BirdNote Daily

Nest Boxes For All Sorts Of Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Birds that historically nested in the cavities of dead trees are finding natural nest holes harder to come by — but people can help. Many of these species will make use of a nest box in parks or near people's homes. Learn how to build nest boxes tailored to a species of your choice at NestWatch. BirdNote has inspired millions of people to take action for birds. Find out more about BirdNote's From Love to Action campaign and let us know how you're helping birds!

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More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Sidney Wade – Blue

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

April is National Poetry Month in the United States, and to celebrate, we're featuring some of our favorite poets who write about our feathered friends. Today, in this extended podcast, we're sharing the work of poet Sidney Wade, professor emeritus at the University of Florida. Her collection of poems is called Bird Book and is all about birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Creating Bird Habitat at Home

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

One of the biggest threats to birds is the decline in biodiversity due to habitat loss — and the traditional, manicured lawn isn’t helping. Growing native plants in your yard allows you to protect birds at home, says ecologist Douglas Tallamy, who co-founded an organization called Homegrown National Park® to help people transform their lawns into havens for wildlife.

Homegrown National Park® is a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate diversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants and creating new ecological networks. Learn how to plant native and get on the HNP map here.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Red Warbler: Mexico’s Little Red Queen

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 5 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Red Warblers only sing on sunny mornings during the breeding season — so hearing their song is as good as checking the weather forecast. Weighing less than a AAA battery, Red Warblers are endemic to the highlands of Mexico and live in humid forests of pine, oak, and fir.

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More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Probing with Sandpipers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 4 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

The variety of bill sizes and shapes among the sandpipers is astounding! Many sandpipers have sensitive nerve receptors in their bill tips, so they can find unseen prey through touch, odor, and pressure changes. Those sandpipers with long, straight bills — like the Long-billed Dowitcher — are often described as "stitching." As the bird probes for food, its beak moves rapidly up and down, like the needle on a sewing machine.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Wonder and Awe with Aimee Nezhukumatathil

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

It’s National Poetry Month in the U.S., and each year we like to celebrate by sharing our favorite contemporary writers’ work about birds. Aimee Nezhukumatathil is known for writing about nature, but more than that, wonder at the natural world. In this episode, Aimee describes precious moments she’s shared with birds, plants, and her teenage son.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Marbled Godwits

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Marbled Godwits stand a foot and a half tall, on slender, dark legs. Their exquisitely long bills are pink, tipped in black, and just slightly up-curved. Altogether, a stunning bird. In April, godwits are on their way north. They have wintered along the coasts, including the Texas Gulf Coast, and along the Pacific from California to Washington. While most breed in the prairie provinces of Canada, some nest as far north as Alaska's Aleutian Islands.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Let BirdNote Immerse You In Soothing Birdsong

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

BirdNote prides itself on creating a sound-rich, immersive experience for listeners every day. Today’s episode, featuring the Tufted Puffin, the Great Horned Owl, and the Mallard is sure to bring you calm and get your day started on a gentle note.

And one more thing before we go: Happy April Fools' Day!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Black Kites and Wildfires

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

The savanna country of northern Australia is one of the most fire-prone natural habitats in the world, and its plants have evolved to thrive with frequent, low-intensity blazes. As flames sweep across the savanna, Black Kites watch for prey like grasshoppers and lizards that flee the fire. Indigenous Australians have long known that Black Kites aren’t just opportunists — the birds actually create some of these fires by carrying burning twigs in their talons and dropping them on a patch of savanna away from the original wildfire. The kites then pick off the escaping prey. Research suggests that setting a new area ablaze allows these "firehawks" to feed in a space where there aren’t so many rival predators.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Rainbow-Billed Toucan: The Flying Banana

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

The Keel-billed Toucan, also known as the Rainbow-billed Toucan, looks like a bird with a giant banana for a beak. They have a black body, a yellow patch from the face to the breast, and a huge rainbow-colored bill. The big beaks have more than one use: they can be used for fighting with rivals, but they can also help toucans regulate their body temperature in the tropical heat.

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More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Songs of Desert Wrens

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

The Canyon Wren and Cactus Wren share common ancestry — and they’re close neighbors in the desert southwest. Yet their songs evolved along divergent acoustic lines. The rough trilled phrases of the Cactus Wren song pulse through the dense cactus, while the clear tones of the Canyon Wren echo off the hard stone, carrying a long distance.

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The Tui of New Zealand

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

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 Tui’s complex song is slightly different, a colorful mix of musical notes and offbeat sounds. It’s one of the few birds that can imitate human speech — and even accents.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Bananaquits Love Sweets

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Bananaquits are tiny songbirds with a sweet tooth. Their distinctive curved bills are perfect for sipping nectar from woodland flowers and urban hummingbird feeders. These songsters are widespread in Latin America from southern Mexico to northern Uruguay — and much of the Caribbean. Their plumage colors vary by region, but Bananaquits typically have dark backs, white eyebrows and yellow bellies. Their songs are variable, too. Bananaquits have developed hundreds of local dialects!

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, offering a variety of blends designed to mimic the natural resources wild birds crave. Available at Chewy.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Letter to a Kentucky Warbler

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to a Kentucky Warbler, an “uber-skulky” species that’s hard to find but brings “warbler-iffic joy” when Drew hears them.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Stunning King Eider

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

The King Eider is one of the most striking sea ducks in the Northern hemisphere. This male King Eider is trying to woo a mate with soft coos and brilliant colors — his beak and feathers are decked out in black, white, green, grey, tangerine, yellow, and ivory. Unlike her showy suitor, the female King Eider is mottled brown — the perfect camouflage for blending into the Arctic tundra. After incubating her nest for nearly 3 weeks by herself, the female eider leads her fluffy chicks to the sea where the ducks spend the winter diving amidst the pack ice in search of tasty shellfish.

This episode is dedicated to Gary and Liz Kennedy Ketcheson, who are grateful to BirdNote for sharing the wonder of birds with listeners around the world.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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How a Bird Came to Look Like a Caterpillar

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

The Cinereous Mourner is a small, ashy-gray bird that lives in the forest understory of the Amazon Basin. And it’s taking mimicry to the next level: when viewed from above, lying alone in its cup-shaped nest, its chick is a near match to a highly toxic caterpillar — one that snakes and monkeys won’t eat. The chick even waves its head like a caterpillar, increasing the illusion.

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This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Dovekie At Sea

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Dovekie are robin-sized seabirds related to auks and puffins. Their compact, black-and-white bodies are perfect for life on the water. In winter, birders and boaters can sometimes spot flocks of Dovekie as far south as coastal New England. In summer, Dovekie high-tail it to the Arctic where they form massive breeding colonies on rocky islands and cliffsides. Dovekie are one of the most abundant birds in the North Atlantic, but their populations have declined drastically since the 1970s. Like many ocean species, Dovekie face lethal threats from oil spills and chemical pollution. By advocating for clean water and green energy, we can protect our global oceans for people and birds — like Dovekie.

This episode is brought to you in loving memory of John Hardner, a father and educator who loved nature and public radio.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Lustrous Purple Gallinule

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

What’s the most colorful bird in the U.S.? The Scarlet Tanager? Maybe the Painted Bunting? Well, consider one more lustrous candidate: the Purple Gallinule. The Purple Gallinule’s feathers are so iridescent that they might not seem real. Despite its bold style, a Purple Gallinule can be hard to spot. The colors create excellent camouflage among the greens, blues and floral highlights of a marsh.

Support comes from Wild Delight Bird Food, offering a variety of blends designed to mimic the natural resources wild birds crave, available at Chewy.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Chestnut-collared Longspur

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

The cheerful-voiced Chestnut-collared Longspur shares their northern prairie breeding range with grazing cattle. Although heavy grazing can have adverse effects, breeding densities of longspurs jump by two, three, or even 10 times when ranchers graze their cattle responsibly on native prairies. Two centuries ago, the birds were probably more abundant on prairies used by bison than on untouched stands of tall grass.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Flying Dinosaurs: Leaping and Gliding

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

For years, scientists debated whether the first flying dinosaurs, the ancestors of modern birds, began by running and making little hops off the ground, or leapt off a tree branch to glide. It’s called the “ground up vs. trees down” debate, for short. But a newer perspective on this mystery suggests that flying dinosaurs tried taking flight from more than one place. Recent findings suggest that the ability to fly could have evolved not just once but three separate times among dinosaurs.

Support comes from Wild Delight Bird Food, offering a variety of blends designed to mimic the natural resources wild birds crave, available at Chewy.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Hilarious Bird Sounds With Becca Rowland

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Birds make a lot of sounds — so many that author and illustrator Becca Rowland had a hard time keeping them straight. That was until Becca began picking up on familiar noises in common bird calls — like when they heard a dog’s squeaky toy in the trees. Now she’s compiled her fun and functional findings in a new guide called, Bird Talk: Hilariously Accurate Ways to Identify Birds by the Sounds they Make.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Create Bird Habitat at Home with Native Plants

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Birds have lost many habitats they’ve called home for millions of years, but people can help create bird habitats wherever they live. It all begins with native plants. If you have a yard, or even just a few outdoor plant pots, you can offer native plants to birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Below, find online tools that show you native plant species ideal for your location.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Joy of Robins with J. Drew Lanham

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

J. Drew Lanham is a poet and ornithologist whose work intertwines his lived experience as a Black man in the American south and his love of wilderness. Both have taught him that joy is a source of strength. On Bring Birds Back, Drew describes how he finds radical joy in spending time with birds, like the American Robins.

Hear more from Drew about radical joy in season 7 of Bring Birds Back!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Millicent Ficken Studied How Birds Play

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Millicent Ficken spent her career studying bird behavior and communication. The first woman to earn a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell in 1960, Ficken authored over 100 scientific papers. She discovered that male hummingbirds have a whole repertoire of songs rather than just one, outlined the linguistic differences between penguin species, and showed that chickadees take turns singing in the morning. She was especially fascinated by how birds play, showing that bird play almost always has a pressing purpose — they're practicing a skill they need to survive.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Vulture's Iron Stomach

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Circling silently above the earth on broad, black wings, vultures need little introduction. We know them as nature's clean-up crew, dining on dead and decaying animals. A unique range of adaptations allows vultures such as this Black Vulture to feast on food that’s off limits for many other organisms. Vultures also appear to have a remarkable immune system. For them, and for many other organisms, one key to understanding their place in nature is understanding their relationship with other elements in their environment.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Lifer Pie

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

In birding lingo, a lifer — or life bird — is any species you see or hear for the first time. Birders get very excited about lifers. Some even mark the occasion with a special dessert called lifer pie. The tradition started at a birding festival in northwest Ohio — called the Biggest Week in American Birding — where attendees celebrate new life birds at the local tavern over a slice of homemade pie. Any flavor will do! Lifer pie is more about the feeling than the filling – making it easy for anyone to join in.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Eagle, the Cactus, and the City on the Lake

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

In one of the most iconic founding legends of the Americas, a Golden Eagle devouring a serpent atop a cactus marked the spot where the Mexicas would build Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire. Over the centuries, that ancient metropolis transformed into what we now call Mexico City. Though the mythical eagle is now commemorated on the national flag of Mexico, real Golden Eagles need our help through conservation research and habitat protections.

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Robins Nest On Moving Solar Arrays

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Solar panels are a popular source of renewable energy, but large groupings of them — called arrays — can take up a lot of space. Chelse Prather, an ecologist at the University of Dayton, wanted to know how wildlife are using the habitats underneath two arrays in Ohio. The first site was a fixed array with panels that are locked in place. The second was a tracking array where panels tilt to follow the sun. Chelse and her students found American Robin nests at both sites, but the tracking array nest looked… weird. In their study published in 2025, the team confirmed that these nests were unusually tall and mounted to the support beams at odd angles. It’s a new example of how birds are adapting to a changing world.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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BirdNoir: That Raptor’s an Impostor!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode of BirdNoir, the Private Eye gets a call from his friend Frank, his eyes and ears in the neighborhood. He’s hearing a Red-shouldered Hawk call, but there’s no hawk in sight. Going through the lineup of usual suspects found in backyards, they examine the surprising talent for mimicry found among common birds and finally put the finger on the trickster.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Sword-billed Hummingbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

To out-sip their competition, Sword-billed Hummingbirds have a distinct adaptation: these birds’ beaks are longer than their bodies. Found in temperate forests from Venezuela to Bolivia, these hummingbirds rely entirely on tube-like flowers that other species could never reach. While most birds can use their tongues to clean their feathers, the Sword-billed Hummingbird’s long beak gets in the way – so they use their legs to scratch themselves instead.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Feathered Females in Charge

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 9 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Male birds are often the larger, flashier sex that courts choosy females, who in turn raise their chicks. But not always. Female phalaropes -- like this Wilson's Phalarope — challenge each other over territories in which to house a cluster of males half their size. And the males do all the childcare. Other stay-at-home dads include most of the ratites, like ostriches and emus, as well as several species of jacanas.

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More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Connecticut Warbler

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 8 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Connecticut Warblers nest in the northern boreal forests, migrate through the Midwest, and winter in the rainforests of South America. Even with all that traveling, you rarely see one of these birds. Though their loud, ringing song might be easy to identify, it often seems to emanate from low in a tree when the warbler is perched high in the crown, frustrating birders from Canada to Brazil.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Baby Birds' Bizarre Beaks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 7 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Most baby birds are adorable little floofs — but not all of them. The tongue and palate of estrildid finch chicks are strangely spotted and ringed. They display these markings while they beg for food. Most species’ chicks have mouth markings in colors ranging from black or white to bright yellow, orange, red or blue. The function of these markings has long puzzled scientists.

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Rickie Lee Jones Sings To The Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 6 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Grammy-winning musician Rickie Lee Jones has performed on stages around the world. At home in New Orleans, she found a new audience: backyard birds! Rickie welcomes wildlife to her yard with feeders and bird baths. She loves watching her feathered friends and learning their calls. You can help songbirds at home by keeping feeders clean, growing native plants, and turning off outdoor lights at night. You can even show your appreciation in song!

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Birding 101: Learning How to Strike Out

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 5 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

When you go birding, sometimes you’re in the right place at the right time and there are more species than you can count. Other times, not so lucky. Striking out when looking for birds is frustrating. But a bad day of birding can teach you a lot. Try doing some research into the conditions that day and talking to people that know about birds in your area – they’ll probably commiserate with their own stories about striking out.

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Legends of the Jackdaw

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 4 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The catchy name “Jackdaw” belongs to a European bird that looks like a compact crow drawn in shades of light and dark gray. They are comfortable around people, which helps explain their place in folklore. Some cultures saw the Jackdaw as a predictor of rain, others as a savior of crops. Or possibly an omen of death. They flourish in urban landscapes, making them familiar to many people.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

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Some Birds Have Two Voices

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 3 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The amazing vocal organ found in most birds, the syrinx, has two sides, with different sets of muscles and nerves controlling each side. That lets some songbirds sing two separate melodies at the same time. The Veery, a species of Thrush, can even sing a rising melody and a falling melody simultaneously with the two halves of the syrinx!

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Hollywood Has Gone To The Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 2 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Some of Hollywood’s most iconic beasts owe their signature sounds to the squawks, tweets, and even hisses of birds.

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Telling Apart Two Cheery Bird Songs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 1 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The American Robin and the Baltimore Oriole both have cheery, upbeat songs. At first, you might think there’s no way to tell these two singers apart. But there are a couple of differences. American Robins usually have a longer song, while Baltimore Orioles usually stop after a phrase or two. Plus, Baltimore Orioles sound sweeter and more melodic than American Robins, who can come across a little screechy at times.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

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Rapid Evolution in the Galápagos Islands

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Scientists have long thought that new species took a very long time to emerge. This thinking has now changed dramatically. On an island in the Galápagos, researchers Rosemary and Peter Grant discovered that a hybrid union of two distinct species of finch produced descendants different from any of the island’s known species — and the speciation happened in just two generations.

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Ducks That Whistle

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Whistling as they fly, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks are gorgeous waterfowl with bright pink bills and legs, chestnut necks and backs, and black underparts. Though most whistling-ducks live in the tropics, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks are found in the U.S. along the western Gulf Coast and Florida. But they’re expanding their range and have been spotted nesting as far north as Wisconsin.

Support comes from Wild Delight Bird Food, offering a variety of blends designed to mimic the natural resources wild birds crave, available at Chewy.com.

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The Delightfully Round Bearded Reedling

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The Bearded Reedling is a wetland songbird that’s enjoying a boom in both population and popularity. Barely larger than a chickadee, the male reedlings are often photographed with their feathers puffed out to near spherical proportions, earning them the nickname of “the roundest bird in the world”. Reedlings breed across much of Europe and central Asia. But in the United Kingdom — where they’re called Bearded Tits — the little birds were nearly wiped out in the 1940s. Thanks to decades of intensive reedbed restoration — and the bird’s capacity to rear several broods in a season — there are now more than 600 breeding pairs of Bearded Readlings in the UK today.

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Birding 101: Bird Vocab Basics

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Any hobby or special interest has its own jargon. You’ll pick up on the silly slang that birders use as you go – like calling the Yellow-rumped Warbler, “butterbutt.” Still, learning a few basics of bird vocab is useful when you’re starting out. It’ll help you ask better questions when you’re confused. Check out the opening pages of a bird field guide for general info about what to call the different parts of a bird, basics on bird behavior, and birding tips.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Gull and the Garbage Truck

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Gulls are notorious for snatching french fries from waste bins and flocking to landfills. But one Western Gull’s devotion to trash reached a new level with an 80-mile road trip aboard a waste transfer truck in California. The gull may have gotten trapped in the truck unintentionally, but it delivered her to 216-acres composting facility. And shortly after returning to her colony, she repeated her trek! It’s the first time scientists have documented such an unusual commute.

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BONUS EPISODE: Words in Flight

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Birds have always been a source of inspiration for writers. Edgar Allen Poe, Maya Angelou, and William Shakespeare, to name a few, have all written about birds. But what is it about them that so captures our literary imagination? Words in Flight is an hour-long celebration of contemporary poetry about birds, and what they teach us about ourselves and our world.

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The Ferocious Feet of the Great Horned Owl

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Great Horned Owls excel at nocturnal hunting, thanks to their acute senses and stealth — but their feet let them secure squirming prey. The outermost of their four toes can rotate forward or backward, an advantage that most other birds of prey lack, letting them capture animals as large as raccoons. A four-pound owl can take flight with six pounds of prey.

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Feeding Frenzy

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

It's late winter at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island, Florida. Many birds have finished nesting, and young birds are everywhere. This morning, wind and tide have conspired to strand schools of fish in backwater ditches. And the birds are taking advantage of it. It's a feeding frenzy! White Ibises, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, and American White Pelicans join in. Thanks to the National Wildlife Refuge System, these birds — and many others — can thrive in protected habitats.

Support comes from Wild Delight Bird Food, offering a variety of blends designed to mimic the natural resources wild birds crave, available at Chewy.com.

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Cranes' Voices Across the Globe

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

There are 15 species of cranes across the globe, found everywhere but Antarctica and South America. During the winter, cranes forage and rest together by the thousands. Listen in to the voices of cranes from all over the world. Nothing evokes the spirit of the wild like the voices of these majestic birds.

This episode is brought to you by the Bobolink Foundation.

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A Hummingbird Hospital in a Mexico City Apartment

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

In Mexico City, 73-year-old Catia Lattouf started a hummingbird hospital — in her apartment! She hosts dozens of hummingbirds as they recover from injuries. Catia, who once ran a French high-fashion boutique, began caring for hummingbirds in 2012, after she survived cancer that was considered terminal. She received her first injured hummingbird, and named him Gucci.

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How the Barnacle Goose Was Named

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Boldly patterned in black, white, and silver, Barnacle Geese are stunning birds. In Europe, huge flocks gather in pastures and mudflats where the geese feast on grasses and moss — but not barnacles. So where did they get that name?

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Magpie-Jay Flocks Are Led by Females

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Found in much of Central America, White-throated Magpie-Jay flocks are family groups led by a dominant female. They include a mate and several female offspring that bring food to the primary female and her young. It’s an example of cooperative breeding, when birds other than the parents help out to raise young.

Support comes from Wild Delight Bird Food, offering a variety of blends designed to mimic the natural resources wild birds crave, available at Chewy.com.

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Aldabra Rail: The Bird that Evolved Twice

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Over 130,000 years ago, White-throated Rails migrated across hundreds of miles from Madagascar to the tiny island of Aldabra. Fossil records show that these wayward birds evolved to be entirely flightless, and went extinct when the island was lost to sea level rise. But some 20,000 years later, Aldabra reemerged from the Indian Ocean and a new wave of rails settled in. Today, the Aldabra subspecies of White-throated Rails are flightless once again! It’s a rare example of a phenomenon called iterative evolution.

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Migrations: Pine Siskin Irruption

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Do you ever see flocks of birds in your yard that show up in droves one year, but are completely absent the next? Some nomadic species such as Pine Siskins move based on the availability of food and habitat. It’s called irruptive migration, and it sometimes leads to backyards full of siskins. While these flocks are a delight for bird watchers, the dense groups can easily transmit diseases such as salmonellosis.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

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Mating for Life

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Most bird species in North America mate for a single breeding season. Some may team up again the following year, just because both stay in - or return to - the same territory. Fewer than one-fifth of Song Sparrow pairs are reunited. Hawks, eagles, and ravens have wide territories, thus few contacts with the opposite sex. Maintaining a relationship through the winter may assure breeding in the next season.

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Seeds of Attraction

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

What is it that draws us to a romantic partner? Birds have lots of ways to catch the attention of a mate. Most cranes duet with prospective partners for years before they begin breeding. Crested Auklets of both sexes produce a pungent citrus perfume. And Blue-footed Boobies dance, showing off their feet to each other.

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eBird: Contribute to Science While Birding

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

eBird, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, lets you log the bird species you observe on a smartphone app or on the web. Whether you’re going on a birding trip or enjoying birds near home, you can list the species you found on eBird. Millions of people all over the world help eBird create a detailed picture of bird populations. Data from eBird has helped guide many conservation efforts, from planning new wind farms away from where eagles fly to guiding habitat protection for declining species.

This episode was produced as part of BirdNote’s “From Love to Action” campaign, an effort to inspire people to take action to help birds. To learn more and to tell us how you’re helping birds, visit this link.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Over the course of four days in February, the Great Backyard Bird Count gathers heaps of info about birds all over the world — and helps people connect with their local birds. Anyone can participate with the Merlin Bird ID app. And if you’re familiar with your neighborhood birds, you can submit a checklist of all birds you see or hear on eBird. Learn more at the Great Backyard Bird Count's website.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Best Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Some birds woo a mate by building the best nest. Males of many weaverbird species construct a series of intricately woven nests to impress a prospective partner. A male Red-winged Blackbird can even attract multiple mates if he controls prime breeding territory. Adélie Penguins construct their nests on mounds of stones, and partners often exchange stone gifts during the course of construction.

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Participate in Project NestWatch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Project NestWatch is made up of volunteers around the world who monitor bird nests, reporting whether the birds successfully raise their young. Joining the project involves a bit of online training, finding a nearby bird nest, and briefly checking on it every 3-4 days without disturbing the birds.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

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Finding Mom's Favorite Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 9 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Author and illustrator Becca Rowland likes to keep an eye out for cardinals. Her mom loves them and is pretty good at finding them, too. Becca didn’t know how she did it, until they realized their mom was birding by ear! Now Becca has written a new book called, Bird Talk: Hilariously Accurate Ways to Identify Birds by the Sounds They Make.

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A Bird in the Hand

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 8 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

You’ve probably heard the old saying: “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” Well, it’s a very old saying, and it’s gone through some changes over the years. In each era, the pragmatic wisdom is clear: Hold on to the sure thing rather than taking a gamble on something better. The saying even lent its name to a town in Pennsylvania!

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

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February Summer in Argentina

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 7 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

In February, winter still holds sway over much of North America. But in Argentina, it’s summer, and birds are in full voice. Argentina’s national bird, the Rufous Hornero, belts out a rapid trill while the Rufous-bellied Thrush sings its lovely song. In the tropical forests of northeastern Argentina, a male Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, like the one pictured here, booms out its display calls. And the cheerful, bubbly notes of an Ultramarine Grosbeak remind us that spring in North America — and the arrival of birds like the Rose-breasted Grosbeak — isn’t too far off.

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Family Time with Red-throated Loons

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 6 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Millions of birds from around the world begin their lives in the Teshekpuk Wetlands of northern Alaska. In 2025, author and environment reporter Lynda Mapes visited the region to see how new fossil fuel developments are impacting wildlife in America’s Arctic. In this episode, Lynda recalls spending time with a family of Red-throated Loons.

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To Breathe Like a Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 5 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Birds have a highly efficient breathing anatomy that powers the exertion of flight. It is driven by large, thin-walled air sacs located throughout the body cavity that operate like bellows. This parabronchial system for extracting oxygen from the air has a far greater surface area than the lungs of a mammal, making sustained flight possible.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Wild Parrots of San Francisco

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 4 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Flocks of Cherry-headed Conures, a species native to South America, are now found throughout San Francisco. While a local legend claims that a pet shop owner introduced them by burning the shop down, it’s more likely that that a few of these loud-mouths exasperated their owners until they “accidentally” left a window open. Sadly, wild Cherry-headed Conures are falling ill from rodent poison. A nonprofit, Mickaboo, adopts out healed rescues.

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Albatrosses Saving Albatrosses

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 3 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Black-footed Albatrosses are masters of the high seas, but their fate is threatened by trouble on land. At their nesting grounds on Midway Atoll in Hawai‘i, rising sea levels are washing away albatross nests and eggs. Since 2021, a research team led by Julio Hernández with the Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas has been working to establish a new colony for of Black-footed Albatrosses on Isla Guadalupe in Mexico. Julio explains the island’s native Laysan Albatrosses are stepping in as “foster parents” to safeguard their Hawai’ian relatives.

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Conserving Wetlands for Black Rails

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 2 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Black Rails are marsh-inhabiting birds, more often heard than seen. Many Black Rails nest in marshes along the Atlantic seaboard and in the Midwest. But in winter they concentrate in the coastal marshes of East Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, areas that face many threats. Sadly, according to the 2025 State of the Birds Report, Black Rail populations are perilously low and continue to decline. In recent decades, the enactment of laws protecting wetlands has improved the bird's prospects.

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Voices and Vocabularies: House Finch or Purple Finch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 1 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

In parts of the United States, House Finches overlap with similar-looking Purple Finches. Their distinct songs help us sort them out. House Finch songs are jumbled and have a sharp, buzzy note — especially during the breeding season. Purple Finches’ songs, on the other hand, are smoother and lack the buzzy note.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.

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Ornithographies

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Photographer Xavi Bou creates incredible images of birds and their movements by combining his love of photography and technology with his love for birds and nature — as seen in his book, Ornithographies. He’s especially drawn to European Starlings and their movements as a flock, called a murmuration. The starlings fly in a tight, synchronized group, sometimes to avoid a predator.

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New Zealand Bellbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

A forest in New Zealand rings with the sound of bellbirds, also known as Korimako or Makomako. Many bellbirds sing together, especially in the morning. Pairs sing duets. And a pair may counter-sing with its neighbors, perhaps letting them know that this patch of land is taken. It all builds to a brilliant, ringing dawn chorus.

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Wild Goose Dacha

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

No human dreams of relaxing on the shores of Novaya Zemlya, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean that’s best known as a Soviet testing site for nuclear weapons. Yet, a growing flock of Pink-footed Geese have begun to make this militarized zone their summer home. Though this region was once too cold for the geese to raise young, climate change — and increased competition for food — may have made Novaya Zemlya a compelling alternative to their traditional territory in Svalbard. It’s also possible that the Pink-footed Geese found the archipelago by following other migratory waterfowl, which could prove to be a rare example of cultural knowledge being transmitted between species.

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The Value of a Dust Bath

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

It might sound strange, but dirt helps birds scrub themselves clean. Birds of all sizes, like the Eurasian Skylark, often scrape a depression in the ground and flick dirt onto their bodies, shimmying to shake it off. Experiments showed that birds use dust to prevent oils from building up on their feathers and to remove dandruff — much like humans using shampoo in the shower!

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Ancient Birds Nested in the Arctic, Too

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Every summer, millions of birds flock to the Arctic Circle to find mates and raise their young. In a study published in 2025, paleontologists found evidence of the earliest known Arctic breeding colony from fossils uncovered in northern Alaska. The site dates back nearly 73 million years when many prehistoric predecessors to modern birds still had teeth; including the gull-like ichthyornitheans and the flightless, loon-like hesperornitheans. These were among several types of ancient avians preserved as both adults and hatchlings, which suggests the site was used for nesting. Just like today, these birds were likely taking advantage of the abundant food provided by the 24-hours of summer daylight.

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Female Birds Sing in the Tropics

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

In temperate climates like North America, it’s often male songbirds that sing the most. Typically the males migrate north before females and establish territories for the short breeding season, using their songs as a way to claim a spot. But many female birds do sing, even in colder climates (like this Bay Wren). And in warm tropic zones, female birds often have a big role in defending a territory, and many of them sing just as loudly and artfully as the males.

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Preening 101

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

If a bird’s feathers get too dried out, they become brittle. To prevent that from happening, most birds have a gland located above the base of the tail that produces oil. They use their beaks to massage oil from the gland into their feathers to keep them supple. A bird first grips a feather in its beak near the feather’s base. Then it slides its beak along the length of the feather toward the tip. This action smoothes together the tiny structures — called barbules — that make up the feather, while also removing dirt and small parasites.

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The Heart of a Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

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 adaptations. An exercising human has a heart rate around 150 beats per minute. In contrast, an active hummingbird’s heart pumps at 1,200 beats per minute; a flying pigeon’s heart beats at 600.

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Magnificent Frigatebird Drum Roll

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Magnificent Frigatebirds are huge, gangly seabirds found around the warm waters of the Western Hemisphere. When it comes time to mate, males inflate giant red throat sacs, then rattle and drum their bills against them to create jazzy percussive sounds.

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‘Ākohekohe

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Sporting a fancy tuft of feathers on its forehead and a bright orange nape, Maui island’s ‘ākohekohe is one Hawaiʻi’s strikingly beautiful native forest birds. ‘ākohekohe are also critically endangered. Habitat loss and disease from invasive mosquitoes are major threats to their survival.

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Letter to a Pileated Woodpecker

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to a Pileated Woodpecker, a large species of woodpecker that is sometimes mistaken for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Early Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

We've all heard that the early bird gets the worm. But research shows that birds dining early and heavily may lower their life expectancy. Socially dominant birds stay lean (and agile at avoiding predators) during the day, and then stoke up later, before a cold night. Subordinate birds have to look for food whenever and wherever they can find it, and carry fat on their bodies to hedge against unpredictable rations.

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Spark Bird: Murry Burgess and the Painted Bunting

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Urban ornithologist and children’s author Murry Burgess has always been interested in wildlife. But she first felt a spark for birds on a college field trip to Dauphin Island, a beach town on the Gulf Coast of Alabama that’s a famous stop-over site for migratory birds. There, she saw a dazzling male Painted Bunting that amazed her both with his colorful plumage and incredible migration journey. Now Murry is a professor researching how urban environments impact birds, a children’s book author, and co-founder of the nonprofit Field Inclusive, which advocates for safety and diversity in the outdoors.

This is Field Inclusive Week, an annual week of connection, learning, and empowerment for all field biologists and outdoor enthusiasts! This year’s virtual events build on a legacy of diversity, inclusion, and field safety. Learn how you can participate at fieldinclusive.org.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Western Tanagers Are Flashes of Bright Color

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Western Tanagers dart from tree to tree, on the lookout for delicious bugs. They’ll find them by scanning the tree bark — or maybe snatching them from mid-air during flight — a tactic called hawking. Come winter, these lovely songbirds head south, where they fit right in with the other brightly colored tropical birds they’ll spend the winter with in Mexico and Central America.

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Ornate Hawk-Eagle: The Elegant Eagle

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Ornate Hawk-Eagles stand out from other raptors with their impressive crest that looks like an elegant crown in adults, and a punk hairdo over the white-headed and black-bodied juveniles. These birds are excellent hunters, but they’re also devoted parents.

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Diving Birds Are Dense

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

While many birds have hollow bones that make flying a breeze, diving birds are built differently. The bones of divers such as Common Loons are denser than those of songbirds and other expert fliers. With a lightweight skeleton, they’d be too buoyant to dive and chase fish. Instead, loons can kick their powerful legs and webbed feet to swim 200 feet or more underwater!

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Razorbills Swim in Synchrony

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Razorbills, a cousin to the puffin, nest in colonies on cliffs. Before they lay eggs, Razorbills take part in two unique social behaviors. In one, the Razorbills swim round and round in a tight mass, then dive as one. Next, they surface with heads aligned and bills held open. In another behavior, dozens of birds swim in a line, then zig-zag in a synchronized pattern across the ocean’s surface.

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Welcoming Back Common Loons

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

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 these more populated areas has made it harder for loons to persist. There have been encouraging signs in recent years that Common Loons could make a comeback in the southern parts of their range — with our help.

This episode is in memory of Miriam Williams of Seattle, whose sense of humor, love of birds, and support of BirdNote made the world brighter.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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How Terns Read the Water

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Like an expert angler, a tern can read the surface of the water to find where to catch its next fish. Scientists piloted a drone to track the flight paths of terns on the hunt. The terns sought out turbulent water. A vortex formed by colliding currents traps fish near the surface, where terns can snap them up. Terns fly toward bubbly upwellings to see if the rising water brings prey animals along with it.

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Finches Singing Over the Sidewalk

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The songs of two common finches provide a steady soundtrack in cities across North America: the House Finch and the American Goldfinch. While they can sound similar, a couple of key features help set them apart. House Finches sing sweetly but often have a sharp, buzzy note near the end. Goldfinches sing rapidly, often repeating a note several times. They also often make their distinctive call, which sounds like someone quickly saying “potato chip!”

Support for BirdNote is provided by Mary Pigott of Seattle, Washington — and generous listeners around the world.

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Giving Your Cat a Great Life Indoors

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Outdoor cats kill billions of birds each year in North America — and they live much shorter lives than indoor cats. But life as an indoor cat doesn’t have to be boring. On Bring Birds Back, cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy discusses how just 15 minutes of creative play with your cat can make a huge difference. Plus, letting cats watch birds through the window can act as “Cat TV.”

Listen to the full episode in Bring Birds Back season 1!

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Bald Eagles' Daredevil Cartwheel Flight

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Two eagles locking talons high above the ground might look like they’re risking injury, but it’s a normal courtship behavior called the “cartwheel display.” Fully entangled, the two birds begin spinning to the earth, disengaging just before they smack the ground. Their clasp could last for hours. At last, the eagles unlock talons and fly off. Rival adults sometimes perform the same flight.

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Kelp in the Eagles’ Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 9 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

A pair of Bald Eagles will reuse their nest each year and repair it with new tree branches. But recently in British Columbia, scientists came across an eagle nest made largely out of dried kelp. Back in the ‘90s, that very nest had been made out of tree branches. What changed? Sea Otters were reintroduced to the landscape, which helped kelp forests flourish — and occasionally wind up in an eagle’s nest.

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Spark Bird: J’orge Garcia and the Finch Robot

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 8 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

J’orge Garcia loves making things. For several years at the Chicago Public Library, he helped people to design and build their own creations with educational tools like the Finch Robot. With basic coding skills, J’orge and his students could program the little, bird-shaped bot to sing, light up, or drive along a path. The experience inspired him to look for finches in his own neighborhood. On Bring Birds Back, J’orge shares how his passion for technology and nature led him to found the Windy City Bird Lab, a community-science group that’s inventing new tools to study urban birds.

Listen to the full episode in season 8 of Bring Birds Back!

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The Music of Long-tailed Ducks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 7 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Long-tailed Ducks are back for the winter from the north, where they nested on tundra ponds and marshes. These diving ducks spend the winter in deep salt water, often in sheltered bays. Long-tailed Ducks are far more vocal than most ducks, a feature that has earned them a host of charming nicknames, including "John Connally," "My Aunt Huldy," and, from the Cree language, "Ha-hah-way."

This episode is dedicated to Dan Moore for his many years of board service and generous support of BirdNote.

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Bruno & La Güera: An Albatross Love Story

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 6 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Isla Guadalupe off the Western coast of Mexico is famous for its massive colonies of petrels, shearwaters, and Laysan Albatrosses. Now, conservationists hope it can become a safe haven for Black-footed Albatrosses too – like Bruno and La Güera. In 2021, the pair were among a dozen Black-footed Albatross chicks flown from Hawai‘i’s Midway Atoll to Mexico by researchers with the non-profit Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas. It’s part of a larger effort to establish a new Black-footed Albatross colony in Mexico as rising seas threaten their native breeding grounds. The budding romance between Bruno and La Güera has the team hopeful that they’ll be just the first of many Black-footed Albatross couples helping their species settle into a new home in Mexico.

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Wrens from North to South

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 5 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

There are nearly ninety species of wrens in the world, and quite a few are exceptional singers. Nearly all of them reside in the Western Hemisphere, with the majority living in Central and South America. The White-bellied Wren ranks among the tiniest, at just under four inches, while the Giant Wren is nearly nine inches long — as big as a Red-winged Blackbird. And the most legendary singer? It’s a tough decision, but many would choose this Musician Wren from South America.

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An Indoor Wildlife Adventure

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 4 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The video game Alba: A Wildlife Adventure lets you have adventures in a stunning virtual landscape while curled up at home with a cup of hot cocoa. The game puts you in the shoes of a birdwatcher and conservationist on a Mediterranean island. As you traverse the animated ecosystems, listen for the calls of over 50 birds, like the Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Northern Shoveler, and Great Cormorant. The game is available on phones, consoles, or your computer.

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Peace in Wild Places

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 3 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Wendell Berry wrote: "When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests." Where do you go to rest and renew yourself in nature? Where do you come into the peace of wild things?

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Birding 101: The Fear of Getting Started

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 2 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

For folks looking to try birding for the first time, getting started can be daunting. Should you learn every species’ call, every subtle feather pattern before you head out to look for birds? While it’s good to prepare, there’s a risk of scaring yourself out of starting, and preventing the kind of hands-on experiential learning that’s one of the best parts of birding. So when you have the time and energy, just go for it! Learning about birds is the work of a lifetime — that’s why it’s so rewarding.

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Rickie Lee Jones Helps Birds at Home

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 1 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

At her home in New Orleans, Grammy-winning musical artist Rickie Lee Jones has transformed her yard into a safe haven for birds. By putting out water and feeders, she’s become popular with the local cardinals, doves, and even a crow with a distinctive white wing. The experience has encouraged Rickie to find more ways to take actions to protect birds, like turning off outdoor lights at night and treating windows to prevent fatal collisions.

BirdNote is supported by Road Scholar, creating educational travel adventures for adults around the world.

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Kererū: Pigeons That Get Tipsy

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Kererū, green-blue pigeons native to New Zealand, like to sun themselves after dining on fruit. But in warm summer months, the bird’s sunbathing has a surprising side-effect. A part of their digestive system called the crop stores their latest snack – where it begins to ferment, eventually making the pigeons drunk! The rotund creatures often get so tipsy that they fall out of trees, prompting compassionate people to deliver them to local bird rescues and let them sober up.

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Golden Eagle: From Aztec Legend to the Steppes of Kazakhstan

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Golden Eagle is a bird of epic proportions not only for their impressive size but also for the many legends they’ve inspired across human history. They are one of the largest eagles in the world with a wingspan of more than seven feet. When the Aztecs saw a Golden Eagle devouring a serpent atop a cactus, they knew they had found their promised land. Today, that powerful raptor graces Mexico’s national shield. In fact, the Golden Eagle appears on the flags and emblems of several countries including Kazakhstan, where nomadic hunters have practiced an ancient form of falconry with Golden Eagles for thousands of years.

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Ivory Gull and Conservation

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Polar Bears symbolize the icy landscapes of the far north like no other animal. The bear's way of life — its very survival — is inseparable from the Arctic pack-ice. Less familiar is a remarkable bird that shares with the Polar Bear this vital link to ice: this Ivory Gull. The gulls feed on small fish and other marine life, but also scavenge carcasses, including those left by Polar Bears. Global warming has brought increasing change to the world of ice-dependent species such as the Ivory Gull and Polar Bear.

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From the Start, Daffy Duck Has Been a Cartoon Original

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

From his start in 1937, the gangly, black-feathered Daffy Duck was a cartoon original: wildly outspoken, volatile, and confrontational — a truly daft duck. Daffy was one of the most memorable characters from the golden age of cartoons, paving the way for other screwball cartoon personalities to come.

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Lewis's Woodpeckers and Pine Forests

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

A century of logging and fire control has taken its toll on the mature pine forests of the West, the preferred nest site for this Lewis's Woodpecker. But there is hope. Lewis's Woodpeckers also nest along rivers in large cottonwoods, trees of little value for timber. Also, many remaining tracts of old-growth ponderosas are protected on public lands, and the trees are growing larger day by day.

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When ‘Terror Birds’ Ruled the Earth

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

A bird known as Titanis walleri made its home in Florida just a few million years ago. Titanis, as its name suggests, was titanic indeed — a flightless predator, 5 feet tall, with a massive hooked bill. Titanis and other birds related to it belong to a group some paleontologists call the "terror birds." They were dominant land predators in South America for tens of millions of years. Paleontologists still aren’t clear about why Titanis and its kin went extinct. But whatever factors ended the era of the terror birds also made it a lot less risky to go out and fill your bird feeder.

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What Makes an Efficient Flying Bird?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Every bird species uses its wings a little differently, and some are specialized for highly efficient flight. But that means going without other abilities. Swallows and hummingbirds, like a Talamanca Hummingbird, capture their food on the wing, but they can’t walk. Swifts, which are acrobatic in the air, can’t even perch. Yet they dazzle with the maneuverability made possible by their aerodynamic bodies.

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Birds Move from Fresh to Salt Water

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

To hear a Common Loon in the wild during summer, you’ll need to find a northern, freshwater lake where a pair is nesting. But to find that same Common Loon in winter, you’ll likely need to look on a saltwater bay. This shift from fresh to salt water would kill most animals. But loons — along with many ducks and other water birds — have evolved to make that move. It’s possible that breeding adults nest on fresh water in order to save their energy for raising chicks.

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Birdsong and Solitude

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Wall of Birds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a towering mural showing nearly 250 life-sized birds across a map of the world. To complete the impressive artwork, artist and scientific illustrator Jane Kim spent 17 months painting day in and day out. Though the experience was often solitary, Jane stayed connected to the outside world through the sounds of wildlife in the nature preserve that surround Cornell Lab.

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Letter to a Dark-eyed Junco

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Writer and ornithologist J. Drew Lanham shares a note he has written to a Dark-eyed Junco, which he fondly nicknames “snowbird.”

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Why Birds Eat Snow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In the depths of winter, when open water is frozen over, it can be challenging for birds to stay hydrated. Some birds eat the frozen water all around them. Cedar Waxwings catch snowflakes in mid-air. Black-capped Chickadees drink from dripping icicles. Plenty of other birds scoop up fresh, powdery snow and eat it. It could be worth the calories to melt the snow when searching for liquid water could expose them to predators.

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Building Birds with LEGO

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Thomas Poulsom is a hobbyist LEGO builder best known for his models of birds. But making birds out of bricks isn't easy. That’s why he uses special pieces to sculpt something entirely different — like when minifigure carrots became a puffin’s legs. A unique piece called a “snot brick” allows him to build in any direction, making it possible to make a round object out of square LEGO bricks.

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Painting Birdsong with Jane Kim

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

At the visitor center of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, artist and scientific illustrator Jane Kim painted the Wall of Birds to celebrate the evolution and diversity of birds. Completed in December 2015, the massive mural depicts nearly 250 birds — and several of their ancient predecessors — on a map of the world where each lives. Jane worked closely with scientific advisors to ensure that each portrait accurately represents the bird's features and behaviors, including many species — like the Three-wattled Bellbird — that appear to sing from their place on the wall.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Dining with Sanderlings

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

While many shorebirds have gone south, tiny sandpipers called Sanderlings are easy to find on winter shores. They follow the waves as they lap in and out, probing the swirling sand for prey. They often eat various small crustaceans such as mole crabs, isopods, and amphipods. But they also enjoy miniature clams, polychaete worms, and horseshoe crab eggs. They’ll even catch flying insects or eat plant matter.

This episode is dedicated to Deb Rivel, for her many years of board service and generous support of BirdNote.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Kittiwake, Kittiwake

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Named for its rhythmic calls, the Black-legged Kittiwake is a dapper, oceanic gull. As described by Roger Tory Peterson, the tips of its pale gray wings "are cut straight across, as if they had been dipped in ink." Unlike many gulls, kittiwakes spend most of the year at sea and are seldom seen inland.

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Andean Condors Sail the Wind

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Andean Condor is one of the largest flying birds in the world. With a wingspan that can stretch over 10 feet across, the condor doesn’t flap so much as sail, using rising thermals to glide across the Andes for hours. Once revered in Inca mythology as a messenger of the gods, the Andean Condor now graces the coat of arms of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. But like many scavengers, condor populations are declining due to threats like lead poisoning and habitat loss.

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Sandhill Crane Families Stick Together

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Sandhill Crane families form a close bond. A pair of adults might travel north with their young from the previous summer, along with grown-up offspring from several years ago. After the breeding season, families will stick together for the journey south and the winter, even in large flocks. The parents often remain together for the rest of their lives.

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Seabirds, Trees and Coral

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Palmyra Atoll is a ring-shaped island encircling a lagoon in the South Pacific. The atoll lost many native trees due to U.S. military activity during World War II. Conservationists have worked to restore the ecosystem. Seabirds such as Black Noddies and Red-footed Boobies nest in the island’s rainforest. Their guano enriches the soil, and the soil’s nutrients help support the coral ecosystem that provides fish for the birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Museum Eggs Help Solve Mysteries

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

There are five million bird eggs stowed away in museums across the world — and the study of eggs, called oology, can give us great insight into birds. The link between DDT and the decline of Peregrine Falcon populations was identified in part using museum and personal egg collections, and this evidence helped lead to a ban on DDT. And today, Peregrines can still be seen zipping across the sky.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Kiwikiu

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Kiwikiu, also known as Maui Parrotbill, used to be found all over Maui and Molokaʻi. Now, fewer than 150 individuals exist and kiwikiu are currently restricted to a tiny region of high elevation forest on the slopes of Haleakalā. A translocation effort to expand their range was unsuccessful due to the rapid spread of mosquito-borne avian malaria.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Altitudinal Migration

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Yellow-eyed Juncos sometimes make a migration of sorts — not from north to south, but from the high mountains to the lowlands or the other way around. It’s called altitudinal migration. In the warm summer months, some Yellow-eyed Juncos prefer to nest at higher elevations. In winter, however, the scarcity of food pushes them back down to the valleys.

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How Art Inspired a Young Birder

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Isaiah Scott was in middle school when his family took him to visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. He remembers seeing a huge mural showing hundreds of colorful birds spread across a map of the world. That painting, called the Wall of Birds by Jane Kim, got Isaiah curious about how many of those species he might see for himself. In this episode, Isaiah shares how the artwork sparked his love of birding.

There’s more to our conversation with Isaiah Scott in season 4 of Bring Birds Back!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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A Song That Has Survived for Thousands of Years

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 9 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Sometimes, a species’ song changes over the course of a few decades. But a bird that lives in the mountains of eastern Africa, the Forest Double-collared Sunbird, appears to have kept the same song for at least 500,000 years. That’s the amount of time that two populations of the species split up into two separate mountain ranges. Despite a lack of contact between those populations, they sing a nearly identical song, suggesting that it’s very similar to the one their ancestors sang long ago.

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What Do Woodpeckers Do on Smoky Days?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 8 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

When the air is thick with wildfire smoke, people are advised to stay home. At Hastings Natural History Preserve in California, Acorn Woodpeckers do the same. These gregarious birds live in family groups and frequently visit their neighbors while foraging. Using tiny radio transmitters, scientists tracked the movements of Acorn Woodpeckers during the summer of 2020 when wildfire smoke blanketed the preserve. On smoky days, woodpeckers spent more of their time at home. And when they did leave their territories, they didn’t venture far and visited fewer neighbors than usual. Published in Current Biology in 2023, the findings suggest that harm caused by wildfires go far beyond the blaze itself. As megafires become more common in our changing climate, even more birds could be affected by wildfire smoke in the future.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Paradise-Whydah

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 7 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

A few times each year, the Eastern Paradise-Whydah puts on his party clothes. This small finch is found in East Africa, and males and females generally share the same nondescript appearance. But when it’s time to mate, the male sprouts extravagant, long, black tail feathers two or three times the length of his body. The feathers make it look like he’s wearing a long black cape, thus the nickname, “widow bird.”

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In Winter, Puffins Lead Very Different Lives

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 6 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Every summer, puffins — like this Horned Puffin — grow blazingly colorful layers over the bases of their huge beaks. But in the winter, puffins lead very different lives, and they shed their bright ornamentation. Puffins in winter are largely solitary — and silent. They spend about seven months alone at sea, before returning once again to their colonies to breed.

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Double-jointed Hawks and Convergent Evolution

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 5 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Crane Hawks of Central and South America and African Harrier-Hawks both have legs that bend forward and backward. Each bird’s wonderfully peculiar leg adaptation is completely original — it evolved all on its own — even though the end result is the same. It's a fascinating example of a phenomenon called convergent evolution.

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Protecting the Madagascar Fish-Eagle

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 4 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Biodiversity conservationist Lily-Arison Rene de Roland works with some of the rarest birds in the world. He’s the Madagascar program director for the Peregrine Fund, a non-profit conservation organization that protects imperiled birds of prey like the Madagascar Fish-Eagle. These large raptors only eat fish, which means they rely on the same diminishing wetlands and natural resources as some fishing communities. In this episode, Lily shares how community-centered conservation programs are helping to support Madagascar’s fishers and fish-eagles.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Common Potoo: Branch or Bird?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 3 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Common Potoos are champions of camouflage. In the daytime these nocturnal creatures perch perfectly still on branches: heads pointed upward, bodies outstretched, and eyes closed down to tiny slits. It’s hard to tell where the branch ends and the bird’s body begins — which helps them avoid predators. They’re birds more often heard than seen; with a melodious but mournful song, made at dawn, dusk and by the light of the moon. The song earned potoos the name ‘Poor-me-one’ in Trinidad and Tobago.

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The Gyrfalcon – A Circumpolar Raptor

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 2 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Gyrfalcons are circumpolar, nesting in the far north of Asia, North America, and Europe, including Iceland and Greenland. They evolved as a distinct species in the Pleistocene Era, around 100,000 years ago. Their large size and warm feathering gave them an edge for nesting high in the Arctic. Gyrfalcons reuse the same nesting site year after year, and some nests have been occupied for 2,500 years!

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Jane Kim and the Wall of Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 1 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Walk into the visitor center at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and you’ll be greeted by a massive mural called the Wall of Birds. About the size of a tennis court, the mural shows a map of the world covered in 270 life-sized portraits of birds and their relatives — ranging in size from the 30-foot-long, feathered dinosaur Yutyrranus hauli to the tiny Marvelous Spatuletail hummingbird. Artist and scientific illustrator Jane Kim partnered with the Cornell Lab to create this epic celebration of the evolution and diversity of birds, which was completed in December 2015.

Costa Rica Pulses with Life

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

It’s early morning in Costa Rica. Tiny bats nestle in a tree after a night on the wing. A Great Kiskadee calls. Gray-capped Flycatchers sally forth from willow-like shrubs to catch insects in mid-air. White Ibis forage at the water's edge. Deep in a thicket, Black-hooded Antshrikes call. By noon, Chestnut-mandibled Toucans will shift lazily from one tree to another. In the evening, the sounds of cicadas give way to the sounds of crickets and a chorus of Marine Toads pours forth like no other. The land is pulsing with life!

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The Birds of Yoga

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Pigeon Pose. Crow Pose. Eagle pose. Bird of paradise. Writer Trisha Mukherjee, who is also a yoga teacher, discusses the connections these bird-inspired yoga poses have with Hindu mythology and philosophy.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Sparrow Loves Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

From an early age, urban ornithologist Murry Burgess loved to draw and tell stories – and that passion stayed with her as her love for birds grew as well. The joy Murry found in both art and science inspired her to write the children’s book Sparrow Loves Birds. The story follows the adventures of a curious 5-year-old girl named Sparrow as she meets her neighborhood birds. The book includes a field guide so that birders of all ages can learn to identify birds, too.

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A Grandchild’s Song for Robins

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Ray Young Bear is a writer, musician and a member of Meskwaki Nation. He considers himself a word collector, writing poetry in both English and Meskwaki, his first language. And he enjoys taking photos of the birds around his home in Iowa. In the spring of 2021, he was spending time with his grandson, Ozzy Young Bear. He composed a song in Meskwaki about how his grandson enjoyed watching the robins hunt for earthworms. He later recorded the song for a music collection called, For the Birds: The Birdsong Project. Over 200 musicians, artists and writers contributed, with proceeds going to the National Audubon Society.

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Why Do Birds Flick Their Tails?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The way that some birds flick, wag, or flare their tails can be distinctive. A flicking or flashing tail might suggest to a predator that a bird is particularly alert or hard to catch, while also warning others in the flock of danger. Tail flicking can also help flush out prey. A Hooded Warbler — or a Song Sparrow, like this one — may flare its tail while foraging low to the ground to cause insects to jump, making them easier prey.

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Whooping Cranes: A Song That Was Nearly Silenced

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Whooping Crane is the tallest flying bird in North America. These huge white cranes with a black mask and a splash of red on the crown came perilously close to extinction. By the 1940s, just 15 individuals remained in the wild. Decades of conservation efforts – both kooky and conventional – have helped their number grow to nearly 800. Today, the only self-sustaining wild flock migrates between Canada and Texas, while other populations survive with help from captive breeding programs.

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The Music of Black Scoters

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Black Scoters are sea ducks that spend the winter on saltwater bays. They are large, strong ducks and buoyant swimmers with a habit of cocking their tails upward. Black Scoters nest each summer on freshwater tundra ponds. Each fall, they can be found on bays all across the Northern Hemisphere. An unmistakable clue to their presence? Their mysterious, musical wail.

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Pulling Rank at the Bird Feeder

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Bird feeders full of seeds or suet can spark nonstop action. Chickadees flitter in and out. Finches expertly crack one seed after another, while jays, doves, woodpeckers and sparrows all join the flurry. This might bring to mind a neighborly picnic — but it’s not quite as friendly. At any given moment, there’s a distinct hierarchy in effect. More dominant birds are usually able to displace lower-ranking birds. But not always! The next time you’re watching a bird feeder, try to figure out who’s in charge.

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Left Foot or Right? Handedness in Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

A parrot’s eyes are located on the sides of its head. So, if it wants to look at something — say, a delicious piece of fruit — it has to cock its head one way or the other do it. And if it looks with its left eye, then it uses its left foot. Scientists call this handedness. That’s when one hand or foot is used consistently over the other for doing complex tasks. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are almost all left-handed ... that is... left-footed!

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Yellow Warblers in a Changing World

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In spring and summer, Yellow Warblers sing from treetops to stream sides. While their beauty and songs commonly light up our most vibrant months, they face imminent challenges. Yellow Warbler populations have adapted genetically to their local climates. That makes them vulnerable to environmental shifts, which could cause the species to lose much of its breeding range in the U.S. by 2080.

A special thank you to artist Heidi Stavrevski for designing our 20th Anniversary Logo, which beautifully captures two decades of BirdNote Storytelling.

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Birdsong Mnemonics with Christian Cooper

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Birder and author Christian Cooper says learning to identify bird calls feels like unlocking a sixth sense. Birding by ear is a skill that takes time to develop, but you’ll start to recognize patterns with practice. Christian says mnemonics are a great way to remember bird calls. Some birds have well-known mnemonics, like the “Oh sweet Canada Canada Canada” of the White-throated Sparrow. But if those don’t work for you, make up your own!

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Play and Brain Size

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Many birds that play do it alone by swinging, sliding, or rolling around. Some species interact with objects, like dropping a stone and picking it up again. But a select few birds – like these crows – play with other members of their species. Scientists call this social play. It appears to have implications for the evolution of brain size among birds as well as our own species.

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The Eagle, the Cactus, and the City on the Lake

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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The Joy of Robins with J. Drew Lanham

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

J. Drew Lanham is a poet and ornithologist whose work intertwines his lived experience as a Black man in the American south and his love of wilderness. Both have taught him that joy is a source of strength. On Bring Birds Back, Drew describes how he finds radical joy in spending time with birds like the American Robins.

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A Library of Feathers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Esha Munshi co-founded the Feather Library, a digital library that collects and documents the feathers of Indian birds. Launched in 2021, the library has high-resolution photographs of more than 100 bird species. This library is open to everyone — whether you’re a researcher, birdwatcher, conservationist, or an ordinary person who came across a feather.

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Red-throated Loons of Deception Pass

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The word “loon” comes from the Old Norse word for “lame.” Because their feet are so far back on their bodies, loons cannot walk on land. But in flight, they’re graceful, and under water, they're swift in pursuit of fish. Red-throated Loons – like this one – breed in the far north and winter along both coasts of the United States.

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Chestnut-collared Longspur

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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Great Black-backed Gull

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Great Black-backed Gulls have a reputation as serious predators of other birds like puffins, grebes, and songbirds as big as a grackle. Just over a century ago, these birds were nearly wiped out by feather hunters and egg collectors. And though their populations recovered with help from environmental protections, Great Black-backed Gulls are in decline once again — and scientists are still trying to figure out why.

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Spark Bird: Thomas Poulsom and the LEGO Robin

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

As he trained to be an arborist, Thomas Poulsom started developing two new interests: birds and building with LEGO bricks. After first building a European Robin, he went on to create LEGO models of more than 75 species. Thomas became one of the first LEGO fans to have his designs produced as an official set.

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Red Knots Refuel in the Delaware Bay

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Red Knot is a true marathon traveler, flying up to 9,000 miles between the Arctic tundra and Tierra del Fuego. But their journey depends on a critical stopover: Delaware Bay, where they feast on horseshoe crab eggs to refuel. Overharvesting of horseshoe crabs once drastically reduced this essential food supply, but thanks to ongoing protections, Red Knots still have a fighting chance.

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Art and Environmental Activism

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Mustafa Santiago Ali has been an environmental activist and policymaker for nearly three decades. The work has taught him that everyone has a story to tell – and those stories can drive change. For Bring Birds Back, Mustafa shares a poem about the interconnection between people and nature called, The Birds Been Prayin’ For Us.

Listen to the full episode in season 7 of Bring Birds Back!

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The Elusive Virginia Rail

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 9 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Virginia Rail is a secretive bird, a relative of coots and cranes. And it's a bird you'll more often hear than spy. The rail takes its name from its narrow body (you know the saying, "as skinny as a rail") an adaptation to its favorite marshy habitats. A Virginia Rail walks hidden, squeezing through dense reeds and grasses. You can count yourself lucky if you have actually seen a Virginia Rail.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Clever Nuthatches

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 8 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Of the four nuthatch species living in the United States, the most common are the Red-breasted Nuthatch and the White-breasted Nuthatch. The nuthatch's insistent call matches its aggressiveness. As they work their way down a tree trunk, nuthatches can spot — and eat — all the tasty morsels missed by the rest of the birds working their way up the tree.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Unmistakable Ruddy Turnstone

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 7 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Ruddy Turnstone stands out among sandpipers. On taking flight, the turnstone flashes a vivid and unmistakable pattern of dark and light striping across its wings and tail. And that comical chatter is one of a kind too. Unlike most sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones favor rocky beaches and jetties rather than tidal sand or mud. They breed in the Arctic all across North America, Europe, and Asia, and winter along the coastlines of all the continents except Antarctica. And about that curious name? Turnstones do indeed use their stout bills to flip over stones, shells, and mats of seaweed, exposing small crustaceans and other food.

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Two Rare Wrens Serenade Southern Mexico

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 6 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Sumichrast’s Wren and Nava’s Wren are both sooty-brown songbirds of southern Mexico. They both live in tropical forests where limestone outcrops provide a natural amphitheatre to show off their vocal feats. Yet the two have very different songs and are never found in the same place. Though scientists once thought they were the same species, genetic studies eventually proved that the two wrens are distinct — each with their own way to serenade their forest homes.

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Vocal Learning is for the Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 5 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Humans and songbirds are among a small group of animals that can learn to imitate the sounds we hear. It’s an ability called vocal learning that makes language possible. Scientists who study human speech often start with birds that share our vocal learning skills, says neurobiologist Erich Jarvis. On Bring Birds Back, Erich discusses his research into the evolutionary origins — and unexpected benefits – of vocal learning for people and birds.

Listen to the full episode with Erich Jarvis in season 7 of Bring Birds Back!

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Swans Come Calling

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 4 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Trumpeter Swans are among the world's largest flying waterfowl. They can weight up to 25 pounds and have a wingspan of nearly seven feet! These swans migrate in family groups each fall from nesting sites in Canada and Alaska to wintering grounds in the central U.S. Trumpeter Swans are sometimes accompanied by their smaller cousins, the Tundra Swan. Both swan species look similar to each other, but their voices are distinct!

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Volunteer for Project FeederWatch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 3 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Project FeederWatch is a community science project studying over 100 species of birds that spend their winters in North America. From November through April, people count the birds they see at a bird feeder, whenever and wherever they’re able, and submit their bird list to the project.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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State Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 2 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have official birds. To become a state bird, it helped to be familiar, colorful, and have a punchy song. The Northern Cardinal perches as state bird in seven eastern states, the Western Meadowlark in six western states. Bluebirds — like this Western Bluebird — and goldfinches are mascots of another seven. The country's most insistent songster, the Northern Mockingbird, holds down five states. And Washington, D.C.'s official bird? The shy Wood Thrush! Find out which bird is your state bird.

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The Mississippi Sandhill Crane Makes a Comeback

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 1 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000

While most Sandhill Cranes migrate, the Mississippi population lives year-round in wet pine savanna near the Gulf Coast. Their dependence on this unique habitat caused their population to plummet to just 35 when the savanna began to disappear. Through the Endangered Species Act, an almost 20,000-acre wildlife refuge was established for the cranes and the population has begun to recover.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Jynx!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

A birder may have a target bird so elusive that the bird becomes a kind of "jinx bird." But there was a real bird by that name! The bird once called the "jynx" is known today as the Eurasian Wryneck. When a wryneck is threatened, it twists its head like a snake and hisses. This behavior led to the wryneck being invoked in witchcraft to put a spell or a jinx on someone.

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Owl Sounds with Becca Rowland

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

When author and illustrator Becca Rowland first started learning to identify bird calls, they were delighted to discover that owls say more than just ‘who’! In her new book, Bird Talk: Hilariously Accurate Ways to Identify Birds by the Sounds They Make, Becca dedicates a whole chapter to the wonderful world of owl calls.

Support for Bird Note is provided by Jim and Birte Falconer — and generous listeners around the world.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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American Bittern: Thunder-Pumper

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

American Bitterns nest in marshes across the northern half of the United States and throughout much of Canada, and they winter along both US coasts south into Central America. But in some places, bitterns are in serious trouble. Much of the extensive, shallow marshland they once bred in has been drained or degraded by chemicals and silt.

BirdNote is supported by the Lenore Hanauer Foundation of Seattle.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Hummingbirds Caught in a Dark World of Love Spells

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Hummingbirds are celebrated for their beauty and grace, but in some places, they are trapped in a dark and deadly tradition. In parts of Mexico, hummingbirds are captured and killed to be used in love spells called chuparosa charms, a practice that has crossed borders and made its way to the United States. Conservationists are working to save these birds from this brutal fate, enforcing laws and raising awareness.

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Annakacygna – The Ultimate Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Like today’s swans, the extinct species Annakacygna hajimei and Annakacygna yoshiiensis were quite large. But unlike their modern relatives, these birds lived most of their lives out at sea, and their fossils reveal remarkable adaptations to this unusual lifestyle. This led the researchers who first described these species to dub them “the ‘ultimate bird’ that ever existed.”

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Towhees' Distractive Plumage

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Both this Eastern Towhee and the Spotted Towhee of the West sport a black or dark brown hood and back. And when they fly, their tails flash white. When a hawk gives chase, the towhee's flashing tail-feathers draw the predator's attention. Momentarily distracted, the hawk may come up with just a couple of tail feathers — as the towhee escapes into the underbrush. So if you see a towhee missing a couple of tail feathers, it may be that the flash of white — the distractive plumage — saved its life.

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The Endangered 'Akiapōlā'au

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The 'Akiapōlā'au is a bright yellow bird with a black eye mask, found only in the upper elevations on the Big Island of Hawai'i. But its most distinct feature is its totally unique, uneven bill. The top of the bill is long, skinny, and curved like a sickle. Once abundant, habitat loss and disease from mosquitoes has taken a toll on the 'Akiapōlā'au population. In a race against extinction, people are working to restore habitat and control deadly invasive species to save Hawai'i’s rarest birds.

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Quirky Words for Patterned Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Descriptive names can be a great help when you’re getting to know a new bird. Some species have common names that put their plumage pattern front and center – like the Five-striped Sparrow. If you encounter a bird described as flammulated, lineated, banded, or barred, keep an eye out for their namesake stripes and streaks!

BirdNote is grateful to the many contributions of Dr. Gordon Orians, and for his ongoing support of the show.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Elegant Black Tern

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Elegant Black Terns breed in summer on secluded wetlands across the northern states and Canada. Because of major losses of wetlands in their breeding range — especially in Canada's prairie provinces — Black Tern numbers have dropped dramatically since the 1960s. The future of this beautiful bird depends on protecting and restoring high-quality wetlands. Recent research shows that artificial nest platforms can enhance the terns' breeding success.

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Dave Mull and the Courage of Steller’s Jays

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Skateboarder and birder Dave Mull remembers the first time he heard a Steller’s Jay imitating a Red-tailed Hawk. “These Steller's Jays were pretending to be something they were not, kind of tricking the world,” he says. It got him into the mindset that he could attempt a terrifying new skateboard trick called the “stump jump.”

Music in today's episode is by Dave Mull, inspired by the endemic species on Santa Cruz Island, CA.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Nature’s Alarm Clock: Which Rooster Crows First?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Roosters don’t need to set an alarm to tell them when it’s time to crow — their internal circadian clock lets them anticipate sunrise with remarkable accuracy. To us sleepy humans, it may seem like they all start crowing at once. But scientists have found that roosters follow a strict social hierarchy: only the top bird can issue the first cock-a-doodle-doo of the day!

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Hudsonian Godwit

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Hudsonian Godwits are tough birds to find, and they were once thought extinct due to overhunting. After nesting at sites scattered in the High Arctic, they migrate south on a route that takes them over the ocean from Canada to South America. In spring, they head north through the Great Plains. Populations are estimated to be in the tens of thousands today, but like many arctic nesters, they are a threatened species.

This episode is brought to you in memory of longtime BirdNote fan and supporter, Philip Stoller, and with thanks to his family for their support.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Seabirds Thriving on Volcanic Slopes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 19 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In August 2008, Kasatochi Island erupted in the middle of auklet breeding season, burying tens of thousands of chicks in hot ash. At first, the auklets’ future on the island appeared bleak. But in just a few years, the birds had returned in force. Thousands nested within the innumerable chambers left behind by sea-cooled lava.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Beaks and Grosbeaks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Beaks suited for opening tough, hard seeds — thick, conical beaks — evolved in more than one lineage of birds. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are related to cardinals, which also have powerful beaks. Evening Grosbeaks belong to the finch family, which includes goldfinches and crossbills — an entire family of seedeaters. But both these grosbeaks were named before their family connections were fully understood.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Seeing the Rainbow in a Bird’s Feathers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

We make it a habit to detail the broad and beautiful spectrum of bird colors, but iridescent feathers are undoubtedly among the most mesmerizing. When sunlight hits the Bufflehead’s dark head feathers at the right angle, their colors transform into shades of the rainbow, from deep violet to green and gold. Common Grackles, caught in natural light, gleam gold, green and blue-purple. Starlings, too. And the dull gray Rock Pigeons shuffling around a city park might reveal a glimpse of the electric teal and lavender, shifting shades on their throat.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Sister Species: Snow Goose and Ross’s Goose

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Ross’s Geese and Snow Geese are both white-bodied waterfowl with black wingtips that can be difficult to tell apart. The pair are a great example of what science calls sister species, which occur when a portion of one species takes an evolutionary step away from the rest, resulting in a species split. In this case, genetic studies suggest that the Ross’s Goose branched away from their Snow Goose relatives more than two million years ago, possibly because advancing glaciers separated the two populations. After spending millennia in isolation, the Ross’s Goose evolved to be about ⅔ the size of a Snow Goose, with a noticeably shorter neck, smaller bill, and higher-pitched voice, too.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Arizona Woodpecker and the Sierra Madre

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Found in the Sierra Madre, the Arizona Woodpecker has a special connection to the mountain range. Sharing mid-elevation pine and oaks with fellow border straddlers, these small brown birds with white and brown cheeks stand out from other Woodpeckers with their heavily marked white underparts. Uniquely, they forage by flying to the base of a tree and then spiraling up the trunk. And in courtship, the male turns himself into a paper airplane, holding his wings steady and gliding toward his mate.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The 'Grasshopper' Hawk's High-Stakes Migration

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Swainson’s Hawks make an incredible journey every year, migrating 12,000 miles round-trip from North America’s prairies to Argentina’s pampas. What makes them truly unique is their diet. Most hawks hunt rodents and reptiles, but Swainson’s Hawks switch to insects, feasting on grasshoppers and locusts in South America. In the 1990s, this diet nearly led to disaster when pesticides in Argentina killed over 20,000 hawks in two years. But a successful international conservation effort saved them.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Silly Willow Ptarmigan

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Some bird songs leave us in admiration of their beauty, some with a sense of wonder at their complexity—and others are downright comical. As a maker of silly sounds, the male Willow Ptarmigan beats the Three Stooges hands down. But these sounds are no laughing matter. Where it nests in the shrubby willow tundra of Alaska and Canada, the Willow Ptarmigan crows to attract females and show other males he’s in charge of his territory.

This episode is brought to you by the Tuttleman Foundation with thanks for their generous support.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Birds Crossing the Pacific

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Over 12,000 miles across at its widest point, you might think the Pacific Ocean is a barrier that even high-flying birds can’t cross. Think again – some species make the trip every year as part of their life cycle. During the spring, Bar-tailed Godwits break up their trip from New Zealand to Alaska with a stop in the Yellow Sea off the coast of East Asia. But for their winter migration, they fly from North America to New Zealand without stopping. The longest recorded godwit journey is over 8,000 miles of uninterrupted flight.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Migration Routes Evolve

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Why do birds consistently follow certain routes in their migrations? Pathways of migration evolved, shaped by the wind. During the height of the last ice age, ice-free breeding habitat for songbirds remained in what is now Alaska and parts of Western Canada. Studies of fossil pollen show that consistent winds blew across the continent on a northwest-southeast heading of 155 degrees. Scott Weidensaul recounts in his book Living on the Wind, “A powerful high-pressure center over central Canada pumped strong northwest winds, precisely the conditions that would aid migrants.” The birds rode these tailwinds to traverse the ice fields. And today, the birds still follow this bearing on their migration to South and Central America and the Caribbean.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Stand-still Birding

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

While full-speed-ahead birding can mean spotting a large number of species, there's quiet joy in stand-still birding. Pick a place-forest, field, or marsh. Find a seat that's dry, and hold your binoculars to your eyes. Be still and blend in. After perhaps 20 minutes, birds accept you as part of the landscape and go back to the business of being birds. You might even see a bird like this female Anna's Hummingbird fly to her secret nest.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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A Closer Look at Sparrows

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 9 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

At first glance, many of the sparrows in North America look pretty much the same: like small, drab-colored songbirds hanging out on the ground. But these “little brown jobs” can be fun to identify if you know what field marks to look for!

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Migrations: The Triumphant Comeback of the Aleutian Cackling Goose

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 8 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Aleutian Cackling Geese, which have a slighter build and shorter beak than Canada Geese, build their nests on a chain of islands off the western coast of Alaska. In the 1700s, fur traders introduced foxes to the islands, nearly wiping out the geese. For decades, they were believed to be extinct. But in the 1960s, a biologist discovered about 300 birds nesting on Buldir Island. Habitat protections have allowed their populations to recover.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Migrations: Veeries Predict Hurricanes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 7 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In some years, tawny-colored thrushes called Veeries cut their breeding season short. Researchers discovered that Veeries tend to stop breeding early in the same years that the Atlantic hurricane season is particularly severe. Surprisingly, Veeries are sometimes better at predicting hurricane conditions than computer models! Despite their forecasting prowess, though, Veeries are vulnerable to climate change.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Nineteen Owls

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 6 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Owls have a reputation for hooting and hunting at night. But when you take a look – and listen – to the 19 species that live in the U.S. and Canada, it’s clear that these raptors defy stereotypes.

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Creating an Inviting Habitat

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 5 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Bird feeders and birdbaths are great ways to attract birds to your yard, but they aren’t the only ways to entice our feathered friends. Planting an area densely with native shrubs, trees, and other vegetation can create a natural look that some birds are more likely to feel at home in because it resembles their native habitat. Shy singers, like the Fox Sparrow or Veery, will repay you with their beautiful songs.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The First North American Wildlife Refuge

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 4 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In the center of Oakland, California, is Lake Merritt. People row in it, picnic and jog around it, and it's a place of respite within the city. And it hosts waterbirds such as ducks, geese, egrets, pelicans, cormorants, and coots. A beautifully illustrated field guide by Alex Harris, Birds of Lake Merritt, describes the birds found around the waters of Lake Merritt, its history since the Ohlone peoples have populated it, all the way till today.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Waterfowl heritage with Kelsey Leonard

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 3 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Kelsey Leonard is a leading scholar in Indigenous water governance, climate justice, and Earth law. In the latest season of Bring Birds Back, Kelsey explores the storied relationship between Indigenous people, wetlands, and birds. Kelsey says waterfowl hunters have helped to document that natural history. In many Indigenous hunting traditions, duck decoys are crafted to look so life-like that they can lure free-flying ducks to wetlands where hunters lie in wait. Some of the decoys carved at Shinnecock are more than 100 years old and depict species that are no longer found on Long Island.

Listen to the full conversation in our episode about Indigenous Water Justice in season 7 of Bring Birds Back!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Júlia d’Oliveira on Recreating Extinct Animals

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 2 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Júlia d’Oliveira is a paleoartist who brings extinct species to life in artwork. For each species she illustrates, she learns everything she can about the species to come up with a realistic portrait. Júlia hopes her paleoart offers something different from the grotesque versions of dinosaurs in movies she remembers from growing up.

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Snowy Albatross Molt

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 1 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Most birds molt and regrow their flight or wing feathers — one at a time along each wing — to stay in prime condition for flying. But for a Wandering Albatross, with a whopping 10-to-12-foot wingspan, that’s a big job! It takes the large albatrosses a full year to molt, and they have to put off breeding until the next year. It’s one or the other. But they make the birds incredibly efficient flyers and true masters of the wind.

¡Escuche este episodio en español aquí!

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Why Are There Flightless Birds?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The ability to fly seems to define birds. But there are more than 50 species of flightless birds throughout the world — from the Ostrich and Kiwi to flightless rails, ducks, and this Humboldt Penguin. Why did they evolve the inability to fly? Many dwelt on islands. Others evolved until they were huge, like the extinct 12-foot-tall Moas of New Zealand. And the penguins? Unlike most flightless birds, they still have the strong flight muscles and keeled breastbones of flying birds. They are supremely graceful flyers — but they do it under water!

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Spark Bird: Birding from the Bus

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Kelsen Caldwell drives a bus in and around Seattle for King County Metro. As a bus driver, sometimes there’s downtime if your bus is moving too fast. What do you do with all that extra time? If you’re Kelsen, you fall in love with birds.

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Chickadee Line-up

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Chickadees are tiny songbirds named for their characteristic song and there are seven species found in North America. You'll find the Black-capped Chickadee across the northern U.S. into Canada. The Carolina Chickadee holds sway in the Southeast. Hear the husky voice of a Mountain Chickadee in the Rockies. Travel to Canada for the Boreal Chickadee. This Chestnut-backed Chickadee calls the Pacific Northwest home. The Mexican Chickadee just nudges into southeast Arizona. And the Gray-headed Chickadee turns up north of the Arctic Circle. Which of these chickadees sings near you?

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Sapsuckers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Sapsuckers drill small holes in the bark of favored trees, then return again and again to eat the sap that flows out. And hummingbirds, kinglets, and warblers come to the sap wells to eat the insects trapped in the sap. Although a sapsucker (like this Red-breasted Sapsucker) may suck a tree's blood, so to speak, the drilling usually doesn't damage an otherwise healthy tree.

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An Ever-Growing Library of Bird Sounds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Most of the bird sounds you hear on BirdNote come from the Macaulay Library, a vast collection of over one million bird calls and songs curated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The library relies on both professional field recordists and dedicated volunteers to capture the sounds of birds all over the world.

Support for BirdNote is provided by Marjorie and Ed Ringness from Seattle, Washington — and generous listeners around the world.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Moon-Watching for Migrating Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Before the high-tech gadgets used to track bird migration today, there was moon-watching: a technique dreamed up in the 1940s by ornithologist George Lowery. Using telescopes pointed at the moon to see the silhouettes of migratory birds, Lowery helped show that birds regularly migrate across the Gulf of Mexico and organized the first continent-wide survey of migration in North America. Learn more about the history of bird migration research in Rebecca Heisman’s book Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration.

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How Jays Helped Restore an Oak Forest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Corvids, like crows and jays, are known for caching seeds instead of eating them immediately. Sometimes, those seeds take root before the birds return. Mario Pesendorfer, a forest and behavioral ecologist at BOKU in Vienna, says that’s what happened on Santa Cruz Island in southern California. It’s part of Channel Islands National Park where native shrub oak habitats were largely decimated by grazing livestock. After these animals were removed in the 80s and 90s, Santa Cruz Island regained vegetation faster than its neighbors — thanks to seed-dispersing Island Scrub-Jays! It’s just one example of how birds could help restoration ecologists regrow forests around the world. Learn more about restoration ecology in the latest season of Bring Birds Back!

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Migrations: Indigo Bunting, Master Stargazer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The stars appear to rotate in the sky, raising the question of how birds can use stars to navigate during migration. Ornithologist Stephen Emlen brought Indigo Buntings to a planetarium, tracking their movements as the simulated night sky changed above them. The buntings oriented themselves using star patterns that appear to rotate the least — especially the North Star, Ursa Major and Cassiopeia.

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Lee Ann Roripaugh: Utsuroi

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Today is the Autumnal Equinox, when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are of approximately equal length across the globe. In her poem ‘Utsuroi’, writer Lee Ann Roripaugh reflects on how, as the days grow shorter, the remaining light feels that much more beautiful.

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Southern Lapwings Defend Their Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Nature educator Johanne Ryan shares her observations of Southern Lapwings, shorebirds that make their nests on the ground in open areas and vigorously defend them. If a potential predator approaches, the parent will sound a piercing alarm call. If that doesn’t work, the lapwing will charge the opponent, using a secret weapon – sharp, bony spurs on the bird’s “wrists.”

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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T and Dart

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Author Kira Jane Buxton loves crows — so much that she’s written two novels about a crow named S.T. navigating the extinction of humanity. When she was writing those books, she tried befriending the crows in her neighborhood and wound up bonding with a pair of them. She named them T and Dart. T, the female, is clumsy and playful. Dart, her mate, is more aloof towards Kira but always shares his food with T. This crow couple helped inspire the fictional crows in Kira’s books.

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Williamson's Sapsucker

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Williamson's Sapsuckers nest in western mountain forests. The radically different plumages of the male and female so confounded 19th-century naturalists that, for nearly a decade, the birds were thought to be of different species. Sapsuckers are unique among woodpeckers in drilling neat rows of tiny holes — or sapwells — in the trunks of trees. The sap provides food for the sapsuckers and snags small insects that are eaten by hummingbirds and warblers.

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A Lost Hummingbird is Found Again

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Santa Marta Sabrewing is a hummingbird species so rare, they’ve only been documented twice in recent years. Native to the mountains of Colombia, they were officially described in 1946. No one reported another sighting until 2010. They became a “lost” species, eluding every attempt to find them. Then in 2022, Yurgen Vega was studying the birds of a mountain range called the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. He snapped a photo of an unusual, large hummingbird – and the sabrewing was lost no more.

BirdNote is grateful to former board member and photographer extraordinaire Owen Deutsch and his wife Rona Talcott for their strong support over the years.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Thick-billed Euphonia – Deceitful Mimic

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Northern Mockingbirds can learn to mimic the sounds of just about any bird. They mimic to show off, not to deceive. But this Thick-billed Euphonia, a tiny songbird in South America, employs what scientists call “deceitful mimicry.” When frightened by a predator near its nest, a Thick-billed Euphonia imitates the alarm calls of other birds nesting nearby. This stirs them into action as they rush in to harass the predator. The euphonia, meanwhile, sits tight while others do the dirty work.

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Bicknell's Thrush

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Bicknell’s Thrush is known for scarcity… and promiscuity. Unlike most songbirds, the female thrush establishes a territory and then mates with males that happen by. She then lays eggs that have been fertilized by multiple different males. Many of those males will stick around and help feed the young, even if they are not their own. Each year, these little songbirds make the long journey from the Caribbean Islands to the forests of the northeastern coasts of North America.

Support for BirdNote is provided by Sarah Merner and Craig McKibben from Seattle, Washington — and generous listeners around the world.

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The Delightfully Odd Magellanic Plover

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Magellanic Plover is known for being a bit of an oddball. These shorebirds have a round body like a dove and even feed their young with milk produced in a part of their digestive system called the crop — a rare trait they share with doves. But genetic data revealed that Magellanic Plovers are neither plovers nor doves — they’re the only species in the family Pluvianellidae. Genetically speaking, they’re one of a kind.

This episode is dedicated to Kit Ellis, of Gig Harbor, Washington, with thanks for her generous support of BirdNote.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Where Birds Sleep

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

All birds need to sleep — or at least snooze — sometime during each 24-hour period. And most sleep at night. A bird, like a Mallard Duckling, may turn its head around and warm its beak under its shoulder-feathers. Songbirds find a protected perch, sheltered from rain and nighttime predators. Small forest birds often spend the night in tree cavities. Ducks sleep while floating in protected bays.

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The Music of Birds Migrating in the Night

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 13 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Ornithologist Bill Evans has helped us better understand the sounds that birds make as they migrate at night. Known as nocturnal flight calls, many species can be identified based on their signature sound. Using special handmade microphones left outside overnight, Evans, his colleagues and many volunteers recorded countless nocturnal flight calls — and not all of them have been identified yet. Let's take a moment to revel in the beauty of the calls that birds make as they fly high in the air.

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There's a BirdNote for that!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Do you have a question about birds? BirdNote’s Content Director Jonese Franklin says that when people bring her bird queries, she often finds the answer in a BirdNote Daily episode. Over the last 20 years, BirdNote has produced more than 2,400 episodes covering tons of topics – and there are still more stories to tell! BirdNote is an independent nonprofit that relies on the generosity of its listeners. Your support allows us to continue to make informative and immersive shows that hopefully inspire folks to fall in love with birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Helping BirdNote Continue Its Journey

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

When you provide places for migratory birds to rest and refuel, you’re helping them complete their long journeys and reach their destination safely. In a similar way, BirdNote also relies on your generosity. As an independent nonprofit, we depend on support from listeners like you to keep us going. This week, we’re asking you to make a donation of any amount to help us continue sharing the joy and wonder of birds with people everywhere.

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Bird Books with BirdNote

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For many of us nature nerds, books and birds go hand in hand. That’s why BirdNote brings you conversations with award-winning writers about how birds inspire their work. This week, we are asking you to support the show so that we can keep providing daily stories about birds – and the books they’ve inspired – to your local station for free.

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BirdNote Helps You Get to Know Your Neighborhood

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 9 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Whether you know your neighborhood inside-out or you just moved and are getting to know the area, BirdNote adds another dimension to how you understand the place you live — by understanding the birds. Our hope is that by spreading knowledge about birds, BirdNote is helping you become more connected to your local ecosystems. A gift of any amount helps us continue to accomplish this goal.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Multiplier Effect

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 8 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

This summer, the U.S. Congress revoked more than $1 billion in previously allocated funding for public media. Because BirdNote provides its shows to stations for free, a gift to BirdNote has a multiplier effect: It helps produce a show you love and it helps provide free programming for the local public radio station you love.

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Darwin's Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 7 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The finches of the Galapagos Islands are famous in the history of evolutionary theory. But Charles Darwin spent four years studying other birds as well, as the Beagle circumnavigated southern South America before reaching the Galapagos in 1835. It was not just the birds, but a lifetime of attending to all the wild things in his path that brought Darwin to his great idea.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Henry David Thoreau and the Wood Thrush

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 6 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In June 1853, Thoreau wrote of an enchanting encounter with the Wood Thrush: "This is the only bird whose note affects me like music. It lifts and exhilarates me. It is inspiring. It changes all hours to an eternal morning." Wood Thrushes thrive in large expanses of forest. And their numbers have declined as forests have been cut on their breeding grounds. Protected areas like Adirondack Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Ozark National Forest give them a chance to thrive.

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Raptors in the Mojave Desert

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 5 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Desert raptors get most of their water from eating prey animals. Biologist Blair Wolf explains, “if you think of any insect or a mouse or something like that, they’re maybe 75% water.” Those animals become less plentiful in a hotter, drier climate. Extreme warming poses a direct danger to the raptors (such as this Harris's Hawk) and leads to lower rates of reproduction. Lacking sufficient water, they may not be able to produce eggs, and there must be enough food for their nestlings to thrive.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Sitting in the Catbird Seat

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 4 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Longtime baseball announcer Red Barber often described a player in a winning situation as "sitting in the catbird seat." So what is "sitting in the catbird seat"? And what is a catbird? The Gray Catbird is a cousin of the mockingbird, and it does sound a little like a cat. During breeding season, when it's protecting its territory, the catbird competes with others of its species. The two combatants sing their way to higher and higher perches. The one who finally takes the highest perch is ... well ... sitting in the catbird seat!

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Spark Bird: Ryan Mandelbaum and the Great Blue Heron

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 3 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

As a kid, science writer Ryan Mandelbaum avoided birds, thinking they were gross and kind of scary. But doing a video project in journalism school, Ryan had to search all over to get footage of a Great Blue Heron. When Ryan found one in its nest, they were shocked at how majestic and beautiful the bird was. Years later, Ryan and their spouse go birding all the time, planning vacations around what birds they might see.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Starlings and Roman Divination

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 2 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

European Starlings were present in great numbers in ancient Rome. They swarmed in massive flocks or murmurations — thousands of individuals cascading and folding in awe-inspiring geometric patterns in the sky. Roman augurs, or diviners, scrutinized these patterns for signs of how the gods were feeling that day. Some flock patterns offered more auspicious signs or omens than others. From time to time, it may have seemed like the future of Rome itself hung on the correct reading of the movements of these very common but highly adaptable birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Remembering Martha: The Last Passenger Pigeon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 1 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In the early 1800s, the Passenger Pigeon was one of the most abundant bird species in North America — possibly the world. But by 1910, the last surviving representative of the species was a bird called Martha at the Cincinnati Zoo. Despite attempts to revive the species through captive breeding programs, Martha outlived several unsuccessful suitors before succumbing to old age on September 1, 1914. Though today is a somber anniversary in the history of conservation, there’s no better time than now to take action to protect birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Highways as Habitat for Hawks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In 1956, the Eisenhower Administration announced plans for the nation’s new interstate highway system. Planners foresaw 41,000 miles of superior highways, with a grassy border on either side and down the middle. The grassy areas created ribbons of wildlife habitat occupied by small mammals such as voles — favorite prey of the Red-tailed Hawk and other raptors, which are now common along many stretches of interstate. And there are now hundreds of thousands of other highway miles that offer equally prosperous hunting grounds for birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Fruit as a Bribe

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 30 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In summer, many shrubs bear fruit that birds find irresistible. Elderberries, serviceberries, blackberries, dogwood berries, mulberries, and currants attract many species of birds, including waxwings, tanagers, robins, warblers and this Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Plants offer this bounty in exchange for birds’ help in distributing their seeds. And in dispersing pollen, birds, bats and insects also help to guarantee a new crop of berries!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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What Do Desert Birds Drink?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In the desert Southwest, water can be scarce. Yet some birds, like this Black-throated Sparrow, thrive in a scorching landscape. The birds obtain moisture from foods like nectar and fruit, as well as insects and other prey. They tuck into the shade in the heat of the day, so they won’t lose water in panting. And they have extremely efficient kidneys, so they excrete almost no liquid. Amazing!

The soundscapes featured in this episode were recorded by Gordon Hempton and provided courtesy of QuietPlanet.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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How High Do Birds Fly?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For the majority of the year, most birds stay under 500 feet. During migration, many species fly at 2,000 to 5,000 feet or above, using prevailing winds to assist them. And some birds go even higher! In 1973, a Rüppell’s Griffon set the world record by soaring to 37,000 feet.

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Letter to an Eastern Wood-Pewee

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to a wood-pewee, a flycatcher with an “understatedly simple and definitive” song that says the bird’s name.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Long-billed Curlews Whistle from the Sky

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Long-billed Curlews are the largest shorebirds in North America. In his courtship display, the male Long-billed Curlew flies a series of arcs across the sky, calling as he goes. Outside of the breeding season, they roost and forage in mixed flocks. When the flock is disturbed, the curlews’ loud flight calls sound the alarm that a potential predator is near.

This episode is brought to you in loving memory of former BirdNote Board member Tom Darden, with thanks to his family for their support.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Slowing Down and Observing Female Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The colorful feathers and loud songs of male songbirds often catch a birder’s attention first. Observing females often means birding more slowly, noticing subtle differences in plumage and behavior, says Joanna Wu, who’s part of a group called the Galbatrosses that’s encouraging birders to spend more time identifying female birds. Fellow Galbatross Purbita Saha says that watching for females can help us understand birds on a deeper level by observing them as individuals rather than just species.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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David Sibley – Sketching and Painting Impressions

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

David Sibley’s paintings connect millions of people with the lives of birds. His talent in observing and portraying birds culminated in The Sibley Guide to Birds. Sibley describes how he learned to sketch and illustrate birds such as this Townsend’s Warbler: "I spent years in the field, just traveling and birding and sketching," he says. “The drawing was so important to me, that there was never any question in my mind of continuing to paint the birds. It’s how I study the birds." Watch David Sibley sketch a Townsend's Warbler in the BirdNote studio!

Support for BirdNote is provided by Marjorie and Ed Ringness from Seattle, Washington — and generous listeners around the world.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Birds That Say Their Own Names

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Some birds, such as the Northern Bobwhite, get their name from their songs or vocalizations: "Bobwhite! Bobwhite!" The Killdeer is another bird named for its song: "Kill-dee, kill-dee, kill-dee." There are others. "Poorwill, poorwill, poorwill," says this Common Poorwill. This bird is the cousin of the Whip-poor-will, another bird that calls its own name.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Quirky Words for Brown Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

What do Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, Bay-breasted Warblers, Ferruginous Hawks, and Rufous Hummingbirds have in common? They are all birds whose names refer to a shade of brown!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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How Birds Stay Cool

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

On a hot summer’s day, watch a bird such as a crow — or this Bald Eagle — very carefully. You’ll never see them sweat, because birds don’t have sweat glands. So how do they keep cool? One way is panting. As the bird breathes rapidly, heat is carried out of its body through the lungs and air sacs. Bare skin on the legs, face, and beak also help with cooling. So do puffing out feathers, fluttering wings, or splashing in a puddle or birdbath. And soaring birds like hawks can simply ride the updrafts far above ground to cooler air.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Royal Ravens

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Tower of London has a long and notorious history of murderous political intrigue, dungeons, and famous beheadings. And for more than 300 years, the tower has also been home to a set of royally maintained ravens. Since the time of Charles II, at least six ravens have — by royal decree — made their home in the tower. They are given ample food, comfy quarters, and private burials in the moat near Traitor's Gate.

Support for BirdNote is provided by Charlie and Carrie Kahle and generous listeners around the world.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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How Brown Pelicans Dive

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Brown Pelicans fly just above the surface of the water. They circle high, then diving headfirst, plunge under water to catch fish. But doesn't that hurt? Several adaptations protect pelicans as they dive. First, they have air sacs beneath the skin on their breasts, which act as cushions. Pelicans have also learned that a steep dive angle, reduces aiming errors caused by water surface refraction.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Quail and Their Fancy Feathers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Gambel’s Quail and California Quail are both well known for the comma-shaped tuft of inky black feathers poised atop the crown of their heads. For both species, this decorative “topknot” is formed from six individual feathers that contour together into a single structure. Yet they’re hardly the only quail with a fashionable updo. Though we don’t know exactly why so many quail evolved elaborate headdresses, they may help the birds attract a mate or intimidate competitors.

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Male Mallards Disappear

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

By late summer, the male Mallard’s need for fancy feathers to attract the females has passed. These birds have molted, and their bright feathers are replaced with mottled brown ones. Subdued colors help camouflage the male ducks, protecting them from predators. Come fall, the male Mallards will molt again and become the colorful dandies we remember.

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Parakeets Underground

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Burrowing Parakeets excavate deep nest tunnels in sandstone and limestone cliffs in Argentina and Chile. The colony’s many tunnels zigzag and interconnect, creating an intricate labyrinth. Their nesting colonies are among the largest of any parrot — one in Argentina has 70,000 birds!

¡Escuche este episodio en español aquí!

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Ultraviolet Vision

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Most birds possess the ability to see color. But birds can also see in the ultraviolet spectrum! Hummingbirds — like this Violet-crowned Hummingbird — may zero in on certain flowers because their petals strongly reflect in the ultraviolet range. Migrating birds may use ultraviolet light to navigate on overcast days, because the sun's ultraviolet rays pass through the cloud cover.

This episode is sponsored by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. The world needs birds. To learn more about their work and mission, visit birdconservancy.org.

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The Birdsong Chameleon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Found in Australian forests, male Superb Lyrebirds can mimic calls well enough to convince the bird they’re imitating that the lyrebird is one of their own! While males sing to attract mates, females imitate the calls of predators, which could help frighten other birds off their territories.

Listen to this episode in Spanish here.

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Grassland Birds Thrive in Battlefield Parks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

National Battlefield Parks are grassland habitats worth writing home about. Tall grassy fields aren’t typically considered beautiful, much less valuable to conserve. But battlefield monuments and military parks are maintained as historic sites, with the side-effect of preserving excellent habitat. Today, rather than the roar of cannons, battlefields like Gettysburg, Antietam, and Monocacy are filled with the sounds of grassland songbirds.

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Brooklyn's Blue Jays

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Brooklyn’s Prospect Park covers more than 500 acres — many of them covered in trees. One bird species that calls the park home is the strikingly beautiful Blue Jay, which nests, forages, and roosts in trees. In the eastern U.S., you can invite Blue Jays into a small yard with just a decent tree or two. It’s the volume of branches and leafy habitat overhead that matter to the jays.

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Birding 101: Don’t Forget to Look Down!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

If you’re trying to spot a bird, you should look up — right? While it’s true that there are many beautiful birds to see in the sky, plenty of species are easier to find by keeping your eyes and ears to the ground. You may encounter towhees using their powerful feet to kick up leaf litter beneath dense underbrush. American Pipits and small shorebirds often look like clods of mud before they start running across a roadside field. There are even some colorful warblers who prefer to skulk!

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Which Jay Was That?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Steller's Jay is a jay... and it's blue. But it's not a true Blue Jay with a capital "B." The bona fide Blue Jay is primarily a bird of eastern North America. Blue Jays and the Steller's Jays have similarly raucous personalities. Like their larger cousins, the crows, ravens, and magpies, they are intelligent opportunists.

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Night Voices of Summer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 9 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

At the close of a summer day, the songbirds go silent. As if on cue, the birds of the night make their voices known. In an Eastern woodland, the eerie trills and whinnies of an Eastern Screech-Owl are among the first sounds of the night. Meanwhile, as night falls west of the Rockies, a Western Screech-Owl calls out. But there’s another bird whose voice will drown out the loudest of screech-owls: the Barred Owl! Pairs may break into a rollicking duet, sometimes called their “monkey call.”

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Ross’s Gull: An Arctic Wonder

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 8 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Ross’s Gull is a dainty seabird that’s rarely found south of the High Arctic. Though their bodies are mostly gray, their breast feathers and underparts glow a satiny pink thanks to pigments from the marine crustaceans they pluck from the ocean’s surface. Every so often, a Ross’s Gull drifts into southern Canada and the U.S. — and almost always attracts an adoring crowd.

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August Molt

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 7 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

By August, many birds have just completed the intense rigors of nesting and raising young and now undergo a complete molt. Molt is a cyclic process of feather growth. As new feathers grow in, they push the old ones out. Why molt? Because feathers wear out. Songbirds that migrate long distances need to complete this process on a tight schedule, to be ready when it's time to strike out in September. You might not even recognize this American Goldfinch in its winter plumage.

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Birds Can Eat Toxic Berries

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 6 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Many bird species can eat the fruits of plants that are toxic to humans — even the white berries found on poison ivy. These birds just aren’t sensitive to the compounds in the berries that are irritating or poisonous to people. While you probably want to stay away from poison ivy, you can improve habitats for birds by planting native fruit bushes and advocating for wildlife-friendly gardening in public green spaces.

Support for this episode was provided by Jerry Tone and Martha Wyckoff from Seattle, Washington — and generous listeners around the world.

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Voices and Vocabularies – Exquisite Thrush Songs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 5 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Some believe the song of the Wood Thrush to be the most beautiful bird song in North America. Others select the song of the Hermit Thrush. Still others name the singing of the Swainson’s Thrush. How do thrushes like this Veery create such fine music? The answer is that the birds have a double voice box, unique to them, called the syrinx. A fine singer like a thrush can voice notes independently and simultaneously from each half of its syrinx, notes which blend brilliantly as ethereal, harmonious tones.

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Delhi’s Jain Bird Hospital is Free

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 4 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

At Charity Birds Hospital, a small staff takes care of approximately 2,600 birds at a time, providing antibiotics, medicine, food, and a safe place to rest for injured or sick birds. The hospital is run entirely on donations, mostly from the Jain community, which follows the philosophy, “live and let live.”

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Canyon Spectacle – Swakane Canyon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 3 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Canyons, whether large or small, can host a spectacular variety of birds! Consider Swakane Canyon, in central Washington State. It cuts west from the Columbia River into the Entiat Mountains for nine miles, while gaining nearly 3,000 feet. Steep slopes wall in the canyon floor, several hundred yards wide. A slender creek runs through the canyon, nurturing shrubs like blue elderberry. The plant provides nesting cover for Bullock's Orioles and other birds in summer, and masses of tiny fruit to migrating birds in September. And each successive habitat embraces a new mix of birds and other wildlife.

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A Drive Along a Bar Ditch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 2 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In the rural Southeast, roadside ditches – known as “bar ditches” – carry on for miles. The term bar ditch probably comes from their construction, when dirt was "borrowed" to build up the road. The ditches are full of water and full of life, these narrow wetlands. Herons stalk the shallow water, stabbing at minnows. Common Gallinules, like this one, swim on the surface. Reeds and bulrushes provide cover for secretive marsh birds like King Rails. Red-winged Blackbirds flash crimson epaulets as they sing, and Boat-tailed Grackles offer their own rough music.

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Biomimicry with Billy Almon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 1 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For as long as humans have been solving problems, we’ve looked to nature for inspiration. In some cases we’ve even imitated other organisms in our inventions through a process called biomimicry, says Billy Almon, a futurist and biomimicry expert. Billy discusses how the Wright brothers modeled their early airplane designs from the flight mechanics of turkey vultures and how there’s still a lot we can still learn from nature: our first teacher. Learn more in the latest season of Bring Birds Back!

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Dreading the Terns

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In June of 2022, Adé Ben-Salahuddin worked as a volunteer research assistant on a tiny island off the coast of Maine at a Common Tern breeding colony. Every once in a while, the colony would suddenly go dead silent as all the adult terns took flight and dove over the rocky cliffs, returning soon afterward. This strange behavior is called a “dread,” and sometimes occurs without a predator nearby. It remains unclear why terns do it.

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Birds, Nests, and Camouflage

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Bird nests can be hard to find, often hidden in plain sight. Is the clever camouflage simply the result of using building materials that the birds happen to find? A Scottish research team used birds popular in the pet trade, Zebra Finches, to try and find out. The team gave nesting Zebra Finches two sources of paper to build their nests from: one that matched the papered walls of their cage, and one that did not. By and large, the finches built nests that blended in with their background.

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The White-crowned Pigeon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Florida Keys extend from the state's peninsula like a string of pearls, and pearls they are, in their uniqueness and value. Stands of hardwood trees rise above the islands' level ground. These trees draw many birds of the Caribbean to the keys' tropical habitat. One of these is the White-crowned Pigeon. It's a fruit-eater that eats native figs and the fruit of the poisonwood tree. White-crowns play an important role in spreading seeds. The birds swallow fruits and deposit some of the seeds on the hardwood knolls also called hammocks. Without the pigeons, there might be no tropical hardwood hammocks in the Keys. But without the hammocks, there would be no White-crowned Pigeons in Florida.

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Breeding Birds of the Northern Great Plains

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Migratory birds connect the Northern Plains with many parts of the Western Hemisphere. Lark Buntings, Baird’s Sparrows, Upland Sandpipers, and many other birds winter from Central to southern South America. But their reproduction depends on the bounty of the prairie spring. Disrupting any part of their annual life cycle — breeding habitat, stopover places during spring and fall migration, and wintering habitat — reduces the survival of the species.

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The Secretarybird: Eagle on Stilts

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Secretarybird of sub-Saharan Africa looks like a slim eagle set on the long, slender legs of a crane. Secretarybirds can fly but prefer to hunt on foot, walking over 20 miles a day and dispatching their prey with powerful kicks of their taloned feet.

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On the Trail of the Bobwhite

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Northern Bobwhite — many call it just the Bobwhite — has an unmistakable call, which is also the source of its name. The species is native to the US, east of the Rockies. But Northern Bobwhites have been released into the wild as game birds in many locales in the West.

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Hummingbirds Help Mites Hitch a Ride

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Mites are tiny critters related to spiders and ticks. Because they are typically no larger than a grain of salt, many mite species rely on larger animals to survive. In the neotropics, hummingbird flower mites freeload off an existing partnership. This group of mites feeds on nectar and pollen, but only from specific types of flowers. These picky eaters need reliable transport between blooms that may be yards apart. Without wheels — or wings — of their own, these mites catch a ride in the nostrils of a passing hummingbird! In fact, scientists have discovered that hummingbird flower mites can detect the electric fields generated by the whirring birds, a sense called electroreception.

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Sleeping on the Wing

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Some swifts and frigatebirds stay aloft for months. But for a long time, scientists did not know if the birds might be sleeping on the wing. A 2016 study provided answers. Tiny devices attached to the heads of frigatebirds revealed fascinating information: the birds did sleep while aloft, most often one half of the brain at a time. But they also fell into normal, whole-brain sleep and sometimes, even deeper REM sleep. But this deepest sleep came in bursts of just a few seconds — an inflight power-nap.

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House Sparrow Pool Party

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Social, chatty, ubiquitous, the House Sparrow has adapted to living in cities, suburbs, and rural areas. Like most birds, these sparrows enjoy a daily bath. Set out a birdbath, and you can watch them chatter, splash, and shake, sending droplets flying. Birds like very shallow water; an inch or two is plenty. Be sure the bath has a flat rim or rocks to perch on. And make sure the area is safe from cats.

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Lilli Holden on the Ecology of Vacant Lots

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In her grandmother’s neighborhood in Chicago, Lilli Holden made an early connection with the outdoors by playing in a vacant lot with a large old tree. Now an emerging environmental leader in Chicago, Lilli has a different perspective on vacant lots, many of which were properties destroyed in the city’s 1968 riots that were never rebuilt due to a lack of investment in Black communities. Because they’re such a big part of the landscape in Black communities on the West and Southside, Lilli wants to rethink how vacant lots fit into the ecology of these economically-challenged neighborhoods.

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River Rapids, Dippers and Ducks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Powerful currents and rocky terrain make for a dangerous place to swim. But for birds like the American Dipper and Harlequin Duck, whitewater rapids and fast-flowing streams offer all the comforts of home.

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Insects Are Essential

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Insects sustain our ecosystems, as a food source and pollinators of 90% of all plants. But their numbers have dropped by half in the last 50 years, so it is now critical to help foster insects. One concrete way to help is to grow native plants that provide food and shelter for insects like caterpillars. Growing such plants directly benefits birds and helps insects keep the natural world ticking.

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The Eyes of an Owl

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 19 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Peer into an owl's face – there is something almost human about its large, forward-facing eyes. The Great Gray Owl, which stands two feet tall and weighs 2 and 1/2 pounds, has eyes larger than those of most humans! Enormous eyes enable owls to see in near darkness. An owl's retinal anatomy is similar to that of cats, which rival owls in seeing in dim light.

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Bird Scent: It's All About the Bacteria

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Many birds have an excellent sense of smell. And the odors that birds make can act as mating signals for some species. The source for many of these scents, says biologist Danielle Whittaker, are the microbes that live in birds’ preen oil, which they use to keep their feathers in good condition. Danielle and other scientists are studying how the genes that regulate birds' immune systems might help control these microbes. This research could help connect the birds’ genetics to the scents they use to attract mates. Learn more in Danielle Whittaker’s book, The Secret Perfume of Birds: Uncovering the Science of Avian Scent.

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Bird Emoji

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

July 17th is World Emoji Day — because that’s the date on the little calendar emoji. These cartoon graphics can show everything from smiley faces to plants, hearts, and of course, birds. In fact, some of those bird emoji were among the very first emoji ever made!

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Seasonal Flooding of the Amazon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

When it’s predictable and wildlife is well adapted, natural flooding can create a biological bonanza. In the Amazon River Basin, which holds one-fifth of the world’s fresh water, annual rains can raise water levels 30 to 40 feet in just days. Forests turn into vast lakes, dotted with trees, while a massive push of sediment erects new islands almost overnight. It’s a lush world that’s home to some of the world’s most iconic birds, including toucans, macaws, kingfishers, tiger-herons, and this Russet-backed Oropendola.

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Whistling Birdsong with Andrew Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Musician Andrew Bird is known as a songwriter, violinist, and, like his namesake, a virtuoso whistler. He showcases all of these skills in the song Rare Birds, which was created as part of The Birdsong Project in 2020. Whistling melodies inspired by Mourning Doves and the Kaua‘i ‘O‘o alongside his violin, Andrew creates a kind of otherworldly natural soundscape.

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Rufous-collared Sparrow: Tico-Tico

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The song Tico-Tico no Fuba, like Carmen Miranda, came to us from Brazil. Believe it or not, the song is about a bird. The Portuguese lyrics tell the story of the tico-tico, a local name for the Rufous-collared Sparrow. Like so many birds, tico-tico was named for its song. In the song, the bird keeps coming back to the singer's yard to dine on her cornmeal, piled in a backyard granary. Tico-tico loves her cornmeal.

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Beaks and Bills

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

A bird’s bill is an incredible multi-tool — good for preening feathers, building a nest, self-defense, scratching, displaying, building a nest, and egg-turning. And a bill must be the right size and shape for the bird’s diet, whether that’s probing for worms, cracking open seeds, or tear apart prey.

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Song Neighborhoods

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Birds of the same species don’t always sing exactly the same as each other. But those that live near each other sometimes have similar songs. Scientists refer to this pattern as a song neighborhood. It’s less like a regional dialect among people that’s found over a large area. It’s more local than that, like a group of friends copying each other's mannerisms.

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Montezuma Oropendola's High-Security Nesting

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

A male Montezuma Oropendola holds forth in a tree bedecked with twenty or more hanging nests. The nests are intricately woven sacks hanging three feet or more from the branches. Oropendolas favor trees that are separate from other trees and often build near large nests of wasps, whose stinging attacks deter both potential nest predators and parasitic insects.

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Altamira Oriole

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It was only in 1939 that this Altamira Oriole was first found north of the Rio Grande River. Now it happily visits residents on the Texas side of the river, especially where a juicy orange half waits in a backyard feeder. Northerly breeding orioles, like Bullock's in the West and the Baltimore in the East, nest as far north as Canada, but winter mostly in Central America.

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Thick-billed Longspur

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 9 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It can feel like there’s nowhere to hide in the shortgrass prairie. But the Thick-billed Longspur calls this place home. The bird’s burbling song helps create the high plains’ soundscape. The species was formerly named McCown’s Longspur after a Confederate general who participated in genocide against Native Americans. In 2020, after pressure from the “Bird Names for Birds” movement and others, the species was renamed for its thick bill, which is pale on females and black on breeding males.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Firebird’s Bright Outfit

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 8 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

You might have heard of the Phoenix, the legendary bird who bursts into flames and is reborn from its ashes. Well, its literary cousin is the Slavic myth of the Firebird, an elusive creature whose feathers burn and light up the night. Stories about Phoenix-like birds have spread all over, and Firebird legends are found in most Slavic cultures. These stories, like connective tissue, help unite people throughout the world.

Listen to this episode in Spanish here.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Least Auklets: Seabirds in Miniature

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 7 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The family of seabirds called alcids is an eclectic bunch that includes puffins and murres. The largest alcids are about the size of a duck, but the smallest — called the Least Auklet — could fit in the palm of your hand. With their short wings whirring, these miniature seabirds look like swarms of feathered bumblebees as they forage for tiny crustaceans on the ocean’s surface. Least Auklets form massive breeding colonies on rocky islands of the north Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. In August, when the young birds are ready to take their first flight, millions of auklets scatter to the winds across the northern seas.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Help eBird Fill in the Gaps

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 6 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

eBird, an online tool for submitting bird observations, allows scientists to keep track of birds around the world. eBird now has over one billion bird observations from more than 700,000 people — most of them community scientists who care about their local birds. And as more people in more places join in, eBird becomes an even better way for researchers to understand birds. In this show, learn how you can make your birding more useful to science.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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What Are Birds Saying with Their Crests?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 5 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

A bird’s crest is made up of a slender array of feathers on top of their head. These feathers are a bit longer and can be spiked up or slicked back, depending on what the bird is trying to communicate. Even birds without crests, like crows or sparrows, sometimes puff up their short crown feathers.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Sizing Up Sharp-shinned Hawks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 4 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Sharp-shinned Hawks are swift, bird-catching predators. The male is jay-sized. The female stands a head taller and weighs almost twice as much. Female birds of prey are most notably bigger than males among hawk species that hunt very agile prey, such as other birds. The smaller male will tend to hunt smaller prey. The female takes somewhat larger prey, so together they can tap a wider range of resources.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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'What is a birder?' with Rosemary Mosco

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 3 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Rosemary Moscoe’s latest book is a tongue-in-cheek guide that defines many of the terms that you might hear on a bird outing, like calling a particularly cute bird a "birb" or shortening the word binoculars to just "bins" or "nocs."

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Shorebirds Watch Their Feet

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 2 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Greater Yellowlegs — not surprisingly — have bright yellow legs and feet. And why? While foraging through shallow water, a yellowlegs can keep track of its legs by the color, which contrasts with the sometimes dark and irregular bottom. A Sanderling, on the other hand, has black legs and feet. Its black toes really stand out against the pale sand. And the brilliant orange legs of Ruddy Turnstones? They stand out like a neon light on the shore. Mother Nature is good with the fine details!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Canada Jays Save Food for Later

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 1 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

While camping in the mountains, you might see this Canada Jay (formerly known as the Gray Jay — but before that, as the Canada Jay!), boldly swooping into your camp. This handsome jay’s big, black eyes seem to miss nothing — especially food. But the one food Canada Jays don’t eat is conifer seeds. The jays hide other food in conifer needles and tuck it under the bark of trees with their sticky saliva. With terrific visual memories, the jays can find thousands of hidden tidbits months later.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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How Writer Amy Tan Helps Backyard Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Writer Amy Tan’s work is known all over the world. And thanks to her latest best-seller, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, she’s now also known for her deep love of birds. Tan not only spends time interacting with birds, she also comes up with creative ways to help them.

This episode was produced as part of BirdNote’s From Love to Action Campaign, an effort to inspire one million people to take action to help birds by 2027. To learn more and to tell us how you’re helping birds, visit this link.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Colors of Chicken Eggs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Except around Easter, chicken eggs usually come in a predictable range of colors: white, brown, and sometimes pale blue or green. Chickens are descended from the Red Jungle Fowl of Southeast Asia, which has been providing eggs for humans for thousands of years. The final color of an egg comes from a pigment the hen’s body adds to the shell just before the egg is laid. Breeds that lay white eggs don’t add any pigment.

Today's show brought to you by the Bobolink Foundation.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Plover and the Hurricane

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Piping Plovers are tiny, sand-colored shorebirds that nest on the beach. They’re threatened in much of their range. But plovers have gotten a boost from something rather surprising: hurricanes. Superstorm Sandy left behind plant-free, sandy beaches on barrier islands in New York and New Jersey, which actually offers better camouflage for nesting plovers. Where these hurricane-created habitats were protected, Piping Plovers have boomed.

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Pigeon Guillemots Have Fun

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Although many seabirds utter groans and croaks, the Pigeon Guillemot produces a lovely series of trills and whistles. As part of their courtship, they fly side by side in large circles and loops, a perfectly synchronized flying act. These guillemots do not breed until they are between three and five years old. The male chooses a site in a crevice or cave, among boulders, under driftwood, on a wharf, or even in a pipe.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Why Are Blackbirds Black?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Why are blackbirds black? One possible answer is that black is conspicuous against just about all of Nature's backgrounds. Blackbirds, like this flock of Red-winged Blackbirds and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, feed on the ground. Whenever a predator approaches, they take flight. Coming together quickly in a dense mass may confuse the predator and thwart its attempts to catch one of the birds.

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How Nestlings Leave the Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Young birds leave their nests in different ways. Some shuffle tentatively along the nearest branch and practice flapping their wings, while others take the "big leap." Which path they take depends upon their species and the location of the nest. Young Great Horned Owls clamber out of the nest to nearby branches where they flap their wings and make short, cautious flights, while they continue to be fed by their parents.

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Crested Auklets Entice Their Mates with Scent

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Crested Auklets are small seabirds that nest on remote cliffs in the Northern Pacific and the Bering Sea. But it’s their smell that really sets these birds apart. They smell like tangerines! Experiments show that females go for males that emit the strongest scents.

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Pelagic Birds by Boat

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Some birds spend most of their lives on the open ocean, only coming to land when it's time to breed. These high-sea specialists are called pelagic birds, which include jaegers, petrels, and albatrosses, among many others. The best way to see them for yourself is by setting sail on a pelagic birding tour or whale watching cruise!

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Advice to Beginning Birders from David Sibley

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

David Sibley, creator and illustrator of The Sibley Guide to Birds, offers this advice for people learning to identify birds: “Spend time at home, paging through the field guide . . . by flipping through the pages of the book and looking at pictures and reading the names, you’ll start to get a sense of what those birds are . . . It doesn’t have to be about seeing a lot of different species, but more about getting to know the birds that are common in your neighborhood or in your yard.”

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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What’s in a Name? A Bird!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Names are conventions, right? But some names contain something special: a bird! For example, the name Paloma comes from the colloquial name in Spanish for the common pigeon, but as a human name it often refers to doves. Or Garzón, my last name, is derived from Garza, or Heron, in Spanish.

Listen to this episode in Spanish here.

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Black-bellied Plover, Arctic Nester

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, June days offer almost continuous daylight to breeding birds, including this Black-bellied Plover. At this high latitude, Black-bellied Plovers can complete their breeding cycle in a month and a half. Not long after the summer solstice, the adults begin their southbound migration, without their young. Juveniles don't migrate with their parents, but wait a month.

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As the Crowe Flies

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Crows play many roles in human cultures, from ominous tricksters to sacred purveyors of wisdom. After exploring the stories behind her family surname, attorney and playwright Alice T. Crowe discovered a deep historical connection between the racist symbology of Jim Crow and the negative image of these birds in many Western cultures. Despite the social stigma surrounding crows, Alice says we can learn important lessons from how they treat each other.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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If You See a Bird with Leg Bands

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

If you see a wild bird with a small metal band around its leg, that means researchers have given the bird a unique ID to keep track of it over the course of its life. You can report the sighting to the Bird Banding Laboratory, a part of the U.S. Geological Survey that studies banded birds across the continent. Analyzing where and when banded birds are seen helps biologists figure out bird lifespans, migratory routes, and how their populations are changing.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Chihuahuan Meadowlark

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In 2022, ornithologists recognized the Chihuahuan Meadowlark as a separate species rather than a subspecies of the Eastern Meadowlark. Named after the northern region of Mexico where they're easy to find, Chihuahuan Meadowlarks live in dry desert grasslands. They form a distinct population in Mexico and the southwestern U.S., and have a song that sets them apart from other meadowlarks.

Escuche este episodio en español aquí!

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Green Jay

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Adorned in shades of peridot green, sapphire blue, and onyx black, the Green Jay is a jewel-toned wonder with a voice as loud as its color palette. Their range is split over two regions, one from southern Texas to northern Belize and a second along the Andes Mountains from Venezuela to Bolivia. Green Jays often forage in family flocks where their noisy, rasping chatter helps ward off predators and keep their colorful kin together.

This episode is sponsored by Bruce Heyne, in thanks to all those who steward the parks, refuges, and nature preserves that support birds — especially in Deep South Texas where Green Jays thrive.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Father Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The male hummingbird leaves the female to build the nest and raise the young alone, but other father birds are more involved. A Peregrine Falcon father shares duties almost evenly with the mother. (Stewart, pictured, nested on a Seattle skyscraper for many years.) But the male Emu of Australia tops them all. He remains alone on the nest for nearly two months, never leaving the nest for any reason. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, feathered and otherwise!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Baby Bald Eagles

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Baby Bald Eagles have a lot to learn before they reach adulthood. While still in the nest, they practice fanning their wings and jumping into the air to test their strength. When they’re finally ready for their first test-flight, the fledglings sometimes land unceremoniously on the ground until a parent offers further encouragement. Juvenile Bald Eagles are roughly the same size as their parents, but all their feathers are a mottled chocolate brown. They take three or four years to mature into the iconic adult plumage with the distinctive white head and tail.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Oilbird's Lightless Life

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Nature has produced some exceptionally strange animals. One such creature is the Oilbird of northern South America. The Oilbird prefers a diet of wild berries and fruits, especially lipid-rich fruits like palm nuts and avocados (which leads to fatty young and the Oilbird's name). This unusual-looking bird is longer than a crow, with big eyes and a tiny bill protruding from a giant mouth. Oilbirds roost in extensive colonies in large caves. When the sun sets, Oilbirds emerge from their caves, like huge bats, to forage throughout the countryside for food. Thus, Oilbirds spend most of their lives in complete darkness.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Kingfisher and the Halcyon Days

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The ancient Greeks believed the gods turned two distraught lovers into kingfishers — or “halcyon birds.” Thanks to divine assistance, these birds would enjoy calm weather during their nesting period. Even today, many kingfishers have echoes of this story in their scientific names.

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Celebrating City Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Pigeons, geese, and gulls often get a bad rap among city dwellers. But Nicole Jackson, an environmental educator and nature enthusiast, admires these cosmopolitan birds for their resilience and adaptability.

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Black-headed Grosbeak Sings!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The song of this male Black-headed Grosbeak has been described as that of a drunken or scat-singing robin. Compare the songs of both birds, and draw your own conclusion! Singing Black-headed Grosbeaks can be heard from May well into summer, especially in streamside woods.

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Grackles Galore

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 9 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Grackles are notoriously loud and brazen birds. For all six species native to the Americas, males are iridescent black and females are sumptuous brown. Though these grackles may look the same, they each make their own distinctive ruckus. Though some deem them pests, grackles can also call us to celebrate the delightful diversity of “common” birds.

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Hoatzin!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 8 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Hoatzin is a strange bird, indeed! It looks like it was put together by a committee. But the way it looks isn't the only thing that sets this bird apart. The Hoatzin is strictly a leaf-eater, filling its stomach with leaves, and then resting and digesting for long periods. Chicks have vestigial claws on their wings, which they lose when they grow older.

Listen to this episode in Spanish.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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El Triunfo Cloud Forest Reserve

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 7 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

High in the mountains of Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico, a male Highland Guan is performing his territorial display. The Highland Guan perches on a tree-branch, whistles, and then glides on vibrating wings. The resulting wondrous sound is like no other. The bird’s display creates a sound emblematic of the cloud forest of El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve. Clouds and fog roll frequently through the reserve, creating a lush forest wonderland. Cloud forest makes up less than 1% of the world’s forest, and its conservation is crucial. At El Triunfo, the display of the Highland Guan testifies to a conservation success.

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Northern Parula Sings From on High

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 6 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Northern Parula is a tiny bird with a big personality. These colorful warblers spend their days in search of tasty insects high up in the forest canopy of woodlands in North America. To get a good look, first try listening for their unmistakable vocal feats!

This episode is sponsored by Gary and Liz Kennedy Ketcheson, who are grateful to BirdNote for introducing us to wonderful stories about birds from around the world, like the beautiful Northern Parula.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Bird in Flight, Strong but Light

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 5 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The feathers of a bird are, for their weight, among the strongest structures in the world. The bones of this Magnificent Frigatebird weigh less than its feathers! To further reduce weight while maintaining strength, many bird bones are fused. In addition, the pectoral and pelvic girdles and ribs are joined to make a rigid box that supports those long wings, just as the wings support the bird.

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The Loquacious Chat

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 4 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In summer, the thick tangles of streamside vegetation in many canyons echo with an uncanny sound — the Yellow-breasted Chat. You may find it in willow thickets, brushy tangles, and other dense, understory habitats, usually at low to medium elevations around streams. The male Yellow-breasted Chat may sing all night during breeding season. The chat winters in Mexico and Central America.

Support for this episode is provided by Sarah Merner and Craig McKibben from Seattle, Washington, and generous listeners around the world.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Vivaldi's Goldfinch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 3 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Bird song caught the ear of Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. And he even named a 1729 flute concerto for a bird — the goldfinch. The source of inspiration for Vivaldi's Goldfinch concerto, or Il Gardellino, was the European Goldfinch, a tiny bird found throughout much of Europe, where it frequents gardens and roadsides. No wonder Vivaldi found the goldfinch irresistible.

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Quirky Words for Gray Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 2 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Many birds have common names that refer to their dominant body color, like the Gray Catbird. Yet some species of gray birds received more colorful descriptors than others. Silvered, plumbeous, glaucous, and slate are just some of the bird world’s many shades of gray!

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A Pigeon’s Eye View

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 1 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In 1907, a German pharmacist named Julius Neubronner invented the pigeon camera. It was a small camera strapped to a pigeon’s breast — like a photographic baby-bjorn. A timer let the camera take multiple snapshots throughout the bird’s flight. This allowed for some of the earliest aerial photography, and even seemed promising for military reconnaissance.

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Bonding with Mom Through Birding

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 31 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, environmental educator and nature enthusiast Nicole Jackson tells the story of an unexpected backyard birding experience when she visited her mom in 2021. When she arrived, Nicole saw typical birds such as robins and jays, but then saw something less common: a brightly colored Blackburnian Warbler! Nicole’s mom asked what she was looking at, and Nicole showed her pictures of all the nearby birds on her phone. Nicole helped her mom create an account on Merlin Bird ID and document her first bird sighting.

This week is Black Birders Week. Learn how to participate in Black Birders Week here and by following #BlackBirdersWeek on social media.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Migration Stories: The House Sparrow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 30 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Deja Perkins, an urban ecologist and co-organizer of Black Birders Week, remembers seeing House Sparrows all over Chicago as a kid. These little brown birds are native to Eurasia and North Africa, but were forced to adapt to many places around the world where they were introduced. Though many people consider House Sparrows to be urban pests, Deja admires them and draws parallels between their natural history and the story of her own ancestors.

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In Defense of Big Black Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 29 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Grackles, vultures, and other big black birds are often disparaged by people who’d rather they stay out of sight. But Marcus Rosten, an environmental educator and co-organizer of Black Birders Week, appreciates these birds for the important roles they play in nature and the ways their stories reflect his own experience as a Black birder.

This year, Black Birders Week is celebrating miraculous shades of brown by highlighting the beauty and importance of sparrows while also drawing parallels with the struggles and triumphs of Black birders. Learn more about how to participate in this week’s events here.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Robin Rescue

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 28 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

When Adé Ben-Salahuddin stopped to help a trapped young bird on his way home from work, he found an unexpected source of help: an older Black woman walking by who had just the skills for the problem at hand.

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Lessons From Mixed Flocks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 27 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

There are many benefits for birds that form mixed flocks, from safety and survival to care and feeding. We can see the power of community through the actions of birds every day. And it’s time we took a note from their book.

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Witnessing Lifers While Honoring a Life Loss

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 26 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In June 2024, environmental educator and co-organizer of Black Birders Week Dara Miles Wilson traveled to Camden, South Carolina to attend her cousin’s funeral. Despite the somber circumstances, two birds surprised her with unanticipated brightness.

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Miraculous Shades of Brown

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 25 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Sparrows are remarkable birds that come in a wide range of brown hues. Just as sparrows are frequently dismissed in favor of more "charismatic" species, Black birders have historically been underrepresented in conservation spaces.

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Make Your Cloud-watching More Like Bird-watching

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 24 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

When we watch birds in flight, they’re often seen against a backdrop of clouds. Clouds have many different types and are listed in the International Cloud Atlas. The asperitas cloud was first described by citizen-scientists and has now been incorporated into the official atlas.

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California Quail, Up and Running

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 23 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The most distinctive characteristic of the California Quail is the black, forward-facing topknot that juts out from its forehead like a small flag. The California Quail – the state bird of California – builds its nest right on the ground. Almost immediately after hatching, the precocial chicks are up and running, following their parents to feed.

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The Skatebirder

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 22 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Dave Mull is not your typical birder — he's a professional skateboarder, or a “skatebirder” as he puts it. He brings binoculars with him when he skateboards and doesn’t mind putting his board down to check out a bird. But the birds aren't really a distraction for Dave. Tuning into his surroundings, including the birds, helps him stay in the zone and provides inspiration for tricks.

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Rivers of Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 21 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

One of the world champions of long-distance migration is the Arctic Tern. Arctic Terns nest across the far northern reaches of the continent during our summer, then fly south to Antarctica for the rest of the year. Some will circle the polar ice-pack before heading north again, completing a total round trip of more than 50,000 miles. Every year.

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Migrations: Watching Migration from the Empire State Building

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 20 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

As the sun sets over New York City, author Helen Macdonald takes in the wonders of spring migration from the top of the Empire State Building. She watches a long procession of songbirds pass overhead, but her joy is dampened when she notices some of the birds circling endlessly around the building’s brilliant beacon. Turning off the blaring lights of city skylines — and even suburban homes — can help protect migratory birds at night.

Today's show brought to you by the Bobolink Foundation.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Orchard Orioles Band Together

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 19 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Orchard orioles are social birds that build their nests in large trees among streambanks and wetlands. The males have chestnut-colored breasts and black backs and wings, while females and immature birds are mostly yellow. After the males fly south in late July and early August, the young birds and females stay behind to forage for late summer berries. Protecting streamside habitats helps these colorful birds, along with a whole suite of other species that depend on clean water and lots of shrubby habitat.

Support for BirdNote is provided by Sarah Merner and Craig McKibben from Seattle, Washington, and generous listeners around the world.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Swainson's Warbler

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 18 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Swainson's Warbler is one of North America's shyest birds. These birds forage quietly on the ground, flipping over leaves to expose and capture insects. They scurry away, calling in alarm when big-footed humans invade their shadowy habitat. On their wintering grounds, in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, they're even harder to find, because they don't sing in winter. Swainson's Warblers do, however, respond aggressively to a recording of their own song. That's how ornithologists confirmed the presence of these elusive warblers, and discovered a vital connection between the two mountain forests, a thousand miles apart.

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Robins Raise a Brood in a Hurry

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 17 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

When it comes to raising a family, American Robins have got it down. Approximately eight days after the male and female mate, the female builds the nest. A few days later, she lays eggs. She sits on the eggs for 18 hours a day, and the eggs hatch in about three weeks. Both parents feed the nestlings until they fledge, then Mom and Dad feed them for another three weeks, until the kids are on their own. Whew! Time for a break, right? Not a chance. Most robins raise two sets of young each season, and sometimes a third.

This show brought to you by The Bobolink Foundation.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Bird Song ID

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 16 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Roger Tory Peterson, the best known American figure of 20th Century birdwatching, offered help on birding by ear. Whenever he could, he provided a catchphrase to identify a bird's song. "Witchety-witchety-witchety" captures the song of this Common Yellowthroat. The California Quail seems to say, "Chicago, Chicago, Chicago." Go on a field trip with your local Audubon, and discover more bird songs.

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How to Be a Better Wildlife Photographer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 15 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Conservation photographer Noppadol Paothong says that if you go out to take pictures of birds, you shouldn’t just aim to take an eye-catching photo. He spends long hours in photo blinds, often watching and studying birds rather than photographing them. He has become deeply familiar with some populations of sage-grouse, to the point that he can recognize individuals. Caring about the wildlife you photograph, particularly for rare and declining species, will make you a better photographer, he says. Noppadol strives to highlight the challenges that birds face through his photos and point toward solutions.

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High Island – Migration on the Gulf

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 14 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

If you're near High Island, Texas in the spring, you might witness a "fallout," one of the great spectacles of bird migration. Thousands of birds, including Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, orioles, Painted Buntings, and warblers of all kinds, as well as tanagers and Indigo Buntings, like this one, drop from the sky. They've just flown non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico, covering 600 miles in about 15 hours. Exhausted and hungry from bucking the storm, they land at last.

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Warbler Migration in Ohio with Kenn Kaufman

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 13 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Every spring in Northwest Ohio, the shores of Lake Erie transform into a birder’s paradise. Birder and author Kenn Kaufman, who lives in this area, says that of the many species that migrate through here, one group of vibrant, vivacious songbirds stands out from the rest: warblers. Trees leaf out later in the season along the lakeshore, making the tiny warblers easier to see as they forage for food. Northwest Ohio has earned a reputation as the Warbler Capital of the World among birders in the know. But Kenn wishes everyone could glimpse the beauty of warbler migration, even if they don’t make it to the Warbler Capital.

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American Herring Gull

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 12 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

With white and grey feathers, a piercing stare, and noisy screams, the American Herring Gull is a “seagull” that's well adapted to land-locked living. These impressive, raucous birds are abundant over large swaths of North American from Alaska to Puerto Rico. Whether they’re squabbling over table scraps at an inland landfill or scarfing down french fries by the beach, American Herring Gulls are fun birds to watch!

This episode is sponsored by Laura Potash of Roslyn, Washington.

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Mother Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 11 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Avian motherhood is a mixed bag. Peregrine Falcon mothers share duties fairly equally with Peregrine dads. At the other end of the spectrum is the female hummingbird, which usually carries the entire burden of nesting, incubating, and tending the young. And then, there's the female Western Sandpiper: she usually leaves the family just a few days after the eggs have hatched!

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The Crafty American Crow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 10 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Crows. Large, black, noisy. The raucous birds of the neighborhood. Some people love them; others aren't so sure. American Crows are crafty and resourceful. Crows have adapted to our modern world. For one thing, they, too have a taste for fast food. Watch for crows at your local fast food joint. They've learned to pick through our trash cans. Like them or not, they're a natural clean-up crew.

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Searching for Trogons in the Sycamore Trees

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 9 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Just an hour south of Tucson, Arizona, Madera Canyon is a nature-lover’s dream. Among the more than 250 bird species found in this region throughout the year, the Elegant Trogon draws spectators from far and wide. These robin-sized birds forage for fruits and insects in the high canopy of oaks, sycamores, and other vegetation along the canyon’s many creekside trails. Trogons are elusive and difficult to spot. But don’t worry; The canyon’s astonishing diversity of birds offer plenty to see and hear.

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Bringing Condor Home

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 8 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Tiana Williams-Claussen is a member of the Yurok Nation and Director of the Yurok Tribe Wildlife Department. In this episode, she shares the story of how the California Condor, known as Prey-go-neesh in the Yurok language, went extinct on Yurok lands due to the environmental exploitation that followed the California Gold Rush. The Yurok Tribe has forged a partnership with the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to bring condors back home.

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Ruffed Grouse: Splendid Drummer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 7 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The male Ruffed Grouse stands on a resonant fallen log in the shelter of a brushy thicket, thumping the air with his wings. He raises them and, cupping them forward, beats the air. He's slow at first, then faster, creating a reverberating drum roll. This announces his territory and his desire for a mate. The name "Ruffed" derives from the male's long neck feathers which, in display to the female, flex outward to form a thick neck ruff.

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A Sailor Finds Companionship with Birds II

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 6 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Sailor and artist, Brechin Morgan, circumnavigated the globe solo. Alone on the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, he welcomed the companionship of a Swallow-tailed Gull, flying off of the bow stay in front of the boat, like a little shadow of moonlight floating back and forth, almost all night long. Brechin saw other birds on his voyage, too. He said, "They were friends in the middle of the void. Amazing visitors – I couldn’t understand how they managed to get 1,500 miles from the nearest piece of rock and survive. But obviously they were more ancient mariners than I would ever imagine being."

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Bobolinks: Birds of Grasslands

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 5 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Male Bobolinks are first to arrive on their breeding grounds in the grasslands. Why are there fewer Bobolinks than in decades past? Probably because the landscape of North America has changed so much. Bobolinks originally nested on native prairies of the Midwest and southern Canada. Much of the land where they nested has come under intense cultivation.

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A Marsh With More Than One Purpose

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 4 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Northwest California is an important stop along the Pacific Flyway, one of the four main routes for bird migration through North America. Visitors are sometimes surprised to learn that this wildlife sanctuary is also the city of Arcata’s wastewater treatment facility. By combining conventional wastewater treatment to natural wetlands, the city has created habitat homes and migratory resting places for over 300 species of birds, including many shorebirds.

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International Dawn Chorus Day

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 3 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The first Sunday of May is International Dawn Chorus Day, a day to appreciate the beauty of birds’ dawn songs. Dawn Chorus Day began as a small event in Birmingham, England in the 1980s and has grown to be a worldwide celebration of birdsong. You can join in wherever you are by listening to the singers in your neighborhood – like this Eurasian Wren. Just make sure you get up nice and early!

Today’s show brought to you by the Bobolink Foundation.

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There’s Something About Penguins

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 2 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

There’s just something about penguins. Pleasantly plump, they stand upright and teeter like toddlers. Although often depicted in black and white, most are actually more colorful. Seven species have long, jaunty golden feather tufts above their eyes. King Penguins and Emperor Penguins have necks that glisten gold. The Little Penguin is blue and white. Penguins are found in the Southern Hemisphere, from the Equator to Antarctica.

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Ruby-throated Hummingbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 1 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are the only hummingbirds that nest in the Eastern states. Most Ruby-throats spend the winter in Central America. By March, some males are already returning to the Southeast. But it's well into April before they reach the northern states. Female hummingbirds arrive a couple weeks later. What hummingbird might you see in your region? Check out hummingbirds.net. Put up a feeder and attract one to your yard.

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Puffin Bills Glow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Puffins are known for their flashy bills, striped like a giant piece of candy-corn. New research has found that the bills of Atlantic Puffins glow brightly under ultraviolet blacklights. Neon, curved streaks appeared between the different colored segments of a puffin’s bill in this lighting. It’s possible that the UV highlights help the birds further stand out to potential mates. For the experiment, researchers made special puffin sunglasses to protect the birds’ eyes.

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Limpkin - Bird of the Swamp

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It's dawn on a spring day in the Big Cypress Swamp of Florida. Mist rises from quiet water into Spanish moss hanging from the cypress branches. A Limpkin is foraging for apple snails. When it touches a big, round shell, it grabs it quickly and pulls it from the water. Then, moving to solid ground, the Limpkin positions the shell, and using the curved tip of its lower mandible, it scissors loose the operculum and pulls out the snail.

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Bird Songs of April

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The month of April inspires poets, sometimes with contradictory results. Poet TS Eliot describes April as "the cruelest month." Shakespeare strikes an upbeat note, writing, "April hath put a spirit of youth in everything." Let April speak for itself. Listen to the birds.

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Soaring with Redtails

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

A Red-tailed Hawk soars on broad, rounded wings, the epitome of effortless flight. Without flapping, it traces a leisurely, rising circle. The hawk is riding a thermal, a column of warm rising air generated near the earth's surface by heat from the sun. The Red-tail periodically circles to stay within the thermal. Riding thermals is an energy-efficient way to search for prey below.

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Burrowing Owls: Howdy Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

A Burrowing Owl is about as big as a can of beans on stilts. Between the long legs, bright yellow eyes, and signature bobbing salute, these little birds are comical members of the western ecosystem. Cowboys riding Western rangelands have a nickname for these little owls. They call them “howdy birds” for the way they bob up and down in front of their nests.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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A Lost Hummingbird is Found Again

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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A Kettle of Vultures

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In the daytime, hot air rises as the sun heats the ground. The rising column of air is called a thermal, and it’s the perfect way for a Turkey Vulture to hitch a ride. Like an elevator to the skies, the thermal gently wafts the vultures upward. They move in a slowly ascending spiral around the thermal, rarely flapping and instead coasting on the breeze. When many vultures ride the same thermal, it’s called a kettle.

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Raising the World’s Deadliest Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

You might think the first bird species that humans raised in captivity would be a relatively small one, like a chicken. But evidence suggests that people in New Guinea reared the cassowary, often called the world’s deadliest bird, as much as 18,000 years ago, long before the domestication of chickens. The remains of cassowary eggs and bones at archaeological sites in New Guinea indicate that people gathered the eggs, possibly allowing the more mature eggs to hatch into chicks.

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Poetry in the Parks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For her signature project You Are Here, U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón sought to connect people and nature through poetry. In addition to curating a book of poems by the same name, Limón also partnered with Shauna Potocky at the National Park Service to design poetry installations at seven sites across the country.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Great-tailed Grackle

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Great-tailed Grackles live up to their name. The glossy black males trail their long, V-shaped tails behind them as they fly, almost like a plane towing a banner ad. And while not quite as flashy, the brown-feathered females have impressively long tails, too. Also known as the Mexican Grackle, this species lives in all sorts of habitats from the northern coasts of South America to the western U.S. Their ability to live in both cities and farmland has helped Great-tailed Grackles expand as far north as Iowa.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Legendary Phoenix

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 20 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The ancient Greeks and Egyptians described a mythical bird called the Phoenix, a magnificent creature that was a symbol of renewal and rebirth. According to legend, each Phoenix lived for 500 years, and only one Phoenix lived at a time. Just before its time was up, the Phoenix built a nest and set itself on fire. Then, a new Phoenix would rise from the ashes.

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Recycle Your Eggshells to Help Nesting Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Female birds need to eat calcium to have enough of the mineral to lay their eggs. But it can be hard to find enough of it to eat in nature. We can help our backyard birds by offering them some extra calcium in bird feeders and by recycling our used egg shells.

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Kinglet Fireworks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Most of the time, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet is neither ruby nor regal. A tiny songbird washed in faded olive-green, the male shows a hint of crimson atop of his head — hardly a ruby crown. But don’t forsake the kinglet for flashier birds. When courting a female or dueling with another male, the kinglet exposes those ruby feathers, and his crown glows with the feathery fireworks that give the bird its name. Now is the time to look for kinglets, as they migrate north across much of the continent toward breeding sites in remote evergreen woods.

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Brewer's Sparrow, Sageland Singer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

One of the most musical and complex bird songs in the U.S. is that of the Brewer's Sparrow. It's a veritable aria, ringing forth from the sagebrush of Eastern Washington's Columbia Basin. Shrub-steppe is disappearing from the interior west as it is cleared for irrigated crops. The quintessential drylands bird, the Brewer's Sparrow can survive for an extended period of time with no supplemental water, getting all the water it needs from seeds and arthropods.

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Pablo Neruda’s Celebrated Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Pablo Neruda is considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. Though the Chilean poet is best known for his writings about love, birds were also close to his heart. He composed more than 20 poetic profiles of birds native to Chile including hummingbirds and albatrosses.

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What’s a Field of Grass to a Bird?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Although a field of grass might not seem like valuable habitat at first, many birds have adapted to nest in grassland habitats and nowhere else. In North America, birds such as the Bobolink seek out grasslands to raise their young, deftly hiding their nests within the dense vegetation. Very few grasslands and savannas have been protected compared to the area that’s been lost, making them the most at-risk ecosystem on the planet. That means every acre of grassland remaining is even more precious — to birds, to plants, and to people.

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From Bobwhite Coveys to Pairs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Throughout winter, Northern Bobwhites gather in groups called coveys to search for food during the day and share warmth at night. These small quail arrange themselves in a circle, with their tails in the center and heads outward, huddled up like a wreath of plump birds to survive frost and snow. But as spring arrives, the coveys disband and bobwhites seek out mates. Males whistle from shrubs and tufts of grass, hoping to catch the attention of a female.

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The Eagle Eye

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Ever heard the term “eagle eye?” An eagle’s vision is incredibly sharp, and its eyes can weigh more than its brain. The secret to the bird’s exceptional vision is the density of visual cells – the rods and cones – of its retina.

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Nest Building

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Want to try building a nest? Consider this... an average American Robin weighs less than three ounces. An average person weighs 170 pounds, or 1,000 times as much as a robin. A robin's nest, made of grass and mud, weighs about seven ounces, so yours will weigh 450 pounds. You'll need to collect about 350 strands of grass, each about four feet long. And don't forget the mud: 150 pounds of it. You have five days to complete the job. That's 300 mouthfuls of mud.

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Music to Our Ears

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

One of Jessica Rugh Frantz’s favorite things about being the director of development at BirdNote is getting to hear from listeners about how much they love our programs. Listener support is what makes this show possible. Just like how we love our backyard birds and take steps to help them thrive, we hope you’ll do the same for BirdNote by making a donation today.

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Hearing From BirdNote Listeners

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

We know for many listeners, BirdNote is part of your everyday routine. But don’t take our word for it. Let Michael and Mary Ann tell you what BirdNote means to them.

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Support the Things You Love

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 9 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

At BirdNote, we believe that the more that people learn about birds, the more likely they are to take steps to protect them. Listeners like you have supported BirdNote for 20 years. Support our Spring Fund Drive with a donation of any amount to help us create informative, inspiring stories for years to come.

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BirdNoir: The Mystery of Public Media Funding

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 8 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode of BirdNoir, the Private Eye gets a call from his pal Roy asking to know how BirdNote stays on the air. His wife says the show is funded by listener donations, but Roy can’t believe it. Roy even made a bet that he’d make a donation himself if her story were true. The private eye gives him an answer that has Roy grabbing his pocket book.

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Short and Sweet!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 7 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

We know you’ve got a busy schedule, which is why our team at BirdNote produces fun, sound-rich episodes about the natural world in less than two minutes each day. For 20 years, BirdNote has shared the joy and wonder of birds with millions of people. Help us continue this work with a donation of any amount.

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Adopt a Tree to Save the Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 6 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Many birds depend on caterpillars often found on trees lining city sidewalks. But few insects spend their whole lives on the tree: the next stage is in the leaves and soil under the tree. In cities, that habitat is often compacted and leafless. By adopting a tree and creating a “soft landing” for caterpillars, anyone can help keep birds supplied with the insects they need to survive.

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How Much Birds Sing

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 5 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

A typical songbird belts out its song between 1,000 and 2,500 times per day. Even though most bird songs last only a few seconds, that's a lot of warbling! A Yellowhammer, a European bunting, may sing over 3,000 times a day. But the Yellowhammer doesn't even come close to the North American record-holder, this Red-eyed Vireo. One such vireo delivered its song over 22,000 times in 10 hours!

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Poet Holly J. Hughes Honors the Birds We've Lost

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 4 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Poet Holly J. Hughes’ book Passings is a collection of poems about 15 species of birds that we have lost, or presume to be extinct. For National Poetry Month, Hughes shares the inspiration behind her work and three poems: Passenger Pigeon, Northern Curlew, and Ivory-Billed Woodpecker.

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The Cool, Rugged Life of a Snow Bunting

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 3 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Arctic is still wintry when male Snow Buntings return to nesting areas in April. There's a big benefit to arriving early enough to claim a prime nest cavity in a rock face or under boulders, where it will be safer from predators. Nesting in chilly rock cavities means extra care must be taken to keep eggs and nestlings warm. That’s why, unlike many other bird species, female Snow Buntings never come off the nest. The males bring them food, giving them more continuous time on the eggs.

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White-crowned Sparrow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 2 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The White-crowned Sparrow pours out its song over and over on spring and summer days-and even on moonlit nights-often up to 15 times a minute. Now here's a curious thing: Just as people in different regions may have different dialects, White-crowns have different songs, according to where they live. Find more at the Macaulay Library.

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Secret Messages in Birdsong?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 1 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Birds convey many types of messages through their songs and calls, but some may have ulterior motives. It may seem a bit foolish, but when BirdNote’s senior producer Mark Bramhill listened to familiar birdsongs in reverse, he heard…

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Birds Expanding the Human Imagination

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Glenn Albrecht grew up in a “bird lover’s paradise” in western Australia. But when he saw how coal mining displaced communities, polluted the air and water, and decimated bird populations, Glenn lacked the words for his emotions. He created the concept of ‘solastalgia’ to describe the pain of witnessing environmental harm where you live. He imagines a possible future era, called the ‘Symbiocene,’ when human activity will, once again, be fully interconnected with the ebb and flow of the rest of nature and therefore cause no more destruction of life on Earth.

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Robins and Earthworms: The Backstory

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

When glaciers pushed south into what is now the U.S. around 20,000 years ago, they scraped off the soil layer and spelled the end of native earthworms except in the southern states. So the earthworm plucked by the robin in the park or on your lawn is probably a relatively new arrival, most likely a species Europeans conveyed to the Americas in plant soil or the ballast of ships.

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Have You Ever Seen a Tom Turkey's Beard?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

With his brilliantly colored plumage fanned out in display, a tom (male) Wild Turkey is a handsome sight to behold. He has a bright red head, long spurs, and… a beard. This “beard” is a small cluster of bristles that sprouts from his chest plumage. It looks like a misplaced ponytail. The older the tom, the longer the beard.

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Common Yellowthroat

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Common Yellowthroats are one of the most abundant warblers in North America. They’re adaptable birds, thriving in places that pickier warblers pass over. So it’s easy to find yellowthroats in urban areas. Check for them in marshes, overgrown fields, and brushy areas along streams or trails.

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Melanin Makes Feathers Stronger

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Many species have black feathers on the trailing edge of their wings, regardless of what color most of their feathers are. Birds as different as gulls, pelicans, storks, and flamingos all have black-tipped wings. These flight feathers are rich in a pigment called melanin. But melanin doesn’t just provide color. It also helps make feathers stronger. Feathers with melanin have a tougher layer of keratin, the same substance found in human fingernails, compared to feathers without. So the black feathers actually help protect a wing from wear and tear.

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Thirsty Hummingbirds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Here they come! Rufous Hummingbirds, Black-chins, Broad-bills, Ruby-throats, and others are migrating north after a hot, dry winter in sunny Mexico or Central America. And they’re ready for a drink. You can help these thirsty birds by hanging a hummingbird feeder filled with the right kind of nectar. Select a feeder that you can easily clean on the inside, and one that has plenty of red to attract the birds. Then fill it with sugar water made by dissolving one part sugar in four parts water (use plain table sugar — no honey or sugar substitutes allowed). And please — no red food coloring.

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Spark Bird: Jerome Gaw at the Aquarium

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

When Jerome Gaw got the chance to volunteer at the Aquarium of the Pacific, he was stoked. He'd loved sharks and marine life since he was a kid. But for his interview, he had to give a presentation on a creature he wasn't familiar with: the Great Blue Heron. But he read up on the bird, practiced his presentation again and again, and aced the interview. Over the years, his appreciation for birds has kept growing.

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Meet the Tiniest Owl in the World

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Standing less than six inches tall, with gray feathers and big yellow eyes, the Elf Owl weighs less than an ounce and a half — that’s a bit less than a golf ball. But don’t let their size fool you. The Elf Owl hunts beetles, crickets, and spiders, plus the odd lizard or mouse. Even larger prey like scorpions — with the stingers carefully removed — may end up cached in the nest for later dining.

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American Woodcock

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

At sunset, the male American Woodcock – a plump, robin-sized bird – walks slowly on short legs from the cover of the forest to a nearby clearing. After a few sharp calls, the woodcock takes flight. As he spirals upward, slim, stiff feathers at his wingtips create a curious twittering. At the apex of his flight, the woodcock circles, then descends in a slow spiral, putt-putting like a tiny car about to run out of gas. The woodcock's odd looks and sounds have earned him many colorful nicknames. The most memorable? Timberdoodle!

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Adaptations for Flight

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Birds evolved not only wings, but many other adaptations that make it possible to fly. Feathers provide insulation, waterproofing, and a lightweight means to become airborne. Birds have honeycombed or hollow bones, reducing body weight. And instead of weighty jawbones and teeth, birds evolved a light and serviceable beak made of keratin. Most birds consume energy-packed foods rich in calories – like seeds, fruits, and meat, which add as little as possible to a bird’s payload. And what they eat is processed rapidly, so they aren’t weighed down by waste.

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Zone-tailed Hawks Mimic Vultures

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Zone-tailed Hawks of the American Southwest look a lot like Turkey Vultures. And they often soar among groups of Turkey Vultures. By consorting with vultures, Zone-tailed Hawks gain a distinct advantage as predators. While doves and lizards would quickly flee the flight silhouette of a Red-tailed Hawk, they seem to ignore the shadow of a vulture overhead. So floating among the vultures, Zone-tailed Hawks can sneak up on their prey undetected.

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Spring Bursts Forth

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

People often say that spring “bursts” forth. But this seasonal change isn’t like flipping a switch. It’s more like a series of waves breaking slowly. Robins and bluebirds return north in March. During April, more songbirds migrate north from the tropics, adding to spring’s growing chorus. As late as June, birds like Willow Flycatchers and Mourning Warblers arrive from South America. By this time, those early robins may be feeding their second brood. For them, spring has been bursting for over three months.

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Beautiful and Beneficial Gardening for Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Buying enough birdseed to keep all your backyard birds satisfied can run up a big bill. Homegrown National Park co-founder Douglas Tallamy says growing native plants in your garden can provide a balanced diet for birds. While there’s a misconception that native plants lead to a messy garden, he says native wildflowers, shrubs and trees can provide both splashes of color and nutritious meals for birds.

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Black Swifts Reach for the Moon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Tracking devices revealed that Black Swifts spent over 99% of their time in the air during the winter, almost never touching the ground for months. What’s more, the swifts flew to incredible heights, reaching the highest altitudes on nights when the moon was full – sometimes over 13,000 feet! It’s the first time scientists have seen birds changing their altitude along with the cycles of the moon.

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Field Sparrow Nests Climb Higher and Higher

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Field Sparrows make use of all the warm months of the year by building multiple nests each breeding season. Females will build their first, cup-shaped nest near the ground in dense grasses. As shrubs and trees grow their leaves throughout the summer, they will pick new spots higher off the ground each time — to protect their eggs from mammals and snakes. These birds avoid human activity and they’re sensitive to suburban sprawl. We can help conserve field sparrows by conserving brushy habitats in agricultural landscapes.

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Drumming with Woodpeckers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Like a jazz player beating out a drum roll, a woodpecker uses its bill to rap out a brisk series of notes. Early spring resounds with the percussive hammering of woodpeckers. Their rhythmic drumming says to other woodpeckers, "This is my territory!" We also hear them knocking on wood when they carve holes in trees to create nest cavities or reach insects. For any woodpecker, it’s all about proclaiming a signal as far and as loud as possible. Look for Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in the Northeast and farther north, and Red-breasted Sapsuckers in the West.

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How Do Birds Brake from Flight?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Birds are often admired for their ability to fly. But braking just in time to avoid a crash landing is amazing by itself. How does a robin go from full-out flight to a dead stop at a tree? If we could watch in slow motion, we’d see it raising the angle of its wings higher and higher from the horizontal. A hawk dives a bit below where it wants to perch, then pulls into a steep climb, slowing its momentum. And this female Wood Duck will use a combination of raised wings and a bit of hydroplaning with her wide, webbed feet to land on water.

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Squirrel or Bird?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Identifying birds by ear means getting familiar with each species’ unique voice. And that means learning the other voices in the ecosystem, too. Squirrels and chipmunks make calls that can sound a bit like bird calls at times. With practice, each species’ voice becomes more distinct and familiar.

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Spark Bird: The First Robin of Spring

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Rasheena Fountain studied environmental science and worked at her local Audubon Society. Now she writes about nature and diversity in the outdoors. And what got her interested in the first place? It all started in kindergarten, with a teacher named Miss Beak and the first robin of spring.

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Counting Ducks with Alison Vilag

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Alison Vilag has worked for half a decade as a fall and spring waterbird counter at remote migration hotspots around Lake Superior. For weeks, every day from sunrise to nearly sunset, Alison is outside in frigid and volatile weather, identifying species from afar and tallying them with a clicker. Working close to the elements puts Alison face-to-face with the reality of dwindling bird populations.

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Poisonous Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The world is full of poisonous creatures. Some butterflies, beetles and frogs use bright colors to warn birds and other predators that they’re full of toxins. But you might be surprised to learn that some birds are poisonous, too. Birds called Hooded Pitohuis carry toxins produced by a beetle that they eat, Ruffed Grouse can pick up a poison from a plant called mountain laurel, and Common Quail sometimes snack on poisonous hemlock.

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Glimpsing the Future Through Washington's Puffins

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Some of the largest populations of Tufted Puffins are in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and other northern coastlines. But University of Puget Sound professor Peter Hodum says the smaller colonies that breed off the coast of Washington and Oregon could provide key insights to conserve the whole species. The challenges facing birds at the fringes of their range could be the same ones that will affect the core populations further north in the future.

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Bushtits

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 9 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Weighing about as much as four paperclips, Bushtits are smaller than many hummingbirds. And they take full advantage of their diminutive size. While larger insect-eaters forage on the upper surfaces of leaves, Bushtits hang beneath them, plucking all the tiny insects and spiders hiding out of sight. They pair off to nest. (This male Bushtit is working on his nest.) Where they live in Western suburbia, a flock of Bushtits can help rid a garden of harmful aphids and scale insects. Shun the pesticides and let these guys do the work!

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Fastest Bird on Two Legs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 8 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Imagine an Ostrich, an Emu, a roadrunner, and the world’s fastest man and woman, all lined up for a race. Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt holds the men’s record for the 100-meter dash — 28 mph — and Florence Griffith-Joyner ran it just a shade slower. But in this race, Africa’s Ostrich takes gold, crossing the finish line at an incredible 43 mph. The Emu from Australia takes silver, topping 30 mph. The roadrunner comes in last.

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Female Condors Have Offspring Without Males

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 7 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

A captive breeding program has helped set California Condors on the path to recovery. But when biologists reviewed the family tree for the breeding program, they found a big surprise. Two chicks had DNA that linked them perfectly to their mothers but didn’t match a single male. They arose through parthenogenesis, developing from unfertilized eggs without sperm from a male. These condors are the first known case of parthenogenesis in a wild bird species where the females had access to fertile males.

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The Auspicious Chime of the Bare-throated Bellbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 6 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The sight and sound of the Bare-throated Bellbird—the national bird of Paraguay—inspires wonder and delight. Its presence as an indicator species and seed disperser also bodes well for ecosystem health in the Alto Paraná Atlantic Forests that stretch from Southeast Brazil through eastern Paraguay and into Northern Argentina. The loud, metallic call of the Bare-throated Bellbird also inspires music played on another emblem of Paraguay—the harp. The species is considered Near Threatened because of loss of forest habitat and poaching for cage birds.

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Danielle Whittaker and the Mystery of Bird Scent

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 5 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

When biologist Danielle Whittaker started studying bird odors, some scientists tried to discourage her, claiming that birds can’t smell. But that only deepened her curiosity. Once, she caught a whiff of a cowbird, which smelled to her like sugar cookies. Danielle and her colleagues studied Dark-eyed Juncos and found that they produce many odors that help influence breeding behavior. Learn more in Danielle Whittaker’s book, The Secret Perfume of Birds: Uncovering the Science of Avian Scent.

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Black-billed Magpie

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 4 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Black-billed Magpie is a familiar sight throughout much of the west. The magpie's bulky nest is a rough sphere of sticks nearly three feet across, with entrance ports on the sides. Take a field trip with your local Audubon and see what you can see!

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Healing Trauma with Animals at the Kyiv Zoo

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 3 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, zookeepers at the Kyiv Zoo shared audio recordings from the animal enclosures with BirdNote. The Zoo staff maintained care for the animals even as they slept in bomb shelters. Two and a half years later, Zoo Program Manager Olga Baratynska shares new audio of animals at the zoo and a report on their animal therapy program, called “The Good Phasmatidae,” which has treated nearly 200,000 people, including children, displaced people, and members of the military.

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Kingbirds Steal from Wasps

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 2 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Kingbirds are robin-sized flycatchers that excel at plucking insects from the air. They’ll even tackle prey as big as cicadas. Finding naturally-camouflaged cicadas hidden among the leaves is hard work. But two species of kingbirds in Arizona found a shortcut — stealing them from cicada-killer wasps! The female wasps, nearly two inches long, paralyze cicadas and bring them to their burrows for their young to eat. The kingbirds have learned to ambush wasps carrying cicadas on the way back to their burrows.

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Sage Thrasher and Sagebrush

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 1 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The glorious song of the male Sage Thrasher rings out every Spring from tracts of sagebrush throughout the west. Sagebrush was once widespread in the Great Basin region, and so were the thrashers. But huge areas of sagebrush were turned into alfalfa and potato farms, and the songs of the thrasher aren't so common today. Sagebrush badly needs advocacy. The Important Bird Areas program works to protect key habitats for birds.

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You Are What You Eat

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

House Finches are familiar birds all across North America. Researchers have shown that the red coloration of males is produced from carotenoid pigments in the birds' diet. Male House Finches develop brighter plumage when they are growing in new feathers, if they eat more fruits containing carotenoids. Females prefer more brightly colored males. Redder males also attract females in better condition, and such a pair raises, on the average, more young. You can learn more at AAAS.org.

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Long-lived Wisdom, the Albatross

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

A Laysan Albatross named Wisdom has been nesting and raising chicks on the island of Midway for nearly 60 years. She was banded back in 1956 and was rediscovered, still alive and healthy, in 2002. Since that time, scientists have watched Wisdom closely. Every year, she has managed to navigate the many perils facing her species and successfully raise a new chick.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Nest Cavities – Book Early

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Tree Swallows and bluebirds — like this Western Bluebird — are among the earliest northbound migrants to arrive, heralding spring a month before the equinox. These species will nest only in cavities, such as old woodpecker holes or man-made nest boxes. But the supply of specialized nest sites is limited, and competition is intense. By arriving early, these swallows and bluebirds improve their chances of securing unoccupied cavities.

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A Heron Nest Starts with Just One Stick

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

During winter and early spring, Great Blue Herons build their nests high in the treetops. The male delivers the supplies to the nest site stick by stick, as the female arranges things. It’s the perfect childhood home for their young, made without blueprints, architects or engineers. But by early May, the chicks are starting to test the limits of their nests!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Upland Sandpipers Whistling from Fences

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Upland Sandpipers are an emblematic bird of grassland habitats in many regions of the Americas. These shorebirds live far from sea with the largest breeding populations in the north central U.S. But Upland Sandpipers are losing breeding ground to row-crop agriculture, pushing some birds to nest at airports as a substitute for natural prairies. Preserving grasslands throughout their range will help ensure that the Upland Sandpiper’s signature whistling song continues to ring out.

This episode is sponsored in memoriam of Alice Ashbaugh, a lifelong birdwatcher and amateur ornithologist.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Identifying a Bird in Flight

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

One of the most difficult skills to pick up as a birder is how to identify birds in flight. You have to sort through a series of visual clues all at once, at high speed: silhouette, wing shape, how fast it flaps, and patterning. An experienced birder will take in all these and other clues that are hard to put into words. So if you hang around long enough, you might hear some interesting slang.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Meadowlark and the Monster

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In this story from Nimiipuu culture, Meadowlark is likened to the ‘reporter’ of Western grasslands, singing its song from the tops of fenceposts and trees. This story takes place before the time of people. Meadowlark warned Coyote about a Monster that was eating all the animals in the Kamiah Valley in the north-central part of what is today called Idaho.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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BirdNote Celebrates 20 years

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Twenty years ago today, the first BirdNote Daily episode aired on the radio in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. Since then, through sound-rich stories, we’ve explored the lives of countless birds – and inspired action to protect birds around the world. Join us in celebrating 20 years of stories.

Now and forever, this is BirdNote.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Spark Bird – Glenn Albrecht and the Gray Fantail

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Glenn Albrecht grew up in western Australia, where he became enamored with birds. As he grew up, Glenn witnessed how coal mining devastated the Australian countryside — and the birds that lived there. He’s since become an environmental philosopher. He’s developed a new vocabulary to describe human relationships with the natural world.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Great Egrets Are Lovely and Lethal

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Standing over three-feet tall, Great Egrets have elegant white feathers and long slender necks. During the breeding season, both males and females grow long frilly feathers called aigrettes. Great Egrets were nearly hunted to extinction for their luxurious plumes in the late 1800s, until conservationists banded together to outlaw their killing.

This episode is dedicated to Adrienne Ottenberg and Bob Hartman, with love from BirdNote supporter Jane Curley.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Cactus Wren's Signature Voice

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Most wrens in North America are small, furtive birds that stay deep in the vegetation. But the Cactus Wren is large, bold, and brassy. These wrens are well adapted to the desert and can get all the moisture they need from their food. Cactus Wren nests are a regular sight in their range of dry habitats from West Texas to California. The nest looks like a football made of twigs, stuck horizontally in a thorny tree or cholla cactus. It’s easily seen but well guarded by the spiky vegetation.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Northern Shovelers — Dabbling Ducks with Big Bills

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Male and female Northern Shovelers both have that unmistakable trowel-shaped bill, but they differ in plumage. Females and non-breeding males are a mottled beige color. But during the breeding season, male shovelers sport a bright white breast, reddish-brown flanks, and an emerald green head that can rival any mallard's.

This episode is dedicated to Bob Goodale whose lifelong love for birds and nature continues to inspire.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Rough-legged Hawk

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

After breeding on Arctic cliffs and tundra hillsides in summer, Rough-legged Hawks winter throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Open country is their ideal territory, where the small rodents they depend on are usually so plentiful that the hawks have enough to eat. But the rodents are cyclic, with lower populations in some years, and in those winters, Rough-legs may migrate farther and be more abundant in the contiguous United States.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Winter Birds of Southern Florida

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

It’s winter in North America — a good time to head for the subtropical realms of South Florida and listen to the region’s birds, such as the secretive Mangrove Cuckoo pictured here. Rarely seen, it sings sporadically in winter. When it does, you’re sure to take notice. A sweeter voice belongs to the Spot-breasted Oriole. Found in suburban neighborhoods, these birds were brought to Florida in the 1940s from Central America. And we can’t forget the sharp-edged phrases of the White-eyed Vireo or the eerie cries of the Limpkin.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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For White-throated Swifts, Love Is in the Air

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

For some birds, love is in the air. When a pair of White-throated Swifts wants to get to know each other, they meet up — on the wing — high above the ground. The birds grasp one another and, clinging together, tumble downward, for over 500 feet. Just before striking the earth, they separate, flying nonchalantly back up the canyon wall. Visit a Western canyon, and you might see a pair of swifts literally falling in love.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Why the Black Skimmer Skims

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

That’s not a distant dog barking. It’s a Black Skimmer in flight, at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. This striking, black-and-white bird with a red bill and red feet has a most unusual way of feeding. It flies low along the surface of the water with its beak open. Closely related to terns, skimmers nest on sand islands in closely packed colonies. They depend on undisturbed islands and abundant small fish in coastal lagoons for their survival.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Starlings Evolving in New Habitats

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Invasive European Starlings are one of the most common birds in North American cities. Recent genetic research into European Starlings shows that populations in North America may have become better adapted to thrive in arid environments and colder temperatures compared to the milder climate of their home range in Europe. Evolution is an ongoing process, and sometimes the best examples can be found in birds that live right alongside us in cities.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Woodpeckers Love Ants

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Woodpeckers, as a group, eat far more ants than most other birds do. Many other vertebrates tend to avoid ants because of their stings or because of the noxious chemicals they contain, like formic acid. But woodpeckers just love them. A Pileated Woodpecker’s diet may include up to 50% ants!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Eastern Bluebirds Brighten Our Days

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

From their cheerful melodies to their vibrant color and skillful acrobatics, there’s a lot to love about Eastern Bluebirds. Look for them along country roads, city parks, and other open woodlands with plenty of grassy patches where they can hunt for snacks.

Today’s show is in memory of Bud Oehler, whose trail of nest boxes helped bring Eastern Bluebirds back to Southwest Iowa.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Ptarmigan Toes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 9 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

With its rubbery-sounding rattles and clownish red eyebrows, the ptarmigan is quite the stand-out northern bird. As winter approaches, the ptarmigan’s feet grow feathers, and its claws grow longer. All that added surface area means the ptarmigan practically has its own set of snowshoes.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Swan Song

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 8 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The idea of the "swan song" recurs from Aesop to Ovid to Plato to Tennyson. Ovid described it, "There, she poured out her words of grief, tearfully, in faint tones, in harmony with sadness, just as the swan sings once, in dying, its own funeral song." But it's based on a sweet fallacy – that a swan sings only when it nears death. And calling the sounds that a swan makes a "song" might be a bit off, too!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Cuba’s Giant Eagles

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 7 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Thousands of years ago, giant raptors lived on what is now Cuba. Gigantohierax is an extinct genus of eagles whose fossils have been found in local cave deposits and tar seeps. With an estimated weight of nearly 30 pounds, Gigantohierax suarezi, the larger of the two named species, would’ve been the biggest raptor known from the Americas.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Bohemian Waxwings Wander South

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 6 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In winter, when snow blankets the northern states, nearly all of the songbirds that graced the days of summer are gone. But there’s one special winter visitor that fills the absence: the Bohemian Waxwing. In autumn, waxwings wander south from the boreal forest into the northern states and along the Rockies. Sometimes, they venture even farther south. In fact, it’s this itinerant life that earned them the name “Bohemian.”

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Red-headed Woodpeckers Fly on Checkerboard Wings

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 5 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Red-headed Woodpeckers have mastered the art of high-contrast fashion. Both males and females have deep-crimson head feathers. Their clean white body feathers are offset by large patches of ink black feathers on their neck, wings, and tail. This is why you’ll hear some folks refer to them as "flying checkerboards."

This episode is dedicated to Bob Goodale whose lifelong love for birds and nature continues to inspire.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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BirdNoir: Staging a Bird-Murder

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 4 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode of BirdNoir, the Private Eye sees some suspicious activity: a House Sparrow tries to steal a nestbox from Tree Swallows, but then flees the scene in terror. He stakes out the nestbox to see what the Tree Swallows are doing to keep intruders away.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Kenon Walker, Duckmaster

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 3 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Kenon Walker got one of the most unusual job offers you can get: be the Duckmaster of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. That means he would lead the hotel’s five ducks on a daily march to the fountain in the lobby, a bizarre and beloved tradition that draws visitors from all over. But when he was first offered the job, Kenon was hesitant to take it because all the previous Duckmasters he knew of were white. Or so he thought.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Small Birds Mob Big Ones

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 2 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

When smaller birds join forces to ward off larger birds, it's called mobbing. This behavior — like calling your family for help — is used by many bird species. The best time to observe mobbing is spring and early summer, when breeding birds are trying to protect their nests and young. Birds including swallows, blackbirds, and even these American Crows, seen here mobbing a Red-tailed Hawk, know that there is strength and power in numbers. And they've learned to join forces to protect themselves.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Winter Birds Love Suet

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 1 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Birds at a suet feeder... What a burst of vitality on a chilly morning! What's the attraction? A cake of suet, suspended from a branch in a small wire feeder. Suet is beef fat, a high-energy food critical for birds' survival in the colder months. Suet is an especially strong magnet for birds (including this Northern Flicker) that eat lots of bugs in the warmer months. You can learn about suet feeders – and what kinds of birds they'll attract – at Birds.Cornell.Edu.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Alpine Swifts Fly Nonstop

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

How long can a bird fly without touching the earth? To find out, Swiss scientists attached sensors to Alpine Swifts. The sensors showed long periods when the swifts were gliding and not flapping their wings. Were the birds asleep? Scientists don’t know for sure. It could be that Alpine Swifts sleep during the summer breeding season — and don’t sleep at all during migration. But why do they stay aloft so long? Swifts can’t perch because they have very short legs. So if they can manage it, avoiding touching down makes perfect sense.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Harpy Eagle Is a Huge, Powerful Hunter

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Harpy Eagles spend their lives in tall, remote tropical forests in Central and South America, flying from tree to tree in search of food. The eagles are named for the Harpies of Greek mythology, women with the bodies of birds who, on Zeus’s command, snatched people from the earth. Since it takes many months for a nestling to mature, Harpy Eagles raise a youngster just once every two or three years.

Listen to this episode in Spanish here.

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The Verdin’s Winter Roosts

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

For small songbirds, surviving a cold winter night can be challenging. Their bodies lose heat faster than those of larger birds. So little birds have found resourceful ways to stay warm — like huddling close together with other birds. But the Verdin, a tiny bird of the Southwest, does something few other birds do to keep warm: it builds extra nests to roost in, in the winter.

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Kentucky Warbler

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Kentucky Warblers nest in forested regions in much of the East, preferring woodlands with a dense understory, often near streams or other wetlands. These birds can use our help. As their forest habitat shrinks, it’s easier for Brown-headed Cowbirds to find and parasitize the warblers’ nests. While migrating, they are easy prey for domestic cats, so keeping cats indoors can save many warblers. And buying products like shade-grown coffee can help keep their tropical winter habitat in good shape.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Spark Bird: Christian Cooper’s Red-Winged Blackbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Christian Cooper wasn’t always interested in birds. His parents were teachers, his dad a science teacher, so nature was always part of his life. When he was a kid, his parents made him take a woodshop class, where he had to build something. So he decided to build a birdfeeder and hang it in his backyard.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Dowitchers Get a Second Wind

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The two American species of dowitchers, Long-billed and Short-billed, are similar in appearance but have distinctive calls. And they’re some of the continent’s most dramatic songsters. On their northern breeding grounds, Short-billed Dowitchers ascend as high as 150 feet in the air then glide slowly earthward, singing. At the end of the glide, they may take off again for another bout of song.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Following the Honeyguide

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Greater Honeyguide's demanding call is not aimed at a member of its own species. Instead, the bird guides people in search of honey through the forest, directly to bee hives. The bird flies to a colony of bees living in a hollow tree. The human follower exposes the hive with an ax and takes much of the honeycomb. Then the honeyguide moves in to feast on bee larvae and beeswax.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Rhea Nesting Is Mind-boggling

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

A typical bird nest will have maybe four to six eggs neatly arranged by the parent to hunker down on. But in one Rhea nest, you may find between 50 and 80 eggs! And they’re not all from the same set of parents. Male Rheas mate with several females and then build a single nest on the ground to hold all the eggs from each of them.

Listen to this episode in Spanish here.

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Moonwalking Manakins

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Golden-headed Manakin is a tiny bird with dance moves that would turn a pop star green with envy. Johanne Ryan, a nature educator who lives in Trinidad, describes this bird’s remarkable breeding display, which features a moonwalk and tail-flicks.

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Listening From Inside the Egg

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Shorebird chicks hatch into a dangerous world, so they need to be vigilant from the start. Researchers in Australia noticed that some shorebird chicks began chirping in their final days in the egg. The chirps fell silent when the researchers played recordings of a Little Raven, which hunts for young birds. The finding suggests the chicks are listening carefully and may be able to tell threatening sounds from non-threatening ones.

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Spark Bird: Corina Newsome Meets the Blue Jay

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In an ornithology class in college, Corina Newsome was introduced to the Blue Jay. After this, Newsome was determined to learn about the world of birds she had never noticed before.

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Pigeons Can Correct Their Mistakes Like AI

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Birds have to be smart to survive — but their minds often work a little differently than ours do. In a new study, researchers trained pigeons to identify different types of shapes, peck a button to give their answers, and receive a treat for the correct response. The pigeons learned to fix their mistakes over time, but not by learning their shapes as a human would. Instead, the researchers found that birds improved by trial-and-error, much in the same way that computers learn how to perform a task using artificial intelligence!

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The Beauty of Webbed Feet

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Webbed feet are ideal for birds that swim, on the water’s surface or under. In fact, they’re such a nifty adaptation that they evolved, independently, in several bird groups. Ducks and geese, gulls, cormorants, loons, pelicans, penguins, puffins and boobies all have webbed feet.

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Powder Down

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Hidden below the outer breast feathers of herons, pigeons, doves, tinamous, bustards and some parrots are patches of special down feathers. These feathers are never molted, and they grow continuously. The tips break down into a dust the consistency of talcum powder. Using a fringed claw on its middle toe, a heron collects some of the dust — or powder down — and works it into its feathers. Sort of like the way you might work conditioner into your hair.

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Storm-Petrels: Myth and Reality

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Sailors once believed Wilson’s Storm-Petrels foretold a dangerous tempest. There might be a grain of truth: the tiny seabirds might find a little shelter from the gusts near a ship. Wilson’s Storm-Petrels are found in every ocean. When foraging, their feet patter across the surface, stirring up prey. Their fondness for feeding in cold, salty water could make them an indicator for changes in ocean conditions due to climate change.

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The Haunting Voice of the Common Loon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The call of the Common Loon brings to mind a summer visit to northern lakes. A "yodel" call is given by a male on his breeding territory. With his neck outstretched, the male waves his head from side to side, sending his eerie calls across forests and open water. The yodel entices females and asserts a claim of territory. Nothing common about this bird!

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Why Do Grebes Eat Their Feathers?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Eared Grebes eat brine shrimp and aquatic insects for sustenance, but rigid exoskeletons make them hard to digest. So these grebes – along with their other grebe cousins – evolved to use their feathers as a way to slow down digestion. The feathers form dense balls in the digestive tract and appear to slow the passage of food long enough that the food can be safely liquified. The bird then regurgitates the tough bits within a ball of feathers. The Pied-billed Grebe shown here is feeding feathers to her chicks.

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Great Horned Owls Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

High in a leafless cottonwood, a female Great Horned Owl incubates two eggs. As light snow falls on her back, her mate roosts nearby. Since December, this pair has been hooting back and forth regularly at night. Great Horned Owls nest in winter, because the owlets, which hatch after a month of incubation, must remain near their parents a long time compared to many other birds — right through summer and into early fall.

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Different Beaks, Different Foods

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

For some birds like hermit hummingbirds, the difference between sexes starts with the beak. Females hermit hummingbirds typically have curved bills while males wield straighter ones. Because the two sexes are better at drinking nectar from flowers that match their respective beak shape, males and females of the same species don’t compete with each other for food resources. Adaptations like these can provide benefits for the whole species.

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The Robin's Namesake

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Like the American Robin, the European Robin is a bird of yards and gardens. But it’s not much bigger than a chickadee. The robin’s likeness turns up everywhere from Mother Goose rhymes, Peter Rabbit stories, and whiskey labels to postage stamps and Christmas cards. On at least two occasions, the “Robin Red-Breast” has won the popular vote to become the UK’s unofficial national bird. And as for its breast color — one account has it that when the robin visited souls in Purgatory to refresh them with water, its breast was scorched to its current shade.

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A Swirl of Snow Geese

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Snow Geese nest from far northeastern Russia to Greenland, in the arctic and subarctic. They winter in large flocks on the deltas of rivers in northwestern Washington, areas along the Eastern Seaboard, and throughout the Mississippi Flyway. Watching Snow Geese in flight, author and naturalist Barry Lopez described them, "as if the earth had opened and poured them forth, like a wind, a blizzard, which unfurled across the horizon above the dark soil ... great swirling currents of birds in a rattling of wings..." To see if Snow Geese winter near you, visit Cornell's All About Birds. Be sure to watch the amazing video by Barbara Galatti, below!

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Winter Brings Falcons

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

A Merlin hunts boldly from a high perch. A Peregrine Falcon dives on a hapless pigeon, with an air speed approaching 200 miles per hour. The Gyrfalcon can fly down even the fastest waterfowl in a direct sprint. A Prairie Falcon blends in with its background. And the smallest North American falcon of all, the American Kestrel, hovers a field, watching for a mouse or large insect. You can find out where to find these birds at Cornell's All About Birds.

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Why Do Chickadees Come and Go?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 9 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

A chickadee comes in to the feeder, quickly grabs a seed, and flies away. It may return immediately, but it's more likely to wait its turn. When a whole flock of chickadees moves into the yard, it looks as if they form a living conveyer belt. One chickadee after another flies to the feeder and leaves with a seed. The birds take turns rather than squabbling over the seeds. Watch for the Black-capped Chickadee in the North and East, the Mountain Chickadee in the Rockies, the Carolina Chickadee in the southeastern quarter of the U.S., and the Chestnut-backed Chickadee (pictured) in the West and Northwest.

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The Hoopoe's Smelly Family

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 8 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The Eurasian Hoopoe isn’t picky about where it nests. But whether it builds a home in a tree cavity, termite mound, or nest box, it’ll be stinky. Mother birds coat their eggs in an antimicrobial secretion that smells like rotten eggs. Then, when the chicks are hatched, they paint the nest cavity with their poop. They even use it as a projectile to ward off predators. Changing diapers doesn’t seem so bad in comparison.

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New Homes for Cockatoos

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 7 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The alpine forests of Australia’s southeast are home to an iconic pint-sized gray parrot with a bright red mohawk, and a call that’s been described as a “flying creaky gate.” The Gang-gang Cockatoo has seen significant habitat loss in recent years, especially after the 2020 wildfires. It’s now listed as an endangered species. A new national working group is coordinating recovery efforts. Researchers and community scientists are trialing an innovation on the Gang-gang population called the “Cockatube” — a PVC tube designed to host a cockatoo nest.

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Fishing with Least Bitterns

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 6 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The smallest heron in the U.S. by far is the Least Bittern, at just 10 to 12 inches tall. Watching for prey, bitterns lean forward while pulling their long necks back — like drawing a bowstring. Their needle-like bills dart out when they spot a fish. Masters of concealment, they hide in reeds and sway slowly, imitating the plants moving in the breeze.

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Woodpeckers Wage Wars

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 5 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Acorn Woodpeckers live in family groups of up to 15 individuals. Over time, if enough birds die off, an opportunity arises for unrelated birds to join the group and obtain a mate. Then, battles known as “power struggles” begin. Birds from other family groups form coalitions, with up to 30 birds in the skirmishes. Winners take all: mates, breeding territory, and thousands of acorns.

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Of Grouse and Gizzards

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 4 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

During winter, the Greater Sage-Grouse is wholly reliant on its namesake species — sagebrush — for both shelter and for food. Scientists call this bird "sagebrush obligate," meaning it needs this plant to survive. In the spring, its diet shifts to insects and plants, as it gets ready for the most fantastic mating show in the west — the lekking season.

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BirdNoir: Vultures Come to Town

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 3 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

On this episode of BirdNoir, the Mayor of Bricksville calls the Private Eye with a bit of a problem. “Several dozen giant bird-punks loitering on top of City Hall!” The detective figures out the most likely reason why these birds have chosen the top of a building as their hangout, and reveals a side of the story that the mayor hadn’t considered before.

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Wing-clapping

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 2 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

For most birds, wings are for flying. But for Rock Pigeons, they’re also for clapping. When the pigeons erupt into flight, some may slap their wings together above their bodies in a “wing clap.” A male Rock Pigeon will also do this when courting. Short-eared Owls have evolved wing-clapping, too. When a male displays to a female or attempts to warn off an intruder, he snaps his wings together below his body in a burst of two to six claps per second, producing a sound that sounds remarkably like applause.

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How Writer Amy Tan Fell in Love with Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 1 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Amy Tan is a world-renowned writer of fiction and non-fiction. She’s best-known for her 1989 novel, The Joy Luck Club, which was later adapted into a movie. Her latest book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, is a collection of essays and illustrations she made about the birds in her own backyard. In this episode of BirdNote Daily, Tan shares why she started nature journaling and talks about her deep love of birds.

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Spark Bird: Drew Lanham Takes Flight

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Acclaimed ornithologist and writer J. Drew Lanham’s obsession with birds began when he was a kid, when he wished to take flight alongside them. He tried out cardboard wings and an umbrella, trying to defeat gravity. He kept refining his designs and finding better jump-off spots. He eventually gave up on trying to fly, but he never stopped loving birds.

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Neurodivergence is an Asset for Project FeederWatch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Since 1976, Project FeederWatch has been through many changes, but what has remained is the dedication to collecting data that improves bird science. Dr. Ashley Dayer is a conservation scientist who leads a research team based on Project FeederWatch data. She says the project is a great opportunity for some birders with disabilities.

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One Species Caring for Another

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In North America, the European Starling has gained a bad reputation for competing with native bird species for nest cavities. But researchers in Ontario, Canada, were surprised to see three Hairy Woodpecker nestlings receiving care from both a female Hairy Woodpecker and a European Starling — a stunning example of a bird caring for another species’ young.

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Partial Migration – Killdeer Play Leap Frog

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 28 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The cries of a Killdeer are familiar across most of the U.S. during spring and summer. But where do they go in winter? Killdeer that breed in the southern half of the US and along the Pacific Coast are year-round residents. But those that breed in the northern U.S. and Canada, where winter conditions are more severe, migrate south to Mexico and Central America. Because the northern Killdeer fly south — right over the region where other Killdeer reside year-round — they are known as leap-frog migrants.

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Oh, Nuts! The Trials of a Red-headed Woodpecker

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Knowing when to hunker down and when to move on is a matter of survival for the Red-headed Woodpecker. This noisy bird spends its summers taking insects from the sky in flashy, acrobatic flight. But prey is harder to find in winter, and in most years the woodpeckers move south. A bumper crop of acorns and other large seeds in autumn, though, can allow the birds to stock their larders, and many linger in the North.

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The Rusty Blackbird’s Unique Beauty

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In the fall, Rusty Blackbirds get new feathers with reddish-gold highlights that have a unique and subtle beauty. Their complex little song might sound like a door hinge that needs some grease. Though once common, Rusty Blackbirds have lost over 90 percent of their population since 1966 – one of the steepest declines of any North American bird species.

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'Carol of the Birds' with Nancy Rumbel

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

To celebrate the season, Nancy Rumbel, who composed and played the BirdNote theme music, performs "Carol of the Birds." This version was arranged by Nancy herself, with the accompaniment of Pine Siskins, Black-capped Chickadees, a Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, House Finch, American Goldfinch, and Mourning Dove. Nancy plays the ocarina, oboe, bell, and harmonium. You can visit her website at nancyrumbel.com. Happy Holidays from all of us at BirdNote!

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Winter on the Columbia

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

A stiff December breeze blowing down the Columbia River delivers an exhilarating chill. A stretch of river near Bridgeport, in north-central Washington, is held tightly by a series of dams, creating massive lakes. High on an overlook, a Bald Eagle watches a flock of birds – coots, ducks, and more – on the water below.

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Even Songbirds Have to Practice

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Songbirds delight us with their music, but at times they might sound repetitive. That’s because songbirds have to practice their singing to keep performing at their best. Researchers studying Zebra Finches found that females preferred the songs of males that had been practicing consistently compared to males that had taken a break from singing for a few days. So it seems that birds must keep their vocal muscles in shape to make sure everyone hears them loud and clear.

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The Butcherbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The Northern Shrike breeds in the tundra and taiga of the north, but migrates south into the lower 48 for the winter. It has a pleasing and rhythmical song, which it sings even in winter. But its song belies a rather bloodthirsty feeding habit. The shrike impales its prey on sharp thorns or barbed wire, where it can pull it apart and consume it.

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The Cardinal: A Southerner Moves North

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Holiday cards often feature gorgeous red cardinals against a snowy landscape. So it’s easy to assume the birds have always been a colorful presence in bleak Northern winters. But cardinals used to be Southern birds. By the second half of the 20th century, though, they were nesting as far north as Maine, the northern Midwest, and even southern Canada.

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Not Just Any Nectar Will Do

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Hummingbirds such as this Buff-tailed Sicklebill specialize in nectar feeding. But other species of birds, less specialized to nectar, also visit flowers for a taste of the sweet stuff. The flowers they visit likely have a more open shape, with nectar more accessible to a non-specialist’s bill. The sugar they sample is probably different from what hummingbirds prefer. As flowering plants and birds co-evolved, each to benefit from the other, it seems likely that plants evolved the type of sugar best suited to the pollinators on hand. It's a win-win for all concerned.

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Birds Can Keep the Beat

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The Scaly-breasted Wren lives in Central and South America, and has a lengthy song of whistled notes separated by pauses. By analyzing song recordings, researchers found that Scaly-breasted Wrens can precisely measure out pauses — even as they increase to several seconds. The findings suggest that the wrens have an internal metronome as accurate as a highly-trained musician playing a solo.

Listen to this show in Spanish here.

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Boreal Chickadees Stay Home for the Winter

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Boreal Chickadees live in the boreal forest year-round. How do they survive the harsh winter? First, during summer, they cache a great deal of food, both insects and seeds. Then in fall, they put on fresh, heavier plumage. And their feathers are denser than most birds', creating a comfy down parka. Most impressive? The chickadees lower their body temperature at night from 108 degrees to just 85 degrees, conserving their stores of insulating fat. Hats off to the Boreal Chickadee, a truly rugged bird!

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Spruce Grouse – Perfect for the Boreal Forest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In the boreal forest, winter temperatures routinely drop to 30 degrees below zero. Birds that spend the winter in this harsh domain rely on remarkable adaptations to survive. The Spruce Grouse is one such bird. Most Spruce Grouse remain here all year. In the snow-free summer, they forage on the ground, eating fresh greenery, insects, and berries. But in the snowy winter, the grouse live up in the trees, eating nothing but conifer needles. Lots and lots of needles. Because conifer needles are both low in protein and tough to digest, Spruce Grouse grow a bigger digestive system. A grouse's gizzard, which grinds food, may enlarge by 75%!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Do Birds Become Dependent on Bird Feeders?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

You may have heard that feeding birds makes them dependent on humans for food, but it’s just not true. Even if you see your local birds ravenously eating at your feeder, those same birds are also finding wild sources of food from elsewhere at other times of the day. That being said, a humble bird feeder during a winter cold snap could really help out our feathered friends during a tough time.

BirdNote is supported by American Bird Conservancy, dedicated to conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. Learn more at abcbirds.org

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Strange Twins – Purple and Rock Sandpipers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

On the north Atlantic coast, a slate-gray sandpiper picks among the barnacles and mussels that encrust a jetty’s massive boulders. At the same moment, a parallel scene unfolds on the north Pacific Coast. A slate-colored sandpiper emerges from the salt spray to forage over a windswept jetty. These look-alikes are the Purple Sandpiper of the Atlantic (pictured here) and the Rock Sandpiper of the Pacific. They embrace a seemingly perilous life amid storm-tossed boulders instead of probing sheltered mudflats like so many of their kin.

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Birds-of-Paradise

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

It's morning on the island of New Guinea, and the lowland forests erupt with the crowing calls of Birds-of-Paradise. Male Raggiana Birds-of-Paradise perform elaborate displays to attract females, sometimes even hanging upside-down with their wings pointing upward. Forty-three species of Birds-of-Paradise are found on or near New Guinea.

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The Western Sandpiper’s Winter Migration

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Along the coast of Sinaloa in México, there are species of shorebirds with one of the longest migrations in the Western Hemisphere. One such species is the Western Sandpiper, here known as el playerito occidental, wants to eat. But wetland habitats where they find their food are affected by the shrimp farming industry. Juanita Fonseca works with the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network and with Manomet, creating guidelines that help shrimp farmers share the coastline with shorebirds.

Listen to this episode in Spanish here.

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Strange Places for a Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Birds are resourceful. Wherever they live, even in the biggest cities, they find clever places to build their nests. An initiative from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology called Celebrate Urban Birds once asked people to share the funkiest and funniest places they’ve seen a bird nest. Among the highlights were a family of robins set up shop in a coiled cable hung near a welding rig, a wren nest in an old car motor, and a tiny hummingbird nest perched precariously on an outdoor string lightbulb.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Is There a Bird Flu Vaccine?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Avian flu has been in news headlines all of 2024. And many people are concerned for birds, other animals, and humans. Dr. Wendy Puryear, a molecular virologist, says scientists are working together worldwide to decrease the threat.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Voices and Vocabularies – Great Horned Owls

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Great Horned Owls have a lot to say! When a pair of Great Horned Owls calls in a duet, the female usually hoots first, and the male replies at a lower pitch. Great Horned Owls may also pierce the darkness with an eerie shriek, which may signal a hungry owlet begging for food or a female defending its nest. They can also hiss, pop, meow, coo, and snap their bills. So have a listen after dark. There may be a Great Horned Owl in your neighborhood!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Birding 101: Don’t Get Discouraged by Lookalikes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 9 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

If you’re a new birder and find yourself feeling confused by lookalike birds, don’t be too hard on yourself. Some bird species look almost identical, and some of the most advanced birders get stumped.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Brown Thrasher's Never-Ending Songbook

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 8 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The Northern Mockingbird isn’t the only mimic bird in town. Brown Thrashers also learn songs from nearby birds and add them to their repertoire. The species has been documented singing more than 1,100 different songs: a mix of imitations and invented little melodies. While mockingbirds usually repeat a song or phrase three or more times before moving on, Brown Thrashers tend to repeat a phrase only twice.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Screech-Owls Go Fishing

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 7 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Screech-owls are opportunistic diners. In the Pacific Northwest, they’ll prey on small birds, crayfish, large ants, or earthworms. In Arizona, pocket mice and pack rats. And in Ohio, biologists who noticed a fishy smell around Eastern Screech-Owl nest boxes found the remains of dozens of shad. It’s clear that screech-owls may be a consistent nocturnal predator on fish, especially in cooler months, when other prey are dormant. Gotta feed those hungry owlets!

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BirdNoir – The Mystery of the Blue Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 6 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode of BirdNoir, Michael Stein — Private Eye — gets a call from a friend, Danny, who wants to know why the bluest bird he’s ever seen has vanished. But there are many birds that are blue besides the true bluebirds (which belong to the thrush family). To solve the mystery, the detective needs to know the right questions to ask Danny, finding the relevant information to identify the bird and figure out what happened.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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How Terns Read the Water

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 5 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Geese Whiffling in for a Landing

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 4 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Looking at a Canada Goose, you might not think their bodies are designed for fancy flying. But watch as a flock of geese comes in for a landing at a lake and you might be surprised. If the flock comes in too fast or too high above the water, geese have a little trick to slow themselves down for a safe landing. The geese stop flapping and then quickly roll their bodies upside down, while twisting their long necks the right way up. Finally, they rotate again to right themselves just in time to gently splash down. It’s a maneuver called whiffling. It seems to help the geese slow down quickly – but sometimes it might just be for fun.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Titmice Lead the Way

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 3 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In winter, many songbirds join flocks made up of multiple species that travel around looking for food, benefitting from safety in numbers. But a bird flock that doesn't move in the same direction soon scatters to the wind. It turns out that the Tufted Titmouse, a small gray songbird, is often the one leading the flock. Researchers studying the flight paths of flocks found that the paths taken by the titmice best reflected the direction of the group as a whole, compared to other species in the group. This was especially true when the flock moved quickly between sites, when staying organized is key.

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The Importance of Neotropical Ornithology

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 2 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

To protect our migratory birds, it’s vital that we understand their behaviors both during the breeding season in North America and when they migrate to the Neotropics — a region that includes Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Yet historical and systemic barriers in scientific research have stifled contributions from local Neotropical scientists and conservationists for centuries. Learn more about how to support Neotropical ornithology on the new season of Bring Birds Back.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Pecking Order

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 1 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Birds in flocks almost invariably develop a pecking order. An alpha chicken can peck any other in the flock, and a beta chicken can peck all others but the alpha bird. Juncos and other small birds have a pecking order, too. The pecking order – or dominance hierarchy – of a flock of birds is usually this: males are dominant to females and adults are dominant to young birds. As a flock changes and birds come and go, the pecking order changes. If you feed backyard birds, you will likely notice this pecking order behavior in the flock.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Western Hummingbirds, East

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Not long ago, the only hummingbird that someone living in the eastern United States and Canada could hope to see was the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. But things have changed. Today, more and more hummingbird species — such as this Broad-tailed Hummingbird — have been discovered beyond their “normal” ranges. Why is this colorful explosion happening now? Climate change is one possible factor. So are shifts in migration routes. Or it could just be that more people are on the lookout for these relative newcomers.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Learning to Sing from a Blackbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Many years ago, when writer and musician Ray Young Bear was training his singing voice, he took a kind of vocal lesson from the blackbirds. “They have the most complicated song in the world — high pitches and low notes, and then it smooths out, then it kicks up again,” he said. “I would listen to them and try to imitate their singing.”

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As the Crow Flies

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Traveling "as the crow flies," eating "like a bird," and being "free as a bird" are just a few of the sayings we use to describe everyday human actions and feelings. But these often don't take into account the birds' real activities, relative to their size.

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Waxwing Nightlight

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The warm colors and bright accents of the Bohemian Waxwing might make you think it glows in the dark. For the better part of two thousand years, that’s what people believed. Pliny reported that their feathers “shine like flames” in the dark forests of central Europe. The Germans allegedly used captive birds to light their way at night. But at the end of the 16th century, the great Italian birdman Ulysses Aldrovandi dismissed the notion that waxwings emit light. Today, we are fortunate that these winter nomads brighten our days.

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Stowaway Cockatoo Takes a Cruise

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

A beautiful Rose-breasted Cockatoo named Harri took the adventure of a lifetime. She set off unseen on a cruise ship from Brisbane, Australia, and wasn’t discovered until the ship neared New Zealand. Authorities there were not happy to see Harri, whose species is the bane of farmers in her native Australia, and they threatened to euthanize her if she wasn’t properly locked up. The ship’s officers gave Harri her own luxury cabin, and she was reunited with her family two weeks later.

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Nuthatches Sweeping the Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

White-breasted Nuthatches aren’t the toughest birds on the block — but when it comes to their nests, they know how to put up defenses. Squirrels could easily duck inside a nest cavity and gobble up the eggs. That’s why you might see nuthatches sweeping around their nest hole with a beetle or other insect. It’s thought that chemical compounds from the insect smell bad to squirrels, driving them away. And if that doesn’t work, nuthatches try to make themselves look as big as possible.

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Goldeneyes and Whistling Wings

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

On a still winter afternoon, you may hear Common Goldeneyes flying low across the water. Whistlers, their wings sibilant, make the sound - as Ernest Hemingway wrote - of ripping silk. Common Goldeneyes nest in cavities, in northern boreal forests.

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Just What Are Flamingos?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Few birds are as distinctive as flamingos. Scientists once grouped flamingos with storks and ibises. But a study of flamingo DNA delivered a stunning surprise: their closest living relatives appear to be grebes. And an even bigger surprise: DNA indicates that flamingos and grebes share an ancestry with certain land birds, like doves. So flamingos evolved long legs and necks, just as herons and storks did. But they belong on a completely different branch of the tree of life.

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City Owls

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Some owls, like Barred Owls and Great Horned Owls, live in the city. As hunters, they find a lot to eat in the city — like rats or squirrels! Both favor urban parks, cemeteries, and botanical gardens — places with big trees — and both roost during the day. The Great Horned Owl, like this one, might appear like an enormous housecat sitting upright. The Barred Owl often perches down low, where it’s easy to spot.

BirdNote is supported by American Bird Conservancy, dedicated to conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. Learn more at abcbirds.org.

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Haley Scott on New York's Indigenous Landscapes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Haley Scott lives in the Bronx, where she helps other people experience the joy of New York’s wildlife as a bird walk leader. But she maintains a connection with another community of birds outside the city, on the Unkechaug Nation’s land, where she visits her dad’s side of the family. Leading bird walks in New York City with the Feminist Bird Club, Haley emphasizes the importance of recognizing the original inhabitants of the land, the Lenape.

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Ivory Gull and Conservation

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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BirdNoir: The Squirrel Mafia

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode of BirdNoir, the Private Eye hears from his friend Danny, who is having his bird feeders pilfered by a pack of rowdy squirrels. While a determined squirrel thief is hard to stop, the detective gives Danny suggestions on the best ways to foil these clever critters.

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Sympathy for the Grackle

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Many people become birders by way of backyard feeders, including BirdNote’s Content Director Jonese Franklin. And while she loves to watch Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays pay a visit for some seed, she’s also enchanted by species that some folks would call “nuisance birds,” especially the Common Grackle. Witnessing the teamwork and dedication these birds display when building their nest is an extraordinary sight to behold – and a reminder that even underappreciated birds deserve our sympathies.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Toucan – Tropical Icon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In the Amazon, a cacophony of birdcalls surrounds you. One piercing, cheerful yelp catches your ear. Could this be the same sound you remember from a Saturday morning in your childhood? The Cuvier's Toucan could have been the inspiration for Toucan Sam, the spokesbird for Froot Loops cereal. Its huge bill is surprisingly light, and enables the bird to pluck fruit – or other birds' nests! – hanging from small, outer branches. That bill may scare off potential predators. And it may also help regulate the bird's temperature.

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Pygmy-Owls' False Eyes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

This Northern Pygmy-Owl appears to have eyes in the back of its head. But why? One theory is that large false eyes may create the illusion that the owl is much bigger than its 6 and 3/4-inch size. A more current theory is that the false eyes help protect the pygmy-owl's true eyes. Small birds will mob this diurnal owl, even striking it, directing some attacks at its eyes. If the large false eyes can take the brunt of these attacks, little harm will come to the Pygmy-Owl's vulnerable true eyes.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Bright Yellow Northern Cardinals

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Northern Cardinals are known for their iconic red feathers, yet that scarlet hue is actually derived from yellow pigments in their food. Most cardinals’ bodies transform those yellow pigments into their signature shade of red, but some lack this ability — resulting in a bright yellow bird. House Finches, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and other notably red species can also develop an unexpectedly golden complexion. So keep an eye out for all the shades of variation in well-known birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Birds of Prey and Nesting Territories

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Red-tailed Hawks typically have a nesting territory of about a half-mile to a full square mile, depending on how much food there is. Bald Eagles’ nesting territories range from 2½ square miles to as much as 15 square miles, for the same reason. But the Gyrfalcons in Finland and Scandinavia really need their space!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Convocations, Coveys and Charms

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Everybody’s heard of a gaggle of geese and a covey of quail. But what’s a group of penguins called? And a “conspiracy” of ravens? Maybe the way we label birds says more about us than it does about them.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Listening in on Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Collecting data on wild birds is crucial for their conservation. But it requires huge amounts of effort. One way to help streamline the process is with gizmos called autonomous recording units, or ARUs. For days or months, these recording devices eavesdrop on the environment around them, including the songs and calls of the local birds. Identifying the songs picked up on recordings can be almost as time-consuming as in-person field work, but new AI tools are quickly making it easier to analyze the audio.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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What If You Only Have a Feather?h

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Sometimes all you need to identify a bird is a single feather. Because collecting bird feathers is prohibited in the U.S. to protect birds from poachers, start by taking a photo with a common object for scale. Then you can use online resources like the iNaturalist app or Featherbase website to help you solve the mystery. Keep your prime suspect in mind when you’re back where you found the feather and you might get to see the bird itself — feathers and all.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Gull Identification II

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The challenge of learning which gull is which brings to mind a crossword puzzle. Take in all the clues, and come up with the right answer. For identifying gulls, we recommend a good bird book, binoculars, perhaps a thermos of hot coffee, and maybe a chair. So which gull is this? Large gull, dark back, pink legs, seen in the West. This one is a Western Gull!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Common Mergansers Pushed by the Ice

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 9 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Around this time of year, Common Mergansers cross the U.S.-Canadian border on their way to wintering grounds in the Lower 48. But how do they know when to go? Ducks are well insulated against frigid winter temperatures, but mergansers can find their fishy prey only by diving below the surface of open water. So they’re doing just fine, resting and feeding in southern Canada, until a thin veneer of ice forms on their lake, signaling the time has arrived to head south!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Migrations: Which Came First, North- or South-bound Migration?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 8 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Every year, hundreds of bird species migrate between North and South America. Some species likely evolved from ancestors that moved north in search of new breeding habitats: the “southern home” hypothesis. But others may have extended their winter ranges south: the “northern home” hypothesis. Many birds have likely gained and lost the ability to migrate multiple times over the course of evolution. And it’s still happening today.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Fight for a Bird-Friendly Chicago

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 7 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Window collisions kill nearly one billion birds every year in the U.S., with many fatalities occurring during spring and fall migration. Judy Pollock, president of the Chicago Bird Alliance, says this problem has a solution: using bird-safe glass or applying a tight grid of decals to existing windows to make them easier for birds to see.

Though many building owners are reluctant to make these much needed changes, Judy and her collaborators are advocating for a city-wide ordinance that would require new construction and major renovations in Chicago to use bird-safe glass. Learn more about Bird-Friendly Chicago in our latest episode of Bring Birds Back.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Mating Strategy of the Saltmarsh Sparrow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 6 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In the tidal marshes of the East Coast, the Saltmarsh Sparrow has a breeding strategy described by scientists as featuring an “obligate, promiscuous, and bond-free relationship between males and females.” That means both sexes copulate with multiple individuals, without a lasting relationship. The female is singularly responsible for nesting and hatching and drives off males that approach while she is raising her young.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Spark Bird: Kenn Kaufman

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 5 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

As a young child, Kenn Kaufman ventured into his neighborhood in search of the tigers, bears, and dinosaurs, but quickly found that Indiana doesn’t have those. So he set his sights on the next best thing: figuring out which birds were in his family’s yard. Though he’s now a world renowned birder and field guide author, he says his progress was slow. Today’s novice birders have access to mobile apps and websites that put photos, bird calls, and range maps at your fingertips. But whatever tools you choose, Kenn says there’s no substitute for getting outside and experiencing the birds for yourself.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Sam ‘Ohu Gon on Protecting the ‘I‘iwi

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 4 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Because of invasive species and climate change, many of the native birds of Hawai‘i are endangered or have gone extinct. Sam ‘Ohu Gon, Senior Scientist and Cultural Advisor for the Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i, says the bright red bird called the ‘i‘iwi holds a special place in native Hawaiian culture. The bird’s feathers appear as the red color in traditional Hawaiian featherwork. Preserving the bird means preserving the strong cultural relationship with the species.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Chickadee Brains Are Bigger in the Cold

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 3 Nov 2024 07:00:00 +0000

As the colder months arrive, birds that remain in northern climates face the harsh realities of staying warm and finding food. Some birds approach the food problem by storing it in advance — a behavior called caching. Chickadees, nuthatches, jays, and some woodpeckers are known to cache large supplies of seeds in many places. But what enables birds such as this Black-capped Chickadee to find the seeds they’ve stored? They amplify spatial memory.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Chorus Line in the Sky

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 2 Nov 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A flock of small shorebirds, like Western Sandpipers, twists and turns, glittering in the sky. When threatened by a falcon, these birds take to the air, flying so close together that it's hard for a predator to capture one. A bird at one edge turns toward the middle, and a wave sweeps across the entire flock in less than a second.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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American Wigeon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 1 Nov 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The American Wigeon is a grazer. Its bill is narrow, with a pointed tip like that of a goose. When feeding on water plants, a wigeon grabs a leaf and rips it off with its strong bill, rather than using the straining apparatus typical of dabbling ducks. Take a field trip with your local Audubon and see if you can spot a wigeon.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Songbirds Teach Each Other Tricks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In the UK for years, milk came in bottles with foil caps. Great Tits, a common songbird, learned how to peck through the foil. The skill spread. But how? Researchers trained Great Tits in different ways of opening a box and re-released them. Knowledge of how to open the box spread rapidly, with most birds copying the trained bird in their group. In a follow-up study, the researchers made one method of opening the box more effective. Many birds quickly switched to the better method, suggesting the tits can stand up to peer pressure if they see there’s a better way of doing things.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Birds in the Winter Garden

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Put your winter garden to work as a haven for birds. Leaves and brush left to compost provide foraging and roosting places, smother this year’s weeds, and feed next spring’s plant growth. Watch for juncos and towhees in the leaf litter and wrens in the brush. Maybe even a Song Sparrow! With a little planning, your garden can be a haven for birds year round.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Spark Bird: Chidi Paige and the Yellow Warbler

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When Chidi Paige moved from Nigeria to the U.S., she began running a youth STEM program and had to teach lessons on bird identification. She was in for a challenge: she had to learn the local bird species quickly. On a birding trip, she spotted a Yellow Warbler in a pine tree. The beautiful warbler got Chidi hooked on birding. She has designed several games to make learning bird identification fun for kids.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Peacock's Tail: More Than Meets the Eye

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When a male Indian Peafowl unfurls its magnificently-colored tail and shakes it, it creates an ultra low frequency sound that we humans can’t hear. But it seems to get the special attention of female birds, called peahens.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Bustard and the Bee-eater

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The massive Kori Bustard struts across the savannahs of Eastern and Southern Africa. Its crested head sits on top of a long neck and stilted legs. And this winged giant has a colorful companion. A small bird called the Carmine Bee-eater perches on the bustard’s back. The Kori Bustard and the Carmine Bee-eater have a symbiotic relationship where at least one of them benefits. While the bustard searches for lizards, rodents, and other prey, it kicks up smaller insects that the bee-eater snatches up.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Meadowlarks and Grasslands

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The clear, whistled music of the Eastern Meadowlark (seen here) is the unmistakable anthem of eastern North America's farmlands and open country. The Western Meadowlark and its sweet, liquid notes epitomize the natural expanses of the American West. Sadly, birds of such grassy habitats are among the fastest declining species in North America. Learn more about these birds and efforts to conserve their habitats. The meadowlarks' best hope lies in the conservation of farmland and grassland. Learn more about the Conservation Reserve Program.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Hear White-throated Sparrows Learning to Sing

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The White-throated Sparrow’s melancholy whistle is hauntingly beautiful. But when you hear an adult sparrow performing, just know that the bird wasn’t always an expert singer. In the fall, listen for White-throated Sparrows rehearsing their song. Inexperienced young birds sometimes begin with disorganized jumbles of notes known as sub-songs. As winter deepens, the first-year birds begin to get the syllables of their songs down, but they might sound shaky and off-key. But by summer, hopefully, all the new adult birds will be virtuosos.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Flyin' in the Rain

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Most birds are mostly waterproof. Their feathers, aided by oil from preen glands, keep them pretty watertight. So why do birds avoid flying during rainstorms? It may have more to do with the air than with the water. Rainstorms tend to occur when atmospheric pressure is low. Air in a low-pressure system is less dense. But it’s dense air that gives birds the aerodynamic lift they need to take wing. Falling rain and high humidity make air even less dense. Many birds perch and wait out a storm. Afterward, birds once again take to the skies.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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How to Help Birds that are Far Away

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

University of Puget Sound professor Peter Hodum studies seabird conservation. And he says that if you can’t do something to address a problem, find someone who can.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Banding Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Willistown Conservation Trust in Pennsylvania carries out bird banding to help researchers understand bird populations. Led by licensed bird banders, a team of volunteers catches birds using mist nets — 8-foot tall nets made of fine nylon string that practically disappear when strung out between poles. After carefully untangling birds from the net, volunteers weigh and measure the birds, affixing a small metal band to their legs with a unique ID. Compiling records for many banded birds helps keep track of whole species.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Welcoming Back Winter Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Although we may think of autumn as the end of the growing season, a sort of winding down in the natural world, for birds it’s as much a season of renewal as the spring. In the colder months, we welcome back our winter birds — juncos, swans, and more — which spent the summer in their breeding territories to the north. Offering the right kind of food and environment in the winter months can attract these migrants to your yard!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Cedar Waxwings - Sleek and Handsome

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When courting in spring, male and female Cedar Waxwings communicate with distinctly different calls and, perched side by side, often pass back and forth between them a berry or other small fruit or even a flower petal. Waxwings display a wealth of eye-catching plumage. If you relish the company of Cedar Waxwings, plant fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. Find native plants for your garden at Audubon's Native Plant Database.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Prairie Warblers - An Early Successional Species

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Despite their name, Prairie Warblers nest in tree farms of recently planted pines, in fields overgrown with scattered shrubs, and in clearings under power lines. Biologists call these “early successional” habitats. They’re characterized by plants that are the first to return to land altered by clearing or fire. Prairie Warblers and similar birds have declined rapidly during the last 50 years, being pressed from all sides. But they’re now benefiting from conservation on several fronts, including the Michael Huber Prairie Warbler Preserve in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens and the Albany Pine Bush Reserve in New York.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Identify Bird Sounds on Your Phone

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

An online tool called BirdNET uses artificial intelligence to identify bird songs and calls. And Cornell’s well-known Merlin Bird ID app now has sound ID, too. It’s as simple as opening the app, choosing “Sound ID,” and hitting record. It can pick out multiple species in the same recording.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Sooty Tern

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Sooty Terns have long been called "wide-awakes" because of their calls. But it may describe their sleeping habits, too. When young terns leave their breeding grounds, they don't return for several years. They do not rest on the water, and only rarely land on floating objects. They feed while aloft, grabbing prey from the ocean's surface. On the fly, they also capture fish that have been chased out of the water by predators. In other words, Sooty Terns live in the air for years at a time.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Sound of a Thousand Geese Taking Off at Once

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

During migration, Snow Geese gather in the tens of thousands. They coordinate their movements, flying in a big, compact flock, which makes it harder for a predator to pick off a single bird. It is truly something to see.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Komodo Dragons and Cockatoos

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Due to trapping for the pet trade, the talkative and showy Yellow-crested Cockatoo is now considered critically endangered. But scientists recently discovered a stronghold for the species: Komodo Island — yes, the one with the dragons. The Komodo population of Yellow-crested Cockatoos appears stable. The island has been an Indonesian national park since 1980. Park rangers may have helped deter poachers, but community support for conservation and the literal dragons have played a role, too.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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All Those Fish in a Puffin's Beak

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Puffins fly under water into schools of slender fish, filling their large beaks. Fish are wedged into the gape, the stretchy skin at the beak hinge, but the bill edges still line up neatly. The dangling fish won’t slide out because the puffin’s tongue and roof of the mouth are heavily lined with backward-angled spines. When its beak is full, the adult flies back to its nest and feeds it all to a single chick.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Swainson's Hawks Migrate South

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In autumn, hundreds of thousands of Swainson's Hawks migrate to South America. With the help of a satellite tracking device, let's follow an individual male.

Learn more about hawk migration at the Hawkwatch International website.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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At the Escarpment

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Long, upward slopes called escarpments offer a good chance of seeing some of the many raptor species found in Belize. Shaped like a compact Red-tailed Hawk, White Hawks are white overall with black markings and scan the landscape for reptile prey. Bat Falcons have a darkly barred chest and cinnamon belly, and chase down swifts, dragonflies, and the bats that give them their name. Ornate Hawk-Eagles stand over two feet tall and are capable of catching monkeys.

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Changing How You Hear the World

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

We often hear from listeners that BirdNote has changed the way they see and interact with the world around them. It's had that impact for those of us who help make the show, too. There’s so much life and song and joy out there, waiting for you to just listen for it. BirdNote is an invitation to nature’s concert. Listener support makes this possible. Just go to BirdNote.org and make a gift today.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Investing in Our Listeners' Learning Journeys

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

BirdNote shows are made to be accessible for people of all ages, because we want to reach as many folks as we can with the joy of birds. Listeners who donate make our work possible.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Supporting the Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 9 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A female Wood Thrush will carefully choose each piece of nest-building materials because her eggs will depend on it for warmth and protection. But even the best-made nest couldn’t exist without the support of a sturdy shrub or tree. Much like a bird’s nest, BirdNote depends on having a solid foundation on which to build.

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BirdNote Helps Kids Learn Their Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 8 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

We hear from lots of people about how much they learn from listening to BirdNote. In this episode, Kim Bradmon and her son Ben share their stories.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Listeners Help Us Delve Deeper

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 7 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

As part of our fundraising week, we’re sharing a clip from our podcast, Bring Birds Back. Because of listener support, we’re able to take our time and make long-form episodes that dig a little deeper.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Purple Martins Head South to the Amazon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 6 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Purple Martin is the largest swallow that nests in the US and Canada. During fall, Purple Martins from western North America migrate to a distinct wintering area in southeastern Brazil — a travel distance of more than 5,000 miles! Scientists believe that Purple Martins started out as a South American swallow species. Over time, they evolved a seasonal migration to North America because the longer days of summer sunlight provided extra hunting and feeding opportunities during nesting season.

Listen to this episode in Spanish here.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Crowned-Pigeons: Big, Beautiful, Threatened

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 5 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Imagine a pigeon the size of a Turkey Vulture or a Canada Goose! Meet the crowned-pigeon. Four species inhabit the large, equatorial island of New Guinea and a few smaller islands. Crowned-pigeons are forest birds and fruit-eaters, with iridescent purple chests and spectacular, tall, lacy crests.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Putting the Hum in Hummingbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 4 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

To figure out the source of a hummingbird’s hum, scientists built a special rig to measure air pressure, twelve high-speed cameras, and over 2,000 microphones to observe hummingbirds fluttering in place at an artificial flower. The researchers found that the hum derives from the difference in air pressure between the top and bottom of the wings, which alternates forty times a second as the hummingbird flaps. The rapidly shifting air pressure produces a harmonic set of sounds, from low to high, creating that iconic, musical hum.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Migrations: Can Birds 'See' Magnetic Fields?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 3 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Some migratory songbirds such as European Robins have special light-sensitive proteins called cryptochromes in their eyes. New research suggests how the cryptochromes could alter their behavior in the presence of magnetic fields, giving birds a visual cue for north and south. Other birds can navigate with the help of a mineral called magnetite in their beaks.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Bilingual Birding with Daniela Herrera

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 2 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

For many, birding is about more than just a love and appreciation for birds – it also helps build community. But finding a birding group in a community where the primary language is not your own can be near impossible.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Bird of Freedom

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 1 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

There’s a bird in Cuba with plumage in blue, red and white — the same colors as the nation’s flag. The Tocororo, or Cuban Trogon, is the national bird of Cuba. When the Tocororo is kept in a cage, they often die. This fact has become a metaphor of freedom embraced by Cubans. The Cuban Trogon is a medium-sized bird often found in pairs. Its song sounds like its Spanish name, “Tocororo.” While el Tocororo is currently abundant, its population is declining due to loss of habitat.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Glowing Feathers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When a Northern Saw-whet Owl spreads its wings, many birds can see something our human eyes can’t: the owl’s flight feathers glow with ultraviolet light. It’s invisible to humans without the help of a UV blacklight. While the glowing feathers on parrots might help them attract mates, the reason for the owls’ glowing feathers still isn’t clear. However, scientists realized that they could estimate an owl’s age based on the pattern of luminescent color on the wings, which changes predictably as birds grow and replace their feathers.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Great Horned Owl Family in Autumn

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Compared to many birds, Great Horned Owls remain with their parents a long time. They hatched in early March, from eggs laid in late January. By April, both parents were hunting through the night to feed their young. But for the last two weeks, the adults have not fed the young. The owlets have learned the skills they need to hunt for themselves. And any night now, the young owls will strike out on their own.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The United States is home to more than 550 National Wildlife Refuges – havens for wildlife, including the Canvasback. But only one refuge can claim the distinction of being international: the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. It hosts millions of migratory ducks annually in the heart of a major metropolitan area!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Bird Facts Stranger Than Fiction

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Novelist Kira Jane Buxton has written several books about a pet crow navigating a post-apocalyptic world. But her writing is full of real-world bird behaviors. She has taken inspiration from how sparrows line their nests with cigarette stubs — which can deter mites — and many other bits of animal trivia. “I maintain that anything I took liberties with, in terms of the more fantasy or fantastical elements of the novel, they're not half as exciting as what's really happening in nature,” she says.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Fairy-Wrens Sing Secret Passwords to Unborn Chicks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Superb Fairy-wrens teach their embryonic chicks a secret code. This incubation call contains a special note that will later serve as a password. When the chicks have hatched, this password enables the adult birds to identify their babies in the darkness of their domed nest. A species of Australian cuckoo lays its eggs in the wren’s nest, hoping to pawn off the task of parenting. But wren chicks learn their mother’s song and incorporate the password note into their begging calls.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Eurasian Tree Sparrow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In Lafayette Park in St. Louis, Missouri, a dozen or so Eurasian Tree Sparrows from Germany were released. But unlike other introduced species such as the similar-looking House Sparrow, they did not spread very far and remained in a limited area in the Midwest. It’s not fully clear why, but it’s possible that they just behave differently. And the aggressive House Sparrow may have helped prevent the tree sparrows from spreading further by competing for the same nesting sites.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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BirdNoir: The One That Got Away

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, the Private Eye tells his saddest story: his nemesis bird. That’s what birders call a species that keeps giving you the slip. His nemesis is the Painted Bunting, a colorful gem of a bird. When word of the species being spotted nearby reaches the PI, he rushes off to see it, hoping to end his struggle to see the bird at last…

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Birding 101: Birding Without Leaving Home

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

You don’t need fancy binoculars or lavish trips abroad to look for birds. In fact, you don’t even have to leave home — you can enjoy the birds out the window every day. And you don’t actually have to physically go anywhere to find birds. You can use a smartphone or computer to go birding. There are several websites where you can view live feeds of nests. Or you can even have your own bird feeder camera to give you a close-up view of the birds at your feeder.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Montezuma Oropendola - The Golden Pendulum

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In a clearing where an ancient Mayan city once stood, the Montezuma Oropendola perches and sings. His courtship display is astonishing: he swings by his feet and sings, his tail describing a golden pendulum – the very source of his name in Spanish – oropendola.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Prions Filter-Feed Like Whales

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Birds called prions have an especially creative approach to getting their food. They pass seawater through their mouths and filter it to catch tiny animals such as krill and other small crustaceans. It’s similar to how baleen whales feed, leading to the prion’s nickname: the whale-bird. The sides of their bills have comb-like structures. Small food items get trapped in the combs as water flows past. In Greek, the word “prion” means saw, which refers to the bird’s highly specialized mouth.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Yellow-Billed Cuckoo or Rain Crow?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In addition to their scientific names, birds are also given "official" English names. Take the bird commonly known as the rain crow, for example, officially referred to as the Yellow-billed Cuckoo by the American Ornithological Society. Its scientific name is Coccyzus americanus. Of course, the bird doesn’t care what you call it, so long as it has plenty of hairy caterpillars to snack on.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Sofia Barboza on Becoming More Aware of Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When climate scientist Sofia Barboza was living in New York City, she found it challenging to connect with the outdoors the same way she had growing up in Pennsylvania. Returning to live in Pennsylvania as an adult, Sofia brought along her new awareness of birds and their effects on mental health.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Migrations: You're Going the Wrong Way!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

During migration, some birds change orientation, often by a full 180 degrees, and travel almost the same distance — but in the opposite direction — as the rest of their species. The phenomenon is called misorientation. First-year birds are particularly susceptible. Many vagrant birds never find their way back on course, but some do, getting more comfortable with the route each year.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Rosa Malagon on Leading Hikes in Florida

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Rosa Malagon grew up believing that birds hold spiritual significance, thanks to teachings from her Mexican heritage that her mother would share. Now working for the Hispanic Access Foundation, Rosa helps connect Latino-led nonprofits with funding from the U.S. Forest Service. She also leads monthly hikes in central Florida, sharing her love for birds and the outdoors with her community.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Swallows on Wires

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Once nesting season ends, swallows know it's time to party! Whether they nest as single pairs or in large colonies, both adults and juveniles now gather on electrical wires by the dozens, socializing before they migrate. Migrating by day – and foraging for insects as they go – swallows (including this Violet-green Swallow) head south to Mexico and Central and South America.

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Seabirds in the Desert

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The White-vented Storm-Petrel is a small black and white seabird found off the coasts of Chile and Peru. Storm-petrels spend their entire lives at sea, except when nesting. Scientists had long been mystified about just where this species nests. A search lasting eight years led them to a site 50 miles inland in the Atacama desert, a place often compared to the surface of Mars. They employed dogs specially trained to sniff out seabirds. The dogs helped locate White-vented Storm-Petrel nests tucked into mineral deposits deep in the desert.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Cowbird Mafia

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Brown-headed Cowbirds have a sneaky approach to parenthood. They lay eggs in the nests of other songbirds, and the songbird hosts often raise the cowbird chick as their own. It’s called nest parasitism. But sometimes the hosts throw out the odd-looking egg. And when that happens, the cowbirds sometimes retaliate by destroying the hosts’ other eggs. Scientists call this “mafia behavior,” likening it to organized crime groups enforcing their demands on unwilling business partners.

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Playful Keas

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Keas are large alpine parrots from New Zealand. Intelligent and social, they have olive-green plumage, a red rump, and a long, curved beak. Keas produce a distinct warbling call, a “play call,” that sounds — and functions — much like a human’s contagious laughter. Scientists made recordings of captive Keas making warbling calls, then played them for wild Keas. They began playing harder and even engaged birds that hadn’t been playing. Hearing it seemed to put them in a playful mood, even when they were alone.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Women Who Fought the Feather Fad

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the human fascination with bird feathers went a little too far. Women’s hats and dresses featured extravagant feathers from birds both near and far. The trade in feathers drove several species, from the Little Egret to the Great Crested Grebe, to near-extinction. Fed up with the killing of wild birds for fashion, a group of British women met to put an end to this cruelty. The organization became the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, or RSPB, which continues to be a leader in bird conservation today.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Surprising Secret of Hummingbird Tongues

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Hummingbirds use their long tongues to sip nectar from flowers. They’re able to roll their tongues into a tube-like shape. Since the 1800s, scientists thought those tongues worked through capillary action, like how water instantly rises into a straw in a full cup. But when scientists spent years using slow-motion cameras to capture hummingbirds drinking in greater detail, they uncovered a completely different story: the tongues act like a tiny but powerful pump.

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Spark Bird: Walter and Patch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Sculptor and musician Walter Kitundu first became enraptured by birds in 2005 when a Red-tailed Hawk flew four feet above his head. He named the bird Patch, after the white patch on the back of her head, and kept returning to the park to see her. Patch became used to Walter, accepting him as part of the landscape. He documented her transition from juvenile to adult, learning her quirks and mannerisms.

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Birds as Pollinators

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 9 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Birds are part of the complex web of Nature, and each fits into this web in its own way. Some even pollinate flowers! While feeding at a flower, this Rainbow Lorikeet gets pollen on its forehead and throat. When it visits another flower of the same species, it transfers the pollen to that flower. The pollen fertilizes the plant's eggs to produce its seeds, and the plant's reproduction is assured.

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Ridgway's Rails on San Francisco Bay

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 8 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Once abundant around San Francisco Bay, the Ridgway’s Rail — formerly known as the California Clapper Rail — is now endangered. In the 19th Century, unregulated hunting plundered the species. In the 20th Century, rampant development reduced salt marsh habitat by 85%. But in the 21st Century, the Ridgway’s Rail has allies. Restoration is under way to increase healthy saltmarsh habitat for these endangered birds. Also, efforts to control the number of predatory cats are improving the chances for the Ridgway’s Rail to survive.

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Truffle-Hunting Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 7 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

With their excellent sense of smell, pigs are renowned for sniffing out truffles, a fungus that grows underground and is prized for its taste. But it turns out that some bird species can also find their way to a truffle treat. Researchers working in the Patagonia region of Chile had noticed truffles with little beak-sized bite marks, and even watched a bird eat a truffle. They found truffle DNA in the birds’ droppings, suggesting that truffles are a staple of the birds’ diet. Some of the fungi species eaten by the Patagonian birds look like berries that grow locally, which might help birds see them better.

Listen to this show in Spanish here.

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Are Birds Nests Reused?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 6 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Let’s talk about nests. Every spring, robins build their cup-shaped nests using grass and mud. Orioles weave a hanging sack. It’s hard work, and yet once the chicks fledge, the structures probably won’t be reused. But bigger birds, such as herons, hawks, and eagles, often reuse a nest for many years. Europe’s migratory White Storks — like those pictured here — get the award for best reuse. One nest site, still used in 1930 and likely seeing many repairs, dated back to 1549. That’s a continuous series of stork pairs nesting in one spot for 381 years!

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The Secret Lives of Goldfinches

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 5 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

American Goldfinches are one of our most familiar birds, but they lead lives that are anything but ordinary. These birds will sometimes raise two broods a year, have a secret weapon against cowbirds, and have the ability to distinguish between songs that — to our ears — sound the same. Backyard birds they may be, but American Goldfinches never cease to amaze.

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How Studying Turkey Hens Helps Conservation Efforts

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 4 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Mike Chamberlain is a wildlife ecologist at the University of Georgia and co-founder of the Wild Turkey Lab. He’s spent the majority of his 30-year career studying wild turkeys and says one recent, critical discovery about the nesting habit of hens has made a crucial impact on the conservation efforts.

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Migration: Long, Short, and In-Between

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 3 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In September, this Arctic Tern flies from Alaska all the way to Antarctica. Rufous Hummingbirds follow pathways of mountain wildflowers, from as far north as Alaska south to Mexico. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, migrate altitudinally from the mountains to the lowlands. Each of these birds migrates, but on a very different course. All make the most of food and breeding opportunities that change with the seasons.

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Can Crows Laugh at Me?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 2 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The American Crow’s rattle call is uncommon, and researchers aren’t sure what it means. It could be a gathering call, a predator alarm, or a call between mates. But if you hear it, you might think it sounds like cackling laughter. However, no one has identified a crow noise that indicates glee at the expense of another creature. It’s just a coincidence that the rattle sounds like a laugh. However, crows can play pranks on other animals: egging on cats to fight and yanking on dog tails for their own amusement. They aren’t pranking for survival — as far as we can tell, it’s just for fun.

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Does a Robin Hear Its Worm?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 1 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

How does a robin know a worm is in one exact spot? Does it see the worm or hear it? Smell it? Sense its movements through its feet? To find the answer, researchers buried worms in soil in a tray. They covered the soil with a thin but opaque sheet of cardboard, followed by more soil, so the robin couldn’t see the worms. Still, the robin found them with ease. The scientists concluded the birds are listening for their prey. There’s always more to learn about birds!

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Catching Insects

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Birds that depend on flies for food have many creative ways of catching their prey. Swallows execute sharp turns and quick changes of speed. Bluebirds watch from a perch, pouncing when the time is right. A Chuck-will’s-widow flies with its scoop-like mouth wide open, engulfing moths and other insects. A Merlin snares dragonflies in its talons. Hummingbirds dart into swarms of midges.

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Warning Eggs About a Warming World

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

For birds, learning starts early. Birds listen to their parents’ songs and calls from inside the egg. Recent findings have shown that calls from Zebra Finch parents can even prepare their chicks for warmer temperatures before they hatch. Researchers noticed that Zebra Finches make a special high-pitched call, called a heat call, when sitting on their eggs on hot days. Once out of the egg, chicks whose parents made heat calls grow more slowly in the heat. As adults, they seek out warmer spots for their nests, and even produce more offspring of their own than finches that didn’t slow their growth in hot conditions when they were chicks.

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Migrations: Molt Migration

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

At the end of summer, the once-bright feathers of a male American Goldfinch look ragged. Growing new flight feathers in a process called molting makes him more vulnerable to predators. Before migrating to wintering grounds, many songbirds stop at a secondary location to undergo the indignities of molting. It’s called molt migration. The places birds go to molt could be important targets for conservation efforts.

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Do Woodpeckers Suffer Brain Injuries?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When woodpeckers drum, they slam their beaks against bark many times per second. Scientists have long hypothesized that woodpeckers have a way of protecting their brains from injury. However, more recent work provides a different picture. High-speed cameras showed scientists that woodpeckers aren’t softening the impacts to their skulls. And researchers also have found signs of cellular damage in woodpecker brains. However, woodpeckers could be protecting themselves in other ways, and may even have ways of repairing damage over time.

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Wood Ducks Succeed

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Your eye may be drawn to the gorgeous male Wood Duck, but it is the call of the modestly plumaged female you’ll hear. This call tells the male where his mate is, important as the pair stays together through much of the winter and spring. Wood Ducks are among a small number of North American waterfowl that nest in cavities, and many of them nest in boxes we provide for them.

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The Broad-tailed Hummingbird’s Dazzling Dives

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are small but hardy creatures built for life in the mountains. They survive freezing cold nights by slowing their heart rate and metabolism. And they perform a death-defying stunt for potential mates. Male Broad-tailed Hummingbirds begin their performance by flying up 60 feet or more in the air. Then they dive toward the earth, reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour! At the last moment, they pull out of their dive and fly horizontally past the female they’re trying to impress.

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Swallow or Swift?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

At a glance, swallows and swifts, both graceful fliers, look much alike. But swifts — like this Chimney Swift — have longer, slimmer wings and short bodies, enabling them to glide for long periods. Their glides are punctuated by rapid, stiff bursts of wing-beats. Swallows, on the other hand, flex and flap their wings. Why do swifts have such a peculiar, stiff wing stroke? Picture a bird wing, with two halves jointed in the middle. Swift wings have a short inner “half” and a long outer half. This causes the stiffness.

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What’s a Beak Made Of?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Bird beaks, or bills, come in many shapes and sizes. And birds use them for just about everything: to collect food, preen, fight, court (as this pair of Laysan Albatrosses is doing), chop holes in trees, weave nests, and more. In order for a bird to fly, its beak must weigh as little as possible. Beaks are covered with a sheath of a tough material called keratin, which grows continuously because a beak wears down with use.

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Learning More About Birds by Sketching Them

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Many people take an interest in birds as they get older. But others start very early, like one young BirdNote listener named Ben Bradmon. He has been learning how to identify birds by their calls. His favorite is the Tufted Titmouse. He has also begun deepening his knowledge of birds by sketching them, letting him focus on details of the birds’ appearance and their habitats.

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The Brown Thrasher's Never-Ending Songbook

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Northern Mockingbird isn’t the only mimic bird in town. Brown Thrashers also learn songs from nearby birds and add them to their repertoire. The species has been documented singing over 1,100 different songs: a mix of imitations and invented little melodies. While mockingbirds usually repeat a song or phrase three or more times before moving on, Brown Thrashers tend to repeat a phrase only twice.

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The Ulūlu's Comeback

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

There are promising signs that a native Hawaiian bird called the ulūlu is on the way to recovery. Also known as the Millerbird, this small gray songbird nearly disappeared when invasive species including rabbits destroyed most of their habitats on the island of Laysan in the early 1900s. In the 2010s, biologists brought 50 individuals from the Nihoa population and reintroduced them to Laysan. From these humble beginnings, the population grew steadily, now sustaining itself at several hundred individuals.

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Phainopeplas Glisten

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A slim, sleek bird with a spiky crest, Phainopepla comes from the Greek for “shining cloak.” The name refers to the male’s glistening, inky black feathers, which are set off by piercing red eyes. And if the Greek name isn’t helping you picture it, a common nickname might: the goth cardinal. From February to April, they nest in pairs in the arid Sonoran Desert. From May to July, they form nesting colonies in leafy oak and sycamore canyons to escape the summer heat.

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Minnesotans Embrace Their Inner Loons

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Each year, adults and children gather in Crosslake, Minnesota to celebrate the incredible sounds of the Common Loon — the state bird of the land of 10,000 lakes — by belting out their best impressions. Some of the most impressive competitors are in the Youth category, like 2023’s second place winner Malakai. Hear some strikingly accurate loon calls — and some slightly more creative interpretations — in this episode.

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Turkey Vulture - Sky Sailor

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Although some of the Turkey Vulture's habits may evoke our disgust, these remarkable birds also inspire our awe. With wingspans approaching six feet, Turkey Vultures ride currents of air to make their spring and fall journeys, and to cover the miles of their home range in summer. Gliding on updrafts, or pushed along by weather fronts, Turkey Vultures rarely need to flap their wings more than ten times in a row. To rise above storms, they ride upward on thermals.

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When Does a Crossbill's Bill Cross?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A young crossbill starts life with a wedge-shaped beak. As it grows up and starts to feed itself by removing conifer seeds from their tough packaging, the tips of its bill begin to grow rapidly — and then they cross. By the time the bird is a month and a half old, the tips of its bill become fully crossed.

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Hovering with Horned Larks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Horned Larks rival meadowlarks as the most colorful birds of North American grasslands. They live in prairies, fields, and tundra, but agriculture and development now intrude on many of the Horned Lark's traditional nesting areas. The farmland Conservation Reserve Program encourages agricultural landowners to plant resource-conserving vegetation. This practice protects topsoil and provides habitat for birds like the Horned Lark, as well as other wildlife.

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Looking Two Ways at Once

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Great-tailed Grackles are known for their long, expressive tails, and their wide vocabulary of odd sounds. But this bird has another special trait. A researcher named Jessica Yorzinski has shown that Great-tailed Grackles can look at two different objects at once. In a careful experiment, she demonstrated that grackles could point one eye up and one eye down to look at two different objects simultaneously.

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Making a Home Among the Saguaros

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In the arid Arizona desert, where cacti thrive but trees are scarce, the Gila Woodpecker and Gilded Flicker carve out nest cavities in living saguaros. Tall, old saguaros may be pocked with twenty or more nest holes, bearing witness to decades of woodpecker families. The woodpeckers excavate a new nest every year, leaving the old, now-empty cavities behind. But they don't stay empty for long. Elf Owls, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls, Purple Martins, and Brown-crested Flycatchers all find the slightly used woodpecker cavities superb nest sites.

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The Peabody Ducks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Twice every day, a rapt audience gathers at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee to see six local celebrities: five ducks and the hotel’s head Duckmaster, Kenon Walker, who leads them in “The Duck March.” With John Philip Sousa music playing, the ducks march across a red carpet through the hotel’s lobby to a fountain. The ducks swim about the fountain until the afternoon, when the Duckmaster marches them back to their palace on the roof. People travel from all over to see this surreal local tradition.

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Scintillating Starlings

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In Africa, where there are dozens of starling species, a quick look reveals a variety of visual stunners. Some of the names hint at their dazzle: Superb Starling, as well as Golden-breasted, Emerald, Purple, Violet-backed, and Splendid Glossy Starlings. Starlings sparkle because they have special extra structures in their feather cells called melanosomes.

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Buff-breasted Sandpiper

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A male Buff-breasted Sandpiper courts a female on their breeding grounds far north of the Arctic Circle. He raises his wings, flashing their silvery-white undersides, as he sings his clicking serenade. These birds spend much of the year on grasslands in Argentina, migrating to the Arctic in late spring. In the lower 48, September is a good time to look for this long-distance traveler. During migration, they show a distinct preference for grassy expanses such as pastures and rice fields. Purchasing organic rice can help secure the future of a threatened species like the Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

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Migration and Fat

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

If long migratory flights are amazing, what goes on inside a bird’s body during those flights seems absolutely astonishing. To store fat, birds may eat three times as much and forage over many more hours than normal, as they prepare for long-distance travel. Blackpoll Warblers double their weight in the lead-up to migration. Wilson’s Phalaropes may put on so much fat that they actually have to lose weight to get their fat-loaded bodies into the air. Some birds may need a long running start to take off!

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The Crafty Carolina Wren

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 9 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Though half the size of a robin, the Carolina Wren has a powerful singing voice that seems to come from a much bigger bird. Many people remember their song with the phrase, “teakettle-teakettle-teakettle!” When these secretive birds venture into the open, look for their cocked tail, bright white eyebrows, tan breasts, and golden-brown backs. One reason these wrens thrive in cityscapes is their ability to build a nest in creative places: everything from an old boot to a window flower box to an engine block are potential places to raise their brood.

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Protecting Endangered Birds from Maui’s Wildfires

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 8 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Maui Bird Conservation Center helps care for Hawai‘i’s critically endangered bird species, some of which have gone extinct in the wild. Jennifer Pribble, the center’s Wildlife Care Supervisor, lives onsite. A year ago, several wildfires broke out on Maui island in Hawai‘i, killing over a hundred people. The first fire likely began in the forest near the bird center, as security footage later showed. Early in the morning, the wind began directing the fire toward the bird center. Jennifer and a neighbor rushed out to hold off the flames until firefighters arrived, helping save the lives of the center’s rare birds.

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A Giant Parrot of New Zealand

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 7 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

New Zealand was once home to a massive parrot that stood three feet tall, about hip-high to most adult humans. It’s estimated that the bird weighed around fifteen pounds, and it probably didn’t fly. But it didn’t need to, because there were no land predators at that time — between 16- and 19-million-years ago!

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Migrations: Watching Seabirds Summer at the Lake

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 6 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Many oceanic species like grebes, loons, pelicans, and gulls migrate far inland to raise their young near freshwater lakes. Ring-billed Gulls, for example, breed throughout the northern U.S. Forster’s Terns can be found catching fish in the upper Midwest in the summer. In northern Canada, you may even catch a glimpse of a Surf Scoter as it dives below the glassy surface of the lake. These species return to the coasts for the winter.

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Bringing Birding Adventures to Broward County

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 5 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

While Sierra Taliaferro was working as a Naturalist in Broward County, Florida, in 2021, she collaborated with Broward County Library to help enhance the public’s knowledge about birding. More people became interested in birding as a safe outdoor activity during the pandemic. Sierra and others designed birding backpacks with field guides and binoculars that could be checked out at 10 libraries throughout the county. Sierra also gave a webinar crash course on how to find birds. The program was a success, with many people checking out the backpacks and creating their own birding adventures.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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An Amazing World of Owls

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 4 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Owls are magnificent animals that share our cities with us, and live in some of the most extreme environments on Earth. They range in size from huge, like the Blakiston’s Fish-Owl of Eastern Asia, to the songbird-sized Elf Owl, weighing less than half a deck of cards. Owls play key roles in their ecosystems and even help control pests such as non-native rodents. By giving these amazing birds their space when they’re nesting, preserving habitats where they breed and hunt, and avoiding rodenticides that could poison their prey, we can help ensure a safe future for our world’s incredible owls.

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Pigeon Flocks Follow the Leader

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 3 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The flocking movements of homing pigeons are governed by a pecking order. Higher-ranked birds have more influence over how the flock moves. Leading birds change directions first, and followers swiftly copy the leader's movements. And birds at the front of the flock tend to make the navigational decisions. In other words, the pigeons follow the leader. Or leaders.

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For Shorebirds, Summer Ends Early

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 2 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

We often think of birds migrating south in the fall. But many species kick off their big trips surprisingly early in the year. Shorebirds nesting in the Arctic tundra are an extreme example. Birds like the American Golden-Plover have a small window of time to build a nest, find a mate, and lay eggs in the short Arctic growing season. Golden-plovers actually leave their juvenile young behind to begin flying south in mid-summer. The juveniles find their own way to South America later in the year!

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Gannets and Dolphins

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 1 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Northern Gannets, fish-eating seabirds, dive headfirst into the ocean at speeds of up to 60 miles an hour, pursuing their prey. Sometimes, they get help. Dolphins herd fish into dense, frantic concentrations near the surface, while gannets take advantage and plunge into the shoals from aloft. Scientists call this a multi-species feeding association, a frequent phenomenon on the ocean’s surface. This may seem like evidence of cooperation between species, but it’s more about opportunity. Kittiwakes and gulls, as well as seals and whales, may join in, too.

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Precision Flight in Flocks: How Does It Work?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A flock of shorebirds flying wingtip to wingtip seems to act like a single organism, rolling and twisting in exquisite patterns. Flocks like these use a combination of two organizational patterns. One is a “cluster”: lots of birds flying together in a loose, three-dimensional cloud. The second is a basic V-formation, where smaller groups of birds within the flock sync up in V-shapes, like migrating geese. Voilà! Predator avoidance and aerodynamic efficiency.

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Birds in Art Through the Ages

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Birds were one of the earliest subjects for human artists. A cave painting in France over 30,000 years old shows the unmistakable outline of an owl. Paintings on Ancient Egyptian palaces and tombs feature birds with intricately detailed flight feathers, colors, and postures, allowing researchers to identify the species thousands of years later.

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Having Your Tail Scared Off

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When a hawk is about to capture a songbird, the songbird has one last trick: a fright molt. It’s when a bird loses feathers due to sudden stress. This usually involves feathers near the tail or rump, where they’re most likely to be attacked as they flee. It can be a saving grace when the bird is about to be caught — similar to a lizard dropping its tail. There’s a downside to having your tail scared off. A tail helps the bird turn and balance in flight. But if dropping feathers lets the bird live to chirp another day, it’s worth it.

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Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: Little Bird with a Big Story

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The slim, 4½-inch Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is found over much of the East and Midwest and in parts of the West, too. It actively searches trees and bushes for small bugs to eat, often hovering briefly and flaring a long black-and-white tail.

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To Mob or Not to Mob

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When a bird of prey flies over, a flock of crows may dive-bomb the predator and give it a noisy escort out of town. An Eastern Kingbird, like this one, will clamp its feet onto the back of a hawk to send it packing. How do they know which birds to chase off and which to ignore? By genetic wiring, or instinct, but also learning. By watching their parents in the act of mobbing, youngsters gain critical knowledge that may save their own skin.

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Which Bird Has the Most Feathers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In general, the bigger the bird, the higher the number of feathers. Someone counted the feathers on a Tundra Swan and came up with 25,216. At least 80% were on the swan’s neck. Penguins, on the other hand, have lots of small feathers all over their bodies. The largest species is the Emperor Penguin, and one project counted around 80,000 feathers on a single bird. That’s nearly sixty per square inch – keeping the penguin insulated and waterproof in harsh climates. But the most feathered creature ever? It may have been a dinosaur!

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Bridging Hawaiian Culture and Conservation

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Sam ‘Ohu Gon is the Senior Scientist and Cultural Advisor for the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i. He's something of a rare combination: academically trained in conservation biology as well as traditionally trained in Hawaiian chant and ceremony. Sam's work tries to bridge traditional Hawaiian knowledge with conservation to ensure the remaining species stay with us.

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Black-necked Stilt – The Bird with Outrageous Legs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Visit a shallow wetland in summer, and you might see this slender, black-and-white shorebird with outrageous red legs. The Black-necked Stilt uses its long legs for wading as it feeds on tiny insects and crustaceans on the surface of the water. Stilts are sensitive to drought, which has increased with global climate change. But they readily move to new breeding areas and respond quickly when new wetlands are created.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Taking the Bus for Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

By carrying more people in a single vehicle, mass transit can use less energy than cars. Taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can help the hundreds of bird species put at risk by climate change. Not to mention, you can do a little birding on the commute – on the way to the bus or train stop, and on the ride itself.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Black-crowned Night-Heron

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Black-crowned Night-Herons feed primarily on fish, but they will consume everything from earthworms to clams to eggs of nesting birds and refuse at landfills! Because they are high on the food chain, found throughout much of the world, and nest in colonies, Black-crowned Night-Herons can tell us a lot about the health of our environment.

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Shorebirds Aren't Always on the Shore

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Shorebirds' lives take them to many places other than the shore. Most of the shorebirds we see along our coasts migrate to the Arctic in summer. Here, many nest on the tundra, some along rushing streams, and others on rocky mountainsides. Long-billed Curlews winter on the Florida, Gulf, and Pacific coasts. But this one was seen in a field near Creston, BC, Canada, nearly 500 miles from the coast and 1/2 mile from the nearest body of water, the Kootenay River!

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Australia's Rainforest Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The rainforests of Eastern and Northeastern Australia harbor many species of birds found almost nowhere else. This Eastern Whipbird — which is more often heard than seen — hangs out in the dense understory. Easier to lay eyes on is the large, pigeon-like Wompoo Fruit-Dove. Feathered in a stunning combination of green, purple, and yellow, this bird is clearly named for its voice. And a pig-like grunting on the forest floor tells us we’re in the company of the Southern Cassowary. Its helmet — called a casque — makes it look as much like a dinosaur as any living bird.

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Emily Raboteau and Harlem's Gray Hawk Mural

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Over the last few years, writer Emily Raboteau has been going out and photographing a series of bird murals found throughout New York City commissioned by the National Audubon Society. One day, she came across an artist finishing up a Gray Hawk mural in west Harlem. The artist explained that she had chosen to paint that species because the gray feathers reminded her of the color of her mother’s hair.

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A Cardinal That's Half Male, Half Female

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In Texas, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, people have reported seeing Northern Cardinals that are red on one side and brown on the other, indicating that a bird is half male and half female. This anomaly occurs in other species of birds, as well, not just cardinals. Insects, too! Scientists call these bilateral gynandromorphs.

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J. Drew Lanham’s Taxonomy of Bird Obsessions

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Ornithologist J. Drew Lanham's favorite bird is “the one with feathers.” But here, he shares a few species that have been especially on his mind lately — “selected birds of the moment annotated by why.”

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Flying and Molting - A Tricky Balance

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Feathers are amazing structures. But after about a year, constant use and exposure to the elements mean they have to be replaced. So how do you replace the roughly 20 feathers in each wing that are essential to flight? Many species — such as this Common Raven — molt just a few feathers at a time so they can still fly. But waterbirds like ducks and loons molt all of their flight feathers at once. As a result, they’re earthbound and vulnerable to predators for a month or more — until their full suite of feathers has been completely restored.

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How Birds Can Help Coral Reefs Recover

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Today kicks off Coral Reef Awareness Week. Coral reefs are hotspots of biodiversity, but they’re threatened by warming ocean temperatures, pollution, and overfishing. One thing to be aware of this week is how these underwater ecosystems are linked to birds in the skies above them. And seabirds that nest near coral reefs are a great source of nutrients that can help coral reefs recover faster from bleaching caused by oceanic heat waves.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Kestrels Love Nest Boxes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

This American Kestrel evolved to nest in tree cavities or small caves in cliffs. We humans have made life difficult for kestrels. Development has shrunk the open spaces they need. We’ve cleared away dead trees they rely on for nests and sprayed pesticides that eliminate the insects the birds eat. But we humans are also in a position to help. Volunteers are helping to build and put up nest boxes, improve habitat, and monitor these cool little falcons. Together, we can #BringBirdsBack.

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You Could Take a Pigeon to the Movies

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A movie runs at 24 frames per second, just right for humans to sense as normal speed. Pigeons process the visual world several times faster. The frantic car chase that puts us at the edge of our seats would likely appear — to a pigeon — more like a slideshow or PowerPoint. A bird’s rapid-fire perception is vital to its staying alive, whether it’s hunting fast-moving prey or eluding speedy predators. From the pigeon’s perspective, humans live in the slow lane.

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Hearing Birdsong Can Help Decrease Anxiety

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Many people would tell you that hearing birdsong puts them in a good mood. Recently, scientists have tried to put numbers to this effect that many of us have noticed. One study found that people who spent a few minutes immersed in the sounds of birds had lower levels of paranoia and anxiety than those who only listened to traffic noise.

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What's Inside a Woodpecker's Nest Hole?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Many woodpeckers chisel out deep cavities in tree trunks in order to lay their eggs and raise their brood. The cavities hollowed out by the birds vary in size, depending on the species of woodpecker. The chamber of a tiny Downy Woodpecker descends about a foot from the opening, while the Pileated Woodpecker may chip out a chamber two feet deep. Both are beyond the reach of a pesky raccoon.

Most North American woodpeckers carve a new nest cavity each spring.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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BirdNote celebrates the everyday actions of our listeners and the work of our conservation partners to reverse the alarming decline in North American birds. Together, we can #BringBirdsBack.

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A Renaming Committee of One

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Amid discussion of renaming birds that are named after people, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham forms a “committee of one” to choose his own names for birds. In this episode, he suggests two “better, melodiously appropriate” names for two species named after John Bachman.

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Rock Climbing Among the Peregrines

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 9 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Eagle Cliff in New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch State Park is an important nesting site for Peregrine Falcons. Each year, popular climbing routes in the area close temporarily to give nesting falcons their space. After peregrines disappeared from the northeast due to the pesticide DDT, Eagle Cliff was the first natural rock face to host a successful peregrine nest. Now, state agencies and New Hampshire Audubon work with rock climbing groups to decide when to close cliffs in the summer.

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Polite Birds Gesture 'After You' with Their Wings

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 8 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Researchers studying birds called Japanese Tits, relatives of the chickadees and titmice in North America, noticed that mates raising chicks together often fluttered their wings near the entrance of their nest box. After recording hundreds of examples of this behavior, it became clear that the wing-flutter was a signal for the other bird to enter first, much like that arm-sweeping gesture that people use to mean, “after you.”

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Spider Silk - Duct Tape for Bird Nests

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 7 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The spider’s web is an intricate piece of precision engineering. Made from large proteins, it’s sticky, stretchy, and tough. So it’s no surprise that many small birds — including this Anna’s Hummingbird — make a point of collecting strands of spider silk to use in nest construction. Spider silk not only acts as a glue, holding the nest together, but it’s flexible enough to accommodate the growing bodies of nestlings. And it’s resilient enough to withstand the bustle of raising those hungry babies.

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Great Egret's Lacy Courtship

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 6 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Male Great Egrets have special long feather plumes called aigrettes, which they use in courtship displays in the spring. These beautiful big birds were nearly hunted to extinction for these special feathers, which were used to adorn ladies’ hats. The plight of the egret spurred people to organize to protect these and other threatened birds, resulting in the creation of some of the country’s first bird protection societies.

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David Shepard and the 'Alala

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 5 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Artist David Shepard designs aloha shirts with illustrations of Hawai‘i's native flora and fauna. David actually trained as a botanist, and one of his shirt designs was inspired by his experience working on the Kalaupapa peninsula with the hō‘awa plant. That species needs lots of help from conservationists in part because it was a favorite food of the ‘alala, or Hawaiian Crow, which is now extinct in the wild.

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The Marsh Wren's Many Nests

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 4 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Tiny Marsh Wrens live in wetlands, usually within cattails, reeds, or bulrushes. After choosing his territory, the male weaves up to 15 dome-shaped shells, lashing together cattails, grasses, or reeds. These are called "courting" nests. Then, sitting high atop a perch in the marsh, he sings, inviting a female to select a nest in his territory. once the female has chosen one of his shells, she lines it with cattail down, feathers, leaves, or grass and lays her eggs. Sometimes a second female chooses a nest on the opposite end of his territory.

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My Grandmother’s Ornithology, and Mine

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 3 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, J. Drew Lanham shares how his grandmother’s personal names for birds helped shape his own relationships with birds. Names such as “redbirds” for Northern Cardinals, “rain crows” for Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and “cat owls” for Great Horned Owls help him feel personally connected to these species. Through developing one’s own ornithology and personal names for birds, he says, anyone can strengthen their bond with birds.

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American Robins Are Exceptional Singers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 2 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

As singers go, American Robins are exceptional. They’re often the first birds to sing in the morning, and the last you’ll hear in the evening. While their average song strings fewer than a dozen short phrases together and lasts only a few seconds, robins sometimes sing for minutes without a pause. But the most extraordinary measure of robin song is its variety.

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New English Names for Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 1 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

If you’re new to birding, you might be baffled by names like Couch’s Kingbird, Wilson’s Warbler, and Townsend’s Solitaire. These birds were named in honor of scientists and their friends long ago. But the result is a long list of birds named after white men, many of whom took part in colonizing the Americas or enslaved people. The American Ornithological Society or AOS, which governs official bird names in English, is working to rename all birds named after people in North America.

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Begging Sounds and Postures

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

After young birds have left the nest and can fly short distances, they still follow their parents and beg for food. They squawk and assume a begging posture, wings drooping and head hunched down. Most young birds, including this Crow, depend on their parents for days, weeks, or even months after leaving the nest.

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An Enormous Eagle Evolves

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Evolution on islands can produce unusually large species. Haast’s Eagle lived on the islands now known as New Zealand. With a wingspan of 9 feet and weighing up to 30 pounds, the eagle hunted the moa — a flightless bird that stood over ten feet tall. The eagles probably vanished not long after their moa prey went extinct, about 500 to 600 years ago. A site called the Cave of the Eagle contains Maori paintings of Haast’s Eagles, preserving the legacy of this immense raptor.

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Nesting Again

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Raising baby birds is a lot of work. You might think that after seeing off their fledged young ones, bird parents would call it a day. But a surprising number of species start again and raise another set of young in the same breeding season — what’s called double brooding. Some birds squeeze in even more broods each year. Mourning Doves have been seen trying to raise six clutches of eggs in one season!

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The Dickcissel

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In grasslands of the central U.S., birds called Dickcissels sing a quirky song that “spells out” the syllables of their name. Dickcissels are approachable birds, often chirping away while a person walks nearby. But they’re also masters of concealment, hiding their nests from predators in tufts of grass and leafy wildflowers. Dickcissel populations have fallen by 30 percent since the 1960s. Yet the birds persist in searching for places to breed — nesting along roadsides, in pastures, and even in alfalfa fields.

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Birding 101: Where to Find Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

There’s no wrong place to search for birds — looking out the window and listening for calls and songs is a great place to start. But you might be curious where else to look. In this episode, get a few quick tips on good places to find birds.

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Cormorants Dive During the Day

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

At midday, it might seem like the birds that were so active in the morning have gone silent, maybe even vanished. But cormorants rally in the afternoon, offering a second chance to see and hear them. During the breeding season, Double-crested Cormorants have two peaks of fishing activity: the first around 9 a.m., and the second around 3 p.m. Their efficient fishing lets them spend most of the day drying their feathers and croaking at their neighbors.

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Dawn in the Marsh

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

It's dawn in a western marsh in mid-summer, and man! Those birds are singin'! The males of more than a dozen species are staking out their territories and attracting mates. One of the noisiest of all is the Red-winged Blackbird. He sings not to attract just one mate, but to gather a whole harem! Drop us a line and let us know what you think of BirdNote.

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Brown Pelicans - Conservation Success

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Brown Pelicans are a regular sight today along the Gulf of Mexico and our southern coastlines. But these birds have not always been so plentiful. They were hunted for their feathers and as pests by fishermen. The Migratory Bird Act of 1918 protected their recovery. But by 1970, pesticides were killing pelicans outright and thinning their eggshells. The 1972 Endangered Species Act has helped lead to a gradual comeback.

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Scarlet Tanagers Under the Canopy

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In summer, the forests of the eastern United States are home to a bounty of birds, including this gorgeous Scarlet Tanager, which spends most of the year in tropical South America. The male’s body is a dazzling red, in contrast to his black wings and tail. It seems that these boldly colored birds might offer an easy target for a birdwatcher’s watchful gaze, but male Scarlet Tanagers can be hard to spot!

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Baby Birds – Leave Them Alone

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Just because a young bird appears to be alone – whether on the ground or squawking loudly from a bush or tree – doesn't necessarily mean it is sick or injured. In June, young birds, including this juvenile Northern Flicker, are leaving their nests. And most likely, a parent is near-by and will soon return. What can you do to help? Keep your cats indoors - especially during the birds' breeding season. And leave the birds alone. If you do find a sick or injured bird, visit NWRAwildlife.org, the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association.

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The Superpowers of the Humble Bobolink

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

If you had to pick the bird most like a superhero, the Bobolink might not be an obvious choice. But these quirky blackbirds have abilities that would impress Superman himself. Every year, Bobolinks fly from their wintering grounds in southern South America all the way to grasslands in North America. Completing the 12,000 mile round trip in the fall, some Bobolinks travel a distance equal to a few laps around the planet over the course of their lives.

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A Music Student Inspired by Bird Sounds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Eleven-year-old Zjencès Bell took an early interest in birds after he learned his first bird call. As a piano student, Zjencès soon blended his love of birds with his musical skills by creating piano compositions inspired by bird calls and songs. In this show, hear an excerpt of his composition inspired by the otherworldly voice of the Common Loon.

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The Link Between Birds and Alligators

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The crocodilians — crocodiles and their relatives, like the American Alligator — are the closest living relatives of birds. About 250 million years ago, the ancestors of all crocodiles split off from the dinosaur group that gave rise to modern birds. While crocs these days are mostly short-legged ambush predators, before mass extinction there were ocean-dwelling crocodilians and even species that ran around on two legs.

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American Golden-Plover Lays Claim to the Tundra

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A male American Golden-Plover proclaims its nesting territory with an aerial display known as the "butterfly flight." After flying up 50 feet, the plover switches to slow motion, raising its wings languidly until the wingtips nearly touch over its body, then lowering them gradually until they almost touch below – all the while calling. The plover sustains these slow and exaggerated wing-beats for nearly a minute – hanging in the air like an enormous butterfly.

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Spark Bird: Nick Belardes and the Vermilion Flycatcher

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Author Nick Belardes was walking at a park near his home in San Luis Obispo, California, when he saw a man who seemed in tune with birds. Belardes asked him what the coolest bird around was, and the man replied Vermilion Flycatcher. Belardes and his wife soon went out looking for the ruby-like bird, finally spotting it through rain and mist. He remembers that sighting as a turning point that drew him deeper into the world of birds.

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Northern Hawk Owl

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Northern Hawk Owl is one of the least studied and least known of all birds in North America. Northern Hawk Owls are owls, but they share several traits with hawks and falcons: A streamlined body shape, daytime hunting habits, and stiff wing feathers for daytime hunting. (Owls that hunt at night have soft edges on their wing feathers, so they can hunt without making a sound.) No fossil relatives of the Northern Hawk Owl have yet been found, and it is the only living member of its genus. Which only adds to its allure.

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All Those Colorful Orioles

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Baltimore Oriole is a standout bird. With adult males’ electric orange and jet black feathers, and females and immature birds in various shades of yellow and orange, it’s no surprise that these birds show up in art, illustrations, and on the uniforms of Baltimore's baseball team. But they’re not the only orioles worth knowing. Orioles in the Americas belong to the blackbird family — and there are many of them. In this episode, meet a few of them!

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Flickers and Buffleheads

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

After a Northern Flicker carves out a nest cavity, chances are the birds will use the cavity for just one nesting season. But the cavity may have a prolonged career as a home for small owls, bluebirds, swallows, and other birds – including the Bufflehead. Buffleheads are the only ducks small enough to use the cavities of flickers. Clear-cutting in some northern forests has reduced nesting habitat for flickers and Buffleheads alike. Both benefit when consumers choose paper products made from recycled paper.

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Studying Climate Change by Watching Bird Nests

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and by Birds Canada, volunteers for Project NestWatch observe local nesting birds and track whether they’re successful in raising their young. Because the nest-watching volunteers monitor birds over a huge area, they cover way more ground than a small team of scientists ever could. Data from Project NestWatch helped scientists reveal that cold snaps and heat waves make many bird parents less successful in raising their young.

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Have You Ever Seen a Pink Gull?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Some gulls and terns may show a glowing pink color, similar to that of flamingos and spoonbills. This pink color comes from pigments in the birds' food called carotenoids. These gulls and terns are able to convert these naturally occurring pigments to hues that may enhance their success at attracting a mate.

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Common Nighthawks at the Ballgame

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

An evening baseball game isn’t the only thing illuminated by the bright stadium lights. High in the air, countless flying insects are drawn to them. And those insects are a perfect snack for the game’s avian attendees! Common Nighthawks swoop with their wide mouths open to hoover up the flying insects under the lights, performing aerial stunts over the athletes on the ground.

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City Hawks Versus Country Hawks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 9 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Resident Cooper’s Hawks that nest in the urban areas of Albuquerque, New Mexico, are thriving as the populations of doves, their prey, have exploded. The easy prey gives the urban birds a competitive advantage over hawks in more natural habitats, where prey is less concentrated. The soaring numbers of urban Cooper's Hawks could help preserve the genetic diversity of the species far into the future.

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Surviving Hail Storms

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 8 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

As it began to hail, Marlon Inniss saw several Canada Geese doing something odd. Rather than trying to shield their heads, the geese pointed their bills skyward, directly into the path of the hail. The geese were pointing the smallest surface area of their sensitive bills, the narrow tip, into the hail — minimizing the impact. Inniss’s video of the behavior helped reaffirm an observation made by naturalist Aldo Leopold one hundred years before of Northern Pintails adopting the same stance.

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Setting the Thermostat with Birds in Mind

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 7 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

If you’ve already done things around the home with birds in mind, consider one more action that might be less obvious. Turning the thermostat down a degree or two in the colder months and up a degree in the warmer months might seem more about personal preference or energy bills than birds. But climate change is a grave threat to birds, putting two-thirds of North American bird species at risk of extinction. So anything that decreases carbon emissions is a step towards a better future for birds — not to mention people.

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Three Brown Thrushes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 6 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Swainson's Thrush, the Hermit Thrush, and this Veery are small, brown birds, but their songs clearly distinguish them. The Swainson's Thrush announces its presence in early spring with subtle, limpid "whit" or "wink" sounds. Many rate it among the finest singers. A Veery's phrases tend downward in pitch. The Hermit Thrush sings ethereal, paired phrases, long flute-like notes backed by complex, reedy phrases.

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David Shepard’s Aloha Shirts

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 5 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

After David Shephard moved to Hawai‘i to study botany, he realized that the “main character” of the islands is birds — many plants have co-evolved with birds due to their central role in Hawaiian ecosystems. He now designs Aloha Shirts that feature the native plants and wildlife of Hawai‘i, including the ‘i‘iwi, a bird that has cultural significance for Hawaiians.

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Indigo Bunting - Bird of the Ecotone

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 4 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Many birds – like this Indigo Bunting – can be found in ecotones, the borders between two habitats. Indigo Buntings breed in the ecotone between forest and meadow. They are common at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana, where grassland and forest are interspersed to produce superb wildlife habitat.

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Emily Raboteau on New York City's Bird Murals

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 3 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Emily Raboteau’s book, Lessons for Survival, begins with a painting of two Burrowing Owls on the security gate of a local business in West Harlem, near where she teaches. Intrigued, she found more bird murals nearby, later learning that they are part of a collaborative effort between the National Audubon Society and artists to highlight bird species at risk of extinction due to climate change. Emily decided to seek out all the murals and photograph them before they disappear – because like birds, street art is ephemeral.

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Migrations: Tiny Bird, Epic Journey

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 2 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In the spring, Rufous Hummingbirds journey from Mexico to the northwest U.S., some as far north as Alaska! That’s almost 1,000 miles one way for a bird measuring just under four inches beak to tail, making this the longest migration of any bird relative to body length. Not long after arriving, they bulk up on nectar and bugs for the scenic return trip over the Rocky Mountains.

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The African American Heritage Water Trail

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 1 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Lillian Holden — a Chicago-based environmental educator — introduces us to the African American Heritage Water Trail, a 7-mile stretch along the Little Calumet River and the Cal-Sag Channel that flows through the south side of Chicago. Highlighting over 180 years of African American history, the Water Trail includes historical sites linked to the Underground Railroad, the Tuskegee Airmen, and the environmental justice movement. It also features ecological richness and abundant wildlife, including many species of birds.

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Deja Perkins on Gaps in Bird Observations

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 31 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

For her PhD, Deja Perkins is studying datasets generated by the public, also known as participatory science projects. These projects include eBird, a site where anyone can upload bird observations. And they’re essential to conservation efforts. But Deja says that not every area is well represented in eBird, because right now the participants are predominantly white and affluent, leading to a gap in what we know about the diversity of birds in many low-income and minority areas. Involving a wide variety of people in reporting bird observations where they live could help close the data gaps and reveal where to put new green spaces for both birds and people.

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Spark Bird: Dara Wilson and the Blue-gray Tanager

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 30 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

While Dara Wilson was working at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in D.C., she introduced visitors to the Amazonia exhibit. She would describe the song of a bird she’d never had the chance to see in the wild, the Blue-gray Tanager. But when Dara moved to Panama, she heard the song that she knew by heart already. Encountering the Blue-gray Tanager in its natural habitat inspired her to keep learning about birds — and to share that knowledge with others as an educator. Dara helps organize Black Birders Week. Find out how you can participate here.

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The Robin Rescue

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 29 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

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What the Niagara River Means to Birds and People

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 28 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

This episode narrated by Marcus Rosten explores the history and the birdlife of the Niagara River Corridor. Just downstream from the falls, Long-tailed Ducks and Bonaparte’s Gulls call out near the site where the Haudenosaunee and other Native American groups would portage around the falls. Niagara’s churning rapids prevent ice from forming, making it a year-round fishing spot for half the world’s species of gulls. The rapids were also the final hurdle for Freedom Seekers on the Underground Railroad journeying to Canada.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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If Someone Calls You 'Birdbrain,' Say Thanks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 27 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, neuroscientist Lola Neal explores how birds are used as models to understand many neural processes, as they have cognitive abilities comparable to those of the cleverest mammals. Studying vocal learning and imitation in songbirds like Zebra Finches has helped researchers explore how language is acquired, an important topic in human infant development and beyond.

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Introducing Black Birders Week 2024

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 26 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Nicole Jackson and Emma Brittain announce the fifth year of Black Birders Week, a week-long celebration with events and activities that highlight the achievements and contributions of Black birders, amplify their experiences in nature, and raise awareness about the importance of diversity in birding and conservation. Stay tuned to BirdNote Daily for a week of shows produced by Black Birders Week organizers and learn how to participate in the week’s events.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Celebrating Female Bird DayEducating people on female bird ID.

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 25 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In 2019, several co-workers at the National Audubon Society formed a team for the World Series of Birding that focused on identifying female birds. Called the Galbatrosses, they sought to highlight how female birds have been understudied and unfairly written off as quieter and less interesting. Since then, the Galbatrosses have led events about IDing female birds and held the first Female Bird Day over Memorial Day weekend in 2020. Learn how to participate in this year’s Female Bird Day here.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Saving Snags for Red-headed Woodpeckers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 24 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Red-headed Woodpeckers excavate cavities in large, dead trees called snags. Yet, over much of the Red-head's range, snags are frequently cut down as unsightly, or because they make good firewood. There are ways we can help the Red-headed Woodpecker -- and many other woodpeckers, too. The key is to leave snags intact. If you must cut down a tree on your property, consider leaving the lower trunk as a snag. It's like a wildlife condominium!

In the meantime, consider creating a nestbox for a woodpecker. Find a link to instructions here!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Night Voices – Nightjars

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 23 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

As darkness descends on a May evening, the voices of many birds go quiet. But for some birds, especially those known as nightjars, the music is just beginning! An Eastern Whip-poor-will shouts out its name. The call of a Common Poorwill echoes across a canyon. A Common Pauraque calls from the thorn scrub. A Buff-collared Nightjar repeats its Spanish nickname, Tucuchillo. And a Chuck-will’s-widow like this one calls from a woodland.

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BirdNoir: The Catbird That Wasn't

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 22 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode of BirdNoir, Private Eye Michael Stein gives a word of advice to Ollie, an up-and-coming gumshoe. Ollie thinks he has heard his first Gray Catbird, a species that yowls like a cat, but he didn’t lay eyes on the bird making the noise. Things aren’t always what they seem when you’re a bird detective, so the private eye advises Ollie to hang tough, be patient, and see if the bird making the noise might reappear later in the day.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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From Egg-laying to Hatching and Beyond

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 21 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Waterfowl like this Muscovy duckling spend up to 30 days in the egg, so they’re able to walk, swim, and feed themselves as soon as they hatch. We call these chicks precocial. By contrast, the chicks of most songbirds spend less time maturing in the egg. They must continue to develop in the nest before heading out on their own. We call these hatchlings altricial since they depend on their parents to care for them.

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Singing Under Streetlights

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 20 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Some birds have always called nocturnally, but other species are relative newcomers to the nighttime music scene, specifically in urban areas. Birds such as American Robins often sing well into the night. Scientists are studying what environmental cues might lead to this behavior. While artificial light could be a factor, recent studies suggest that some birds may be avoiding daytime city noise by singing nocturnally.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Seabirds Drink Salt Water

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 19 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Seabirds have no problem drinking sea water. The salt they take in is absorbed and moves through their blood stream into a pair of salt glands above their eyes. The densely salty fluid is excreted from the nostrils and runs down grooves in the bill. As the drop gets larger, the bird shakes its head to send the salt back to the ocean. A seabird's skull has a pair of grooves for the salt glands right over the eyes.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Habitat Defined

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 18 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When you think of habitat, think of home. For a jay that lives in the forest, the forest is its habitat – where it finds food, water, shelter, and the company of other jays. Or it might live in your back yard or the bank parking lot down the street. Some birds live in different habitats at different times of year. Many sandpipers summer on the Arctic tundra, but during the rest of the year, they live on coastal tide flats.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Noisy Willet

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 17 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Unlike many shorebirds, Willets breed inland. When nesting is done, they migrate south to both Atlantic and Pacific coastlines in the U.S. and Central and South America. What they all have in common, wherever they have bred and wherever they spend the winters, is an unmistakable voice, combining the insistent petulance of a hungry chipmunk with the lyrical rhythms of a whip-poor-will.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Toddlers – Fledgling Chickadees

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 16 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Sometimes in spring or summer, you might see a fledgling songbird. Like a toddler, it’s unsteady, awkward, and learning the ropes. And you might wonder if the young bird has left the nest too soon. (In the case of this Black-capped Chickadee, just 16 days after hatching) But a nest full of begging young can be a target for a predator. So there’s an adaptive advantage for nestlings to exit the nest as soon as they are able, even if they’re not quite ready to fend for themselves.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Preventing Birds from Striking Windows

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 15 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When migratory birds fly through populated areas at night, buildings with lights on can cause them to become disoriented. And birds don’t see clear glass windows as an obstacle. Instead, they often see the reflection of trees and shrubs and think they’re flying to safety. Every year, up to a billion birds die when they collide with buildings, including many low-rise buildings and houses. Fortunately, there’s a lot that can be done to prevent birds from striking windows.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Link Between Whales, Seabirds, and a Tiny Fish

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 14 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In shallow waters off the coast of Massachusetts, ocean predators come from far and wide to hunt. Humpback whales join Great Shearwaters and many other seabirds in pursuing sand lance, a tiny fish that these top predators rely on for sustenance. But sand lance are vulnerable to climate change — putting the rest of the ecosystem, including seabirds, at risk.

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Long-eared Owls Fly at Night

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 13 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Nocturnal Long-eared Owls tuck up in dense stands of trees across North America and temperate Europe and Asia. They may form communal roosts up to a hundred in number in the winter. After dark, their low-pitched hoots carry for half a mile, as they cruise low over fields, listening intently for their rodent prey. In order to help boost dwindling numbers, wildlife advocates suggest preserving open, fallow fields.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Fancy Fruit-doves in the South Pacific

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 12 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Fruit-doves are forest-dwelling doves of the South Pacific found on island groups like the Philippines and New Guinea. There are 54 species of fruit-doves, most about the size of a Mourning Dove or smaller, and they do indeed eat fruit. The combinations of bold colors in fruit-doves are unmatched by any other group of birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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On World Migratory Bird Day, Think of Insects

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 11 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Today is World Migratory Bird Day, which recognizes the incredible journeys birds make, the challenges they face, and how we can help them on their way. This year, the focus is on a part of bird migration that is often overlooked: insects. Tiny insects provide food for birds’ big journey north and sustain birds on the breeding grounds. Many insect populations have greatly declined, but people can help by reducing pesticide use, buying organically-grown products, and gardening with native plants beloved by insects and birds alike.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Helping BirdNote Continue Its Journey

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 10 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Keeping Our Eyes on the Details

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 9 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Every BirdNote episode starts with a solid grounding in research. When we play a bird sound for you, first we make sure you're hearing the right species. But not just that — we bear in mind the distinction between songs and calls, and we make sure the recording comes from an appropriate location. By making a donation of any amount to BirdNote, you’re helping advance the public's understanding of science and conservation for some of Earth’s most marvelous creatures.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Where Do Our Stories Come From?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 8 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

BirdNote shows begin in many ways: a great listener question, witnessing a cool bird behavior, or a new scientific discovery. But there’s one common theme: curiosity. BirdNote begins with enthusiasm to learn more. In this episode, BirdNote’s managing producer Conor Gearin shares how one show idea came from seeing a Great Blue Heron far from water. By donating to BirdNote, you’re supporting the storytelling and bird facts you depend on, bringing more of the sound-rich stories you love.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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BirdNote Helps You Get to Know Your Neighborhood

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 7 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

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Sharing BirdNote with the Next Generation

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 6 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When a new generation of birds hatches, they copy the songs they hear from nearby adults. A young bird’s first attempts aren’t perfect. But like any young musician, they improve with practice. Here at BirdNote, we’ve heard from many listeners who say they enjoy listening to the show with children or grandchildren. Educators use our shows in classrooms as a teaching tool. Help support BirdNote’s mission to inspire the next generation of bird-lovers by making a donation now.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Swallow-tailed Kite

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 5 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A bird of prey in the American Southeast takes grace to an utterly new level. It's the Swallow-tailed Kite. A sleek raptor with a deeply forked tail, the Swallow-tailed Kite almost never flaps its wings. The bird makes sudden tight turns, upside-down moves, and quick backward dives, all by pivoting and moving its tail. Kites snatch insects out of the air and take lizards and snakes off leaves with their talons. Then they transfer prey from their talons to their hooked beaks, all while on the wing.

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Gulls or 'Seagulls'?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 4 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Gulls seem so much a part of the sea that we often just call them "seagulls," a colloquial title for these graceful, ubiquitous creatures. Twenty-two species breed in North America. The Pacific coast is home to the aptly named Western Gulls. The familiar Ring-billed Gull nests all across the northern states and Canadian provinces. Herring Gulls breed along the Great Lakes and Northeast waterways, while these Laughing Gulls nest all along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

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Do Parrots Name Their Chicks?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 3 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Parrots are among the smartest of birds. But are they clever enough to know each other by name? Research conducted by ornithologist Karl Berg suggests the answer might be yes. Berg’s studies of Green-rumped Parrotlets — such as the one pictured here — indicate that every parrot in a family flock has a distinct vocal signature learned from its parents. When others in the flock hear it, they know precisely who’s calling.

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Spring Birds Arrive in the Eastern Forest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 2 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

May in an Eastern hardwood forest, and the chorus of spring birdsong is nearing its peak. The Carolina Wren, a year-round resident, has been singing since the end of winter. The resounding notes of this Ovenbird let us know it has returned safely from Belize, after a long flight across the Gulf of Mexico. A Chestnut-sided Warbler joins in, having returned from winter in Costa Rica, to the same patch of woods in which it nested last year. By late May, the last of the migrants has arrived from the tropics.

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Craig Santos Perez and the Last Safe Habitat

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 1 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Poet Craig Santos Perez grew up on the island of Guam, and later moved to Hawai‘i where his children were born. Both are places that once flourished with unique and diverse bird life, but because of invasive species and climate change, have seen so much loss and extinction. In this episode, he shares poetry that explores his relationship with lost and endangered wildlife and that reflects on the future his daughter will inherit.

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BirdNoir: The Wild Tom Turkey

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode of BirdNoir, the private eye gets a call from H. Jon Benjamin about unusual Wild Turkey behavior. A male turkey (known as a “tom”) won’t leave his car alone. He keeps tapping his beak on the car. Then the turkey starts circling the house and looking in all the windows. The private eye reveals how things look from the turkey’s perspective, which points the way to a possible solution.

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Birding 101: Finding Birds Any Time of Day

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Morning is a great time for birding – that’s the peak of singing and foraging activity for many species. But it’s not the only time to experience birds. Some species, such as American Robins, sing for much of the day. Daytime predators such as hawks and cormorants are active in the middle of the day. Some birds such as Common Nighthawks sweep the sky for insects at dusks. And owls come awake at night.

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Beak Meets Seed

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Birds like finches, chickadees and Northern Cardinals love sunflower seeds, but each species uses a different strategy to extract the meat. When a finch plucks a sunflower seed from the feeder, it uses its tongue to maneuver the seed lengthwise into a groove on its beak. As it closes its beak, a slight back and forth action slices open the hull, and a small sideways movement husks the seed, while the tongue may help extract the kernel. But chickadees lack the heavy duty, seed-slicing beak of a finch. Instead, they hammer and chip the hull open with the tip of the bill to extract the goods.

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Unlikely Places to Go Birding

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Birding is often best in the least likely places. At sewage treatment plants, watch for ducks and gulls - and raptors keeping watch over them all. Another place might be your local landfill or dump. The Brownsville, Texas dump was, for years, the only place in the US you could find this Tamaulipas Crow. For a more sedate birding adventure, visit a cemetery. Especially in rural areas and in the Midwest, cemeteries are often repositories of native plants, and thus magnets for migratory birds, which find food – and cover – in those green oases.

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Claire Wahmanholm: You Can Always Hear the Highway

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Poet Claire Wahmanholm's work focuses on nature and the environment. As she was walking around a nature preserve north of Chicago, Claire was listening for birds but realized there was something else she was hearing: the ever-present hum of a nearby highway. “When you're trying deliberately to hear something else you really notice it,” she says. That experience inspired a poem, “You Can Always Hear the Highway.”

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Cactus Wren Nest Orientation

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Cactus Wrens, which may nest several times between March and September, carefully orient their nests in tune with the season. These bulky twig structures have a side entrance that curves toward the inner chamber. When building a nest for the hot months, the wren faces the opening to receive the afternoon breeze. By contrast, a Cactus Wren building a nest in early March orients the entrance away from the cold winds of that season, keeping the chicks snug and warm.

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Green-winged Teal by the Millions

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Green-winged Teal are North America's smallest dabbling duck, at just over a foot long and weighing less than a pound. The male has a cinnamon brown head with a band of green behind the eye. Both males and females have a green bar on the wing that gleams like an emerald when the sun strikes it. During courtship, up to 25 males may court a single female at once.

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Great Tinamou, Eerie Voice in the Jungle

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The eerie sound of the Great Tinamou can be heard in the lowland jungle throughout much of Central and South America. Secretive — and almost impossible to see — Great Tinamous call early and late in the day. And their voices carry a long distance.

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Hawai‘i as a Model for Conservation

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

With invasive species and climate change, Hawai‘i has experienced so much loss and extinction since Western colonists arrived. But Sam ‘Ohu Gon, the Senior Scientist and Cultural Advisor for the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i, believes Hawaiian culture and tradition are key to advancing conservation ecology and has done a lot of work connecting these two worlds. He hopes that one day, Hawai‘i can be not just a microcosm of ecology, but of conservation as well.

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How Cliff Swallows Build a Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When Cliff Swallows arrive on the breeding grounds in North America, the dirty work begins. The swallows scoop up mud in their beaks and carefully build a gourd-shaped nest with a tapered opening. They add a lining of dry grass to keep eggs warm. It takes days of work and a thousand mouthfuls of mud to finish a single nest—and it’s just one part of a large colony.

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Creating Bird Habitat at Home

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 20 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

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The Secret to Singing Like a Cardinal

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Northern Cardinals have vocal abilities that surpass even the most accomplished human singers. When cardinals sing, they sweep their voices from the high to low end of their ranges many times in just seconds. The secret is in the clever way cardinals use their two-sided vocal organ, called the syrinx. By dividing their vocal range between the two sides, cardinals can sing complex songs rapidly.

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Recognizing a Stranded Loon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Loons are built for life in the water – so much so that their legs don’t work well on land. During migration, loons sometimes mistake wet pavement for the reflective surface of deep water and try to land there, then become unable to take flight again. If you see a stranded loon on a road or parking lot, calling a wildlife rehabilitator can help start the process of returning that bird to safety and back on their migratory journey.

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Aplomado Falcon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Aplomado Falcons were once widespread residents of the American Southwest, but by the 1950s, they'd disappeared entirely from the region. Loss of habitat, loss of prey, and pesticides all played a role. But in the 1980s, a group called The Peregrine Fund began breeding captive Aplomado Falcons. Over the next 25 years, 1,500 fledglings were set free in South Texas. At the same time, conservation pacts with private landowners provided more than two million acres of habitat. Learn more in Related Resources below.

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Lee Ann Roripaugh: String of Beads

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When writer Lee Ann Roripaugh visited the annual staging grounds of Sandhill Cranes in Nebraska, she was in awe of the birds. During their spring migration, hundreds of thousands of cranes roost on sandbars in the Platte River. The sound and sight of these birds is breathtaking; Lee Ann captures it beautifully in her poem “:: #sandhillcranes #string of beads ::.”

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Why a Gorget Glitters

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A hummingbird's brilliant throat feathers are called a "gorget," a term applied in past centuries to the metallic swatch protecting the throat of a knight-in-armor. Light waves reflect and refract off the throat feathers, creating color in the manner of sun glinting off a film of oil on water. The gorget of this Rufous Hummingbird is stunning!

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How Birds Survived the Asteroid

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The asteroid that struck the Yucatán 66 million years ago wreaked worldwide ecological damage, spelling the end for most dinosaurs and destroying the world’s forests. Yet a few bird-like dinosaur groups made it through. Scientists believe that these groups were all ground-dwellers. Though some species could fly, a life on the ground would have been a key advantage in a world without forests. All modern birds evolved from these ancient creatures.

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White-tailed Hawks on the Texas Coastal Plain

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The White-tailed Hawk thrives in the grassy plains of the Texas Coastal Plain, where many tropical species reach the northern limit of their ranges. White-tailed Hawks often hunt by kiting: hovering like a kite in the breeze with the wings held in a “V” above the body, dropping suddenly on their prey. When a grass fire breaks out, they hunt small animals fleeing from the fire’s edge.

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Spark Bird: John Kessler and the Music of Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

John Kessler served as BirdNote’s senior producer for over 18 years. But before BirdNote existed, he was recording the sounds of Seattle for public radio station KPLU, now called KNKX. After capturing many of Seattle’s well-known spots on tape, he broadened his scope by connecting with local birders to find the best places to hear birds around town. Shortly after, BirdNote's founder, Chris Petersen, sought out John's musical ear to help create a sound-rich show highlighting the joy of birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Burrowing Belted Kingfisher

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Belted Kingfisher dashes through the air, warning intruders with its rapid-fire, rattling call. In spring, the best places to see Belted Kingfishers are along sandy banks – they are busy digging burrows, where they will nest. The holes typically reach three to six feet into the bank, but some nesting holes can extend 15 feet.

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Aviary: Bird Echolocation to the Rescue

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode featuring Aviary — the shapeshifting bird superhero — the surprising abilities of birds come in handy when a student gets lost exploring a cave with his class. Aviary remembers an amazing bird called the Himalayan Swiftlet that’s able to echolocate like a bat, and enlists this species’ superpower to save the day.

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Birds Dress for Spring

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 9 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

It's spring! And for many birds, a time to look their best to attract a new mate. This American Goldfinch has recently molted. Its old, worn-down feathers have fallen out, and new ones have grown in. When goldfinches molt in the fall, they lose these brightly colored feathers. Their winter camouflage helps them blend in with the drab background of the season.

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Lyrebirds Shift the Earth

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 8 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Beavers are well known as ecosystem engineers in North America. In Australia, lyrebirds play a big role in shaping their environment when they use their toes to dig in the ground for food. A single lyrebird can shift 11 dump truck loads of soil and leaves — each year! That’s thought to be more than any other digging animal. Lyrebirds are best known for their spot-on imitations of other birds’ songs and calls.

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House Wren – Little Brown Dynamo

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 7 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

House Wrens dart from perch to perch and sing almost nonstop. They’re one of the most thoroughly studied songbird species. House Wrens nest in cavities, including backyard nest boxes. Most migrate south in late summer. The male House Wren sometimes builds multiple nests, allowing his mate to choose her favorite and put her finishing touches on it.

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Mockingbirds Mimic Frogs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 6 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The avian world is full of mimicry artists, but Northern Mockingbirds take it to a new level. Not only can they imitate other birds, they can mimic frogs and toads! Their performances are so convincing it’s hard to tell frog from bird. It’s still unknown how this benefits mockingbirds, but scientists think that the females might find it attractive.

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High Island, Texas

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 5 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Each spring, millions of songbirds migrate north from the tropics to nest in North America. It takes 15 hours on average to cross the roughly 500 miles of the Gulf of Mexico. If wind or rain slows the crossing, the birds are worn out and famished when they reach land. What will they find on gaining the coast? Along the upper Gulf Coast of Texas, many arriving birds — including Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, like this one — find respite on High Island, Texas.

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Poetry Month: Susan Nguyen

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 4 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

For National Poetry Month, we’re sharing contemporary writers’ work about birds. Poet Susan Nguyen got a hummingbird feeder from her neighbor in 2020 during the COVID pandemic. She began taking an interest in the hummingbirds that visited, giving them names and learning the surprising way they use their tongues to drink nectar. The way birds defy expectations has helped inspire several of Susan’s poems.

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A Hawk That Hunts in Packs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 3 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Most raptors are solitary birds, but Harris’s Hawks of the southwestern U.S. live and hunt in groups of two to six. After spotting a prey animal, the hawks swoop in from various directions to catch the confused creature. If they miss and their prey takes cover, some of the birds try to flush it out while others lie in ambush. Their teamwork may help them safely pursue bigger animals or capture well-hidden prey.

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Two Wings and a Tail

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 2 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Wilson's Snipe lives in marshes and muddy areas, where it probes for worms and other squirmy delights. But when spring comes, it takes to the air. The male Wilson's Snipe circles high above in a series of roller-coaster arcs, each descent marked by a loud and distinctive sound. This winnowing sound comes from its wings and a couple of tail feathers! Take a field trip with your local Audubon and you may find a snipe.

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An April Fool's Birdsong Quiz

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 1 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this April Fool’s Day quiz from BirdNote, we play the sounds of three birds — only one of which is real. See if you can tell which one, and let us know here!

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Flying with Birds and Bats

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Bats and birds have evolved very different ways of flying. Birds have stiff feathers projecting from lightweight, fused arm and hand bones; bats have flexible wings of membranes stretched between elongated fingers. While birds use the strong downstroke of their wings to fly, bats support their weight on the upstroke, too, by twisting their wings backward. Bats tend to be more agile in flight, while many birds can fly with greater speed.

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The Warbler That Loves Pines

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Pine Warbler is one of the few warblers that make appearances at bird feeders. They live year round in pine forests of the southeast U.S. and several Caribbean islands. Early spring is a good time to see them migrating through cities in the Midwest and the East Coast. If there’s a pine or two nearby, look for them picking through pine needles for food. Their song, heard throughout the year, is a sweet-sounding trill.

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Listen for Tapping

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Woodpeckers are our most familiar bird carpenters, but other birds also chip out nests in trees and wood structures. Nuthatches — like this Red-breasted Nuthatch — are exceptional wood carvers, with their chisel-like bills. Chickadees will peck into less dense wood, carrying out wood chips by the beak full! Listen for bird carpenters this spring — and watch for wood chips.

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Using Sound to Bring Rails Back into Wetlands

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Rails are secretive marsh birds, and they’re on the decline. But a researcher playing their recorded calls over a loudspeaker could help bring them back – by tricking them.

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BirdNoir: A Dark and Stormy Night

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode of BirdNoir, Private Eye Michael Stein gets a call from his friend Billy, a mail carrier. Billy says he hasn’t seen a single bird on his route since the storm came into town, even though at this time of year the streets are usually chock full of birds. He asks, what happens to birds when it rains?

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Birds on the March with Army Ants

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

As thousands of army ants march through a rainforest in Panama looking for food, countless insects try to escape. Antbirds follow the ants, waiting for flying insects to leave their hiding spots so they can swoop down and catch them. About 300 species of animals, including 29 bird species, depend on army ants for their survival. It’s thought to be the largest association of animals tied to a single species in the world.

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In the Dark with Boreal Owls

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Boreal Owls are highly adapted to hunt in long hours of winter darkness. Uniquely, one ear opening in the skull is set high and the other much lower, an asymmetry that helps to pinpoint the sound of tiny rodents under the snow. They also have a pronounced disk of feathers encircling their faces that funnels sound to the ears. The staccato notes of the male’s song can carry for more than a mile on spring nights.

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Do Penguins Blush?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Humboldt Penguins living along the Pacific Coast of Chile and Peru are adapted to cold. But on land, temperatures rise to 100+ degrees, and penguins need to cool off. So these penguins have pink patches of bare skin on their face, under their wings, and on their feet. On hot days, the patches turn a deep, rosy color, as blood rushes to the surface to dissipate heat. They appear to be blushing, but they’re really flushing!

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Songs and Calls – They're Not the Same

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

To our ear, the haunting song of this Hermit Thrush is musical, even ethereal. To another Hermit Thrush, the song signals that a male is laying claim to a territory and seeking a mate. These thrushes, like other songbirds, broadcast a variety of calls. Call notes can signal many things – alarm at a predator or aggression toward a rival. Or they may simply maintain contact between members of a pair or flock. So the next time you hear a bird sing or call, listen carefully. You may be introduced to a whole new vocabulary.

What birds are singing and calling around your home? Let us know on Facebook.

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Keeping Wood Storks on the Road to Recovery

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

With their bare heads, long legs and massive bills, Wood Storks seem to have flown out of a fairytale — but in the American South they’re a real-life part of the ecosystem. Developers drained large areas of wetlands, causing the Florida Everglades population to decline to just 5,000 breeding pairs in the 1970s, placing them on the endangered species list. Habitat protection and restoration efforts have helped Wood Storks begin recovering, although they still struggle to find suitable breeding habitat in south Florida.

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Everybody Knows a Mallard

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Mallards are found virtually everywhere there is open water, from city parks and subalpine lakes to sheltered bays and estuaries along the coasts. In their breeding plumage, male Mallards are avian dandies. The male's primary goal is to attract a mate and defend the breeding territory. The female's is to blend in with the natural surroundings, while incubating the eggs and caring for the young. And the female Mallard is the only one that can quack!

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Janet Ng on Becoming a Wildlife Biologist

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When Janet Ng was a kid, there was a very specific moment when she realized what she wanted to be as a grown-up: seeing a wildlife biologist being interviewed in a documentary and realizing that was a possible career path. Now working for the Canadian Wildlife Service and surveying birds in Canada’s southern plains, Janet and her colleagues help find out whether bird populations are increasing or declining, so that we know which species need the most help.

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Geese Aloft: Flock Voices of March

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Geese migrate north between February and April, making stopovers along the way to rest and eat. Most are bound for their breeding grounds in the far north. But we’ll hear them again soon, on their way back south in October. Click play and learn how to tell some North American species apart by sound!

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Flying Dinosaurs: Leaping and Gliding

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

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Bird Seed

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

When buying seed for your feeders, it’s tempting to get the biggest, cheapest bag. But not all bird seed is the same. Figure out the nutritional value of the seeds and whether your local birds can actually eat them. Black-oil sunflower seeds provide good protein and fat. Other good seeds include white millet and nyjer thistle. Avoid red milo, a livestock grain. And clean your feeding station regularly to prevent the spread of disease.

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Tune Up Your Ears – East

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

By March in the East, cardinals and other songbirds that don't migrate are already singing heartily to attract mates. Many other birds – including Yellow Warblers – will return north from the tropics in April and May, announcing themselves in song as soon as they arrive in nesting areas. Now is the perfect time to tune up your ears.

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Jacana, aka Lily-trotter

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The strange wading birds known as jacanas are nick-named "lily-trotters" for their ability to walk on lily pads. In Jamaica, they're known as "Jesus birds," because they appear to be walking on water — a feat made possible by their long toes. But that's not the only cool thing about jacanas. The males, including the Comb-crested Jacana pictured here, can carry their young under their wings. Picture this colorful wading bird, crouching down and spreading his wings. The young scoot in under him, and he sweeps them up and carries them off, tiny legs dangling from under his wings.

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Create Bird Habitat at Home with Native Plants

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

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Reddish Egret - Lagoon Dancer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Reddish Egret, a particularly glamorous heron, is best known for its startling antics in capturing fish. When fishing, the egret sprints across the lagoon, weaving left and right, simultaneously flicking its broad wings in and out, while stabbing into the water with its bill. Fish startled at the egret’s crazed movements become targets of that pink dagger. At times, the bird will raise its wings forward over its head, creating a shadow on the water. It then freezes in this position for minutes. Fish swim in, attracted by a patch of shade and . . . well, you know the rest.

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Birding 101: Learning How to Strike Out

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

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Rainwater Basin

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

For 20,000 years, spring rains and melting snow have filled the playas of the Rainwater Basin of south-central Nebraska. As winter ends, 10 million waterfowl rest and feed there before continuing north. The seasonal wetlands form a funnel for birds heading from the Gulf Coast and points south to northern breeding grounds. In recent years, the number of Snow Geese stopping there in spring has risen dramatically to more than three million birds. A third of North America's Northern Pintails rely on the food-rich habitat there. Twenty-seven species of shorebirds use the wetlands, as well as half a million Sandhill Cranes.

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Sandgrouse: Desert Water-carriers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Sandgrouse live in some of the most parched environments on earth. To satisfy the thirst of their chicks, male sandgrouse carry water back to the nest in a surprising but effective way: by carrying it in their feathers. Thanks to coiled hairlike extensions on the feathers of the underparts, a sandgrouse such as this Burchell's Sandgrouse can soak up and transport about two tablespoons of liquid. The sandgrouse chicks use their bills like tiny squeegees, “milking” their father’s belly feathers for the water they need.

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The Nasally Fish Crow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 9 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The harsh caws of American Crows are one of the most familiar bird calls in North America. Fish Crows sometimes join flocks of American Crows as they forage for food. The two crow species look similar, but have a distinct call that sounds a bit like an American Crow with a stuffy nose. The Fish Crow is found in much of the eastern U.S. and is spreading to new areas north and west to breed.

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Introducing Aviary, the Shapeshifting Bird Superhero

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 8 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we meet Aviary: the superhero alter-ego of a mild-mannered birder bitten by a radioactive feather mite. Aviary became able to shapeshift into any of the birds they've seen in their travels — taking on the ultra-fast flight of a falcon or the super-swimming skills of a penguin. Aviary soon realized they’d have to use their powers for good when something seemed off with the local owls one night.

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Tree Swallows Spend the Winter

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 7 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Most swallow species that nest in North America eat almost nothing except flying insects. When the bugs die off in the fall, the swallows head south to winter in the tropical zones of Central and South America and the Caribbean. However, Tree Swallows can also eat small fruits. If Tree Swallows arrive in the north before the insects are out, they’ll supplement their diets with fruit, giving them a competitive advantage for limited nesting sites.

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Using Birdsong to Check a River’s Health

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 6 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

John Zaktansky leads the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, which is using recording devices to identify birds by sound on different parts of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. John’s hope is that the birds ID’d by these recorders can help create a health report for the river as an early warning system for toxic pollutants, contaminants and other threats.

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Great Horned Owls Nest II

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 5 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

When Great Horned Owl eggs hatch, the downy owlets are the size of newborn chickens. Their mother broods them day and night. A few weeks later, the owlets can be left alone while both adults resume hunting at twilight. Great Horned Owl young remain in the nest for about six weeks, then climb out onto nearby branches. They begin taking short flights at seven weeks, and can fly well at 9-10 weeks.

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Giving Chimney Swifts a Place to Live

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 4 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Before chimneys existed, Chimney Swifts relied on old hollow trees for nesting and roosting. They can’t perch, they can only cling to a rough vertical surface. As developers cleared old growth forests, Chimney Swifts began using human-built structures. But building styles have changed, making traditional brick chimneys rarer. Pesticides have reduced the populations of swifts’ insect prey. People can help swifts by leaving brick or stone chimneys open from April to October and avoiding pesticides.

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Birdbaths in Winter

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 3 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Does the image of a frozen birdbath bring to mind a small yellow bird with ice skates? Birds need water in all seasons, for drinking and for bathing. When the water is frozen, you can thaw it with hot water. Or go the slightly more expensive route and add a heater.

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Turkey Vultures on the Move

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 2 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Before we see or feel spring, we often hear it first — in the testimony of a Red-winged Blackbird, the energy of a Song Sparrow, or the serenade of an American Robin. But across much of North America, an earlier sign of spring is the return of Turkey Vultures. In the U.S., you may see them as early as February or March. Unlike most of our returning birds, which migrate at night, Turkey Vultures migrate like hawks — in the daytime. They rise on warm spring updrafts, with a distinctive teeter from side to side. And then they glide — northbound.

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An App That Helps You Hear High-Pitched Bird Songs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 1 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

For years, nature recordist Lang Elliott came up with clever ways to hear high-pitched bird songs despite his high-frequency hearing loss. Lang teamed up with a programmer to develop an app called Hear Birds Again. Currently it’s only available for iPhones, but it’s able to take high-pitch bird songs and shift them down into a lower range.

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Leaping with Sandhill Cranes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

With a graceful leap, wings outstretched, Sandhill Cranes welcome the longer days. The stately cranes are courting, renewing an annual dance they perform in earnest as the days lengthen into spring. Sandhill Crane pairs remain together for life, and their spirited dance plays an essential role in reaffirming this bond.

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How Noise Pollution Affects Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Dr. Clinton Francis is a sensory ecologist who studies how noise pollution affects birds, like this Black-headed Grosbeak. He says sounds from machines and vehicles can really disrupt bird behavior. Although birds rely on hearing to sense predators and prey, and to find mates, their sense of hearing isn’t very good, making them very sensitive to noise pollution from machines and vehicles. Fortunately, there are many ways to help birds by reducing noise pollution.

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Observe First, Photograph Second

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

When Day Scott teaches people how to take pictures of birds, she emphasizes observing birds carefully before picking up the camera. Sometimes that means choosing whether or not to even attempt a photo. In this episode, Day shares a story about choosing whether or not to try and photograph a rare Painted Bunting in her area or to see the bird in high-definition through her binoculars.

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Birds, Berries and Germination

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Some plants have evolved fruits with edible flesh that attract birds. When birds swallow the fruit, they also ingest the seeds. They transport the seeds to new spots for the plants to take root. Birds’ digestive systems grind away the hard outer coating of the seed, making it more likely to germinate. Seeds in a bird’s droppings are pre-packaged in nutrient-rich fertilizer.

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Hovering Is Hard Work

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Hummingbirds are built for hovering flight, with flexible wrists that rotate their wings in a rapid figure-eight motion that generates almost constant lift. Eurasian Skylarks, on the other hand, hovers by fluttering its wings 10-12 times per second, singing all the while. Some raptors such as American Kestrels use a different strategy: by flying into the wind, they can float in place while they scan for prey.

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Biomimicry - Japanese Trains Mimic Kingfisher

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In the 1990s, train engineers in Japan built trains able to travel nearly 170 miles per hour. The problem was that when the trains exited a tunnel, the air in front of their bullet-shaped noses expanded rapidly, creating a loud “tunnel boom.” The chief engineer, a birder, looked to the shape of a kingfisher’s bill to design long, narrow train noses that parted the air. The trains became both quieter and more efficient.

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Dining with Sanderlings

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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Creating Abstract Paintings of Migratory Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Artist Debra Ramsay became fascinated with the way that birds and their colors mark changes in the seasons. In her “Migrations” project, she painted species seen in New York’s Central Park, creating an abstract design from the three main colors of each bird. Debra layered colors into thick plexiglass panels, so the paintings appear to change when seen from different angles.

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Tennessee Warbler, Nectar Thief

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Tennessee Warblers love drinking nectar, but they do it without helping to pollinate flowers. By tapping a hole into the base of a flower, these warblers enjoy an easy meal while bypassing the flower’s pollen. But they give back to their ecosystems in other ways – such as eating countless insects!

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Lesser Yellowlegs, Loud and Proud

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

When the shorebirds called Lesser Yellowlegs sense a threat to their nest, they’ll put up an unforgettable racket to drive the danger away. Smaller and with a shorter bill than the Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs sing to attract mates, while flying or perching up in a tree like a songbird. Although they’re widespread, Lesser Yellowlegs have lost over half their numbers in the last 50 years. Protecting wetlands, addressing climate change, and using sustainable farming practices can all help make sure that this species stays common, loud and proud throughout the Americas.

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Nictitating Membranes - Nature's Goggles

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

For most birds, keen eyesight is critical for survival. But many birds lead lives that can be very hard on the eyes — like flying at breakneck speed, racing for cover into a dense thicket, or diving under water to capture prey. Imagine how the chips fly as this Pileated Woodpecker chisels a cavity. Fortunately, birds have evolved a structure for protecting their eyes. Beneath the outer eyelids lies an extra eyelid, called the nictitating membrane. It helps keep the eye moist and clean while guarding it from wind, dust, and hazards.

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Finding Food When it Snows

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Fresh-fallen snow is beautiful, but it poses a challenge to birds. The ground where they found food is now covered by several inches of snow. Birds such as juncos and other sparrows flit under bushes where snow doesn’t cover the ground. Finches and chickadees pick at the seed heads of plants sticking out above the snow, while robins (like this American Robin) seek out dried fruits. Nuthatches and woodpeckers cling to trees as they search for insects within the bark.

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Costa Rica Winter Sunrise

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

On a winter morning in Costa Rica, a colorful choir welcomes the day. A pair of Bay Wrens sings a brisk duet just before sunrise. Perched in the upper canopy of the tropical lowland forest, a group of Keel-billed Toucans calls out. In a nearby tree, Purple-throated Fruitcrows (like this one) add their voices to the chorus. Then a male Montezuma Oropendola belts out an electrifying series of notes — one of the most distinctive voices in the tropics. Finally, a Bright-rumped Attila calls from its perch.

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Cockatoos and People Trying to Outwit Each Other

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In several neighborhoods of Sydney, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have learned ways to open trash bins and grab some leftover food. Researchers found that birds in a given suburb seem to learn their trash bin opening technique from nearby birds, leading to subtle differences in how cockatoos raid the garbage throughout the city. This has pitted two highly intelligent species against each other as people have tried to come up with deterrence methods to keep birds away from the trash.

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Memory of the ‘Ō‘ū

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Sam ‘Ohu Gon was one of the last people to see an ‘Ō‘ū, a native Hawaiian bird that’s presumed to be extinct. He’s worked at the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i for nearly forty years. In 1988, he took part in an Audubon Christmas Bird Count, hoping to encounter critically endangered native birds.

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Tokens of Affection

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Birds have many ways of showing affection for their partners. One way is allopreening, where a bird uses its bill to groom a mate, twirling each individual feather in its beak (like these Macaws). Other birds present their partners with gifts like moss or sticks. A female Arabian Babbler might reciprocate with a gift of her own — or just cut to the chase and lead her suitor to a rendezvous spot in the shrubbery.

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Rainbow-Billed Toucan: The Flying Banana

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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Telling Apart Two Cheery Bird Songs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The American Robin and the Baltimore Oriole both have cheery, upbeat songs. At first, you might think there’s no way to tell these two cheery, upbeat singers apart. But there are a couple of differences. American Robins usually have a longer song, while Baltimore Orioles usually stop after a phrase or two. Plus, Baltimore Orioles sound sweeter and more melodic than American Robins, who can come across a little screechy at times.

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On a Cold, Cold Night

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

When the bitter cold of winter arrives, songbirds face an emergency: how to keep warm through the night. On normal nights, many prefer sleeping solo in a sheltered spot. But in severe cold, some kinds of birds may have a greater prospect of survival by roosting with others.

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Trumpeter Swans Rebound in Arkansas

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Trumpeter Swans weigh over 25 pounds and measure about five feet from beak to tail. They were nearly hunted to extinction by the turn of the twentieth century. In Arkansas, a small flock of Trumpeter Swans began spending the winter at Magness Lake in the 1990s. It has now grown to one of the biggest winter swan flocks in the Southeast. In recognition of its value to the swans, Magness Lake has been designated an Important Bird Area.

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Sandhill Cranes Are Expanding Their Range

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 9 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In some parts of North America, Sandhill Cranes are common as ants at a picnic. In New England, on the other hand, they’ve been almost as rare as pterodactyls — until relatively recently! Birders began reporting cranes scattered throughout the region. When a Sandhill Crane chick hatched in Maine in 2000, it was evident the New England birds were not just strays. Cranes now breed in several parts of New England, especially Massachusetts.

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Migrations: Pine Siskin Irruption

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 8 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Do you ever see flocks of birds in your yard that show up in droves one year, but are completely absent the next? Some nomadic species such as Pine Siskins move based on the availability of food and habitat. It’s called “irruptive” migration, and it sometimes leads to backyards full of siskins. While these flocks are a delight for bird watchers, the dense groups can easily transmit diseases such as salmonellosis.

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Making Roads Safer for Wildlife and People

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 7 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Roads can get people where they need to go. But they often run right through wildlife habitat, creating a deadly hazard for animals on the move. Liz Hilllard, who’s the Senior Wildlife Biologist for Wildlands Network, says roadkill takes a huge toll on birds and other animals every year. Wildlands Network helps transportation agencies create wildlife-friendly designs and build animal-centric bridges and tunnels for their safe crossing. The goal is to create a connected landscape that Liz and her colleagues call a wildway.

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Song of the Mountains: The Brown-backed Solitaire

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 6 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Brown-backed Solitaires are ordinary-looking: medium-sized, gray-brown birds. But they have one of the most melodic, complex songs in the world, ringing out year-round in high-altitude forests from Mexico to Central America.

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Bird Tracks in the Snow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 5 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Look for the stories birds tell with their tracks in the snow. A crow swaggers, leaving right-and-left steps much as a walking human would. Juncos under a birdfeeder leave a hopping pattern of tiny footprints in side-by-side pairs. Look for beak marks, where a bird picked up a choice morsel or probed the ground. Tell-tale signs sometimes tell stories of life and death. You might see mouse tracks end suddenly, just where you find the imprint of an owl's wings. Find out more about animal tracking at the Wilderness Awareness School. And learn more in Bird Tracks and Sign: A Guide to North American Species, a book by Mark Elbroch.

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BirdNoir – Dial E for Eagle

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 4 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this BirdNoir mystery, the private eye fields a call from a woman who says a large bird that looks like a Bald Eagle stole a Rainbow Trout from her pond. Through a process of elimination, the detective is able to rule out a few likely suspects and arrive at the probable answer. When you think you’ve spotted an eagle, remember to examine all the evidence.

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Here Come the Barred Owls

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 3 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The emphatic hoots of a pair of Barred Owls resonate in the still of a winter's night. Like many owls, Barred Owls initiate their vocal courtship in winter. And they're among the most vocal. These owls have more than a dozen calls, ranging from a "siren call" to a "wail" to a wonderfully entertaining "monkey call." Barred Owls are among the largest owls in North America.

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Wandering Tattlers Traverse the Pacific

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 2 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The Wandering Tattler is one of the few birds equally at home along the coast and high in the mountains. They’re found far and wide along Pacific shores, living up to their “wandering” name and gaining names in many local languages throughout the ocean basin. Their nesting habitats in the mountains of Alaska, western Canada and eastern Russia were a mystery for many years. Despite their wide range, there could be as few as 18,000 Wandering Tattlers left in the world.

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Bluebirds Close to Home

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 1 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Bluebirds can bring flashes of azure color and mellow songs to where you live. The best way to bring them close to home is with nest boxes. You’ll need an untreated wood box with a one-and-a-half inch hole five feet above the ground. Finding the right place for the nest box is important, too. Shrubs that bear small fruits can entice bluebirds. Find instructions for building an effective bluebird nest box below.

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Baby Birds' Bizarre Beaks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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The Wonderchicken!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In 2018, paleontologist Daniel Field took a closer look at specimens from an amateur fossil collector. His team used micro-CT scanning, kind of like a high-energy CAT scan, to visualize the encased fossils. They were amazed to find a tiny bird skull: the earliest known fossil record of a modern bird. The skull looks chicken-like in the front and duck-like in the back. The bird may have looked and behaved like a modern shorebird.

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Birding 101: Bird Vocab Basics

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Any hobby or special interest has its own jargon. You’ll pick up on the silly slang that birders use as you go – like calling the Yellow-rumped Warbler “butterbutt.” Still, learning a few basics of bird vocab is useful when you’re starting out. It’ll help you ask better questions when you’re confused. Check out the opening pages of a bird field for general info about what to call the different parts of a bird, basics on bird behavior, and birding tips.

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The Ferocious Feet of the Great Horned Owl

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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Razorbills Swim in Synchrony

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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The Red-bellied Woodpecker and Its Curious Name

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are bold, conspicuous, and vocal, thriving in rural and urban areas east of the Mississippi. Like most woodpeckers, Red-bellieds eat lots of insects. But they also like nuts, berries, and seeds. They can be attracted to back yards with suet cakes, berry bushes, or even a cut orange tacked to a tree trunk. But the Red-bellied Woodpecker retains one element of mystery: its name. The last thing you would likely notice is the blush of rose on its lower belly.

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Songbirds: The Large and Small of It

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The group of birds called “songbirds” — the perching birds — is incredibly broad. Half the world’s 10,000 birds are in the songbird group, and their range of body sizes is mind-boggling. One of the smallest songbirds in North America is the Golden-crowned Kinglet, barely larger than a hummingbird. The largest is the Common Raven, which is almost two feet long and weighs around three pounds.

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Blackbirds' Strange Music

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Blackbird songs have a strange music. The Red-winged Blackbird can be heard in nearly every marsh on the continent — bold, brassy, and piercing. The songs may not seem musical, but they definitely get your attention. Brewer’s Blackbirds, which live in open habitats like farms and grasslands, make a wet, slap-in-the-face sound. The combined voices of Tricolored Blackbirds — like this one in a California marsh — sound like a snarling catfight. Another Western bird, the Yellow-headed Blackbird, makes raucous growls, wails, and whistles.

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Ducks That Whistle

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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Bohemian Waxwings – Exquisite Winter Visitors

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

It's winter, and apples litter the ground. A few still hang, frozen and thawed again and again. Suddenly a flock of hundreds of birds rises from the ground beneath the trees, swarming in tight formation, wing-tip to wing-tip. Bohemian Waxwings are erratic winter visitors from their nesting grounds in the boreal forests of the north. They come in search of fruit to sustain their winter wanderings.

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The Tui of New Zealand

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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Why Is My Robin Half White?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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. Albino birds are distinctly different and are entirely white with pink skin and eyes. Albinos have trouble making melanin, the pigment in skin, feathers, and eyes.

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Welcoming Back Common Loons

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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Groove-billed Anis, Communal Nesters

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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 dominant female ani begins to lay her own eggs, the other females lay simultaneously. Up to 20 chalky white eggs have been found in one nest. All parents share the duties of incubating and raising the young. World Birding Centers and the Rio Grande Joint Venture are striving to protect and restore their habitat.

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Protecting Rivers and Eagles from Invasive Plants

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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 Hydrilla — also known as waterthyme. Fish ingested the cyanobacteria, and eagles ate the affected fish. Biologists are now working to contain Hydrilla to prevent more harm to ecosystems. Learn more about invasive plants and their effect on birds, waterways and more on this special season of the Bring Birds Back podcast.

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The Heart of a Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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The Majestic Gyrfalcon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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 summer, you’ll find Gyrfalcons on the tundra, where they feed on arctic birds. But in the winter, some will fly as far south as the northern U.S.

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A Murder, a Party, a Stare or a Siege

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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 instantly to mind. How about this spring of teal? These are Green-winged Teal.

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A Tool-Using Nuthatch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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 Nuthatch is even known to use tools! Picking up a flake of pine bark in its beak, the bird uses it as a lever to pry up the bark scales on a tree and get to the insects below. A resourceful bird, the nuthatch.

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Find a Volunteer Opportunity that Works for You

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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 on time, donations, sharing posts on social media, and letting friends and family know about the good work a conservation group is doing all help advance their mission. And many crowd-sourced science projects depend on people working online and identifying species in photos.

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Keeping Cats Indoors

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Outdoor cats are one of the biggest threats to birds, killing over a billion a year in North America. And indoor-outdoor cats live much shorter lives than indoor-only cats. So keeping a cat indoors helps protect birds. And there are plenty of ways to make the “great indoors” more exciting for your cat. In this episode, BirdNote producer Mark Bramhill shares his experience with his cat, Pigeon, who enjoys a ‘catio’ — cat-patio — and walks on a leash.

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Nest Boxes for All Sorts of Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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eBird: Contribute to Science While Birding

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 9 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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One Million People Taking Action for Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 8 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Climate change, habitat destruction, and invasive species have taken a toll on bird populations. It’s a difficult reality to face — but it’s not the end of the story. There are many things people can do to protect birds. Some actions may start small, like planting a native wildflower or taking a trip without a car. But when you combine the efforts of many people working to help birds, the effects are multiplied. BirdNote is launching a three-year campaign to inspire a million people to take action to help birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Common Murre, Underwater Flyer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 7 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The Common Murre is among the few species of birds that can "fly" under water. When above the water, the 18"-long murre must flap frantically to stay aloft. But beneath the waves, with its flipper-like wings partly extended, it is a streamlined, masterful swimmer. Common Murres, black and white torpedoes with feathers, chase down fish even several hundred feet below the surface. Cornell's Macaulay Library offers audio and video of Common Murres.

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Kinglets in Winter

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 6 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The Golden-crowned Kinglet weighs six grams, about the same as two pennies, yet winters as far north as Alaska and Nova Scotia. The birds move through the forest in small flocks and feed constantly, taking in enough tiny caterpillars to maintain their internal furnace at 110°F. And their insulation keeps them warm. Their feathers make up 8% of their body weight, equivalent to the weight of the clothing of an arctic explorer.

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Frigatebirds' Kleptoparasitism

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 5 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In the warmer regions of the world’s oceans, large seabirds called boobies plunge headfirst into the water, snatching up fish. But as a booby flies up from the waves with a fish now in its gullet, there may be another big seabird — a frigatebird — with its eye on the booby’s fresh catch. Now begins one of nature’s great chase scenes. Fortunately for boobies, frigatebirds don’t steal all their meals. Most of the time, they hunt their own seafood — perhaps a squid snapped from the ocean surface or a flying fish as it skims across the waves.

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The Secret Stash of Eggshells

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 4 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Developing eggshells requires a key ingredient — calcium — in larger quantities than the female typically has in her bloodstream. Just how different bird species supply or store calcium for egg-laying isn’t fully known. While some species seek out extra calcium from their environment, many species simply "borrow" calcium directly from their leg bones! The eggs seen here are those of an Anna's Hummingbird.

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Day Scott on Recovering with Help from Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 3 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Day Scott’s interest in birds grew following a car accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. As she recovered, she would sit in the kitchen and watch birds at the feeder through the window. She began noticing bird behavior, like how members of the same species competed for space at the feeder. Watching the birds became a source of joy for her. Day eventually began writing stories about the birds and shared them with people along with her photos on Instagram.

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A Hummingbird Hospital in a Mexico City Apartment

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 2 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Catia Lattouf cares for dozens of hummingbirds from her home!In Mexico City, 73-year-old Catia Lattouf started a hummingbird hospital — in her apartment! She hosts dozens of hummingbirds as they recover from injuries. Catia, who once ran a French high-fashion boutique, began caring for hummingbirds in 2012, after she survived cancer that was considered terminal. She received her first injured hummingbird, and named him Gucci.

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Winter Romance - Common Goldeneyes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 1 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Most duck species court and form pair bonds in winter. In the icy waters of Vermont’s Lake Champlain, Common Goldeneyes are getting hot! This male is displaying his signature move, the “head-throw-kick,” to attract a mate. Goldeneye pairs now bonding throughout the US will migrate in early spring toward breeding waters across Canada and Alaska. But the males are ramblers. After the female lays her eggs, the goldeneye male abandons his mate and parental duties. It’s common conduct among ducks!

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Ptarmigan in Winter

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Both the Willow Ptarmigan and these White-tailed Ptarmigan, feathered mostly brown in summer, are utterly transfigured by an autumn molt. As snow begins to mantle their world, both species, now all white, blend in superbly. But the ptarmigan pulls another trick. It adds dense white feathering on both the tops and bottoms of its feet. And its claws grow longer. The bird grows snowshoes!

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Dove or Pigeon?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The word “dove” might make you think of an elegant bird symbolizing peace, while the word “pigeon” might bring up images of rowdy flocks of city birds. But there’s no formal distinction between doves and pigeons, only a linguistic one. In many languages, the birds are one and the same. The dove and pigeon family includes some of the most beautiful birds in the world.

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Treeswifts: Exquisite Minimalists

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The treeswifts of India, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and beyond make their nests out of bits of plants and feathers and hold it all together with some very sticky saliva. A treeswift’s whole nest is but a tiny cup — just large enough to hold a single egg — stuck to a bare upright branch. The adult on the nest appears simply to be perching, not sitting on a nest. Ingenious!

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Pinpointing a Bird in a Forest by Ear

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Juan Pablo Culasso is a nature recordist based in Colombia. Here, he describes how he uses a parabolic microphone to record a singing bird. Juan Pablo is blind, so he uses his hearing to pinpoint a small bird in dense vegetation.

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Why Some Birds Sing in the Winter

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

By late January, some resident birds, such as the Northern Mockingbird, are beginning their spring singing. When you step outside on a particularly sunny day this winter, a Fox Sparrow like the one pictured here may be warming up for the coming spring. And as far north as British Columbia, Pacific Wrens are singing in earnest by mid-February. So the singing season never entirely stops.

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How Did Bobwhites Get to Cuba?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Cuba is home to a unique population of Northern Bobwhites, with plumage patterns and short bills that set them apart from bobwhites on mainland North America. But where these quail came from has been a mystery. Did humans introduce them from the mainland? If so, when, and why do they look so different? Recent scientific detective work may have uncovered the answer.

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Why Birds Eat Snow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Graylag Goose

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The goose of today’s farmyards was domesticated about 3,000 years ago from the Graylag Goose, the wild species found today throughout much of Europe and Asia. To ancient Egyptians, the goose symbolized the sun god Ra. Greeks linked the goose with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. And geese are prominently featured in the Shijing, the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry.

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How Feathers Insulate

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

A single Canada Goose has between 20 and 25 thousand feathers. Some are designed to help the bird fly or shed water. Many are the short, fluffy kind, the down that insulates the bird from the cold. Birds survive in sub-zero weather by fluffing their feathers, creating layers of air and feathers. Just a fraction of an inch of this insulation can keep a bird's body temperature at 104 degrees, even in freezing weather. Seen here are the feathers of a Brown Pelican.

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Birding 101: The Fear of Getting Started

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Building Birds with LEGO

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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The Laughing Goose

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The hoots of the Greater White-fronted Goose inspired a nickname, the “Laughing Goose.” A little smaller than Canada Geese, these gray-brown birds are named for the band of white around the base of their pinkish-orange bills. Greater White-fronted Geese are strong, athletic fliers. When family groups come in to land at a roost, they employ a slip-sliding or “falling leaf” maneuver to quickly lose altitude—from over a thousand feet above the ground.

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Long-eared Owl - You Don’t See Me!

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Long-eared Owls aren’t rare, and they don’t live in remote locations. But their plumage and habits make them incredibly elusive. The mixture of warm browns and cool, bark-like grays lends the bird an astonishingly branch-like appearance. When potential predators approach, the birds close their orange eyes and stretch their bodies so that even the most practiced human eye has a hard time spotting them.

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The Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The Andean-Cock-of-the-Rock sounds like a cross between a chainsaw and a squealing pig. The national bird of Peru, male birds of this species sport a splendid bright red plumage along with a head crest reminiscent of a knight’s battle helmet. Females choose their mate from among a group of bickering males, then build a nest high on a cliff wall.

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Museum Eggs Help Solve Mysteries

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

There are five million bird eggs stowed away in museums across the world — and the study of eggs, called oology, can give us great insight into birds. The link between DDT and the decline of Peregrine Falcon populations was identified in part using museum and personal egg collections, and this evidence helped lead to a ban on DDT. And today, Peregrines can still be seen zipping across the sky.

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How Much Do Birds Eat?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

There used to be a saying about somebody who doesn’t eat much — “she eats like a bird.” But how much does a bird typically eat? As a rule of thumb, the smaller the bird, the more food it needs relative to its weight. A Cooper’s Hawk, a medium-sized bird, eats around 12% of its weight per day. For a human weighing 150 pounds, that’s 18 pounds of chow, or roughly six extra-large pizzas. And that perky little chickadee at your feeder eats the equivalent of 35% of its weight. You, as a 150-pound chickadee, will be munching 600 granola bars a day. And a hummingbird drinks about 100% of its body weight per day. That means you’ll be sipping 17½ gallons of milk.

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In Winter, Puffins Lead Very Different Lives

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Dwain Vaughns, II, on Seeing Plane Physics in Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Dwain Vaughns, II, worked as a pilot for 11 years until he developed a rare chronic pain condition called complex regional pain syndrome after an accident. As part of a recreational therapy program, Dwain signed up for a birding trip, but that day he found himself struggling with a racing heart rate. But by stopping and listening to the birds, he found that his heart rate and pain decreased. In the details of bird flight, Dwain sees echoes of his time spent flying planes.

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Winter - Nature’s Cold Storage

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

For birds and other animals with good natural insulation, winter provides a striking benefit as they scavenge. Bacteria function very slowly or not at all in the cold, preventing dead bodies from rotting. In northern latitudes, ravens and other scavenging birds take advantage of winter's cold storage. When a caribou, moose, or deer dies in Canada, Alaska, or other cold place in the winter, it's available to be eaten for months. Bacteria must wait until spring warms the carcass before they can begin to consume it.

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The Sword-billed Hummingbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Feathered Females in Charge

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Male birds are often the larger, flashier sex that courts choosy females, who in turn raise their chicks. But not always. Female phalaropes -- like this Wilson's Phalarope -- challenge each other over territories in which to house a cluster of males half their size. And the males do all the childcare. Other stay-at-home dads include most of the ratites, like ostriches and emus, as well as several species of jacanas.

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Great Black-backed Gull, North Atlantic Predator

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Great Black-backed Gulls have a reputation as serious predators of other birds. During the nesting season, they’ll prey on eggs and nestlings of other seabirds. They’ll also hunt adult seabirds including puffins and grebes, as well as songbirds as big as a grackle.

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Sanderlings

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 9 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Here and there along winter shorelines, little flocks of pale, silvery shorebirds probe at the water's edge, keeping pace with each wave's ebb and flow. These are Sanderlings, small sandpipers that stay through the winter. Rachel Carson, in Under the Sea Wind, described Sanderlings as running "with a twinkle of black feet." Learn more about the Sanderling at Audubon's online Guide to North American Birds.

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How Birds Fly

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 8 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The secret to birds’ flight starts with the shape of their wings. They’re curved in a way that causes air to flow more slowly under the wing than above it. That creates an area of low pressure just above the wing that pulls the bird up into the sky—a force called lift. Airplane wings are curved in a similar way — but unlike airplanes, bird wings don’t stay in place, they flap! That lets birds push their way into the air from a dead stop. On the upstroke of a wing-flap, birds fold their wings inward, reducing drag on the wing.

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Seabirds, Trees and Coral

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 7 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Christine Okon on Accessible Bird Events

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 6 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

After Christine Okon was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2012, she found herself falling behind on birding walks when the group trudged across hills and valleys – something she once really enjoyed. Now, Christine helps organize birding events with Golden Gate Bird Alliance and designs them to be accessible. A big part of that is talking to people with disabilities about what they need.

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Great Horned Owl Duet

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 5 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The 22-inch Great Horned Owl has two tufts of feathers that stick up from the top of its head. This owl is difficult to see, but it's often heard during dark winter evenings and pre-dawn mornings. A pair of owls may call back and forth or overlap their hoots. The male’s call is slightly lower in pitch. Listen for the owl’s night-time refrain, "Who’s awake? Me, too."

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Kererū: Pigeons That Get Tipsy

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 4 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Listening to Nuthatches

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 3 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Nuthatches rank high on the list of favorite backyard birds. Compact and stub-tailed, they climb down tree trunks and along the underside of branches with comical ease. One at a time, they flit in for suet and sunflower seeds. But out in the woods, where they spend most of their time, nuthatches are hard to spot. Fortunately, they give themselves away with their voices. Compare the calls of Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches, then head to the woods.

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Why Penguin Feathers Don't Freeze

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 2 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Gentoo Penguins live in the frigid waters of the Atlantic. Only recently have scientists begun to unravel why penguin feathers don’t freeze. An electron microscope revealed tiny pores on the feathers that trap air, making the surface water repellent. This feature, plus a special coating oil from the preen gland, prevents water build-up and delays freezing. Engineers could attempt to apply these principles to prevent icing on plane wings.

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Ontario’s Birdhouse City

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 1 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Driving down a country road in eastern Ontario, there’s a surprising sight by the roadside: dozens of vibrantly coloured, eclectic birdhouses sitting atop 12-foot poles. It’s called Birdhouse City, and it’s in a conservation area boasting close to 100 birdhouses, with 30 under renovation. The initial birdhouse designs were based on nearby historical buildings, from the general store to the courthouse. About a third of them are occupied, with several species reliably taking up residence.

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Building Nature Trails Accessible to Blind People

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

When Juan Pablo Culasso spends time outside, he often encounters people thinking he doesn’t belong out there as a blind person – despite the fact that he’s a renowned nature recordist. He helped design nature trails in Colombia with features that make them more accessible for people who are visually impaired, including guide ropes with textures that signal points of interest and QR codes that provide info. But Juan Pablo says these are not simply trails solely for blind people to enjoy — “we need to share the same places in society,” he says.

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Swans Come Calling

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Trumpeter Swans land in a plowed field to forage for remnant potatoes, grain, and other waste crops. This swan is among the largest of all waterfowl; the Tundra Swan is somewhat smaller. These swans migrate in family groups each fall from nesting sites in Canada and Alaska. Learn more about these swans, and view a map to the Skagit Flats of Washington where you can see them. When you go, please be courteous, and if you stop, pull completely off the roadway. Always respect private property. More info at Northwest Swan Conservation Association and The Trumpeter Swan Society!

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Giant Owls of Cuba

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The Cuban Giant Owl, now extinct, was 3½ feet tall and weighed 20 pounds — the largest of all known owls. It had very small wings, running after its prey on long, powerful legs. Similar large owls, with long legs and small wings, have been unearthed in places as disparate as Georgia and Hawaii. Very little is known about why giant owls died out.

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A Library of Feathers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Esha Munshi co-founded the Feather Library, a digital library that collects and documents the feathers of Indian birds. Launched in 2021, the library has high-resolution photographs of about 90 bird species. This library is open to everyone — whether you’re a researcher, birdwatcher, conservationist, or an ordinary person who came across a feather.

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A Pigeon-eyed View of the World

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Pigeons — and other birds with eyes on the sides of their heads — have a different view of the world from that of creatures with forward-facing eyes. The images from a pigeon’s eyes overlap slightly, so the bird can see in front of itself, even though it has worse depth perception. But these laterally placed eyes have a big advantage for prey species: they provide a much wider view of the world. A pigeon has a remarkable 340º view without moving its head, including a wide area behind its head!

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Common Redpoll

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The tiny Common Redpoll, one of the smallest members of the finch family, weighs only as much as four pennies, yet it survives the cold and darkness of winter in the far North. Most birds depart in autumn to warmer climes. But redpolls feed on birch and alder seeds that are available throughout the winter, no matter how deep the snow. This little bird typically eats 40% of its body weight in seeds every day to keep itself alive. Redpolls are survivors.

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Female Birds Sing in the Tropics

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

In temperate climates like North America, it’s often male songbirds that sing the most. Typically the males migrate north before females and establish territories for the short breeding season, using their songs as a way to claim a spot. But many female birds do sing, even in colder climates. And in warm tropic zones, female birds often have a big role in defending a territory, and many of them sing just as loudly and artfully as the males.

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What's with the Wattles?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Birds like male turkeys or barnyard roosters have a wrinkly, bumpy flap of red skin called a wattle. But what are wattles for? Birds can’t sweat, so wattles help release excess heat. Wattles are also key to courtship displays. Many other birds, including some storks and plovers, also have wattles.

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The Jay Game

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Many jays, including this California Scrub-Jay, store food for sustenance in harsher seasons. An individual bird may cache nuts, insects, and even worms in several thousand spots. If jays visit your yard, here’s a game you can play with them. Each day, preferably when the jays aren’t watching, place a dozen peanuts in different parts of the yard. They should be visible, but scattered. When a jay arrives, watch how long it takes to find the nuts. The next day, place the nuts in a different array and watch again. Do the jays find them quickly? They might already have a mental map of everything in the yard, so anything new — like a peanut in a novel spot — seems to jump out at them.

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The Red Warbler: Mexico’s Little Red Queen

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Red Warblers only sing on sunny mornings during the breeding season — so hearing their song is as good as checking the weather forecast. Weighing less than a triple A battery, Red Warblers are endemic to the highlands of Mexico and live in humid forests of pine, oak, and fir.

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Bill Shape Equals Food Source

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

A fine woodworker has a chest full of tools, each designed for a specific task. Birds also have highly refined tools-their bills. The size and shape of a bird's bill match perfectly the food they seek and the way in which they obtain their meals. Different species of shorebirds that forage shoulder to shoulder in tidal estuaries (like this Marbled Godwit and Willet) have bills of different lengths. As a result they don't compete for the same food.

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Fairy-Wrens - To Duel or Duet?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The Red-backed Fairy-Wren, a tiny songbird living the Australian scrublands, is highly territorial and promiscuous. The male can’t be sure the eggs in his nest are his own. One way to help avoid this problem? The male may rough up a rival who approaches his territory. But research shows when Red-backed Fairy-Wren pairs sing a duet in order to deter rival males from intruding on their territory, those pairs had more of their own genetic offspring in their nests. For the male, aggression might not ensure paternity, but singing a duet could.

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How Long Does a Robin Live?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If a young American Robin survives its first winter, its chances of survival go up. But robins still don’t live very long. The oldest robins in your yard might be about three years old (although thanks to banding, we know of one bird that lived to be almost 14).

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The Love of Birds is Contagious

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

When BirdNote’s Executive Director Nick Bayard joined BirdNote, he knew it would involve sharing the joy and wonder of birds with our listeners, but he didn’t expect it to inspire his kids to become avid birders. Now, his children Piper and Keaton are the ones asking to go on bird walks! In this show, Piper and Keaton share their favorite birds.

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BirdNote’s Chirpy Cheerful Theme Song

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Listeners are always curious about the origin of BirdNote's theme song. In this show, learn how Grammy-Award winning artist Nancy Rumbel and the BirdNote team created the theme. BirdNote is an independent nonprofit funded by our audience, and this week we’re asking for your support, at BirdNote.org.

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Let the Birds do the Talking

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

BirdNote is an independent nonprofit organization, and this week, we’re asking you to support BirdNote with a donation at birdnote.org. But today, rather than tell you all the great things about BirdNote, we’re going to let our feathered friends do the talking. In this show, enjoy a minute of uninterrupted birdsong.

Please support BirdNote with a tax-deductible donation today — every gift helps us produce the stories you love and share them with your amazing local radio station.

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Behind the Scenes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

It takes a lot to bring you the rich sounds of birds yodeling, cooing, and screeching to you each day. It's a meticulous process of researching, writing, fact-checking, editing, recording and sound design. That’s all done by our in-house production team! BirdNote is a non-profit organization - and this week, we’re asking for your help. Your donations ensure that every word, every sound, every minute is as stunning as the next.

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Join the Flock

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Songbirds in winter flocks benefit from having other birds nearby. They can recognize warning signals from other species and follow them to sources of food. We think of BirdNote’s audience as our flock, and we’re much stronger together than as individuals. But every single member of the flock counts, and every action is important. Support from our listeners is what keeps BirdNote in the air and on the air. BirdNote is an independent nonprofit organization that relies on support from listeners like you. This week, we are asking you to keep us flying strong by making a donation now.

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Loggerhead Shrike

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Loggerhead Shrikes are found across much of the United States in open country, like pasture and sagebrush. Male shrikes are well known for impaling their prey on thorns, creating a larder that may help impress potential mates. But pesticides and the loss of habitat to residential and commercial uses have reduced shrike populations. Conservation efforts are under way, such as allowing brush to grow along fence-lines, leaving small trees and shrubs on the roadside, and reducing or eliminating the use of pesticides.

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Migrations: Veeries Predict Hurricanes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Decibels Per Gram

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Some of the tiniest birds in the world have impressively loud voices. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet — that bright-headed sprite of the treetops — would be downright deafening if it were just a little bigger. Hummingbirds were originally named for the mechanical buzzing produced by their inconceivably fast wing-beats. But some males, such as this Costa’s Hummingbird of the Southwest, are equally notable for their vocal attainments. Late in winter, these tiny gems flash their purple throats and utter a startlingly loud, ear-piercing whine.

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Common Potoo: Branch or Bird?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 9 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Providing Water for Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 8 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

From chickadees to Cooper’s Hawks, most birds love a good bath. Some birds get the fluids they need from their food, but many birds need a drink at least twice a day. Water is essential for birds, and supplying clean water for them to drink and bathe in is a great way to help maintain native bird life.

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The Striped Owl: A Yelling Owl

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 7 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Striped Owls are known for their diverse vocalizations. Their repertoire includes deep hoots, eerie screeches, and a range of calls that help give an otherworldly ambiance to tropical rainforests from Southern Mexico all the way to Argentina. Despite their eeriness, in many local cultures, Striped Owls are believed to bring luck to those who encounter them — so consider yourself lucky if you spot one.

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Using Machine Learning to Forecast Bird Migration

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 6 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

PhD student Mikko Jimenez and his colleagues are using machine learning to improve our ability to forecast bird migration. Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence that can find patterns in huge amounts of data much faster than a person can, and then use those patterns to make predictions. Still, Mikko says it’s not as simple as computers to the rescue.

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What the Pacific Wren Hears

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 5 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +0000

What does the Pacific Wren hear in a song? It's a long story. What we hear as a blur of sound, the bird hears as a precise sequence of sounds, the visual equivalent of seeing a movie as a series of still pictures. That birds can hear the fine structure of song so acutely allows them to convey much information in a short sound. Pacific Wrens are found most often in closed-canopy conifer forests, nesting in cavities, usually within six feet of the ground.

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Urban Cooper’s Hawks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 4 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Next time you’re in the city, look up. When pigeons are wheeling, you might just see a different bird in pursuit. The Cooper’s Hawk, once known as the “chicken hawk,” used to be in steep decline due to hunting and the effects of DDT on breeding. Today, it’s the most abundant of the bird-eating raptors over much of North America, living even in the city. Males are smaller and often prey on Mourning Doves and other easy pickings at city parks. The bulkier females hunt pigeons, adding a dash of wildness and drama to the modern cityscape — in the form of pigeon feathers falling silently from the sky.

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Birding for a Better World

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 3 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Molly Adams founded the Feminist Bird Club to try to make birding safer and more inclusive. Along with coauthor Sydney Golden Anderson, Molly wrote a book titled Birding for a Better World that welcomes newcomers to birding and offers ways to make events more inclusive and accessible. The book debunks myths that can scare people away from birding and describes how mindful birding can help improve our world.

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Roadrunner

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 2 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The Greater Roadrunner is a common species in the desert and brush country of the Southwest, but its full range reaches from California to western Louisiana. Its soft cooing voice hints at its connections to another bird: scientists group roadrunners with the cuckoos. Where to see a roadrunner? In the US Southwest, you might spot one along the roadside, standing atop a boulder. It can reach speeds of nearly 20 miles an hour and can fly — but doesn't very often.

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The Music of Birds Migrating in the Night

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 1 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Ornithologist Bill Evans has helped us better understand the sounds that birds make as they migrate at night. Known as nocturnal flight calls, many species can be identified based on their signature sound. Using special handmade microphones left outside overnight, Evans, his colleagues and many volunteers recorded countless nocturnal flight calls — and not all of them have been identified yet. In this show, revel in the beauty of the calls that birds make as they fly high in the air.

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The Vampire Finch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Vampire Ground-Finches menace their victims in broad daylight, stabbing holes in their flesh, then devouring the blood. During the dry season, when their usual diet of seeds can be scarce, they turn to large seabirds, like boobies. Fluttering onto a booby’s back, the finch jabs its sharp beak in among the feathers until blood flows, making a meal of it. Why boobies tolerate this remains a mystery.

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There’s More Than One Way to Climb a Tree

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

No bird is better adapted for climbing up a tree trunk than a woodpecker. The foot of this Pileated Woodpecker is ideal for clinging, and its relatively short legs allow it to anchor itself securely. When traveling upward, the woodpecker’s a master. But hitching down? Not so much — usually they will fly. Nuthatches, however, can easily go up and down. This White-breasted Nuthatch walks over the bark of trees by grasping with one leg while using the other for a prop. It also has a rear-facing toe equipped with a long, sharp claw that’s ideal for hanging on while heading downward.

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How a Bird Came to Look Like a Caterpillar

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 29 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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What Makes an Efficient Flying Bird?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Every bird species uses its wings a little differently, and some are specialized for highly efficient flight. But that means going without other abilities. Swallows and hummingbirds (like this Talamanca Hummingbird) capture their food on the wing, but they can’t walk. Swifts, which are acrobatic in the air, can’t even perch. Yet they dazzle with the maneuverability made possible by their aerodynamic bodies.

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Surfing with Scoters

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Surf Scoters are perfectly at home in the element they’re named for. They swim smack in the middle of what surfers call the impact zone: Just where the waves break with greatest violence. Why risk the harshest waves when there’s calmer water close by? Because the churning action of crashing waves can expose the small clams and crabs that scoters eat. And how do Surf Scoters avoid getting mashed by the sea? When a towering wave is about to crash down, the scoter deftly dives and swims under the crest of the foaming breaker, then pops up on the other side.

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The Birds of Yoga

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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The Sociable Weaver’s Colonial Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

When it comes to nests, common sense suggests that large birds build large nests, and small birds build small nests. But in fact, some species of smaller birds build large nests. None, though, builds anything like the communal structures of Sociable Weavers in southern Africa’s arid plains. These House Sparrow-sized birds often live in accommodations with room for up to 500 birds. Each family has its own access hole and tunnel into a chamber within the larger complex. Some structures have persisted for more than 100 years, with constant occupation by succeeding generations.

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Ornate Hawk-Eagle: the Elegant Eagle

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Altitudinal Migration

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Yellow-eyed Juncos sometimes make a migration of sorts — not from north to south, but from the high mountains to the lowlands or the other way around. It’s called altitudinal migration. In the warm summer months, some Yellow-eyed Juncos prefer to nest at higher elevations, while in winter, the scarcity of food pushes them back down to the valleys.

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Strange Sounds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

What an amazing array of sounds birds have to offer! The call of a male Yellow Rail sounds like someone tapping two small stones together. And Turkey Vultures hissing at one another over a carcass sound like a snarling lion. The duet between the male and female Barred Owls seen here is especially raucous. BirdNote gets most of its sounds from The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Crows’ Night Roost

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Crow experts think big communal roosts provide warmth, protection from predators, shared knowledge about food sources, and a chance to find a mate. Follow crows to their roost some autumn evening, if you can, and watch these avian acrobats wheel in for the night.

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Letter to a Kentucky Warbler

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Hummingbirds - To Feed or Not to Feed?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Have you wondered about the right time to remove your hummingbird feeders during fall? Consider leaving your feeders hanging for a week or two after you’ve seen the last hummingbird of the season, just in case a late migrant stops by to fatten up. However, Anna’s Hummingbirds – like the one pictured here – benefit from feeders year-round. This species is largely non-migratory, residing from California to southern British Columbia.

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Spark Bird: Thomas Poulsom and the LEGO Robin

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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The Return of the Extinct Little Blue Macaw

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Even if the name Spix's Macaw doesn’t ring a bell, you might recognize this bird. It’s Blu, from Rio, the animated film! Also known as the Little Blue Macaw, the species went extinct in the wild due to hunting for the pet trade, loss of habitat, and invasive species. However, scientists raised a captive population of Spix’s Macaws from the few remaining wild birds. In 2022, 52 of the captive-raised birds were released into the wild.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Preserving John Edmonstone

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

John Edmonstone was born on a timber plantation in British Guiana, and enslaved by Scotsman Charles Edmonstone. He learned taxidermy techniques by accompanying a naturalist on expeditions. In Scotland, he became a free man and began working as a taxidermist. One of his students was a teenaged Charles Darwin, who would later use the skills he learned from John to preserve and study the Galapagos birds that formed the basis of his theory of evolution.

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Sungrebe: Baby on Board

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Birds have developed many strategies for protecting their young. But only one species can tuck its chicks into pouches under its wings, then fly the young to safety. It’s the Sungrebe of Central and South America. Despite the name, they are not closely related to grebes. Sungrebes swim and dive on quiet freshwater streams. Both sexes incubate the eggs in a nest on branches just above the water. But when the young hatch, naked and helpless, the male takes them under his wing. He’ll swim — and fly if he needs to — with chicks on board until they’re able to swim.

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From Alaska to Omaha, Then on to Brazil

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Blackpoll Warblers make one of the longest migrations taken by a songbird in the world. Blackpoll Warblers that breed in Alaska fly southeast in the fall, appearing throughout the Midwest and eastern U.S. on their way to the Atlantic Coast. Then, they make a nonstop flight over the water to reach South America. Scientists uncovered the stranger-than-fiction details of Blackpoll Warbler migration thanks to a tool called a light-level geolocator, which uses day length to figure out where a bird traveled.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Letter to an Olive-sided Flycatcher

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to an Olive-sided Flycatcher, a beloved bird that he pleads with to visit the dead pine tree on the edge of his home by a mountain lake.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Canada Geese - Migratory or Not

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

It's the time of year that geese migrate south for the winter. Isn't it? So why are there so many geese still hanging around, setting up housekeeping on our parks and golf courses? Did they decide to forgo the long trip north? In the early 1900s, non-migratory geese were brought in by the hundreds to populate wildlife refuges. Now, while many Canada Geese migrate south for the winter, these other geese stay -- and multiply.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Ballet of the Grebes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

When a pair of Western Grebes decides it’s time to mate, they call loudly and approach one another. Each bird curves, then straightens, its long neck gracefully. They then face each other, necks on the water’s surface, their bills flipping up drops of water. If attraction prevails, they rush together and off they go across the water, running on the surface side by side. Standing straight up with necks held high and feet churning like propellers, they no longer look much like grebes - more like participants in Tchaikovsky’s ballet, Swan Lake.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Ornithographies

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Photographer Xavi Bou creates incredible images of birds and their movements by combining his love of photography and technology with his love for birds and nature — as seen in his book, Ornithographies. He’s especially drawn to European Starlings and their movements as a flock, called a murmuration. The starlings fly in a tight, synchronized group, sometimes to avoid a predator.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Clean Nestboxes in October

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 9 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

It’s a wistful moment when your backyard birds — like these Black-capped Chickadees — depart their nestboxes. By October, it’s time for one last duty as nestbox landlord: to clean it out. Cleaning will reduce the incidence of parasites in the box and make it more inviting to next spring’s tenants. It will also help you know for sure if it gets used again.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Left Foot or Right? Handedness in Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 8 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

A parrot’s eyes are located on the sides of its head. So, if it wants to look at something — say, a delicious piece of fruit — it has to cock its head one way or the other do it. And if it looks with its left eye, then uses its left foot. Scientists call this handedness. That’s when one hand — or foot — is used consistently over the other for doing complex tasks. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are almost all left-handed ... that is... left-footed.

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Emperor Penguins Launch from the Ocean

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 7 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

These Emperor Penguins feed on fish and squid in the icy ocean. Getting into the sea is easy, but getting out is another story. How does a penguin haul its plump, 80-pound body up and over icy ledges that are several feet high, while avoiding nearby predators? Underwater video has revealed an amazing adaptation that allows the penguin to launch out of the water like a feathered torpedo.

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Letter to a Pileated Woodpecker

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 6 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to a Pileated Woodpecker, a large species of woodpecker that is sometimes mistaken for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Ducks - Diving and Dabbling

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 5 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Autumn brings many species of wintering ducks and seabirds to our waters. Watch carefully. Some dabble along the surface, feeding along shallow edges of lakes and estuaries. Others dive under the water, using their feet and occasionally their wings for propulsion. The male "dabblers" are often bright and colorful, whereas the females are mottled brown. The "divers" tend to be less colorful.

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Janet Ng on Surveying Waterbirds by Kayak

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 4 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Wildlife biologist Janet Ng works for the Canadian Wildlife Service. And for her waterbird surveys, one of the most important tools of her trade is a kayak. Many species that breed in the Arctic pass through lakes in southern Saskatchewan on their way north, making it a great place to survey the birds’ populations and track how they’re doing year to year. But some birds are hard to see, hidden in cattails. So counting them by kayak gives biologists a chance to observe more birds.

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Bumblebee Hummingbird: The Mexican Buzzer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 3 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Mexico's Bumblebee Hummingbird is one of the smallest birds in the world. Less than 3 inches in size and weighing less than a bottlecap, they’re easily confused with a bumblebee as they buzz by. But as tiny as they are, they defend their breeding territories fiercely. Perhaps that’s why the ancient Mexicas associated hummingbirds with their most important god: Huitzilopochtli, the god of war…and of love. Huitzil means hummingbird in Náhuatl.

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Crows Recognize Individual Faces

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 2 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

To find out if a crow can recognize an individual human face, Professor John Marzluff of the University of Washington wore a mask while trapping, banding, and then releasing seven American Crows on campus. Later, when he walked through the campus wearing the mask, it was automatic! A big group of birds scolded and divebombed him. He thinks it's a benefit to the birds' survival to point out and recognize challenges in their environment. Watch a video and learn more at ScienceMag.org.

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Migrations: BirdCast

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 1 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0000

A blip on weather radar might not be a cloud — it could be thousands of birds! Biologists use radar to keep track of migratory birds, insects, and bats. An online resource called BirdCast combines decades of biological research, citizen science observations, and radar data to forecast the movements of migratory birds. You can use these predictions to help plan a birding trip.

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Hooded Merganser

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Hooded Mergansers, affectionately known as “Hoodies,” nest across most of the northern US and well into Canada. They’re especially prevalent around the Great Lakes, though some winter as far south as Florida. By November, courtship and pair formation is well under way. And by early spring, Hoodies will seek out secluded woodland ponds, where they nest in tree cavities or manmade nestboxes. Hooded Merganser eggs are nearly spherical, with surprisingly thick shells. They’re ideally suited to the Hooded Merganser’s nest of choice — a cavity or a hole.

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Letter to an Eastern Wood-Pewee

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to a wood-pewee, a flycatcher with an “understatedly simple and definitive” song that says the bird’s name.

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HawkWatch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

After hawks and eagles, some of the sharpest eyes belong to hawk-watchers, experienced spotters who count raptors during spring and fall migration. Groups like HawkWatch International organize census counts of hawks (like this Red-tailed Hawk) and other raptors. HawkWatch sites lie along primary migration routes like mountain ridges and coastlines, where updrafts of rising air funnel the birds’ north-south movement. Different species peak at slightly different times.

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Strange Chickadee Songs of Massachusetts Islands

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The song of the Black-capped Chickadee pretty much the same throughout the U.S. and Canada — with just a few exceptions, like on some Massachusetts islands. Chickadees on Martha’s Vineyard and tiny Tuckernuck Island nearby have developed songs entirely their own. It’s likely that the birds’ isolation from mainland birds led them to develop unique behaviors.

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Monk Parakeets: Little Green-Blue Invaders

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Monk Parakeets, also known as Argentine Parrots, are native to South America but have become popular as pets – thanks in part to their intelligence and ability to mimic human speech. But in some areas, such as Mexico, these birds have become invasive. After being released or escaping, some Monk Parakeets have formed feral populations that have quickly spread, competing with native bird species for resources.

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Millicent Ficken Studied How Birds Play

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Who Likes Suet?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Chickadees and titmice, nuthatches and jays, and woodpeckers, like the Pileated pictured here, all love suet. As do birds whose beaks can’t open seeds, like tiny kinglets, and almost any wintering warbler. The Brown Creeper, usually creeping up tree trunks, is a cool bird to discover at your suet feeder. And in the West, look for mobs of tiny Bushtits, taking a break from their normal diet of insects and spiders.

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Brown-headed Nuthatches of Apalachicola National Forest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Many Brown-headed Nuthatches make their home in the tall longleaf pines of the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida. Twittering constantly, the birds probe for tiny insects or extract seeds from cones in the trees’ upper branches. Forests of longleaf pine once dominated the sandy coastal plain from Virginia to Texas, but the tall, straight pines proved irresistible for their lumber. Now, much of the forest is gone, replaced by dense planted stands of quicker-growing slash pines.

As our population grows, and more and more land is devoted to human uses, our national forests become increasingly important for birds, both rare and common.

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Trailer: Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

If you're enjoying BirdNote Daily, we think you'll love the podcast, Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant! Journey deep into the heart of the world’s most remote jungles, savannas, tundras, mountains, and deserts with wildlife biologist Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant as she studies wild animals in their natural habitats. Rae and her teams spend years studying these animals – in order to protect their futures. Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant takes you inside their hidden worlds – and the action-packed adventures of the wildlife conservationists who track them.

In season three, they invite you to explore your place in the wild by asking one simple question: how can we, humans, look at our relationship to nature differently? This season, on top of stories about animals, take a journey through the entire ecological web — from the tiniest of life forms to apex predators. Join the scientists, activists and adventurers featured and discover the many different ways the natural world is interconnected.

Find Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant in your favorite podcast app.

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Letter to a Dark-eyed Junco

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham shares a note he has written to a Dark-eyed Junco, which he fondly nicknames “snowbird.”

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The Power of Albatross Partnerships

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Waved Albatrosses produce such slow-growing, needy offspring that females lay only a single egg every two years. And both parents need to share the load until youngsters can hunt on their own. Albatrosses tend to pair for life, and reunited pairs go through an elaborate, synchronized ritual of braying, wing spreading, and bill tapping to reaffirm their bonds.

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Mair Marsiglio on Therapeutic Bird Walks

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Mair Marsiglio is an avid birder, and they are also a psychologist with a background in trauma therapy. A few years ago Dr. Marsiglio worked with the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory to facilitate mindfulness birding walks for veterans in a trauma treatment program. The walks helped participants ground themselves and provide a sense of connection.

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Resplendent Quetzal: Mexico’s Sacred Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Found in Southern Mexico and Central America, Resplendent Quetzals have a striking blue tail up to three times the length of their bodies. That's probably why the Aztecs considered this bird a representation of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, one of the most worshiped gods across ancient Mesoamerica. But no matter how sacred, Resplendent Quetzals are currently considered near threatened due to a declining population. Deforestation and illegal trade are the main threats to their survival.

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Finches Singing Over the Sidewalk

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Nesting Niches

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

American Robins (like this male seen here with its young), House Finches, and Song Sparrows may all nest within one small garden. By selecting different nesting strata, the species avoid competing for the same nesting sites. If you plant your garden in multiple layers – trees both short and tall, shrubs, and ground-hugging thickets – you may be rewarded with a multi-layered medley of bird song.

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Raptors in the Mojave Desert

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Climate Change Leads Male Birds to Migrate Sooner

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

For years, biologists have been seeing migratory birds arriving earlier in the spring due to the effects of climate change. But surprisingly, the effect on arrival time is different for members of the same species. Male birds are changing their arrival dates faster than females in many species of birds that breed in North America. While it’s still unclear what effect this has on bird populations, understanding how climate change can affect females and males differently can help guide our conservation efforts.

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Amazing Aquatic American Dipper

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The American Dipper stands on a rock in a stream, bobbing up and down on its long legs - "dipping" - hence the name. But watch! This nondescript bird steps off a small boulder right into the torrent, and begins to peer under water. What the American Dipper might lack in bright color it more than surpasses with amazing aquatic abilities. You can learn more about river restoration and protection at American Rivers.

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Seeing the Rainbow in a Bird’s Feathers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Kelp in the Eagles’ Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Woodpeckers Carve Out Roost Cavities, Too

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In spring, we often hear woodpeckers hard at work, carving out nest holes in tree trunks. And now that fall has arrived, we may hear that excavating sound again. Some woodpecker species stay year round in the region where they nest, while others migrate south in winter. Those that remain, like this Pileated Woodpecker, are chiseling out roosting cavities, snug hollows where they’ll shelter during the cold nights of fall and winte

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Migration Takes Guts — Until It Doesn’t

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

This Bar-tailed Godwit makes one of the longest migrations of any animal — a 7,200-mile non-stop flight each autumn from western Alaska to New Zealand. In his book A World on the Wing, Scott Weidensaul explores the remarkable transformation godwits undergo to make this migration possible. Their digestive organs shrink as their weight more than doubles in stored fats and muscle mass.

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Cowbird Song and Password

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 9 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

As most young male birds get ready to leave the nest, they learn their species’ song by hearing their male parent sing it again and again. They imprint on their father’s song. So how does a Brown-headed Cowbird, raised by parents of a different species, learn to sing the correct song? The “chatter call” of an adult cowbird triggers something in the young bird’s brain. Like a kind of “password,” the chatter call guides the young bird in recognizing what species to identify with, even though cowbirds are fostered by as many as 220 different species!

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Parrots Using Video Chat to Keep in Touch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 8 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Knowing how clever parrots are, researchers wanted to see how they’d respond to another parrot saying hi on a tablet or phone. After being trained how to start a call, many parrots chatted amiably on calls and stayed on for the maximum amount of time. Some birds even seemed to develop friendships, choosing to stay in touch even after the experiment ended.

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New Zealand Bellbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 7 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Juvenile Shorebirds Head South

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 6 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Like most juvenile shorebirds, this young Black-bellied Plover was abandoned by parents that began their southbound flights from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a few weeks earlier. It will join other young Black-bellied Plovers as they make their way south. This little flock of birds could arrive on the coast of Washington within a few days if they make a direct flight, or within a week or more if they stop at a wetland along the way. Some will stay, but others continue their continent-spanning journey, arriving in coastal Venezuela at the end of December.

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The Private Lives of Public Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 5 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Jack Gedney’s book, The Private Lives of Public Birds, is dedicated to the familiar birds we see and hear in our neighborhoods. Illustrated by Anna Kus Park, the book shares charming vignettes about the birds’ behavior that are scientifically accurate but that also have an emotional weight to help us connect deeper to these birds.

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Migrations: The Triumphant Comeback of the Aleutian Cackling Goose

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 4 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Swifts Roost in Chimneys

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 3 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

What could bring crowds of people out after sunset on a September evening to stare at ... a chimney? Swifts, of course! Scores of swifts form a funnel-shaped cloud above the right kind of chimney, then they begin their descent. First one, then a few more, then dozens, then hundreds swirl right down into the chimney. You can help Chimney Swifts and Vaux's Swifts by providing a roosting tower.

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The Alula

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 2 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Adjusting the flaps on an airplane’s wing allows a pilot to control lift and drag — and the design of these flaps was inspired by the wings of birds. All flying birds have what’s called an alula on each wing. At the center of the front edge of the wing is a structure covered with three to five feathers that functions much like a flap on an airplane’s wing. The alula helps create lift and also prevents stall when a bird comes in for landing.

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Birding with a Baby

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 1 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Writer Jen Sizeland has found peace through watching birds throughout her life, so she wanted that for her child, too. When she was pregnant, she sought to introduce her unborn child to birdsong. As a newborn, she and her baby would listen to the dawn chorus together. Now as a toddler, he joins her watching raptors soar over parks and waterbirds paddling across lakes.

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Migrations: Indigo Bunting, Master Stargazer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Birds Love Sunflowers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Found throughout North America, the common sunflower can grow up to ten feet high, towering over other herbs and grasses. And that’s only half the story: their roots can reach just as deep in the soil. They’re rugged, adaptable plants that bring beauty — and food — to the ecosystem. Planting sunflowers in a public green space or a backyard can benefit pollinator insects as well as finches and other birds that seek out their seeds, which often last well into the winter.

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The Harsh Beauty of Grackle Songs

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Ranging from metallic hisses to electronic yodels, sounds of grackles may not be music to our ears—but they have their own rough beauty, a distinctive, primal harshness. Grackle songs evolved to carry through their nesting habitats — dense marshes and brushy landscapes — where more lyrical notes and phrases wouldn’t carry well. However strange they may sound, they know how to make themselves heard.

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Moon-Watching for Migrating Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Before the high-tech gadgets used to track bird migration today, there was moon-watching: a technique dreamed up in the 1940s by ornithologist George Lowery. Using telescopes pointed at the moon to see the silhouettes of migratory birds, Lowery helped show that birds regularly migrate across the Gulf of Mexico and organized the first continent-wide survey of migration in North America. Learn more about the history of bird migration research in Rebecca Heisman’s new book Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration.

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Watching Birds' Behavior

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

To distinguish one bird from a similar one, watch how the bird moves. Does it flick its wings? Bob up and down? Flip its tail? The White-breasted Nuthatch (right) works its way down the trunk of a tree, while the Brown Creeper works its way up. A field guide usually mentions these behaviors, and watching for them can help you determine which bird is which. It's like detective work: gather enough clues, and you'll solve the mystery!

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Where Do Fledglings Go?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

By late summer, most birds hatched in spring are on their own, without help from their parents. Where do they go? Young migratory birds will head south in late summer or fall, in the pattern of their species. But most non-migratory birds born last spring — such as this immature Bewick’s Wren — will need to find an unoccupied territory. So they disperse more widely than the established adults. Newly fledged Bald Eagles embark on a nomadic life. Sometimes they fly hundreds of miles in a day, a journey that may take them across the continent.

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Arizona Woodpecker and the Sierra Madre

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Do Crows Sing?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

It’s been said that if someone knows only three birds, one of them will be the crow. They’re common, easy to see, and even easier to hear. But crow voices are complicated. Altogether, crows may use 30 sound elements in different combinations, and one of the most intriguing is their song. Unlike many birds, crows don’t sing loudly to attract mates from a distance. Instead, they sing softly — and at close range — during courtship, with a mix of soft cooing, rattles, growls, bowing movements, and mutual nuzzling.

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Southern Lapwings Defend Their Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Why Do Some Birds Flock?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

When birds like these Dunlin form flocks, each individual is less likely to be captured by a predator. Some shorebirds that forage with their heads down, like godwits, will flock with birds that forage with their heads up, like curlews. Still other birds work together — like American White Pelicans driving fish before them or auklets that surround schools of herring and herd them like a border collie does sheep.

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A Song That Has Survived for Thousands of Years

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Pigeons and Head-bobbing

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Pigeons seem to bob their heads as they move, like they’re grooving to an internal tune. But what look like head bobs are actually momentary pauses of the head while they walk. Their eyes are fixed in their sockets, so that pausing enables the pigeon to take a brief, steady view of its surroundings. Without those pauses, they’d just see a Blair Witch, shaky-cam mess!

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Clair de Loon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 19 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

August 22 is the birthday of renowned French composer, Claude Debussy. Born in 1862, Debussy is known for his impressionistic sonic portraits, like La Mer, about the sea. But one of his best known works is an earlier piano piece, Clair de Lune. The song is quiet and haunting. Which got us thinking: what if we paired it with the most haunting birdsong — the song of loons? Enjoy Clair de Loon.

Created for BirdNote by Breakmaster Cylinder.

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Birds Crossing the Pacific

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Bellbirds Turn It Up to 11

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The four species of South American bellbirds can make a real racket, including this Bearded Bellbird. Hidden in the tree canopy, males cannot see one another as they sing — but they sure can hear each other! Their ear-splitting songs carry over long distances. The loudest of the species is the White Bellbird, reaching an ear-splitting 125 decibels — louder than a rock concert! It’s the loudest bird song ever documented.

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Lilli Holden on the Ecology of Vacant Lots

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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What's Behind Those Lustrous Red Feathers?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Male Northern Cardinals, Scarlet Tanagers, and House Finches all have striking red plumage that’s thought to play a role in attracting mates. Males with the brightest red feathering tend to have the best luck with the females. Scientists think that a male’s redness signals to females that he has just what it takes to help produce superior offspring. But just because a male is a brilliant shade of red... does that mean he’s stronger or more fit than his duller-colored competitors? It might be so, but it’s complicated…

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Some Birds Have Two Voices

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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The Most Abundant Birds in North America

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

By August, most birds in North America have finished nesting, bringing billions of new birds into the world. So many birds. It might make you wonder: what is the most abundant bird in North America?

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The Best Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Andean Condors Soar for Hours Without Flapping

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In the blue skies over the Andes Mountains, Andean Condors look majestic, with a ten-foot wingspan. While flying, according to researchers from Argentina and the UK, Andean Condors only flap one percent of the time. One bird was tracked for more than 100 miles over five flapless hours.

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Ospreys Never Stop Building

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Ospreys are remarkable nest builders. Many reuse their massive stick nests from the previous year, but continue tinkering with it once the nesting season begins. And the nest transforms along with the growing chicks. It’s bowl-shaped at first, corralling the young birds, but it gets flatter after the chicks hatch. By the time they fledge, it has fully flattened out.

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Great Horned Owls in the Neighborhood

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 9 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Not all owls live in the deep woods. Many Great Horned Owls make their homes in urban areas. Though mostly nocturnal, Great Horned Owls are also active early in the morning and just after sunset, offering a chance to see them hunting for rodents and other prey. Look for their distinctive horns, which are really just feather tufts. At night, you might hear their deep, syncopated hoots echoing through the neighborhood. Avoiding toxic rodenticides helps protect Great Horned Owls and other urban raptors.

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Pheasants of Detroit

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 8 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Because of its abundant open space, Detroit, Michigan has a thriving ring-necked pheasant population. The birds have endeared themselves to many by representing a connection to the natural world. But some worry what upcoming development might mean for pheasants and their future in the city.

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Finding the Links Between Plants and Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 7 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

There are many great tools for identifying birds, some of them right on your phone. If you’re stumped on an unfamiliar plant species, iNaturalist is a great resource. When you upload a photo to iNaturalist’s website or mobile app, it uses AI to make an educated guess on the species ID. A community of online naturalists then helps confirm the ID. Finding the links between plants and birds can show you how birds see the world, and what they need to survive and raise their young.

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Creating an Inviting Habitat

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 6 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Blind Snakes and Screech-Owls

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 5 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

During the breeding season, when Eastern Screech-Owls capture the worm-like reptiles known as blind snakes, they deliver them to their chicks alive and wriggling. Some are gulped down immediately, but others escape by burrowing beneath the nest. The surviving “snakes” feed on the insect larvae they find in the nest — larvae that would otherwise parasitize the owl nestlings. A study conducted by Baylor University scientists found that screech-owl chicks grew faster and healthier in nests kept vermin-free by the blind snakes.

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Chickadee Line-up

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 4 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

You'll find the Black-capped Chickadee across the northern US into Canada. The Carolina Chickadee holds sway in the Southeast. Hear the husky voice of a Mountain Chickadee in the Rockies. Travel to Canada for the Boreal Chickadee. This Chestnut-backed Chickadee calls the Pacific Northwest home. The Mexican Chickadee just nudges into SE Arizona. And the Gray-headed Chickadee turns up north of the Arctic Circle.

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Great Kiskadee: Unconventional Flycatcher

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 3 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

An unusual flycatcher called the Great Kiskadee takes on much bigger opponents, sometimes even riding on the back of a falcon for a few seconds to drive them off. Chunky and robin-sized, kiskadees live along wooded edges near water all the way from South Texas to Argentina. They’re a familiar sight around rural towns and villages.

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Fruit as a Bribe

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 2 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Seeing a Chicago Beach in a New Way

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 1 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Mikko Jimenez is a PhD student doing research on bird migration. Growing up in Chicago, he played beach volleyball at Montrose Beach, a popular spot on the lake shore. At the time, he wasn’t so aware of birds, but as he developed an interest in birding in college, he realized that his old beach volleyball spot was also one of the best places to see birds in the Chicago area.

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Sandhill Crane Families Stick Together

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Sleeping on the Wing

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Sparrows Sing in Arizona Monsoon

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Midday temperatures in southeast Arizona soar above 100 degrees during the month of July. But relief is coming. A summer monsoon refreshes the Sonoran Desert like a second spring. Grass grows lush, wildflowers spring forth, and birds sing. Cassin’s Sparrows sing their plaintive phrases almost nonstop. Botteri’s Sparrows add their distinctive sputters and trills. And a Rufous-winged Sparrow — like the one pictured here — voices its gentle melody.

The sounds heard in this episode were recorded by Gordon Hempton and provided courtesy of QuietPlanet.com.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Stowaway Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

When they migrate, tiny songbirds that spend most of their lives on land fly hundreds of miles over the ocean at a stretch – and they get tired. A recent study suggests that birds migrating over busy shipping routes in the Mediterranean Sea may use the decks of sea vessels as places to catch their breath when the weather turns bad.

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Paradise-Whydah

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

A few times each year, the Eastern Paradise-Whydah puts on its party clothes. This small finch is found in East Africa, and males and females generally share the same nondescript appearance. But when it’s time to mate, the male sprouts extravagant, long, black tail feathers two or three times the length of his body. The feathers make it look like he’s wearing a long black cape, thus the nickname, “the widow bird.”

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Magpie-Jay Flocks Are Led by Females

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Birds, Nests, and Camouflage

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Great Blue Herons on Land

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Throughout much of North America, the Great Blue Heron graces waterways, ponds and lakes. They’re built for hunting fish and amphibians along the water — so it might be a surprise to see one stalking across a field, not a drop of water in sight! But sometimes herons leave the water to pursue prey on land, like big insects, frogs, and even small rodents.

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Birds in Summer - The Heat of the Day

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Just a few weeks past the solstice, and the real heat of summer is yet to come. Some shorebirds are already on their way south, but most songbirds will be here for a while longer. What's the best time of day to look for them? Many birds are most active in the early morning, taking advantage of the abundance of insects at that hour. Midday heat sends people inside, and birds take a siesta, too. And then, both birds and bugs rev up again in the late afternoon. But hummingbirds and also gulls — including this Glaucous-winged Gull — forage all day long!

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Nest Boxes Help Bring Birds Back

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Wherever you live, chances are a sweet-singing, cavity-nesting bird would be happy to perform in your yard — and it might stick around if you offer it a cozy nest box, like the one this Carolina Wren enjoys. Natural cavities, like old woodpecker holes, are often in short supply. So putting up a box in the right place — and that’s the right size to accommodate them — is truly an act of stewardship.

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Architecture for Avians

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

During her first year at the Yale School of Architecture, Kenyan graduate student Barbara Nasila was tasked to design a hypothetical outdoor pavilion in a local neighborhood called Dixwell, featuring an original copy of the enslaver John James Audubon’s book, The Birds of America. As Barbara got to know Dixwell, she realized that there was already an existing conversation about birds in the community. She designed an urban oasis with bird habitat and space for community groups — but she left out The Birds of America, feeling that Audubon wouldn’t have cared about this project.

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The Value of a Dust Bath

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

It might sound strange, but dirt helps birds scrub themselves clean. Birds of all sizes (like the Eurasian Skylark seen here) often scrape a depression in the ground and flick dirt onto their bodies, shimmying to shake it off. Experiments showed that birds use dust to prevent oils from building up on their feathers and to remove dandruff — much like humans using shampoo in the shower!

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Song Neighborhoods

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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“Clearing” by Camille T. Dungy

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode, writer Camille T. Dungy shares the poem “Clearing” from her new book, Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden.

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What Makes Feathers Both Strong and Light

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Bird feathers are famously light, but they’re also strong, holding up under tricky flying and high winds. They’re made of beta keratin, a tougher version of the keratin that makes up human fingernails and hair. They also have an intricate branching structure that makes them highly flexible and free of unnecessary weight.

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How Toucans Stay Cool

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The Toco Toucan of South America has evolved to stay cool in the sweltering heat of the tropics. Relative to its body size, the Toco Toucan has the largest bill of any bird in the world, accounting for a third of the body’s entire surface area. It’s also laced with blood vessels and wholly without insulation — features that make it a superb structure for getting rid of excess body heat.

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Eavesdropping on Babies

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Around this time of year, many baby birds are begging their parents for food. A Hairy Woodpecker chick calls from its nest carved deep within a dying tree. A Great Horned Owl juvenile reminds his parents "Hey! I'm over here! Feed me!" Moving from forest to water, we find this American Coot chick hoping to be fed by its parent.

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Milkweed: A Whole Ecosystem on a Plant

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Milkweed plants are important to Monarch butterflies, which depend on milkweed to raise their caterpillars. But Monarchs aren’t the only ones who benefit from milkweed. Scientists once documented hundreds of insect species they found eating some part of the common milkweed plant – including 132 species of beetles alone. When it’s part of a diverse community of plants, milkweed helps many species find food and shelter, including birds.

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Why Do Owls Bob Their Heads?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

If you were to stand face to face with an owl, including this Great Gray Owl, it would eventually move its head, bobbing rhythmically from side to side, then forward, then back. Or almost completely upside down. This head-bobbing action helps make up for an anatomical limitation: an owl’s eyes are fixed in position — they can’t move the way a human’s eyes do. The owl’s varied head movements help it judge the position and distance of things around it — essentially, to triangulate on objects, including potential prey. And to build a composite picture of its surroundings.

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Bill McKibben on Leaving Behind a Better World

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Writer and environmentalist Bill McKibben has been pushing for climate solutions for decades. Now in his 60s, Bill’s working to organize people aged 60 and older with his new group called Third Act, to leave behind a better world for their loved ones.

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Grounded Geese

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In spring and summer, the paths around local ponds might have some fluffy obstacles: young goslings along with their caring and defensive parents. Adult Canada Geese lose their flight feathers for several weeks in the summer, often while they’re raising a brood of goslings. Without the ability to fly away from people, and with their young to protect, grounded geese may act especially territorial. Fortunately for a growing family of geese, newly-hatched young are able to swim and even dive underwater within just 24 hours.

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Seabirds Thriving on Volcanic Slopes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Just Whose Ducklings Are Those?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 9 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

It’s spring, and a female duck swims across a pond with ducklings in tow. Some of the youngsters might not be her own. Wood Ducks and others may lay some of their eggs in other ducks’ nests — or in the nests of other kinds of ducks, like Common Mergansers and goldeneyes. Biologists call this nest parasitism or egg dumping. Perhaps it’s a kind of insurance against the loss of a nesting female’s own eggs or brood. Hooded Mergansers, like this one, are frequent recipients of eggs from other species. It’s a good bet that mother duck has at least one – and maybe more – foster ducklings.

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How Birds Produce Sound

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 8 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Nearly all birds produce sound through an organ unique to birds, the syrinx. In many songbirds, the syrinx is not much bigger than a raindrop. Extremely efficient, it uses nearly all the air that passes through it. By contrast, a human creates sound using only 2% of the air exhaled through the larynx. Birds whose syrinx is controlled by only one set of muscles have a limited vocal range. This Song Sparrow, using several pairs, can put forth a cascade of trills and notes.

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Music of a City Lake

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 7 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

A city lake is one of the most prized places in a fast, growing environment. It’s also often difficult to distinguish all of the bird calls from each other. With a splash of a beak, a glide of a wing, and an eye of a predator — listen closely, and then again to sharpen your bird ear.

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The Elegant Black Tern

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 6 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Isaiah Scott on Birds in Gullah Geechee Culture

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 5 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Isaiah Scott is a twenty-year-old birder who already runs a popular Instagram account called Ike’s Birding Hikes. He has a passion for learning more about his Gullah Geechee heritage. The Gullah Geechee are the descendants of enslaved West Africans living on the coast of North and South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida. Isaiah is working on a field guide to birds in Gullah Geechee culture, as birds are important cultural symbols to the Gullah Geechee.

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Bald Eagles’ Daredevil Cartwheel Flight

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 4 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Clean Beach Week

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 3 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

This week is Clean Beach Week. Many busy beaches are also where declining species such as Piping Plovers and Least Terns have their nests. Keeping litter off the shore helps make sure that birds don’t pick up plastic and other waste and try to feed it to their young. Staying out of dunes and marked-off areas where birds are known to nest ensures that people can share the beach with birds and their young for years to come.

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Megapodes - Mound-Builders

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 2 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

There’s a group of birds that lay their eggs underground — in geothermally heated burrows, or warm sands, or even mounds of organic material warmed by the heat of decomposition. These megapodes or mound-builders — like this Australian Brushturkey — are found in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands. The male builds a mound and adjusts the amount of material to maintain a constant temperature. After a long incubation, the eggs hatch and the chicks claw their way to the surface. They never know their parents, but emerge fully feathered and capable of flying and feeding themselves.

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Wetland Birds Thrive

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 1 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

While nearly a third of North American bird species are in decline, many birds that depend on wetlands are thriving. Duck breeding populations in 2009 were an estimated 25% above historical averages. Conditions on the breeding grounds have improved since the drought years of the 1980s, but human action has also made a huge difference. You can help by purchasing a duck stamp every year. Adam Grimm's painting of a pair of Canvasbacks won the contest for the 2014-2015 duck stamp.

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Traveling with Blue-winged Teal

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Noticeably smaller than Mallards, Blue-winged Teal wings have large patches of powder blue edged in emerald. Blue-winged Teal are long-distance migrants, traveling from nesting areas in Canada and the U.S. to South America for the winter. They feed in shallow water with a preference for snails and fly larvae. In fall and winter they seek out plant matter, especially seeds.

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The Color of Birds' Eyes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Peer into the world of birds, and eyes of many different colors peer back. While eye color isn’t tied to one group of birds or another, a common pattern is a change in eye color as immature birds grow to adulthood. Bald Eagles, Ring-billed Gulls, and ducks such as goldeneyes and scaup have brown eyes as youngsters, and yellow eyes as adults. Red-tailed Hawks reverse this pattern, with their eyes changing from yellow to brown. And the yellow eyes of a young Cooper’s Hawk, pictured here on the right, turn deep red as they reach maturity.

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Dudley Edmondson on Black Outdoor Role Models

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

As a kid in Columbus, Ohio, Dudley Edmondson came to love being outside, despite having few outdoor role models who looked like him. As he progressed in his career as a nature photographer in Minnesota, Dudley wanted to show the next generation of Black nature enthusiasts that there are people who look like them in the outdoors. So he wrote a book called Black & Brown Faces in America's Wild Places.

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Yellow Warblers in a Changing World

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Tree Swallows and Feathers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Tree Swallows glisten in the June sunlight, as they swoop and glide, their arcs interlacing in the air. When a white feather flutters down among them, one swallow snatches the feather in its bill and flies upward, as another gives chase. After a moment, the lead bird lets loose the feather, which drifts lazily, until the second bird swoops to catch it in midair. Loose feathers are important for Tree Swallows. They line their nests thickly with them.

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How Many Eggs to Lay?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

When nesting, most birds lay a predictable number of eggs. Bald Eagles: 2. Bluebirds: 4 to 6. Mallards: 10 to 12. But how do they determine when they have laid the right number? To find out, scientists experimented by going to nests and repeatedly removing eggs soon after they were laid. Some birds replaced them straight away. For example, a House Sparrow laid 50 eggs in a row, while a flicker laid 71 eggs in 73 days. But for other birds, the scientists’ removal of the eggs had no effect at all.

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Seeds of Attraction

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 24 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

What is it that draws us to a romantic partner? Birds have lots of ways to catch the attention of a mate. Most cranes duet with prospective partners for years before they begin breeding. Crested Auklets of both sexes produce a pungent citrus perfume. And Blue-footed Boobies dance, showing off their feet to each other.

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The Lustrous Purple Gallinule

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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World Rainforest Day

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Tropical rainforests are stunning places. Despite covering a small part of the Earth’s surface, they support half of the world’s biodiversity. The variety of lifeforms stands out visually in stunning color, and in sound through the strange and beautiful calls of birds. Today is World Rainforest Day, which recognizes the importance of safeguarding rainforests for future generations.

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Incarcerated Women Helping Raise Butterflies

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

This spring, Bring Birds Back host Tenijah Hamilton traveled to Washington state to meet up with incarcerated women who are part of the Sustainability in Prisons Project. They’re helping raise the caterpillars of endangered butterflies to release in the wild. A double episode of Bring Birds Back takes a deep dive into the positive impact of nature and conservation on incarcerated individuals.

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California Condor

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

During the days of mammoths and saber-toothed cats, California Condors thrived over much of the continent. Today, they're one of the most endangered birds in the US. The condor's main survival problem is high mortality due to lead poisoning. Condors eat animal carcasses, often containing lead from hunter's bullets. California law now requires hunters to use non-lead ammunition in the condor's home range - a change that could enable condors to once again thrive, and soar, in the wild.

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Holy Chickens

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The modern chicken, a descendant of the Red Junglefowl, was domesticated thousands of years ago. But chickens haven't always just been farm animals. During the Iron Age in the Middle East, the rooster's morning call became a symbol for chickens’ divine connection to the sun. When chickens made their way to Europe, they were considered exotic and even holy.

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Black-bellied Plover, Arctic Nester

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Baby Birds Move Out of the Nest

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 17 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

After they leave the nest but before they take flight, many baby birds - especially robins and flickers - spend time on or near the ground. If you see such a baby bird, and your first thought is to "rescue" it, the better thing to do is let it be. Protect it from cats. Then watch from a distance, to see if an adult comes to feed it.

If a bird or other animal is truly sick or injured, locate your local wildlife rehabilitator.

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The Endangered 'Akiapōlā'au

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Cliff Swallow--Strength in Numbers

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Cliff Swallows gather in spring, in nesting colonies of up to 3,700 nests. Look for swarms of them under bridges, under the eaves of barns, or even the side of your house. The swallows use mud to make gourd-shaped nests - side by side and jumbled together. Watch the video! And Cliff Swallows consume hordes of flying pests. For more about this bird, visit Cornell's All About Birds. You can learn about bugs that aren't pests at Audubon.org.

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Birds Need Water in Summer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Summer is a crucial time to keep your backyard birds supplied with water for drinking and bathing. Birdbaths set at different heights serve a great variety of birds. A wide, shallow birdbath that deepens a bit in the center will suit a broad range of birds - including this American Robin. Most important of all? Keep it clean! You can learn more about birdbaths at Cornell's AllAboutBirds. Your local Audubon can help, too.

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Why Do Birds Flick Their Tails?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The way that some birds flick, wag, or flare their tails can be distinctive. A flicking or flashing tail might suggest to a predator that a bird is particularly alert or hard to catch, while also warning others in the flock of danger. Tail flicking can also help flush out prey. A Hooded Warbler -- or a Song Sparrow, like this one -- may flare its tail while foraging low to the ground to cause insects to jump, making them easier prey.

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Gull-billed Tern

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The Gull-billed Tern are terns with black caps and unusually thick bills– like a gull. This lets them eat more types of prey than other terns that rely on fish. Gull-billed Terns tackle crabs and lizards on the ground, catch flies, and even steal chicks from other birds. They’re found across the coasts of Central and South America and Southeastern US and California. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers the species a Bird of Conservation Concern due to boating or construction work near their nesting colonies.

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Marsh Voices at Sunrise

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In marshes across the country, birds awaken on a summer morning. Tall dense grasses and reeds often make marsh birds hard to see, but their voices carry easily across the lush, green landscape. You can hear birds like the Redhead, the Sora, the American Bittern, the Ruddy Duck, this Yellow-headed Blackbird, and many more.

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Dry Tortugas Archipelago

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

From a bird's perspective, the Dry Tortugas, a cluster of islands in the Gulf of Mexico, can be a life-saver. Millions of migratory songbirds fly north across the Gulf and Caribbean each spring, headed for North America. If they run into heavy wind and rain blowing down from the continent, the Dry Tortugas provide their first landfall. In a storm, thousands of storm-tossed birds – warblers, thrushes, cuckoos, and others – seek shelter on the Dry Tortugas. No doubt that this Blackpoll Warbler was happy to touch down here!

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Changing How You Hear the World

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 9 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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An Unlikely Burrowing Owl Boomtown

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 8 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The Umatilla Chemical Depot in Oregon, a landscape dotted with a thousand concrete bunkers, may not look like an ideal haven for birds. But the site has taken on a new life — as a luxury subdivision for Burrowing Owls. That’s thanks in part to David H. Johnson, the founder of the Global Owl Project, who helped create Burrowing Owl “condos” by burying plastic buckets at the site.

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Behind the Scenes

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 7 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

It takes a lot to bring you the rich sounds of birds yodeling, cooing, and screeching to you each day. It's a meticulous process of researching, writing, fact-checking, editing, recording and sound design. That’s all done by our in-house production team! BirdNote is a non-profit organization - and this week, we’re asking for your help. Your donations – at BirdNote.org – ensure that every word, every sound, every minute is as stunning as the next.

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'Akē'akē

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 6 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Known locally as 'Akē'akē, the Band-rumped Storm-Petrel is one of the smallest and rarest seabirds that nests in the Hawaiian Islands. To protect the nests of these rare birds, scientists have to find them… but it’s not easy finding a nest burrow tucked into the mountainside. That’s why wildlife biologists such as Michelle Reynolds get help from “detector dogs” specially trained to sniff out 'Akē'akē nests.

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Birdnote’s Chirpy Cheerful Theme Song

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 5 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Insects Are Essential

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 4 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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How the Woodcock’s Journeys Connect Us

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 3 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

In this show, Marcus Rosten shares his involvement in a study of the American Woodcock with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The study revealed the surprising journeys of one of North America’s quirkiest birds. One woodcock caught near Buffalo flew nearly 400 miles south without stopping, en route to spend the winter in North Carolina. Migrations like the woodcocks’ help connect people all over the continent and highlight the importance of making sure these birds can find safe places to live throughout their range.

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Lilli Holden on Birding with Students in Chicago

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 2 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Lilli Holden is an emerging environmental leader in Chicago. She visits local schools and leads students outside to see birds. Lilli says the students’ enthusiasm while birding is contagious. But while visiting various neighborhoods in Chicago, she sees stark differences in access to nature, tied to the history of segregation and divestment in Black communities. She says that people’s needs for viable forms of public green space should receive more attention going forward.

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Binoculars 101

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 1 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

A decent pair of binoculars can considerably enhance your enjoyment of birds. In this episode, Dara Miles Wilson — a naturalist with Montgomery Parks in Maryland — shares a crash course on how to use binoculars.

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Lauren Pharr on Being a Black Field Biologist

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 31 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

For her PhD, Lauren Pharr took on a challenge: studying Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, which make their nests high in pine trees. But as a Black woman working as a field biologist in the rural South, Lauren says she faces higher levels of risk than her white colleagues. Lauren co-founded an organization called Field Inclusive that raises awareness about how to promote the safety of people from marginalized backgrounds in the field.

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The Freedom Song: Harriet Tubman’s Barred Owl Call

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 30 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Harriet Tubman was a heroic abolitionist in the cause to end chattel slavery. She was also an excellent astronomer and naturalist — and an expert birder. She mastered the hoot of the Barred Owl, using it as a signal throughout the Underground Railroad to let freedom seekers know she had arrived.

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The Robin Rescue

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 29 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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The Red-winged Blackbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 28 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The Red-winged Blackbird is the theme bird for this year’s Black Birders Week. Deja Perkins, who helps organize the event, introduces us to this species and what the bird represents to her and to Black Birders Week.

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City Gulls - Rooftop Nesters

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 27 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Juvenile Glaucous-winged Gulls are taking flight over downtown Seattle. In Chicago, young Ring-billed Gulls are heading for Lake Michigan. And before long, juvenile Herring Gulls will be soaring over the Atlantic Ocean. More and more, some gulls are raising their families in the city. They nest on flat, sunny rooftops that are generally inaccessible to humans. When chicks like this Western Gull fledge, they’re soft brown, and won’t have adult plumage – that flashy white and gray or black crispness – until they’re four years old.

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Barn Swallow, Natural Pest Control

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 26 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Barn Swallows have adapted to nesting near people, and build their cup-shaped mud nests in barns or garages, or on protected ledges, often near each other. The good news? These twittery, flittery birds love to eat the insects that humans consider pesky.

Imagine: 60 insects per hour, a whopping 850 per day. That's how much each bird eats.

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The Secretarybird: Eagle on Stilts

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 25 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Making Wind Farms Safer for Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 24 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Climate change poses a big threat to all life on earth, and birds are no exception. Garry George is the director of the Clean Energy Initiative for the National Audubon Society, and he says that wind turbines are essential to meet our carbon reduction goals. But they can also kill birds. Garry and his team at Audubon provide guidance on how to make wind farms safer for birds.

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Voices and Vocabularies - Robin's Evening Song

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 23 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

During the day, an American Robin, a member of the thrush family, sings a lovely, familiar song of rich phrases. But as the sun begins to set, robin song takes on a different character. From sunset until dark, a robin adds ethereal whispered notes to its carol, creating a song of remarkable grace and complexity. In the high latitudes, where twilight lingers late into the evening, a robin may expand its daytime carols into a twilight symphony that continues for hours.

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Voices and Vocabularies - Songs Long and Short

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 22 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

When a Sage Thrasher, perched on a clump of sagebrush, tips its head back to sing, the notes rush forth. They often sing non-stop for at least two minutes. In stark comparison, the song of this Brewer’s Blackbird lasts barely a second. And the Henslow’s Sparrow values brevity even more. But whether they’re long and drawn out or short and sweet, bird songs are all about the same things: territory and breeding.

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Drinking on the Wing

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 21 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Many birds drink while standing — dipping their beaks into a pond or birdbath, taking a beakful, and then tossing their heads back to swallow the water. But drinking on the wing suits swallows best. They walk awkwardly on the ground, and their long wings are cumbersome. So it’s far more efficient to grab a drink on the glide. This adaptation holds true for some other birds, too, including Common Nighthawks and swifts. Swifts have such short legs that they never land on the ground — so a sip on the wing is essential.

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Western Tanagers Are Flashes of Bright Color

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 20 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Western Tanagers dart from tree to tree, on the lookout for delicious bugs. They’ll find them by scanning the tree bark — or maybe snatching them from mid-air during flight — a tactic called hawking. Come winter, these lovely songbirds head south, where they fit right in with the other brightly colored tropical birds they’ll spend the winter with in Mexico and Central America.

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Instrumental Bird Sounds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 19 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Birds communicate with a fascinating array of instrumental sounds, and nearly all are made with their feathers or bills. The territorial drumming of a woodpecker - like this Black-backed Woodpecker - is one example. American Crows clatter their beaks to make rattling sounds. And the remarkable drumming of a Ruffed Grouse is produced by a rapid beating of its wings.

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Júlia d’Oliveira on Recreating Extinct Animals

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 18 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Don’t Separate People from Nature

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 17 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The environmental movement has historically been very white. As a conservation scientist for the National Wildlife Federation, Corina Newsome works with government agencies to make sure that conservation plans will benefit Black and Brown people and the environmental health of their communities.

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Birds that Sound Like Cats

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 16 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Named after their distinctive cat-like “mew” call, Gray Catbirds are mimic thrushes, related to mockingbirds and thrashers. They can imitate a wide variety of noises, from songbirds to mammals to frogs. Noisy and boisterous in the spring, a migrating flock of catbirds can fill a city park with sound.

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Brooklyn's Blue Jays

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 15 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Brooklyn’s Prospect Park covers more than 500 acres — many of them covered in trees. One bird species that calls the park home is the strikingly beautiful Blue Jay, which nests, forages, and roosts in trees. In the eastern US, you can invite Blue Jays into a small yard with just a decent tree or two. It’s the volume of branches and leafy habitat overhead that matter to the jays.

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Bee Hummingbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 14 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The Bee Hummingbird, found only in Cuba, is the smallest bird in the world. An absolute miniature, even among hummingbirds, it measures only two and a quarter inches long. Often mistaken for bees, they weigh less than a dime. The female builds a nest barely an inch across, and lays eggs about the size of a coffee bean.

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The Eyes of an Owl

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 13 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Chickadees Clean Up After the Youngsters

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 12 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Imagine this Black-capped Chickadee flying toward its nest, carrying fresh insects for its chicks. A moment later, it emerges with a tiny white pouch in its bill. The chickadee drops the object into the vegetation below. That outgoing payload is a fecal sac, a remarkable adaptation found in nesting songbirds. Nestlings — often within seconds of being fed by an adult — excrete waste in tidy little sacs. Then the dutiful parent switches tasks, from meal delivery to waste management.

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Working to Protect the Capercaillie

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 11 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The native pinewood forests of the Scottish Highlands are home to many species, but among the most striking is the Western Capercaillie – the largest living grouse species. Their future in the highland forests is under threat. But a conservation task force headed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and backed by landowners and the government is striving to reverse their decline.

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Parakeets Underground

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 10 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Spring Birdsong in the Arctic

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 9 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Spring has reached the Arctic. Low-growing wildflowers carpet slopes of tundra, and arriving migratory birds begin to sing: Lapland Longspurs, Hoary Redpolls, Snow Buntings, Bluethroats, and more.

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Learning to Listen - Patterns in Songs of the Song Sparrow

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 8 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Heidi Hoelting, a musician, listens carefully to the songs of birds. In her piano studio at her home in the woods, she wrote down several variations of the different sounds a Song Sparrow makes. In this BirdNote, Nancy Rumbel plays some of those variations on a bamboo whistle. Listen to all thirteen variations, as played by Nancy.

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What Are Birds Saying

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 7 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

A bird’s crest is made up of a slender array of feathers on top of its head. These feathers are a bit longer and can be spiked up or slicked back, depending on what the bird is trying to communicate. Even birds without crests, like crows or sparrows, sometimes puff up their short crown feathers.

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A Drive Along on a Bar Ditch

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 6 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Great Horned Owl III

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 5 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

This Great Horned Owlet - about 2-1/2 months old and already as big as its parents - is quite well feathered, although its underparts remain downy. Its wing and tail feathers are developing nicely, and it has begun to make short flights. By mid-May, the owlet still relies almost entirely on its parents for food, and will stay with the family for months to come.

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American Kestrel

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 4 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The American Kestrel is the smallest, most numerous, and most widespread North American falcon. This bird is built for speed, its long pointed wings often bent back at the tip. While hunting, kestrels hover above an open field. These days, the lack of suitable nesting cavities, which limits American Kestrel populations in some areas, has lead to public interest in installing wooden nest boxes.

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Pigeons Make Milk

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 3 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Pigeons, one of the most ancient of domesticated animals, feed their nestlings a peculiar, milky substance, straight from the adult’s beak to the baby’s throat. It’s called pigeon milk, a fat-rich substance loaded with antioxidants and immunity factors that enhance the survival of newborns — much like mammals’ milk does.

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American White Pelicans

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 2 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

American White Pelicans have a nine-foot wingspan, nearly that of the California Condor. In summer, they breed mainly in the interior west of the United States and Canada, favoring shallow portions of lakes, marshes, and rivers, where they scoop fish from the water in the pouches of their beaks.

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California Quail, Up and Running

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 1 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

The most distinctive characteristic of the California Quail is the black, forward-facing topknot that juts out from its forehead like a small flag. The California Quail – the state bird of California – builds its nest right on the ground. Almost immediately after hatching, the precocial chicks are up and running, following their parents to feed.

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How Much Birds Sing

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Thirsty Rufous Hummingbird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Hummingbirds need to consume five times their body weight each day. This Rufous Hummingbird of the West is looking for flowering plants to quench that mighty thirst on its spring migration. A feeder would work, too. Put a hummingbird feeder up in your yard, and see who turns up!

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Delhi’s Jain Bird Hospital is Free

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

At Charity Birds Hospital, a small staff takes care of approximately twenty-six hundred birds at a time, providing antibiotics, medicine, food, and a safe place to rest for injured or sick birds. The hospital is run entirely on donations, mostly from the Jain community, which follows the philosophy, “live and let live.”

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The Plover and the Hurricane

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Sean Hill on Nature, Place, and Black Life

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Poet Sean Hill performs three poems that encapsulate his dynamic relationship to birds, travel and life as a Black wanderer in the great outdoors. First is The Western Tanager or Why Montana, a villanelle reflecting on why people choose a home. Then, In Houston examines the intimacy of quiet moments and the surprising sounds that can be heard when we really listen. And finally, Silas Fishing 1967 shows how connecting with even small moments in nature can have a transformational effect.

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A Lost Hummingbird is Found Again

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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White-throated Swifts

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

A pair of White-throated Swifts twists and turns, sailing through the air. Dashing headlong across the canyon toward an unyielding wall, the birds disappear at the last second into a slender crevice. This swift is aptly named — and doubly so. The White-throated Swift is among the fastest of all birds. And its lyrical, scientific name suits it perfectly: Aeronautes saxatalis - sailor of the air who dwells in the rocks.

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The Early Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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The Legendary Phoenix

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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What’s a Field of Grass to a Bird?

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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House Wrens and Dummy Nests

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

There may be no busier bird during the nesting season than a male House Wren. Just a day or so after completing his spring migration from the tropics, the male House Wren claims a territory and checks out several potential nest cavities. And in each of these locations, he builds a starter nest using virtually anything twig-like to get the job done — from nails and bits of wire to paper clips and hairpins. The male House Wren stays at it until a female pairs with him. Then she picks one of the starter nests and takes over construction.

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Raising the World’s Deadliest Bird

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Spring Migration Across the Globe

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Each spring, millions of birds head north. From Ecuador, beautiful Scarlet Tanagers fly to the eastern US and Canada, many traversing the Gulf of Mexico, an arduous journey. Across much of southern Europe, Common Nightingales – small thrushes with russet feathers – are arriving, having traveled northward from Africa across immense deserts. In northern Asia, petite songbirds known as Siberian Rubythroats — like this one — are arriving en masse, some winging their way across the South China Sea from the Philippines, others over the mountains from Thailand.

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Great-tailed Grackle

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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Brewer’s Sparrow, Sagelands Singer

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

One of the most musical and complex bird songs in the US is that of the Brewer's Sparrow. It's a veritable aria, ringing forth from the sagebrush of Eastern Washington's Columbia Basin. Shrub-steppe is disappearing from the interior west as it is cleared for irrigated crops. The quintessential drylands bird, the Brewer's Sparrow can survive for an extended period of time with no supplemental water, getting all the water it needs from seeds and arthropods.

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Recycle Your Eggshells to Help Nesting Birds

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Sat, 15 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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The Eagle Eye

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Ever heard the term “eagle eye”? An eagle’s vision is incredibly sharp, and its eyes can weigh more than its brain. The secret to the bird’s exceptional vision is the density of visual cells – the rods and cones – of its retina.

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Magpies Help Each Other Remove Tracking Devices

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Tracking birds can be tricky — even with GPS technology. Around 70% of bird species are just too small to carry a GPS battery. But recently, Australian scientists developed GPS trackers that looked like little backpacks, weighed less than a gram, could charge wirelessly and could be quickly released with a magnet. When the researchers tested the trackers on Australian Magpies, though, the birds managed to pinpoint a tiny weak spot in the backpack and helped each other peck the trackers off. This showed evidence of altruism, a rare behavior among birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Stefania Gomez - Swifts

info@birdnote.org (BirdNote) — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Each September, thousands of Vaux's Swifts roost in the chimney of Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, a stopover on their southern migration. Crowds gather every night to watch the spectacle. As a celebration of Poetry Month in the US, we offer this poem, Swifts, by Stefania Gomez.

You can read more of Stefania's work in her book, Once I Loved a Cowboy.

This interview originally aired in April 2020.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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