Birds of Sleeping Lady
White-headed Woodpecker
Most birders from outside Central Washington will be excited to see a White-headed Woodpecker. They are usually only found in Ponderosa pine forests like those on the east side of the Cascades. Sleeping Lady has always been famous for its White-headed Woodpeckers. This is the only North American bird with a black body and a white head. Males have a red patch on the back of the head. Woodpeckers use their stiff tail feathers to brace against the tree trunk. They chip holes with their strong bills and use their excellent hearing to listen for insects. Seeds of the Ponderosa Pinemake up half of the white-headed woodpecker's diet.
Western Bluebird
Bluebirds are a favorite for many. They nest near open fields and woodlands, often near houses. They don't seem to be afraid of people. Bluebirds nest in holes in trees and posts, and frequently use nest boxes. Sleeping Lady has been home to baby bluebirds for many years.Western Bluebirds are among the first migrants to return in the spring - this gives them first choice of the possible accommodations. The nest boxes they don't use are usually occupied by chickadees or swallows.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Nuthatches have short tails and long bills. They are best known for their unique tree-climbing abilities. They seem equally happy right side up or upside down! Nuthatches use their long bills to dig insects and larvae from crevices in tree bark. They will often take sunflower seeds from a feeder, only to hide the seeds in another location, saving them for later. Listen for the nuthatch's call - a low-pitched nasal yaaaank. You can find nuthatches year- round at Sleeping Lady. Small birds are amazingly light - a nuthatch weighs only 1/3 of an ounce. This is the same as three pennies.
Calliope Hummingbird
This is the smallest bird in North America, only 3 1/4 inches long, and weighing only 1/10 of an ounce. It is found in the summer in the Western United States, mainly in the mountains. In winter, our hummingbirds fly south to Mexico. Hummingbirds hover at flowers to sip nectar with their needlelike bills. They also eat insects. Calliope hummingbirds can be found along streams in high meadows and canyons, and on the knoll at Sleeping Lady. Listen for a vibrating buzz that indicates one is flying by.
American Dipper
Dippers are sooty-gray birds with dark bills. Their tails and wings are short, which helps them swim underwater and forage for insects and larvae on the bottom of streams. They are solitary birds, and are found along clear, rushing mountain streams, as high as timberline. They nest on cliff faces, under bridges, or behind waterfalls. The Dipper's song is wren-like and musical. Look for this bird "dipping" on a rock in Icicle Creek. The bird bends its legs causing it to move up and down in a dipping motion.
