Our Winter Birds - Eric F. Frazier

Whenever the weather turns our yards white, we can count on certain winter birds staying home with us.

Our mainstays in the Raleigh-Durham area are Dark-eyed Juncos, House Finches, Northern Cardinals, Eastern Bluebirds, Mourning Doves, and American Robins.

One of our winter birds, this male Northern Cardinal is puffed up to the max to stay warm. — ^{This male Northern Cardinal has puffed himself up to the max to stay warm. Look how stretched his plumage is. Some call birds this round “borbs.”
Captured January 24, 2026, by Eric F. Frazier.}

One of our winter birds, this Dark-eyed Junco, a winter mainstay in our area, perches on one leg, presumably to keep the other leg warm. — ^{This Dark-eyed Junco, a winter mainstay in our area, perches on one leg, presumably to keep the other leg warm.
Captured January 24, 2026, by Eric F. Frazier.}

We sometimes see others moving about in the wintry mix, including Myrtle Warblers, White-throated Sparrows, Northern Flickers and Brown Thrashers.

This year, a Red-winged Blackbird made a rare feeder appearance, and I spotted it under some bushes cracking open a seed. A newcomer to icy feeders here are European Starlings, whose numbers locally have soared the past few years.

Other birds commonly seen here in winter may be out and about somewhere, but I don’t recall ever seeing crows, hawks, or vultures from my windows during freezing precipitation.

One of our winter birds, this house finch explored our patio table covered with snow. — ^{This House Finch explored our patio table after a trip to the feeder.
Captured January 24, 2026, by Eric F. Frazier.}

One of our winter birds, this American Robin’s red breast is covered with ice, but the bird seems unfazed. — ^{An American Robin’s red breast is covered with ice, but the bird seems unfazed.
Captured January 24, 2026, by Eric F. Frazier.}

Winter Birds Beyond Our Yard

After our first winter blast, I visited two of our community ponds. Both were almost frozen over. I saw none of the usual ducks or herons. A Black Vulture sat on a fence by the pond staring at the ice. I approached slowly.

When a dog walker came by with her lively pup, the Black Vulture just sat and stared. I wondered if the bird could be tired or weak from hunger. Before I got closer, the vulture flew up to perch on a lamppost. As I photographed him up there, I noticed two Turkey Vultures swirling above.

One of our winter birds, this black vulture perched on a fence remains still even as a lively dog approaches. — ^{This Black Vulture remains still even as a curious dog tugs at its leash to get closer.
Captured January 26, 2026, by Eric F. Frazier.}

One of our winter birds, a black vulture sits on a lamppost in bright sun and gusty wind. — ^{A Black Vulture sits on a lamppost in bright sun, near freezing temps and wind gusts of 20 mph. One of nature’s grotesque marvels in plumage and visage.
Captured January 26, 2026, by Eric F. Frazier.}

One of our winter birds, this turkey vulture circled overhead, keeping watch on the black vulture. — ^{One of a pair of Turkey Vultures that seemed to be observing the Black Vulture on the ground. Black Vulture’s have better vision, which could help in finding food when everything on the ground is frozen, rather than rotting.
Captured January 26, 2026, by Eric F. Frazier.}

Black and Turkey vultures sometimes fly together, and I’ve read that Turkey Vultures have superior smell, while Black Vultures have superior vision. Could the low temps be keeping their usual meals frozen, emitting no scents to guide them? Maybe the pair overhead hoped the vulture below would see something they missed.

Were they hungry enough to hunt for prey? (I once photographed a vulture with a live vole it caught.) Or perhaps any deep freeze brings an end for some pond wildlife, and these birds were simply staring into the refrigerator.

My Takeaway

The common denominator in these different bird behaviors—during winter storms and all times, really—is where they find their food.

Birds whose diets accommodate what humans put in feeders have a clear advantage when the ice comes. Other species face leaner times until the thaw.

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Winter Birds Beyond Our Yard

My Takeaway

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Eric F. Frazier

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