Some surprises in region’s biggest birds
THE WORLD OUTDOORS
Our American neighbours obviously recognize there is something compelling about the bald eagle. It’s not just that the plumage of the mature bald eagle is striking either. By any avian measure, this is a big, powerful bird.
Each species on the Top 10 list of the largest birds reliably seen across Southwestern Ontario is impressive. And these large birds are so striking that most are even known by non-birders.
There is a positive correlation between wingspan, height and weight as a measure of size. I’ve chosen wingspan listed in
for comparisons. And I have to note there is variability for the same species among field guides and web sites as well as among individual birds.
As a point of reference, the Canada goose, a big and powerful bird with a 152-centimetre wingspan, doesn’t make our list.
• With a wingspan of 203 cm and a weight of 10.5 kilograms, the trumpeter swan tops the list. While these aren’t frequently seen in Middlesex County, they are easy to observe in the Hamilton area.
• The bald eagle’s wingspan of 203 cm equals that of the trumpeter swan, but this eagle is a relatively svelte at 4.3 kg. This species can be seen all year across Southwestern Ontario.
• A golden eagle’s wingspan of 201 cm also is huge and impressive. These birds breed in northern Ontario and across northern Canada so the best opportunity to see them is in the late fall at Hawk Cliff when they are migrating south.
• I was surprised that a sandhill crane’s wingspan is larger than that of a great blue heron, but at 196 cm the crane clocks in at fourth on the list.
• With a 191-cm wingspan, the mute swan is the second of three swan species to crack this list. It weighs 10 kg and it is powerful. While blithely paddling along the Avon River I was once attacked by a mute swan in Stratford and felt the full force of its fury. These birds are year-round residents.
• Next is the tundra swan. Its wingspan is the same as the mute swan’s, however it weighs in at 6.2 kg. The best opportunity to see tundra swans is at the Aylmer Wildlife Management Area each March.
• The great blue heron, the largest North American heron, makes the list with a 183 cm wingspan.
• The turkey vulture is a bird so large it might be misidentified as a young eagle as it flaps in the distance. The vulture’s 170-cm wingspan is bigger than those of all of our hawks, falcons and owls.
• I was surprised that a gull cracked the Top 10. The great blackbacked gull is the largest gull in the world. Its wingspan is 165 cm. The best chance to see these big birds is at Lake Erie, Lake Huron, or the St. Clair River in the winter.
• Rounding out our list with a wingspan of 163 cm is the gawky yet charismatic wild turkey. Because of its size, this bird is sometimes referred to as “mega fauna.” The male, also known as a tom, is much bigger than the female. This is another species that is widely distributed across Southwestern Ontario. It can be seen year-round.
Honourable mention goes to the osprey, with a wingspan of 160 cm.
As with any Top 10, it is interesting or surprising to note what else hasn’t made the cut. Neither the snowy owl nor the great horned owl are on this list. I also learned that the herring gull’s wingspan of 147 cm was larger than that of a red-tailed hawk.
• There are some very big birds such as the American white pelican or the magnificent frigatebird that are seen periodically but not reliably in Southwestern Ontario.
• At 320 cm the wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of all birds.
• Nature photographers have until Aug. 13 to submit photographs for Nature Canada’s 2017 photo contest. Winning photos will be featured in a calendar and prizes will also be awarded. Details are at naturecanada.ca.