Sometimes all you hear about are the bluebirds, cardinals and bald eagles. Yes, they are pretty, but some lesser birds deserve recognition too-especially considering some of their character traits. Kyle Simpson, sanctuary manager with the Chattanooga Audubon Society, shares some of his favorite weird birds that you can readily spot in the area.
Black-headed Grosbeak
Pheucticus melanocephalus
While varieties of grosbeak are known for their singing, black-headed grosbeaks have a clever use for their talent. The female can actually trick her male companion into staying closer to the nest by playing a song that sounds like that of a rival male. Grosbeaks are also known for their strong beaks, which enable them to feed on cherries (but only the pits), insects with tough exoskeletons and nuts that take up to 125 pounds of pressure to crack.
Brown-headed Cowbird