Yesterday I wrote about a pretty little winter warbler that I always enjoy seeing each year, and although they are more colorful than tonight’s bird, tonight’s is my absolute winter favorite. Like yesterday’s bird it is a little warbler, but this one I have no trouble distinguishing from the others. This little adorable bird is the oven bird (Seiurus aurocapilla). They are definitely pretty little creatures, but what I like most about them is their shy, quiet personalities. They tend to make their winter homes in areas with plenty of brush near the ground and to stay hidden in that brush most of the time. When they do come out, they tend to walk or run on the ground rather than flying. They aren’t a real common bird, but I suspect that there are more of them around than people realize since they stay hidden and are not terribly vocal. I had never seen one before I began putting out mealworms, and even now they usually come out cautiously and are easily frightened back into the brush. I’ve always had a soft spot for the shy animals anyway, but it makes me feel kind of special that each winter I get a few of these secretive little birds and get to see them regularly if I watch carefully.