powerful beak is dull yellow. It has a white face, and a pair of black or dark gray lines and plumes from just above the eye to the back of the head. The neck is gray with black and white streaking down the front. The body is mostly gray. The feathers on the lower neck are long and plume-like and it has plumes on the lower back at the start of the breeding season.

Ecology: Diet is mostly fish, but will also take frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, insects and rodents. Birds up to the size of a rail are also taken. Forages in marshes and other slow waters by standing still or walking slowly, with a rapid strike with the beak on the pray. Breeds in colonies in the top of tall trees near water. Male gathers sticks and twigs, and the female constructs a platform. 3-5 eggs are incubated by both parents for 25-30 days. Parents regurgitate food for chicks. First flight is around 60 days after hatching.

Nantucket: The marshes around Hither Creek in Madaket, Monomoy Creek, Folgers Marsh, and all of the medium and larger ponds with fish are good places to find Great Blue Heron.

Great Egret - Ardea alba

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A tall, slender white heron with a yellow beak and black legs and black feet. In the breeding season, they develop delicate ornamental feathers on their back and have a beautiful bright green strip between the eye and the bill. They typically stand around 3.3 feet tall.

Ecology: Great egrets are at the norther limit of their breeding range in Massachusetts. They do nest on Nantucket from time to time, especially on Coatue. Nests are a platform of sticks and are usually in tree tops and in colonies, though they may also be solitary nesters. 3-4 eggs hatch after 23-26 days and the chicks leave the nest at about 3 weeks but are not capable of flight until around 6-7 weeks old. Diet is mostly fish. They will also take frogs, snakes, crustaceans and aquatic insects. May occasionally hunt in fields for rodents.

Nantucket: Look in shallow still water areas. Island Creek in Pocomo, Polpis Harbor and Monomoy Creek are good estuarine places to find these birds. The edges of the great ponds are also regular haunts.

Black-crowned Night Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Thick, heavy black beak. Has a black crown that extends down the back. Can also be blue. Wings are grey, and underparts are white. Other notable features are yellow legs and red eyes. Has 2-3 white plumes on the back of the head that are held aloft in display and courtship.

Ecology: Diet is mainly fish. Also, will take crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, snakes, clams, mussels, rodents, carrion, squid, small birds and eggs. Colonial breeder, usually with other herons. Nests in shrub tops or tree tops 10-40 feet above ground and is mainly a platform of sticks. 2-4 pale green eggs incubated by both adults for 21-26 days. Young leave the nest tree at 4 weeks for a new roost. Able to fly by 6-7 weeks and then follow parents to feeding sites.

Nantucket: There are a few spots on Nantucket to find them. Folger’s Marsh, Monomoy Creek, Polpis Harbor, Eat Fire Spring and Island Creek. They are also known to have breed around Madaket Harbor and Tuckernuck. The scientific name Nycticorax mean “Night Raven” as they make a raven-like call at night.

Snowy Egret - Ardea alba

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A common, distinctive white heron identified from the Great Egret mainly by its smaller size. They are slender with a long neck, long bill, and long black legs that are yellow at the feet. During breeding season, they develop long white plumes that at one time were valued at twice the price of gold, which contributed to this species’ near extinction in the late 1800s.

Ecology: Snowy egrets feed by wading through the water, using their feet to probe the mud and flush prey that it then strikes with its beak. They can feed while standing still or in motion. They prefer tidal flats and saltmarsh pools with shallow water and small fish. Nests are a platform of sticks and are usually in tree tops and in colonies, though they may also be solitary nesters. 2-6 eggs hatch after 23-26 days and the chicks leave the nest at about 3 weeks but are not capable of flight until around 6-7 weeks old. Snowy egrets can live up to 17 years.

Nantucket: Snowy egrets can be found in many of the same places as Great Egrets, primarily saltmarsh areas and tidal flats. The creeks at the end of Washington street usually harbor several snowy egrets in summer, as do the Glades in Great Point. They can also be found in Pocomo and Madaket.

Glossy Ibis – Plegadis falcinellus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Stunning dark-colored ibis. Ruddy, dark rusty colored neck and chest with glossy black-green feathers on the top of the head, wings, and back. Long, slightly downcurved bill typical of the species, and long dark legs.

Ecology: Diet covers a very large range of items, from crops like rice to leeches, marine worms, insects, fish, and snakes. When in water they will swing the bill like a scythe through the substrate to feel for prey. They prefer to forage during a falling tide and other predators like the snowy egret will come to catch minnows and other food startled away by the wading ibis. Nest comprises of 3-4 eggs built on a bulky platform near a wetland. Young hatch after 20-22 days.

Nantucket: Glossy ibis are a very uncommon visitor to Nantucket but have been spotted in recent years singly and in small groups during the spring and summer months. They can be found anywhere that is typical habitat for other egrets and herons, primarily shallow saltmarsh or brackish pools and open areas with water, like Milestone and Windswept Cranberry Bogs.

Rails & Gallinules

Virginia Rail - Rallus limicola

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The overall color is reddish brown, darker on the back and lighter underparts. The legs are orange with a reddish beak and gray patches on the side of the dead.

Ecology: The nest is usually a platform within reed beds among cattails reeds and other grasses. 5-13 eggs hatch after 18-20 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after and are fed by the adults until they can fly at about 25 days old. They probe in shallow water for prey. The diet is mostly insects though they also consume seeds. Most common prey are insects, crayfish, snails, beetles, flies’ slugs and occasionally small fish.

Nantucket: Hard to spot as they are secretive and live in reed beds. More often heard than seen, the call is a series of high pitched almost froglike calls. Listen around large reed beds. The upper parts of Hummock pond and the Lilly Pond park are good places, as well as other large marshes.

American Coot - Fulica Americana

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Overall black birds that can appear iridescent on closer inspection. Key feature is the white beak and face shield. Can have a red or brown spot neat top of shield. They eye is red. The feet are not webbed and mostly yellow to yellow-green. Chicks are brightly colored.

Ecology: Very varied omnivorous diet. plant matter such as stems, leaves, and seeds of pondweeds, sedges, grasses algae. Also eats insects, tadpoles, fish, worms, snails, crayfish, prawns, eggs of other birds. Nests in tall vegetation, usually reed bed. A floating platform of vegetation built by both adults. Incubated by both adults for 21-25 days. Chicks can take to water after hatching, fed by female. Fledge at 50-55 days. Female can parasitically lay eggs in other female’s nests. Females also known to preferentially feed more brightly colored chicks.

Nantucket: A migratory birds that summers and breeds on Nantucket. The reedbeds around Miacomet Pond, Long pond and Hummock pond are a favorite. Likes open wet ground and marshland and surrounding grasslands. Swims in open water.

Grouse & Quail

Northern Bobwhite - Colinus virginianus

• Federal Status: Near Threatened
• State Status: Near Threatened

Description: Rufous and grey mottled plumage to blend into grassland habitats. The brown-black bill is short and stubby with a downward curve. Males have a white throat and brow stripe, separated by a black stripe. The brow strip also has a black accent. The other distinctive feature is a gray tail.

Ecology: Nests on the ground in dense vegetation. The nest is a shallow depression lined with grass, leaves. Grass and weeds are often woven into an arch over nest, making it very well hidden, with entrance at one side. 12-16 eggs hatch after 23-24 days. The brood leaves the nest soon after hatching and can feed themselves. They can make short flights by 1-2 weeks old.

Nantucket: The only quail species native to the northeast. Massachusetts is the northern limit or its range. Semi open habitats, grasslands with shrubby patches or rough farm land. Occasionally seen on golf course roughs. Smooth Hummocks, Head of Plains and around Sankaty head.

Ring-necked Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Variable color forms include whites, reds, oranges and blacks. Typical morph is copper red to chestnut brown with iridescent green and purple hues. The tail of the adult male is long and brown with black streaks or bars. The head is bottle green with a small crest and distinctive red wattle and a white neck ring, and two ear tufts.

Ecology: Males may have multiple mates. Females construct a nest under dense vegetation on the ground, from grass and leaves. 10-12 eggs are incubated by the female only for 23-28 days. The family leaves the nest after hatching and the chicks can feed themselves. Chicks can manage short flight at about 12 days old, however, they will remain with the female for up to 12 weeks. They are omnivorous and will eat insects, grains, seeds, shoots buds, berries, spiders, snails and are also known to eat small lizards and rodents. Frequently seen scratching or digging to uncover food.

Nantucket: Species is originally from eastern Asia. Brough to Europe around the 12th century and became naturalized. Brought to America by the governors of New York and New Hampshire in the 1730’s and now widely established. On Nantucket it is a game species that has an annual release. Can be seen in any open grassland or scrubland area.

Pigeons & Doves

Rock Pigeon - Columba livia

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Common city pigeon. Very variable in color and appearance. The original cliff nesting variant from Europe is described here, but can be browns, whites, blacks and any other mix. Dark blue-grey head with glossy yellow, green red and purple iridescence. Eye is orange. The bill is grey-black with a conspicuous off-white cere. Has a white patch on the lower back, and two black wing bars. The feet are purple to red.

Ecology: Usually mates for life. The strutting puff-breasted display, strutting in circles of the males is a familiar dance seen on city streets, and even here on Nantucket. The nest is located on cliffs, tall buildings, window ledges, rain gutters or any high structure. Nest is usually made from twigs and grasses. Pair will repeatedly use the same nest site. 2 eggs are incubated for 16-19 days. Chicks are fed “pigeon milk” by both parents. Chicks fledge at around 25-32 days. A pair of pigeons may raise up to 5 broods per year. Diet is mostly seeds. In cities, most any dropped food. Away from cities, seeds, berries, waist grains and also insects and earthworms.

Ecology: Introduced to America by European colonists in the early 17th century (1600’s). Common around the town center. Also seen on upper beach rack lines on the inner harbor. Use farmland and fields around the island. During the summer, almost always present around the Steamship Authority dock.

Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The beak is short and brown to black. They have a white crescent ring around the front of the eye. The overall appearance is light gray-brown with a light pink tinge to the underparts. Look for black spots on the wings. The outer tail feathers are black and the inner one white. Males and females are similar, but breeding males have a pink to purple patch on either side of the neck. The legs and feet are short and red, with one toe at the back for perching.

Ecology: Diet is almost exclusively seeds. Cultivated grain is a favorite. Will also take grass and weed seeds. Very rarely takes insects. Nest site is usually in a tree or shrub, but may also nest on the ground, cliff, or building ledge. Male brings material and female builds the nest. Nest is a precarious and flimsy construction, of a twig platform. A prolific breeder. Lays only 2 eggs per clutch but can have 6 clutches per year. Both adults incubate eggs for about 14 days. Parents feed chicks "pigeon milk". Leave nest around 14-15 days but are fed by the parents for another 1-2 weeks.

Nantucket: A group of five sub-species with Zenaida macroura carolinensis on the eastern U.S. It is a common species that occupies a wide verity of habitats. Open and semi open habitats of forests and grasslands, gardens, urban areas and farmland. Can be found almost everywhere on Nantucket. A good one for new bird enthusiasts to learn as they can find and identify it again easily.

Vultures, Hawks & Eagles

Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Impressive wing span to 6 feet, mostly glides to conserve energy. The upper and lower parts are dark brown to blackish. The flight feathers are grey above and below. The head looks small as it is featherless and only shows red skin. The beak is short and white to ivory colored. The eyes are grey to grey-brown. The legs are pink, though are stained white.

Ecology: The diet is mostly carrion. They prefer freshly dead animals to rotting. Little to no nest constructed. Nests in hollows in trees or crevices, on cliff ledges or in caves. Site is usually well sheltered. Eggs laid directly on chosen nest site. Two eggs are incubated for 34-41 days. Fed by adults who regurgitate food for them. Fledge at 63-70 days.

Nantucket: Nantucket and Massachusetts are on the northern limit of their year-round range. North of here, they do breed, but go south of here for the winter. Turkey vultures do not currently breed on Nantucket. Though there is a good chance that these vultures will breed here in the near future. Turkey vultures were confirmed breeding on Nantucket in 2021, and were confirmed breeding on Tuckernuck Island in 2020 and 2021.

Osprey - Pandion haliaetus

• Federal Status: Special Concern
• State Status: Special Concern

Description:The back and wing back are brown to dark brown and appear glossy or shiny. The underparts are usually white, though can be streaked brown or pale grown. The eyes are yellow or golden and stand out in a face mask of brown that streaks back from the eyes. The beak is black and the feet and white with black’s talons. Osprey were nearly wiped out by using of DDT for pest control in the 60’s, which caused eggshells to become so thin that they would break from the slightest pressure, which made incubation impossible. Since the ban of DDT in 1971, osprey have made an incredible comeback and are once again a common sight in coastal communities.

Ecology:Eats almost exclusively fish. Mostly takes fish 4-12 inches long. The fish it takes depend on fish available in the region. Dives feet first into the water to grab prey with its talons. Nests on top of a tall tree near water. Will also use poles. Nest is a mass of sticks lined with finer materials. Nests used for years can become enormous. Three eggs incubated by both adults’ hatch after 38 days. Female mostly stays at nest and male brings food when chicks are young. Both parents bring food to older chicks. First flight around 51 to 54 days.

Nantucket: On Nantucket, osprey mostly utilize man-made nest poles, for rearing their chicks, which are a common sight around Madaket Harbor, Hummock Pond and Long Pond. In 2021 a naturally-made osprey nest was found in the Glades of Coatue. When they catch a fish, they align the fish head forward to fly with it.

Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Endangered

Description: Males and females differ. Males are mostly grey, and the females and juveniles are brown to dark brown. However, the distinctive white ring at the base of the tail sets this species apart from all other birds of prey.

Ecology: Courting pairs engage in sky dancing displays where they fall from a height in a series of deep undulations. Nests are constructed on the ground from branches, twigs and grass. An average of four eggs hatch after 29-39 days and chicks fledge after 35-37 days. These birds typically winter in coastal areas from Massachusetts south to Mexico, West Indies and to South America. Small birds and small mammals represent to majority of the diet.

Nantucket: Northern Harrier does better in Nantucket than in other part of Massachusetts, with high population densities and nest success rates. Harriers use most terrestrial habitats on the island, with marshes and open grasslands being favorite hunting areas. Coastal dunes are also regularly used. Other names for this bird are Marsh harrier and Hen harrier. Great Point is an excellent place to see northern harriers, the population occurring there is the largest breeding population in the state.

Cooper’s Hawk - Accipiter cooperii

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Adults have red eyes and have a black cap. The wingbacks and back are blue-gray and white underparts with fine, thin, reddish bars. Their tail is blue-gray on top and pale underneath, barred with darker or black bands. The legs are yellow with black talons.

Ecology:Very agile hawk that hunts in deciduous, mixed woodlands and open woodlands. Flies through trees and vegetation to catch birds, mostly song birds and other medium sized woodland birds, by surprise. Also hunts from concealed perches. Nest is usually in a tall conifer or deciduous tree on an existing structure such as another nest, squirrel dray or clump of vines. Nest can be sprawling, or bulky foundation of sticks lined with finer materials. 3-5 eggs are incubated by the female mostly, for 34-36 days and fledge at 30-37 days.

Nantucket: Cooper’s hawk nest on Nantucket in wooded areas like Squam and Head of Plains. They have even been seen in the elms on the upper parts of Main Street.

Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Special Concern

Description: The national bird and symbol of the United States of America. A powerful large raptor. Overall color is brown with white head and tail. Large hooked beak and talons are yellow. Immature birds can appear mostly brown. Wing span can be more than 6 feet and can live for 20 years.

Ecology: Diet is mostly fish, snatched from the water. Will also take birds and mammals. Will also scavenge and feed on carrion. Nest is usually in a very tall tree and is added to each year and can become very large, up to 10-12 feet across. Made from sticks and twigs, built by both adults. Two eggs are incubated for 34-36 days, though sometimes only 1 survives. Chicks fledge at around 10-12 weeks and will continue to be fed by adults for a few months.

Nantucket:Occasional visitor to Nantucket. Spotted most years as a vagrant. Reintroduced to Massachusetts in 1982 after near-extinction from a variety of factors including hunting, habitat loss, and pollution from DDT. Vagrant juveniles or non-breeding adults can be spotted just about anywhere as they wander. In recent years they have been spotted around the Cranberry bogs, the town dump and Eel Point road area. A pair of bald eagles nested on Cape Cod in 2021, so it is possible that as time goes on Nantucket may see more of these birds.

Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Appearance is variable by region in North America. Northeastern birds have rich to dark brown back. The underparts are pale with a streaked belly. The tail is usually pale on the underside and a rich red, sometimes called cinnamon red on the back.

Ecology: Courtship displays involve a pair circling each other and soaring very high while making shrill calls to each other. Nests are usually in the tall trees, where they make a large bowl from sticks and twigs, lined with leafy branches. 2-3 eggs hatch after 28-35 days. Male bring food and female and she tears it up for young chicks. Older chicks tare up their own food. Chick fledge at about 6-7 weeks and remain with the parents for a few more months.

Nantucket: Most familiar and widely distributed hawk in North America and is well represented on Nantucket. Mostly in the more inland parts of the Island, arounds trees and open grassland. Almost always seen on a drive on the Madaket or Milestone roads. Head of Plains is a favorite place for nesting and foraging.

Broad-winged Hawk – Buteo platypterus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A rarer visitor to Nantucket. A smaller, very compact hawk that is a little smaller than a red-tailed hawk and identified by the white band visible on the tail as it flies overhead. Solid brown above with lighter, brown-shaded and white wings with black and rufous tips. Breast and belly are streaked with brown.

Ecology: Diet consist mainly of small mammals but also includes amphibians and sometimes insects. They prefer to hunt by sitting and waiting from a high perch such as utility poles, but sometimes also hunt on the wing. They nest in forests and lay anywhere from 1-5 eggs. Chicks reach fledging age generally within 42 days. During migration they are known for gathering in massive flocks called “kettles”.

Nantucket: Broad-winged hawks are uncommon for Nantucket but have been observed in recent years often flying overhead on the eastern end of the island and some sightings on Tuckernuck.

Falcons

American Kestrel - Falco sparverius

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The smallest bird of prey in North America. The head is white with a grey cap. There are two narrow, vertical black facial markings on each side of the head. Two black spots (ocelli) can be found on each side of the white or orangish nape. The back is rufous. The belly and flanks are white with black spotting. They have blue-grey wings with black spots and white undersides. The tail is also rufous, with a white or rufous tip. The undersides of the females are creamy to pale orange with heavy brown streaking. The tail is noticeably different from the male's, being rufous with several narrow dark black bars.

Ecology: Small mammals, song birds and large insects. Mice and voles are favored with bats also taken. Grasshoppers, beetles, dragonflies and moths are some of the preferred insects. Hunts mostly by watching from a perch to conserve energy. Nests in cavities, usually in dead trees or on cliffs. May also use nest boxes. 4-6 eggs are incubated by both parents for 28-31 days. Male brings food and the female stays with chicks for first 10-14 days. Later both adults hunt. Chicks fledge around 30 days. Fed by parents for another 2 weeks.

Nantucket: The preferred habitat is open countryside, farmland and woodland edges. Most records on Nantucket are from the eastern half of the island, such as around the Bartlett Farm area and Madaket. On the western side of the island most records are from the cranberry bogs.

Merlin - Falco columbarius

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Small bird of prey with a wingspan of only 20-25 inches, though is strong and stout. Head, back and wingbacks are blue-grey, though vary from light grey to almost black. Underparts are pale grey to orange brown. The eyes are dark colored, and the beak is dark grey to black. The feet a yellow with black talons.

Ecology: Specialist at feeding on small to medium song birds and ground birds up to quail size. Doves are a particular favorite. Nests in semi open areas with trees and open ground for hunting. Nest is usually in a tree and is a former crow or hawks nest. Little to nothing added. 4-5 eggs are incubated for 28-32 days. Female incubates and male brings food. Chicks fledge round 30 days.

Nantucket: Good places to see Merlin are around the Miacomet Golf Course, Tom Nevers, Smooth Hummock and Ram Pasture to Head of the Plains. A few pairs breed around the island every year.

Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description:Known for its exceptional speed, it can reach 200-240mph. The back and wings can be variable in color from blue/black to black to grey, though the wingtips generally appear black. The underparts can be white to rusty brown with dark brown to black bars. The tail is long, narrow and rounded at the end. The base of the beak is yellow, though the beak is mostly black. The feet are yellow, and the talons are black.

Ecology:Peregrines need to be fast as they mainly feed on birds and can either catch them by surprise or by chasing them down. They may also occasionally take other prey such as small mammals and insects. Nests are usually places high up such as cliffs, very tall trees or hill top, and increasingly within cities using tall buildings and skyscrapers, or even bridges. Nest may be a simple assemblage of twigs or a scrape on very high ground / building. 3-4 eggs are incubated for 32-35 days and the male brings food during incubation and while chicks are young. Fledge at 39-49 days.

Nantucket: Can be spotted in most parts of the island but seems to like the harbors. Madaket harbor is a good place to look. No information on nesting peregrines could be found, and there is only limited availability of nesting locations on island, with very few tall trees, cliffs or tall buildings.

Owls

Barn Owl - Tyto alba

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Special Concern

MA state: Special Concern

Description: White underparts with a white face disc. Head, back and wings are typically light brown with some shades of grey. Can be variable from very light brown or even white backed to very dark brown or almost black. Face disc is described as heart shaped. Does not hoot; usual call is a screaming or rasping “Shree”.

Ecology: Diet is mainly small mammals such as mice, rats, voles though will also occasionally take birds lizards and other small prey. Nests is usually in manmade structures like bell towers, barns, abandoned houses or anywhere they can find a corner or cervices. Will also nest in tree holes. Nest is a crude depression on poorly arranged debris. 3-8 eggs are incubated for 29-34 days by the female only. Food largely brought to nest by male. Chicks fledge around 55-65 days. Can have 1-2 broods per year, rarely 3 in a good year.

Nantucket: On Nantucket, there is a nest box program to increase the number of nesting sites. Most frequent and abundant owl on Nantucket. Can be spotted in most of the island habitats around dusk. Present through most of the year, or all year, weather dependent. Snow or worst weather can force them south. Likes open grassland and meadows best.

Snowy Owl - Bubo scandiacus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Special Concern

Description: A large white owl with grey spots on the head back and wingbacks. Has piercing yellow eyes.

Ecology: Snowy Owls breed in the arctic and tundra. During the winter they can move south and become nomadic. Massachusetts is about the southern limit of their wintering range. Arctic diet is mostly lemmings. Wintering diets is mostly any small mammal, particularly rodents and rabbits. Nest I usually on a raised site like on a mound or small hill with good surrounding visibility. Nest is built by female and is only a simple depression. Can be used for years. 3-11 eggs incubated by the female only, hatch at 31-33 days and fly at about 7 weeks.

Nantucket: A winter visitor to Nantucket. Likes the more open and windswept parts of the island such as Great Point & Coatue, Smith’s Point, Eel Point and the Airport. Usually leave by April, though has been known to remain until June. Feeds by day and by night when on Nantucket.

Short-eared Owl - Asio flammeus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Special Concern

Description: A medium sized brown owl. It has large yellow to yellow-orange eyes, with a characteristic black ring around the eyes. The beak is black and hooked. The overall coloring is tawny or brown. Features to look for are the streaking on the upper breast and bars on the tail. The short ear feather tufts are usually held flat or are hard to see.

Ecology: Considered the night time counterpart of the Northern harrier, occupying the same ecological niche, only by night. Like the Northern Harrier, it flies only feet above the ground in open grasslands and swoops down feet first to catch rodents, especially voles. Occasionally takes small birds, especially shore birds and terns. In Massachusetts it nests in open habitats such as sandplain grassland and maritime heathlands. Nests on the ground, usually on raised mound or hummock is constructed from grasses and feathers. 6-8 white eggs are incubated for 24-37 days by the female only and the male brings food for female and later also for chicks. Young leave the nest on foot at 12-18 days and fly at 27-36 days. Fed by parents for up to three months.

Nantucket: Nantucket has some of the best habitat for Short-eared owl in the state. However, this species is only an occasional resident. The species likes open habitats such as moors, mixed grasslands, dunes and other similar open sparsely wooded habitats. Smooth Hummocks, South Pasture and Head of the Plains are known former nesting and roosting areas.

Norther Saw-Whet Owl – Aegolius acadius

• Federal Status: Not Liste
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: One of the smallest owl species in North America. A small tawny-colored owl with a large head and large yellow eyes. The underpart of the owl is lighter and streaked with brown. The feet are furred and the bill is black. It is named for its call which sounds like a saw being sharpened with a whetting stone.

Ecology: Small mammals are the preferred prey of the northern saw-whet owl. They hunt shrews, voles, mice and bats at night from the forest’s edge. They will also eat other available foods like insects, intertidal invertebrates, and even other birds. During nesting, the male provides nearly all of the food for the female and chicks. Lays 4-7 eggs in a nest hole that was usually occupied by some other creature in the past. The chicks hatch within 29 days and are capable of flight within 34 days.

Nantucket: Saw-whet owls can sometimes be heard on quiet nights between late January and May in forests and larger stands of pines. It is secretive during the day and likes to roost in dense thickets and conifers.

Nightjars

Common Nighthawk - Chordeiles minor

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Special Concern

Description: Not a hawk, nor is it related to hawks. The main feature to look for is the V or fork in the tail. The other feature is a white bar or band just before the wing tip, on both the upper and lower part of the wing. Overall mottled dark brown with white spots. Has an impressive booming call heard on summer evenings.

Ecology: A generalist that occupies a wide verity of habitats and will use all but the densest forest habitats on Nantucket. Will also use burnt land and urban areas. Nighthawks are crepuscular feeding mainly at dawn and dusk. The diet is mostly insects caught on the wing, mainly moths and other crepuscular insects. Nest is usually on bare rock or gravel but will also use patches of lichen. Eggs are laid straight on the chosen site, no nest or depression and are incubated for 18 days. Chicks fledge at about 18 to 25 days.

Nantucket: They migrate from the southern wintering grounds in Argentina, arriving in Nantucket from May and only stay for the warmer months and leave again around August. From dusk can be seen almost anywhere.

Eastern Whip-poor-will - Antrostomus vociferus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Special Concern

Description: Adults have mottled plumage with the upperparts are grey, black and brown and the lower parts are grey and black. They have a very short bill and a black throat. Males have a white patch below the throat and white tips on the outer tail feathers and on the female, these parts are light brown. Has a wide gaping moth to catching insects. Chants its own name endlessly on summer nights in a three-note phrase “Whip-poor-will”.

Ecology: Feeds in and around forests on flying insects particularly moths, beetles and mosquitoes. Flies out from a perch at dawn, dusk and moonlit nights to catch insects, usually returning to the same spot. Leaf litter on the ground in deciduous forests is the chosen nest site. No nest, just flat ground with leaf litter. Two whitish eggs marked with grey are incubated by both parents for 19-21 days. Fed by both parents, chicks fledge at around 20 days old. Pair can have 2 broods.

Nantucket: The eastern half of Nantucket is known to support more than 20 pairs. Dry wooded areas around Wauwinet, Squam and Quidnet are some of the favorite nesting areas to find Eastern Whip-poor-will.

Hummingbirds

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Archilochus colubris

Description:Only about 3 inches long and is the only hummingbird that nests in the region. The iridescent ruby red patch on the males’ throat is characteristic. The upper parts are metallic green, and the lower parts are mostly white, blending to green. Females have a white throat patch and are a little duller. Males are smaller than females and have slightly shorter bills.

Ecology: Diet is mostly nectar and favors flowers with a tubular shape. It will also take small insects such as gnats. A sugar water feeder is also a favorite and will be included in its routine. The female builds the nest usually relatively high in a tree or shrub with dense cover. She constructs a nest cup from very fine grasses, plant fibers and spider webs. It is lined with plant down and camouflaged with dead leaves and lichens on the outside of the cup. 2 white eggs are incubated by the female hatch after 11-16 day. Fed by the female only. Nest expands as the chicks grow. Fledge at 20-22 days. 2-3 broods per summer. Female can start building the second nest before chicks fledge.

Nantucket: Ruby-throated humming birds do visit Nantucket and people certainly do put out special feeders for them each year as they are a highly prized garden visitor from May to August.

Swifts

Chimney Swift - Chaetura pelagica

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description:The beak and feet black. It has large brown eyes. The key feature to look for is the long, slender and curved wings. They are overall gray brown to olive brown. The throat and rump are paler. Can be loud and gregarious. Usually seen in loose flocks.

Ecology:The diet is mainly flying insects. Anything that can be count on the wing including flies, wasps, bees and mayflies. Nests in hollow trees, but chimneys serve the same purpose, and is now the most frequent nest site. Sometimes, hundreds or even thousands can roost in the same chimney. It can’t land or stand horizontally, rather clings vertically to the side of a wall on inside of a chimney. Nest is built by both adults and is constructed of twigs stuck together with saliva. 4-5 eggs incubated by both adults hatch after 19-21 days. Parents regurgitate insects for chicks. Crawl from nest around 20 days and capable of flight at 28 days.

Nantucket:Found throughout the eastern half of the United States and southeast Canada. On Nantucket from June to August and will use all open skies and areas around town. It drinks on the wing and even bathes on the wing, by bumping its breast on the surface of water. Migrates south to Peru and Amazon basin in South America from August.

Martins & Swallows

Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description:The tree swallow has glossy blue to blue-green upperparts. The wings and tail are black, and the underparts are white. The beak is black, and the brown eyes are set in black eyepatches. The female is duller than the male and the first-year female has mostly brown upperparts, with some blue feathers.

Ecology:Diet is mostly insects, particularly flies and winged ants. Unusually, for swallows, it will also eat berries, particularly Bayberry, and can be 20% of the diet. Nest is tree holes, nest boxes, and will occasionally use ground holes. Nest is mostly built by the female is a cup of grass, moss and pine needles lined with feathers. 4-7 eggs incubated by the female only for 14-15 days. Both parents feed chick. Fledge 18-22 days after hatching.

Nantucket:Widespread across Nantucket in the summer. Likes open country near water. So, most of the island. Limiting factor is cavity to nest in. Great Point is the best place to see tree swallows in great numbers.

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description:This species is present across the globe. The American subspecies is Hirundo rustica erythrogaster. It has steel blue upperparts and a rufous forehead, chin and throat. The outer tail feathers are elongated, giving the distinctive deeply forked "swallow tail". Females have shorter tail streamers than males.

Ecology:Diet is almost completely insects. Mostly eats on the wing. Only forages on the ground in bad weather. Flies, bees, beetles, wasps, winged ants are favorites. Nests in either individually or in small loose groups. Nest sites were originally on cliffs on in caves. Now nests on man-made structures such as s eves of houses, under bridges or in open buildings. Nest built by both, it is a cup made of mud and dry grass and lined with feathers. 4-5 eggs are incubated by both parents for 13-17 days. Sometimes also fed by young of previous brood. Fledge at 18-23 days. 1-2 broods per year.

Nantucket:Breeds all across North American and winters throughout central and South America. Likes open and semi-open fields, marshes, town and near water. Arrives on Nantucket in May and southward migration starts again in Mid-August.

Bank Swallow – Riparia riparia

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The bank swallow is the smallest swallow. It has a dark brown body with darker wings and a lighter white throat and belly that contrast sharply. It has a compact body with a large head and short forked tail. The eyes are large and bill is very short and pointed.

Ecology: Insects compose the entirety of the bank swallow’s diet. Primarily, it feeds on jumping and flying insects such as grasshoppers, moths, butterflies, and ants. They prefer to catch their food in flight rather than foraging from the ground. They nest on steep, vertical bluff faces near bodies of water. The male digs a burrow into a loose-soiled bank and the female will hover above it, deciding if she will use the burrow or not. Nests are build on the upper parts of a bank to avoid predators. The female builds a nest made of grasses and leaves that she then lays 3-5 eggs on. The chicks will hatch after about 15 days and take around 21 days to fledge. During breeding season they will climb to the entrance of the burrow to receive food from the adults.

Nantucket: Bank swallows nest consistently on the sharp bank at Coskata woods. They have also been known to nest on Sconset bluff in a few areas. Nantucket’s banks provide good soil for digging burrows.

Kingfishers & Flycatchers

Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A stocky bird with a large head with a shaggy crest. The beak is black and is long, with a grey base. Adults have slate blue heads, a large white collar, a large blue band on the breast, and white underparts. The back is also slate blue with some black and white dots. The female has a rufous band across the upper belly that extends down the sides. Males are more brightly colored, but this difference of a rufous band on the females is key.

Ecology:Watches from a perch over water such as a branch, rock or wire etc. May also hover over water occasionally. Catches fish at the surface of the water by diving head first to catch them with it beak. Fish 4-5 inches are the main prey. May also take frogs, tadpoles, aquatic insects and occasionally lizards. Male and female dig a nest whole about 6 inches into a vertical bank, usually has an upward slope. Nest chamber is bare, with no materials added. 6-7 eggs incubated by both for 22-24 days. Both parents feed young chicks partly digested fish, moving to whole fish as they grow. Chicks leave the nest around 28 days, but are fed by the parents for another 3 weeks.

Nantucket:A year-round resident on Nantucket, but not regularly spotted. Nantucket birds may move south in the winter, and are replaced by birds from further north. Harsh weather may force the winter birds south too. Needs open, clear water to hunt. Can use bays and estuaries as well as river, and ponds. Hummock pond, Long pond, Massasoit bridge and Millie’s bridge are good places to look, especially during fall migration.

Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A large flycatcher. Adults are grey-black on the upperparts with light underparts. They have a long black tail with a white end and long pointed wings. They have a red patch on their crown which is rarely seen.

Ecology: Insects are the majority of the summer diet. Watches from a perch and flies out to catch insects on the wing. Takes flies, bees, wasps, grasshoppers and winged ants. Nests in tree or large scrub usually high above the ground. Also know to select unusual nest sites such as cell towers. Nest is built mostly by the female and is a bulky cup of twigs and stems lined with fine grass and animal hair. 3-4 eggs incubated by the female mostly for 16-18 days. Both parents feed chicks that fledge at 16-18 days.

Nantucket:Requires open habitat with some trees and shrubs in the summer to forage. Sandplain grassland is ideal. Also uses march edges and edge of woodlands. Head of the Plains, Smooth Hummock are good places to look. Eastern Kingbirds are usually easy to observe at Great Point.

Great Crested Flycatcher – Myiarchus crinitus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A large flycatcher with a yellow belly, ashy throat, and olive back. The wings and tail are rufous reddish. The tail is long and posture is distinctive.

Ecology: Like other flycatchers, insects compose most of the Great Crested Flycatcher’s diet, however this species also incorporates some fruits. They like mature deciduous forests for foraging and nesting – they like to hang out in the upper canopy of their habitat. They nest in tree cavities or nest boxes and like to weave dry crinkly material into the nest, like pieces of shed snakeskin or cellophane and plastic. Lays an average of 5 eggs which are incubated only by the female. Chicks hatch after 15 days and have their first flight between 12-18 days.

Nantucket: Great Crested Flycatchers can be observed all around Nantucket, with particular concentration in old-growth hardwood deciduous forests such as Squam Swamp and Squam Farm.

Woodpeckers

Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus

Description: A large colorful woodpecker. The adult is an ashy brown with black spots all over the breast and a thick dark bar below the throat. Males have two red patches on either side of the long bill. Northern flickers come in two color phases – yellow-shafted and red-shafted. The yellow-shafted flicker is the primary color morph on Nantucket, and the feathers are unmistakable if you are lucky enough to find one on the ground

Ecology: Diet is mostly insects. The majority of the insect diet is ants. Will also take caterpillars, beetles and other insects. May also take fruit berries and seeds. Both adults excavate a cavity in a chosen nest tree. May also use nest boxes or other abandoned nest holes. European Starlings may force them from their nest holes. 5-8 eggs incubated by both adults for 11-16 days. Parents regurgitate food for chicks. Fledge around 28 days. Remain with parent s for a few more weeks.

Nantucket: Can be spotted throughout the island. Prefers open wooded habitats and semi open habitats. Areas like Warrens Landing, Sconset, gardens around Town and Gardner Farm are good places to look.

Downy Woodpecker – Dryobates pubescens

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The downy woodpecker is a small, eye-catching, active little bird. It can often be found among chickadees at feeders. It has a distinctive white belly with a black back and white-spotted wings. The males have a small red patch at the back of the head. It can be distinguished from the very similar Hairy woodpecker by its smaller size and shorter bill.

Ecology: Diet is mostly insects, especially beetle larvae that live in wood, ants, and caterpillars. They like to eat pest insects such as tent caterpillars, which are prolific on Nantucket. They also eat plant materials like acorns and seeds. They create a cavity inside of dead trees to place their nest, which is lined only with woodchips. They lay anywhere from 3-8 eggs which hatch after 12 days. The chicks are capable of flight after 21 days.

Nantucket: Very common in areas with shrubbery and trees, especially stands of pines with dead trees mixed in. The eastern and western ends of the island are sure to contain downy woodpeckers.

Hairy Woodpecker – Dryobates villosus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Similar to the downy woodpecker but is larger, being a medium-sized woodpecker. Plumage is almost identical to the downy woodpecker. The bill is longer.

Ecology: Diet is almost exclusively insects. Prefers wood-boring beetles, ants, and moth pupae. It also eats ants, bees, wasps, spiders, and caterpillars. Like the downy woodpecker, hairy woodpeckers often prey on pest insect species. They like to eat suet at feeders. They nest in dead tree cavities and lay eggs on a bed of woodchips. The brood hatches in 12 days and is ready to fly after 30 days.

Nantucket: Can be found in similar habitat as the downy woodpecker, especially prevalent in Madaket.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Syphrapicus varius

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Medium-sized woodpecker with black & white back and a white breast that can have a yellow-ish tint. Has a “muddier” appearance than the hairy and downy woodpecker. Both sexes have a bright red crown separated by black markings around the eye, and the male has a red throat. There is a broad white patch on the wing.

Ecology: Unique among woodpeckers, the sapsucker’s diet mostly consists of… sap. Sapsuckers will bore a series of holes into young and live trees that well out sap that the Sapsucker then feeds off of. They like trees with high sugar content such as birch, maple, and hickory. The wells must be continuously maintained so that they continue to bleed sap. They nest in a cavity, laying their eggs bare on the bottom of the hole. They will often reuse the same nest. The brood of 4-6 birds is ready to fly after 25-30 days.

Nantucket: Sapsuckers can be found all over Nantucket, though the highest concentration of sightings has typically been on the west end of the island, in Madaket. They can also be found in forested areas around Polpis such as Squam Swamp.

Corvids – Crows, Jays and Allies

American Crow – Corvus brachyrhynchos

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A familiar bird throughout the continent. It is large and completely covered in glossy black feathers. Also identified by its harsh cawing call. The bill is thick and black and flight pattern is very recognizable. It can be found just about anywhere, especially occurring in urban areas atop buildings and along roadsides. It is a social bird and is commonly seen in groups.

Ecology: American crows are opportunistic and can adapt to many different environments. Their diet includes just about whatever is available, be it from natural sources like seeds, berries, and insects, or human sources like garbage and food around parking lots and outdoor restaurants. Crows can be notorious nest predators, especially of shorebirds on Nantucket, replacing ground-dwelling predators like skunks and raccoons which are not present on Nantucket. Crows also take advantage of carrion like roadkill. The nest is usually large, anywhere from 6-19 inches across and usually occurs in evergreens. The brood can be as small as 3 individuals or as large as 9. The young are ready to fly anywhere from 20-40 days.

Nantucket: Crows can be found just about everywhere on Nantucket, from Town to the Moors to the beaches. They are abundant and familiar. Often times they are seen and heard “mobbing” predators like hawks in a group.

Blue Jay – Cyanocitta cristata

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A large, striking bird that is common throughout the northeast. A regular visitor to backyard bird feeders. The top of the bird is covered in bright blue feathers, with the most brilliant occurring on the wings and tail. The head has bold brow and neck markings. There are black and white markings on the wings and tail, and the legs and bill are black. The blue jay can make a variety of calls, and can mimic the call of a hawk very well.

Ecology: Like most corvids, blue jays are opportunistic and have a varied diet. They mainly consume seeds, fruits, and insects like caterpillars and grubs. They will also eat dead and injured vertebrates and have been known to raid other bird nests for eggs and nestlings. Jays build a nest of woven twigs and sticks anywhere from 10-25 feet above the ground – the upper branches of tall scrub oaks are popular nest sites on Nantucket. They lay 2-7 eggs that are capable of flight 21 days after hatching.

Nantucket: Blue jays can be found just about everywhere on Nantucket, with a particular concentration around residential areas with trees and feeders.

Common Raven – Corvus corax

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The common raven is an unmistakably large glossy black bird similar to the American Crow but distinguishable by its size, larger bill, and throat feathers. It has longer wings than a crow, and flies in a steadier pattern compared the crow’s rapid wingbeats.

Ecology: Common ravens can occupy just about any habitat. Their diet consists of anything they can find, from carrion to trash to insects to other birds. They prefer to nest on very high locations like cliffs, tall trees, or power lines. The nest is often very large, being as wide as 5 feet across and 2 feet high, with a cup inside lined with fur, grass, mud and twigs. The female lays 3-7 eggs which hatch after being incubated for 25 days. The nestlings can fly within 28-50 days.

Nantucket: Excitingly, Common Ravens have been nesting on Nantucket for two consecutive years – in 2020 and 2021, a pair created a nest on the Sconset water tower which has been in use since. They can occasionally be seen flying by the island in just about all seasons.

Fish Crow – Corvus ossifragus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Almost indistinguishable from the American Crow – best identified by its nasally call. Glossy black bird with black legs and bill.

Ecology: The diet of the fish crow is mainly composed of coastal resources such as crabs and other invertebrates, and shorebird and turtle eggs. However, they are also opportunistic feeders and will take advantage of any food source available to them. They are found mainly along the southeastern U.S. but their affinity for the coast brings them up to Nantucket. They nest in similar areas to herons and egrets, in tall coastal trees. They lay 2-6 eggs in a bulky nest made of large sticks and hair, grass, and other fibers. The eggs are ready to hatch after 19 days and the nestlings can fly anywhere from 32-40 days.

Nantucket: Fish crows are seen much less commonly on Nantucket, however likely visit the island more than they are actually recorded, because of how difficult it can be to tell them apart from the American Crow. They have been spotted around the mid-island area in the past, though probably occur locally anywhere that you can find American crows.

Mockingbirds & Thrashers

Gray Catbird – Dumatella carolinensis

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A robin-sized gray bird with a long, perky tail, and a rusty-red vent on the bottom. They are bold and inquisitive birds, often seen confidently foraging along the edges of lawns, parking lots, and roads; anywhere with a viney thicket nearby. They have a dark cap on the head and the wings and tail are without marking. Loves to make a very familiar “mew” call and has been known to mimic other species.

Ecology: The diet of the gray catbird varies by season – in the summer it is mainly composed of insects like caterpillars, grubs, moths, grasshoppers and beetles. During the winter months it relies on plants nad fruits sch as holly berries, bayberries, and poison ivy. They nest deep within dense shrubs like tangles of honeysuckle and blackberry. They can lay between 1 and 6 eggs that hatch within 12-15. The growth of the nestlings is explosive, with young able to fly after only 10-11 days.

Nantucket: An extremely common island bird that can be found just about everywhere, especially in gardens.

Northern Mockingbird – Mimus polyglottos

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The northern mockingbird is a medium-sized bird with a dusky brown back, lighter tan-colored breast. There is a bright white patch on the wings that is very flashy in flight. The bill is relatively short and black. The eye is pale and gold-colored in the light. The tail is long.

Ecology: Like the catbird, the mockingbird’s diet depends on seasonal food sources. Fruits, and vegetation make up its diet in the winter and in the summer it consumes mostly insects. The male builds several nests, and the female eventually chooses one to lay 2-6 eggs in. The eggs are incubated for 12-13 days and remain in the nest for 12-13 days. The nest often incorporates bits of trash in its construction.

Nantucket: Mockingbirds are a less common island bird but can still be found throughout most seasons. They like to sit on power lines and tall shrubs, and hang out in areas within open ground and fruit bushes like blackberry and huckleberry.

Brown Thrasher – Toxostoma rufum

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Large rusty brown bird with heavy speckling on its white breast and belly. The tail is long and the bill is long and slightly down-curving. The eye is yellow. There are two white horizontal stripes visible on the folded wings. They have a distinctive upright posture when on the ground.

Ecology: The brown thrasher usually feeds on the ground, “thrashing” its bill through dead leaves in order to find insects. They will also eat fruit, seeds and nuts and sometimes visit backyard feeders. Thrashers like areas with heavy foliage, tangled thickets and brambles. Both sexes contribute to building the nest which is made from twigs, dead leaves, bark, roots, and grasses. There are usually 2-6 eggs laid. After hatching the nestlings can fly within 9-13 days.

Nantucket: Brown thrashers have been reported in many locations throughout the island but they seem to prefer wooded areas such as Polpis and areas of Madaket. They have also been spotted in scrubby areas of the Moors.

European Starling – Sturnus vulgaris

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A compact dark bird that appears plain from afar, however becomes much more interesting up close. The entire bird is speckled and covered in iridescent black feathers. The bill is a pointed triangle shape and bright yellow during the breeding season. The legs are pink. It is a social bird and lives in massive flocks. It is a common invasive species that was introduced from Europe in the 1890’s.

Ecology: Starlings are opportunistic feeders and eat anything they can find. Mostly they consume insects like beetles, flies, caterpillars and earthworms. They also visit feeders and eat a variety of fruits including cherries, holly berries, mulberries, and sumac berries. They typically create a nest of grass and other materials like pine needles inside a cavity. Once the female chooses a mate, 3-6 eggs are laid that are incubated for 12 days. The starling chicks can fly anywhere from 21-23 days old.

Nantucket: Starlings can be found just about anywhere on Nantucket, often in large flocks and at backyard feeders.

American Pipit – Anthus rubescens

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A small, fairly drab bird with an ashy back and tan breast streaked with darker marks. It has no distinctive markings except for two flashy white strips on either side of the tail that are visible during flight. The bill is short and straight and the area around the eye is slightly lighter than the rest of the coloring. Legs are black.

Ecology: American Pipits like insects and their larvae, especially lacewings, moths, and dragonflies. Along the coast they will also eat marine crustaceans and occasionally feed on spiders and ticks. In the winter they flock together in large groups, foraging and strutting along the ground looking for food. They are ground-nesting birds that find meadows and open areas sheltered by shrubs or rocks. The nest is made from dried grasses with a fine inner lining of fur or feathers. There are 3-7 eggs. This is a species in decline, most likely due to loss of habitat and declining insect populations.

Nantucket: Found in all seasons, but less common than many other birds. Tends to occur on the eastern end of the island, around Tom Nevers and Milestone Cranberry bogs foraging in open country.

Blackbirds and Orioles

Red-winged Blackbird – Agelaius phoeniceus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A medium-sized glossy black bird that has a bright red patch underlined with yellow on both wings. The bill is rather thick and very pointed, and the tail is flat when fanned out. Outside of the breeding season, the male blackbird looks patchy and the red strip is smaller and duller. Female red-winged blackbirds are identical in shape however are a drab brown color.

Ecology: Red-winged blackbirds like wet areas where there are lots of insects to feed from during the spring and summer months. When insects are not available, their diet shifts to plants and weeds, but also includes cultivated grains. Red-winged blackbirds also will show up at backyard feeders, often in groups. Males are very flashy during the breeding season and can be seen perching boldly on reeds, trying to be noticed by females. They build nests low to the ground in thick marshy vegetation. The nest is woven on a constructed platform and measures to be as large as 7 inches across and 5 inches deep. The female will lay 2-4 eggs that are incubated for 13 days and are capable of flying after 14 days.

Nantucket: Red-winged Blackbirds visit the island year-round and commonly visit feeders in the winter. They enjoy saltmarsh areas and thickets near wetlands. The highest concentration of reports occur on the western end of the island.

Common Grackle – Quiscalus quiscala

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: While they appear nondescript from afar, a closer inspection of the Common Grackle reveals a beautiful fierce, iridescent green and purple black bird. The pale eye contracts against the dark body, making it hard to mis-identify. The bill is conical and pointed. Grackles are social birds and can make quite a bit of noise when they gather in large numbers to roost. They are considered a pest in many parts of the country due to their ability to heavily damage crops. This species has experienced a sharp decline and is considered near-threatened by the IUCN.

Ecology: Diet is mainly seeds, and grackles often visit feeders. During summer months the diet expands to include any animal it can catch, including grasshoppers, beetles, and even fish and frogs. Grackles like to have tall trees to nest in, preferably near water. The female builds a large cup of grasses and twigs held together with mud and lined with fur and hair. The eggs can be between 1 and 7, and the chicks are ready to fly just 10-17 days after hatching.

Nantucket: Common Grackles can be found in most places on the island, especially areas with tall deciduous trees like poplars. They visit any feeder that also supports other blackbirds, and like a mix of seeds. They are often aggressive at feeders, dominating resources and pushing other birds away.

Brown-headed Cowbird – Molothrus ater

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Brown-headed cowbirds are short, compact birds with a thick, finch-like black bill. The body is a glossy black-green, and head is flat dark brown. The tail is short and there are no markings anywhere on the body.

Ecology: Brown-headed cowbirds are a species that have thrived due to human influence. As humans developed land and cleared forests, they created much more habitat for cowbirds, who prefer open grasslands. As a result, populations grew significantly. Cowbirds eat mostly grains and seeds, but also eat insects when available. Cowbirds are prolific egg-layers, and as a result consume a lot of calcium that they obtain from snail and egg shells. Cowbirds do not create their own nest – instead they are “parasitic”. They lay eggs inside the nest of other bird species. When the eggs hatch, the host species cares for the baby cowbird, unable to distinguish the intruder from its own young. As the cowbird chick grows, it outcompetes its “siblings” for food from the adults – it also receives a headstart by hatching earlier than the other eggs.

Nantucket: Brown-headed Cowbirds are year-round residents of Nantucket, but larger numbers can occur during migrations. They are common visitors to backyards and feeders and can be found just about everywhere with an open space and some tree coverage nearby.

Baltimore Oriole – Icterus galbula

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A bright, highly visible medium-small bird with a black back and wings, and bright orange breast and undersides. The orange extends to the end of the tail. There are two tiers of white markings on the wings. The female is less bold than the male, the head is a more variable brown and the orange is more faded.

Ecology: Baltimore oriole diets have a heavy concentration in fruits and nectar. Insects also make up a significant portion – they rely on different food sources at different times of the year. The nest is unique – the female chooses a firm anchor site, usually in the fork of some strong branches, and begins to weave a pouch-like hanging nest from grasses, horse hair, cellophance, fishing line, and grapevine bark. Oftentimes birds will recycle the nest materials from season to season. The young are capable of flight after 14 days, and the brood is usually between 3-7 birds.

Nantucket: Baltimore orioles can be found on island during the breeding season. You can find them just about all over the island, with a concentration for mid-island and the western end. They like tall trees to rest in and will also visit backyard feeders. They love dark-colored fruit, so leaving out items like dark cherries, grapes, and blueberries are a good way to attract this beautiful bird to your yard.

Bobolink – Dolychonix oryzivorus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: The bobolink is a small, interestingly patterned bird. On male birds, the head, breast, and nape are black and the top of the bird is white – an inverse of most countershading patterns commonly found in other bird species. The back of the head and neck is a light tan/orange color. The tail and bill are black. The females and n0n-breeding males are faintly reminiscent of sparrows, however instead of brown they are a pale yellow color with darker streaking and a pink bill.

Ecology: Food sources of the bobolink change throughout its life. As adults, they eat mainly seeds and some insects, however as young they require exclusively insects such as spiders and caterpillars. Nesting occurs on the ground in a meadow or grassland, usually near moist or wet soil. A small depression is scraped and a nest is woven together from sedges and dried grasses. The female lays 3-7 eggs that are incubated for 14 days and fly after 11 days. This species is experiencing steep decline, due to both habitat loss and direct killing by humans.

Nantucket: Bobolinks occur on Nantucket along open grassland and near agricultural fields in the summertime, areas such as Bartlett’s farm and Milestone Cranberry bogs. Listen for the male’s distinctive cheery song.

Eastern Meadowlark – Sturnella magna

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Eastern meadowlarks are easily distinguished by their distinctive upright, leaning posture as they hop along the ground. Both males and females are patterned brown on top with yellow breasts, however the breast of the male is bright and full, with a thick black “V” during the breeding season. In flight, there are two highly visible white strips on either side of the tail. The bill is long and pointed.

Ecology: Eastern meadowlarks forage by walking along and probing the ground for insects like worms, beetles, and grubs. They also eat crickets and grasshoppers. When insects are not readily available, they also include weed seeds and grains in their diet. The prefer to nest on the ground, usually finding a pre-existing shallow depression in a well-hidden clump of vegetation. Once finding a suitable spot the female weaves a cup from grasses and lays 2-7 eggs. Once hatched the young can fly within 10-12 days.

Nantucket: Meadowlarks are most common along native grasslands and prairies. Areas like Milestone Cranberry bogs and the Madaket Moors may offer you a glimpse of the Eastern Meadowlark.

Larks

Horned Lark – Eremophila apestris

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Horned larks are bold ground-foraging birds that are slightly larger than a sparrow. The breast is usually pale or white, and the back is a cryptic brown color that blends remarkably well with the soil and sandy environments in which it lives. Both sexes have a dark breastband and dark mask, however in males, especially during the breeding season, the band and mask are much bolder, darker, and neater. The throat and top of the band have a bright yellow patch. Breeding males also have two long feathers that curl up into a “horn” shape on either side of the head, which is where the bird gets its name from.

Ecology: Horned larks feed along the ground, foraging for caterpillars, flies, beetles, ants, any insect they can get ahold of. They will also feed from seeds when available, usually in winter. They forage in any open area, including areas cleared by humans and agricultural fields. In coastal regions the can be found in dunes and along beaches. The nest is laid in a woven basket of grasses on the bare ground and contains 2-5 eggs. The female incubates exclusively for 11-12 days. Young leave the nest after 8-12 days.

Nantucket: Horned larks on Nantucket are most commonly observed on barrier beaches like Great Point and Smith’s Point. They can also be found in grassland environments like Head of Plains and Cranberry Bogs.

Thrushes

American Robin – Turdus migratorius

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A very common medium-sized bird with a gray back, slightly darker head, and a rusty orange breast. The bill is orange. Most commonly seen hopping along the ground digging up insects and worms.

Ecology: American robins can be found just about everywhere, from urban cities to the Alaskan frontier. They are highly adaptable and can survive off a multitude of food sources. In spring and summer, invertebrates like earthworms and snails make up most of their diet, and during fall and winter months robins thrive off of a wide variety of fruits and berries. Robins are capable of nesting in just about any high place, from thickets and tall trees to gutters and light fixtures. The nest is woven by the female from dried grasses, feathers, moss, twigs and other materials. She forms the shape of the nest using the edge of her wing. The brood is usually between 3-5 and can fly after 13 days. Robins have a very recognizable sky-blue egg color.

Nantucket: Robins on the island can be found just about everywhere, from backyards and parks to coastal environments. If there is food to be foraged, the robin will be there.

Eastern Bluebird – Sialia sialis

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Small, neat bird with a rusty orange breast, eye-catching blue back and head, and white belly. Bluebirds are compact with a large round head and short legs. The bill is short and very thrush-like.

Ecology: Although common throughout the rest of the continent, Eastern bluebirds are less common on Nantucket. The eastern bluebird likes to perch on tall posts and telephone wires near open country that have good observation areas like tall trees and dense shrubs. Similar to the robin, bluebirds eat insects almost exclusively as long as they are available. They prefer foods such as beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, and spiders. When insects are not available they turn to berries like juniper, honeysuckle, and pokeweed. Nests are constructed inside a cavity such as a bird house or an old woodpecker hole. The eggs are pale blue and the nest usually contains anywhere from 2-7 of them. The fledglings are grown after 17-21 days.

Nantucket: Eastern Bluebirds on Nantucket have generally been spotted during spring and fall migration. Look for them in open grassy areas with some tree cover, such as Squam farm and Sanford Farm.

Hermit Thrush – Catharus guttatus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A very round bird, slightly smaller than the American robin with a peculiar upright posture when on the ground. An overall light brown bird with a dotted and streaked white breast and a rusty tail. There is a pale white ring around the eye. It looks very similar to the wood thrush, but can be identified by its ruddy tail and the fact that its streaked breast does not continue down onto the belly.

Ecology: Hermit thrushes can live in many different places, and are most commonly found in forests with open areas. In summer and spring, their diet is mostly taken up by insects like caterpillars, bees, and ants. In the winter when invertebrates are scarce they turn to berries. Hermit thrushes choose nest sites with thick vegetation. The nest can either be built in a low thicket, or straight on the ground. It is woven together with leaves, grass, pine needles, and bits of wood and cemented with packed mud and lichen. The eggs hatch after 11-13 days and are out of the nest between 10 and 15 days.

Nantucket: Hermit thrushes occupy a wide variety of habitat and prefer areas with dense thickets and fruit-bearing vegetation. In summer habitat is more variable and expands to any area that might host insects to eat. Madaket and Sconset are good places to look.

Chickadees and Allies

Black-capped Chickadee – Poecile atricapillus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A small, very adorable round bird with a bold black cap, white face strip, and pale tannish colored breast. The back and wings are like gray – its markings are unmistakable. Often perching on trees and flowers attempting to forage for seeds. They have a personality as bold as their plumage and often do not mind when humans approach closely.

Ecology: If there are trees, there are chickadees. A very widespread bird that is easily attracted to backyard feeders but can also be found in more “natural” environments. During the summer months, it mostly eats insects like spiders, flies, and caterpillars. In winter it turns to seeds and berries, and also is known to eat bits of fat and meat from carcasses it can find. When eating a seed, the chickadee carefully grips the seed between both feet and pecks through the shell. The like to nest in cavities, such as old woodpecker houses and snug nest boxes. The nest is built from lichens and mosses and then lined with a soft material like rabbit fur. The brood size varies widely, from one egg all the way to 13. Chicks grow quickly, within 16 days, and then are ready to leave the nest.

Nantucket: Chickadees are abundant and widespread on the island. Look for them in clumps of fruit-bearing trees, on pines, and at feeders.

Golden-crowned Kinglet – Regulus satrapa

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A tiny bird that is most easily identified by its small size and dark facial markings. Two stripes line the crown with a bright yellow/orange strip in between. This occurs on both sexes.

Ecology: Golden-crowned Kinglets may only be glimpsed in a flash, as they are very active and flit through the trees from location to location. Eats mainly insects and insect eggs that are found on coniferous trees. In coastal areas they can even eat mollusks. They nest high in conifer forests and prefer firs and spruce trees. The nest is deep and solidly built from mosses, spiderwebs, and lichens and, like the chickadee, lined with soft deer or rabbit hair. The eggs can be as few as 3 or many as 11 and the nestlings hatch after 15 days. At hatching, they are the size of a bumblebee.

Nantucket: Check coniferous areas to glimpse a Golden-crowned Kinglet such as Madaket and Tom Nevers.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – Corthylio calendula

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Like the Golden-crowned Kinglet without the bold black and yellow markings. Only slightly larger than a hummingbird, it is an olive-colored bird with a pale white strip on the wings and thin white border around the eye. Males have a bright red crest.

Ecology: Can be hard to glimpse. Look in thick brush along roadsides to catch a flash of this bird as it moves through underbrush. They are often mixed in with groups of warblers. They have a similar diet to the Golden-crowned Kinglet which includes spiders, aphids, wasps, ants, and bark beetles. They forage in the upper canopy of trees and peck insects from bark and leaves. The nest can be as high as 100 feet above the ground. The nest is a deep, round bowl that is made with enough elasticity to expand as the fledglings grow. Brood is between 5 and 12 individuals that are ready to leave the nest after 18 days.

Nantucket: Any area frequented by other warblers offer a chance at a Ruby-crowned Kinglet sighting. Areas like Long pond and Madaket are where Ruby-crowned Kinglets seem to occur most.

Nuthatches and Creepers

Red-breasted Nuthatch – Sitta canadensis

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A very cute slaty-gray small bird with bold black and white facial markings and a rusty orange breast. To the inexperience eye it can be confused with the Black-capped Chickadee as it often appears in many of the same areas, however note the vertically clinging behavior and sharper, streamlined shape. The tail is very short.

Ecology: Very active and energetic, moving enthusiastically along the trunk and branches of both deciduous and coniferous trees as it searches for food. In warm seasons it east insects like spiders and beetles that it can dig out from bark and leaves. In winter it prefers seeds, especially conifer seeds. They are very common visitors to backyard feeders and like suet and sunflower seeds. To open difficult seeds, the red-breasted nuthatch will wedge it in some bark and peck it open. Females select a nest site inside a cavity, and often the pair will excavate their own cavity if none is available. This can take over 18 days to build. The nest is more of a bed inside the cavity made of soft materials like feathers and hair. There are 2-8 eggs that hatch after 13 days and can fly after 21 days.

Nantucket: It is easy to see Red-breasted Nuthatches on Nantucket. They occur at most feeders and can be spotted anywhere with good tree cover, especially areas with coniferous trees.

White-breasted Nuthatch – Sitta carolinensis

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Similar to the Red-breasted Nuthatch, but slightly larger. The breast and belly are an ashy-white color with a clean black crown and nape. The back is blue-gray, but wings have dark black markings. The bill is slightly larger and longer.

Ecology: Occupies slightly different areas than the Red-breasted Nuthatch. It prefers mature deciduous forests rather the coniferous forests of the Red-breasted Nuthatch. They like insects and insect larvae that are found on trees, and also stinkbugs, spiders, click beetles, and caterpillars, especially tent caterpillars. They will also eat nuts and feeder seeds, with a particular favor for sunflower seeds. They like previously-built nest cavities for nesting, and enhance the site by adding fur, shredded bark, feathers, and grass. Often they will reuse the same nest hole. The eggs number between 5 and 9, and are incubated for 14 days. It takes them 26 days to reach fledging age.

Nantucket: Much less common than the Red-breasted Nuthatch, but still able to be seen in a few areas, especially in the mature forests around Polpis and Miacomet.

Brown Creeper – Certhia americana

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description:A very small uniquely shaped bird with a downward-curving bill that is dark on top and light on the bottom. The back is a mottled brown with white speckles that camouflages well with tree bark. A bright white breast and belly is often what makes it stand out. It is always found perched vertically on a tree, usually “creeping” up and down the trunk and branches as it forages.

Ecology: Brown creepers utilize most any wooded habitat, especially in winter. During summer months it tends to shorten its range to more mature coniferous areas. They eat mainly insects like beetles, weevils, lice, and ants that it can find in and around trees. During hard winters they will supplement their insect diet with seeds and occasionally fruits. Requires a specific nest location between a tree trunk and a loose piece of bark. The nest is made of leaves and twigs stuck together with cocoons and spider egg cases. The 5-6 eggs hatch within 17 days and fledglings are in the nest for 20 days.

Nantucket: Large conifers around Bartletts, Madaket, and the southern end of the island can offer a sighting of Brown creepers.

Wrens

Carolina Wren – Thryothorus ludovicianus

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A small bird with a long, downward curving beak and a compact body. It is easily identified by its leaning posture and bold, upright tail. The bird is overall brown, with more orange tones on the back and pale tan belly. The throat is white and there is a stark white strip on the head above the eyes. The feathers have a crimped appearance because of the subtle dark wave markings on the wings and tail. The legs are pale pink and bill is lighter colored.

Ecology: Favors brushy low-lying wetland areas. Eats mostly insects, especially spiders but also moths, caterpillars, and grasshoppers. When normal food sources are not available, they will eat seeds and berries. The nest is fairly low to the ground, anywhere from 3-6 feet and located in stumps and overhangs. The nest is built collaboratively between the sexes and is bulky, often containing a “porch” or ramp at the entrance. 3-7 eggs are laid that hatch after 16 days and fledglings remain in the nest for 16 days.

Nantucket: This bubbly bird is fairly common on Nantucket and can be found in most sections of the island. Madaket, Miacomet pond, Lily pond, and other wet, brushy areas often house Carolina wrens.

Marsh Wren – Cistothorus palustris

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: Similar posture to the Carolina wren, however the bill is slightly shorter and thinner. Overall it is less bulky and has longer legs. It is a rich rusty color with cryptic dark markings on the crown, back of wings, and tail. It is often perching on reeds and long, stiff blades of grass.

Ecology: Lives exclusively in wetlands and saltmarsh areas, sometimes directly in reeds and phragmites and sometimes in brushy thickets on the edges of marsh areas. Like other wrens their diet mainly consists of insects like spiders and flies. Nest construction is an arduous process – the male will build several nests from cattails, sedges, and grasses. When the female finds one that she likes, she will line it with dried grass, cattail down, and feathers. She will lay 3-10 eggs which are fledged after 15 days.

Nantucket: A secretive bird not often glimpsed on the island. During spring and fall migration it can be found in areas like the Lily pond, Milestone Cranberry Bogs, and along the edges of the island’s Great Ponds.

House Wren – Troglodytes aedon

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A round, short bird with a stiff, short tail. It is drab brown overall with no distinctive markings. It has subtle dark brown patterning over the entire body, with particular emphasis on the wings and tail. The eye has a narrow light strip around it, and the breast and belly are lighter brown than the top of the bird.

Ecology: Can live in many different habitats, and occurs across the entirety of America. They have adapted to nest and thrive in developed areas like farms and yards. Their diet consists of insects that also favor human areas, like earwigs, spiders, and flies. They nest in woodpecker holes, nest boxes, or even discarded shoes. It always nests close to a wooded area. The nest is made of twigs and sparsely lined with grasses and plant material. There are 3-10 eggs that are incubated for 9-16 days. The fledglings are in the nest for 15-17 day.

Nantucket: House wrens on Nantucket are mostly sighted on the southwest area of the island, in shrubby areas around Madaket, but are also seen in Sconset and on Tuckernuck.

Winter Wren – Troglodytes hiemalis

• Federal Status: Not Listed
• State Status: Least Concern

Description: A very small brown wren, similar to the House Wren but darker brown and smaller. The tail is very short and bill is thin. Dark barring on the wings and tail.

Ecology: Prefers habitat with mature evergreen forests and thick bushes. Like the other wrens they eat insects including caterpillars, flies, mites, and spiders. When available, they will also eat plant material and berries. The nest is built by the male from twigs, rootlets and grasses anywhere from the ground to 23 feet high. The female lays 1-9 eggs. After hatching, the young are fledged after 17 days.

Nantucket: Uncommon on Nantucket. Most sightings are at the Lily Pond.