BHI’s Twelve Days of Christmas
by Ben Cotter, Fall 2022 Intern
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
An Osprey in a Marsh Tree
(Unlike eagles or hawks, ospreys will always catch and hold its prey head-first to reduce wind resistance as they fly.)
On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
2 Mourning Doves
(Mourning doves have been clocked at 55 mph.)
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree
On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
3 House Wrens
(House wrens will remove the eggs of other birds and take over their nests. Sounds like another green Christmas character down in Hooville that I’ve heard of.)
2 Mourning Doves
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
4 Mocking Birds
(Mockingbirds can learn over 200 different songs throughout the course of their lifetime.)
3 House Wrens
2 Mourning Doves
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
5 Golden Kings
(Kinglets’ golden crown feathers pop up when they are agitated.)
4 Mocking Birds
3 House Wrens
2 Mourning Doves
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
6 Great Blue Herons
(Great Blue Herons form rookeries with egrets, cormorants, and other herons, like at the wildlife overlook.)
5 Golden Kings
4 Mocking Birds
3 House Wrens
2 Mourning Doves
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
7 Snowy Egrets
(In the 1880’s, these birds’ wispy plumes were literally worth their weight in gold.)
6 Great Blue Herons
5 Golden Kings
4 Mocking Birds
3 House Wrens
2 Mourning Doves
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
8 Turkey Vultures
(Turkey vultures don’t have any feathers on their head to help keep themselves clean when feeding.)
7 Snowy Egrets
6 Great Blue Herons
5 Golden Kings
4 Mocking Birds
3 House Wrens
2 Mourning Doves
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
9 Northern Cardinals
(In most North American species, only males sing, but female Cardinals break this rule.)
8 Turkey Vultures
7 Snowy Egrets
6 Great Blue Herons
5 Golden Kings
4 Mocking Birds
3 House Wrens
2 Mourning Doves
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
10 Boat-tailed Grackles
(In winter, grackles can roost in late flocks that can include millions of individuals.)
9 Northern Cardinals
8 Turkey Vultures
7 Snowy Egrets
6 Great Blue Herons
5 Golden Kings
4 Mocking Birds
3 House Wrens
2 Mourning Doves
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
11 Piping Plovers
(Piping Plovers are a near threatened species that nest along the beaches of BHI and weigh the same as a AA battery.)
10 Boat-tailed Grackles
9 Northern Cardinals
8 Turkey Vultures
7 Snowy Egrets
6 Great Blue Herons
5 Golden Kings
4 Mocking Birds
3 House Wrens
2 Mourning Doves
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
12 Painted Buntings
(Painted Buntings are considered to be one of the most colorfully diverse species in the world, not to mention a crowned jewel of BHI.)
11 Piping Plovers
10 Boat-tailed Grackles
9 Northern Cardinals
8 Turkey Vultures
7 Snowy Egrets
6 Great Blue Herons
5 Golden Kings
4 Mocking Birds
3 House Wrens
2 Mourning Doves
and an Osprey in a Marsh Tree!
