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The Loquacious Chat
In summer, the thick tangles of streamside vegetation in many canyons echo with an uncanny sound — the Yellow-breasted Chat. You may find it in willow thickets, brushy tangles, and other dense, under…
Published on 6 months, 2 weeks ago
Vivaldi's Goldfinch
Bird song caught the ear of Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. And he even named a 1729 flute concerto for a bird — the goldfinch. The source of inspiration for Vivaldi's Goldfinch concerto, or Il Gar…
Published on 6 months, 2 weeks ago
Quirky Words for Gray Birds
Many birds have common names that refer to their dominant body color, like the Gray Catbird. Yet some species of gray birds received more colorful descriptors than others. Silvered, plumbeous, glauco…
Published on 6 months, 2 weeks ago
A Pigeon’s Eye View
In 1907, a German pharmacist named Julius Neubronner invented the pigeon camera. It was a small camera strapped to a pigeon’s breast — like a photographic baby-bjorn. A timer let the camera take mult…
Published on 6 months, 2 weeks ago
Bonding with Mom Through Birding
In this episode, environmental educator and nature enthusiast Nicole Jackson tells the story of an unexpected backyard birding experience when she visited her mom in 2021. When she arrived, Nicole sa…
Published on 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Migration Stories: The House Sparrow
Deja Perkins, an urban ecologist and co-organizer of Black Birders Week, remembers seeing House Sparrows all over Chicago as a kid. These little brown birds are native to Eurasia and North Africa, bu…
Published on 6 months, 3 weeks ago
In Defense of Big Black Birds
Grackles, vultures, and other big black birds are often disparaged by people who’d rather they stay out of sight. But Marcus Rosten, an environmental educator and co-organizer of Black Birders Week, …
Published on 6 months, 3 weeks ago
The Robin Rescue
When Adé Ben-Salahuddin stopped to help a trapped young bird on his way home from work, he found an unexpected source of help: an older Black woman walking by who had just the skills for the problem …
Published on 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Lessons From Mixed Flocks
There are many benefits for birds that form mixed flocks, from safety and survival to care and feeding. We can see the power of community through the actions of birds every day. And it’s time we took…
Published on 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Witnessing Lifers While Honoring a Life Loss
In June 2024, environmental educator and co-organizer of Black Birders Week Dara Miles Wilson traveled to Camden, South Carolina to attend her cousin’s funeral. Despite the somber circumstances, two …
Published on 6 months, 3 weeks ago