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Streaky brown, with a buffy eye-ring, Lincoln’s Sparrows are known to be a bit shy. This medium-sized, insect-eating bird forages near or on the ground — and builds its nest there too. It is named for Thomas Lincoln, who traveled with naturalist John James Audubon on a bird-finding trip to Labrador. -
While the male Lucifer Hummingbird sports a purple throat and long narrow tail, the female complements its green back and head feathers with a buff-colored breast and short tail. Both have the characteristic curved bill. -
With its stunning red color, the male Northern Cardinal is a real showstopper, complemented by the female’s red accents on wings, tail, and crest. Find this flashy songbird across the eastern half of the U.S. and Mexico. -
Shades of brown, shafts of yellow — flight feathers and coverts of the Northern Flicker.
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Arrangement in yellow and black — tail feathers of the Northern Flicker.
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Bold yet delicate, the Northern Flicker’s yellow-shafted undertail coverts display a hypnotic dappling of black and white.
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Easy to see why the French name for the Painted Bunting is Nonpareil (“without equal”). But in spite of their eye-popping plumage — red, blue, yellow, green — these seed-eating songbirds don’t flaunt the look, preferring to go unnoticed in deep brush and dense foliage. -
To deter other birds or predators, the resourceful Red-breasted Nuthatch might apply a sticky layer of tree resin to the entrance of its nest, then avoid the trap by flying directly through the opening. They can climb headfirst down tree trunks or hang upside down from branches while foraging for insects or seeds. -
In summer, the Red-eyed Vireo resides in forests of the Eastern United States, but heads south to the Amazon basin come autumn. The male can sing his song 20,000 times a day. -
Look for the Rose-breasted Grosbeak in woodlands and forest edges. True to its name, the male sports a bright pink patch on its breast and a large triangular bill. -
Rufous Hummingbirds can be found in southern Alaska down through a large part of the western U.S. and Mexico. Watch out, other hummingbirds! The feisty Rufous is not afraid to chase away even the bigger guys. -
Rufous Hummingbirds can be found in southern Alaska down through a large part of the western U.S. and Mexico. Watch out, other hummingbirds! The feisty Rufous is not afraid to chase away even the bigger guys. -
Rufous Hummingbirds can be found in southern Alaska down through a large part of the western U.S. and Mexico. Watch out, other hummingbirds! The feisty Rufous is not afraid to chase away even the bigger guys. -
With its reddish-brown cap and long tail often raised at an angle, the Rufous-capped Warbler can be found in Mexico and Guatemala, and sometimes into south Texas and Arizona. It feeds primarily on insects and favors weedy, brushy areas near woodlands. -
Tree Swallows — a familiar sight from Alaska and Canada to Mexico — like to nest in tree cavities or nest boxes. They feast primarily on insects and occasionally on berries, too. -
Pyrocephalus — the genus for the Vermilion Flycatcher — means “fire-headed,” certainly an apt name for the brilliant-colored male. And “flycatcher”? Yes. These smallish birds (4.8 to 5.4 inches in length) swoop in and catch flying insects on the wing — from flies and wasps to beetles and butterflies. -
The blue-gray White-breasted Nuthatch is named so due to its habit of smashing nuts and acorns into tree bark and poking them with its pointed bill to extract the seeds. It may be small, but its loud nasal call is hard to miss. -
While White-throated Sparrows are common during winter across the eastern and southern United States and California, they breed mainly in Canada. Use sunflower seeds and millet to lure them to your bird feeder. -
The tiny, insect-eating Wilson’s Warbler sports yellow and greenish plumage and, primarily in the males, a black cap. -
Wilson’s Warblers always seem to be on the move, hopping branch to branch feeding on a variety of insects. The male sports a distinctive black cap, while the female has a paler-colored crown. They nest on the ground or close to it and are found throughout most of the continental U.S. and Mexico, and large parts of Canada. -
Yellow Warblers — with their buttery yellow hue, rounded head, beady black eyes, and whistled song — can be found across nearly all of North America and into South America.
ABOUT
Paul Nelson’s stunning photographs are just the beginning. He and Stacy Fortier, his wife and business partner, have expanded the images into distinctive textile designs for accessories and home decor. The approach is modern yet vintage, cutting edge yet timeless, relaxed yet polished.
© Paul Nelson Photography