Over the past week, winter songbirds have filtered into Central Missouri. These birds summer and breed to our north (or at higher elevations), migrating to more temperate life zones for the colder months (generally from mid October to mid April).
While permanent avian residents remain the majority, they are now joined by white-throated and white-crowned sparrows, purple finches, pine siskins, hermit thrushes and dark-eyed juncos. Less widespread and usually observed in rural areas or wetlands are American tree sparrows, swamp sparrows, fox sparrows, Harris' sparrows and golden-crowned kinglets. Brown creepers, red-breasted nuthatches and yellow-bellied sapsuckers, while not songsters, are also among our winter avian residents.
Beyond the influx of songbirds are winter raptors (merlins, rough-legged hawks and short-eared owls, among other rare visitors) and waterfowl species that may or may not stay through the winter (depending on the availability of open water and food). All of the winter species are certainly more than welcome and encourage us to leave the cozy confines of our heated homes to enjoy the invigorating weather and scenic landscapes of the season.
