Halfway through the calendar year, things seem to have settled into their patterns: spring slides into summer and the days are long, flowers have bloomed, and thick green foliage shrouds woods and forests. Corn and wheatfields take on their shifting, mesmerizing seascape, afternoon storms rise up and insects buzz by. But – where are the birds?
June marks a transitional period in the birding calendar of North America, especially within the woodlands. Even though breeding season is still in full swing, most species will have performed their eye-catching courtship dances, sung their loud songs of enticement, and are busy raising their first, second or even third brood. June’s quietness is also a result of other factors. The dense foliage of woodlands offers both food and protection from predators, making it an ideal retreat, and the cooler microclimates within provide relief from the increasing summer heat, contributing to the birds’ preference for staying within the canopy and understory.
For those of us who have yard feeders, we may be wondering why no one is coming to take the free food we still offer. Nothing has changed about the quality, so don’t take it personally. It’s simply that in June, most eggs will have hatched, and chicks – and tired adults – need all the energy they can get. As summer gains pace, the moist air of woodlands begins to positively brim with insect activity, often long into the warm nights, providing longer foraging times. Ready-meals with wings, insects provide the nutrients tiny birds need to grow their feathers and strengthen those flight muscles.
Adult and juvenile birds will also be using this early summer month to their best advantage, and that means a complete wardrobe change. A bird’s life is marked by certain bursts of activity like breeding and migration, but when not expending energy on those things, birds go through a significant molt. Dense coverage in the woods provides the perfect opportunity for molting birds to hide away and protect their vulnerable bodies as strong new feathers replace old and worn-out plumage.
This explains why so many species often seen out in the open-air retreat to woodlands and forests to share space with the bird species that inhabit these areas year-round, who in turn retreat deeper, making June one of the quietest months there is for spotting birds. However, for those willing to venture into the woods and attune their senses to the subtle signs of bird activity, June offers a unique and intimate glimpse into the lives of several captivating species.
The wood thrush is beloved by many for its hauntingly beautiful song, heard from the edges of scrub in late spring as they court, but come June, they often withdraw into the dense underbrush. However, its melodic calls can still be heard echoing through the forest, providing a serene soundtrack to a quiet woodland walk. The veery is another thrush that you can hear, and the forest fills with its ethereal, flute-like notes, as they compete with the wood thrush to be heard, particularly at dusk and dawn.
As well as listening out for calls either alerting other birds to your presence or simply sharing other information, remember to turn your eyes downwards. As birds fly, we are more used to looking up into skies to seek out their presence, but in the woodlands, there is perfect ground cover for birds to dart and scurry through their day, conserving energy. Like thrushes and wrens, black-and-white warblers stay close to the ground, flitting through the undergrowth in search of insects, their distinctive black-and-white plumage providing brief, striking glimpses against the green backdrop. Standing still and listening out for tell-tale rustling and short bursts of flapping will help you home in on their location.
Broad-winged hawks are the perfect example of the quieter, more secretive behavior of many birds during June. After the bustling activity of migration and breeding, these hawks become more elusive, often perching silently in the canopy, scanning the forest floor for small mammals and amphibians. Their high-pitched calls can occasionally be heard, but spotting one requires patience and a keen eye.
Then there are those birds whose presence can be heard long before they are seen, if indeed they ever are – woodpeckers. Going deeper into forests and woods takes you to the older trees, some of whom have reached the end of their life, and the pileated woodpecker, North America’s largest woodpecker, also retreats into the deeper woods at this time. Known for its powerful drumming on dead trees, this bird plays a crucial role in the ecosystem, creating cavities that are later used by other species for nesting. The loud, resonant sounds of its pecking can be a reliable indicator of its presence, even if the bird itself remains hidden.
While June might be a quieter month for spotting birds out in the open, the woodlands of North America remain vibrant with avian life. Teeming insects in the warm air above damper ground, cool relief from the glaring sun and plentiful canopy to hide in as molting progresses make woodlands the ideal place to look for birds in the first of the summer months.
