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Swainson's Hawk
From late spring through summer, this handsome western buteo is a familiar sight over open country in many parts of the West, soaring overhead on long, bicolored wings. But in fall, this raptor leaves breeding grounds and migrates long distances,… Read More »
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Palila
One of Hawai‘i's endemic honeycreepers, the Palila lives in dry, open māmane forests high on the slopes of Mauna Kea. This species is a standout in an already unique group of island birds: Most Hawaiian honeycreepers spend their days seeking… Read More »
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American Flamingo
The salmon-pink American Flamingo is one of the best-known and most beloved birds. The most colorful of the world's six flamingo species, it is popular in zoos, and people see its likeness on everything from toys to casinos to lawn… Read More »
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Red-necked Phalarope
Only an inch longer than a Downy Woodpecker, the dainty-looking Red-necked Phalarope is a tough bird that opens our eyes in many ways, even if many of us rarely if ever see it. During the breeding season, this species is… Read More »
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Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture is North America's most frequently seen soaring bird. One of the best ways to start learning raptors in flight is to first peg identification of this species. Long-tailed and looming, the Turkey Vulture circles overhead on two-toned… Read More »
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Red-cockaded Woodpecker
The dapper Red-cockaded Woodpecker was once a common sight throughout the mighty longleaf pine forests of the Southeastern United States. Today, only about 15,000 individuals remain. Only the male sports the small red mark, or "cockade," on its nape; this… Read More »
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Wedge-tailed Shearwater ('Ua'u Kani)
The agile Wedge-tailed Shearwater, or 'Ua'u Kani in native Hawaiian, cruises warm waters, watching for feeding opportunities at and near the water's surface. Its tapered tail and long, slender wings allow this large seabird to maneuver nimbly -- flapping, gliding,… Read More »
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Prairie Falcon
The Prairie Falcon hunts unsuspecting prey via low-level flights and angular stoops conducted in expansive arid and semi-arid landscapes. The "sandy" cousin of the Peregrine Falcon, the Prairie sports a light brown back and paler tail than the Peregrine, coloration… Read More »
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Black Rosy-Finch
Nesting above where most people live, the Black Rosy-Finch is one of North America's least-familiar yet most striking songbirds. With his wings splashed in pink and a light gray blaze sweeping his head, the mostly blackish male is a memorable… Read More »
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ABC Birding: Barba Azul Nature Reserve, Bolivia
https://youtu.be/WYLcpn14_4A Lay of the Land Barba Azul Nature Reserve is located in northern Bolivia, in the northern part of a rich and remote region called the Beni Savanna. Habitats within the reserve include seasonally flooded grasslands, gallery forest, palm islands,… Read More »
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‘Ākohekohe
The ‘Ākohekohe (pronounced "ah ko-hay ko-hay") is the largest living Hawaiian honeycreeper, with striking black, silver, and crimson-orange plumage and a forward-sweeping white tuft of feathers atop its head that gives the bird its English name “Crested Honeycreeper.” This distinctive… Read More »
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Common Yellowthroat
The Common Yellowthroat is a warbler that behaves more like a Carolina Wren: It bounces through thick, low vegetation and reeds, rarely far above the ground, and it is heard more often than seen. A quick glimpse of this skulker… Read More »
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California Condor
Often called North America's largest flying land bird, the California Condor is certainly among the continent’s top “big” birds. In his field guide, David A. Sibley writes that a condor aloft “can be mistaken for a small airplane.” This bird’s… Read More »
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Black Rail
The Black Rail is the smallest of its family in North America. It measures just three-quarters of an inch longer than the Saltmarsh Sparrow, with which it shares Atlantic Coast marshland, and weighs about as much as a Semipalmated Sandpiper.… Read More »
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Kirtland's Warbler
The handsome Kirtland's Warbler is one of North America’s larger warblers. At a glance, it could be mistaken for a Yellow-rumped Warbler, but it has an entirely lemon-yellow underside, a distinctive tail-bobbing habit like a Prairie Warbler, and a gray,… Read More »
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Lesser Prairie-Chicken
The Lesser Prairie-Chicken is slightly smaller than the closely related Greater Prairie-Chicken, but it's no mere pale imitation! This species is found only on the high plains of the U.S. southwest and has distinctive courtship displays, vocalizations, and habitat preferences.… Read More »
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Blue-headed Vireo
The colorful Blue-headed Vireo is a standout among more plain-plumaged relatives such as the Red-eyed Vireo. This handsome Neotropical migrant is easy to identify, with a blue-gray head set off by bold white "spectacles," bright yellow flanks, olive-green back, and… Read More »
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Bobolink
The bubbling song of the Bobolink, which has inspired poets from Emily Dickinson to William Cullen Bryant, ushers in spring across grasslands of the northern United States and southern Canada. Unlike less-conspicuous grassland breeders such as the Eastern Meadowlark or… Read More »
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Cerulean Warbler
The male Cerulean Warbler is an eye-catching bird, named for the lovely blue of its back and head. Other identifying marks include black-streaked white flanks, a bold white eyebrow, white wing bars, and a black "necklace" that separates its white… Read More »
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Common Loon
The Common Loon is the most widespread of the five loon species found in North America. A formidable swimmer and diver like the King Penguin or Red-breasted Merganser, this handsome waterbird is a veritable avian submarine, beautifully adapted to a… Read More »
