SPRING LAWN BIRDS AND RED MAPLES

     Red maple trees have many beautiful, red blossoms during late March and into early April.  Many red maples have been planted on southeastern Pennsylvania lawns for the trees' lovely flowers, shapes, the shade they provide and their strikingly scarlet leaves in autumn.  And during their time of blooming, I see several handsome American robins, purple grackles and starlings feeding on invertebrates on lawns under those pretty trees.      

     Grackles, robins and starlings are adaptable, common on short-grass lawns and attractive.  And they nest in different niches on those lawns; grackles in coniferous trees for the most part, robins on twigs in shrubs and young, deciduous trees and starlings in crevices in buildings.  One can see there is no competition for nesting places.

     Every day in spring, I see grackles walking slowly over lawns as they watch for invertebrates to eat.  These birds are striking in the purple, green and blue sheen of their black feathers, that contrast with their  yellow irises.  And by early April, they begin to build their grass cradles in evergreens on some lawns. 

     The familiar American robins run and stop, run and stop to listen and watch for earthworms and other invertebrates in the grassroots of lawns.  This lovely species is a member of the thrush family and is shaped like those lovely, woodland-dwelling birds.  But this thrush is very adaptable and is able to take advantage of lawns as they are developed through the years. 

     Starlings are not native to North America, having been introduced here from Europe.  Though disliked by some people, this common bird is quite successful here.  And adult birds are pretty to see, particularly the males in spring.  They have a purple and a green sheen on their dark, white-spotted head, neck and body feathers, dull-red legs and yellow beaks in spring and summer.  Female starlings are similar to their mates, but not quite as glossy.

     Starlings have generalized body forms, which allows them to get food in several ways, including probing for invertebrates among grass roots with their sharp beaks.  I like to call them grasspipers because of their poking into the short grass for food.  

     For several evenings in late March, into early April, I am happy to see up to 40 purple grackles perched high on a large red maple tree, loaded with lovely, red blossoms, in our neighborhood.  Those blackbirds temporarily use that tree as a gathering place before retreating into neighboring planted and sheltering coniferous trees for the night.   

     Watch for the beauties of these lawns birds and red maple trees from late March into early April.  These birds and trees add more interest to those lawns into early summer as the birds raise young and seek invertebrates in the short grass of lawns.                 

   

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