Who knew identifying birds could be so easy? All you need are these information-packed foldout guides by photographer Kevin T. Karlson and ornithologist Kevin J. McGowan of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Karlson is the co-author, with Dale Rosselet, New Jersey Audubon’s vice president of education, of the new Peterson Printable Birdwatching Reference Guide (Houghton…
Goshawk at Red Rocks Lake NWR, Montana. Photo by Randy Smith Want to learn more about birdwatching? Subscribe to our twice-weekly newsletter, full of advice, 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…
During a songbird fallout or a particularly busy hawk-watching day, the identification skills of even the most seasoned birders can be put to the test. The same can be said of hummingbird feeding stations, particularly in the Southwest, where many species are present. The constant blur of wings and colors is both thrilling and overwhelming….
Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email This guest post comes to us from Elaine Cole, owner of Cole’s Wild Bird Products Co., based in Kennesaw, Georgia. Appreciate! I have a serious love/hate relationship with Spring. I love the bright green foliage, the pretty colorful flowers that bloom…
MAKING AN ENTRY: In these sketches of a goldfinch (top), sparrow (center), and blue jay (bottom), the blue lines indicate flight paths and landing jumps. The green lines show how different birds generally move on the ground. Artwork by David Allen Sibley. Experienced birders can often identify a bird after seeing just a flash of…
Fork-tailed kite. Photo by Randy Smith Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletterlots of birding tips, bird 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. We featured the Swallow-tailed Kite,…
Northern Cardinal by David Allen Sibley. When we talk about identification, we tend to focus on the differences, but it can be enlightening (and reassuring) to think about the similarities. In fact, understanding differences often requires appreciating the similarities between species. Ruby-throated Hummingbird by David Allen Sibley. Bill shape varies greatly and almost all species…
Snow Goose at Bosque del Apache NWR. Photo by Ray Robles Subscribe to BirdWatching today for birding tips, bird news, 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…
My shelves are filled with field guides, including at least five devoted to North American raptors. But no matter how often I look at their pictures or read an expert’s text, books about birds can only convey a limited amount of information about their living, breathing subjects. That’s why I’m excited about a new smartphone…
Vireo chirping. Photo by Glenn Bush 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. We featured Warbling Vireo, pictured…
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….
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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….
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…
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….
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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,…
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 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 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 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 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 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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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 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…
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 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…
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 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 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…
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….
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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 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…
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 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 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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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 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 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…
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 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 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 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 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 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…
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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…
