There’s nothing like the flash of a red bird at the feeder to draw your eye to the window. In winter snow or summer greenery, red birds stand out, and the relatively small number of all-red or mostly red bird species in the United States and Canada makes them all… Read more >>

Birds are acknowledged masters of sound, including some extremely unusual, rarely heard “songs.” Famed bird sounds, like the Wood Thrush’s ethereal song, get a lot of play time in our collective imagination — but these dazzling tunes are only the tip of the iceberg. Birds are capable of an amazingly… Read more >>

Hummingbirds may loom large in our minds thanks to their fast and flashy nature, but in truth these birds live life on a small scale — starting with their eggs. Weighing in at less than one-fiftieth of an ounce, hummingbird eggs are easy to overlook, but these tiny wonders deserve… Read more >>

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 >>