Dec 14 2023
Vultures are among the most recognizable—and misunderstood—birds in the world. With enormous wings, hooked bills, bare or sparsely feathered heads, and an extraordinary ability to locate carrion, these birds are perfectly adapted to a life spent searching for animals that have already died. That may not sound glamorous, but vultures perform one of nature’s most …
Dec 09 2023
Few songbirds are as closely associated with snow, wind, and high mountain landscapes as the rosy-finches. These hardy members of the finch family spend much of their lives in alpine environments where trees disappear, snowfields linger well into summer, and winter weather can be severe. North America is home to three rosy-finch species: the Gray-crowned …
Dec 09 2023
The Giant Coot (Fulica gigantea) is an extraordinary waterbird of the high Andes of South America. Larger and heavier than most other coots, this imposing member of the rail family lives among cold lakes, lagoons, and marshes thousands of feet above sea level. With its dark slate-colored body, brilliant reddish legs, and striking multicolored bill …
Dec 08 2023
The Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) is one of the most spectacular members of the pheasant family. The adult male looks almost unreal, with a brilliant golden crest, scarlet underparts, an orange-and-black neck ruff, flashes of blue and green, and an extraordinarily long patterned tail. Females could hardly look more different. Their brown, buff, and black …
Dec 08 2023
The Chinese Monal (Lophophorus lhuysii) is one of the most spectacular pheasants in the world. Found only in the high mountains of China, this large ground-dwelling bird combines brilliant iridescent plumage with a rugged alpine lifestyle. Male Chinese Monals shimmer with metallic green, blue, purple, and copper tones, while females wear far more subdued brown …
Nov 26 2023
The Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is one of North America’s most recognizable plovers—and one of the few shorebirds you are just as likely to encounter in a parking lot, pasture, or athletic field as along the edge of a pond. Its bold double breast bands, piercing call, long-legged running style, and dramatic “broken-wing” performance make the …
Nov 08 2023
The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is one of North America’s most recognizable birds. With its enormous wings, powerful talons, brilliant white head and tail, and commanding presence, an adult Bald Eagle is difficult to mistake once it comes into view. Bald Eagles are closely associated with rivers, lakes, reservoirs, marshes, and coastlines, where fish make …
Sep 05 2023
The Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) is one of the most unusual and beautiful birds of the Eurasian mountains. At first glance, a bird clinging to a gray cliff face can nearly disappear against the stone. Then it suddenly opens its wings, revealing brilliant flashes of crimson, black, and white. That dramatic transformation has earned the Wallcreeper …
Sep 05 2023
Nutcrackers are remarkable members of the crow family known for strong bills, impressive memories, and an extraordinary relationship with conifer forests. Instead of simply eating the seeds they collect, these intelligent birds hide thousands of them in scattered caches, returning months later to retrieve much of their stored food. Some seeds are inevitably forgotten. Those …
Sep 03 2023
Few birds seem more at home among rocky summits than the Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus). Glossy black from head to tail, with a bright yellow bill and striking red legs, this highly social member of the crow family spends much of its life in some of the highest mountain environments inhabited by birds. Also known …
