This week's featured bird is a feisty tropical species: the bananaquit. Boldly colored and with an even bolder attitude, these birds adore sweets and will sneak into homes to steal sugar from open bowls or containers. They're often found in banana trees and sipping nectar from a range of brightly colored flowers.

While these are common species in the Caribbean and tropical habitats in Central and South America, they're also regular vagrants in southern Florida. Have you seen a bananaquit? Share your sightings in the comments!

Bananaquit
Photo © Craig Nash

Black skimmers may be relatively abundant along southern coasts, but in New Jersey they're hard to find - except in one place. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the sole colony of black skimmers in New Jersey, a total of 2,904 birds, can be found alongside the Longport Beach causeway bridge near Ocean City.

While a few skimmers have nested in the area in recent years, the dramatic increase this year is due to flooding at other nesting grounds. To protect the birds, sections of the beach were closed to the public, and while some complaints have been registered, many area residents are happy to have the skimmers thriving.

Have you seen this fantastic black skimmer colony? Share your sightings in the comments!

Black Skimmer
Photo © Bruce Tuten

Six American white pelicans rescued and rehabilitated from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have been officially welcomed to their new home - the Phoenix Zoo. According to ABC15, the birds all have wing injuries that prevent them from flying or being released into the wild. After being decontaminated from the oil spill, the pelicans stayed at the Jackson Zoo in Mississippi, but with their relocation that zoo can now accept additional birds recovering from the oil spill's effects.

A three-acre wetlands exhibit was renovated for the pelicans, and they will eventually share it with other wetland animals such as sandhill cranes, Chilean flamingos and red brocket deer. So far, the birds are adapting well to their new home and were enjoying a swim in the lake just minutes after their release.

For more information on the zoo or to plan a visit to see the new pelicans, visit PhoenixZoo.org.

American White Pelican
Photo © Terry Ross

The beginning of the week means it's time for Mailbag Monday, your opportunity to ask all your birding questions. This week, Jan from Florida asks:

"To me all sparrows look alike. What are the major differences in the most commonly found sparrows? Is there a good sparrow ID book?"

Sparrows can be difficult to identify, but with patience, practice and an eye for detail it's not impossible. Focus on the bird's head and any colors, markings and patterns, including eye lines, eyebrows, head stripes and moustache lines. Those clues will help you narrow down the bird's identity, then look to the flanks, wings and chest for streaking, bars or spots to pin down the identification. These Sparrow Identification Tips can help you know exactly what details to look for when you see one of these little brown jobs.

As for a sparrow-specific book, "Sparrows of the United States and Canada: The Photographic Guide" from Princeton University Press (2001) is one of the only options in print, but a lot of field guides have fairly decent sparrow sections. It just takes practice with these tiny birds! Check out these Pictures of Sparrows for practice with the most common species.

Do you have a birding question you're curious about? Submit your question to Mailbag Monday!

Swamp Sparrow
Photo © J Jongsma