SUNY Adirondack Library: Birds of SUNY Adirondack: Birds of SUNY Adirondack

Year-round Birds

These species can be seen year-round in this area.

American Crow
These bold, smart birds can be heard cawing around campus. They like to perch on the roof of Dearlove Hall.
American Goldfinch
These look like yellow tennis balls with a bouncing flight. Their song sounds like "Potato chip!" In the winter, they're a drab mustard color.
American Robin
This very familiar bird sings "cheerily, cheer-up" loudly. These can overwinter on campus if there's enough fruit on the parking lot trees.
Bald Eagle
An adult Bald Eagle soared high over campus in mid-morning, August 7, 2018. Its dark body, white head and tail, and huge wingspan were diagnostic.
Black-capped Chickadee
These small inquisitive birds dart around campus. You're familiar with their call, "chicka-dee-dee-dee." In spring, single males sing "Hi, Sweetie!" as they look for mates. Seriously.
Blue Jay
You can tell these are crow cousins - both have big personalities! They'll imitate hawk calls convincingly.
Brown Creeper
This small, bark-colored bird slowly hitches itself up tree trunks, searching for insects. Seen on trees between the Scoville and Dearlove buildings in past years.
Canada Goose
These large birds graze in the fields at the north end of campus all year 'round.
Carolina Wren
Heard in the woods near the nature trail to the east of campus, loudly and cheerfully singing away in early October, 2012 and April, 2021. Some claim their song sounds like "teakettle, teakettle, teakettle!" Their call sounds like a loud purring "churrr."
Cedar Waxwing
These elegant, colorful birds eat small fruits in the ornamental fruit trees on campus. A small flock usually occupies the tree outside of Scoville near the parking lot each summer. Listen for their high, thin whistle. This small bird has a bright yellow tail band.
Common Raven
A raven was spotted flying southwest over Warren Hall in late Sept., 2017. Two were seen flying over the traffic circle and south past the gym on Oct. 1, 2019. Their long, arrow-shaped tails are diagnostic. They're much larger than crows, and have a slower wingbeat. Ravens have been seen on campus since before 2012. One was heard croaking from the woods on the northeast side of campus in late April, 2018.
Cooper's Hawk
One called loudly in the woods near the Scoville parking lot at dusk on May 4, 2016. A Cooper's Hawk rocketed over the roundabout on Jan. 5, 2017, heading from the woods behind the residence halls to the pines near the Student Center.
Downy Woodpecker
The descending whinny of these small black-and-white birds can be heard every day on campus, especially between Dearlove and the Science Building.
Great Horned Owl
On the night of March 18, 2019, two peace officers spotted a large owl that swooped by them in the north parking lot of the Queensbury campus. It perched on a light post in front of them. They confirmed its ID by seeing the ear tufts with a spotlight. This large owl feasts on rodents, rabbits and skunks on campus.
Hairy Woodpecker
This bird was hopping around in the small trees in the Scoville parking lot in mid-October, 2012. Its beak is as wide as its head. (A smaller but similar species, Downy Woodpecker, has a beak that's shorter than its head is wide.)
House Finch
The small brown-and-reddish males have a melodic and complex song. The females are a drab brown and tan. You may also see these seed-eaters at backyard bird feeders.
Mallard
A pair of these occasionally walk around the fields at the north end of campus, quacking. A pair flew over the student housing buildings in March, 2013, and over the gym in April 2015.
Mourning Dove
With their tiny heads, these doves look like teardrops or commas when they perch on power lines. Their mournful "hooo...hooo" call can be heard on campus. Their wingtips make a "whoop-whoop" whistling noise when they fly; it can be startlingly loud if they fly by you! In cold weather, several may gather for the night in pine trees on campus.
Northern Cardinal
The red male's whooping call can be heard all over campus. One of the cardinal's songs is a loud "Pretty, pretty, pretty!"
Pileated Woodpecker
The hysterical Woody Woodpecker laugh of these crow-sized birds can be heard around campus, especially on the forest side of Scoville and Dearlove. The male sports a red mustache and red crest. The female lacks the male's red mustache and red forehead. In April, 2021, a student in our residence halls filmed one chopping a hole in a tree, as it searched for its favorite food, carpenter ants.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
This colorful, charismatic bird has been reported around campus. Listen to their calls on this link - you've probably heard them too! You're more likely to see their orange heads than their pinkish bellies. Males have orange continuing all the way to the beak; females have a gray forehead.
Red-tailed Hawk
A pair of Red-tails have been enjoying chipmunks on campus for years. One was seen lunching on a Starling near Warren Hall in October, 2015.
Rock Pigeon
A pigeon with white and gray markings flew around Adirondack Hall on April 20, 2022. These widespread birds are also called pigeons, rock doves, or feral pigeons, though some people prefer more disparaging names for these birds.
Tufted Titmouse
Tufties looks like Chickadees with crests. Their loud "Peter Peter Peter" call can be heard regularly around campus.
White-breasted Nuthatch
These small, stubby white-and-blue birds usually climb down tree trunks head first. One plucked bees from the east end of the Science Building roof in May, 2014. One was making its nasal "yank yank" call between Scoville and Eisenhart Hall in April, 2015.

Birds on Campus in Past Years

These additional bird species were seen by area birders in the years before 2012:

Rough-legged Hawk
Least Flycatcher
Great-crested Flycatcher
Blue-headed Vireo
Cliff Swallow
Hermit Thrush

Winter Visitors and Migrating Species

Some species visit the campus just for the winter, or pass through in fall or spring migration.

Pine Grosbeak
About seven birds, predominately the yellowish females, enjoyed snacking on the crabapple tree between Scoville and Dearlove on Dec. 22, 2020. These are a rare irruptive winter finch: they come south from Canada in years when food is more abundant in our area. Their plump, squished-in faces and round bellies give them a parakeet-like profile.
Pine Siskin
These small brown and yellow birds move in flocks, giving their "Zrreeeee!" call in colder months.
Snow Goose
A student spotted six Snow Geese with a flock of Canada Geese in the north field on campus on April 4, 2023. These were likely migrating to their breeding grounds in Greenland and northern Canada.
White-crowned Sparrow
This elegant bird stopped to refuel on the west side of the Gym one May, on his way north. These are a treat to see, because they're just passing through.

Spring and Summer Birds

These migratory species have been spotted or heard on the Queensbury (in Warren County) or Saratoga (in Saratoga County) campuses since 2012.

American Kestrel
Two kestrels were spotted at the north end of campus early one spring.
American Woodcock
These odd-looking birds look like they're been assembled from spare parts. At least two males were heard "peenting" and winnowing as part of their courtship displays, in the field next to the parking lot at the Saratoga campus at dusk in late March 2013. Some have been heard for years in the fields at the south end of the Queensbury campus. A deceased one was found along the back of the Scoville building, likely dead from a window collision during migration, in October, 2017.
Barn Swallow
This sleek bird was zipping over the field at the north end of campus in mid-June, 2014. It catches flying insects in mid-air. We have fewer mosquitoes on campus thanks to them!
Bobolink
Two male Bobolinks were seen displaying in the field at the north end of campus in summer, 2014.
Broad-winged Hawk
This small hawk perched on the light poles at the north end of campus near the orchard, on April 23, 2018.
Brown Thrasher
A Brown Thrasher was heard singing in later summer, 2015, near the edge of the Challenge Course woods and the back meadow of the Queensbury campus.
Chestnut-sided Warbler
A Chestnut-sided Warbler male was singing its "Pleased, pleased, pleased to MEET-CHA!" song in the woods to the east of the Scoville parking lot in early June, 2014 and in mid-May, 2016.
Chimney Swift
One Chimney Swift twittered overhead near the Scoville parking lot in mid-June, 2016. It looks like a cigar with wings.
Chipping Sparrow
This very small bird has a chestnut cap and an insistent song that sounds like a tiny machine gun with its rapid, even chipping. It can be heard all over campus.
Common Grackle
These large, black, iridescent birds have a squawking song that sounds like a squeaky, rusty gate. The male displays his long triangular tail as he flies. Two were seen by students on April 5, 2023, near the north parking lot.
Common Yellowthroat
This bright masked warbler sang its "witchety-witchety" call from shrubs at the north end of campus.
Dark-eyed Junco
These dark gray birds have a white belly, as if they sat in white paint. Their call is a light trill. You may see the flash of white on their outer tail feathers when they fly.
Eastern Bluebird
They are voracious insect-eaters, and help rid the organic garden and orchard of pests. Bluebird pairs regularly raise three broods (of 5, 4 and then 3 chicks) each season. Some bluebirds overwinter in this area. These colorful singing birds have regularly nested in boxes at the north end of campus for years. However, invasive and aggressive House Sparrows have driven out the bluebirds (and even killed some), so the boxes have been taken down for a while.
Eastern Kingbird
A pair of these were collecting grass nesting material at the north parking lot in early June. Their call sounds like electric sparks. These catch flying insects.
Eastern Meadowlark
Students heard the male's sweet song in the north fields on the Queensbury campus in April 2023. The whistled, slurred song sounds like he is saying "Spring of the year!"
Eastern Phoebe
This drab bird wags its tail when perched. The male's abrupt, emphatic call, "FEEE-be!!" can be heard around campus in the spring.
Fish Crow
Fish Crows are seen and heard regularly on campus now, announcing themselves with diagnostic nasal "Anh! Anh!" calls. Their call is very different from the American Crow's "caw, caw." They have been seen and heard on campus since April, 2016. They were heard on campus in late March, 2021 and April, 2023.
Gray Catbird
This bird's spluttering call can be heard from the woods on the east side of campus. It also meows.
Great Blue Heron
One was spotted on Sept 20, 2018, near the reeds at the north end of campus. A GBH winged its way northeast high over the campus one cloudy morning in early August, 2016. In flight, its wide wings look bowed, like a rounded M.
Green Heron
Eagle-eyed students spotted a Green Heron in the little pond behind the residence hall on September 8, 2022.
Horned Lark
A flock of six Horned Larks were seen flitting around fields at the north end of the Queensbury campus in mid-March, 2014. They were singing their high, squeaky, twittering song.
House Wren
The loud cheerful bubbling call of this tiny brown bird can be heard near shrubby areas of campus. They are nesting on campus. They have aggressively taken over the nest box of Eastern Bluebirds, so the boxes were moved away from the shrubs where wrens forage.
Killdeer
The insistent "killy! killy!" call of this fast-flying shorebird echoes over campus as it speeds by. In 2021, they appeared on campus by March 21. Killdeer called from the top of Adirondack Hall in Spring 2019, and likely nest on the flat roofs on campus. On the Saratoga campus, a Killdeer did its famous "broken wing" distraction act to direct a staff member away from its well-camouflaged eggs or chicks in the field near the parking lot.
Merlin
This speedy falcon swooped over the Scoville parking lot in mid-June carrying a small animal.
Northern Mockingbird
The male repeats its mimicked song three times - for instance, three whoops like a Cardinal, three flute-y songs like a Robin, three screams of a Blue Jay. At least two were calling in the late afternoon in the parking lot at the Saratoga Center in late March, 2013. One flew by near the arboretum north of the Science Building in June, 2016. One sang a variety of songs in late April 2018 from a treetop in the arboretum.
Osprey
An Osprey was seen in early June in the north fields, scooping up vegetation for its nest. It flew off towards Glen Lake, where a pair has nested in the past.
Red-eyed Vireo
This bird says "Here I am, where are you?" over and over and over again on hot summer days.
Red-shouldered Hawk
A Red-shouldered Hawk was seen soaring high over the Scoville parking lot twice in July, 2015. Its diagnostic translucent wing crescents showed clearly as it slowly circled. One was seen and heard calling on July 16, 2015.
Red-winged Blackbird
This bird defends its marshy territory by chasing other birds. The call "konk-a-ree" can be heard in several places on campus. They migrate back to campus by late February.
Ring-billed Gull
These common "parking-lot" gulls sit in the north fields and sometimes our parking lots. They eat almost everything - insects as well as french fries.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
The frenetic kinglet looks like a gray ping-pong ball bouncing around in trees. It never stops moving! If it is excited, it flares a tiny red crest, which is usually hidden. Students saw one in the woods near the residence hall.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are, by far, the most common species of hummingbird west of the Mississippi. One zipped by high overhead over the Scoville parking lot on June 2, 2014.
Savannah Sparrow
The buzzy call of these small brown grassland birds can be heard in the alfalfa field at the north end of campus. They say "I'm a Sah-VAAAA-nah."
Song Sparrow
This bird's song is supposed to sound like "Maids, maids, maids, put on your tea kettle-ettle." You be the judge.
Tree Swallow
These white-and-blue birds swoop through the air grabbing insects. They have also used the nest boxes on the north end of campus until House Sparrows took over the boxes.
Turkey Vulture
Not beautiful, but essential: they clean up fresh roadkill. TVs are seen wafting over campus in warm weather. Appropriately, their hissing "call" sounds like a garbage disposal.
Warbling Vireo
These sing in the brushy areas at the south end of campus.
White-throated Sparrow
These handsome sparrows famously sing either "Oh-sweet Canada, Canada, Canada," or "Old Sam Peabody, Peabody Peabody." We don't know who makes up these mnemnonics.
Wood Thrush
The ethereal call of this bird has been heard late in the afternoon late May at the north end of campus.
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle Warbler)
The Myrtle Warbler subspecies of Yellow-rumped Warbler is seen in eastern North America. This tiny warbler was gleaning insects and singing in a maple tree outside of Washington Hall in mid-May, 2012. In October, 2013, a migrating Myrtle Warbler was seen foraging in the small fruit trees between Scoville Hall and the parking lot. One was heard singing in the trees near the Dearlove parking lot in early May, 2014.

Red-tailed Hawk on Queensbury Campus

This adult Red-tailed Hawk was perched on a light pole near the Scoville Learning Center on July 29, 2015. The temperature was in the 90s, so the hawk was panting to cool off. Birds do not have sweat glands like humans do.

How Birds Keep Their Cool

Here's an eyewitness account from someone looking out a basement window of the Scoville Learning Center in September, 2018: "A large Red-tailed Hawk (probably female; female raptors are larger than males) swooped down and landed on the air conditioning unit outside the south entrance, then seized a Gray Squirrel running on the lawn. The hawk flew off rapidly with its furry lunch. That's a large prey for a Red-tail!"

eBird: Current Bird Sightings

Recent bird sightings for local counties, from eBird:

eBird: Washington County Illustrated Checklist
eBird: Saratoga County Illustrated Checklist
eBird: Warren County Illustrated Bird Checklist
more...less...
Shows which bird species were seen where and when. Lists area birding hotspots.

Invasive Birds

These two species are abundant on campus and around North America. They were introduced in the 1800s from Europe, and have no natural enemies to keep them in check.

House Sparrow
This aggressive invasive species has killed Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows on campus to steal their nest box at the south end of campus. These are the common "cheep cheep" brown birds around our buildings. The males have a black bib. Birders are not a fan of this species.
European Starling
These invasive and messy birds have nested in roofs and building vents around campus. They imitate other birds really well and also have a "wolf whistle" call.

Reference & Instruction Librarian

Joyce A. Miller

Contact:

Above: Joyce on college's 2017 trip to Ecuador, with live volcano Cotopaxi.
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Library Science; Part-time Reference Librarian (two days a week during Spring & Fall semesters). Liaison to Business and Science Divisions.
SUNY Adirondack, 640 Bay Road Queensbury NY 12804
(Please call me Joyce, or Professor Miller.)

Email millerja@sunyacc.edu or librarian@sunyacc.edu.

Bird Nest Boxes on Campus

For several years, Eastern Bluebirds nested on the Queensbury campus in nest boxes created by a Bolton Central School class for the Southern Adirondack Audubon Society (SAAS). SAAS donated the boxes to the college. The boxes were monitored by Joyce Miller, a librarian at the college and a SAAS board member.

Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows, both native birds that will eat insects, are the preferred users of the nest boxes. Unfortunately, the aggressive, invasive species House Sparrows killed our campus bluebirds and claimed the nest boxes. They took over the nest boxes repeatedly in the summer of 2017. In 2018, the nest boxes were removed.

Saratoga Center Birds

Most of these birds can be seen at the Saratoga campus also. A Red-tailed Hawk swooped down and grabbed a Mourning Dove just outside a window at the Saratoga building in June, 2012. It likely fed its young with the plump dove!

Birds of SUNY Adirondack

Birds on the SUNY Adirondack Campus