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Begging Sounds and Postures
After young birds have left the nest and can fly short distances, they still follow their parents and beg for food. They squawk and assume a begging posture, wings drooping and head hunched down. Mos…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
An Enormous Eagle Evolves
Evolution on islands can produce unusually large species. Haast’s Eagle lived on the islands now known as New Zealand. With a wingspan of 9 feet and weighing up to 30 pounds, the eagle hunted the moa…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
Nesting Again
Raising baby birds is a lot of work. You might think that after seeing off their fledged young ones, bird parents would call it a day. But a surprising number of species start again and raise another…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
The Dickcissel
In grasslands of the central U.S., birds called Dickcissels sing a quirky song that “spells out” the syllables of their name. Dickcissels are approachable birds, often chirping away while a person wa…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
Birding 101: Where to Find Birds
There’s no wrong place to search for birds — looking out the window and listening for calls and songs is a great place to start. But you might be curious where else to look. In this episode, get a fe…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
Cormorants Dive During the Day
At midday, it might seem like the birds that were so active in the morning have gone silent, maybe even vanished. But cormorants rally in the afternoon, offering a second chance to see and hear them.…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
Dawn in the Marsh
It's dawn in a western marsh in mid-summer, and man! Those birds are singin'! The males of more than a dozen species are staking out their territories and attracting mates. One of the noisiest of all…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
Brown Pelicans - Conservation Success
Brown Pelicans are a regular sight today along the Gulf of Mexico and our southern coastlines. But these birds have not always been so plentiful. They were hunted for their feathers and as pests by f…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
Scarlet Tanagers Under the Canopy
In summer, the forests of the eastern United States are home to a bounty of birds, including this gorgeous Scarlet Tanager, which spends most of the year in tropical South America. The male’s body is…
Published on 1 year, 6 months ago
Baby Birds – Leave Them Alone
Just because a young bird appears to be alone – whether on the ground or squawking loudly from a bush or tree – doesn't necessarily mean it is sick or injured. In June, young birds, including this ju…
Published on 1 year, 6 months ago