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Powdermill Nature Reserve

Avian Research Center

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Unusual Birds

  • Yellow Warbler, Unknown Subspecies

    Yellow Warbler, Unknown Subspecies

    A hatching year female Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia, subspecies?) banded on September 19, 2002.
  • Swainson’s Warbler

    Swainson’s Warbler

    The Swainson’s Warbler is a breeder in the southeastern United States that occasionally shows up in Pennsylvania. In total, 6 individuals have been banded at Powdermill, with 2 of those occurring in 2010.
  • Probable Sutton’s Warbler

    Probable Sutton’s Warbler

    Sutton's Warbler that was captured during spring 2008. This is a well documented hybrid between the Northern Parula and the Yellow-throated Warbler, and this individual is the only one that has been captured at Powdermill.
  • Scarlet Tanager Variant or Hybird

    Scarlet Tanager Variant or Hybird

    In 2003, we captured an unusual variant of a Scarlet Tanager.
  • Rufous Hummingbird

    Rufous Hummingbird

    An unusual capture in the Eastern United States, we have several captures (and great photos) of Rufous Hummingbirds from 2004-2007.
  • Prothonotary Warbler

    Prothonotary Warbler

    Although we are included in the breeding range of the Prothonotary Warbler, only 7 have been banded at Powdermill.
  • Painted Bunting

    Painted Bunting

    The only Painted Bunting caught at Powdermill is this SY male that was far off course when it was captured in 1996.
  • Owls – Saw-whet Owl and Two Recaptured Eastern Screech Owls

    Owls – Saw-whet Owl and Two Recaptured Eastern Screech Owls

    A hatchling year Saw-whet Owl poses for pictures and a two recaptured Eastern Screech Owls.
  • Long-eared Owl

    Long-eared Owl

    We have only banded a single long-eared owl at Powdermill and it was a bird that was brought in from a local farm. Other than being a bit dazed, the bird was fine and was banded and released.
  • Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow

    Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow

    A Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsonii) was banded at Powdermill Biological Station on 30 September 2000.
  • Le Conte’s Sparrow

    Le Conte’s Sparrow

    A single Le Conte’s Sparrow was banded in 1991.
  • Kirtland’s Warbler

    Kirtland’s Warbler

    The rarest bird ever banded at Powdermill is this Kirtland’s Warbler captured in 1971 when there were estimated to be about 200 males in the global population of this species (~1,400 today).
  • Clay-colored Sparrow

    Clay-colored Sparrow

    The Clay-colored Sparrow is another rare bird at Powdermill with only 3 individuals ever being banded.
  • Hybrid – Possible Bay-breasted Warbler X Blackpoll Warbler

    Hybrid – Possible Bay-breasted Warbler X Blackpoll Warbler

    In May 2001, we banded a possible hybrid: Bay-breasted Warbler X Blackpoll Warbler.
  • American Bittern

    American Bittern

    The American Bittern is a regular spring and fall migrant at Powdermill. But this bird, captured in 2001, is only the third one ever banded here (the others were in May 1986 and October 1998).
Powdermill Avian Research Center sponsored in part by Colcom Foundation and the Laurel Foundation.
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