Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The Interior Department announced Thursday a multi-agency strategy aimed at preventing the imminent extinction of Hawaiian forest birds threatened by mosquito-borne avian malaria. The strategy includes more than $14 million in funding from President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law and other appropriations…
Earlier this year, we invited photographers to submit their best work for consideration in the BirdWatching Photography Awards 2020 competition. More than 1,230 photos poured in, from hundreds of applicants. Over the past few weeks, the judges have been combing through the entries and we are now ready to announce the finalists and honorable mention…
The gray and brown feathers of the House Wren absorb light and appear dull and inconspicuous. In contrast, an American goldfinch’s feather is designed to reflect light and be as bright as possible. Illustration by David Allen Sibley. The brilliant yellow, orange, and red you see on many birds aren’t just for decoration; colors send…
Cape May Warbler in Magee Marsh, Ohio. Photo by Gretchen Dowling Want to learn more about birds and birdwatching? Subscribe to our newsletter ! In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of eBird distribution maps that you can use to compare where interesting birds are at different times of the year….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Conservation groups sent a letter Dec. 15 urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to enforce the Migratory Bird Treaty Act if Florida does not quickly control threats to protected coastal birds at Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier State Park . The…
Drum roll please! After receiving over 1,230 submissions to our 2020 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition, we are ready to announce the finalists (below) and honorable mention images. Next week we will reveal the three winners. The following slideshow features the 14 finalists, including images of puffins, penguins, burrowing owls, hummingbirds and more. Appreciate! Emperor penguin…
The Blue-winged Warbler (above) sings one type of song for females (beee-bzzz) and another type of song for males (a stuttering buzz). The American Redstart (below) repeats one song over and over for females and gives a more varied performance for males, alternating up to four songs. Illustration by David Allen Sibley. A key to…
A willow flycatcher in Maine. Photo by birdware Want to know more about birds? Subscribe to our newsletterlots of bird watching tips, news and much more! In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of eBird distribution maps that you can use to compare where interesting birds are at different times of…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Collisions with glass windows of buildings, transport shelters, noise barriers and fences are a major source of bird mortality. Public awareness of bird-window collisions has increased in recent years, thanks to investigations into dead birds under windows. However, because collision events…
© 2019 Derrick Jackson Derrick Jackson is the third winner of the 2020 BirdWatching Photography Awards with this full-frontal photo of an Atlantic puffin with a beak full of fish. He took the photo on July 14, 2019, on Eastern Egg Rock, Maine, an island in Muscongus Bay. This is one of the sites where…
The blue arrows (above) show how to move your binoculars to find distant birds. Start at the top of a distant tree (circle) and scan the sky just above the tree line. Then raise your binoculars and look higher while scanning in the other direction. Also pay close attention to bare snags, field edges, fence…
A bearded vulture swallows a large bone. By Francesco Veronesi from Italy [CC BY-SA 2.0]via Wikimedia CommonsWant to know more about birds? Subscribe to our newsletterlots of bird watching tips, news and much more! In the Since You Asked column in every issue of BirdWatching, editor-in-chief Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Diving birds like penguins, puffins and cormorants may be more prone to extinction than non-diving birds, according to a new study from the Milner Center for Evolution at the University of Bath. The authors suggest that this is because they are…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Pam Jenks of Canmore, Alberta, won second place in the 2020 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition with this striking photo of a northern goshawk eating a male wood duck. She took the photo in her snowy backyard on April 15, 2020. “This…
One of the most difficult challenges a birder is likely to face in the field is also one of the most common: identifying juvenile songbirds. For many birds, juvenile plumage is different from any appearance later in life. It is often more camouflaged than adult plumage. And songbirds usually only show their plumage for a…
Sedge wren in a damp meadow. Photo by May Haga Want to know more about birds? Subscribe to our newsletter. In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of eBird distribution maps that you can use to compare where interesting birds are at different times of the year. We featured the Sedge…
© 2019 Sha Lu Sha Lu of Los Altos, California, won first place in the 2020 BirdWatching Photography Awards with this photo of a prey exchange between white-tailed kites. Sha captured the image on March 23, 2019 at Shoreline Lake Park in Mountain View, California. The park is near the southern edge of San Francisco…
A SPECIAL PLACE: The Red-tailed Hawk (left, in the hawk family) and the American Kestrel (right, in the hawk family) have fundamental differences in shape, behavior, voice, etc. Until recently, the two families appeared side by side in field guides. Illustration by David Allen Sibley. Many birders are understandably frustrated by changes in bird names…
A blue bird with strange colors. Photo by Scott Yerges In the Since You Asked column in every issue of BirdWatching, editor-in-chief Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behavior. Here’s a question from our August 2018 issue. Is it a Mountain Bluebird? I photographed it at the end of September in Yellowstone…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A year after National Audubon Society workers voted to unionize, the union representing them has filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) over disputes over wages and health benefits. The first complaint, known as an unfair labor practice charge,…
The slideshow below features 10 winning photographs from the 2020 Audubon Photography Awards, presented by the National Audubon Society. The winning entries were selected from more than 6,000 entries from all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and seven Canadian provinces and territories. The eleventh year of the competition awarded images in four divisions: Professional, Amateur, Youth…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email One of the great pleasures of winter is listening to the drumming woodpeckers. Their noisy tattoos echoing across a frigid and otherwise silent northern landscape fill me with hope that winter will eventually end, even as I marvel at the adaptations…
MORE RELIABLE THAN COLOR: A slight crest and notched tail distinguish the Purple Finch (left) from the House Finch, which has a rounded head and longer tail. Illustration by David Allen Sibley. As the winter feeding season approaches, a perennial identification challenge looms: Purple Finch versus House Finch. The two species are close relatives. Both…
Sandpiper on stilts. Photo by Dalila Saric Subscribe today to BirdWatching Magazine for more information on migration, tips for attracting and identifying birds, and much more! In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of eBird distribution maps that you can use to compare where interesting birds are at different times of…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Without any burden, someone else’s expense account, and maybe a private jet, here I’ve summarized the birding locations I’d fit into my perfect birding year. It’s not a great year but an itinerary designed to take in the bird shows of…
An impressionistic image of European Cormorants by Majed AlZa’abi from Kuwait has won first prize in the 2020 Bird Photographer of the Year competition, organized by UK-based conservation charity Birds on the Brink. Majed wins the first prize of £5,000 (approximately $6,500) and the title of “Bird Photographer of the Year 2020”. Majed’s image was…
Bird Identification and Form: Grackles, two males and one female, fly outside of the breeding season. Males hold their tail tightly closed. Illustration by David Allen Sibley. The general shapes and proportions of birds provide important clues to their identity. In fact, as birders become more experienced, they rely more and more on form. Subtle…
Tennessee Warbler. Photo by Sfisher Want to know more about birds? Sign up to our newsletter, full of birding tips, migration information and much more! In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of eBird distribution maps that you can use to compare where interesting birds are at different times of the…
Redstart painted at Cave Springs Campground, Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona, by Gary Botello. In 2002, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of The world of bird watchers magazine (now known as Bird watching), we asked our readers to share their favorite birding hotspots. We’ve been profiling birding hot spots since our first issue in 1987 (Washington’s…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Since the days of Charles Darwin, evolutionary biologists have widely believed that most new species form because they have adapted to different environments – but a new study from the University of Toronto suggests otherwise. The study, published in the journal…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The instant image feedback of digital cameras and the lighter weight of many current telephoto lenses have prompted many birders to take camera equipment into the field. And many of them practice bird photography in their backyard. Your garden bird feeders…
Three views of the new Song Sleuth app. An application developed in collaboration with the author, illustrator and Bird watching Columnist David Sibley promises to be an accurate identifier of birdsong. It debuts on the iTunes Store today, February 15. Song Sleuth allows anyone with an iPhone or iPad to record, recognize and positively identify…
A Whimbrel in Pasco County, Florida. Photo by hunter58 World Shorebird Day – an initiative launched a few years ago to raise awareness of shorebirds and the need to conserve them and their habitats – takes place on Thursday September 6. “About 50 percent of the world’s shorebird species are in decline and their vital…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Climate change will reshape ecosystems around the world through two types of climate events: short-term extreme events – such as a heat wave – and long-term changes, such as a change in ocean currents. Environmentalists call short-term events “pulses” and long-term…
Our readers continually impress us with their bird photos. They submit images to our photo contests, post them in our online galleries, and send us stunning photos for the magazine’s “Your Point of View” section, our regular collection of reader photos. In our July/August 2020 issue, we filled “Your View” with a dozen photos featuring…
Red-backed Thrush, adult. April in Galveston County, Texas. Photo by Brian E. Small On quiet spring nights, if we stand outside and listen, we can hear the nocturnal calls of migrating songbirds drifting from the sky. Especially at the end of May, in eastern North America, one of the most characteristic sounds is the gentle…
Broad-winged hawk. Photo by Marian McSherry Subscribe today to BirdWatching Magazine for tips, birding hotspots and more! In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of eBird distribution maps that you can use to compare where interesting birds are at different times of the year. We featured the Broad-winged Hawk, pictured above,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In late December, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced plans to designate more than 275,000 acres as protected critical habitat for the I’iwi, Hawaii’s best-known endangered creeper. The Center for Biological Diversity sued the agency in 2021 for failing to…
AGE DIFFERENCES: The folded wings and tail of the adult male shown singing above are black and marked with large contrasting white spots. Overall, the plumage of the first-year male is similar, but its wings and tail feathers are brownish, not black, and they have smaller, more diffuse areas of white. Illustration by David Allen…
Black warbler. Photo by Tom Mast Want to know more about birds? Subscribe to our newsletterlots of bird watching tips, news and much more! In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of eBird distribution maps that you can use to compare where interesting birds are at different times of the year….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The Pale-headed Goldfinch was rediscovered in west-central Ecuador almost 25 years ago, after three decades without any trace of the species. The expedition to find this “lost” bird was led by the Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco with support from the American…
Editor’s Note: In the May/June 2018 issue of BirdWatching magazine, we published “America’s Serengeti,” a photo essay by Malkolm Boothroyd featuring birds (and other wildlife) from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge , the vast 19.6 million-acre wilderness of northeast Alaska. It is the largest wildlife refuge in the United States and is home to more…
How birds deal with summer heat: a house finch in a normal posture (left) and in a heat stress posture with feathers compressed, beak open and wings outstretched. © 2017 David Sibley With high body temperature, extremely good insulation, and limited means of dissipating heat, one of the greatest risks to birds in hot weather…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the 37 years I’ve lived along a major migration route, I’ve attracted about half a dozen species of warblers to my suet, jelly, and orange feeders. Visits were rare and only during the severe cold spells of spring migration. In…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Hummingbirds, native to North and South America, are among the smallest and most agile birds in the world. Often barely larger than a thumb, they are the only bird species capable of flying not only forward, but also backward or sideways….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The howling northeast wind was both haunting and comforting, a familiar reminder that late spring weather along the mid-Atlantic coast could be calming one day and threatening the next. Covering the darkness of night with an envelope of sound, volatile currents…
Illustrations by David Sibley Sometimes we come across loose feathers on the ground – sometimes a single feather, sometimes a group (which usually marks the feeding scene of a predator). Whatever the situation, the same question always comes up: which species lost these feathers? The best way to start is to ignore color and study…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the “Since You Asked” section in each issue of BirdWatching, editor-in-chief Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behavior. Here’s a question from our September/October 2018 issue. A European paper wasp rasps wood fibers to build a nest….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email It seems quite logical that bad weather can sometimes disorient birds on their annual fall migrations, causing them to end up in territory they are not used to. But why, even when weather is not a major factor, do birds stray…
Our friends at the UK-based Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) competition are seeing firsthand the growing pressures on bird populations around the world. Therefore, if bird photography is to thrive and not become, metaphorically speaking, a dying art, we all need to do our part to reverse the decline of bird species and support…
In the fall, many warblers wear drab plumages, not their colorful breeding plumages, and as a result, they have been labeled as difficult to identify. They have become so famous that birders who eagerly seek them out in the spring often avoid them in the fall. But fall is the best time to see warblers….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Want to know more about birds? Subscribe to our newsletterfull of birding tips, news and more! In the “Since You Asked” section in each issue of BirdWatching, editor-in-chief Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behavior. Here are two…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Spring is the perfect time for songbird breeding in California’s Central Valley: neither too hot nor too humid. But climate change models indicate the region will experience more rainfall during the breeding season and days of extreme heat are expected to…
Our Color of Birds 2020 contest attracted many great images. We are pleased to present this slideshow of honorable mention photos, featuring hummingbirds, toucans and many other birds. Appreciate! Skittled Toucan by Edward Munoz Edward Munoz photographed this keeled toucan near Lago del Lagarto Lodge in Boca Tapada, Costa Rica. “The lodge is in the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Want to know more about birds? Subscribe to our newsletterfull of birding tips, news and more! In 2014, the North American Bird Conservation Initiative identified 33 bird species that were once quite abundant but are now in steep decline. Among them…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Ken Archer of Twin Falls, Idaho is the third winner of our 2020 Color of the Birds contest with this photograph of a White-naped Jacobin spreading his tail during a rain shower. Ken took the photo in February 2015 at the…
Black-capped Chickadee, adult, January in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Photo by Brian E. Small Widespread throughout the northern United States and Canada, the black-capped chickadee is a familiar backyard bird to millions. In most of its range it is among the easiest birds to identify, but in a few areas it is among the most…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email When I fill my feeders during a snowstorm or when the temperatures drop below -20, I’m always happy to see my chickadees already there, waiting for me. They creep in for seeds still at room temperature and suet not yet frozen…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Scientists have discovered a new colony of emperor penguins in Antarctica using satellite mapping technology. This new colony represents a total of 66 known emperor penguin colonies around the Antarctic coast; exactly half were discovered by satellite imagery. The team studied…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Philip Witt from Somerset, New Jersey won second place in our 2020 Color of Birds contest with this stunning image of a scarlet macaw. The bird was drinking from a layer of clay near the Napo River in Ecuador. He took…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A documentary film about bird rehabilitators in India’s capital is among five nominees for Best Documentary Feature of 2022. anything that breathes hit theaters in October and is expected to be available on HBO Max this year (no date has been…
Blue-winged teal, female. December in Orange County, California. Photo by Brian E. Small Duck migration is a feature of early spring. In much of North America, ducks are on the move in March or even February. One of the last species to migrate is the Blue-winged Teal, a small and elegant freshwater swamp dabbling. When…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email When we moved into our home in 1981, in a long-established neighborhood, many of our garden trees showed serious signs of age. Our house didn’t seem to be in danger and even though my mother-in-law had advised us to take them…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Flight is not the only way songbirds can protect themselves from predators. Many songbird species are known to engage in stalking, where they aggressively crowd around a bird of prey, flying rapidly while performing stereotypical movements and loud vocalizations. Mobbing is…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Bob Graham of Kingsville, Ontario won first place in our 2020 Color of the Birds contest with this photo of a male Orange-breasted Sparrow. The species is endemic to western Mexico. Bob and his wife are retired and spend most of…
Three views of an American Goldfinch, with smooth, typical, fluffy feathers. The general shape is very different, but the beak, tail and main projection remain the same. Artwork by David Sibley Want to know more about birds? Subscribe to our newsletter ! Experienced birders often emphasize the importance of shape and proportions for identification. There’s…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the ‘Since you asked for it’ section in every issue of BirdWatching, editor Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behaviour. Here’s a question from our November/December 2018 issue. Q: Last year I took pictures of moulting goldfinches…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The UN Biodiversity Conference, held in December 2022, resulted in hundreds of countries agreeing to protect 30% of the planet and 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030. As countries are working to develop a framework to achieve these goals, it is…
As difficult as 2020 has been for millions, birdwatching has been a welcome distraction and, for many, a new passion to help us through the dark days. Bird photography is arguably more important today, to show the world the incredible diversity and beauty of birds, and we at Bird watching we are blessed to be…
Using the “clock” method is one way to direct people to a bird in a tree. Artwork by David Allen Sibley Subscribe to our newsletter, full of identification tips, news and much more! Discussions of birding skills focus primarily on finding and identifying birds, but being able to describe a bird’s location so other people…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where birds of interest are at different times of the year. We featured the Evening Grosbeak, pictured above, in…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Last week, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Navy announced that a bird species and four plant species from San Clemente Island, the southernmost of California’s Channel Islands, have restored and no longer require the protection of the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Few experiences ignite a birder’s passion more than a first encounter with a new species or the discovery of a previously seen bird in a new or unexpected place. The thrill of these spontaneous sightings and the anticipation of the next…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Sign up for our newsletter for more identification tips, bird news and more! A few minutes of browsing through any field guide will demonstrate the importance of the eye-ring for bird identification. It comes up again and again for species ranging…
A rare sighting of Black Scoters in Austin, Texas. Photo by Lora Render In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where birds of interest are at different times of the year. We featured the Black Scoter, pictured above, in our…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Every case of a bird being hit by a plane is sad, but this story is particularly shocking. On November 19, 2022, a United Airlines flight from Chicago was on final approach to Newark International Airport in New Jersey at 3:45…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email When winter arrives, it’s tempting to leave your camera in your bag, make yourself comfortable in front of the wood stove and leaf through travel catalogs for birding trips to the tropics! But don’t let the cold keep you inside. Winter…
Grosbeak, adult male, May in Kern County, California. Photo by Brian Small From coast to coast of the United States, the Blue Grosbeak is a regular summer resident in dense thickets along streams. Most common in the south, they have spread north in recent decades. They now regularly breed as far north as New Jersey,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Sunflower is the perfect seed to feed birds – or so I’ve been telling people since I started feeding backyard birds in 1981. It attracts a wide variety, from chickadees and sparrows jays and grosbeaks. Sunflower’s high protein content is nutritious…
We have Sabine Gulls and Arctic Terns, more Sabine Gulls and more Arctic Terns. We travel up the Ningikfak River in Alaska in an 18-foot speedboat, 120 Yamaha horsepower pushing us at breakneck speed. We just left Hooper Bay, an indentation in the Bering Sea west of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, one of…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Computer scientists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, in collaboration with biologists from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, recently announced in the journal Methods in ecology and evolution a new predictive model that can accurately predict where a migrating bird will…
Our 2020 Bird Portrait competition attracted hundreds of fantastic images. We are pleased to present this slideshow of 12 honorable mention photos, featuring the Bald Eagle, Great Snowy Egret, Great Reddish Egret and Northern Hawk Owl. Appreciate! Double-crested Cormorant by Stan Bysshe “The Green Cay Nature Center is a well-known wetland in Boynton Beach, Florida,”…
DISAPPEARING ACT: In normal swimming position, a mallard duck (above) hides its wings under the scapulars and flanks. Only the tertiaries and primaries are visible. The illustration below depicts the same bird and how its wing would appear if visible. Artwork by David Sibley Subscribe today to BirdWatching magazine for identification tips, birding hotspots and…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the ‘Since you asked for it’ section in every issue of BirdWatching, editor Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behaviour. Here’s a question from our January/February 2019 issue. Q: I took this photo of an American White…
“I have a kettle!” On a hawk watch, few phrases have such an electrifying and immediate effect. Before the echo of the scream passes the hill, the counters are in position, their binoculars up and ready, and their clickers wrapped around eager fingers. As the sky fills with falcons and other observers and visitors point…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The field of ornithology routinely excludes scholars and research from Latin America and the Caribbean, according to an article published February 7 in the Ornithological applications. The document, signed by 124 ornithologists (including professional scientists, naturalists, park rangers and technicians) from…
End of 2020, Bird watching received over 700 photos submitted by hundreds of photographers to our Bird Portrait contest. Thank you to everyone who participated! The selection of images was excellent, as have all of our previous contests. The judges had a difficult task! Today, we are proud to present to you the 12 finalist…
Henslow’s Sparrow, adult. May in Muskingum County, Ohio. Photo by Brian E. Small When I was 18, I hitchhiked to Chicago, where another birdwatcher, Joel Greenberg (now famous author and naturalist), promised to show me a Henslow’s Sparrow. On a cool June morning, we visited the beautiful prairie of Goose Lake. Later, I wrote a…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the ‘Since you asked for it’ section in every issue of BirdWatching, editor Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behaviour. Here’s a question from our January/February 2019 issue. Q: Can a bird’s eyes change color? Erica Cameron,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email For the first time in more than 40 years, a Peruvian diving petrel chick has hatched on Chañaral Island in Chile, marking a milestone on an island once devastated by invasive species. Members of the non-profit Island Conservation team, working in…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Vaughn Larsen of Littleton, Colorado is the third winner of our 2020 Bird Portrait Contest with this stunning portrait of a wood duck he took at Sterne Park in Littleton in October 2020. “The sunrise light off the fall foliage reflects…
Orange-crowned warbler, adult. April in Riverside County, California. Photo by Brian E. Small Wood warblers, as a group, are some of our most colorful and strikingly patterned birds. But there are exceptions, and one of the most notable is the Orange-crowned Warbler. It is a widespread bird found virtually throughout North America in certain seasons,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In 2012, editor Julie Craves wrote for us about the ecological costs of traditional coffee farming and she explained why shade-grown coffee is a better alternative for supporting birds and other wildlife. Recently, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center launched a #DrinkBirdFriendly…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The 26th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) takes place Friday, From February 17 to Monday February 20. Bird and nature lovers from all over the world come together to survey as many of the world’s bird species as possible during…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Steve Wolfe of Portal, Arizona won second place Bird watchingBird Portrait Contest 2020 with this flawless photo of a male Elegant Trogon. He took the photo in December 2017 at one of the best birding spots in the lower 48 states:…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Late summer is the time of year when many birds replace their feathers in a process called molting. Old feathers, most of which have been worn for about a year, fall off and new feathers grow in their place. Seagulls, for…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where birds of interest are at different times of the year. We featured the Pine Grosbeak, pictured above, in…
Williamson’s woodpecker, adult female. June in Weber County, Utah. Photo by Brian E. Small Many types of wildlife will relish the sweet taste of tree sap when it is readily available. Various woodpeckers occasionally bore into the bark to access the sap. But North America’s four species of suckers are unique in their degree of…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Popular fireworks should be replaced with cleaner drone and laser light shows to avoid the “highly damaging” impact on wildlife, pets and the environment in general, a new study suggests. The new research, published in Pacific Conservation Biologyexamined the environmental impact…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Congratulations to Andy Raupp of Pingree Grove, Illinois for winning first place in our 2020 Bird Portrait Contest with this amazing photo of a Cedar Waxwing. Andy took the photo “on a cold winter morning in our northern Illinois suburban neighborhood,”…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the ‘Since you asked for it’ section in every issue of BirdWatching, editor Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behaviour. Here’s a question from our January/February 2019 issue. Q: I was getting so many large birds in…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The endangered Bahamian warbler may be surviving on a single island after the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian in 2019, researchers at the University of East Anglia say. A new study shows the bird’s distribution and ecology on Grand Bahama Island…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email For me, there is nothing more exciting in bird photography than sitting in a photo awning and listening to the gentle sound of running water. When spring rolls around, I know that beautiful sound will bring with it the birds I…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In much of the country, winter birding involves scanning the open waters for ducks, loons, cormorants and anything else that might be found there. The birds we find are often far apart and identifying them is a challenge not because the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where birds of interest are at different times of the year. We featured the Short-eared Owl, pictured above, in…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Fossil bones of two newly described penguin species, one believed to be the largest penguin to ever live – weighing over 150 kilograms (330 pounds), more than three times the size of the largest living penguins – were discovered in New…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email This year, Olympus expanded the scope of the Micro Four Thirds format with the January launch of the professional M.Zuiko 150-400mm F4.5 super telephoto lens. It offers a reach equal to a 300mm to 800mm equivalent zoom on a full-frame 35mm…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Novice birders quickly learn the concept of habitat preferences. It’s a pretty simple idea: each species seeks out a place with a particular set of conditions and spends its time there. This is useful for identification at a very basic level,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In July 2018, I started a blog post with the photo above and these words: “I came across this scene the other day. I won’t divulge my reaction! Outdoor men and women often seek vistas. Landscape photographers often do the same….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Conservationists at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge in Kaua’i celebrated exciting milestones for two endangered seabird species in 2022, and they look forward to more good news this year. Since 2015, a consortium of conservation partners, including American Bird Conservancy (ABC),…
Yesterday, April 19, an adult bald eagle was found entangled in a fence in a field in northern Virginia. Certified wildlife rehabilitators from the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in Millwood, Va., retrieved the bird from the fence and cared for it at their facility. The bird was exhausted but lucky. He had only minor injuries…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Wing patterns may seem complicated at first glance, but the good news is that the arrangement of wing feathers in all types of birds is quite similar (and is nearly identical in all songbirds). So, learning about a bird’s feathers will…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where birds of interest are at different times of the year. We featured Ovenbird, pictured above, in our March/April…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email On Tuesday, February 14, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposal to remove the wood stork from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife. The bird is the only species of stork breeding in the United States. The…
Bell’s Vireo, Arizona Race. April in Pima County, Arizona. Photo by Brian E. Small At 58, his notoriety already ensured by the publication of his great birds of america, John James Audubon left in 1843 for a last expedition in search of new birds. Traveling up the Missouri River with a team of young naturalists,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the “Since You Asked” section of each issue of BirdWatching, editor Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behavior. Here’s a question from our March/April 2019 issue. Q: Introduced Dappled Lanterns are infesting our region. A recommended control…
As a kid on the coast of Maine, I loved islands, especially ones that were little visited. I never knew what I might find along the shore – perhaps a delicate glass float from an offshore Portuguese fishing boat or the skeletonized remains of an unlucky porpoise. As an adult, I continue to be fascinated…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Time and again, studies have shown that exposure to nature can improve human mental health and well-being. A new study from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology dug a little deeper, examining what kind of nature experiences were associated with greater feelings…
Marsh kite, male, adult or nearly adult. April in Osceola County, Florida. Photo by Brian E. Small Upon hearing that there are birds called “kites”, many people assume they must have been named for the type of kite you fly on a string. In fact, it’s the reverse. Birds were named first, and paper craft…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Today, April 22, is Earth Day. Earth Day Network’s theme this year is “Protect Our Species”, so the organization is drawing attention to endangered and threatened species: bees, coral reefs, elephants, birds, insects, whales, and more. “Nature’s gifts to our planet…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The war in Ukraine and Russia’s international isolation have harmed biodiversity conservation, according to a new study published in Frontiers of conservation science. The international study was co-authored by a researcher from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Conservationists monitoring migratory…
German researchers say the “most Instagrammable” family of birds are frogmouths – a group of 14 nocturnal species characterized by large eyes, flat, wide beaks and a frog-like opening. They occur in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Write in the journal i-PerceptionKatja Thömmes and Gregor Hayn-Leichsenring said the top showing the frog’s mouth “seems like…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email You may not think of bird migration in July and August, but this is the peak of southward shorebird migration, when any mudflat is likely to provide a resting place for few species, and the best places can host 20 or…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Naturalist and TV personality David Mizejewski of the National Wildlife Federation has just released the second expanded edition of his practical book Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife. Below is an excerpt from the first chapter of the book, in…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Nature poetry and essays can be powerful ways for people to connect with the natural world. A new anthology published in January, titled Dawn Songs: A Birdwatcher’s Field Guide to the Poetics of Migration and edited by Jamie K. Reaser and…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email During my bird photography workshops and tours, the question I get asked most often is, “Hey Rick, what’s your f-stop?” Basically, photographers ask me for my camera settings: ISO, aperture and shutter speed. I answer with a smile: “What is your…
Lucifer Hummingbird, adult male. September in Brewster County, Texas. Photo by Brian E. Small When birders visit the Southwestern United States in late summer, hummingbirds usually rank high on their “wish list.” One of the most sought after is the rare and enigmatic Hummingbird Lucifer. Although it occurs annually in three states, its status is…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In ‘On the Move’, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where birds of interest are at different times of the year. We featured the Black-and-White Warbler, pictured above, in…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Our barnyard tits are common everyday birds that amaze me. It almost goes without saying that chickadees are cute and endearing, and it’s fair to call them friendly too, and not just to people with feeders. Northern warblers learn black-capped chickadee…
This week, the National Audubon Society named the winning photographs and videos for the 2021 Audubon Photography Awards, with eight awards across five divisions. In year 12, winning entries and honorable mentions emerged from 2,416 entrants from all 50 states, Washington DC and 10 Canadian provinces and territories. For the first time, the competition awarded…
Wandering talker, non-breeding adult. August in Ventura County, California. Photo by Brian E. Small The Wandering Tattler’s name sounds whimsical and fictional, but it’s actually an apt title. “Wandering” is no exaggeration. The coastal wintering range of this sandpiper extends across the Pacific, from California and Ecuador to Australia, and just about every archipelago and…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the “Since You Asked” section of each issue of BirdWatching, editor Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behavior. Here’s a question from our January/February 2018 issue. Q: What are turkey mites? — Mary Kennedy, Columbia, Missouri A:…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email This week, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and American Bird Conservancy (ABC) led a regulatory filing with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of 65 nonprofit groups. The brief proposes major reforms in how the agency regulates systemic insecticides….
Last spring we held our latest photo competition, the 2021 BirdWatching Photography Awards, here on our website. We received over 770 entries – images of owls, eagles, hummingbirds, cranes and passerines, among others – from hundreds of photographers. Thank you to everyone who participated! The selection of images was stellar, as all of our previous…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email It’s easy to say that a crow is “all black”. You don’t have to be a birdwatcher to know that all of a crow’s feathers are black. But closer examination reveals that at some point, even though all of the crow’s…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the “Since You Asked” section of each issue of BirdWatching, editor Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behavior. Here’s a question from our March/April 2019 issue. Q: I thought people weren’t supposed to eat apple seeds because…
Watching migrating hawks, eagles, hawks and other raptors in the fall is a pleasure and a tradition, and the places where fall birds can be easily spotted are as revered as they are famous. Cape May. Hawk Ridge. Corpus Christi. Golden door. Veracruz. At each, geography and weather work together to make watching the annual…
ALWAYS IDENTIFIABLE: A Mallard, a Common Loon and a Red-necked Grebe, all sleeping in the characteristic posture of their families. (Illustrations not to scale.) Art by David Sibley For birdwatchers, winter is a time to stand on frozen shores and struggle to identify distant waterfowl. This means focusing on beak shape, head shape, body proportions,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced this week that it will protect the California spotted owl under the Endangered Species Act. This decision comes 33 years after the Northern Spotted Owl was listed as Threatened (in June 1990) and…
Last spring we held our latest photo competition, the 2021 BirdWatching Photography Awards, here on our website. We received over 770 entries – images of owls, eagles, hummingbirds, cranes and passerines, among others – from hundreds of photographers. Thank you to everyone who participated! The selection of images was stellar, as all of our previous…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A few years ago, one fall morning, while viewing the “Magic Hedge”, a rare bird magnet at the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary in Chicago, I found a beautiful collection of birds feeding on the ground in a flower bed. Panning with…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email William Parker Teed won third place in the 2021 BirdWatching Photography Awards with this beautiful shot of roseate spoonbills standing on the beach in Fort Myers on Florida’s Gulf Coast. He photographed the idyllic scene in August 2016. A few of…
American Tree Sparrow, adult, June on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Photo by Brian E. Small Sparrows are scary. At least that’s their reputation. People new to birding, or even not so new, often see sparrows as sneaky and streaky, hard to see and hard to identify. But these fascinating birds become easier to recognize when…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In ‘On the Move’, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where birds of interest are at different times of the year. We featured the Connecticut Warbler, pictured above, in…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The challenge of “balancing wildlife conservation and decarbonizing the power sector” has faced grasslands and shrub-steppes across North America, according to findings published in the July 2022 issue of the Wildlife Society Bulletin. John Lloyd of the Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Tina McManus’ July 2018 visit to Crane Beach, a 1,234-acre conservation area in Ipswich, Massachusetts, produced the second photo for the 2021 BirdWatching Photography Awards: this portrait of a lesser tern and her hungry chick. “Least Terns are one of my…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the western pine forests, pygmy nuthatches are among the smallest songbirds and are often the most conspicuous. Active, acrobatic, highly social, these nuthatches climb, descend and around tree trunks and branches, hop along branches or swing upside down from twigs….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where interesting birds are at different times of the year. We featured Philadelphia Vireo, pictured above, in our May/June…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Michael Parr, president of the American Bird Conservancy, will deliver the keynote address at the Bringing Birds Back conference, scheduled for March 24-25 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Parr co-authored a landmark 2019 study that found 3 billion birds have disappeared from North…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Kathy McCulloch Wade, of Lake Forest Park, Washington, won first place at the 2021 BirdWatching Photography Awards with this stunning image of a short-eared owl facing a northern harrier, which faces away from the camera. She took the photo in mid-March…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Phalaropes are such unusual shorebirds – with their swimming and spinning habits, and with females much more colorful than males – that in the past they were often thought of as a family in their own right. More recent studies have…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email When my wife and I moved into our home in 2000 in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, she set out to create a garden that would attract birds, by planting it with native shrubs and plants. Later, when we needed to replace a few…
Martine Violette ©2013 Ed Mattis Birdwatchers the world over know the springtime spectacle of hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes on Nebraska’s Platte River, but do you know about Cornhusker State’s other migratory bird spectacle? Tens of thousands of purple swallows congregate each evening from late June to early October as they begin their fall…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The Dusky Tetraka, a small, olive-colored, yellow-throated bird that hops on the ground and has eluded ornithologists for 24 years, was rediscovered by an expedition team searching the rainforests of northeast Madagascar. The expedition team, led by the Peregrine Fund’s Madagascar…
After more than 22,000 images submitted, the winners of the Bird Photographer of the Year 2021 competition were announced this week. We wrote about the grand prize winner, a photo of a Greater Roadrunner stopped at the US-Mexico border wall and the young winner here. Below is a slideshow of the gold and silver winning…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Predatory birds like hawks are always rare – far outnumbered by their prey – and they often move through an area quickly and stealthily. For us, spotting a raptor is fun, but for birds like doves and sparrows, it’s a matter…
Red-headed woodpecker. Photo by Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren [CC BY 2.0]In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where interesting birds are at different times of the year. We featured the Red-headed Woodpecker, pictured above, in our July/August 2019 issue….
Swallow-tailed Kite in southern Georgia by gman79. Good news! The annual Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival kicks off today in Titusville, Florida, east of Orlando. Read about Space Coast and see it on a map. Editor Laura Erickson. Now in its 17th year, the festival has become a highlight of every winter, and this…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Using data from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a new study finds that birds that have evolved to be more social are less likely to drive other birds away from a feeder or roost. Spend time looking at backyard bird feeders…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Identifying small songbirds is always difficult, so any clue that helps narrow down the possibilities can be invaluable. A very common experience is to see a small bird fly through an opening and then into a tree or shrub, where it…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In On the Move, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where interesting birds are at different times of the year. We featured Eastern Phoebe, pictured above, in our July/August…
The distance was great, but the light was perfect and the view through my spyglass was clear. I watched gulls strolling through a wetland along the Churchill River, south of Manitoba’s still snow-capped Hudson Bay, on a cool but beautiful day in early June. I was hoping to find a needle in a haystack, a…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Bald eagles are often touted as a massive conservation success story due to their rebound from near extinction in the 1960s. But now a highly infectious virus may jeopardize that hard-fought comeback. Posted in Nature Science Reportsnew research from the University…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Members of the chickadee family are among the most familiar and popular backyard birds in North America. The best known are undoubtedly the chickadees, a handful of dusky-headed sprites that flock to feeders in most of the United States and Canada….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Birds collide with buildings, especially windows, with astonishing frequency. A 2014 study in the journal The Condor found that between 365 and 988 million birds are killed each year by collisions with buildings in the United States. And in 2019, research…
Delta Naturalists’ Society casual birders at Drayton Harbor, Blaine, Washington, January 6, 2014. Photo by Ken Borrie. In “Hotspots Near You” in our December 2012 issue, author and naturalist Anne Murray described a wonderful place in the Pacific Northwest: Drayton Harbor in Blaine, Washington. As Anne wrote, Drayton Harbor is a great place for birdwatching,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The mostly brown Eurasian woodcock uses its brilliant white tail feathers to communicate in semi-darkness, reflecting 30% more light than any other known bird. These startling findings, by a team led by a scientist from Imperial College London, suggest there’s a…
Earlier this year, we held our first photo contest focused solely on images of birds in flight, the 2021 Birds in Flight contest, here on our website. We received over 825 entries – images of bald eagles, ospreys, blue jays, burrowing owls, hummingbirds, among others – from hundreds of photographers. Thank you to everyone who…
Typical flickers are shown at the top: red on the left and yellow on the right. At bottom left is an intergrade, with a uniformly intermediate wing color and intermediate head pattern. In the lower right is an abnormally colored yellow tree, with some red feathers in the wings. Art by David Sibley The Northern…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email One night last winter I heard a great horned owl, grabbed my recording gear and ran out to the back porch. Two owls in my yard hooted back and forth; a second pair to the west responded. My yard must be…
Ring-necked Duck in St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2014, by Redfish. Hatfield Lakes is a wastewater treatment facility located about 9 miles east of Bend in central Oregon and one of the places we named Hotspot Near You. In our February 2013 issue, Oregon-based natural history writer and freelance nature photographer Damian Fagan called it…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The evolution of an ornithologist is a lifeline connecting a series of memorable encounters, the dots on a line that define a lifetime. For me, most if not all of the interactive dots involving birds were accidental, and the line is…
A few days ago we revealed the finalists for our Birds in Flight 2021 Photo Contest, and now the winners have also been announced (see links below). We also want to share several other entries in this contest that we really liked: the 16 honorable mention images. Thank you to everyone who submitted over 825…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email If I asked you to name the season when the birds are at their best, I’m guessing you’d answer “spring.” This is when most species are in their showiest and most colorful breeding plumage. But I would like to argue that…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Now that September is here, it’s time to count the shorebirds! World Shorebird Day 2019 is Friday, September 6. This year, the World Shorebird Count will take place September 3-9, 2019. Wherever you live, we encourage you to participate. Shorebirds are…
Great Egret with nesting material, High Island, Texas. Photo of John Phillips Jr. Smith Oaks is a treasure. It’s one of four Houston Audubon-maintained sanctuaries on High Island, Texas, and the perfect place if you want to see large numbers of songbirds, hummingbirds, and other northbound neotropical migrants that just crossed the Gulf of Mexico…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email More than 1,200 years ago, flightless elephants roamed the island of Madagascar and laid eggs larger than footballs. While these ostrich-like giants are now extinct, new research from the University of Colorado at Boulder and Curtin University in Australia reveals that…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Mike Dowsett won third place in our Birds in Flight 2021 competition with this extraordinary image of an osprey carrying a fish. Dowsett is originally from England and now lives in southern Michigan. He took the photo in August 2018 at…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Everything in nature has multiple connections, so in studying bird identification we don’t just look at the physical field markings of the bird in isolation. We have to think about habitat, behavior, total distribution and many other factors. The Snow Goose…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In ‘On the Move’, our regular migration column, we feature pairs of range maps from eBird that you can use to compare where birds of interest are at different times of the year. We featured the Horned Grebe, pictured above, in…
American Wigeon, Fruit Bat, Ringnecked Duck and Greater Duck at Presqu’ile Provincial Park, Brighton, Ontario in April 2014. Photo by David Bree. Ontario’s Presqu’ile Provincial Park, on the north shore of Lake Ontario, is an important stopover for migratory birds, including waterfowl. In fact, thousands of birds of up to 20 species – redheads, ducks,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The second place winner of our 2021 Birds in Flight competition is Ed Hughes, with this photo of an Eastern Flycatcher attacking a much larger Great Egret. He took the photo in June 2018 in a small pond in his hometown…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Tips for improving birding skills usually include the suggestion to carry a notebook and take notes or draw sketches in the field. Your first thought might be, “I can’t draw, and what can I write?” but that misses the point. It…
Protonotary Warbler at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Ohio, May 18, 2014, by Joan Tisdale. Just in time for spring migration and a host of upcoming birding festivals (see below), we learned of a new trail that will help you find and enjoy more birds this year. Called Canada’s South Coast Birding Trail, the new network…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Special cranial adaptations, including an asymmetrical “wonky” skull and enlarged ears, may give the critically endangered, ground-dwelling nocturnal parrot the edge it needs to navigate the Australian outback in the dark – even with limited eyesight and a large “bluffing” head….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Third place in our 2021 Bird Portrait Contest goes to Tina McManus from Beverly, Massachusetts, for her photo of a Piping Plover with a dozing chick under its wing feathers. McManus took the photo in June 2020 on a beach near…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email I was 11, an avid birdwatcher, eager to find everything I could. On a cold December morning, I walked into a grove of evergreens in a Kansas park a few miles from my parents’ house. Despite my research, I could only…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A recent study published in Science concluded that 29% of the bird population of the United States and Canada, i.e. 3 billions birds – have been lost since 1970. And a report just released by Audubon concludes that climate change is…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The second winner of BirdWatching’s 2021 Bird Portrait Contest is Dennis Stogsdill of Chappaqua, New York. He took this close-up photo of a southern ground hornbill’s face and especially its eyelashes in September 2021 in the Mara Triangle area of Kenya’s…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Many birds have white spots on their tails, and the shape of these white spots can be a very useful identification clue. But they look different from above and below, and they change dramatically as the tail opens and closes. Understanding…
Bird feeding stations in Peru help protect the habitat of the wonderful Spatuletail hummingbird. Photo by westcoastbirder. Virtually all of our backyard birds would survive without our feeders. Yet bird feeding stations can be crucial for the continued survival of some species, and some feeders even play an important role in protecting against climate change….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The annual number of migratory monarchs wintering in Mexico is once again dismal for the iconic orange and black butterflies. This year’s tally showed a 22% drop from 2022, leaving the butterfly highly vulnerable to extinction. The count found only 2.21…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Karen Griggs Winchester of North Port, Florida won first place in BirdWatching’s 2021 Bird Portrait Contest with this stunning photo of Sandhill Crane foals resting on their mother’s back while being sheltered by her wings. She photographed the moment in mid-March…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Bread may be the “food of life” for some human cultures, but it is not nutritious for birds. What should you feed your backyard birds? Black Oil Sunflower, which is easy to open with its thin shell and contains more oil…
The great bustard is a specialty of southern Portugal. This one was photographed on March 30, 2008 by Andrej Chudý (Wikimedia Commons). If you’ve ever thought it might be fun to see a Spanish imperial eagle, one of the rarest birds of prey in the world, or if you want to witness the extravagant courtship…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A woodpecker species once thought to be restricted to recently burned areas can also breed successfully in unburned parts of fire-prone landscapes, according to a study by scientists at Oregon State University. The research sheds new light on the Black-backed Woodpecker…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The breeding season for waterfowl offers wonderful opportunities for action shots of ducks, geese and swans, depending on where you live and the species that nest near you. One of my most memorable experiences with breeding waterfowl was one year in…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In much of the world, winter is a season to study waterfowl, and if you have access to a large body of water (ocean, large lake, or river), it’s worth looking for waterfowl during storms. This has the potential for some…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email It is vitally important that as many of us as possible shelter in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, but we birdwatchers cannot simply turn off the desire to observe birds, butterflies and other wildlife. I am doing my birding from…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Today, award-winning vocal jazz artist Emilie-Claire Barlow releases “Spark Bird,” her first full-length album in five years. As the title suggests, birds inspired Barlow’s creativity. During the isolation of the coronavirus pandemic, Barlow wondered if she would ever want to make…
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, home to an annual wildlife show of wintering sandhill cranes, snow geese and other birds, last December hosted a photography workshop organized by Canon USA, Inc. The Canon team live-streamed the event, which was hosted by Canon Explorer of Light and wildlife photographer Charles Glatzer and…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A flash of bright, contrasting color on the rump is an important feature of many bird species and also a useful terrain mark. The Yellow-rumped Warbler is distinguished from almost all other small songbirds by its contrasting yellow patch on the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email As a responsible buyer, I began to wonder about the effects of genetically modified crops on the environment and whether GMO crops are sold in bird food, such as tallow. From this year, certain genetically modified foods sold for human consumption…
Cuban endemic gnatcatcher, December 2016. Photo by Floyd Downs. The spectacular birds above and below were photographed by birdwatchers who traveled to Cuba with Bird watching magazine in early December 2016. Guided by biologist Luis Diaz, curator of the National Museum of Natural History in Havana, and Bird watching editor Chuck Hagner, the group has…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email New research shows how the body condition of nestlings in a shearwater colony rapidly declined in just over a decade. Human impacts are considered the most likely cause. Researchers collected data on how body condition, which includes wing, head and beak…
Last fall, we called for entries for our first-ever Backyard and City Bird Photo Contest, here on our website. Bird photographers captured more than 600 images taken in yards, parks and other urban and suburban locations. Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest! Below is a slideshow of our 12 honorable mention images….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Inhabitants of dense swamps, rails glide on foot through low vegetation, rarely flying. All have strong, distinct voices but tend to call primarily at night. Few other birds are so elusive. Two small species, the Virginia Rail and the Sora, are…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In the “Since You Asked” section of each issue of BirdWatching, editor Julie Craves answers readers’ questions about birds and their behavior. Here’s a question from our May/June 2020 issue. Q: I have a robin’s nest on my property and have…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A new series of three short films titled Big Sur Giants from documentary filmmaker Ross Thomas takes viewers into the world of the California condor and the Ventana Wildlife Society biologists who work to protect it. Thomas accompanies Joe Burnett, a…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The next July/August 2020 issue of Bird watching includes an excerpt from the terrific new book Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy, professor of entomology and wildlife ecology and well-known expert on native plants. In the excerpt, he sings the praises…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Researchers are deploying the latest mapping techniques to identify the most important suburban habitat for a Pileated Woodpecker species. Ruijia Hu, a doctoral student at the University of Cincinnati, said wildlife habitat in congested places like southwestern Ohio is becoming more…
At the end of 2021, we called for entries for our first-ever Backyard and City Bird Contest, here on our website. Bird photographers captured more than 600 images taken in yards, parks and other urban and suburban locations. Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest! Entries included images of owls, hummingbirds, cardinals, jays,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Whether you started birding since the pandemic began last year or have been part of the birding scene for decades, you’ll want to attend this weekend’s 24th Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). People around the world will count the birds they…
Chestnut-mouthed Toucan in Costa Rica. Photo by Ray Robles Spectacular colors, strange names, dramatic shapes! North American birders looking to broaden their horizons invariably find a guide to the birds of Costa Rica in their hands. Field guides to the country’s birds are impossible to put down, the stuff of birdwatcher travel dreams, and the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email This news comes from our friends at the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Partnership, and it focuses on a Wisconsin-based songbird conservation initiative. While the details are specific to the Badger State, we’re sharing them because…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The photo above by Glenn Ostle of Charlotte, North Carolina won third place in BirdWatching’s 2021 Backyard and City Bird Photo Contest. “Since we live in North Carolina, we have a lot of Carolina Wrens in our backyard,” Ostle explains. “They…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Birders often struggle to tell brown-streaked birds apart, grouping them with nicknames like “LBJ” (for “Little Brown Jobs”). It is really difficult to sort out the many species and variations of birds that are small, brownish and streaky. As always, one…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The breathtaking beauty of orioles inspires many of us to turn our backyards into oriole docking stations. Feeders are the simplest and most effective decoy for migrating orioles. Birds occasionally consume sunflower seeds and suet, but they prefer sweeter foods. Oranges…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Update, April 13: Condor Crisis Deepens; 18 dead in three weeks Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed as the cause of the deaths of three California condors found in northern Arizona, according to wildlife officials. The Arizona-Utah population moves…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Meryl Lorenzo from Bayville, New York won second place in our 2021 Backyard and City Bird Photo Contest with this photo of a hungry hummingbird. The sharp, detailed look of the photo as a tiny ruby-throated hummingbird fed on a much…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In forested regions from coast to coast, in late spring and summer, some of the most characteristic sounds are the chirping of pewees. The sound changes abruptly in the middle of the continent because two species – Eastern and Western Wood-pewees…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email One spring morning a few decades ago, I heard horrific screams and ran out to see a Cooper’s hawk tear up a still-living robin on my neighbor’s back lawn. The robin was howling and its mate, facing the hawk from less…
Georgia’s barrier islands feature a mix of sand, mud and salt marshes, ideal habitats for shorebirds. Photo by Brad Winn The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) recently designated nearly 80,000 acres along the Georgia coast as its 100th significant site for shorebirds. The site, known as the Georgia Barrier Islands, was considered a landscape…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In late March, the Hawaii Land and Natural Resources Board (BLNR) unanimously approved a plan to eliminate mosquitoes at the landscape scale in critical forest bird habitat to reduce populations of mosquitoes. mosquitoes in the dense, humid forests of East Maui….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Maureen Hills-Urbat of Rockyview County, Alberta is the winner of our first backyard and city bird photo contest with this image of bickering blue jays. “We are very lucky to live in the foothills west of Calgary, Alberta and have a…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Feather colors and patterns provide some of the most important clues we have for identifying birds and are usually quite reliable. Only a few things change the appearance of feathers. They wear out and fade over time. They can be temporarily…
David Sibley Wildlife Acoustics, creator of the Song Sleuth bird identification app, is running a contest where the winner will go birdwatching with David Sibley in May 2018. The “Song Sleuth with Sibley” competition presented with LLBean gives birdwatchers the unique opportunity to bird-watch with Sibley, the renowned artist and author of The Sibley Guide…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Deteriorating habitat conditions caused by climate change are taking their toll with the timing of bird migration. A new study shows that birds can partially compensate for these changes by delaying the start of spring migration and making the trip faster….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The plover family includes at least two dozen species worldwide that are small with a single black ring, partial or full, from the sides of the neck through the chest. Most are brown-backed – the color of wet mud – but…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Eh ? What are you saying, little bird? My saddest moment as an ornithologist was when, about 10 years ago, I saw a golden-crowned kinglet sing. The bird was only about 10 feet away when I saw its little body vibrate…
Kentucky Warbler, one of the species that can be seen along Maryland’s Indian Head Rail Trail. Photo by Hans Spiecker Subscribe today to BirdWatching magazine for tips, birding hotspots and more! This Saturday, April 7 marks the sixth annual Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Trail Open Day. It’s a day when people kick off the spring trail season…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The decades-long project to prevent the extinction of the California condor is facing a new crisis due to the widespread strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported Wednesday that six condors have been confirmed…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Oregon State University researchers have good news for the well-meaning masses who place bird feeders in their backyards: small songbirds that visit feeders seem unlikely to develop an unhealthy addiction to them. “There’s still a lot we don’t know about how…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Since the 1950s, mankind has produced around 8.3 billion tons of plastic, adding another 380 million tons to this amount every year. Only 9% of this is recycled. The inevitable result is that plastic is everywhere, from the depths of the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email If we tried to design a bird to be popular with humans, it would be hard to invent anything more appealing than the Eastern Bluebird. It has beautiful colors, a soft, musical voice, and a seemingly gentle demeanor. It easily adapts…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Those of us who live in cities and suburbs may not think about attracting bluebirds, which are usually found in wilder or more rural settings. When bluebirds nest or overwinter in cities or towns, they tend to be found in cemeteries,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A rare species of kingfisher that has only existed in captivity since 1988 is the subject of a reintroduction project that could one day bring it back to the island of Guam. The Sihek (also known as the Guam Kingfisher) is…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email One of the main cues we use to identify birds is color, and the color we perceive is entirely dependent on lighting. The challenge of color perception is not limited to bird identification, of course, and we are constantly making (mostly…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Hot weather and drought, and the fires they promote, are becoming more extreme around the world. People facing these hardships may be unable to consider the extreme weather conditions that burden wildlife, but those of us who can help the birds…
Rock Point Provincial Park in southeastern Ontario. Photo by JamesJongPhotography/Shutterstock Stretching along the north shore of Lake Erie for more than 350 miles is Canada’s most temperate region, aptly dubbed “the Riviera of Canada.” The region’s similarities with the Mediterranean coastline are surprising. Both lie along a latitude of around 42 degrees and enjoy a…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A team of scientists led by researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently made a startling discovery, using a wind tunnel and a flock of birds. The songbirds, many of which make twice-yearly non-stop flights of more than 1,000 miles…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email If you haven’t paid attention to new photo products in a while, now is the time. Over the past 12 to 18 months, digital mirrorless photography has come into its own. There’s no denying that for the first time ever, DSLR…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Cold northern waters around the world are home to one of the most distinctive waterfowl, the Long-tailed Duck. This magnificent diver breeds on arctic tundra in North America, Europe and Asia, and it winters along coasts and on some of the…
The Cornell FeederWatch Cam is located at the Treman Bird Feeding Garden at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. It is equipped with an Axis P1448-LE camera with an ETS ML1-WPW microphone and is based in Sapsucker Woods and near a 10-acre pond, so it attracts a wide variety of species. The…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email On Thursday, April 20, the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built is set to launch from SpaceX facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, an area surrounded by federal and state public lands. Hundreds of thousands of individual birds of many different…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Many of the land marks we use to identify bird species involve the color patterns created by feathers, so it is useful to understand the basic elements that come together to form these patterns. Despite the seemingly endless variety of bird…
The Bella Hummingbird Nest Camera is located in La Verne, California and switches between the nest and a feed camera. The owners of the cameras have enjoyed watching female hummingbirds nest and raise their offspring in their ficus trees since around 2005. They installed a webcam and started streaming in 2012. The camera’s namesake, Bella,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email I’m happy to announce that our website has a new directory of birding tour providers! These are businesses and non-profit organizations that offer bird watching tours to the public. Several of them conduct tours around the world while many others focus…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The Red Knot, one of the Western Hemisphere’s migratory distance champions, has been the subject of three good news stories in the past month. 1, horseshoe crab fishing stop On April 6, the U.S. District Court in Charleston, South Carolina prevented…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Sort the sparrows are an ongoing challenge, and while there are many helpful resources available, one species – the house sparrow – is often overlooked. Native to Eurasia, the species is naturalized and common in human settlements around the world thanks…
The Panama Fruit Feeders are located on the grounds of the Canopy Lodge in El Valle de Antón, Panama. The site is in the low mountains of Cerro Gaital, approximately 2,000 feet above sea level, and enjoys spring-like weather year-round. Canopy Lodge specializes in bird-focused nature tourism. It houses several feeders on site so guests…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Last week, a Brazilian federal judge suspended all licenses previously granted to energy company Voltalia to build a wind farm in the habitat of the endangered Lear’s macaw in northeast Brazil. . In his decision, the judge said these licenses cannot…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Stan Bysshe of Marshall, Virginia wins third place in our 2022 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition with this spectacular shot of a bald eagle in an Alaskan snowstorm. “Winter weather in Kachemac Bay, Alaska can change in a minute,” Stan writes. “On…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email When I was learning to identify birds, I spent hours wondering about sparrows that, in retrospect, were probably all the same species. It was frustrating, but later I turned the experience into identification tips. If you see a compact, ridged sparrow…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In October 2020, I set up a trail camera on a tray feeder hoping to document a flying squirrel, but instead recorded a great horned owl using the feeder as a perch. chase. Without the camera, I wouldn’t have suspected he…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email As the coronavirus pandemic has devastated the birdwatching and ecotourism travel industry worldwide, a number of tour guide providers are offering virtual tours of birdwatching sites for free or for a small fee. These events provide a glimpse of the wildlife…
The importance of water is at the center of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day, an annual celebration of migratory birds and a call to action to protect them. Throughout 2023, organizers are spreading the message that “water sustains bird life” and highlighting ways to conserve and protect aquatic habitats. This year’s WMBD poster, featuring…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Danielle Rockett of Ottawa, Ontario wins second place in our 2022 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition with this image of a great horned owl and her young owl in their nest. “Every year, at the end of December, a couple of Great…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The birds are variable, but they don’t have to be confusing. Learning the larger variation patterns is one of the fundamentals of bird identification and one of the keys to understanding them. Generally, immatures are more variable in their appearance than…
The Savannah Great Horned Owl Camera is located approximately 80 feet above one of six Audubon International certified golf courses at The Landings on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia. The Nest Cam is introduced to the public by Skidaway Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. A pair of Great Horned Owls began using the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email At the beginning of August, our friends from Panama Day Trips, based in Panama City, offered us Bird watching readers a free virtual birding experience: attendees were able to watch via Zoom for a few hours as tour guide Jerin Tate…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email North American grassland birds are disappearing at an alarming rate. Since 1970, more than half of all grassland birds in the United States and Canada have disappeared, and species such as Bobolinks and Mountain Plovers are on track to lose another…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Jim Burns of Scottsdale, Arizona is the winner of our 2022 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition with this remarkable photo of a fight between a Gilded Flicker and a European Starling. He took the photo in the Tonto National Forest in Maricopa…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email On November 6, 2021, I learned that a female hummingbird belonging to the genus Selasphore — either an Allen or, much more likely, a Rufous — had come to a manger on my block in Duluth, Minnesota. The next morning, a…
A Spanish imperial eagle with its next meal. Photo by Shutterstock For wildlife travelers from the United States, Spain offers a range of interesting habitats and an equally fascinating array of species, all carefully contained in an area only slightly smaller than Texas. Due to its position, connecting North Africa and Southern Europe, Spain encompasses…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The saying “birds of the same feather flock together” takes on new meaning thanks to a study published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. Flocked birds often travel in groups consisting of a single species, in which individuals…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s free Merlin Bird ID app can now recognize the voices of 685 species from North America and Europe, plus a mix of common neotropical birds. The AI-powered sound identification function can extract a probable identification regardless of…
The Ventana Wildlife Society, an organization dedicated to releasing captive-bred California condors since 1997, operates the Big Sur Condor Nest Camera. The organization installs cameras in the nests of its sanctuary and sometimes in the wild. Birds are most active from late morning to early afternoon. Additionally, if you see a condor while looking at…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Birders talk a lot about wingbars – contrasting bands of pale markings on a bird’s folded wing. The presence or absence of wingbars is one of the first things we learn to look for when learning to identify birds, and it’s…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email At New Jersey Audubon, we care about the welfare of birds just as much as we appreciate their beauty, amazing life stories, and inquisitive behaviors that are both playful and territorial. Our festivals have always been designed for maximum fun on…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Every year, about 10 million waterfowl fly north to their breeding grounds in the prairie pothole region of North America, but the landscape that welcomes them has changed. Weather and agricultural practices have dramatically transformed the pothole-strewn native grasslands that waterfowl…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Mother Nature is ready to push the “refresh” button via the springtime rhythms of birdlife. One way to witness the wonders of the natural world and do good at the same time is to participate in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email What’s good for the Black-backed Woodpecker is good for restoring California’s burned forests. The unique relationship of birds with fire underpins the latest research on improving post-fire management. A study published in Ecological applications describes a new tool that factors how…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Last winter, at the tender age of 71, I underwent a procedure that would have a major impact on my life: total knee replacement surgery. My previously stiff and painful arthritic knee has improved dramatically and I’ve pretty much returned to…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email As of spring 2018, the BirdCast website, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Colorado State University and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, offers live bird migration forecasts and maps that show with elegance the movements of migratory birds across North America. Daily…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Have you ever identified 200 bird species in 24 hours? Anywhere in North America or elsewhere? Forty years ago, a group of birdwatchers thought it could be done – in New Jersey of all places! And so, the World Series of…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email I often say that I learn new things every time I go bird watching and the learning opportunities will never end. One of the keys to this is being an “active” observer and asking questions, and for this column I thought…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email In 2022, the impact of light pollution is the focus of World Migratory Bird Day, an annual global campaign that celebrates the migration of birds across countries and continents. Throughout the year, the organizers will pass on the message to “dim…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email “This proposal is politically motivated and has no place in how we manage our nation’s wildlife,” said Marshall Johnson, conservation manager, National Audubon Society. “Congress should not let politics interfere where the science is clear. This bird will disappear from our…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Third place in our Birds in Flight 2022 contest goes to Rebecca DePorte from Princeton, New Jersey. In mid-April 2022, Rebecca observed a barred owl at Blue Cypress Lake in Vero Beach, Florida. “Suddenly three grackles appeared and started flying towards…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Some reference books state that the most common member of the heron family is the black-crowned night heron. In fact, this distinction belongs properly to the Great Egret, which has a wide breeding range on every continent except Antarctica. By the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Summer bird feeding requires such careful attention that many people close their feeders for the duration. It is not necessary if we are careful to help the birds and not to hurt them. March and April are dangerous for winter finches,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Spotted the raptors before seeing the Jackson Lake sinkhole. Ospreys and red-headed vultures circled in tight circles above a small pool of water, surrounded by the sloping sides of what had been the bottom of the lake. I walked to the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last week that it would reopen consideration of whether to list the bi-state sage-grouse as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. disappearance. “Perhaps the third time will be the charm to get…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email First place in our 2022 Birds in Flight contest goes to Steve Large of Nanaimo, BC, for this crisp image of a Yellow-rumped Warbler with its wings outstretched and flared tail. Steve took the photo in May 2022 at Oliver Woods…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email One of the major bird identification challenges in North America is separating the Downy Woodpecker from the Hairy Woodpecker. Both of these species are common almost anywhere and they are regular visitors to backyard bird feeders, where anyone can see them….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email June is the peak of bird breeding season in the United States and Canada. Both countries serve as bird nurseries for hundreds of species at this time of year. This is also a risky time, and most chicks do not survive…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A new study by the Wildlife Conservation Society that analyzed 17 years of migratory bird nesting data in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, found that nest survival dropped dramatically near high-use oil and gas infrastructure. and related noise, dust, traffic and air pollution….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Of all the raptor species pursued by photographers, the osprey, also aptly known as the “fish hawk,” is perhaps the most exhilarating to observe in flight. It is also one of the most difficult to photograph when in flight. By far…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email One of the hardest challenges in bird identification (as in life) is keeping an open mind to all the possibilities. We all have a desire for certainty. We want to know the answer, unambiguously yes or no, and once we settle…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird Academy now offers expert advice for adults who want to help kids connect with nature. A new online course from Bird Academy contains six lessons with dozens of field-tested activities to cut kids’ screen time and…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The cover story of our May/June 2022 issue looks at the Prothonotary Warbler and the work of the Jackson Audubon Society in Jackson, Mississippi, as it annually monitors the local Prothonotary Warbler population. The striking species of warbler breeds in the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Following a massive rocket explosion in South Texas, state and local environmental groups and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas, Inc. yesterday sued the Federal Aviation Administration for failing to fully analyze and mitigate damage environmental impacts resulting from the launch of…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email A relatively new birding app for Apple and Android phones offers a social networking-like experience that’s all about birds. Birda, which recently became available in the United States, allows users to log their bird sightings through a user-friendly interface, keep lists,…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email March 2013. It was a foggy morning in Gamboa, along the Panama Canal. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but I stumbled out of bed to the rhythm of palm tanagers and clay thrushes. Red-legged Honeycreepers hopped frantically through a tangle of…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Derrick Z. Jackson of Cambridge, Massachusetts, describes this puffin photo, which took third place in our 2022 bird portrait contest, as a “happy composition on Eastern Egg Rock, Maine.” “It’s a row of puffins along granite boulders with a wave crashing…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email One of the challenges in understanding the color patterns of birds is that we only see the tips of their feathers and feathers are flexible. This means that the longer feathers on the body can move a lot relative to their…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Almost all of us have photographed birds through a window at one time or another to verify an identification, document a rare bird, or create a memory of a cool sighting. Unfortunately, images through the glass can be marred by glare…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Second place in our 2022 Bird Portrait Contest goes to John Economaki from Lake Oswego, Oregon. He took this incredible shot at sunrise on Nickerson Beach in Long Island, New York, a place where lesser terns breed. “That chick was left…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email For the 123rd year, the National Audubon Society is hosting the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Between December 14 and January 5, tens of thousands of bird-loving volunteers will participate in counts across the Western Hemisphere. The 12 decades of…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email As spring approaches, every birder’s thoughts turn to songbird migration, which naturally brings with it the challenge of identifying bird songs. The value of knowing songs is obvious, but learning them all is a daunting task. I’m going to suggest things…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email So, reader, when was the last time you went bird watching? Do not chase after a mega rarity. Not scanning shorebird flocks for certain species that conventional thought should not be there. Just watch the birds for the pleasure they provide….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Dustin Huntington won first place in BirdWatching’s 2022 Bird Portrait Contest with this remarkable image of a Calliope hummingbird he photographed from the patio of his home in Tijeras, New Mexico. “I had set up to photograph the various hummingbirds up…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Author’s note: As I stand in for Kenn Kaufman as he works on a book project, I would like to acknowledge his stellar role in sharing with birdwatchers of all experience levels his wealth of knowledge in natural history, especially the…
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email What time of day is best to watch birds? Ask anyone, even a non-birder, and the answer will almost always be “at dawn”. I used to say it myself, but over the years I realized it just wasn’t true. Generally morning…
Jungle Bird is KL’s inaugural rum bar. Drawing inspiration from an Aviary Bar cocktail created in the former Hilton Kuala Lumpur, its design honors all things tiki with palm-print wallpaper and bamboo accents. Drinks at this bar tend to be either classics or innovative takes on existing recipes, with an emphasis on rum but also…
The Bird in Hand offers a welcoming, enjoyable atmosphere and great value drinks throughout the week – perfect for quick drinks with friends or for longer stay to reconnect and unwind. Bird in Hand (FFOREST) LIMITED is a Private Limited Company with its Registered office at Carmarthen Road, Fforest SA4 0TU. Amish Attractions As one…
Bird songs and calls make up an integral part of outdoor soundscaping, yet can sometimes be hard to discern amid traffic and industrial noise. Use these 81 free chirping and singing bird sounds in your audio and video projects for unlimited use! From forest ambience to coastal birds, each sample runs for 3 minutes giving…
Jungle Bird brings laid back Caribbean vibes to Fremantle’s West End High Street strip, serving classic rum cocktails, Jamaican rice and peas dishes and salt fish fritters. Rum lovers’ delight! Markets Jungle Bird offers plenty of activities and events to occupy visitors, and among the finest of these are Fremantle Markets – famous since 1897,…
Take a relaxing journey through the rainforest on board one of our gondolas, and spot rare animals such as the Kuranda tree frog (Litoria myola). From above, marvel at this tropical paradise from an elevated perspective! Bird‘s-eye views are photographs taken from above a subject, typically by using an aerial drone or aircraft, though you…
Whip-poor-wills provide one of nature’s most soulful melodies, yet many remain unaware that these nocturnal forest birds are now disappearing from our forests. birds that are active at night have developed various adaptations for survival, including large eyes, camouflaged plumage and enhanced senses. Some even freeze if approached during daylight hours! The Whip-poor-will The onomatopoeic…
Wood Thrushes have an easily recognizable flute-like song in the forest that stands out in summer, providing an easily recognisable summer sound. Their cinnamon brown and speckled coloring helps them blend in on forest floors where they forage for food. Transport your audience into an ancient forest, majestic swamp or forested stream with these high…
The Jungle Bird Drink is a tropical, refreshing, and well-balanced rum cocktail with subtle bitter notes from Campari. It was invented during Malaysia’s former Kuala Lumpur Hilton Aviary Bar’s Golden Era of cocktails back in the 70s. Dark rum adds depth and complexity to this tropical sipper. Jamaican is usually best, although light or blackstrap…
The jungle bird, first created at Malaysia’s Aviary bar in the 1970s, is a refreshing tropical rum beverage combining fruit juices with bitter liqueurs to produce an easy sipper perfect for tiki-themed bars. Make this drink even more flavorful by choosing Jamaican or blackstrap rum for its rich and distinct aroma. Rum The Jungle Bird…
Bird‘s-eye views provide an aerial perspective of the world, whether seen from an airplane or standing atop a tall tower. Bird’s-eye views can reveal hidden beauty that often goes unseen at ground level. For instance, large parks and squares can become circular from above while vegetation takes on unique geometric forms. What is a bird’s-eye…
Jungle Bird may no longer reside at Hilton Kuala Lumpur, but its popularity continues to soar. Inspired by new ideas applied to traditional recipes, this tiki bar continues to soar high. Opening in 2017, this rum-focused lounge exudes tiki through rattan furniture, rainforest wallpaper and fake greenery. Expect a menu which takes into account local…
The Bird in Hand (the “Bird”) is an iconic community pub in Fforest that has hosted wedding receptions, wakes and christening parties as well as New Year’s Day parties for years. Additionally, they host fundraising events for Latch and Cancer Research UK that bring in local patrons for drinks or fundraising events. Legend holds that…
Birds sing to communicate with one another and with their environment. Different species produce distinctive calls and songs, often more intricate in terms of song than call. Sounds of birdsong can be both soothing and alarming; Chickadees emit high seets when they detect aerial predators like raptors. African shrikes Shrikes of Africa are some of…
Jungle Bird is a tropical-inspired tribute to one of the oldest natural spirits. Joshua Ivanovic, Lolita Goh and Divyesh Chauhan have recreated much of its original ambience at their new digs; with classic cocktails like Planes Trains Automobiles on offer along with innovative offerings like Rummin’ Round the World which recognizes all nations producing rum….
Bird‘s-eye views provide an aerial perspective of a subject. They may be captured using various means – hot air balloon, aeroplane, helicopter, tall buildings or drone – providing aerial photographs. Forest Bird Eye View provides an enchanting journey over the tropical rainforest of northern Queensland, allowing you to search the trees for creatures found within…
Birds that hunt or migrate at night require special adaptations in order to survive. Torpor, which involves lowering core body temperatures in order to save energy, and having camouflaging or freezing up plumage may all aid their efforts and allow them to remain unseen by predators. Even with its dull coloration, the mockingbird is a…
Bird sounds can provide valuable clues to their identification, though it’s important to keep in mind that calls often consist of repeated noises with slight pitch variations – it takes practice to become an expert bird sound expert! Ludwik Tomialojc, Tomasz Wesolowski and Wieslaw Walankiewicz began extensive bird research in Bialowieza Forest in 1975; all…
Just take a piece of braces wax and warm it in between finger protections. The braces wax should start to become soft and malleable enough for for you to definitely stick it to the jutting wire that is bothering owners. This particularly advantageous for that wearer because this is fully removable and it sort of…
Tip #3 – Floss Your Teeth Daily – It important to floss your teeth each wedding day. This removes the plaque which builds up between teeth and in the gum models. If the plaque is not removed it turns into tarter which requires professional cleaning to clear out. Visiting a Dentist: Subject to the American…
Interesting fact, non Westernized people still did not suffer from acne until their diet changed coming from what we eat and then oops they joined our ranks planet acne division. The problem might be the fact so the majority of our diet tends to rob us of as well as vitamins minerals usually are essential…
Penguins are flightless birds highly adapted to life in marine environments. These aquatic predators feed on fish, krill and other marine life caught by swimming underwater. Specialised cornea and lenses allow them to see clearly both on land and underwater, while short wings with fused bones and powerful flipper muscles give them extra power for…
Birds are among the most remarkable creatures on Earth, boasting an astonishing variety of colors and patterns that span from minute hummingbirds to massive ostriches. Over millions of years, birds have evolved over millions to fill ecological niches once occupied by large dinosaurs. Some became large enough to fly while others remained on land. 1….
ONLINE Strategy can keep giving classes or showing in a webinar a “how to” assemble necessary that the buyer just bought in you. If it’s fashion, perfect put together each season’s accessories, jewelry, items you just offer within your online shopping cart and online. Or, you could write regarding this and put a backlink to…
