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Swallow or Swift?
At a glance, swallows and swifts, both graceful fliers, look much alike. But swifts — like this Chimney Swift — have longer, slimmer wings and short …
1 year, 10 months ago
What’s a Beak Made Of?
Bird beaks, or bills, come in many shapes and sizes. And birds use them for just about everything: to collect food, preen, fight, court (as this pair…
1 year, 10 months ago
Learning More About Birds by Sketching Them
Many people take an interest in birds as they get older. But others start very early, like one young BirdNote listener named Ben Bradmon. He has been…
1 year, 10 months ago
The Brown Thrasher's Never-Ending Songbook
The Northern Mockingbird isn’t the only mimic bird in town. Brown Thrashers also learn songs from nearby birds and add them to their repertoire. The …
1 year, 10 months ago
The Ulūlu's Comeback
There are promising signs that a native Hawaiian bird called the ulūlu is on the way to recovery. Also known as the Millerbird, this small gray songb…
1 year, 10 months ago
Phainopeplas Glisten
A slim, sleek bird with a spiky crest, Phainopepla comes from the Greek for “shining cloak.” The name refers to the male’s glistening, inky black fea…
1 year, 10 months ago
Minnesotans Embrace Their Inner Loons
Each year, adults and children gather in Crosslake, Minnesota to celebrate the incredible sounds of the Common Loon — the state bird of the land of 1…
1 year, 10 months ago
Turkey Vulture - Sky Sailor
Although some of the Turkey Vulture's habits may evoke our disgust, these remarkable birds also inspire our awe. With wingspans approaching six feet,…
1 year, 10 months ago
When Does a Crossbill's Bill Cross?
A young crossbill starts life with a wedge-shaped beak. As it grows up and starts to feed itself by removing conifer seeds from their tough packaging…
1 year, 10 months ago
Hovering with Horned Larks
Horned Larks rival meadowlarks as the most colorful birds of North American grasslands. They live in prairies, fields, and tundra, but agriculture an…
1 year, 10 months ago