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Toucan – Tropical Icon
In the Amazon, a cacophony of birdcalls surrounds you. One piercing, cheerful yelp catches your ear. Could this be the same sound you remember from a Saturday morning in your childhood? The Cuvier's …
Published on 1 year, 1 month ago
Pygmy-Owls' False Eyes
This Northern Pygmy-Owl appears to have eyes in the back of its head. But why? One theory is that large false eyes may create the illusion that the owl is much bigger than its 6 and 3/4-inch size. A …
Published on 1 year, 1 month ago
Bright Yellow Northern Cardinals
Northern Cardinals are known for their iconic red feathers, yet that scarlet hue is actually derived from yellow pigments in their food. Most cardinals’ bodies transform those yellow pigments into th…
Published on 1 year, 1 month ago
Birds of Prey and Nesting Territories
Red-tailed Hawks typically have a nesting territory of about a half-mile to a full square mile, depending on how much food there is. Bald Eagles’ nesting territories range from 2½ square miles to as …
Published on 1 year, 1 month ago
Convocations, Coveys and Charms
Everybody’s heard of a gaggle of geese and a covey of quail. But what’s a group of penguins called? And a “conspiracy” of ravens? Maybe the way we label birds says more about us than it does about th…
Published on 1 year, 1 month ago
Listening in on Birds
Collecting data on wild birds is crucial for their conservation. But it requires huge amounts of effort. One way to help streamline the process is with gizmos called autonomous recording units, or AR…
Published on 1 year, 1 month ago
What If You Only Have a Feather?h
Sometimes all you need to identify a bird is a single feather. Because collecting bird feathers is prohibited in the U.S. to protect birds from poachers, start by taking a photo with a common object …
Published on 1 year, 1 month ago
Gull Identification II
The challenge of learning which gull is which brings to mind a crossword puzzle. Take in all the clues, and come up with the right answer. For identifying gulls, we recommend a good bird book, binocu…
Published on 1 year, 1 month ago
Common Mergansers Pushed by the Ice
Around this time of year, Common Mergansers cross the U.S.-Canadian border on their way to wintering grounds in the Lower 48. But how do they know when to go? Ducks are well insulated against frigid …
Published on 1 year, 1 month ago
Migrations: Which Came First, North- or South-bound Migration?
Every year, hundreds of bird species migrate between North and South America. Some species likely evolved from ancestors that moved north in search of new breeding habitats: the “southern home” hypot…
Published on 1 year, 1 month ago