Portraits of Pittsburgh’s Winter Birds

Red-bellied woodpecker (photo by Zachary Raymond Vaughan on Instagram)

28 December 2024

Bird diversity is lower in winter but the birds are still beautiful as you can see in these portraits by Pittsburgh bird photographer Zachary Vaughan.

Page through the series to see my favorites: a robin holding a crabapple, an eastern screech owl and a starling with a two-tone beak. You’ll also see the red-bellied woodpecker’s red belly.

Today many of us will be counting them for the Pittsburgh Christmas Bird Count.

Fingers crossed about the crows. Last night we could tell they were sleeping on rooftops at/near the VA Hospital in Oakland. Exactly where we cannot see to count them. Erf!

2 thoughts on “Portraits of Pittsburgh’s Winter Birds

  1. I love this view of the woodpecker! You can really see how the eyes line up with the tip of the beak for precise application of force. And being able to see what they are eating.

  2. Thank you so much Kate (& Zach)–I am 90 now and don’t drive so can only depend on my sons to take me to Tarentum to watch your beloved PEFAs or Crooked Crewek to watch the BAEAs but I still feed the birds and son put the feeders near my window so I can watch them…The Redbellied WPs are one of my favorites. We get both male & female plus CA Wren, both Cardinals, & other regular backyard birds — I am so appreciative…

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