May 13 2023
The American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) is a small, slender songbird of wide-open landscapes. It breeds in some of North America’s most dramatic environments—from Arctic tundra to windswept alpine meadows—and then appears much farther south during migration and winter, when flocks may gather in farm fields, along muddy shorelines, and beside reservoirs. At first glance, the …
May 13 2023
The Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) is a small songbird of wide-open landscapes, equally at home on windswept prairie, Arctic tundra, coastal dunes, agricultural fields, and mountain slopes above the trees. Although its sandy brown plumage often blends into the ground, a closer look reveals a surprisingly distinctive bird with a dark facial mask, a black …
May 07 2023
Few backyard birds capture the imagination quite like the Eastern Bluebird. With its brilliant blue feathers, warm rusty-orange breast, and gentle, musical voice, this small songbird brings a welcome burst of color to fields, gardens, orchards, and quiet country roads. The Eastern Bluebird, scientifically known as Sialia sialis, is one of three bluebird species found …
May 07 2023
Few North American birds make an entrance quite like the Pileated Woodpecker. Nearly as large as a crow, this striking forest bird combines a mostly black body, bold white facial stripes, and a brilliant red crest that rises dramatically from the back of its head. Its appearance is only part of the story. A Pileated …
May 06 2023
A robin singing before sunrise, a cardinal whistling from a backyard tree, and a tiny wren delivering a surprisingly powerful performance from inside a hedge all belong to one of the most diverse and familiar groups of birds on Earth: the songbirds. Songbirds inhabit forests, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, mountains, gardens, and cities. Some travel thousands …
May 04 2023
From the red flash of a Northern Cardinal against winter snow to the haunting call of a Barred Owl in an Appalachian forest, Kentucky offers extraordinary opportunities to experience birdlife throughout the year. The Bluegrass State’s landscapes are far more varied than its nickname suggests. Western Kentucky contains wetlands, broad rivers, and bottomland forests. Central …
May 04 2023
A soft, wistful coo drifts across the backyard just after sunrise. A moment later, a slender gray-brown bird settles onto a fence, its long tail tapering behind it. When it suddenly takes flight, its wings produce a surprising whistle that seems almost too loud for such a gentle-looking bird. This familiar visitor is the Mourning …
May 04 2023
What Bird Eggs Are Blue? A small blue egg in a backyard nest can immediately raise an intriguing question: What kind of bird laid it? American Robins are famous for their unmistakable blue eggs, but they are far from the only birds that produce them. Bluebirds, Gray Catbirds, House Finches, Blue Jays, Northern Mockingbirds, and …
Feb 28 2022
The Northern Cardinal is a backyard favorite of many bird watchers. This popular bird lives in the Eastern parts of the United States. Because of the male’s bright red color, they are perhaps the most colorful visitors we have who eat at our bird feeders and swim in our birdbaths in local yards. Some believe …
Feb 28 2022
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 …
