-
The Art of Waiting on St. Lucia's White-breasted Thrasher
By Kate Freeman While the Caribbean island of St. Lucia has many aspects of a tropical paradise, working in this forest is not exactly white sand and turquoise water. Snake chaps are a critical part of my field gear, as… Read More »
-
Amid Powerful Storms, Bahama Oriole Clings to Existence
Editor’s note: As Hurricane Irma tore through the Caribbean this week, leaving a path of devastation across several islands, biologist Kevin Omland had his eyes on the Bahamas. The critically endangered Bahama Oriole, the focus of Omland’s research, survives only… Read More »
-
10 Biggest Conservation Wins for Birds in 2018
From attacks on cornerstone bird protections to new drilling threats in sage-grouse country, 2018 held no shortage of challenges for birds and bird conservation. Despite these growing threats, American Bird Conservancy and its partners scored some remarkable wins over the… Read More »
-
Five Fantastic Bird Migration Facts
Many people know that bird migration has been going on for ages (millions of years, in fact), and that it happens twice a year. But when you stop and ponder the details, migratory birds' epic journeys are nothing less than… Read More »
-
Trail Camera Photos Reveal Wildlife Secrets
The history of trail camera pictures likely dates back to the early 1900s, when former U.S. Congressman George Shiras rigged a camera and explosive magnesium-powder flash to string and rope trip lines. Today, tiny infrared motion sensors, compact flashes, and… Read More »
-
Do American Robins Migrate?
Springtime singer or snowy sentinel? The American Robin may be one of North America's most familiar songbirds, yet its wintering patterns raise a common question: Do robins migrate? The answer is yes and no. We associate robins with spring for… Read More »
-
Seven of the Coolest Sparrows in the United States
In North America, it’s easy to enjoy sparrows. You can find them in almost any habitat. They can occur in large (although decreasing) numbers, sing beautifully (for the most part), and reliably cheer up backyard feeders. What’s not so easy… Read More »
-
ABC Birding: Home Edition
In our second “ABC Birding” installment, instead of taking readers to a birding site benefiting from ABC and partners’ conservation efforts, we journey just out the door to highlight the experience of birding from home during a global pandemic, using… Read More »
-
At Home in the Cold: An Intro to the World of Winter Birds
Sure, winter can be dark, cold, and barren in the northern U.S., but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great time to see birds. After all, winter heralds the arrival of Dark-eyed Juncos, the famous snowbirds, and other visitors such… Read More »
-
Inca Tern
This striking bird occupies part of the same habitat ruled by the ancient Inca Empire in South America. Inca Terns are best known by their dashing white mustaches, which are found on both male and female birds. The species is… Read More »
-
Cedar Waxwing
A lucky observer may sometimes spot a group of sleek-looking Cedar Waxwings perched on a tree branch in a long row, politely passing a berry from beak to beak, up and down the line. This charming sight reflects the bird's… Read More »
-
Spotted Towhee
Ornithologist Edward Forbush commented in 1929: "[The Towhee] is a ground bird — an inhabitant of bushy land. No other sparrow seems to be so wedded to life in thicket and tangle…." Like other sparrows such as the Saltmarsh and… Read More »
-
American Goldfinch
"The goldfinch is an active little bird, always in the best of spirits," observed noted naturalist Arthur Cleveland Bent early in the 20th century. "It has a definite personality exemplifying light-hearted cheerfulness, restlessness, sociability, and untiring activity." Famed ornithologist Roger… Read More »
-
Golden-crowned Kinglet
The tiny Golden-crowned Kinglet is one of the world’s smallest perching birds. At only five grams (about the weight of two pennies), it's not much larger than a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Its genus name, Regulus, means “little king,” and refers to… Read More »
-
MacGillivray's Warbler
The MacGillivray's Warbler spends most of its time lurking in dense underbrush, like its close relative, the Kentucky Warbler. When this western warbler pops into view, birders identify it by its bright yellow underside, greenish upperparts, and gray hood, with… Read More »
-
Purple Finch
Described by American ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson as "a finch dipped in raspberry juice," the male Purple Finch is a treat for any birder to see. Its genus name, Haemorhous, is slightly less appetizing, as “haemo” is Greek for blood,… Read More »
-
Ocellated Turkey
The Ocellated Turkey is the gaudier tropical cousin of the world’s only other turkey species, our familiar Thanksgiving bird. Watching a strutting male display is like seeing a Wild Turkey through a colorized filter: The baby-blue head is dotted with… Read More »
-
Birds at Risk
More than one-third of the Americas’ 340 migratory species are birds at risk, suffering measurable declines in population. What’s behind these losses? There is consensus, if inadequate data, that habitat loss is the greatest threat to birds. Habitat loss is accelerating in… Read More »
-
American Wild Birds in Trouble; New Book Provides Hope for Future
For Immediate Release Contact: 202-234-7181 ext.210 The American Bird Conservation Guide to Bird Conservation is now on sale through all major retailers. (Washington, D.C., November 4, 2010). As populations of many American bird species continue to decline, hope stems from… Read More »
-
Migrating Birds Arriving Early
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher by Owen Deutsch (Washington, D.C., March 26, 2012) The warmer weather that much of the nation has been enjoying has brought out the springtime clothes a bit ahead of schedule and has also triggered the earlier-than-normal arrival of… Read More »
