BirdNote

When a Northern Saw-whet Owl spreads its wings, many birds can see something our human eyes can’t: the owl’s flight feathers glow with ultraviolet light. It’s invisible to humans without the help of a UV blacklight. While the glowing feathers on parrots might help them attract mates, the reason for

Although American Crows may seem blasé about pillaging another bird's nest, they regard a threat to their own young as a punishable offense. To protect their nest, adult crows dive-bomb people, cats, other animals, and even other birds. Young crows fledge when they are around five or six weeks old

En un día caluroso de verano, observa con atención aves como el cuervo, o como esta águila cabeza blanca. Nunca los verás sudar, porque las aves no tienen glándulas sudoríparas. Entonces, ¿cómo se mantienen frescas? Una forma es jadeando. Cuando respiran con rapidez, el calor se expulsa del cuerpo a

Rosy-Finches are a family of alpine songbirds. Three species can be found in the US and Canada: Grey-Crowned Rosy-Finch, Black Rosy-Finch and Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (shown above). All wear pink on their bellies and wings. But spotting that namesake hue means trekking up some of the most rugged

Author Christian Cooper is never not birding — even at the movies. For season 8 of the Bring Birds Back, Christian shares the story of a bird out of place in the 2006 film Apocalypto. Listen to the full episode about birds on screen here and in your favorite podcast app.

Common Swifts in Europe nest in eaves and under roof tiles and gables. But modern construction doesn’t have these nooks and crannies, and populations of swifts have been declining. However, there’s a solution called the “swift brick,” a small nesting box that fits right into the wall of a house or

Immature Bald Eagles look so different from mature Bald Eagles that early ornithologists thought they were a different species entirely! Sitting about three feet tall, these majestic birds have wingspans of more than six feet. Stretch your arms as far as you can, and imagine a bird whose reach is

At this time of year, a very young male Bewick's Wren is beginning to learn how to sing. His father sings a crisp well-defined song, separated by pauses, but the young bird's song is fuzzy, unfocused, a little rambling. Each adult male Bewick's Wren has his own set of unique songs. A young wren

Bird voices can vary tremendously. Learning to describe how a bird sounds will make it easier to figure out who’s singing. This episode shares a few common terms to start birding by ear.

Not all blackbirds are mostly black. This Baltimore Oriole is orange! The bird's common name is a nod to Sir George Calvert, First Lord of Baltimore, whose coat-of-arms carried a gold and black design. In spring and summer, you may see these orioles in the Midwest and eastern U.S., lighting up the