Category: Backyard Birding

Northern Cardinal

This beautiful bird is a year-round resident in the East and Midwest and a frequent visitor for sunflower seeds at winter feeders. It is unmistakable with its bright red plumage and crest. The female is duller but with reddish tinge. The area behind the beak is black, while the beak itself is red. It derives …

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Easy to Make Bird Feeders

Right now is the perfect time of year to do indoor projects geared for the outside. It helps us know that spring is right around the corner and also gives us a sense of making the world a little bit brighter by adding some color. Creating some easy bird feeders are a great way to …

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Eastern Bluebird

The Eastern Bluebird, like its fellow member of the thrush family, the American Robin, is often viewed as a harbinger of spring. The Iroquois believed that the Bluebird would scare off Sawiskera or Flint, the spirit of winter (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebird). However, either bird may be seen in winter in more southern parts of its nesting range. …

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How DO Birds Get Water in the Winter?

Birds need water year round and many birds stay in cold climates in the winter months. So what do birds do once the ground is frozen and people stop filling their bird baths in their backyards? Some birds are lucky enough to have backyard heated birdbaths. But most birds who spend their winters in the …

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American Robin

One question many people might have about the American Robin is this: is there another kind of robin that is not American? I will come back to the answer in just a bit. The American Robin is one of the most familiar birds, indeed, to Americans. They nest in yards from coast to coast. Connecticut, …

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The Purple Martin’s Majesty

The Purple Martin is the largest North American swallow (Family Hirundinidae), with a wingspan of 18 inches, length of 8 inches, and weight of 2 ounces. It is about the size and appearance of a starling in flight and can be confused with it. (In both species, the purple is due to iridescence of feather …

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They Never Forget a Face

There was an old belief that when crows saw a human’s face, the face would imprint on the brain of the crow, and then the crow would remember that face for the rest of their life. If the memory was pleasant, the crow would have pleasant feelings for the person and if the memory was …

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The Splendent Satin Bowerbird

This is not a backyard bird in the United States, but rather in Eastern Australia along the Coast. I just happened to be listening to a program Saturday morning and I thought, “I have to learn more about this bird.” The Satin Bowerbirds are medium in size. The male Bowerbird actually has a blue head …

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The American Bald Eagle

Did you know this majestic bird can be found in every state except Hawaii? So, unless you live in Hawaii, you have an American Bald Eagle sighting near you! Seeing one of these amazing birds in flight is unforgettable and something I recommend trying to see for anyone, let alone a bird watcher. Bald Eagles …

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Welcome Home Purple Martins!

Purple Martins are members of the swallow family. They are almost 8 inches long and have a wingspan of just over 15 inches across. Of course the species of birds got their name from the beautiful color of the males. The males have a deep purple bluish color on their feathers and their feathers seem …

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