There’s many different variations of Catbirds but the ones who seem to enjoy Maryland’s warm sun are the Gray and Dumetella Catbirds. They get their name from their chirp, this is because some say it sounds like a cat’s meow. 

 Just like Catbirds, Tyrant Flycatchers have many different variations and there’s quite a few that migrate here. They’re known for their ability to fly fast while catching many kinds of insects from mid air.

Although they are our state bird, they’re only here for half of the year! They Are best known for their vibrant colors and they’re beautiful intricate nests.  If you want these birds to come to you, they’re very drawn in by foods like oranges, grape jelly, meal-worms and nectar feeders.

The two swallows that commit to Maryland once it’s warm are the Barn Swallow and Tree swallow. Both are colorful and known for their forked tails which can be seen in the photo to the right. 

Yet again, another brightly colored bird and this one is related to the Cardinal. Tanagers are American Songbirds and sound very similar to their relatives. Unlike sparrows who spend most of their life flying, tanagers like their time up in the trees and are a lot less social than most other birds. 

You’re not likely to see Terns around here in Brunswick but you’ll certainly see them around the shores of our state especially around Ocean City. Although they’re known for nesting on beaches, they have been found to instead rest on gravel roofs as an alternative. 

Same as some of the other species there’s many variations and quite a few travel to Maryland. Their eggs are light blue with brown spots and weigh 6 grams. While their diet is similar to other song birds, they actually will sometimes eat small invertebrates like mice and lizards.

Vireos are known for their constant chirping and they usually show up in pairs or in groups. They’re known for their cup shaped nests that hang from trees. Fun fact: During mating season, males sign up to 20,000 times a day. That’s not the only thing they use their majestic singing voices for, they’ll also sing away predators from their territories. 

Warblers are small, active, songbirds that have a variety of almost 350 different species. They are active foragers for things like insects, fruit, and even nectar which is a part of their contribution to the pollination of their environments. 

When the pros outweigh the cons of having these birds around, what better thing to do than to make them feel at home and to give back for all that they provide! Some ways to do this are through:

• Bird baths
• Bird feeders
• Bird houses
• Sunflowers/berry bushes/flowers
• Avoiding pesticides