Flying Canvas: The Most Colorful Birds of the Fredericksburg Region

Fredericksburg sits right on the Fall Line, where the rocky Piedmont drops down to the flat Coastal Plain. That mix of upland hardwoods, pine, and river bottoms along the Rappahannock and the Ni and Po rivers means we get some of the most colorful wild birds in the country, right in our backyards.

You don't need an expensive camera or a trip to the rainforest. Here's what's flying around here:

1. Northern Cardinal — the crimson classic

Virginia's state bird, and hard to miss. The male is bright red with a black mask and a crest on his head. They're here year-round — red against snow in January, red flashing through the garden in July.

Pro tip: black oil sunflower seeds in the feeder will bring them in.

2. Eastern Bluebird — blue and rust

Royal blue back, rusty orange chest. That combination is hard to beat. They're doing well around here thanks to nest-box trails across Spotsylvania and the city parks. They like open grass where they can spot bugs — pasture edges, big lawns.

Pro tip: mount a bluebird house on an open fence line, facing away from the prevailing wind.

3. Indigo Bunting — the electric blue one

If you've ever caught a flash of deep blue at the tree line and thought your eyes were playing tricks on you, that was probably a male indigo bunting. In direct sunlight the feathers look almost lit from inside. They're summer visitors — listen for them singing from the tops of power lines and tall oaks along the trail corridors.

4. American Goldfinch — the backyard wild canary

Come spring the males turn bright lemon yellow with black caps and wings. They look almost tropical against green leaves. They're all over the suburbs — 22401, 22407, 22408, all of it.

Pro tip: hang a thistle (Nyjer) feeder and you'll get half a dozen at a time.

5. Baltimore Oriole — orange and black

Blazing orange and solid black, usually high in mature hardwoods near water. The trees along the Rappahannock Canal Path and around Motts Run Reservoir are prime spots during migration.

Pro tip: sliced oranges or a small tray of grape jelly in late spring.

6. Wood Duck — the painted one

Forget songbirds for a minute. The male wood duck has an iridescent green-and-purple crested head, red eyes, white stripes, and chestnut sides. It looks hand-painted. You'll find them sitting quiet in swampy bottomland, river bends, and wooded ponds through Spotsylvania and Caroline counties — you have to look close.

7. Scarlet Tanager and Summer Tanager — the hard ones

These stay high in the oak and hickory canopy, so you'll usually hear their raspy, robin-like song before you ever see them. The summer tanager is the only solid-red bird in North America — redder than a cardinal, no black mask. The scarlet tanager is brilliant red with jet-black wings.

8. Pileated Woodpecker — the big red hammer

I couldn't leave this one out — this fellow showed up in my own yard. The pileated is the largest woodpecker around here, crow-sized, black with a flaming red crest. You hear it before you see it: a loud laugh rolling through the trees, then hammering that sounds like somebody doing construction. They're year-round residents wherever there are mature hardwoods. If you spot big rectangular holes in a dead tree, that's their signature.

The bottom line

Riverbanks, swampy woods, and backyards all stacked together — that's why the birds are here. Next time you're walking the trails or sitting on the deck with a cup of coffee, look up. You might catch one going right over your head.

One thing worth having: If this has you looking up more often, I recommend Stan Tekiela's Birds of Virginia Field Guide — organized by color, 146 Virginia species, full-page photos. It's the one I reach for: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647552028/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_XW59MJPGC1NG9NWXF8P1?linkCode=ml1&tag=jasontickleli-20&linkId=655400d1c9661258225cadf3e3706774&gaOptInStatus=true 

What's the most colorful bird you've spotted in your yard or along the trails this season? Team Bluebird or Team Cardinal?

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