Brushing up on backyard feeder birds

It's 60 degrees and raining at 6 a.m. as I write this. By nightfall, temperatures are predicted to plunge into the 30s, and the rain may change to snow.
The good news is that this abrupt change in weather will bring birds to our feeders. By morning, they'll be feasting on sunflower seeds, nuts and suet.
November has been unusually mild, and birds prefer insects and other natural foods when they're available. But by tomorrow morning, insects will be inactive and birds will be hungry.
So let's meet the visitors who will be with us for the next five months.
Identifying backyard birds is not difficult, especially in winter. Fewer than 25 species commonly visit winter feeders. The key isn't mastering a field guide, it's simply knowing which birds to expect.
Here's a list of common feeder birds and a thumbnail sketch of their most conspicuous characteristics. They may not all visit every feeder, and you may see others that aren't on the list, but by learning this basic cast of characters you'll be able to recognize 90 percent of the winter birds that brighten your yard. (For illustrations, visit www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/infocenter.html)
The list
UMourning dove -- brownish-gray, chunky body, small head, long pointed tail; distinctive wing whistle as dove takes off; call a mournful, owl-like cooing.
UDowny woodpecker -- smallest woodpecker; black and white; white back and belly; bill shorter than head; males have red spot on back of head; hitch their way up tree trunks.
UHairy woodpecker -- like downy, but larger; bill heavy and longer than head.
URed-bellied woodpecker -- poorly named, pale pink wash on belly; zebralike, black and white barred back; white wing patches flash in flight; crown and nape red on male; red nape only on female. (Red-headed woodpeckers have entirely red heads and are uncommon.)
UBlack-capped and Carolina chickadees -- look-a-likes; small; black cap and throat; gray body; check field guide for range maps.
UTufted titmice -- small, gray, crested, black forehead, pale rusty sides under wing.
UWhite-breasted nuthatch -- black cap, white face and breast; acrobatically climbs headfirst down tree trunks; call a nasal "ank, ank."
UBlue jay -- large, bold, aggressive; crested; black bars and white patches on blue wings and tail; black "necklace" on white chest.
UNorthern cardinal -- bright red; crested; black face; huge orange bill; females duller.
UAmerican goldfinch -- small; dull plumage in winter; (in spring and summer males are bright yellow, black and white); yellow-green or brownish, dark wings with lighter wing bars; often abundant at feeders.
UHouse finch -- reddish and sparrowlike; head, bib and rump bright red; brown crown; belly white with brown streaks; females drab streaky brown; common at feeders.
UPurple finch -- easily confused with house finch, but less common; more reddish overall; belly not streaked.
UPine siskin -- small streaky brown finch; bill thin and pointed; base of tail and wing feathers pale to bright yellow.
USong sparrow -- brown; dark stripe borders white throat; streaking on breast often converges to a prominent central spot; pumps tail in flight.
UWhite-throated sparrow -- white throat; light eyebrow stripe turns yellow in front of eye; bill dark. Whistles high pure "Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody" anytime of year.
UWhite-crowned sparrow -- similar to white-throat; black-and-white striped crown; pink bill; pale throat, but not bright white; no yellow on face.
UTree sparrow -- rusty crown; plain gray breast with dark central spot; two white wing bars.
UEastern towhee -- formerly called "rufous-sided towhee"; black hood, red eye, black upper body, rusty sides, white belly, white wing patches and tail corners.
UDark-eyed junco -- the most commonly seen visitor at backyard feeders; often called snow bird; charcoal gray body, white belly; white outer tail feathers; light-colored bill.
To identify all the birds that will visit your back yard this winter, get "A Field Guide to Feeders Birds" by Roger Tory Peterson ($9.95; 2000; Houghton Mifflin). It's the best field guide to backyard birds.
XSend questions/comments to Dr. Scott Shalaway, R.D. 5, Cameron, W.Va. 26033 or via e-mail to sshalaway@aol.com