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Rufous-collared Sparrow: Tico-Tico
The song Tico-Tico no Fuba, like Carmen Miranda, came to us from Brazil. Believe it or not, the song is about a bird. The Portuguese lyrics tell the story of the tico-tico, a local name for the Rufou…
Published on 5 months, 1 week ago
Beaks and Bills
A bird’s bill is an incredible multi-tool — good for preening feathers, building a nest, self-defense, scratching, displaying, building a nest, and egg-turning. And a bill must be the right size and …
Published on 5 months, 1 week ago
Song Neighborhoods
Birds of the same species don’t always sing exactly the same as each other. But those that live near each other sometimes have similar songs. Scientists refer to this pattern as a song neighborhood. …
Published on 5 months, 1 week ago
Montezuma Oropendola's High-Security Nesting
A male Montezuma Oropendola holds forth in a tree bedecked with twenty or more hanging nests. The nests are intricately woven sacks hanging three feet or more from the branches. Oropendolas favor tre…
Published on 5 months, 1 week ago
Altamira Oriole
It was only in 1939 that this Altamira Oriole was first found north of the Rio Grande River. Now it happily visits residents on the Texas side of the river, especially where a juicy orange half waits…
Published on 5 months, 1 week ago
Thick-billed Longspur
It can feel like there’s nowhere to hide in the shortgrass prairie. But the Thick-billed Longspur calls this place home. The bird’s burbling song helps create the high plains’ soundscape. The species…
Published on 5 months, 1 week ago
The Firebird’s Bright Outfit
You might have heard of the Phoenix, the legendary bird who bursts into flames and is reborn from its ashes. Well, its literary cousin is the Slavic myth of the Firebird, an elusive creature whose fe…
Published on 5 months, 1 week ago
Least Auklets: Seabirds in Miniature
The family of seabirds called alcids is an eclectic bunch that includes puffins and murres. The largest alcids are about the size of a duck, but the smallest — called the Least Auklet — could fit in …
Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Help eBird Fill in the Gaps
eBird, an online tool for submitting bird observations, allows scientists to keep track of birds around the world. eBird now has over one billion bird observations from more than 700,000 people — mos…
Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago
What Are Birds Saying with Their Crests?
A bird’s crest is made up of a slender array of feathers on top of their head. These feathers are a bit longer and can be spiked up or slicked back, depending on what the bird is trying to communicat…
Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago