
Red-winged Blackbird Looking like a soldier wearing a smart uniform, the male red-winged blackbird is easy to spot, unlike the streaky, brown female. Not only do the male's shoulder blazes say "look at me," so too does his lusty singing, heard from early spring onward. He delivers his distinctive song for hours while perched on stalks in an around marshy breeding grounds.	Blue Jay The harsh squawk of the blue jay is one of many and varied sounds this striking bird can make. Like all members of the crow family, it is intelligent and can imitate sounds of other animals, especially hawks. As many raptors feed on blue jays, this may be a method of testing out whether there are any lurking nearby. Pairs of jays communicate using a series of soft clicks and whirrs.	Northern Cardinal What more could a bird do to make itself appealing than have showy red plumage and a fine, musical song? No wonder this is the state bird of seven eastern states. The northern cardinal starts singing even earlier than the American robin and can usually be heard from February onward. Listen as well for its "pink-pink" alarm call.


American Crow These large, sleek black birds are very sociable and gather in winter in huge numbers to sleep in roosts. Groups of crows also work together to ward off animals, such as birds of prey, that threaten their young. This is known as mobbing. The crow's song is a rasping "caw, caw, caw" although it can make a range of noises, including mimicking other animals and birds.	House Finch The house finch delivers its bright, warbling song from a high open perch. The male and female will call to each other during the breeding season, though males can be heard at other times of the year as well. Apart from its complicated burbling song, listen out for its sharp call notes. These may be used to drive away other birds, especially at feeders where it is often aggressively dominant.	Killdeer You may hear male killdeer calling out during the breeding season as they circle overhead. This is one of the few birds that is named after its call and, though technically a shorebird, it is as likely to be found inland as by the sea. Their nests are shallow scrapes and are often located in the most unlikely places, such as parking lots. The adults use a shrill "dee" sound to ward off intruders.