Fun Facts

• The Common Flicker, also called the Yellowhammer, is the state bird of Alabama.
• The Alabama Bird Records Committee lists 397 bird species that have been seen in Alabama.
• One hundred seventy-nine (179) species of birds breed within Alabama.
• The wingspan of a bald eagle can be over 7 feet.
• Two species of eagles are found in Alabama – the Bald Eagle and the Golden Eagle
• An Alabama Breeding Bird Atlas is currently underway to survey the birds that breed in the state.
• The Trumpeter Swan is Alabama’s heaviest bird, weighing 40 pounds or more.
• The American White Pelican has the longest wingspan - 9 feet - of any regularly occurring Alabama bird.
• The Peregrine Falcon is considered Alabama’s fastest bird. It regularly attains speeds of 40-60 mph and has been clocked in steep dives at 175 mph.
• The American Wigeon used to be called the "baldpate" because of its whitish crown.
• The Wood Stork is the only native stork in Alabama.
• Only 11 to 14 inches long, the Least Bittern is the smallest heron in Alabama – indeed, in the world.
• Benjamin Franklin thought the Wild Turkey should be our national bird, rather than the Bald Eagle.
• The American Woodcock, technically a shorebird, is usually found in forests and eats earthworms.
• The most common species of hummingbird in Alabama is the Ruby-throated hummingbird.
• There is not evidence that feeding hummingbirds after Labor Day will keep them from migrating. In fact, it may help a weakened straggler refuel for the long haul.
• Make your own hummingbird nectar by adding ¼ cup of sugar to a cup of boiling water. Replace and clean at least once weekly.
• The Loggerhead Shrike's habit of storing uneaten prey impaled on thorns or the barbs of fence wires has given it the nickname "butcherbird."
• The Mourning Dove may raise up to six broods per year, more than any other Alabama bird.
• Before the House Sparrow was introduced from Europe, the Chipping Sparrow was the most common Alabama city sparrow.
• The Pied-billed Grebe, the most widespread grebe in the New World, is found from southern Canada to Argentina.
• Some migrating sandpipers have been clocked at speeds greater than 100 miles per hour.
• Feral Cats and pet cats are a serious threat to many birds.
• Starlings and Sparrows are not native to North America and are aggressive toward other species.
• You can attract all types of woodpeckers with a suet feeder, but only the flicker is likely to use a bird house.