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Wild About Illinois Birds
Kinglets, Waxwings, Nuthatches, Creepers, Gnatcatchers and Wrens
Family and Species Gallery
Order: Passeriformes - These are birds with adaptations for holding on to thin twigs or stems. Three of the toes on each foot face forward and one backward to help it grasp and balance on small branches.
Family: Regulidae (Kinglets) - Kinglets are very small birds with a short tail. The bill is thin. They flutter their wings frequently. The wings have white bars of feathers highlighted by a black feather bar. A colorful patch of feathers is present on the head of all but the female ruby-crowned kinglet. Insects are the main food source.
golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
ruby-crowned kinglet (Corthylio calendula)
Family: Bombycillidae (Waxwings) - Waxwings have what appear to be waxy red tips on the secondary wing feathers. The head feathers form a crest. These birds feed in groups on fruits and insects.
Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
Family: Sittidae (Nuthatches) - Nuthatches are small birds with stout beaks. They climb headfirst both up and down a tree.
red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
Family: Certhiidae (Creepers) - Creepers are tiny birds with a curved bill and stiff tail feathers.
brown creeper (Certhia americana)
Family Polioptilidae (Gnatchathers) - These small birds have a thin bill and a long, slim tail that is often held in an upright position. Insects are the main food source.
blue-gray gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
Family: Troglodytidae (Wrens) - Wrens are generally small birds, and their tail is often held pointed skyward above the back. The bill is thin and sightly curved downward. Most of them have brown or red-brown feathers. They eat insects and spiders.
Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Bewick’s wren (Thryomanes bewickii) [state endangered]
house wren (Troglodytes aedon)
winter wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)
sedge wren (Cistothorus platensis)
marsh wren (Cistothorus palustris)