For the Birds
Author's posts
Jul 06 2023
Bird Feeder Cameras: How They Work, Features & Setup Guide
A bird feeder has always offered a front-row seat to the small dramas unfolding in the backyard. Chickadees dart in for sunflower seeds, cardinals linger cautiously at the edge, woodpeckers investigate anything that looks remotely edible, and squirrels inevitably attempt to join the party. A bird feeder camera takes that experience a step further. Instead …
Jul 04 2023
The Significance of a Bird in Hand: Exploring the Power of Gratitude and Contentment
There is something wonderfully simple about the old saying, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” At first glance, it sounds like practical advice about choosing certainty over possibility. Hold onto what you already have, it suggests, rather than risking it all for something that may never be yours. But beneath …
Jul 01 2023
The Barred Owl: A Guide to its Habitat, Lifestyle, and Behavior
Deep in a mature forest, long after daylight has faded from the treetops, a booming series of hoots breaks the silence. To many people, the rhythm sounds remarkably like the phrase, “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” This unforgettable call belongs to the Barred Owl (Strix varia), one of the most recognizable owls …
Jun 29 2023
How to Attract Colorful Birds to Your Backyard with a Window Feeder
Few backyard birding experiences are quite as delightful as seeing a brilliant red cardinal, sunny yellow goldfinch, or bold Blue Jay appear just inches from your window. A window bird feeder makes those encounters possible without requiring a large yard, elaborate feeding station, or even much outdoor space. Mounted directly to the glass with suction …
Jun 24 2023
How Birds Hear: Bird Hearing, Songs, Calls & Auditory Abilities
Birdsong is one of the most familiar sounds in nature, yet the way birds experience that sound is remarkably different from what we might imagine. A robin singing before sunrise, a chickadee sounding an alarm, an owl tracking prey in darkness, and a flock calling to one another overhead all depend on sophisticated auditory systems. …
Jun 11 2023
The Evolution of Bird Calls: From Simple Chirps to Complex Melodies
Birdsong is one of nature’s most familiar soundtracks. A sparrow repeats a bright phrase from a fence post, a chickadee gives a sharp alarm note from the trees, and a mockingbird pours out an astonishing sequence of whistles, trills, and borrowed sounds. To human ears, these voices can sound like music, conversation, or simply part …
Jun 04 2023
The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird: Behavior, Habitat, and Conservation
Few birds announce the arrival of warm weather quite like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). A flash of metallic green beside the garden, the soft buzz of rapidly beating wings, and suddenly one of North America’s smallest birds is hovering almost motionless in front of a flower. For much of eastern North America, the Ruby-throated …
Jun 02 2023
Montezuma Quail: Identification, Habitat, Behavior & Diet
The Montezuma Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) is one of North America’s most striking—and most secretive—quail species. A male dressed in bold black-and-white facial markings, chestnut plumage, and white-spotted flanks looks almost too elaborate to disappear into a grassy hillside. Yet disappearing is exactly what this bird does best. Found primarily in the mountains of Mexico, with …
Jun 02 2023
Wings of Hope: How Bird Rescue Centers Are Saving Our Feathered Friends
A tiny songbird lies stunned beneath a window. A young owl is discovered beside a road. A pelican arrives tangled in fishing line, while a nestling is brought in after a storm tears apart its nest. Every day, situations like these bring wild birds into wildlife rehabilitation centers, where trained professionals and volunteers work to …
May 31 2023
Willow Flycatcher: Identification, Habitat, Song & Behavior
The Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) may not be one of North America’s most colorful birds, but for birdwatchers, it presents one of the continent’s classic identification challenges. Small, olive-brown, and subtly marked, it belongs to the notoriously difficult Empidonax group of flycatchers, several of which can look almost identical in the field. Fortunately, the Willow …
