What Birds Fly in the Summer in the Adirondack Mountains?

The Adirondacks consist of eight regions -- Adirondack Coast, Adirondack Lakes, Adirondack Seaway, Adirondack Tughill, Adirondack Wild, Old Forge Region, Lake George Region and Lake Placid Region. In June, the Adirondack Bird Festival and Great Adirondack Birding events bring thousands of tourists to the region to view the beautiful species of birds in their natural habitat.

  1. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis)

    • The yellow-bellied sapsucker is a woodpecker with a noticeable red forehead and upper throat. It has a white stripe on its face and white patches on its black body and wings. The pale yellow stripes from its throat down to its belly helps bird watchers recognize it -- as well as the large white patch of plumage on its backside. This bird drinks the sap from trees and eats ants, small insects, fruit and bark. It is the only North American woodpecker that is completely migratory.

    American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)

    • American Bittern is a waterfowl bird found in the Adirondacks.

      The American bittern lives a solitary life along the reeds and tall grasses of its habitat. This bird has green legs and feet with a short tail and brown back. The noticeable brown streaks on its chest and black streaks on its neck helps it to camouflage itself from its prey. This bird eats fish, insects, snakes, small mammals, toads and frogs. It stands very still and patiently waits before attacking its prey.

    Barn Sparrow (Hirundo rustica)

    • Barn sparrows are abundantly found throughout the region creating nests out of mud and grass along vertical surfaces. With a reddish orange belly, slender wings and a shiny blue head and upper body, these birds catch mosquitoes, wasps, beetles and flies while in flight. Barn sparrows have a wingspan up to 13 inches long and a lifespan of about eight years.

    Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus lecocephalus)

    • The bald eagle is an endangered resident of New York.

      This protected bird of prey serves as the emblem of the United States of America. Its pure white head, yellow legs and dark chocolate brown body makes it a very recognizable bird. With a six to eight foot wide wingspan, this bird swoops down on smaller birds, mammals, fish and reptiles. It also steals food from osprey and other bald eagles. The bald eagle has a lifespan of about 28 years.

    Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

    • The red-shouldered hawk is a raptor that migrates to the Adirondacks each summer.

      The adult red-shouldered hawk has a wingspan between 3 to 3.5 feet long. It has a grey head with brown streaks, a red and white breast, white spots on its brown back and a red patch on each of its shoulders. It eats mice, chipmunks, snakes, toads, frogs and smaller birds.