This glossary will help you to understand and use many expressions that are commonly used on this website and among birders in Georgia. Some of the terms are specific to Georgia Birding, while others are used commonly by birders across North America. The expressions range from the practical to the silly, but all of them will generally be understood by fellow birders and will help you to understand some of the jargon tossed around in a group of mixed-experienced birders. Each definition is followed by one or more example sentences using the expression in context. This is a community dictionary... if there is a phrase, acronym, or other expression you would like to see added, or you see any mis-information, please email me! Please note that I have intentionally left out the huge library of terms that refer to bird topography; I suggest you use the helpful illustrations that are found in most field guides to become familiar with important terms such as "primaries," "nape," "supercilium," etc. If you find this local birding dictionary useful, you may be interested in Birder's Dictionary, by Randall Cox.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All photos and other content on this website are the exclusive property of Ken Blankenship (KB) and Rachel Cass (RC), unless otherwise credited. Unauthorized use and reproduction is strictly prohibited; you can usually obtain friendly permission to use images by sending me an email.
AAS – "Atlanta Audubon Society." Visit the AAS website.
"The AAS Warbler Workshop is a good opportunity to learn about and see a nice diversity of wood warblers."
ABA – “American Birding Association.” A major birding organization in North America. Visit the ABA website.
"Always follow ABA guidelines regarding birding ethics in the field."
Accipiter – in Georgia, this most often refers to one of two hawk species, Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk. These smaller hawks, which prey primarily on other birds, have distinct flight profiles and motions that can help an observer to quickly separate them from larger birds of prey (buteos, for example). However, it is not always as easy to tell one accipiter from another.
"We saw an accipiter, but it flew over the road so quickly that we could not make a positive ID."
ACOGB - "Annotated Checklist of Georgia Birds." This is the definitive source for species occurence in Georgia; it includes loads of information such as early and late dates, breeding status, rarities, review species and more. You can purchase this book from GOS Publications.
"Up to 16 singing Blue-winged Warblers were found at the Coosawattee WMA, higher than the published high count in the ACOGB."
Audubon – A national organization, the mission at Audubon is "to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. Audubon's local chapters can bring you bird walks, advocacy campaigns, nature outings, educational programs and other events." View a list of Georgia's Audubon Chapters.
AWBB – “All Women’s Birding Bust.” An annual Georgia birding event in which teams of female birders take part in a fun Big Day competition on a particular day or weekend. Check out the AWBB web page to see how you can participate!
“A total of 201 species were observed during the 2007 AWBB."
Band Codes – four-letter abbreviations for bird species to make notation quicker and easier when keeping lists in a notebook in the field, or for other data-gathering purposes. Though the formula for creating them is not always obvious, they are very useful and you will become more familiar with them with practice. On some occasions, you may hear a birder refer to a species by pronouncing its band code as if it were a word, which can be kind of weird if you are not familiar with the concept. View a list of examples of Band Codes for KMT. You can also view a Master Band Code List. Also: Alpha Code.
"The band code for Common Yellowthroat is COYE."
"I'm pretty sure I heard an amgo [American Goldfinch] up in that pine."
Banding - Capturing birds using various methods - such as nets or traps - and attaching one or more metal or plastic rings, or bands, to their leg(s). This is done in an attempt to learn more about a bird's range, distribution, life span, and especially migration. Bands have a specific identification formula, which can range from something as simple as a code on the side of the band to a color-coded system involving multiple bands. Birders can actually help scientific studies of birds by paying attention to banded birds, making a note of the species, location, date, type of band, color, and/or any codes that are legible and doing a little research to find out what organization may be conducting a study on that species. Also: Ringing (British)
BBS – "Breeding Bird Survey." The BBS is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey's Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and the Canadian Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Research Centre to monitor the status and trends of North American bird populations. Following a rigorous protocol, BBS data are collected by thousands of dedicated participants along thousands of randomly established roadside routes throughout the continent. Professional BBS coordinators and data managers work closely with researchers and statisticians to compile and deliver these population data and population trend analyses on more than 400 bird species, for use by conservation managers, scientists, and the general public. You can take part in a BBS or even create your own - visit the site and check it out!
"BBS data indicates that Eurasian Collared Doves continue to spread across Georgia."
Big Day – a marathon event in which a team of birders attempts to encounter the maximum number of species possible in a 24-hour period from midnight to midnight. The current accepted Big Day record in Georgia is 193 species; view other Georgia Big Day results. Read the ABA rules for doing a Big Day, found on page two of the Big Day Report Form.
"A successful Big Day should see at least 20-30 species counted before the sun comes up!"
Binos – "Binoculars." Also: Bins, Binocs.
"I didn't get the bird in binos, but I feel confident it was a Cooper's Hawk."
Birding – the activity, sport, hobby, past-time, obsession, etc. of birdwatching; this is the term preferred by those involved in the activity. Also: Birder.
“We go birding at Kennesaw almost every weekend during migration.”
Birding Ethics - a code of conduct in birding whereby all birders "must always respect wildlife, its environment, and the rights of others. In any conflict of interest between birds and birders, the welfare of the birds and their environment comes first." Good birding ethics must also prevail in birder relations with the public, whether they are birder-friendly or not-so-much so. Read the ABA Principle of Birding Ethics.
"Though the road shoulder is public property, birding ethics dictate that we avoid birding this pasture because the farmer has asked us to leave."
Birdy - may describe an area of good habitat where one "should" find birds, or an area that has a lot of bird activity.
"It was too bad we couldn't stop along the interstate, because that swamp looked really birdy."
Buteo - refers to a member of a group of larger hawks, which in Georgia includes Red-tailed Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, and a few others.
"There was a buteo perched on the power lines, backlit by the afternoon sun. Though a 100% ID was not possible, its upright posture pointed to a Red-shouldered Hawk."
Call - a generally shorter vocalization made by a bird, not to be confused with its "song."
"A Rose-breasted Grosbeak has a call that sounds like a sneaker squeaking on a basketball court."
CBC – “Christmas Bird Count.” The Christmas Bird Count provides critical information on wintering bird population abundance, distribution, and change over time. It is an annual survey that is conducted in specific locations according to specific guidelines. Visit the CBC home page, and check out informative CBC distribution maps. You can help expand the knowledge of wintering birds by participating in a local CBC right here in Georgia!
“Though Sora is quite uncommon in Marietta, one usually turns up on the CBC.”
Chase – attempting to locate and observe a bird, usually used in reference to a specific rare or uncommon bird that has been found and which one is attempting to re-locate.
“I chased the Western Grebe on Lake Walter F. George several times, but I could not locate the bird.”
Chip – a very short vocalization made by a bird, usually a small passerine such as a wood warbler or sparrow. Chips are used to communicate with other birds that are in close proximity, and also to express alarm; there are most certainly many other purposes as well. Very experienced birders can identify a species by its chip alone!
"A persistent, loud, husky chip coming from the underbrush alerted us to the presence of a male Hooded Warbler."
Circum-gulf Migrant - refers to a bird species that spends its winter in Central America or NW South America, and when it migrates north to its breeding grounds in North America it makes its way up the eastern and coastal portions of Mexico and Texas, and then disperses north and east once it reaches northern Texas and parts of Louisiana.
"Though Nashville Warblers are uncommon in Georgia, this circum-gulf migrant can be found easily along the Texas coast in spring."
County Birding – birding that is done in one or more specific counties with the aim of compiling a list(s) of bird species observed in that county. Also: County Birder, County Listing, County Lister.
“While doing some county birding outside Warner Robins, Jim and Bud located a group of Cackling Geese.”
Coursing - a hunting technique used by birds of prey that involves flying low over fields, marshes, etc. in an attempt to detect prey. Northern Harriers and Short-eared Owls are examples of masters of this technique; both have a specialized arrangement of feathers on their head which form a sort of "radar dish" to help funnel sounds to their ears in order to better detect the minute sounds of rodents and other prey below. Also: Patrol.
"A beautiful male Northern Harrier was coursing over the weedy fields outside Cobb, Georgia."
Coverage – refers to how much attention an area receives from birders. “Good coverage” means that birders visit the area and report their findings on a regular basis. If an area receives “little coverage” it is not visited or reported from often.
“Because Kennesaw Mountain gets excellent coverage every year, we have a vast collection of data to try to determine migration trends.”
Covered Up - describes an area as having a large number of birds.
"The mimosa trees at Henderson Park were just covered up with flycatching species, including Empids, warblers, and other birds."
Diagnostic - refers to an observation, field mark, song, photograph, etc. that is sufficient to make a definitive identification of a particular bird species. Also: Documentary (for photos or sound recordings).
"Though the photos were in soft-focus, they were diagnostic of Lincoln's Sparrow."
Digiscoping – holding a digital camera up to the eyepiece of a spotting scope to take a photograph or video. This technique is becoming more popular, and there are now many photographic accessories available to combine cameras with spotting scopes more reliably and with better quality results.
"The bird was too far away for a telephoto lens, but at least we got some diagnostic digiscoped photos."
Diurnal – active during the daylight hours.
“Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are diurnal migrants and may change locations throughout the day.”
Diver – any water-relating bird that routinely submerges its entire body underwater and propels itself using its feet, wings, or a combination of both to search for food or to escape danger. In Georgia, such birds include ducks like mergansers, scoters, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Redhead and others as well as birds like cormorants, loons, grebes, Razorbill, and more.
"Andrew's Island Causeway is a great place to look for divers in winter."
Empid – "Empidonax Flycatcher." This refers to a fairly large group of small, drab, grayish-to-olive flycatching birds that are usually seen flitting about, hawking insects in the mid-story of tangled forests, edge habitat, or fields. In Georgia these include Willow, Least, Acadian, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher among a few others. They are notoriously difficult to identify in the field unless they are vocalizing.
"We had two empids on a walk at Cochran Shoals, one of which called to reveal itself as an Acadian Flycatcher."
Feeder Bird – a species that is found coming to birdseed or other types of feeders. A feeder bird can be extremely common (Northern Cardinal), locally uncommon (Painted Bunting), or even a freak rarity (Broad-tailed Hummingbird). Also: Backyard Bird.
“We are so happy to have both White-breasted and Brown-headed Nuthatches as feeder birds, they are so beautiful and fun to watch.”
Flight call – a generally shorter vocalization made by a bird while it is flying, which is generally not used in other situations. Birds often use flight calls to communicate their location to other birds flying near them during migration, which is often at night and sometimes in near-zero visibility.
"Though Josh did not see the bird, he heard the distinct flight call of a Red Crossbill near Carter's Re-reg Lake."
Flight Profile - the shape or outline of a bird in flight when seen against the background of the sky or clouds.
"The bird was rising very high on a thermal, and its flight profile suggested a Broad-winged Hawk."
FOTS - "First of the Season" This abbreviation refers to a species that has been seen by an observer for the first time in spring or fall migration (sometimes at a particular location). It is often appended to a species in a list of birds reported from a location.
"I had my FOTS Swainson's Thrush eating poke berries in my yard this morning."
FS – "Forest Service." This is used exclusively in front of a number, to indicate a "Forest Service Road." These roads range from being well-maintained to full of large rocks and deep ruts, and can be tricky to navigate in a passenger vehicle. They are usually made up of granite gravel chunks, but in the southern part of the state can be packed sand or clay. Care should be taken when traveling on these roads and some should be avoided immediately following heavy rains.
"FS 58 follows Noontootla Creek into some nice white pine and hemlock forest."
GABO or GABO-L – “Georgia Birders On-Line.” An online ListServ, or message sharing group, that is an immense resource to the Georgia Birding Community. It is hosted by the University of Georgia, and allows birders to share information quickly and efficiently. Very importantly, all messages are archived and can be searched to glean important information about species occurrence, places to bird, rarities, and much more.
"I read about the Swallow-tailed Kites on GABO so I drove over to Oconee County to see them."
GBBC – “Great Backyard Bird Count.” This is a project in which feeder-watchers and a few avid birders report all the birds they see on a particular day to an organization that tallies the data in an attempt to take a “still shot” of bird occurrence in North America and beyond. One challenge of this project is that there are limited subjective “filters” for the data. While it does produce good data to establish trends for many species, there are also many errors and outliers that are not credible; an Atlantic Puffin coming to a suet feeder in Roswell, for example.
“My grandmother enjoys taking part in the GBBC and reporting her feeder birds to the study.”
Get – v. to encounter birds, usually used in relation to specific species; n. a bird species that one may encounter. Also: Have.
“You can usually get Swainson’s and Prothonotary Warbler at Bond Swamp in late spring.”
“On a Big Day, seemingly easy gets like nuthatches and woodpeckers are often missed.”
"We had both waterthrushes and a dozen warbler spp. at Cochran Shoals this morning."
Giss / Gizz - A term that refers to the over-all impression of a bird whose ID may be in question, the general "feel" of the bird to the observer(s). This may refer to a specific characteristic, but it is especially the idea of a combination of observations that may provide a good basis for identification. This concept of "Birding by Impression" is a logical and (surprisingly) newer theory in bird identification. It involves considering fairly concrete factors such as time of year, habitat, relative size of the bird, flight pattern and profile, what it is eating, how it is eating, vocalizations if any, general coloration, other birds it is associating with if any, range, distribution, and more. I think a key element to consider with "Birding by Impression" is that it is NOT for novice birders. In other words, it is an invaluable method that can lead to relative certainty about a bird's ID (not always 100%), but it is not realistically applicable for someone who does not have at least a rudimentary background with the factors mentioned above. Read an interesting article by photographer Kevin Karlson on his website, a nice site to explore for more information on this concept. The concept was also the basis for the great book The Shorebird Guide, by Michael O'Brien et al.
"The giss of those birds was definitely phalarope, but since we were not sure whether they had been Red-necked or Red, we could only put "phalarope sp." on the pelagic trip list."
Good county bird – a rare or uncommon species that is seen by a Georgia Birder, but not for the first time; it is not a new “Life Bird” or a new “State Bird.” However, given the rarity of the species it is great to have on one’s list for the particular county where it is located.
“While Gene had seen a South Polar Skua in Georgia offshore waters, it sure made a great [Gilmer] county bird.”
Good spot – a compliment paid to a birder who was the first to see a bird and point it out to others, regardless of whether he/she identified the species or not.
“Good spot on that Snipe – he’s really hidden in the reeds.”
GOS – "Georgia Ornithological Society." Visit the GOS website.
"The annual GOS spring meeting is an educational experience and an opportunity to take part in some awesome field trips."
Hawk Watch – during spring and especially fall migration, birders will take position at a high vantage point such as a mountain top or ridge (Rabun Bald or Cloudland Canyon State Park) or a narrow point at land's end (Jekyll Island South Beach) and spend several hours there, recording all birds of prey that move through overhead. HawkWatch International is an organization which provides an official format, and where a Hawk Watch can be registered and results submitted, though not all watches are reported in this manner.
"A hawk watch in September 2004 recorded 106 Broad-winged Hawks over Floyd County."
Hovering - a hunting technique used by birds of prey in which a bird uses quick, shallow wingbeats to stay over a fixed point on the ground.
"We saw an American Kestrel hovering over the corn stubble on Fite Bend Road."
Irruptive - refers to a bird species that is present in significant numbers in some years, but in others it may be very hard to find and even considered rare. In Georgia, this usually refers to winter species such as Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, and Red-breasted Nuthatch. However, it can refer to other birds as well, such as Dickcissel (which in some years is found breeding in many locations in the state, while in others it can be quite scarce). It is not fully understood why irruptions occur, but major factors seem to be food availability and weather. Roughly put, if more northerly species have a good crop of pine cones or other food sources to eat up north and the food is not covered up with too much snow and ice, they don't need to come further south to find a meal. Also: Irruption, Invasion.
"In irruptive years you can see good numbers of Purple Finches and Pine Siskins at your feeders."
Kiting - a hunting technique used by birds of prey in which a bird stays over a fixed point on the ground without flapping its wings, using only the wind to hold its position. This is a truly impressive feat when seen in the field.
"A Red-shouldered Hawk was effortlessly kiting above the cotton field, perhaps getting a fix on an unfortunate rat below."
KMT – “Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park," a migratory Mecca located in Marietta, Cobb County.
"A large AAS field trip headed up KMT this morning and observed 22 species of warblers."
LBJ - "Little Brown Job." Refers to any small, drab-colored bird that is only seen for a moment, usually in flight.
"Several LBJ's darted across the road in front of the car."
Life Bird – a bird that is seen for the first time in a birder's life, anywhere in the world. Also: Lifer.
"The pelagic trip was very slow all day, except for the discovery of a Little Gull, which was a life bird for most on board."
Miss – To be in the right place at the right time for a certain species, but not see it. Also: Dip (British)
“We saw many White Ibis, but missed Glossy.”
"I saw lots of neotropical migrants at KMT, but I dipped on Cerulean Warbler."
Mobbing – when a group of birds flocks around a real or perceived threat, “scolding” loudly and alerting other birds to the danger. Birds often mob snakes, owls, and other birds of prey.
"I heard some Blue Jays and Chickadees mobbing something, and a Barred Owl soon flew out of the tree."
Neotropical Migrant – in general, a migrating bird that breeds in North America in the spring and summer and spends its winters south of the Tropic of Cancer in places like Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Also: Neotrops.
"KMT is one of the best places in Georgia to observe a great diversity of neotropical migrants."
Nocturnal – active during the nighttime hours; many nocturnal birds are especially active within a couple hours just after dusk and just before dawn.
“Nightjars are nocturnal; you will start to hear Whip-poor-wills calling and becoming active at dusk.”
Owling - birding at night with the express purpose of locating owls in appropriate habitat. When owling, patience, stealth, and alertness are key ingredients. If owling from your vehicle, turn off your engine and all lights, and quietly exit the car. Wait for several minutes to allow your eyes to adjust to the light, and listen intently for owls calling. If no owls are detected, use a portable audio device to play a recording of an Eastern Screech Owl once and turn it off. Be very alert - owls may move in over your head without making a sound and seeing their profile against the sky is your only clue. You may also wish to play Barred Owl or Great Horned Owl, depending on habitat. WARNING: Owling can be dangerous. On more than one occasion a Barred Owl has swooped down in an attempt to attack an Eastern Screech Owl that was actually a set of iPod speakers. Furthermore, audio should only be used initially to elicit a response from an owl. Once a bird has vocalized or otherwise made its presence known, all use audio should cease in the immediate area.
"We did some owling before dawn and found two screech owls and one very vocal Barred Owl."
Pelagic – describes offshore waters and/or the birds found in this habitat.
"Pelagic species like shearwaters and storm petrels can be found miles off the Georgia coast in the Atlantic Ocean."
Pishing – the act of making noises which mimic the sounds of chickadees, titmice, or other birds “mobbing” a predator in the hopes that the sounds will attract birds in the immediate area to come closer to the observer.
“I pished for Savannah sparrows, and instead a Meadowlark flew out right in front of me!”
Putting someone on a bird - The art of describing where a bird is to another birder until he/she is able to find it with the naked eye and then with binoculars as well. This is actually a very important skill, and is much harder than it may seem. Using the "clock" positions to orient someone in a large tree, or starting at the base of a tree, guiding the person up each split or branch in the tree until you get to the bird, and making sure to always tell the person when the bird is in motion so they may catch a glimpse of its movement are a few of many strategies. This skill takes time to develop, and can be frustrating for both parties. In the end, sometimes a bird is simply in a spot that would not be easy for even the best guide to describe - say, a motionless Swainson's Warbler that is ten feet deep into a dense thicket of Chinese privet with no unique reference points.
"Could you please put my friend on the Cerulean Warbler, it would be a lifer for her!"
GOOD ANSWER: "It's in the large oak, at about 10 o'clock... there, it just dropped down... see how the tree has two main trunks? Follow the left one until it splits again, go up the left fork and it's in the biggest area of leaves about two feet in from the end of the branch... there, it just moved out into the open."
BAD ANSWER: "It's in that big green leafy tree over there, way up high."
Radar – Under the right conditions, Doppler radar can actually detect and display large flocks of birds moving during migration! Learn more about this interesting phenomena by reading about NEXRAD Doppler Radar and then clicking the link. Though it can be helpful, this is not at all an exact science - yet!
"The birding could be great in the next couple days, because the radar showed a lot of movement last night."
RBA – “Rare Bird Alert.” Though it is not used as frequently as it was before the advent of the internet, this is a nonetheless essential tool for getting the word out about rarities. Birders can call (770) 493-8862 to listen to a recorded message which lists recent sightings and directions, or they can report their own sightings at the same number. Jeff Sewell is the voice of the Georgia RBA.
“An inland Red-throated Loon is a good bird, you should call it in to the RBA.”
Scope – “Spotting Scope.” A small telescope mounted on a tripod and used by birders to get better views of birds that are very distant. Scopes are especially helpful with waterfowl and shorebirds, which may be found at great distances on lakes, beaches, sod farms, the ocean, etc.
“If anyone would like to see the Phalarope, I have it in the scope right now.”
Sod Farm – what it sounds like, a large area of open agricultural land where turf grass (bermuda, zoysia, etc.) is grown and harvested for use in landscaping. What makes them interesting to birders is that they can attract good numbers of migrating shorebirds, especially in areas of standing water or mud after rains. Read an important advisory for Birding Georgia's Sod Farms.
"The Perry Super Sod Farm is a great place to look for Buff-breasted Sandpiper in the fall."
Song – a generally longer vocalization made by a bird, used for communication in many situations but especially related to breeding (attracting a mate, claiming a territory, etc.) Birdsong is an extremely interesting topic, and there is still much to be understood about how it is used, learned, transformed over time, etc.
"We heard the beautiful song of a Veery on Brasstown Bald."
Sp. – "Species." This refers to a bird that was seen well enough to assign it to a particular family but not make a definitive ID. It may also be also used when talking about a family of birds in any context. Also: ssp. (sub-species) and spp. (plural of sp.)
"A waterthrush sp. was foraging along the creek, but never vocalized or gave a clear frontal view."
Sparrow Tromping – An activity that usually involves a small group of birders, but can be done alone as well. In an area of good sparrow habitat, such as an overgrown field, pasture, or fenceline, a group of birders walks in a line spaced a few yards apart, with binoculars in hand. It is a good idea to pre-focus your binoculars on a spot about 20 yards away. As soon as a bird is flushed, everyone stops and tries to pinpoint the spot where it lands and searches for it in binos. If the bird cannot be seen, the entire group rushes quickly to the spot, forming a semi-circle as they approach, in an attempt to encourage the bird to climb a high weed stalk for better views. Also: Sparrowing.
"We tromped around for sparrows at Paulk's Pasture, and along with 2-3 Henslow's Sparrows we found a wintering Grasshopper Sparrow."
State Bird – a bird species seen by a birder for the first time in the state of Georgia.
“I had already seen Magnificent Frigatebirds in Florida, but it was a new state bird for me.”
Stoop - An amazing spectacle in which a bird of prey folds its wings close against its body and dives at full speed towards the ground; this is usually in an attempt to attack a prey item, but stooping is also observed during certain courtship behavior.
"Peregrine Falcons are the fastest animal on the planet, capable of reaching speeds over 200mph while stooping."
Taping – refers to any method of playing audio recordings in an attempt to attract birds, whether using cassettes, CDs, an iPod, etc. Using audio in the field is highly controversial in the Birding Community, and should be used sparingly. Some birders believe any use of taping is unethical. Specific locations and seasons (especially breeding) warrant avoiding audio altogether. Read what the ABA has to say about using audio.
"It is not unusual to spend three freezing hours taping for Northern Saw-whet Owls in Rabun County with no reponse."
Thrush Count – as birds migrate at night, they communicate with one another using specialized “flight calls.” Each species of thrush has a distinct flight call. Sometimes a group of birders will gather at a location - usually at a higher elevation such as a hill or mountain (often held at KMT) - and each will count the number of calls made by a specific species as they fly overhead, recorded over a specific period of time in the wee hours of the morning, usually several hours preceding dawn. This produces a rough picture of how many and what kinds of thrushes are moving through the area during migration; more counts have been conducted in fall than in spring.
"Though the daily high count of Swainson's Thrush at KMT was 32 in 1994 and 1996, a nocturnal thrush count of 790 of this species passing overhead was made in 2000."
Trans-gulf Migrant – refers to a bird species that spends its winter in Central America or NW South America, and when it migrates north to its breeding grounds in North America it makes an incredible single flight across the Gulf of Mexico! Many of these birds find their way to the Yucatán peninsula before "taking off" on this difficult flight, to minimize the distance. Mortality among these species due to the crossing can be high, especially if inclement weather is a factor. One of the most impressive trans-gulf crossings is that of the tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbird!
"Cerulean Warblers are trans-gulf migrants, one of several challenges to their success."
Trash Bird - 1. A bird that is not native and/or occurs in such great numbers in a particular location that it is rarely included on a list or counted individually; 2. A derogatory term for any common bird species seen in an area when one is looking for more "interesting" species, such as migrants or a rarity.
1. "Aside from nesting Peregrine Falcons on skyscraper ledges, downtown Atlanta is generally full of trash birds like European Starling, House Sparrows, and Rock Doves."
2. "A walk up Kennesaw Mountain in early March produced only Pine Warbler and a bunch of trash birds."
Twitcher (British) - A birder who is very involved in keeping lists; they earn this name because they are said to get "twitchy" when they are chasing a bird that is new for their life list, county list, or any list! Also: Lister.
UNK - "Unknown." May refer to a bird that cannot be identified, or to a particular aspect of a bird that is not known, such as sex or sub-species; sometimes it is pronounced as if the abbreviation were a word.
"We had six Black-throated Green Warblers on KMT today, four males, a female, and one UNK."
Vagrant - a bird that is well outside of its normal range; there are various explanations for this phenomena ranging from climate change to biological imperfections in an individual bird's "geomagnetic guidance system."
"A vagrant Black-throated Gray Warbler showed up at the Carter's Lake Re-reg Lake in 2006."
Wader – generally refers to long-legged water-relating species that spend much of their time foraging by wading through shallow wader, probing for prey items or stabbing at them with their bills. Typical waders include herons, egrets, and ibis.
"Phinizy Swamp can be covered up with waders in summer."
Warbler Neck - stiffness and soreness in one's neck that results from leaning the head back for long periods of time while trying to observe birds that are very high in the canopy overhead; wood warblers are notorious for causing this condition.
"Man, I'm getting a nasty case of warbler neck, but seeing a Cerulean and two Blackburnians in the same flock makes it worth it!"
YBC – “Youth Birding Competition.” Organized by Tim Keyes and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, this annual event held in April is a special opportunity for Georgia’s young birders to experience the thrills of a birding Big Day. See the DNR’s YBC Webpage.
"Over 100 kids participated in the 2nd Annual YBC in April, 2007."
Year bird – a bird that has not been seen in Georgia in that calendar year by a particular birder.
“I hope the American Golden Plover is still at the Bostwick Sod Farm because it would be a year bird for me.”
Bird Nicknames
This section could probably go on forever, but it's fun! These are examples of nicknames given to bird species. Some are colorful or generic colloquial names for birds that are usually used by non-birders. Others are commonly-used abbreviations or diminutives used by birders on a regular basis. Many bird nicknames are really unique, and I look forward to adding many more to the list - please email me your bird nicknames :)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo = "Rain Crow" So-called by farmers because they are said to sing just before it rains.
Anhinga = "Snake Bird" So-called for its long, serpentine neck which often is the only thing seen above water while it is swimming.
Magnolia Warbler = "Maggie"
Eurasian Collared Dove = "ECD"
Long-tailed Duck = "Old Squaw" (an older term for the species)
Loggerhead Shrike = "Butcher Bird" (they impale and display prey items on barbed-wire fences or thorny bushes)
Yellow-rumped Warbler = "Butter Butt"
Osprey = "Fish Hawk"
Harlequin Duck = "Harley"
Pied-billed Grebe = "Di-Dapper"
Philadelphia Vireo = "Philly" or "Brotherly Love Greenlet"
Northern Flicker = "Yellow Hammer"
Northern Cardinal = "Redbird"
Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk = "Birdhawks" (they mainly prey on other birds)
Cooper's Hawk = "Coop"
Sharp-shinned Hawk = "Sharpie"
Northern Rough-winged Swallow = "Roughie"
Turkey Vulture or Black Vulture = "Buzzard"
Upland Sandpiper = "Uppie"
Ring-necked Duck = "Ringie"
Any hummingbird = "Hummer"
Eastern Towhee = "Joe-Ree"
Laughing Gull = "Laugher"
Small Sandpipers = "Peeps" (in Georgia this usually refers to Western, Semipalmated, or Least Sandpipers)
Chimney Swift = "Cigar with Wings"
American Goldfinch = "Canary"
Pileated Woodpecker = "Laughing Jack-ass"
Ivory-billed Woodpecker = "Lord God Bird"
Common Moorhen, Purple Gallinule, all rails = "Marsh Hen"
Turkey Vulture = "TV"
Rock Dove = "Winged Rat"
Killdeer = "Killdie"
Any shorebird = "Sandpiper"
Any gull or tern = "Seagull"
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Copyright 2010 Ken Blankenship. All rights reserved.
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