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Description: Medium-sized deciduous tree with a short trunk and wide crown. Smooth light grey bark is diagnostic. Simple leaves alternate on twigs and branches. Leaf is an elongated oval shape with distinctive straight veins terminating in a marginal tooth. Leathery to the touch. Smaller understorey specimens often retain leaves which dry to a caramel brown and are distinctive in winter. Fruit are nuts which are eaten by birds and mammals.

Habitat: Undisturbed forest, usually found in association with Sugar Maple, Yellow Birch and Eastern Hemlock.

Height: 35 m

Leaf length: 5-10 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Fagus grandifolia

White Ash trees in the city have been severely affected by a recent invader,the Emerald Ash Borer. Larvae feed just under the bark and eventually kill the tree. The bark of an infested tree shows the tell-tale signs of tunnelling. City Forestry has tried to mitigate the impact of the borer by felling Ash in parks and ravines.

Description: Leaf composed of an odd-number of leaflets (5-11) which are arranged opposite each other along the midrib except for the last one. Each leaflet is oval, on a long stalk (2 cm) and the margins lack serrations. Leaf length: 15-30 cm. Leaflets 7 - 12 cm. Male and female flowers are on separate trees. Ash fruit persist into winter.

Habitat: Undisturbed forest, usually with sugar maple.

Height: 20 m

Leaf length: 15-30 cm

Flowering: May

Fruits: June

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Fraxinus americana

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Description: Deciduous tree with a straight trunk and a round-topped crown. Dark grey bark becomes deeply furrowed and curls into thick "licks" in mature specimens. The leaf has three prominent lobes and two smaller lobes at the base. The notch at the bottom of each lobe is rounded. Flowers are inconspicuous and open at the same time as the leaves. The wings of the key (fruit) are shorter than the stalk, droop down in a U, and are almost parallel.

Habitat: Largely confined to ravines and intact woodlands in the City, but is now being used in street plantings rather than the Norway Maple.

Height: 40 m

Leaf width: 10-15 cm

Flowering: May

Fruits: June

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Acer saccharum

Silver maples often have cavities which provide winter dens sites for squirrels and racoons. The samaras, or keys, produced in spring, are a favourite source of food for squirrels. Mature trees are prone to branch breakage in wind and ice storms.

Description: Deciduous tree which has an erect, narrow form. Bark is stringy in larger specimens giving it a shaggy look. Opposite branching. Delicate looking leaf is elongated (much longer than wide) and the underside is white. The leaf has pointy tips and prominent teeth and the lobes (notches) are rounded and U-shaped. Red flowers appear before the leaves in dense clusters, and well ahead of other maple species. Male and female flowers are separate but on same tree, and are wind-pollinated. The samaras (keys) are quite large (5 cm) with a thick swollen seed. The wings are joined at an angle of about 90 degrees. Keys ripen early.

Habitat: Prefer damp situations, such as river edge and wet bottomlands, but tolerate dry conditions and are a common street tree in Toronto.

Height: 40 m

Leaf length: 7-12 cm

Flowering: March - April

Fruits: May - June

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Acer saccharinum

The White Oak is a stately tree and one of the giants of pre-settlement broadleaf forest in Toronto, reaching heights of up to 30 metres. In winter it can be told from the similar Red Oak by its distinctive bark. White Oak bark appears flakey, and has a reddish tinge. Leaves often persist through winter on the ground, and they are dstinguished from other oaks here by their rounded lobes. The acorns too can be found under larger trees and are sought after by squirrels.

White oak was one of the giants of pre-settlement broadleaf forest in Toronto, reaching heights of up to 30 metres. Distinguished from other oaks here by its leaves which have rounded lobes and are smooth underneath. The acorns are sought after by squirrels.

Description: Large, deciduous tree with pale grey bark which has a scaly appearance. The crown is rounded and branches appear gnarled and misshapen. Leaf has 5 to 9 lobes which are rounded (not pointed). Both male and female flowers occur on the same tree (monoecious). The male flowers (pollen-producing) are yellow and open a little before female flowers in early May. The acorn is quite small (2 cm) and elongated, and the cap of woody scales covers less than one-quarter of the acorn. The acorn develops over summer and ripens in the Fall.

Habitat: Prefers deep, moist soils in mixed deciduous forests.

Height: 30 m

Leaf length: 12 cm

Flowering: May

Fruits: August

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Quercus alba

Red Oaks are among the last of the native trees to leaf out in spring. They are host to a myriad of insects, including caterpillars of butterflies and moths which feed on foliage, wasps which form leaf and stem galls, and beetles which bore into the acorns and tunnel into wood.

Description: Large deciduous trees with grey bark which is patterned into long vertical ridges. Leaf usually has has 7 or 9 lobes which are pointed, helping to distinguish it from the White Oak which has rounded, blunt lobes. Male and female flowers are separate, but on the same tree (monoecious). The fruit is an acorn which is quite large and squat (3 cm long) with a shallow cap that covers about one-third of the acorn. It develops on the tree for two years and ripens in the Fall.

Habitat: Grows on a variety of soils. Used as an ornamental shade tree. Red Oak is more salt and drought tolerant than White Oak and so has been planted in streetscapes.

Height: 25 m

Leaf length: 15 cm

Flowering: May

Fruits: October

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Quercus rubra

A classic winter scene is the spruce with branches drooping from wet snow. Every two to six years, spruce produce a big crop of cones. Cone seeds are an important food for Red Squirrels and, in the boreal forest, finches.

Description: White spruce are medium-sized conifers with a pyramidal shape, and popular as Christmas trees. Needles are stiff and diamond shaped in cross-section, wrapping the twigs like a bottlebrush. The cones are small and elongate, drying to a rounder shape. The native spruce can be confused with the taller Norway Spruce, introduced from Europe and used in city plantings a lot. Norway spruce cones are very long and pendulous. The spruces and firs can be hard to distinguish, but there are a few contrasts. Spruce have four-sided needles (fir needles are flat) that are stiff and pointed (flexible with distinct midrib in firs). Spruce seed cones hang from the tips of small branches (fir cones hang from anywhere along branches). The bark of spruce is scaley (firs have smooth bark with prominent resin blisters).

Habitat: Prefers dry ridges, but grows in a wide range of soil types. Often associated with Balsam Fir and White Birch.

Height: 25 m

3-6 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Picea glauca

This conifer is planted as an ornamental tree or as a windbreak in rural and urban environments. Due to its symmetrical shape when young it is also commonly used as a Christmas tree. The long cylindrical cones hang down from the tip of a branch; they are green when young and become light brown with age.

Description: Cones are large and long, quite distinctive. Bark is scaley.

Habitat:

Height: 40 m

10-18 cm

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Picea abies

This evergreen tree has yellowish-green leaves, compressed and scale-like. Cedars grow best in wet areas such as the edge of forested wetlands (swamps). They are a popular hedging tree.

Description: This evergreen tree has yellowish-green leaves, compressed and scale-like. Bark looks stringy.

Height: 15 m

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Thuja occidentalis

A sprawling shrub that colonizes open sunny areas, including roadside banks.

Description: Large, sprawling, gangly deciduous shrub. The twigs and young branches are covered with soft hairs, said to resemble the velvet stage of deer antlers. The fern-like leaves turn bright reds and oranges in the fall. Tiny greenish-yellow flowers are borne on spikes (panicles). Fruits are bright red, and they persist into winter. Often form large groves, as they spread readily by suckers (rhizomes). Broken twigs or leaves exude a milky sap.

Habitat:

Height: 7 m

Flowering: June

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Rhus typhina

The flat-topped flower clusters are a magnet for insect pollinators. Berries ripen through summer and are eaten by songbirds in the fall. The red twigs are most noticeable in winter. They are used in basket weaving and floral arrangements.

Description: Dense, deciduous shrub. White flowers arranged in clusters at the end of stems. Leaves arranged in opposite pairs along the twig. Prominent veins curve and run towards the tip. Fruits are white berries. Young branches are deep red and are flecked with white.

Habitat: Prefers moist soils, especially the edges of swamps. Invades old fields.

Height: 2 m

Flowering: May - June

Fruits: July - August

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Cornus stolonifera

This species is at the edge of its range in southern Ontario, and it's at risk. However, it has been widely planted in Toronto as it is very tolerant of urban conditions. This tree spends more than half of the year without leaves.

Description: Very large compound leaves composed of about 70 leaflets. Flowers are large, greenish white, and mildly fragrant. Female (seed) flowers are arranged in larger clusters than the male (pollen) flowers. Dioecious, most trees produce either male or female flowers. Fruit is a hard, dark brown pod which remains on the tree through winter. The seeds resemble coffee beans.

Habitat: It requires sunny locations. It preferes rich woodlands, but tolerates a wide variety of growing conditions in full sun.

Height: 30 m

Flowering: May

Fruits: July

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Gymnocladus dioicus

Green spherical gall on the stem of Canada Goldenrod induced by the feeding of the larva of the Goldenrod Gall Fly.

By winter, the spherical gall has dried to a grey or brown, and it is tough, almost wood-like. Inside the Goldenrod Gall fly larva is hibernating. It will pupate in early spring and emerge as an adult. Downy woodpeckers are known to peck open the galls to extract the larva. Woodpeckers leave a distinctive chiselled-out hole, which is different from the clean, small exit hole that the adult leaves through in early spring. Eastern Grey squirrels have also been reported to prey on the winter galls.

Description: Adult Goldenrod Gall Fly is light brown with spotted wings. The larva is white.

Habitat: Canada Goldenrod.

Length: 5 mm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Eurosta solidaginis

The gall is a rosette of leaves at the tip of the Goldenrod stem. It forms in response to a larva of the Bunch Gall Fly feeding on the shoot tip. Stem growth stops, but leaves continue to form in a rosette.

Description: Adult.pending Larva. White.

Habitat:

Length: 4 mm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Rhopalomyia solidaginis

In winter the distinctive pinecone-shaped galls at the ends of willow twigs house the pupal stage of a tiny midge which will emerge as a winged adult in spring. Females lay eggs at the tips of growing willow stems (apical buds) and the larvae burrow into the bud to feed. Stem elongation stops, but the feeding induces leaf proliferation and the cone-like structure forms. The gall protects the developing larva and then provides an overwintering site.

Description: The gall consists of overlapping leaves at the end of a twig. In summer it is green and can have a whitish bloom due to leaf hairs. The gall dries to brown in fall and looks like a pinecone, hence the common name. The adult midge which emerges from the gall in spring is tiny.

Habitat:

Length: 4 mm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Rhabdophaga strobiloides

The caterpillar makes the spindle-shaped gall in the stem of Canada Goldenrod. The adult moth emerges in late summer and females lay eggs at the base of the goldenrod plant. The eggs overwinter, and the following spring the larvae move to the growing tips of the new plants where they burrow in to the stem Their feeding stimulates the plant to create the gall.

Description: The gall is spindle-shaped and usually situated about mid way down the plant stem. Look for the exit hole near the top of the gall. The adult moth is a nondescript brownish colour.

Habitat:

Length: 10 mm

Scientific name: Gnorimoschema gallaesolidaginis

In late spring, Queens emerge from hibernation and start a nest. The nest is made from wood pulp which the Queen scrapes from bark and from wooden structures like deck railings. Nest shape varies, but is normally a grey basketball-sized globe that has branches intertwined for support.

Description: Solid, fat-bodied wasp which is black and white.

Habitat: Fields, gardens.

Length: 20 mm

Adults: June - October

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Vespula maculata

Large spiny bracts curve upwards around egg-shaped flower heads which are densely populated with tiny lavender flowers and hidden spines. Spines remain after flowers die back. Pollinated mostly by bumblebees; flowers also visited by other bees and Pipe Vine Swallowtail. Seeds eaten by American Goldfinch. Dried flower heads used historically to card (comb) raw wool, and "tease" or raise the woven surface.

Description: The distinctive flowerhead looks like a spiny egg and is packed with light pink flowers. The long spiny bracts remain on the plant through winter.

Habitat: Roadsides, old fields. Widespread in low, moist areas and disturbed areas.

Height: 50 - 180 cm

Flowering: August - October

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Dipsacus fullonum

A striking plant with tall spikes of yellow flowers and large woolly leaves. Reported to be successfully cross-pollinated only by bees. Flowers open for pollination for one day, and, if cross-pollination does not occur, the plant pollinates itself. Individual plants can produce up to 200,000 tiny seeds, depending on conditions. Seeds can remain viable for many decades.

Description: Big plant. Leaves huge and tough with furry surface. Small yellow flowers arranged up a thick, tapering stalk. Biennial. In first year grows as a basal rosette, then in second year flowers.

Habitat: Dry, sunny sites, especially gardens, roadsides. Widespread in disturbed areas.

Height: 30 - 200 cm

Flowering: July - September

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Verbascum thapsis

One of the most abundant flowers of disturbed sites. The delicate flower heads consist of many tiny white flowers clustered in a flat-topped "umbel." The central flower is often purple. Umbels are characteristic of plants in the carrot-parsley family, to which this species belongs. Seeds are eaten by wildlife. Several plants that closely resemble this one have poisonous alkaloids and are very dangerous to eat.

Description: Tall, robust plant with feathery leaves, characteristic of the Carrot Family. Flower is a cluster (umbel) of small white flowers delicately arranged in a flat-topped arrangement. As flowers age and become dry seedheads, the umbel becomes curled-up at the edges, and is said to resemble a bird's nest.

Habitat: Dry meadows, roadsides, abandoned, disturbed land.

Height: 30 - 100 cm

Flowering: July - September

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Daucus carota

A robust, tall thistle with very thorny leaves and stem. The large, usually single flowerheads are loved by American Goldfinches looking for seeds in late summer.

Description: Stem has formidable spines. Leaves are long and hairy and end in a long spine. Purple flowerheads sit on spiny bracts.

Habitat: Sunny sites in fields, roadsides.

Height: 150 cm

Flowering: July - August

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Cirsium vulgare

Small, strongly-scented pink or purplish flowers with a complex structure are borne in rounded clusters. Large oblong leaves have fine down beneath. Thick milky juice with toxic properties flows from cuts in leaves and stems. Monarch butterfly larvae eat leaves but are immune to the toxins which make the larvae unpalatable to predators. Honeybees are the main pollinators, although other insects visit the flowers. Warty green pods contain brown seeds with silky "parachutes".

Description: Broken stem and stalks exude sticky, milky sap. Flowers are pink, borne in clusters and are fragrant, particularly in the evening. Seedpods are large and olive green but they get wrinkled and grey as they age. Open a ripe seedpod and hundreds of seeds blow out and float away. Seeds are light brown and have fluffy silky hairs at one end.

Habitat: Open, sunny sites, particularly disturbed land, roadsides, old fields.

Height: 150 cm

Flowering: July - August

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Asclepias syriaca

Chicory's beautiful blue flowers close by early afternoon. This plant is cultivated for its tap root which is roasted and ground for use as a coffee substitute, and as a flavour enhancer for some beers. Very young basal leaves are eaten raw in salads. Members of the chicory family are known for their milky and often bitter juices.

Description: Erect plant, sparsely leaved. The stem is zig-zaggy, giving the plant a gangly, somewhat straggly appearance. The basal leaves resemble those of Dandelion. A biennial, the second-year plant produces light blue flowers which have serrated ends to the petals.

Habitat: Open, sunny habitats, especially dry meadow, roadsides, waste areas.

Height: 30 - 100 cm

Flowering: June - October

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Cichorium intybus

Forms large colonies from rhizomes. An important food source for many birds and mammals. Round swellings on stems indicate parasitism by Gall Flies (Eurosta solidaginis).

Description: Perennial plant. Small yellow flowers are clustered along arching branches in a showy late summer display. Flowers must be cross-pollinated by insects to produce its seed-like "achenes" which are wind dispersed. Pollinators include honeybees, bumblebees, soldier beetles, and hoverflies.

Habitat: Widespread in disturbed areas, roadsides and meadows.

Height: 30 - 150 cm

Flowering: August - November

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Solidago canadensis

Clusters of intense yellow flowers brighten up roadsides and other open habitats in summer. Narrow spreading seed pods resembling the toes of a bird give it the name "Bird's-foot trefoil". Leaves have five leaflets. Introduced to North America as a honey plant, and as forage for livestock. Largely self-incompatible, and requires bumblebees and honeybees for pollination.

Description: Perennial wildflower which grows in clumps and can form dense mats. Distinctive leaves warrant closer examination to see the three clover-like leaflets and two more separate at the base.Bright yellow flowers have the swollen petals typical of the Pea family. Fruit is a pod which resembles a bird's foot.

Habitat: Open, sunny habitats, especially roadsides, abandoned fields.

Height: 60 cm

Flowering: June - August

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Lotus corniculatus

Burdock can be mistaken for thistle with its prickly flowerheads, but it has very large leaves which are not prickly. After the flower head dries, the prickles act like velcro and attach to humans and animals and in this way the seeds get dispersed.

Description: A biennial plant which grows as a basal rosette in the first year with a deep taproot. The following year the plant puts up a flowering stalk that can be one metre high or more. Leaves are dark green and large. Flowerheads are prickly and thistle-like. Light pink, small flowers.

Habitat: Open, sunny habitats especially roadsides, abandoned land.

Height: 1 m

Flowering: July

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Arctium minus

The "cat tail" of this unusual wetland plant is a flower head consisting of a spike of tiny light coloured male flowers above a fatter compact cylindrical spike of equally tiny female flowers--greenish at first, but turning brown after pollination. The male part falls off. Grows in dense stands. Cattail marshes are favourite nesting sites for red winged blackbirds, and provide cover for many wildlife species. Rootstocks are eaten by muskrats and geese.

Habitat: Marsh edges and shallows. Prefers lime-rich mineral soils. Widespread in marshes, roadside ditches, along shorelines, and in various moist areas.

Height: 200 cm

Flowering: July

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Typha latifolia

The introduced Common Reed colonizes wetlands and spreads rapidly, forming dense monocultures that exclude native plants and associated wildlife.

Description: Phragmites grows very tall and has large, attractive feathery-looking inflorescences borne at the tops of yellowish or tan-coloured stems. It is very similar in appearance to the native red-stemmed Common Reed (P. a. americanus) that grows as scattered plants in wetlands supporting diverse species. Both of these grasses occur along Great Lakes shorelines.

Habitat: Marshes, swales. Widespread in disturbed wet or moist sites such as ditches, but can take over a wetland with surprising rapidity.

Height: Up to 4m

Flowering: July - September

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Phragmites australis

Flowers open in the evening and only last to the following morning. Night-visiting hawk moths likely pollinate flowers. The seedpods provide food in winter for Black-capped Chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers.

Description: A biennial plant, in the first year it grows as a flat rosette of leaves and puts down a tap root for the winter. In summer of the second year, it produces bright yellow flowers. By the Fall, long, narrow seedpods are visible on the flower spike. These fruit capsules curl back at the opening to reveal tiny seeds which are shaken out by the wind. The dead seedheads persist through winter.

Habitat: Meadows, roadsides.

Height: 50 cm

Flowering: July - September

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Oenothera biennis

The dried flower stalk and fruits are a conspicuous red-brown colour in winter. There are many species of docks worldwide, and they have colonized a wide variey of dsturbed habitats.

Description: Perennial with a tap root. Produces a tall flower stalk in summer. Leaves are long with a wavy margin, and are produced from the base of the plant. Flowers are tiny and pinkish or greenish. Flowers have no smell and are wind pollinated. Each flower produces one seed. Seeds are quite large and embedded in a membranous heart-shaped wing which helps wind and water dispersal.

Habitat: Meadows, roadsides, shorelines.

Height: 1 m

Flowering: June - September

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Rumex crispus

The characteristic V-shaped flocks of these large, easily recognized and highly vocal birds are known to virtually all Canadians. Unlike Canada geese in far northern parts of their range, Toronto’s flocks are "non-migratory." Some flocks remain close to the waterfront, while others "commute" from Lake Ontario, where they spend the night, to foraging areas in urban parks and other grassy areas, or farm fields on the outskirts of the City.

Description: Males and females look alike, but males are about 10% larger, on average. This is a large, distinctive, plump brownish bird with a long black neck, and a black head with a white chin and cheeks. The call is a loud, pleasant honk. The chicks (goslings) hatch with a covering of natal down feathers that are striped gold and black and which helps camouflage them in the grassy margins of ponds and wetlands. The juveniles are grey and white, not the white and black of the adults.

Habitat: Lakes, ponds and coastal marshes. In our area they are often seen grazing on grass in parks, and along the edges of ponds and other moist places.

Length: 110 cm

Adults: January - December

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Branta canadensis

The Mute Swan is a large graceful white bird that was introduced to North America in the late 1800’s for ornamental purposes in parks and gardens. Birds escaped from captivity and their progeny spread up the northeastern seaboard of the United States. The first report of feral Mute Swans breeding in Ontario dates from 1958. By about the mid-1970’s, it was well established in Ontario, along the lower Great Lakes. Favourable habitat conditions have allowed its continued spread to inland lakes, marshes and rivers in southern Ontario. Its habit of "raking" the bottom while feeding has a negative effect on aquatic plants that are sources of food for some species of native waterfowl.

Description: The Mute Swan is a large, white, long-necked species of waterfowl. Adults are distinguished from other white swans by a black knob at the base of its orange bill, and by the sinuous curve of its neck. Males and females are difficult to distinguish except in breeding season when the knob of the male becomes enlarged. Juveniles are grey, moulting to white in late winter. Winter juveniles can also be identified by their pinkish beak. Chicks, called cygnets, may have greyish buff down, or they may be a dull white shade.

Habitat: Mute Swans inhabit a wide variety of aquatic habitats including lakes, ponds, marshes, rivers and estuaries.

Length: 150 cm

Wingspan: 240 cm

Weight: 10 kg

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Cygnus olor

Aptly named for the loud bugling call that adults give. Until about thirty years ago, Trumpeter swans were rare in Ontario and not seen in Toronto. Concerted captive breeding has now restored small local populations and pairs have started to breed in the wild. Captive-raised swans can be identified by yellow uniquely-numbered tags that are inserted in the patagium skin of the wing. Both adults construct a large nest structure from reeds. The cygnets appear on the water by July. They hatch with a light grey downy, and then moult into a juvenile plumage. They can fly in six weeks.

Description: The largest of the three white swan species that can be found on Toronto's waterfront in winter. The distinctive black beak helps distinguish it from the Mute swan (which has an orange beak). The Tundra swan, an infrequent visitor to Toronto, has a yellow patch at the base of the beak, but this can only be seen close-up. Immature birds are light grey.

Habitat: Lakes, large ponds.

Length: 160 cm

Wingspan: 250 cm

Weight: 12 kg

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Cygnus buccinator

Tundra swans are the most abundant and widespread of the three North American swans, but they are only seen in Toronto during migration, especially in March when some may stopover briefly on their way north. The swans breed in the high arctic, and eastern populations winter on the Atlantic coast.

Description: Smaller than Trumpeter swan, the other native swan, and Mute swan which is introduced. Close-up in the field, you can see a yellow patch at the base of the black beak which identifies it as Tundra swan.

Habitat: Shallow regions of lakes.

Length: 90 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Cygnus columbianus

The Mallard is the most abundant and widespread duck in the world. This species belongs to the group of "dabbling ducks" that feed in shallows, either at the surface, or by tipping the anterior body underwater, leaving the tail end sticking up above the water. Mallards also feed on land and have adapted very well to urban environments. This species hybridizes with other dabblers, including Black Ducks and Pintails. Native to the north temperate zones of North America and Eurasia, it has been introduced to some southern hemisphere countries as a game bird. It is considered to be the ancestor of most domesticated ducks.

Description: Male in breeding plumage has a glossy green head, white collar and a dark brown front, with a bright yellow beak. Females are mottled brown and difficult to distinguish from females of some other dabbling duck species such as Gadwall and Black Duck. Both sexes have a blue wing patch (speculum) with white borders.

Habitat: Marshes, ponds and lakes, large rivers, urban parks.

Length: 40 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Anas platyrhynchos

A dabbling duck which feeds by tipping up in shallow water and eating submerged aquatic plants. Known as a "marsh duck" because it is able to take off vertically from the water when disturbed. Arrive in Fall and linger as long as shallow ponds remain ice-free.

Description: From a distance, both males and females look similar, with mostly grey-brown plumage, and a grey beak. Only when you get up-close can you discern the subtle but elaborate markings of the male in breeding plumage. Females are primarily mottled brown, and this crypticity helps when they incubate their eggs in a ground nest. The white speculum of Gadwalls distinguishes them from mallard which has a blue speculum.

Habitat: Freshwater, especially marshes, ponds and lakes, large rivers, urban parks.

Length: 50 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Anas strepera

Black ducks are uncommon in Toronto now; numbers have declined thought due to competition with the more aggressive Mallard duck. Black ducks are dabbling ducks, feeding in shallow water by sieving food from the water column, and by upending to reach down to root out underwater plant tubers and grab arthropods in sediments.

Description: A dark brown duck with quite red legs and feet. Similar to Mallard, especially the female, but in addition to its much darker plumage, Black ducks have a blue-purple wing patch (speculum) that has little or no white edging.

Habitat: Freshwater, especially marshes, ponds and lakes, large rivers, urban parks.

Length: 50 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Anas rubripes

This medium-sized diving duck feeds mainly on submerged aquatic plants, but will take snails and invertebrates in the weeds. The beak is blue and it has a tough black tip, the "nail", which provides protection for the beak and it also houses tactile sensory pores. Redheads winter in small numbers on the Great Lakes; most migrate from their prairie breeding grounds to the coast.

Description: Males and females look quite different; the brownish females are tricky to differentiate from females of Canvasback and Greater Scaup. Males of Canvasback also have a red head, but their head and beak shape are quite elongated whereas the Redhead has a rounded head shape.

Habitat: Lake Ontario in winter.

Length: 50 cm

Weight: 1,500 g

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Aythya americana

Scaup are the most abundant diving duck in Toronto in winter; dense "rafts" of birds can be seen on Lake Ontario when the ice forces birds closer to shore. Wintering flocks of scaup on Lake Ontario are birds that have nested in Northern Quebec. The colonization of the Great Lakes by Zebra mussels has paradoxically benefited Scaup; birds dive to the mussel beds, pull off a mussel, and return to the surface before swallowing it whole. Their muscular gizzard will crush and grind the mollusc up.

Description: There are two species of Scaup, called Greater and Lesser Scaup, and they are so similar in appearance that only experts can distinguish them in the field. Males of both species have a black head and chest contrasting with white underparts. Females are uniformly brown, but the white face patch is diagnostic.

Habitat: Deep ponds and lakes.

Length: 46 cm

Weight: 1,000 g

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Aythya marila

A diving sea duck; birds have been recorded feeding for molluscs at depths of 60 metres. Large flocks of Long-tailed ducks winter on Lake Ontario and can be often be seen close to shore along the Toronto waterfront. By late winter, before they depart for their high arctic breeding grounds, males can be heard giving their loud, distinctive nasal courtship calls.

Description: The two streamer-like tail feathers of the male are distinctive. Both males and females sport dark patches on each side of the head which look like earmuffs. Females are a more subdued brown and white.

Habitat: Great Lakes in winter, such as Lake Ontario.

Length: 40 cm

Weight: 800 g

Scientific name: Clangula hyemalis

Our smallest diving duck. Pairs stay together in winter, and the pair bond can persist for several years. Feeds on amphipods and midge larvae which it dives for in shallow waters. Breeds in the boreal forest. Nests in tree cavities, often re-using the abandoned nestsites of woodpeckers.

Description: At a distance, the white head patch is prominent; males have a white head patch, females have a small white patch on the side of the head. In good light, the dark head feathers of the male can be seen to actually be iridescent blues and greens.

Habitat: In winter, near-shore Lake Ontario and adjacent ponds.

Length: 35 cm

Weight: 450 g

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Bucephala albeola

Compact, medium-sized diving ducks which fly rapidly, hence an alternative name of whistlers because their whirring wings make a whistling sound. Most of the eastern Canadian population migrates from boreal breeding grounds to Chesapeake Bay in winter, but some winter here as long as Lake Ontario near-shore remains ice-free.

Description: Males have an iridescent greenish-black head which looks dark at a distance, and an oval white patch at the base of the stout bill. Females have a chocolate brown head and a yellow eye; white flecking on the sides distinguishes them from male Redhead.

Habitat: Deep ponds and lakes.

Length: 50 cm

Weight: 1,000 g

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Bucephala clangula

The scientific name of this large diving duck is adapted from the name of one of its favourite aquatic food plants, Vallisneria americana (Wild Celery). The Canvasback’s primary range is in western North America. It has long been regarded as a very rare species in Ontario in all seasons. In the vicinity of Toronto there are occasional reports of Canvasbacks on Lake Ontario in winter, and, in the breeding season, there are sporadic reports of nesting in marshy areas bordering the Lake.

Description: From a distance, the deep chestnut tones of the male Canvasback’s head and neck appear uniformly dark along with the blackish breast and elegant ebony bill. These dark features contrast sharply with the male’s mostly white body in breeding plumage. The sloping facial profile, formed as the bill merges with the front of the head, is a key identification feature. The female’s head, neck and breast are paler than in the male, and her body is greyish. Canvasbacks are strong fliers and are reported to be able to fly at speeds of up to about 115 kilometres per hour.

Habitat: Open water for foraging.

Length: 55 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Aythya valisineria

Ruddy Ducks belong to the family of “Stiff-tailed Ducks”, so named because they often hold their stiff tail feathers in an upright position. These small diving ducks are excellent underwater swimmers, although they move about awkwardly on land. The large head and broad bill, in combination with a short neck, squat body and longish tail give this duck a somewhat "out of proportion" appearance.

Description: In all plumages, males have a large white cheek patch, and black cap and back of head. From approximately late fall through late winter males are easily identified by their deep cinnamon body colour and large, slightly concave, blue bill. At other times of year the male’s bill is grey, and his body colour is greyish brown, resembling the female of the species.

Habitat: In our area, Ruddy Ducks are sometimes observed in winter on Lake Ontario and adjacent water bodies that have not frozen over. They require open water in which to forage for aquatic invertebrates. In some other areas of Ontario--the lower Ottawa River, for example--Ruddy Ducks have been observed in late fall in large mixed species rafts. In breeding season, the Ruddy Duck’s primary range is in western North America and Central America where it inhabits fresh water lakes and ponds with marshy shorelines.

Length: 38 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Oxyura jamaicensis

A fish eating diving duck hunting for fish and crayfish, usually in shallow water. Up close, the beak looks "saw-edged" with backward pointing serrations of the edges which are helpful in grasping struggling prey. Hooded Mergansers arrive on the waterfront in late Fall and stay as long as in-shore waters and adjacent ponds are ice-free.

Description: Smallest and least common of the three merganser species which winter in Toronto. Males have a striking black and white crest, usually fully extended, making the head look large and round, almost comical. The female crest is a uniform light orange.

Habitat: Ponds, large rivers.

Length: 45 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Lophodytes cucullatus

A fish-eating duck that dives to chase prey, and catches them in its beak which is edged with sharp tomia that act like backward-pointing teeth, ideal for restraining slippery prey.

Description: In winter, the sexes are in breeding plumage and look quite different. Males have a greenish-black head, the slimmer females have a rusty brown crest. What can be tricky is telling female Common mergansers from Red-breasted mergansers. A key fieldmark is the breast pattern; Common mergansers have a sharp transition between the white breast and reddish neck

Habitat: Deep ponds and lakes.

Length: 70 cm

Weight: 1,700 g

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Mergus merganser

Diving fish-eating duck. Like other pursuit-divers that propel themselves underwater with their legs and feet, the hindlimb is positioned well back on the pelvis. Mergansers are visual predators, as they swim on the surface they thrust their head underwater alternating each side, looking for nearby fish.

Description: Males have a distinctive crest which distinguishes them from the similar Common merganser male. Females of the two most common mergansers look very similar; the Red breasted merganser has a reddish neck that blends into the dull wash of the breast.

Habitat: Ponds, marshes, large rivers.

Length: 60 cm

Weight: 1,300 g

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Mergus serrator

This medium-sized waterbird is easily identified by its predominantly dark, slate-coloured body; small, rounded black head; and contrasting bright white bill and frontal shield. In our area, coots overwinter in very small groups, as icy build up along shorelines interferes with their ability to access submerged aquatic plants that are a necessary source of food. By contrast, expanses of open water in parts of the U.S. wintering range are able to support thousands of coots and other waterbirds in mixed species "rafts".

Description: Although coots are often seen in association with ducks, they are not closely related: coots have smaller heads, shorter tapered bills, longer legs, bigger feet, and lobed toes that lack the webbing characteristic of ducks. The complex toe structure of coots allows them to swim, dive for food and walk efficiently on land.

Habitat: In winter, coots require shoreline habitat that is sufficiently free of ice and snow to allow them to feed on submerged aquatic plants. Coots may also graze on grass in parklands adjacent to lakeshores or ponds, if these areas remain free of heavy snow cover.

Length: 38 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Fulica americana

Usually seen alone, standing motionless in still water patiently watching for a passing fish. When prey is spied, the long neck is folded up and retracted. The strike involves the heron throwing out the neck and beak like a spear. In late summer and fall, herons migrating from northern breeding colonies arrive in the city; some stay if the winter is mild; most migrate south to the east coast of the United States where they switch diet to marine crabs and estuarine fish.

Description: Tall grey heron with a long neck and a long, dagger-like beak. In flight they appear to labour, with deep wingbeats, neck folded in and long legs stretched out the back. Juveniles (first-year birds) are grey overall, and usually heavily streaked on the front.

Habitat: Lakes, ponds, large rivers.

Length: 120 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Ardea herodias

The familiar "seagull" of carparks and inland waters. Toronto gulls are well habituated; in carparks they will perch on light standards and watch for discarded human food to scavenge. Tommy Thompson Park on the waterfront now supports one of the largest gull nesting colonies on the Great Lakes.

Description: Crow-sized white bird. Adults have yellow legs, webbed feet, narrow, pointed grey wings and a yellow beak with a black band at the tip (hence the name). Immature gulls are mottled grey and light brown and do not attain the full adult plumage for several years.

Habitat: Freshwater, especially lake shores. In urban areas can be found in car parks and garbage dumps.

Length: 47 cm

Weight: 550 grams

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Larus delawarensis

The familiar "seagull" of large lakes and coastal regions. In Toronto, the Herring gull is not as common as the smaller Ring-billed Gull, and it tends to live on the waterfront, rarely seen inland. Herring Gulls scavenge a wide range of foods, but they are also predators on fish and the chicks of other waterfowl.

Description: Crow-sized white bird with pink legs, narrow, pointed wings and a yellow beak. The adult beak has a bright orange spot on the lower beak near the tip. Adult in winter has brown streaks on the head.

Habitat: Great lakes and coastal.

Length: 60 cm

Weight: 1.1 kg

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Larus argentatus

The largest gull you will encounter in Toronto, but not common. Primarily a coastal species.

Description: About twice the size of a Herring gull, and has a dark grey or black back.

Habitat: Coastal, but inland can be found on Great Lakes. A few usually overwinter on the waterfront each year.

Length: 75 cm

Weight: 2,000 g

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Larus marinus

Our smallest and most colourful bird of prey. They feed on small ground prey such as mice, crickets, and sometimes small snakes. When hunting over a field, they fly slowly and then hover above the prey before diving down to grab it in their talons.

Description: Males and females look different; males have blue-grey wing feathers whereas they are brown in females. Females are larger than males.

Habitat: Old fields, meadow.

Length: 30 cm

Weight: 150 g

Wingspan: 55 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Falco sparverius

Usually seen soaring on large broad wings high above the city. Their call is a shrill, piercing whistle. These large hawks will hunt Grey Squirrels, and birds such as Rock Pigeons and Ring-billed Gulls. In winter, they will also catch mice that remain active under the snow cover. Beginning in March, pairs perform spectacular aerial courtship flights. These usually consist of the pair circling high up with the smaller male higher than the female. The male stoops on the female in a mock attack, and the female flips on her back to meet him with talons. Contact is not usually made though. Sometimes the male carries a prey item.

Description: Large hawk; adults have a rusty-brown tail. Underparts cream, but look for a band of dark brown mottling on the chest of adults.

Habitat: Fields, especially adjacent to woodland, highway verges. In urban areas hunt in parkland and open woodland.

Length: 60 cm

Wingspan: 90 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Buteo jamaicensis

Familiar pigeon of parks and streetscapes. At a food source, pigeons will quickly fill their crop, a distensible pocket in the oesophagus, then fly up to a safe perch where they slowly digest the meal. Can breed year-round, building a simple stick nest on building ledges.

Description: Grey pigeon with iridescent green head and pinkish front, short pink legs and small head. Much individual variation, but most birds have a white patch on the lower back and two black bands on the wings.

Habitat: Urban. Visits bird feeders.

Length: 20 cm

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Columba livia

The Mourning Dove is a common bird in our area and is often observed perching on wires, sunning itself on lawns, or pecking for seed on the ground in small groups. This delicate looking dove with a long tapering tail and gray-brown plumage is easily recognized by its mournful cooing call and by the whistling sound its wings make as it becomes airborne. Mourning doves can be attracted to backyard bird feeders with seeds such as millet, black oil sunflower seeds and cracked corn.

Description: This slender, small-headed bird has a classic dove shape. The basic body colouration is subdued browns and grays. The tail is long and pointed, and the outer feathers are rimmed with white. The wings have a small number of black spots, and there is a single spot under the ear.

Habitat: Forest edge, old field and urban. Visits bird feeders. Mourning doves are birds of edge habitats. They occur both in agricultural and urban settings, and prefer open brushy and weedy areas with a small number of trees.

Length: 25 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Zenaida macroura

The only large all-black land bird that you are likely to see in Toronto (the other is the double-crested cormorant which is a water bird). In flight, broad wings have a ragged wing-tip appearance due to wing slots. The loud "caw" call is distinctive, and is given loudly and repeatedly, especially when chasing enemies such as the Red-tailed hawk. Crows are smart birds that live year-round in family groups. They are omnivores, often seen feeding on road kill.

Description: Large black bird with a robust beak. Up close, you can see dense bristles covering the nares (nostrils). Broad wings with prominent wing slots.

Habitat: Open habitat, especially open fields with scattered woods, and agricultural land. Urban.

Length: 50 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Corvus brachyrhynchos

Starlings are human commensals, thriving in urban areas. Starlings hunt for bugs in the soil and litter layer of grassed areas, such as lawns, sports fields and sidewalks verges. They use a technique called "gaping" in which the beak is thrust into the sward and forced open to expose bugs hiding inside. Starlings are hole-nesters, building a coarse nest bowl inside any suitable cavity. They have even started nesting inside the hollow precast hydro poles now replacing the old wooden poles. Pairs can raise two, sometimes three, broods between May and October. In winter, starlings feed in flocks, and at dusk gather in large, communal roosts.

Description: Robin-sized black bird. Starlings have a bustling gait, and appear to "strut" as they walk rather than hop. In spring and summer, sharp yellow beak, short tail, and shiny purple-black plumage. Young starlings are light brown, and nosiy as they trail their parents demanding food. By late summer, starlings have moulted into their white speckled winter plumage, and their beaks are black.

Habitat: Urban, including playing fields, farmyards. Visit bird feeders.

Length: 15 cm

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Sturnus vulgaris

Goldfinches are strict seedeaters, preferring to perch on the seedheads of thistles and sunflowers. In flight, they give a "tinkling" call, their flight is bouncy and undulating, and their wings flash black and white. Some goldfinches stay in Toronto over winter and they will visit hanging feeders.

Description: In summer, this sparrow-sized yellow bird is understandably mistaken for a canary, especially the males in their bright yellow breeding plumage and black cap and wings. The female is pale yellow and does not have a black cap. In early Fall, goldfinches undergo a complete moult of their feathers and males and females both look a uniform olive-yellow.

Habitat: Old fields and urban parkland. Visits bird feeders.

Length: 11 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Carduelis tristis

The familiar sparrow of city sidewalks and backyards. Usually live in small, noisy flocks which get bigger in winter as families coalesce. Primarily a seedeater, but in the breeding season it feeds nestlings with insects, and gardeners sometimes despair of sparrows browsing the tender shoots of vegetables.

Description: The adult plumage of house sparrows differs between the sexes and, for males, it changes seasonally also. In summer the sexes are easy to distinguish; male has a chestnut back, pale grey front and a black throat, female is paler and does not have a black throat. In winter, males still look a little darker but they do not have a prominent black throat patch.

Habitat: Urban, including farmyards. Visits bird feeders.

Length: 12 cm

Origin: Introduced

Scientific name: Passer domesticus

A common sight in gardens and especially on lawns where the Robin hunts for earthworms which it detects mainly by sound. Hunting birds will pause and cock their heads to listen. Males are well-known songsters, and they sing from before dawn in spring, with another burst at dusk. Small numbers overwinter, subsisting largely on winter berries.

Description: Plump, grey bird with a rust-coloured breast and relatively long tail. Up close, yellow beak and white eye-ring contrast with the dark head. Female has sightly more subdued colouring than the male. Young Robins are speckled brown, and usually naiive and rather too confiding.

Habitat: Familiar bird of suburban lawns. Forest, especially forest edge, open woodlands, parklands, backyards.

Length: 15 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Turdus migratorius

The Northern Mockingbird, considered rare in Toronto just twenty years ago, is now established and gradually becoming more common here. Noted as a prodigious mimic, males can have repertoires of dozens of songs. It likes to perch prominently on hydro poles and treetops where its long tail is obvious. Its diet is varied; in winter frequents shrubs still carrying fruit.

Description: Predominately light grey plumage. In flight, dark wingbars contrast with white to give a flashing effect. The tail is relatively long. Short, rounded wings enable manoevrable flight.

Habitat: Woodland edge, old fields with shrubs, urban parkland.

Length: 25 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Mimus polyglottus

A boreal-breeding species that is normally ony seen in Toronto in winter. Frequents established bird feeder areas.

Description: Distinctive field marks include the red-brown crown, a bi-coloured beak with a yellow lower mandible, and a spot on the chest.

Habitat: Thickets, old fields. Likely to be found skulking around shrubs and the edges of woodland.

Length: 15 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Spizella arborea

Juncos overwinter in Toronto, arriving from their boreal forest breeding grounds in late Fall. They live in small, mobile flocks, and maintain contact between members with "click" calls. Male song which consists of trilling, and courtship chasing between pairs, starts in March prior to the northward migration. By mid-May, the juncos have left.

Description: Juncos are slate-coloured above and white below, with a light pink conical beak. Adults males and females are quite similar; females are a little paler. When flushed, the white outer tail feathers flash conspicuously in flight.

Habitat: Open woodland, edges. Visit bird feeders.

Length: 10 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Junco hyemalis

A native of western United States, House Finch became established in New York from escaped cage birds, and have gradually expanded their range north. Their song is a beautiful, elaborate melody. Males begin to sing in March.

Description: Male has red on head and front, female is streaked brown. Much individual variation.

Habitat: Garden parks, suburban backyards. Will visit feeders in winter.

Length: 13 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Carpodacus mexicanus

A small bird-hawk, hunting woodland songbirds, starlings, and occasionally large insects such as dragonflies. Prey is usually caught on the wing, with its long legs and talons. Seldom seen, and usually only when perched in the canopy on the lookout for prey.

Description: Males and females look alike, but females are larger. Upperparts are grey, underparts are cream with rusty red mottling. The upper breast can look pale pink at a distance. Small, rounded head; the similar, but larger Cooper's Hawk has a flat-topped head.

Length: 30 cm

Weight: 200 g

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Accipiter striatus

A bird-eating hawk that frequents woodlands, ravines and backyards with feeders. It is about the size of a crow, and so noticeably larger than the other hawk that it coexists with, the Sharp-shinned hawk. Typical of many raptors, adult females are much larger than the males, and they are more vocal and aggressive. In winter in Toronto, preys mostly on Rock pigeons, Mourning doves, and European starlings.

Description: A long-legged hawk with red-brown barring on the breast. The dark grey crown looks like a cap and helps distinguish it from the similar, but smaller, Sharp-shinned Hawk.

Length: 45 cm

Weight: 550 g

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Accipiter cooperii

This compact owl pounces on prey such as mice and insects from a perch. It has rounded wings which provide for manoevrable flight in complex environments such as woods. Typical of other owl species, the leading edge of the flight feathers have comb-like barbs which likely function to soften wingbeat noise.

Description: Small owl with tufted "ears" and yellow eyes.

Habitat: Open woodland.

Length: 20 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Megascops asio

This inquisitive little black and white bird is our smallest and most abundant woodpecker. The Downy Woodpecker is a frequent visitor to bird feeders in parts of Toronto that have some tree canopy, and it is often observed hopping up tree trunks as it searches for larvae and spiders hidden under the bark. In early spring, males can be heard "drumming" on dead branches, posts, even. They are signalling ownership of a territory, hoping to attract a female mate.

Description: Male and female Downy Woodpeckers have black and white striped heads, but only the male has a small red band on the back of his head. The short bill distinguishes this species from the similar, but larger, Hairy Woodpecker.

Habitat: Downy Woodpeckers have adapted well to urban areas with open wooded habitats for nesting and foraging. They are attracted to patches of goldenrod, as this plant’s numerous galls contain larvae which are a rich source of food. Visits backyard bird feeders in winter.

Length: 15 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Picoides pubescens

A larger version of the more common Downy Woodpecker, with a relatively long beak. Oversize toes and a stiffened tail help secure it on tree trunks where it uses its robust beak to hammer at bark to uncover prey.

Description: Starling-sized black and white woodpecker with long chisel-like beak. Up close, a black eye-stripe and male has a red patch on the back of his head.

Habitat: Forest, especially mature mixed forest. Visits bird feeders.

Length: 20 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Picoides villosus

Our largest woodpecker uses its robust beak to excavate holes in tree trunks in its search for Carpenter Ant nests, then inserts its very long tongue to extract them. Pileated woodpeckers are responsible for the large oval-shaped holes in tree trunks of maples, cedars and ash.

Description: Our largest woodpecker, with a distinctive red crest. In males the crest extends right to the base of the beak; in females the forehead is black.

Habitat: Forest, especially mature native forest.

Length: 50 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Dryocopus pileatus

A familiar bird of suburban backyards where they are noisy and conspicuous most of the year. Their bell-like calls are distinctive. In March, the winter flocks break up into smaller courtship groups usually consisting of two females and a number of adult and young males. Eventually, pairs form and nesting begins. Young males may not breed in their first year.

Description: Distinctive, medium-sized blue and white bird with a prominent blue crest. Males and females look alike. Relatively short, rounded wings and a flap-and-glide flight.

Habitat: Forest, especially forest edge, but inhabits wide range of habitats with trees including backyards, where in winter it visits bird feeders.

Length: 25 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Cyanocitta cristata

A favourite of backyard birdwatchers, chickadees are confiding and in winter can easily be trained to take food by hand. In fall, birds will store hundreds of seeds in holes and crevices throughout their woodland range. Later in winter, they can remember each cache and retrieve them! In winter chickadees are often seen in mixed species flocks along with nuthatches and woodpeckers.

Description: Sparrow-sized woodland bird with a chubby body and an oversize head that gives it a chick-like appearance.

Habitat: Forest, especially deciduous and mixed woods, but also parkland and urban gardens. Visits bird bird feeders.

Length: 8 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Parus atricapillus

Nuthatches will often hop face down a tree trunk as they search for small bark-dwelling prey. They have an extra large hind toe (hallux) to help them hang on. In winter, Red-breasted Nuthatches specialize on conifer seeds, but they will visit bird feeders. Instead of feeding on a seed at the feeder, they fly off to a tree, jam the seed into a bark crevice and hammer it open.

Description: Smaller and more colourful than the White-breasted Nuthatch (which is the common nuthatch in Toronto).

Habitat: Conifer forests. In winters with poor conifer seed crops up north, Red-breasted Nuthatches migrate further south and some overwinter in the City.

Length: 13 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Sitta canadensis

Nuthatches are usually seen scurrying up and down tree trunks searching for insect prey and aided by oversize toes and claws. They use their slightly upturned, forcep-like beak to glean prey from under bark flakes.

Description: Sparrow-sized blue and white bird with a short tail and legs. Up close, a narrow, slightly upturned beak. Male has a black cap, female has a grey cap.

Habitat: Forest, especially mature deciduous forest. Visits bird feeders.

Length: 14 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Sitta carolinensis

Almost mouse-like as it methodically works its way up the trunk of a large tree, probing bark crevices with its fine, curved forceps-like beak. Such small birds must feed for the entire daylight period in winter to obtain enough energy to survive the cold nights. Brown Creepers will roost together in tree cavities at night to keep each other warm.

Description: Delicately marked brown and white bird, about warbler size.

Habitat: Woodland, especially mature deciduous forest.

Length: 12 cm

Scientific name: Certhia americana

Cardinals will stay together in pairs all year, and keep in contact with loud click calls. Male song (females sometimes sing also) consists of loud, repeated whistles, and you can hear it at any time of year. A common visitor to bird feeders, where they use their deep conical-shaped beak to easily crack sunflower husks and then eat the seed.

Description: The unmistakeable bright red plumage and crest of the male cardinal contrasts with the more subdued female colouration. The red hue to the feathers is due to carotenoid pigments derived from the diet.

Habitat: Forest, woodland, gardens.

Length: 22 cm

Origin: Native

Scientific name: Cardinalis cardinalis