Category: For the Birds

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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Keeping A Bird Watching Journal

When I started teaching writing to students in 4th and 5th grade a few years ago, we talked to our students about the importance of keeping writing journals. My co-teachers and I helped students organize their journals with everything from daily writings to lists, hobbies, and writing ideas for the future. It was because of these “in-class …

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The Healing Powers of Watching Birds

I think we can all agree the pace of life sometimes just needs to slow down. With so many people having high blood pressure and conditions that are attributed to higher stress levels, could something as simple as watching birds help our heart rate and calm our souls? From my viewpoint and the view of …

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12 Fun Facts About Birds

I thought it would be fun to explore some trivia most of us do not know about birds in general. For instance, did you know the Sword Billed Hummingbird’s bill is longer than its body? There are over 9300 species of birds in the world and 2/3 of these species live in the tropical rain …

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Gyrfalcon

This bird of the far north is rarely seen in the lower forty-eight states, except those of us who watch Nature on Public Broadcasting. This bird, the largest of the falcons, is the official bird of the Northwest Territories in Canada. Gyrfalcons generally stay in the north in winter, but with some regularity, if not commonly, they …

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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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Should People Own Birds?

Well, at the risk of ruffling some feathers, this author leans toward a no answer. But if you do decide to adopt a pet bird, there are some considerations to think about before you do, in order to have the best possible experience for both you and your new feathered friend. First, birds are never …

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