Potawot Birds

INTRODUCTION TO POTAWOT

Template:115inprogress United Indian Health Services (UIHS) obtained a 20 acre area which is known as Potawot Health Village. UIHS organization began in 1968 when Native Americans united to provide health care for their people. Potawot adopted their land in the 1990's after a long struggle with the City of Arcata. The land was originally agricultural land and was not meant to become business land. The UIHS plead their case that what they were doing was not converting it to business land, but they wanted the land to be similar to the way they pictured agricultural land. This meant with native plants, wetlands, wildlife of birds and other species. The City of Arcata often considered Agriculture land to have big farms with usually non-native plants and non-native animals such as cows. The "restoration area is known as Ku' wah-dah-wilth which means "comes back to life" in the Wiyot language and describes the revitalization of the site's natural resources." (UIHS website)

LONG-LEGGED WADERS

Snowy Egret

• Description: 20-27". Wing Span 3'2". White heron with black bill, long skinny black legs and yellow feet. During breeding season they have long lacy plumes on their head and back. Young look similar, but have yellow line going up the back of their legs.
• Voice: harsh squeak.
• Nesting: 3-5 pale bluish green eggs in sticks or on ground. Often nest with other species of herons.
• Range: Oregon to California, Arizona, Virginia, W. Indies and S. America.

Great Egret

• Description: 35-41". Wing Span 4'7". White with yellow bill, and black legs. Breeding season plumage.
• Voice: Croak! Squawks!
• Nesting: 3-5 pale blue green eggs in sticks in trees. Often with other species of herons.
• Range: Oregon to Mexico, East Coast of U.S., Texas, and Mid-West.

BITTERS AND HERONS

Great Blue Heron

• Description: 39-52". Wing Span 5'10". Large grayish blue with yellow bill. Flies with neck folded, different from crane since they fly with neck straight.
• Voice: Raspy Squawk!
• Nesting: 3-7 green/blue eggs in sticks in trees or ground. Often nests with other species of herons .
• Range: Throughout U.S.

BIRDS OF PREY

Sharp-shinned Hawk

• Description: 10-14". Wing span 21". Fast, long, skinny, short round wings. Adults slate-gray top, pale below, rusty colored barring. Young: Brown with whitish spots.
• Voice: kik-kik-kik-kik! or squeal!
• Nesting: 4-5 white eggs with brown spots in dense forest.
• Range: Alaska to Newfoundland, California, New Mexico, Southeast Coast.

Kite (Also known as "White-Tailed" or "Black-Shouldered")

• Description: 15-16". White with grey back. Younger birds have brown streaks. Small, graceful.
• Voice: keep-keep-keep! whistle or long kreep!
• Nesting: 4-5 brown spotted, white eggs in tall trees near water.
• Range: California, Arizona, S. Texas, and Central America.

PERCHING BIRDS

Red-winged Blackbird

• Description: 7-9.5". Male: Black with bright red shoulders. Female: Streaked with light and dark shades of brown.
• Voice: o-ka-leeee!
• Nesting: 3-5 pale blue eggs, spotted with shades of purple and brown in marsh grass.
• Range: All throughout United States and Canada.

PLOVERS

Snowy Plover

• Description: 5-7". Small white and pale brown. Slender black bill and black legs with small black mark on each side of breast.
• Noise: chu-we or o-wee-ah.
• Nesting: 2-3 black spotted eggs in sand.
• Range: West Coast of N. America, Oklahoma, Texas, Nevada.

WATER BIRDS (SWANS, GEESE, DUCKS)

Canada Goose

• Description: 22-26" to 35-45". Brown with black heads, white spot on cheeks when adult.
• Voice: Honking.
• Nesting: 4-8 white eggs in grassy nest on ground near water.
• Range: All over U.S. and Canada.

Common Merganser

• Description: Male: 22-27". Green head. Thin, long, red bill. More vibrantly colored than female.

Female: 22-27". Red/Brown head. White throat. Grayish, dull colored body.

• Voice: Croaks!
• Nesting: 9-12 pale/ivory eggs in trees.
• Range: Throughout U.S. and Canada.

Mallard

• Description: 18-27". Male: Metallic wings shades of blue and purple. Green head with white ring around neck, gray body and cinnamon colored chest. Female: Brown streaks body and brown bill.
• Voice: Female quacks. Male more quit.
• Nesting: 8-10 green eggs in down lined nest. Sometimes in trees or away from water.
• Range: California, N. New Mexico, Great Lakes, Northeast, Georgia. Also in Canada, E. Alaska, Manitoba, Newfoundland.

SWALLOWS AND MARTINS

Barn Swallow

• Description: 5-8". Small, dark blue, and rusty.
• Voice: Chattering and twittering.
• Nesting: 4-6 brown spotted white eggs. Often found in mud and grass in rafters of buildings.
• Range: All over U.S. and into Canada.

JAYS, CROWS, MAGPIES

Common Crow (American Crow)

• Description: 17-21". Black, smaller than raven, with fan shaped tail.
• Voice: caw-caw!
• Nesting: 4-6 light green eggs with dark brown spots. Found in nest in trees.
• Range: All through U.S. and into Southern Canada in winter.

Common Raven

• Description: 21-27". Black, larger than Crows and wedge-shaped tail. Soars in flight.
• Voice: wonk-wonk! deep.
• Nesting: 4-7 light green eggs with brown spots. Found in nest in trees.
• Range: Western states and all throughout Canada. Georgia and Great Lakes. Europe, Asia, and N. Africa.