When the springtime heat rolls in, it’s nice to get out of the sunny fields and into the woods to cool off.We aren’t the only ones who appreciate the cool shade that the trees provide, Ovenbirds are masters of the shadows and remain active throughout the day even during the hottest hours.
I spotted this beauty yesterday while birding in the woods of Pittsboro NC.
Ovenbirds favor mixed deciduous and coniferous forest areas which are semi open under the canopy yet still contain scrubby thickets and moderate brush.Though they look like Thrushes, they’re actually a species of warbler and like others in that family they are voracious eaters of insects.However like Thrushes, (and unlike most other warblers) Ovenbirds are usually spotted hunting for a meal on the ground scratching up under the leaf litter in search of beetles, worms and grubs.
In fact they even nest on the ground (usually at the base of trees) building old world pizza oven shaped tunnel nests for which they derive their names.
These lovely birds are a spring and summertime resident of North Carolina and are found across the state from the mountains to the coast from April to October. That being said, a few Ovenbirds have been found to spend the winter in Buxton Woods on Cape Hatteras Island in recent years. This is an interesting trend to watch as more people get out to go bird watching during the winter in the OBX.Pretty cool, huh?
Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5
