Now that Birding Lesson 4 has covered some of the smaller birds, it's time to move on to the quiet ones. These birds might not start to trust your yard until you've built up a core group of 'regulars' to show that it's safe. The birds in the shy group include the mourning doves, rufous-sided towhees and rose-breasted grosbeaks.
Shy birds bring their own challenges. It's not hard to watch a robin. They sit in the middle of the yard, with bright red body parts. In comparison, the mourning dove hides in the shadows, is dull grey, and often blends in with the scenery. You have to have trained your eyes to spot these birds.
 | Mourning Dove Although shy, these doves are rather common. They're just nearly impossible to see! They make a soft cooing noise which birders sometimes think is an owl. |
 | Rufous-Sided Towhee This towhee is easy to remember because of its beautiful colors, but most of the time he's hanging out in the shadows. They like to look for insects under leaves by leaping on the leaves. |
 | Rose-Breasted Grosbeak The grosbeak has lovely colors, but it might be hard to convince him to come out and be seen. Leave quiet spots where they can feel safe, and make sure there are quiet times around the seed feeders. |
You may think you don't have these birds, but look again. If you have a steady supply of seed, and quiet spots in your yard, they might be lurking in the shadows!
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