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A Wealth of Birds
Vermont’s forests, fields, and wetlands sustain an extraordinary diversity of birds—from warblers and thrushes that fill summer forests with song to Bobolinks and meadowlarks that depend on open grasslands. More than 395 migratory and resident bird species have been documented in Vermont. Our forests are vital breeding grounds for species such as the Hermit Thrush and Black-throated Blue Warbler. On agricultural lands, programs like Bird-Friendly Maple and Bird and Bee Friendly Farms help landowners manage habitat that support both wildlife and livelihoods. From the Champlain Valley and Green Mountains to the Connecticut River Watershed, we’re working to protect birds and the places they need today and tomorrow.
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Vermont’s state bird, the Hermit Thrush, fills northern forests with its ethereal, flute-like song that spirals through the trees at dawn and dusk. It often stays to sing in the cool quiet of evening. It nests on or near the ground in mossy forests and is an indicator of healthy, mature woodlands. ԹϺ Vermont promotes forest management that keeps these understories intact.
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A flash of red and black high in the treetops signals the arrival of the Scarlet Tanager each May. This species spends winters in South American forests and returns to Vermont’s oak, hemlock, and maple canopies to breed. Forest fragmentation is one of its greatest threats. ԹϺ Vermont works with landowners to maintain large forest blocks where tanagers can thrive.
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Males of this small warbler are easy to recognize—slate blue above, white below, with a neat black mask. They return to Vermont’s mountains from the Caribbean each spring, often to the very same territory. Their preference for forests with dense understory makes them a key focal species for ԹϺ’s forest management programs.
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The Peregrine Falcon dives at over 200 mph, making it the fastest animal on Earth. Once wiped out in the Eastern US by DDT, it now nests again on Vermont cliffs from Lake Champlain to the Connecticut River. ԹϺ Vermont and partners monitor nesting sites each year and work with rock climbers and volunteers to protect active nesting cliffs during the breeding season.
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With a wingspan of seven feet, Bald Eagles are once again a common sight soaring over Vermont’s rivers and lakes. Their recovery is a conservation success story after decades of absence. Eagles build the largest nests of any North American bird—sometimes weighing more than a ton. ԹϺ Vermont helps track nest sites and supports stewardship to protect these majestic birds.
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This tiny warbler migrates more than 2,000 miles each year between Vermont’s shrublands and the mountains of Central America. Its buzzy song rings out from shrubby hillsides and young forests in the Champlain Valley and a few in the Connecticut River Watershed. Maintaining high-quality habitat is key. ԹϺ Vermont works with partners and landowners to restore and manage shrubland habitat to support this declining species.
7
Each spring, Bobolinks return to Vermont after a 6,000-mile flight from Argentina. The males arrive first, bubbling their metallic songs above hayfields to claim nesting territories. Because early mowing destroys nests, ԹϺ Vermont collaborates with farmers and other landowners through the Bird and Bee Friendly Farms program to identify areas where cutting can be delayed to protect this grassland bird.
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Known for its clear, whistled song, the Eastern Meadowlark is actually more closely related to blackbirds than to true larks. Its bold yellow chest and black “V” make it unmistakable in open pastures. Populations have fallen by more than half in recent decades as grasslands disappear. ԹϺ Vermont helps landowners maintain meadowlark habitat through incentive programs, outreach, and policy.
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Tree Swallows shimmer iridescent blue in the sun as they swoop after insects above fields and ponds. Unlike most migrants, they can survive late-spring cold snaps by eating berries when insects are scarce. But widespread pesticide use and declining insect populations pose growing challenges for these agile fliers and other aerial insectivores.
10
Graceful and acrobatic, Common Terns nest in small colonies on Lake Champlain’s rocky islands—one of the few inland breeding population in the Northeast. Adults take turns guarding their chicks from gulls and crows, sometimes dive-bombing intruders. ԹϺ Vermont and partners protect these colonies each summer through careful monitoring and island stewardship.
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High in Vermont’s Green Mountains, lives one of North America’s rarest songbirds—the Bicknell’s Thrush. This secretive brown thrush breeds only in the high-elevation forests of northern New England, New York, and eastern Canada, and winters on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Because of its extremely limited range and sensitivity to habitat loss and climate change, it is considered one of Vermont’s highest conservation priorities.
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“Who cooks for you?” echoes through Vermont’s woods on still nights. Barred Owls are adaptable predators that hunt from perches near wetlands and forest edges. They have silent flight and tube-shaped feathers that funnel sound to their ears, making them exceptional night hunters. Protecting mature forests helps sustain these charismatic residents.
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Unlike most songbirds, American Goldfinches nest later in summer when thistles and milkweed provide abundant down for nests and seeds for food. Their bright yellow plumage and bounding flight are familiar across Vermont’s meadows and backyards. Planting native wildflowers and letting seed heads stand through fall keeps goldfinches singing close to home.
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Standing motionless in the shallows or gliding low over Vermont’s lakes and wetlands, the Great Blue Heron is a familiar and elegant sight. These patient hunters feed on fish, amphibians, and small mammals, nesting high in trees in colonies known as rookeries—some with dozens of pairs. Protecting wetlands and healthy waterways support not only herons, but countless other species that rely on these habitats.
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