AMERICAN CROW IN FLIGHT, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 1/31/2026

 

PERCHED COOPER'S HAWK, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 1/31/2026

      The bright white spots on the back of the Cooper's Hawk could be due to the fluffing of its feathers.  According to Sibley Birds East all perched accipiters (Cooper's Hawk is an accipiter) can show bright white spots on their back when their feathers are fluffed.  Birds fluff their feathers in cold weather to keep warm by trapping air, which acts as insulation against the cold.

 

AMERICAN ROBIN, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 1/31/2026

 

FEMALE COMMON MERGANSER, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 1/31/2026

 

GREATER SCAUPS, COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK, ETOBICOKE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 1/31/2026

 

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, SERENA GUNDY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 1/30/2026

 

MALE HAIRY WOODPECKER, SERENA GUNDY PARK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, 1/30/2026

   How can we tell this is a  male Hairy Woodpecker and not a male Downy Woodpector?  We can tell from the fact, that you can see in the photo that the red patch on the rear of its head is split in two.  According to an article in the Feb. 13, 2015 issue of Audubon Magazine entitled "How to Tell a Hairy Woodpecker From a Downy Woodpecker" by Karl Mechem "the male Hairy's red patch is often split, while the Downy's is not".