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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="https://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-12-birds-of-christmas.html">https://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-12-birds-of-christmas.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>On the 12<sup>th</sup> day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…fun bird facts! To celebrate the holidays this year, here are some interesting tidbits about 12 different birds found in Canada, some of which are featured in the <a href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/12-days-of-christmas-lyrics-christmas-song.html" target="_blank"><i><span style='color:#008E9B;text-decoration:none'>12 Days of Christmas</span></i></a> song:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>A GREY PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>The grey partridge is native to Eurasia, but was introduced to North America in the 1790s. Don’t let the song fool you: grey partridges don’t actually perch on pear trees — or any trees for that matter. Instead, they prefer to stay on the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>TWO MOURNING DOVES<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>Mourning doves are one of North America’s most abundant bird species, with an estimated population of six million in Canada. In winter, they often visit bird feeders, which in turn can attract Cooper’s hawks and other birds of prey that feed on them.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>THREE GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKENS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>Male greater prairie chickens are known for their elaborate — and unusual — mating dances. After gathering at communal courtship display areas, called leks, males have group “dance-offs” to attract females. Their dances consist of raising their feathers above their heads, inflating their orange throat sacs and moaning deeply.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>FOUR RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>The original <i>12 Days of Christmas</i> song mentions “colly birds,” an Old English term for “blackbirds.” During the breeding season, male red-winged blackbirds, one of the most common North American blackbird species, are highly territorial, chasing away other males and attacking intruders.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>FIVE GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>The <a href="http://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/what-we-do/resource-centre/featured-species/golden-winged_warbler.html" target="_blank"><span style='color:#008E9B'>golden-winged warbler</span></a> has experienced one of the largest population declines of any songbird species — around 68 per cent between 1966 and 2014. A major cause of this has been increased mating between golden- and blue-winged warblers, resulting in hybrid offspring that are sometimes called Brewster’s and Lawrence’s warblers.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>SIX CANADA GEESE A LAYING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>Canada geese are known for their distinct V-shaped flying formations. This pattern helps them to better coordinate their movements, such as when changing direction or speed.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:27.0pt;background:#F6BA18'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'>Love This? Never Miss Another Story.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style='border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Top of Form<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:#F6BA18'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:1.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Bottom of Form<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>SEVEN TRUMPETER SWANS A SWIMMING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>The <a href="https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/what-we-do/resource-centre/featured-species/trumpeter_swan.html" target="_blank"><span style='color:#008E9B'>trumpeter swan</span></a> got its name from its low-pitched, trumpet-like call. Weighing between 7.7 kilograms and 12.7 kilograms, it is North America’s heaviest bird species.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>EIGHT BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS A MILKING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'><img border=0 width=275 height=185 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D37D76.47D91BA0" alt="Brown-headed cowbird (Photo by Stephen Davis)"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>Brown-headed cowbird (Photo by Stephen Davis)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>The <a href="https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/what-we-do/resource-centre/featured-species/brown-headed_cowbird.html" target="_blank"><span style='color:#008E9B'>brown-headed cowbird</span></a> is North America’s most common brood parasite: females lay eggs in other birds’ nests instead of constructing their own. When the cowbird chicks hatch, the “foster” parents feed them at their own offspring’s expense.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>NINE GREATER SAGE-GROUSES DANCING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>Like male greater prairie chickens, male <a href="https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/what-we-do/resource-centre/featured-species/sage-grouse.html" target="_blank"><span style='color:#008E9B'>greater sage-grouses</span></a> have <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLnbiTkj1TQ" target="_blank"><span style='color:#008E9B'>intricate mating dances</span></a>. They inflate and deflate their throat sacs to make popping noises, throw their heads back, spread their wings and fan their tails.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>TEN AMERICAN WOODCOCKS A LEAPING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>On spring nights, male American woodcocks repeatedly make buzzy “peent” calls and then <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta1fxy0MR2c" target="_blank"><span style='color:#008E9B'>fly in upward spirals to attract females</span></a>. They then zigzag downward while chirping and land right near a female, if one is present.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>ELEVEN PLOVERS PIPING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'><img border=0 width=275 height=185 id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D37D76.47D91BA0" alt="Piping plover (Photo by Natural Resources Canada)"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>Piping plover (Photo by Natural Resources Canada)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>Male <a href="https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/what-we-do/resource-centre/featured-species/piping_plover.html" target="_blank"><span style='color:#008E9B'>piping plovers</span></a> with shared territory boundaries do parallel-run displays, where one bird runs a short distance and stops, then the other runs past the first and stops. They keep doing this until they’ve run out of space, then they chase one another back to the starting point.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E;text-transform:uppercase'>TWELVE <a href="https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/where-we-work/ontario/featured-projects/backus-woods/interpretive-features/ruffed-grouse.html" target="_blank"><span style='color:#008E9B'>RUFFED GROUSES</span></a>DRUMMING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>To attract mates and defend their territories, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0obByQW23k" target="_blank"><span style='color:#008E9B'>male ruffed grouses “drum” the air</span></a> by quickly flapping their wings in front of their bodies while standing on logs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'><img border=0 width=275 height=185 id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D37D76.47D91BA0" alt="Greater sage-grouse (Photo by Gordon Sherman © Audubon Canyon Ranch)"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>Greater sage-grouse (Photo by Gordon Sherman © Audubon Canyon Ranch)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>Sadly, some of these birds are at-risk species — namely the greater prairie chicken, golden-winged warbler, greater sage-grouse and piping plover.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>You can help these species by participating in bird counts that provide valuable data to inform conservation work. Earlier this month, the Nature Conservancy of Canada hosted Christmas bird count events. If you missed these events, it’s not too late: Bird Studies Canada has <a href="http://www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/cbc/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#008E9B'>Christmas bird counts</span></a> planned across Canada up until Friday, January 5, 2018.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><i><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>This post was written by Adam Hunter and originally appeared on the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s blog, </span></i></b><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'><a href="https://www.care2.com/greenliving/%20http:/www.natureconservancy.ca/en/blog/the-12-birds-of-christmas.html"><span style='color:#008E9B'>Land Lines</span><i><span style='color:#008E9B;text-decoration:none'>.</span></i></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#F7F7F7'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>GREAT STORY, RIGHT?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:11.25pt;text-align:center;background:#F7F7F7'><i><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'>Share it with your friends<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#F7F7F7'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'><a href="https://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-12-birds-of-christmas.html"><span style='color:white;background:#527DBB;text-decoration:none'>3</span></a><a href="https://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-12-birds-of-christmas.html"><span style='color:white;background:#68CDEF'>tweet</span></a><a href="https://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-12-birds-of-christmas.html"><span style='color:white;background:#B92031;text-decoration:none'>1</span></a><a href="https://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-12-birds-of-christmas.html"><span style='color:white;background:#444748;text-decoration:none'>0</span></a><a href="https://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-12-birds-of-christmas.html"><span style='color:white;background:#979797'>email</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111F2E'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br />
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