The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is one of the more common perching birds across much of North America. Photographed here in the late fall after the Bradford Pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) have lost foliage but still bare fruit. The robins and Cedar Waxwings (Bobycilla cedorum)( picture directly above) will converge on such food stores in preparation for the colder weather and or, more migratory flights further south.

Deciduous forests, are forests composed of trees which lose their leaves for part of the year. In more temperate colder climates the leaf drop occurs as temperatures drop in the fall, and the trees and plants remain leafless until the spring when new growth buds out.

While many species of birds are neotropical migrants (live in the northeastern forests of the US in summer, and migrate to Central and South America in the winter) others are year round residents. These year round birds are adapted to survive when the forest are in leaf, as well as in the winter. The Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio) is one such species.

Deciduous Forest once covered most of eastern North America. The majority of this land has now been cleared, converted into agriculture, civilization and suburban sprawl.

Many factors are threatening the populations of many once very common birds. Destruction of habitat in the US and in the tropics, predators such as feral cats, and nest parasitism by cowbirds which are now much more common in the open landscape all are contributing to noticeable changes in the bird population.