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The Haunting Voice of the Common Loon
The call of the Common Loon brings to mind a summer visit to northern lakes. A "yodel" call is given by a male on his breeding territory. With his ne…
1 year, 2 months ago
Why Do Grebes Eat Their Feathers?
Eared Grebes eat brine shrimp and aquatic insects for sustenance, but rigid exoskeletons make them hard to digest. So these grebes – along with their…
1 year, 2 months ago
Great Horned Owls Nest
High in a leafless cottonwood, a female Great Horned Owl incubates two eggs. As light snow falls on her back, her mate roosts nearby. Since December,…
1 year, 2 months ago
Different Beaks, Different Foods
For some birds like hermit hummingbirds, the difference between sexes starts with the beak. Females hermit hummingbirds typically have curved bills w…
1 year, 2 months ago
The Robin's Namesake
Like the American Robin, the European Robin is a bird of yards and gardens. But it’s not much bigger than a chickadee. The robin’s likeness turns up …
1 year, 2 months ago
A Swirl of Snow Geese
Snow Geese nest from far northeastern Russia to Greenland, in the arctic and subarctic. They winter in large flocks on the deltas of rivers in northw…
1 year, 2 months ago
Winter Brings Falcons
A Merlin hunts boldly from a high perch. A Peregrine Falcon dives on a hapless pigeon, with an air speed approaching 200 miles per hour. The Gyrfalco…
1 year, 2 months ago
Why Do Chickadees Come and Go?
A chickadee comes in to the feeder, quickly grabs a seed, and flies away. It may return immediately, but it's more likely to wait its turn. When a wh…
1 year, 2 months ago
The Hoopoe's Smelly Family
The Eurasian Hoopoe isn’t picky about where it nests. But whether it builds a home in a tree cavity, termite mound, or nest box, it’ll be stinky. Mot…
1 year, 2 months ago
New Homes for Cockatoos
The alpine forests of Australia’s southeast are home to an iconic pint-sized gray parrot with a bright red mohawk, and a call that’s been described a…
1 year, 2 months ago