Jul 03 2026
Few birds command the sky quite like the Peregrine Falcon. Powerful, agile, and extraordinarily fast, this remarkable raptor is famous for its breathtaking hunting dives and its ability to thrive in environments ranging from remote sea cliffs to the tops of downtown skyscrapers. The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) is found across much of the world …
Jun 19 2026
High among the conifer forests and windswept ridges of western North America lives one of the continent’s most remarkable birds. The Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) may look understated in its gray, black, and white plumage, but behind that modest appearance is an extraordinarily intelligent member of the crow family with a memory capable of keeping …
Jun 19 2026
The Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) is one of North America’s most striking songbirds. With the male’s brilliant sky-blue plumage and the female’s softer blend of blue and gray-brown, this species brings a splash of color to open country across the western part of the continent. Often associated with grasslands, sagebrush flats, mountain meadows, and fence-lined …
Jun 09 2026
Hummingbirds seem almost impossible the first time you watch one closely. A bird scarcely larger than a thumb can stop in midair, dart backward, defend a flower patch from rivals, and disappear across the yard before your eyes can follow it. These tiny birds belong to the hummingbird family, Trochilidae, and occur naturally only in …
Jun 03 2026
The flash of a deep blue wing between towering evergreens is often the first clue that a Steller’s Jay is nearby. A moment later, a dark-crested bird may land on a branch, cock its head inquisitively, and announce itself with a rough series of rattles, squawks, or scolding calls. The Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is …
May 02 2026
A flash of red among the branches can stop a birdwatcher in their tracks. But identifying a bird with a red chest is not always as easy as it first appears. Some birds have brilliant scarlet breasts. Others are rosy, rusty, brick-red, cinnamon, or orange-red. In many species, only the male displays the brightest coloration, …
Apr 16 2026
A flash of red among the trees can stop a birdwatcher in their tracks. But identifying a bird with a red head is not always as straightforward as it seems. Some North American birds, such as the Red-headed Woodpecker, really do have an entirely red head. Others have a red crown, forehead, crest, face, or …
May 11 2025
Most songbirds spend their lives among branches, grasses, and open skies. The American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) takes a very different approach. This stocky gray bird makes its home beside cold, rushing streams—and routinely plunges directly into them. American Dippers can swim, dive, and even move along rocky streambeds while searching for food. They are considered …
Apr 19 2025
Sandpipers are among the most fascinating—and sometimes most challenging—birds to identify. A flock feeding across a mudflat may initially look like dozens of nearly identical little brown-and-white birds. Look more carefully, however, and differences begin to emerge. One bird has yellow legs, another has black legs. One has a short, straight bill, while another carries …
Aug 03 2024
Few birds look as though nature used quite as many colors as the Gouldian Finch. With a brilliant purple breast, golden-yellow belly, green back, turquoise collar, and a head that may be black, red, or yellow, this small Australian songbird is often described as a living rainbow. Native to the tropical savannas of northern Australia, …
