FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Hello, We are fairly new to Tampa and are feeding the birds and trying to identify the ones we can't see. We are in the New Tampa area, with the back of our apartment facing some preserve. We daily hear a bird that sings something like "sweet vireo, sweet vireo, sweet vireo" or "I'm pretty, I'm pretty, I'm prettier". It's a clear, pretty song, moderately pitched. We'd appreciate any help you can lend to send us towards identifying this and other birds in our new area. We homeschool and this is an ongoing project for us, with photos and drawings, video, etc so I'm not looking for a flat answer, but a direction to give the children, or perhaps you know the bird and we have the song words wrong. We have been looking at/listening to the guide to North American BirdSongs, but haven't found a more local land bird site yet.
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Q: I was in town for the PPA convention in January and I noticed big hawks or maybe eagles or even buzzards that were hanging out at the top of the Sun Life Tower and crusing over the downtown area. Any idea of what kind of birds these were and are they nesting there?
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Q: I was outside my home and spotted 2 birds I have never seen before and just watched them till they flew away. I didn't know then till I viewed the Audubon site they were Ivory Billed Woodpeckers. Yup! 2 were seen in Seffner, Florida just about maybe 5 months ago. Thought someone would want to know since they are known to be somewhat extinct.
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Q: I have a large (80 acre) blueberry farm in Hernando County about ¼ mile from Lake Hancock. This past year was one of the worst years on record for bird damage during harvest due to migrating cedar waxwings. Short of netting my entire farm, which would be messy and expensive, the only method of control available to me is scare tactics. I have used propane cannons and blanks as well as recorded bird distress calls but nothing works as well as the arrival of a predator bird to the area. I am interested in putting up nesting perches for osprey or hawks or doing anything that would encourage them to stay around my property. Do you have any suggestions? I am being threatened by a lawsuit by my neighbor to the east, a wealthy developer, who is annoyed by the noise.
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Q: I don't know what happened in what is usually a peaceful little pond this morning, but all these birds just came out of nowhere. There were six white pelicans, uncountable grebes, a flock of mallards and some egrets, more than one species I think. Of course it was early and the pond is southeast of me, so the photos aren't that great. Hopefully they'll come back later and I'll get better shots!
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Q: I live in St. Pete. near Treasure Island. I have 2 feeders in my backyard. Where are all the birds? I had bluejays, doves, sparrows, pigeons an occassional woodpecker, but they all have seem to disappear? I have 2 cardinals that come every am & pm - that's about it.
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Q: I will be in Tampa on vacation and I want to venture out birding. I am looking for suggestions for a few day trips out from Tampa.
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Q: I was working on a job down on US41 and spotted a black-bellied tree duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) in the Mosaic restoration area just north of the Alafia. I have never seen one in this area. Have you recorded any here? I didn't have my binoculars so I couldn't see any bands. Thought you might want to know about it.
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Q: We took digital photos of this bird in a pine tree in our yard. It has attacked doves in our neighborhood and we are not sure what species it is. Can you identify it?
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Q: We have large black ducks with red heads that we cannot identify. Can you help?
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Q: I'm hoping that someone in your organization can help. A truck backed into a tree outside my girlfriend's house and knocked out a nest. We recovered one of the baby birds after deciding that the mother was nowhere to be found. It is a common brown bird--one that you see on just about any tree or power-line in town. The bird seems uninjured, is covered completely by feathers, but it's tail feathers seem rather short. It moves both wings freely, has taken water, and has a strong grasp.

Since neither of us have experience in caring for birds, we are trying to locate someone who does. I would be happy to bring the bird anywhere in the Tampa area.

Please contact me at your earliest convenience if you have any suggested contacts.
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Q: I was wondering if you could confirm that this is a red breasted grossbeak.I have seen them at my feeders for the past three days now. A male and female. I thought they were migratory, but is it possible they will stay around? Thanks.
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Q: I've lived in the Dana Shores area of Tampa for about 15 years and have seen several speices of woodpecker but this one really caught my attention. Can you confirm that this a pileated woodpecker and also tell me about the rarity of this particular woodpecker in this very suburban environment. I shot the picture in front of my mother's house this morning and have been both fascinated and curious about this bird, not just in its coloring but also its huge size. Thanks for any information you can give me.
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Q: Do you know what has happened to the sandhill cranes? Back during the winter we had about 12 that came into our neighborhood looking for food. Little by little it dwindled down to 3 to 5 cranes. A week ago we had only 1 crane. We sure do miss them. Everyone in our neighborhood kinda looked out for them. When they flew over our houses that would let out their bugle sound. We live on a busy street, but recently had speed bumps put in. The people driving by would drive slow to let the cranes cross the road or just to watch them. Any information would be appreciated.
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Q: Recently I've been being woken up by a VERY loud bird right outside my window. It begins at 4:30 am and is fairly constant. I've done some research online and determined, by its sound/song that it is a Whip-poor-will. I was hoping someone could help me find a way to make the bird go elsewhere. I do not want to hurt it, merely to go away so I can sleep and be able to function when I get to work! I live in an apartment complex to the back against a Reserve. HELP!!!!!
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Q: I live in Hardee County in a small town named Wauchula. I have been observing a small group of birds that have begun to frequent my feeders. I've researched and found that a bird called a pin-tailed parrot finch looks very much like what I've seen. Unfortunately, their habitat seems to be in Asia. My question is - is it possible that they [parrot finches] might be found in Florida? If not, can you tell me if there's another bird that looks like this? Thank you for your time.
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Q: What are some ways to protect birds from colliding into large expanses of glass?
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Q: I must have missed the dates of your yearly birding festival; I'd appreciate you telling me. Someone at the Morro Bay Festival said yours was the best in Florida.
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Q: I live in Northern Hillsborough, Odessa, and wondered if the Audubon is interested in the small bird count I have in my back yard?  I didn't know how to get involved or how to start IF it is needed by the Audubon.
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Q: How is a "fish hawk" or "fisher hawk" different from an osprey?
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PHOTO CREDIT: Joe Bailey



President: Carolyn McKinney
Immediate past President: Ann Paul/Rob Heath