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The Tui of New Zealand
The Tui is one of New Zealand’s most remarkable birds, intelligent and with iridescent feathers. Its down-curved beak fits perfectly into native flowers. But the Tui is best known for its voice. Each…
Published on 1 year, 11 months ago
Why Is My Robin Half White?
A bird with abnormal white feathers, like this American Robin, may have a genetic condition called leucism. Leucism prevents pigments from reaching some — or sometimes all — of a bird’s feathers. Alb…
Published on 1 year, 11 months ago
Welcoming Back Common Loons
The call of the Common Loon is a symbol of the far north. But the species once nested as far south as southern New England, Ohio, Iowa, and California. Human activity and changes to the landscape in …
Published on 1 year, 11 months ago
Groove-billed Anis, Communal Nesters
Groove-billed Anis gather in loose groups. And with good reason. They nest communally. As many as four or five pairs of birds may use one nest, a bulky cup of twigs lined with fresh leaves. When the …
Published on 1 year, 11 months ago
Protecting Rivers and Eagles from Invasive Plants
In the 1990s, eagles in the Southeastern U.S. began dying of a mysterious brain disease. Many years of research identified the culprit: a cyanobacteria that grows on an invasive aquatic plant called …
Published on 1 year, 11 months ago
The Heart of a Bird
Birds’ four-chambered hearts run larger than those of mammals, relative to body size, and they are coupled with extremely efficient cardiovascular systems. The energy demands of flight require these …
Published on 1 year, 11 months ago
The Majestic Gyrfalcon
Gyrfalcons are the largest falcons in the world, with a wingspan of almost four feet and weighing almost five pounds. The name “Gyrfalcon” derives from an Old Norse word for “spear.” During the summe…
Published on 1 year, 11 months ago
A Murder, a Party, a Stare or a Siege
Collective nouns are a mixture of poetry, alliteration, and description. Victorians often made up creative names for groups of birds, as a parlor game. Many names bring a vision of the birds instantl…
Published on 1 year, 11 months ago
A Tool-Using Nuthatch
The nuthatch’s beak is all business. Long, slender, sharp: it can pluck a tiny spider from a crevice in the bark or carve a nest hole right through the outer hide of a tree. And the Brown-headed Nuth…
Published on 1 year, 11 months ago
Find a Volunteer Opportunity that Works for You
Consider finding a local conservation group that’s doing work that matters to you — beach cleanups, volunteer bird surveys, keeping local parks beautiful, or educating young people. If you’re short o…
Published on 1 year, 11 months ago