Although seldom seen by the casual birdwatcher, woodpecker tongues are a big part of what makes these birds unique. In combination with powerful chisel-like beaks, long, specialized tongues help woodpeckers access food other birds can’t. But that’s not the only thing that makes these organs so special. Tongues help make… Read more >>

Many birders and naturalists know that scores of bird species in the U.S. and Canada aren’t really “our birds,” in the sense that they are migratory and don’t live here year-round. In fact, many of “our” birds, including most warblers and tanagers and even a few raptors like the Broad-winged… Read more >>

Stoic and creaky, the lonely windmill is a prairie icon. These days, though, ranch windmills provide more nostalgia than punch. More efficient and reliable solar-powered pumps are now the go-to way to move ground water to livestock troughs — and they help ranchers conserve grasses both for declining wildlife and… Read more >>

The mighty Harpy Eagle is no match for bulldozers and rifles. But targeted and enduring conservation efforts may help save this elusive raptor and its dizzyingly biodiverse habitats.  Ecuador's coastal lowland forest and Brazil's tropical Atlantic Forest ... two ecosystems at different sides of the expansive South American continent. Each… Read more >>

Restlessness defines the spectacle of migration and those who study it. Not long after college, I found myself at Point Reyes Bird Observatory (now Point Blue Conservation Science) working in the national seashore by the same name, right on the Pacific. My comrades at the Palomarin Field Station were itinerant… Read more >>

Each spring, hummingbirds return to our gardens, farms, and parks, bringing their sparkle and activity. Birders and non-birders alike are excited to see these birds return. The hummingbird species we see vary depending on location, but these colorful birds brighten up any backyard with their beauty. Their majesty is not… Read more >>

All of us can take steps to make migration a little safer. Find the solutions that work for you.… Read more >>

Bordered by Texas, Arizona, and Colorado — three of the top birding destinations in the United States — New Mexico is often overlooked by out-of-state birdwatchers seeking new adventures. But the “Land of Enchantment” is very much a birding hotspot in its own right. Located at the intersection of several… Read more >>

The Americas are home to 365 species of hummingbirds. Fifteen types of hummingbirds can be found living in the United States, along with nine vagrant species that occasionally wander inside our borders. Even though hummingbirds might weigh less than your pocket change, don’t let their tiny size fool you! These… Read more >>

Louisiana Waterthrushes and Wood Thrushes are now singing on eastern forest territories, but nanotags tell us where else they’ve been. In January and February 2020, with support from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, researchers from ABC and the El Jaguar Reserve in Nicaragua deployed 20 of the tiny transmitters on birds… Read more >>