Birdsong, movement in the trees, and activity around the water add another dimension to a walk through Clark Gardens. From familiar backyard birds to waterfowl and seasonal visitors, a variety of species have been observed throughout the gardens.
Take a closer look at some of the birds that have been observed throughout Clark Gardens.*
Spinus tristis
Dendrocygna autumnalis
Coragyps atratus
Baeolophus atricristatus
Cyanocitta cristata
Branta canadensis
Poecile carolinensis
Spizella passerina
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Sialia sialis
Sayornis phoebe
Alopochen aegyptiaca
Numida meleagris
Passer domesticus
Columbina inca
Pavo cristatus
Anas platyrhynchos
Ictinia mississippiensis
Zenaida macroura
Cygnus olor
Cardinalis cardinalis
Mimus polyglottos
Cygnus buccinator
Cathartes aura
Pooecetes gramineus
Zenaida asiatica
*The original bird species list was documented by a bird-watching group at Clark Gardens in 2010. Bird presence and activity vary by season, weather, migration patterns, and other conditions.
**Photo Credits below.
The colorful birds roaming Clark Gardens are Indian Peafowl—and while we often call all of them “peacocks,” that name technically belongs only to the males.
Males are peacocks, known for their brilliant blue coloring and spectacular trains of long feathers. Females are peahens, with more subdued coloring, and their young are called peachicks.
Together, they’re peafowl.
So the next time you spot one wandering through the gardens, take a closer look. Is it a peacock or a peahen?
Bird identification photographs below were sourced through Wikimedia Commons unless otherwise noted. Images may have been cropped and/or resized for display.
Clark Gardens photography: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Helmeted Guineafowl, Indian Peafowl, Northern Cardinal, Pekin-type Domestic Ducks, and Trumpeter Swan. © Clark Gardens.
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) (13393768293)” by Judy Gallagher. Licensed under CC BY 2.0. Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_Goldfinch_(Spinus_tristis)_(13393768293).jpg
CC BY-SA 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
“Black-crested Titmouse in Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge.” Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black-crested_Titmouse_in_Santa_Ana_National_Wildlife_Refuge.jpg
“Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) RWD.” Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_Vulture_(Coragyps_atratus)_RWD.jpg
“Cyanocitta cristata blue jay.” Licensed under CC BY 2.0. Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cyanocitta_cristata_blue_jay.jpg
CC BY 2.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
“Canada Goose Branta canadensis 1393.” Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canada_Goose_Branta_canadensis_1393.jpg
CC BY 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis.” Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carolina_Chickadee_Poecile_carolinensis.jpg
“Chipping sparrow – Spizella passerina.” National Park Service. Public domain. Cropped/resized from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chipping_sparrow_-_Spizella_passerina_(75a842d6-874f-4553-b62c-f418ed31bea6).jpg
“Cliff swallow 7427.” Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cliff_swallow_7427.jpg?utm_source=chatgpt.com
“Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis, male (37632251325)” by gailhampshire. Licensed under CC BY 2.0. Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_Bluebird_Sialia_sialis._male_(37632251325).jpg
CC BY 2.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
“Sayornis phoebe – Owen Conservation Park, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.” Adapted from the original.under CC BY 2.0. Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sayornis_phoebe_-Owen_Conservation_Park,_Madison,_Wisconsin,_USA-8.jpg?utm_source=chatgpt.com
“Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca).” Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egyptian_goose_(Alopochen_aegyptiaca).jpg
“House Sparrow (Passer domesticus).” CC0. Cropped/resized from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:House_Sparrow(Passer_domesticus).jpg
CC0 1.0 License https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
“Inca Dove, Columbina inca, in South Texas, on fountain.” Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inca_Dove,_Columbina_inca;_in_South_Texas,_on_fountain.jpg
“Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos).” Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mallard_(Anas_platyrhynchos).jpg
“Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis (38890320071).” Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mississippi_Kite_Ictinia_mississippiensis_(38890320071).jpg
“Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura).” CC0. Cropped/resized from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mourning_dove_(Zenaida_macroura).JPG
CC0 1.0 License https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
“Mute swan (Cygnus olor).” Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mute_swan_(Cygnus_olor).jpg
“Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos).” Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_Mockingbird_(Mimus_polyglottos).jpg
“Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) in flight.” Adapted from the original; adapted image licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Turkey_vulture_(Cathartes_aura)_in_flight.JPG
CC BY-SA 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
“Pooecetes gramineus – USA-8 (cropped)” by Tim from Ithaca. Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pooecetes_gramineus_-USA-8_(cropped).jpg
“White winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)” by Alan Vernon. Adapted from the original.
Source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White_winged_Dove_(Zenaida_asiatica).jpg