Bird song caught the ear of Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. And he even named a 1729 flute concerto for a bird — the goldfinch. The source of inspiration for Vivaldi's Goldfinch concerto, or Il Gardellino, was the European Goldfinch, a tiny bird found throughout much of Europe, where it frequents

Many birds have common names that refer to their dominant body color, like the Gray Catbird. Yet some species of gray birds received more colorful descriptors than others. Silvered, plumbeous, glaucous, and slate are just some of the bird world’s many shades of gray!

In 1907, a German pharmacist named Julius Neubronner invented the pigeon camera. It was a small camera strapped to a pigeon’s breast — like a photographic baby-bjorn. A timer let the camera take multiple snapshots throughout the bird’s flight. This allowed for some of the earliest aerial photography

In this episode, environmental educator and nature enthusiast Nicole Jackson tells the story of an unexpected backyard birding experience when she visited her mom in 2021. When she arrived, Nicole saw typical birds such as robins and jays, but then saw something less common: a brightly colored

Deja Perkins, an urban ecologist and co-organizer of Black Birders Week, remembers seeing House Sparrows all over Chicago as a kid. These little brown birds are native to Eurasia and North Africa, but were forced to adapt to many places around the world where they were introduced. Though many people

Grackles, vultures, and other big black birds are often disparaged by people who’d rather they stay out of sight. But Marcus Rosten, an environmental educator and co-organizer of Black Birders Week, appreciates these birds for the important roles they play in nature and the ways their stories

When Adé Ben-Salahuddin stopped to help a trapped young bird on his way home from work, he found an unexpected source of help: an older Black woman walking by who had just the skills for the problem at hand. This year, Black Birders Week is celebrating miraculous shades of brown by highlighting the

There are many benefits for birds that form mixed flocks, from safety and survival to care and feeding. We can see the power of community through the actions of birds every day. And it’s time we took a note from their book. This year, Black Birders Week is celebrating miraculous shades of brown by

No hay un lugar incorrecto para buscar aves; mirar por la ventana y escuchar sus cantos y llamados es un excelente comienzo. Pero quizás tengas curiosidad sobre otros lugares donde buscarlas. En este episodio, te damos algunos consejos rápidos sobre buenos lugares para encontrar aves. Listen to this

In June 2024, environmental educator and co-organizer of Black Birders Week Dara Miles Wilson traveled to Camden, South Carolina to attend her cousin’s funeral. Despite the somber circumstances, two birds surprised her with unanticipated brightness. This year, Black Birders Week is celebrating