Summer Birds! Attract Goldfinches And Other Bright Visitors

Colorful hummingbirds and other unexpected sightings are the highlight of the season.

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A ruby-throated hummingbird at a hardy hibiscus bloom shows you just how small this bird is! Last year was my first attempt at growing hibiscus, but it is pretty hardy and should come back year after year, even here in Indiana.

Carol Holliday TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA

Dickcissels prefer tall grassland habitat. The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City, Iowa, is one of the best spots to find them during the breeding season. A dickcissel’s song is part of the sound of summer here in Iowa.

Douglas Lambert DES MOINES, IOWA

ON THE MOVE

Dickcissels shift their range. In some habitats, they may be common one summer and rare the next.

Although the red-eyed vireo is a common summer resident here in Kentucky, it’s a rare treat to actually spot one. This bird was in a wooded area near my home, munching on something yellow for breakfast.

Liz Tabb ELIZABETHTOWN, KENTUCKY