Here are five black and white male ducks and some of their distinctive field marks. Ducks are plentiful here in Denver during the winter months. Where there is water, there is a duck, provided the water is not frozen.
Bird Sightings
Bird Sightings: Ducks with Green on Their Heads
Winter birding brings ducks to our viewing pleasure. Ducks are in open waters unobscured by obstacles. The males are colorful and have distinctive field marks that facilitate their identifications.
Bird Sightings: Merlin the App and Merlin the Bird
The Merlin app was launched in 2014 to help people find the answer to “What’s that bird?” Here is merlin the bird, a brown and white falcon with a heavily-streaked chest, round and oval white shapes throughout, and thin white tail bands.
Bird Sightings: Winter Shorebirds in Colorado
In the ice-free open water near reservoirs, ponds, and wetlands, Wilson’s snipe and killdeer are two shorebirds that can be routinely encountered throughout winter.
Bird Sightings: Gandalf, a Resident of Denver City Park Since 2009
On March 24, 2024, birder Todd Nicotra asked on the Denver Field Ornithologist Facebook page, “I am pretty new to birding. I saw this bird at City Park in Denver this morning, and I’m not sure what it is. Any thoughts?”
More of What Birds Eat
Snakes are a favorite on the menu of Swainson’s hawks. And a green heron scores a frog.
Bird Sightings: What Birds Eat
Seeking food and successful nesting drive the behavior and survival of bird species. These photos...
Bird Sightings: In the Skies Over Denver
Common and uncommon raptors circling the skies over Denver during the summer months include the red-tailed hawk, the Swainson’s hawk, the Mississippi kite, the bald eagle, and the turkey vulture.
Bird Sightings: Baby Birds
In the avian world, spring and summer months are filled with newborn birds. Male birds wear their breeding plumage to attract the females during courtship. Once a pair bonds and nest building is complete, mating, egg laying, and incubation follow.
Bird Sightings: Mountain Bluebirds in Denver
Mountain bluebirds seek out nest sites in open areas of short grasses, shrubs, and trees at 7,000–12,500 feet above sea level.
Bird Sightings: Spring Migration of Shorebirds
Shorebirds winter in South America, Mexico, Central America, or the western and southeast coasts of the U.S. Beginning in April, they migrate north to nest.
Bird Sightings: Red-winged Blackbirds and European Starlings
Red-winged Blackbirds and European Starlings Red-winged blackbirds and European starlings are...














