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Why Do Birds Flick Their Tails?
The way that some birds flick, wag, or flare their tails can be distinctive. A flicking or flashing tail might suggest to a predator that a bird is p…
6 months, 4 weeks ago
Whooping Cranes: A Song That Was Nearly Silenced
The Whooping Crane is the tallest flying bird in North America. These huge white cranes with a black mask and a splash of red on the crown came peril…
6 months, 4 weeks ago
The Music of Black Scoters
Black Scoters are sea ducks that spend the winter on saltwater bays. They are large, strong ducks and buoyant swimmers with a habit of cocking their …
6 months, 4 weeks ago
Pulling Rank at the Bird Feeder
Bird feeders full of seeds or suet can spark nonstop action. Chickadees flitter in and out. Finches expertly crack one seed after another, while jays…
7 months ago
Left Foot or Right? Handedness in Birds
A parrot’s eyes are located on the sides of its head. So, if it wants to look at something — say, a delicious piece of fruit — it has to cock its hea…
7 months ago
Yellow Warblers in a Changing World
In spring and summer, Yellow Warblers sing from treetops to stream sides. While their beauty and songs commonly light up our most vibrant months, the…
7 months ago
Birdsong Mnemonics with Christian Cooper
Birder and author Christian Cooper says learning to identify bird calls feels like unlocking a sixth sense. Birding by ear is a skill that takes time…
7 months ago
Play and Brain Size
Many birds that play do it alone by swinging, sliding, or rolling around. Some species interact with objects, like dropping a stone and picking it up…
7 months ago
The Eagle, the Cactus, and the City on the Lake
In one of the most iconic founding legends of the Americas, a Golden Eagle devouring a serpent atop a cactus marked the spot where the Mexicas would …
7 months ago
The Joy of Robins with J. Drew Lanham
J. Drew Lanham is a poet and ornithologist whose work intertwines his lived experience as a Black man in the American south and his love of wildernes…
7 months ago